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Fifth HOPE Conference Underway

The Fifth HOPE conference is starting today at the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City. If you haven't heard of it, read through their website or see our report on the last conference to get some idea. The lockpicking talk is scheduled for Saturday morning, and Kevin Mitnick, Steve Wozniak, and Jello Biafra will all be speaking. Well worth your time and the $50 admission fee, so if you're in the Big Apple, come on down.

184 comments

  1. good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    now call the FBI, we have all the h@x||'s in one place, get those terrorists.

    1. Re:good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah get those tourists

    2. Re:good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I realize your being cynical.
      But I wish they would crash that little tree hugging, moon maiden fest.
      Read the BIOs of the speakers... and look at their "organization's" webpages... thier beliefs are as warped as there ability to have healthy social lives... but then again the entire world is messed up on that right now, the divorce rate alone shows that.

  2. Trouble making... by that_xmas · · Score: 1

    If you meet Jen Savage tell her I said "Hi!"

    1. Re:Trouble making... by NanoGator · · Score: 3, Funny

      "If you meet Jen Savage tell her I said "Hi!"

      I said hi to her for ya. She said she hopes you leave your house one day.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    2. Re:Trouble making... by that_xmas · · Score: 1

      Leave the house? It's more like, "Leave my office." Damn job, I wished I was outsourced.

  3. What is the fee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    To smack Kevin Mitnick? I know a lot of people that would like the opportunity to pop this attention whore that was trashed the name "Hacker". We could donate the revenue to the EFF to help support the fight for real hackers, not criminal posuer jerks.

    1. Re:What is the fee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This isn't funny at all. It's Insightful at the least!

      Mitnick was a wannabe. He just happened to gain attention because of a ramped up story written to make what he did seem all that much more exciting.

      Being a script kiddie isn't anything exciting. We look down on those fuckwads today. Why should we idolize Mitnick?

      He's a two-bit sham and a jackass for exploiting the community.

    2. Re:What is the fee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Plus he makes shedloads more money than you!

    3. Re:What is the fee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Get over it.

    4. Re:What is the fee... by joshmccormack · · Score: 2, Funny

      From what little I know of him, most of what he did seemed more like social engineering than anything else. Perhaps his lack of frenetic typing at black keyboards hooked up to 6 lcd monitors with rotating 3D objects is why we haven't seen a movie about him yet.

    5. Re:What is the fee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There is a movie, Takedown (sometimes referred to as Hackers 2 but has no relation to Hackers).

      http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159784/

    6. Re:What is the fee... by Mind+Booster+Noori · · Score: 1
      This is FAR FROM the truth behind Kevin Mitnick's story. You you want some REAL STUFF about what happened (about Kevin and about how shitty Takedown is), maybe you should see "Freedom Downtime" instead of "Takedown".

      BTW, Freedom Downtime was made by 2600, the same guys behind The Fifth HOPE.

      Freedom Downtime
      2600

    7. Re:What is the fee... by mcpkaaos · · Score: 2, Informative

      BTW, Freedom Downtime was made by 2600, the same guys behind The Fifth HOPE.

      ...and is only available in VHS format. Do these guys still try to use those Captain Crunch whistles to make free phone calls, too?

      Toot toot! Hello 21st century calling!

      --
      It goes from God, to Jerry, to me.
    8. Re:What is the fee... by Rob_Warwick · · Score: 1

      Freedom Downtime is now available in DVD. I've got a copy in my iBook right now.

    9. Re:What is the fee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's just something so incredibly stylish about that.

    10. Re:What is the fee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      and is only available in VHS format
      Or in .torrent format, check suprnova.org -> Movies -> Documentary ;)
    11. Re:What is the fee... by cyranoVR · · Score: 1

      They just released at the conference. a double-disk, no-region version of Freedom Downtime with subtitles in 30 different languages. Supposedly packed with extras, deleted footage, easter-eggs, etc. etc. With all these features it almost sounds like a prank but Emmanuel et. al. discussed it during the live Off the Hook broadcast, and I saw it selling for $30 USD at the 2600 table.

      I haven't seen it yet, tho...waiting to rent it from Blockbuster :)

  4. Lock in effect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Cool, so I don't have to worry about locking myself out of the car if I go :D

  5. If it is like the Fifth Freedom... by Kjuib · · Score: 0

    then count me in! (More power to splinter cell fans!)

    --
    - Your stupidity got you into this mess, why can't it get you out? -Will Rogers
  6. wish by munboy · · Score: 1

    man, i wish i could go. kevin m. is like the ruler of the world! MA

    1. Re:wish by Chess_the_cat · · Score: 1

      I read his book The Art of Deception and it seems to me that he's nothing more than an unfunny version of the Jerky Boys. He's just an idiot who fucks around on the phone.

      --
      Support the First Amendment. Read at -1
  7. I wish I was there by tripie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Wow i wish I was there instead I am a slave stuck behind this damm keyboard. But when the FBi raids the place for everyone in there being a terrorist and they all end up in jail being held without a trial for supporting terrorist. I am sure HOPE also violates the DMCA in some way or another!!!

    1. Re:I wish I was there by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, the feds are there - they do alot of recruiting at "hacker" cons...

    2. Re:I wish I was there by GMontag · · Score: 1

      Sounds like the NSA was close by, but just watching :)

  8. recordings by TechBCEternity · · Score: 5, Informative

    They'll have most of the first and second streams recorded and put online so if you can't make it, check back in a week or so and you can listen them.

    1. Re:recordings by DrEldarion · · Score: 1

      That is, of course, assuming that a link to them doesn't get posted here - otherwise you may be waiting quite a bit longer.

  9. I wish by kevin_conaway · · Score: 1, Redundant

    I knew about this earlier...oh well, maybe next year

    1. Re:I wish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      its only every few year but i do hope i can make the next one.

  10. Jello Biafra? by bob+dobalina · · Score: 1

    What the hell does Jello Biafra have to do with hacking? (Besides another weak attempt to prop up his ever-fading relevancy to anything.) Seems like this guy will do anything to grab for people's attention.

    --

    B

    "I'm payin' taxes, but what am I buyin'?" -- James Brown

    1. Re:Jello Biafra? by happyfrogcow · · Score: 1

      My thoughts exactly. He's reason enough not to go.

    2. Re:Jello Biafra? by GAMMAH_DJ · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Jello's talks usually focus on 'media hacking,' meaning that one becomes a source of media to introduce non-mainstream ideas to the public. His ideas on this topic are still releevant, especially today when US media consumers are all being fed from the same spoon.

    3. Re:Jello Biafra? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's because it's now fashionable for 'hackers', AKA the fat spods who thing installing Mandrake makes them some sort of subversive, to be into arse-witted lefty politics. For further examples, see the love of Indymedia and hatred of large corporations/intellectual property.

      The prime example of this is Richard Stallman, go take a look at the website of the patron saint of Slashdot, he's a fucking moonbat.

      (Anarcho-capitalist here, before anyone trys to claim otherwise)

    4. Re:Jello Biafra? by bob+dobalina · · Score: 2, Interesting

      His ideas on this topic are still releevant, especially today when US media consumers are all being fed from the same spoon.

      So as an alternative, we feed everyone else from another spoon, on the Michael Moore conspiracy theorist axis?

      Someone else here wrote up a good analysis of the last HOPE, and I agree; he doesn't teach anyone to "think for themselves" unless that means thinking the same as him. He has a view that anyone opposed to him is a "Bush lackey" or "henchman of the right" or whatever (implying that everyone on the right is evil, which holds about as much water as saying every liberal is a communist).

      Like that guy said, when you start reflexively protesting every movement by the government, you've got issues. Biafra doesn't do anything to open a dialogue with the people across the aisle, to try to convince them of his views; instead he spits venom at them, labels them as categorically evil, turns his back and lets the exhortations of the choir to whom he preaches refuel his low self-esteem.

      --

      B

      "I'm payin' taxes, but what am I buyin'?" -- James Brown

    5. Re:Jello Biafra? by Brain+Stew · · Score: 1

      Maybe he'll do a performance of Holiday In Cambodia or some LARD songs?

      Most likely, just some more spoken word stuff. He's actually a smart guy, if not a little paranoid.

      --
      "Here's a spoiler: You're will die alone."-Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
    6. Re:Jello Biafra? by GAMMAH_DJ · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There is no spoon ;) Sorry I couldn't resist. No, it's not a question of "You must feed at the teet of ONE OF THESE TWO: - Corporate Media - Jello Biafra" That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying, look at any corporate media outlet, and many are fed from the same source. I said NOTHING about Michael Moore, or the government, or Bush, or ANYTHING ELSE! What I am saying is: There are issues that go unaddressed by corporate media. There are viewpoints that are somehow not covered by corporate media. One point JB is trying to make is this: BECOME THE MEDIA. It is up to anyone that chooses to undergo that endeavor to bring to light anything they want. They could be completely FOR the current administration, that's fair. In other words, if you have something to say, SAY IT ALREADY! That is all. Sheesh, just because you have an inferiority complex about being on the right, doesn't mean that everyone not on the right is wrong!

    7. Re:Jello Biafra? by Errorism · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I agree with GAMMAH DJ. People like Jello Biafra and Michael Moore aren't trying to impose their beliefs on you but make you think about ideas. They at least have the balls to stand up for what they believe in - something that a lot of people can't do. You could always be like Britney Spears (and sadly a lot of americans I would assume) and blindly follow and trust your president no matter what he does...hmmm, I believe the Nazis blindly followed and trusted their leader during WWII...

    8. Re:Jello Biafra? by bob+dobalina · · Score: 1

      Now who's putting words in whose mouth? I never said I was on the right, unless libertarianism tempered with realism is a strict province thereof. I wasn't suggesting you were about to dive off the Michael Moore springboard, neither. And like I said, I don't subscribe to the notion that everyone who disagrees with me is evil. But I've heard enough of Biafra's talk (I was at h2k and h2k2 and it got tiresome after about a minute) to know that his argument about "being the media" is a sidepoint to his utter contempt for all things middle America. Now, before you tack another psychological hangup on me, I'm not from Middle America either, nor do I think they have everything right: I don't think the PMRC was a good idea either, especially when they started lobbying for censorship. I'm very anti-censorship. But I do understand not wanting your kids to get stupid ideas, and I don't think parents are closedminded or ignorant or naive for simply wanting to control what their kids see. Just like because I'm pro-drug legalization, doesn't mean I condone mindless drug use.

      Anyway, now that that's out of the way: I hear what you're saying about media being fed from the same source, and up until a little while ago I would've disagreed with you. The story about the LA Times reporting Paul Bremer did not give a farewell speech to Iraq when he actually did, part of which was broadcast on CNN made me realize just how lazy, inept or disinterested many traditional media sources are about reporting news.

      But I think for Biafra to bitch and moan that people are complacent, when technorati is now tracking something like 1.65 MILLION blogs updated more than biweekly, seems ignorant of the facts. There ARE plenty of news sources out there, and with the advent of blogging, some of them get considerable attention. I probably get most of my news from blogs nowadays myself.

      In short, point well taken, if redundant.

      --

      B

      "I'm payin' taxes, but what am I buyin'?" -- James Brown

    9. Re:Jello Biafra? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your post appears to be assuming that anyone who agrees with the President on one issue is following blindly. It *is* possible to agree with a politician's stated objectives on an issue, but still question that politician's motives, and to watch the politician's actions to see if he or she "crosses the line".

      It is also possible to agree the President on some issues (such as military action in Afganistan) and still disagree with him on others (such as the Patriot Act).

    10. Re:Jello Biafra? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "He's actually a smart guy"

      Based on what?

    11. Re:Jello Biafra? by Atzanteol · · Score: 1

      You praise Michael Moore and Jello Biafra for having 'the balls to stand up for what they believe in' and then bash people who follow Bush for doing the same? Remember, many supporters of Bush are *not* blind. Just because you say they are, doesn't make it true...

      --
      "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"

      - Charles Darwin
    12. Re:Jello Biafra? by GMontag · · Score: 1

      He is pals with Emmanuel and he is a "celebrity", so it seems that is close enough to have a speaking block whenever he wishes.

      BTW, he is the only speaker that several folks on the security team refused to guard.

  11. Keep the phone number handy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    The Hotel's phone number is PEnnsylvania 6-5000.

    Pennsylvania Six Five Thousand.

    1. Re:Keep the phone number handy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i don't get it :-(

    2. Re:Keep the phone number handy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      15 seconds on Google turned up an old Glenn Miller song.

      Don't people even TRY anymore?

    3. Re:Keep the phone number handy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I got it right away and I only saw the movie once. 'Course, our European friends might understandably miss the gaff.

    4. Re:Keep the phone number handy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Movie? It was a song and Glenn Miller was popular in Europe as well as the US.

  12. and HOPE is? by nurb432 · · Score: 1

    Someone care to elaborate on what they stand for and what this conference is all about?

    The intro page for them doesnt say much except talking about the upcoming conference and not about who they are..

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    1. Re:and HOPE is? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Come on now, its right on the main page of their site. Follow the link in the article summary, it will explain it far better than anyone else here

    2. Re:and HOPE is? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I would think the "sponsored by 2600" would give it away pretty quickly. It's one of those things that if you don't know who they are then you don't need to be there.

    3. Re:and HOPE is? by -O.ster_66 · · Score: 1
      --
      "You get all the fun of sitting still, being quiet, writing down numbers, paying attention...science has it all."
    4. Re:and HOPE is? by mwheeler01 · · Score: 1

      HOPE stands for Hackers of Planet Earth, last year they had the lockpicking thing as well as a seminar on caller id spoofing.

      --
      Pretty widgets? What pretty widgets?
  13. DUDE! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who the fuck cares about the geek guys, the dude from the fucking Dead Kennedies is gonna be there!

    1. Re:DUDE! by RomSteady · · Score: 1

      Which dead Kennedy? John, Robert, John Jr., or Ted's liver?

      --
      RomSteady - I came, I saw, I tested. GamerTag: RomSteady / http://www.romsteady.net
  14. who is jello biafra? by haluness · · Score: 1

    google makes him out to be a political activist and country musician. So whats he doing at a tech conference?

    1. Re:who is jello biafra? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Former Lead Singer of "Dead Kennedys," a punk band.

    2. Re:who is jello biafra? by happyfrogcow · · Score: 1

      who also (i think) ran for governor of California... and came in 5th or something. Behind Arnold. enough said.

    3. Re:who is jello biafra? by Colonel+Cholling · · Score: 1

      how the hell did you get "country musician" out of a search for Jello Biafra?

      --

      I am Sartre of the Borg. Existence is futile.
    4. Re:who is jello biafra? by haluness · · Score: 1
      here


      (Though I probably should have read a bit more)

    5. Re:who is jello biafra? by vbrtrmn · · Score: 1

      One Word: Rawhide

      --
      it's a sig, wtf?
    6. Re:who is jello biafra? by The+Ultimate+Fartkno · · Score: 1



      Mayor of San Francisco, actually. He came in fourth out of ten. I think this link...

      http://www.researchpubs.com/books/prankexc1.shtm l ...tells the story, but I can't tell because I'm at work and the stupid web filter keeps me from checking it out.

    7. Re:who is jello biafra? by happyfrogcow · · Score: 1

      ah yeah. i was mixing up a few stories. one was his mayoral campaign in San Fran (hey, it's part of california, i wasn't too far off). the other was his bid to be the green party presidential candidate in 2000.

    8. Re:who is jello biafra? by Nasarius · · Score: 1

      So, er, Dead Kennedys are "country" now?

      --
      LOAD "SIG",8,1
  15. They're using a MoinMoin Wiki... by tcopeland · · Score: 4, Informative

    ...for various things. Whew, those stats are moving up fast...

    1. Re:They're using a MoinMoin Wiki... by rasz · · Score: 1

      hey man BIG thanks !
      those two look really interesting, looks like they are preparing for a war
      http://www.the-fifth-hope.org/5hwiki/WiFi
      http://www.the-fifth-hope.org/5hwiki/Network

  16. For those who don't know who the great Jello is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I understand you geeks may not be into punk rock. I'm here to help.

    Jello Biafra (real name: Eric Boucher; born June 17, 1958, Boulder, Colorado) was the lead singer for the Dead Kennedys, a punk rock band.

    Biafra has used absurdist media tactics in the tradition of the Yippies to highlight issues of civil rights, social justice, and anti-corporatism.

    In 1979 he ran for mayor of San Francisco using the slogan borrowed from a Jello ad campaign, "There's always room for Jello". His platform included such ridiculous points as forcing businessmen to wear clown suits. He finished fourth out of 10, gaining 3.5% of the vote, and the election was resolved in a runoff that did not involve him. Also in 1979 Jello formed the label alternative tentacles (http://www.alternativetentacles.com/)

    Biafra was a swift critic of the Parents Music Resource Center, and has constantly criticised co-founder Tipper Gore.

    In 1985, Biafra was brought to trial in San Francisco for distributing "harmful matter" in the Dead Kennedys album Frankenchrist. The jury was deadlocked, the judge declared a mistrial and ordered the charges dropped. The band broke up during the trial, but Biafra has since become a renowned "Spoken Word" artist, and an icon for anti-censorship groups.

    He has released several spoken-word albums, including No More Cocoons, and is the lead singer of the band Lard, which has released several albums (The Power of Lard, The Last Temptation of Reid, Pure Chewing Satisfaction, and more).

    He coined the slogan "Don't hate the media, become the media". Indymedia and related alternative media often use this line, or the now more apt "Don't hate the media, be the media".

    In the year 2000, Biafra was drafted as a candidate for the Green Party presidential nomination, and a few supporters were elected to the party's nominating convention in Denver, Colorado. However, Ralph Nader was overwhelmingly chosen as the party's candidate.

    Of note: Biafra was the name of a country which attempted to secede from Nigeria in 1966. After 4 years of fighting, and horrific starvation, Nigeria regained control of the nascent Biafran state. Jello Biafra came up with his name as a combination of a violent civil war and a consumer product.

    Jello was featured and has spoken at many of the H.O.P.E. confrences(audio is freely available of these apearances)

    (Taken from Wikipedia)

  17. These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Who the wants to pay to go to NYC, and get harassed by facist policemen searching for bin Laden in every subway car ?

    If I were holding a conference like this, I'd find some depressed mid-western or just rural city that is cheap as shit and as easy as possible to get to. A small college town might do; it would have to be close enough to an airport serviced by Southwestern for cheap flights, that you could run a shuttle van back and forth to get people to it.

    For the venue, I would find an empty department store or closed factory that could be rented for a month or a couple of weeks.

    Finally, you have to be close to a Motel 6 and within driving distance of cheap-ass RV parks.

    With that setup, you could run a slightly longer conference and do some more interesting things. Like a "best mod to bzFlag written in 48 hours" contest. Or whatever.

    I guess elite pretenious snobs wouldn't show up, though. Probably no Mitnick or Jello. I wouldn't miss them.

    1. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by eln · · Score: 2, Insightful

      NY is generally cheaper to get to by air, due to it being a major hub, and there's a whole lot more to do there.

      Sure, if you hold it in Bumfuck, Iowa, it'll be a whole lot cheaper, but what are the attendees going to do between talks or after hours? Watch the corn? Cow tipping?

      In a large city, you already will have a strong possibility of getting all interested parties (possibly many thousands) that live in the area, because it's easy for them to get to. In Iowa, the total number of interested parties within easy driving distance is probably about 15.

      In a large city you also have the inherent "cool" factor of the city in question. People will be more likely to make the effort to attend a conference if it's held in a town where there are things to do other than the conference. This is why Las Vegas is so popular for conventions.

    2. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by east+coast · · Score: 1

      what are the attendees going to do between talks or after hours? Watch the corn? Cow tipping?

      What else would geeks do? Sit around the hotel or a cheap diner drinking coffee or coke, smoking cigarettes talking about EverQuest, Linux and the latest Mythbusters...

      I'm sure many of the attendees aren't going to go see the latest Broadway hit.

      --
      Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
    3. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by ahaning · · Score: 1

      Well, since 2600 is headquartered in NYC and they do most of their work there, why should they be expected to go far away?

      Also, when the price is high, you'll get people there that REALLY WANT to be there, and not a bunch of idiots named Zer0ko0l and c3re4lk1ller whose main intention is to spend the whole time playing FPS games.

      --
      Withdrawal before climax is very ineffective and those who try this are usually called "parents."
    4. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by vbrtrmn · · Score: 1

      Cow tipping?
      Nah, Shrooming!

      --
      it's a sig, wtf?
    5. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by JavaLord · · Score: 2, Interesting

      *sigh* Who the wants to pay to go to NYC, and get harassed by facist policemen searching for bin Laden in every subway car ?

      I work in NYC, and I ride 3 different subways to get to and from work. I have never been harassed or seen anyone harassed on the subway. If anything the security on the subway systems in NYC is lax. I'm fairly dark skinned, with a buzz cut in my 20's, etc. If you think the police in NYC are 'facist' you are living in a fantasy world. They are way to busy fighting REAL crime in NYC to harass innocent people. It isn't like a small country town where roscoe has nothing to do so he's going to bust your balls/boobs.

      If I were holding a conference like this, I'd find some depressed mid-western or just rural city that is cheap as shit and as easy as possible to get to.

      Oh yeah, because cheap mid-western cities are easy to get to. Did you ever think large events are held in major cities because most people live near them? Why make EVERYONE travel? If you live near any state bordering NYC, NYC is very accessable and cheap to get to.

      Finally, you have to be close to a Motel 6 and within driving distance of cheap-ass RV parks.

      We can call it WHAT, "Whitetrash Hackers Avoiding Terrorists" that will rock.

      With that setup, you could run a slightly longer conference and do some more interesting things. Like a "best mod to bzFlag written in 48 hours" contest. Or whatever.

      Yeah, and when 1000 people want to take a break to go eat, and the local dennies has only 2 waitresses staffed and isn't equipped for that sort of thing you can watch everyone be pissed off. Or how about the nightlife in those midwestern towns? I'm sure going to club cattle must be a lot more interesting than the variety of clubs in NYC.

    6. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by kunudo · · Score: 1

      I'd find some depressed mid-western or just rural city

      The cops there have nothing to, unlike the cops in NY. Now, these people aren't doing anything illegal, but I doubt they'd appreciate it if the entire local police department decided to drop in because they had nothing else to do... Then again, the cops might learn something. Or maybe not.

      Oh yeah, to the guy who wanted to smack Mitnick, I'll second that. Grrr...

    7. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let the little asshole have his fantasy about how New York is. It's a better place without him.

    8. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by ameoba · · Score: 1

      While going to some tiny little town in Iowa has definate problems associated with their lack of ,well... everything, there are plenty of cities that aren't NYC/LA that can easily accomodate a few thousand visitors.

      Pretty much any city with more than a few hundred thousand people would do the job & have conference facilities that would fit the bill and cost a lot less than being in one of the top-10 biggest cities.

      --
      my sig's at the bottom of the page.
    9. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Small cities vary a lot. Some have facist cult like law enforcement departments. Others have police forces that are more rational and professional than the average big city or federal organization.

      You just have to know where you are going. A small college town is may have a laid back police presence and a lot of aging hippies. If it's an economically depressed area, you will have the local city council and chamber of commerce on your side, helping arrange things -- giving you lists of the few local restaurants that are open late or deliver late at night, etc.

      Another reason not to go to NYC is the residents are so provencial. They really have no concept of what's outside there city, and some really restrictive and stereotypical perceptions. It's more fun to talk to smart people.

    10. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by RESPAWN · · Score: 1

      I vote New Orleans. Mostly becasue I live there, but also because it is a fun conference town. There is plenty to do after hours... as long as you like to drink and eat good food. I'm not sure about how cheap it may be though. It's not a major hub so flights may be a little more expensive. Also, hotel fares fluctuate wildly throughout the course of the year, depending on what else may be going on. But on the plus side (for male geeks, anyway) there are plenty of boobs to go around at all times of the year. That should count for something with this crowd... right?

      --

      If Murphy's Law can go wrong, it will.

    11. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The high price tends to filter for people who "really want" to be scene whores, not people who "really want" to find out how a telephone or computer works.

    12. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by RazzleFrog · · Score: 1

      Another reason not to go to NYC is the residents are so provencial.

      What does New York have to do with Provence, France?

      They really have no concept of what's outside there city

      That's why the NY Times is one of the most popular newspapers globally. That's why the UN is located in New York.

      some really restrictive and stereotypical perceptions.

      Huh? I can't think of anything more completely the opposite. New York has the most diverse population of any city in the world. New York is the city that breaks stereotypes. Come here and everything you think about people changes.

      Where are you from that the people are so much smarter and so non-restrictive.

    13. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Any place that has a big enough empty venue will have movie theatres and bars and restaurants. But more to the point, if you want to go to NYC for the other attractions, just go. The point of a hacker conference is to hack and talk to hackers. After hours and between shows people should be sitting around cheap folding tables, within just a few steps of the soda machine and coffee machine, looking at someone's BSD laptop (if you are a linux guy who has never seen one) or someone's hacked linksys router with busybox loaded into the RAM disk (if you have never immagined yourself doing "embedded" programming) or otherwise expanding your horizons.

    14. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know why people think New York is so expensive. Airfare to/from New York is some of the cheapest in the country, Penn hotel is like $110/night which is as cheap as you will find in most cities and (having stayed their once) it is a nice hotel in a decent area, you can walk almost anywhere that is worth going, and if not the transportation is super cheap (almost anywhere you like for $2).

    15. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You might want to go there if you are a faggot, foreigner or whiny liberal, but us red-blooded, flag-wavin' real Americans would just as soon let NYC sink in the ocean along with Southern California.

    16. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by RazzleFrog · · Score: 1

      Thank you for proving my point.

      Before anybody mods the parent as a troll please realize he is obviously pointing out the stereotypes often associated with NYC.

    17. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by ender- · · Score: 1
      I'm sure many of the attendees aren't going to go see the latest Broadway hit.


      Well, they probably would if Spamalot was out yet... :)

      Ender

    18. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      "Where are you from that the people are so much smarter and so non-restrictive."

      I have lived in Houston TX, Spring TX, LA, Portland OR, Casper WY, Denver, Boston, Picayune Miss., Alexandria VA, rural unincorporated TX, Nashua NH, and for several short one week consulting stay overs, NYC.

      I would not hold or visit a conference like this in Boston, NYC, or Picayune (although a short distance from Picayune in Biloxi would be ok). I think a random conversation with a person choosen off the street is more likely to be interesting if you avoid Boston, DC, NYC, and Missippi. Although in that area of Mississippi you can be surprised; there is a large NASA test center near Picayune, were they test-fire the Shuttle boosters strapped to the ground, and in any rural area you occasionally meet that queer duck who has read every book in the county library and whose living room has more books than the county library. (There are more of them in almost any state other than Mississippi, though.)

      The NYT is worst newspaper in the world except for all the others, so that's to your credit. The UN is nothing to brag about. Why would you want to talk to anyone from there ? "Hi, I know how to speak French from my bording school, am otherwise uneducated, got this job because a relative killed thousands of my own countrymen, and I have diplomatic immunity so I can never pay my parking tickets and steal and rape and just get sent home to another cushy sinecure." Some of them are elitist snobs similar to the State Department employees you meet in DC, who think they are worldly because they hang out with people like the above.

      This next idea is difficult to express, but here goes:

      There is something anti-hackerish about the NYC/East Cost "hacker" mentality. Hackerdom is about getting things done, learning by tacking apart, breaking, and if you are good, by building. Hackers work on their own cars out of curiosity, not necessarily to save money. Hackers in NYC tend not to get things done. When you talk to them, phrases like "I love how I can look out my window and see people walking down the street at any time of night." Hackers should not be looking out their window, they should typing at the keyboard. Unless it's to check their wifi pringles can they have mounted to a telescope base to scan the neighborhood or something. Hackers in NYC tend to have lots of meetings and fewer computers. They argue more about which restaurant to meet at than even boring stuff like BSD vs. Linux.

      Hackers from NYC tend to talk about how they can go the coffeeshop and have a random conservation with some dude with a blue mohawk and a phd. in electrical engineering who is writing a novel. Well, you find that guy on IRC, and the fact you can't see his blue mohawk doesn't really matter, does it ?

      Hackers from NYC, and in general anyone who has immigrated to NYC, tend to have some sort of inferiority complex and have moved their to prove to themselves they are at the center of things and matter somehow. A lot of their activities are devoted self-affirmation in some way, not externally oriented towards the electrons and wires. When they talk, they talk about groups of people, meeting people, converstations, and feelings. Not about bandwidth, hooking up an oscilloscope to your phone line and calling yourself from your cell, or anything like that.

      This is of course a stereotype, and like all stereotypes you can't use it to dismiss people out of hand, or you will miss out on talking to some great real hackers from NYC. However, it is a truthful stereotype; it can be used in a general way to characterize the non-hacking "hackers" on the east coast. Think in terms of Jon Katz.

      P.S. Provence, France, is and was considered isolated and backwards by the Paris elite, who thought people narrow who weren't enamored with being Parisians. There's a word etomology in there. That's why I spelled it that way. The NYC/Boston/DC metroplex is the Paris of America -- dirty, expensive, and not all it's cracked up to be.

    19. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Another reason not to go to NYC is the residents are so provencial. They really have no concept of what's outside there city, and some really restrictive and stereotypical perceptions. It's more fun to talk to smart people.

      Huh? New York city is one of the most diverse cities on the planet. 50% of the students in the NYC public school system were born in another country.

    20. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just an FYI, so you don't live in a closet all your life, $39.99 is considered standard for a hotel room in the rest of the country, cheap means less than that. That's a two person room. And in many cities, get this . . . you can go where ever you want for FREE, because you paid for the roads with the tax on gas and there is free parking.

      There's a whole country out there. Check it out.

    21. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by RazzleFrog · · Score: 1

      I would say that you have not spent nearly enough time in New York to make any judgement of that sort. If you honestly believe that you cannot have an interesting conversation with somebody on the streets on NY then you are indeed a sad individual. How many Sikhs do you know? How many Brazilians? How about Guyanese? These are my co-workers and not only do they all have a boatload of interesting stories about their religions/homeland - they are also very willing to tell you them. And if you are a pretty girl you can stop any of them in the street.

      You complain about New Yorkers being close minded and stereotypically but everything you say is exactly that. In a way - everytime you open your mouth you prove my point.

    22. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by ONU+CS+Geek · · Score: 1

      Your point about not being hassled by the NYC police--I worked on Long Island and Staten Island a few weeks ago. I drive a company van, with Ohio plates.

      Unfortunately, the way that New York defines "trucks" and Ohio defines "trucks" are very different. This caused me a lot of harassment by the local law enforcement bodies. Also, every time I went over a toll bridge, I was stopped, and my vehicle was inspected. Also, because I'm not from New York, I didn't have to have holes cut into the back of my van (not sure the reason for that anyway...), but, that seemed to make my traveling more fun.

      All in all, the five days that I spent working on Long Island, I was stopped 12 times.

      I'm a clean cut twentysomething, driving your usual cable guy van, and not bothering anyone.

      Who knows. Maybe it was the "Perkins Observatory - The Place for Space" and the "Will work for Bandwidth" Licence plate frames that made them suspicious. That or a van from Ohio with an E-ZPass Transponder on it.

      I was seriously considering heading to HOPE this weekend, however, work has me stuck in Peoria, IL.

      --

      I disable sigs...do you?
    23. Re:These conferences need to be in cheaper venues by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Name on city worth going to that has $39.99 hotel rooms. Tell me how far you can go on $2 (less than one gallon) of gas.

  18. Old Chinese pictures by cyfer2000 · · Score: 1

    I was wondering why they use Chinese style pictures in their banners? Does that mean something? Or simply "We are at war with Eurasia"?

    --
    There is a spark in every single flame bait point.
    1. Re:Old Chinese pictures by daymitch · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'm guessing it's a reference to Orwell and 1984. They were in a state of perpetual war against "Eurasia" or whoever. The point was that a state of perpetual conflict kept the populace malleable and obedient.
      Now, note that the banner doesn't say "Eurasia", it says "Eurabia". This is probably a dig at the current conflict we are being distracted by.
      Just my thoughts.
      Mitch

    2. Re:Old Chinese pictures by cyfer2000 · · Score: 1

      Thank you, and I read it again, and magnified the picture in gimp, and the banner reads "WE ARE AT WAR WITH EURABIA, WE HAVE ALWAYB BEEN AT WAR WITH...". And I am going to grab a copy of "1984" from lib.

      Really creative banner.

      However, why they use the Chinese scheme in the "speaker" section is more confusing to me. The Chinese in this banner including peasant, soldier, worker and intellectual, those are classified as "working class" in China. And the small red book they are holding is "Chairman Mao's ana" or the "red Chinese bible".This picture should come from the "Culture revolution" of China from 1966 to 1976.

      --
      There is a spark in every single flame bait point.
    3. Re:Old Chinese pictures by daymitch · · Score: 1

      Why the Cultural Revolution iconography? I think it's because of the methods of social control used during that era. The creator of the banner might be drawing a parallel between the Communists obvious attempts at social engineering with the more subtle methods used by the global elite.
      That's just my thought. It seems like a plausible interpretation given the iconoclastic bent of the hacker ethos.
      Mitch

    4. Re:Old Chinese pictures by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's because they are commie-pinko faggots and they want you to be one too.

  19. wish i could go.. by chaosmage42 · · Score: 1

    I can't make it, but I want to know more about lockpicking. Can anyone recommend any references? thanks!

    --

    done
    1. Re:wish i could go.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Start with Google and the term lock picking.

      Here... I'll help you out

    2. Re:wish i could go.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Get a job at part time job at a locksmith. Then you can learn how to do it and actually buy the tools.

  20. Preregistration over by GillBates0 · · Score: 3, Informative
    Well, I was planning to be in NJ this weekend, and tried to sign up for the conference (at the very least to hear Mitnick and Wozniac speak), but looks like the preregistration period has closed:

    From http://store.2600.com/2600hacker/

    FIFTH HOPE TICKETS
    NO LONGER AVAILABLE HERE!
    Preregistration has CLOSED.
    You can get tickets to the conference at the door.

    On the other hand, maybe this is their idea of screening the attendees to weed out the chaff from the uber haxx0rs.

    --
    An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
    1. Re:Preregistration over by Cyrus+Dogstar · · Score: 1

      So? It's still $50 whether you pre-register or not, the only difference is that you have to pay with cash at the door, instead of using your credit card to preregister. And for those who don't like using cash: considering that most major banks have ATMs within a block of Penn station and the Hotel, it's not like you're risking much to take out $50 and carry it a few hundred meters ;)

      --
      Always ask 'why?'
    2. Re:Preregistration over by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My bigger concern was travelling all the way and then not being allowed in because of maximum occupancy/registration limit or some such reason.

    3. Re:Preregistration over by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      On the other hand, maybe this is their idea of screening the attendees to weed out the chaff from the uber haxx0rs.

      What the hell are you talking about?? The doors are wide open, bring your $50 and hand it over, they'll give you a badge (arm band actually) and you're in. Excuses , excuses..

  21. Wozniak & Mitnick for hire by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Steve Wozniak and Kevin Mitnick are such public speaking engagement sluts.

    Next time I have $50 to blow, I should invite them over to a BBQ.

    1. Re:Wozniak & Mitnick for hire by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm sure plenty of slashdotters will give you $50 to blow them.

  22. Photos by fulldecent · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://fifthhope.blogspot.com/

    We are taking photos at the event and will post asap.

    --

    -- I was raised on the command line, bitch

    1. Re:Photos by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  23. Main page by nurb432 · · Score: 1

    What i saw in the first fe lines of the main page was a discussion about the conference, not what these people represent..

    I wasnt about to go searching for it, if their cause isn't important enough to them to make it 100% obvious....

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    1. Re:Main page by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      if you never heard of 2600 magazine check it out and you will see what there all about. They actually have quite a big community with monthly meetings in citys all over the world. The magazine isnt that informative(there are good thing things there) but most just like reading the letters that are sent in. All tutorials in it are sent in by the readers and they have a really big following.

  24. cDc and 2600 by trifakir · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Cool, all the old geeks. I shall admit that I've always been sympathetic to the cause of the "good" hackers who fight for freedom of speach and all these liberties, many of your ancestors had died for...

    But on the other side, I wonder where is now and for them the border of what is allowed and what is not. Is this "hackers" ethics they define something too murky or it is non-existing at all? How do we prevent the "proceedings" about the "Distributed Password Cracking API" from their conference not going to the hands of terrorists whose next attempt will be to log-on to an airtraffic server? So, where is the balance?

    And last, I had a look at their schedule - they have a talk "How to talk to the press". Isn't this is the same old rotten smell of socialism (greenpeace)? Next is to teach them how to lay in front of trains...

    1. Re:cDc and 2600 by mccalli · · Score: 1
      And last, I had a look at their schedule - they have a talk "How to talk to the press". Isn't this is the same old rotten smell of socialism (greenpeace)?

      Err....you think corporates and politicians don't have similar "How to talk to the press" meetings?

      Cheers,
      Ian

    2. Re:cDc and 2600 by GAMMAH_DJ · · Score: 1

      I would have to say the hacker ethic would be something along the lines of "Learn what is interesting to you" with a bit of "Damn the man" thrown in for good measure. Information wants to be free [as in speech].

    3. Re:cDc and 2600 by trifakir · · Score: 1

      Sure, they have. But in combination with the Mao style banners they display, I wonder if all this is a combination of artistic interpretation and lack of technical topics or the "hackers" movement becomes yet another left-wing pseudo-technical pseudo-political organization. Because if the latter is true than it means that there are also some true hackers, who probably do not visit such events and I wonder if we can read more about the latter...

    4. Re:cDc and 2600 by scarolan · · Score: 1

      An air traffic server has no business being available on the public Internet for terrorists to log on to.

    5. Re:cDc and 2600 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I shall admit that I've always been sympathetic to the cause of the "good" hackers who fight for freedom of speach

      I have always been sympathetic to the better hackers who fight for freedom of speech, and who can also spell correctly.

    6. Re:cDc and 2600 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh fuck you, what have you ever done in your entire life that even one person that collects money for greenpeace has done in a day?

      People like you need to fuck off and die, worthless assholes who do nothing and bitch about everyone else.

    7. Re:cDc and 2600 by Centinel · · Score: 1
      People like you need to fuck off and die, worthless assholes who do nothing and bitch about everyone else.>/i>

      As if Greenpeace and the menagerie of other leftist organizations don't spend all their time doing nothing but bitching about everyone else?

  25. Re:For those who don't know who the great Jello is by east+coast · · Score: 1

    Jello Biafra (real name: Eric Boucher...

    You forgot to mention that after the split up of the Dead Kennedys Jello went on to become a pompus ass. He turned from his ways of telling people to think for themselves to telling people what to think. Not that he's completely wrong but it's really sad to hear what Jello has to say today. Not to mention that he also sued thre ex-members of the Dead Kennedys for touring under the old name. Almost like the Pink Floyd Waters/Gilmour affair. Still, he may have something good to say, atleast he had something good to say at one point.

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  26. But there's always room... by i_want_you_to_throw_ · · Score: 1

    for Jello...

  27. Fifth HOPE by SmlFreshwaterBuffalo · · Score: 1

    Before I read the article, I thought 'Fifth HOPE' was related to that movie 'The Fifth Element'.

  28. Quite the line up! by radd0 · · Score: 1

    HOPE is boasting quite an impressive lineup of folks this year. I hope they offer videos again for the folks who can't make it.

  29. HOPE is ultra political, and will suck this year by ksw2 · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I cancelled my trip to HOPE this year to avoid the political bullshit that's almost guarranteed to dominate the con. Here's what I wrote in my blog:

    I'm starting to get really disturbed by the politics going on right now.

    There's nothing wrong with questioning your government. When you start blindly protesting every single action of the government, I think it's time to take a step back and get a little perspective on things.

    I'm starting to think twice about going to HOPE next month. Last time I went (2002) it was *incredibly* political. Jello Biafra gave a talk, and said a bunch of things about the "Bush conspiracy"--stuff that was easily debunked as bullshit on snopes.com--but everyone there just ate it up like it was hard fact. Random people would yell out "Bush sucks!" and everyone would laugh like it was the funniest shit in the world.

    I've never seen a better example of herd mentality in my life. This is free thinking?

    This was before the war, and before I gave a shit one way or the other about Bush and his policies, and I was probably more than likely to say "fuck Bush" based on what I knew about him at the time... and I still remember looking around and thinking these were a bunch of anarchist-wannabe children (many of whom were well past childhood.)

    This was supposed to be a gathering of free-thinking people... individuals. Instead, it was a bunch of scene whores trying to act cool in front of "all the other hackers"... spouting ill-informed mass-media opinions without any actual information to back it up. And then they have the nerve to talk about how fucked up the media is. Hah. I'd feel different if I had seen anything but eagerly nodding heads slack-jawed idiots drinking up the bullshit like it was gospel.

    I donno, I'd like to go to HOPE, it'd be fun in some ways... but I just cringe every time I think of the immature shit that Emannuel used to spout on his radio show, and I can only imagine how much more political HOPE will be with the current assault on Bush. Something tells me I won't really enjoy myself too much there.

    I bet money that they show Fahrenheit 911 in the screening room and spend endless hours spouting mindless propaganda. And no, I'm not trolling. I'm not even a republican. I just hate people who don't think things through for themselves.

  30. Re:For those who don't know who the great Jello is by Chairboy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Don't forget that he also stated many times that he was glad the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded. He said it was a good thing and that their deaths were worth it because he was convinced that the Cassini space probe (now orbiting Saturn) might have released plutonium into the atmosphere if it had been on board.

    Too bad for the families of the astronauts that he was able to seperate his politics from his humanity

  31. The real 2600 crew by pneuma_66 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have had the misfortune of working with several members of 2600, including their leader Emmanuel Goldstein (Eric Corley). From my experience with them, they are full of self importance, and, a lot of the times ignorance. For the most part, you do not want to argue with them, because they are so stubborn, and, they feel they are the pinnacle of technical knowlege. Even if you tried arguing that 1+1=2, when they say 1+1=3, there is no way to win.
    I could go on and on, however, this probably will be modded into oblivion, so, there really is no point.

    1. Re:The real 2600 crew by Seth+Finklestein · · Score: 0

      You must have been ignorant, then. Eric is a very well-mannered, highly intelligent man who cannot be arsed to explain every nuance of knowledge to those who lack Clue.

      I have worked with Dr. Corley on numerous, numerous occasions. Never once have I doubted the strength of his mind as the most flexorous muscle in his entire body.

      Perhaps you should learn from people with whom you disagree, rather than bashing them from afar.

      --
      I'm not Seth Finkelstein. I still speak the truth.
    2. Re:The real 2600 crew by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who is more self-important, the self-important members of the magazine, or the person who slags on them and then says 'it doesn't matter because this will be modded to oblivion'. Why did you post at all then? Because you wanted to look cool.

    3. Re:The real 2600 crew by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      they are full of self importance, and, a lot of the times ignorance. For the most part, you do not want to argue with them, because they are so stubborn, and, they feel they are the pinnacle of technical knowlege. Even if you tried arguing that 1+1=2, when they say 1+1=3, there is no way to win.

      Sounds more like a description of Slashdot than 2600.

    4. Re:The real 2600 crew by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My biggest complaint about 2600 is the lack of good technical writing and articles. The second biggest complaint is the lack of good writing and articles on social issues. They think they are cool, but aside from the editorial right inside the cover, it's mostly informationless trash.

      I'm a subscriber, so I should do something about it by submitting an article that I think is good. Sometime soon I'll get the time.

  32. Re:HOPE is ultra political, and will suck this yea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    HOW DARE YOU! There is no place on Slashdot for such blatant free-thinking and truth-telling. You must drink the Bushitler lied about drinking blood for oil kool-aid, you Republican drone ASTROTURF BUZZWORD BUZZWORD MICHAEL MOORE SAYS PIPELINE CARLYLE GROUP oh teh noes Bush runs the Illuminati!!!1!

  33. Lockpicking talk by ttyv0 · · Score: 3, Informative

    The lockpicking talk is scheduled for Saturday morning
    The lockpicking talk is given by Matt Blaze. I was lucky to attend his talk at my university. The paper he presented is avalable here.
    Not only was his talk educational, it was very entertaining. He actually brough some "tools of trade", and had an interactive demonstration of master key picking. It was fun.

  34. WI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sounds like Wisconsin.

  35. HOtel PEnnsilvania, dummy! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Duh!

    1. Re:HOtel PEnnsilvania, dummy! by Mind+Booster+Noori · · Score: 1

      Hackers On Planet Earth

  36. Tell me, what has changed? by Dr.+q00p · · Score: 0

    Since 2004-06-24 when we had HOPE Conference Gets Wozniak, Mitnick, Biafra

  37. Re:HOPE is ultra political, and will suck this yea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm all for freedom of speech, but your post is hateful and incites hatred. I call upon the Slashdot editors to delete it at once.

    How much is the Bush campaign paying you to spout this drivel?

  38. The Fifth HOPE by JavaLord · · Score: 1

    Go ahead, show up. What better way is there to end up on an FBI watch list?

    1. Re:The Fifth HOPE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Right...

      One of the 2600 theories is that these "watch lists" exist and always will. So what if you're on them. The more people on the list, the harder it is to watch. Flood the list until its unmanageable.

    2. Re:The Fifth HOPE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One of the 2600 theories is that these "watch lists" exist and always will. So what if you're on them.

      The majority of people at HOPE are interested in computer security. Most of them probably don't even realize how much the laws have tightened up recently. Do you know it's now illegal to port scan another computer without permission? Do you know if you work for a company, you still have to get your users permission before you can do a password audit?

      Even if they aren't involved in outright illegal activities, just being a system administrator or nerd nowadays is dangerous.

      The more people on the list, the harder it is to watch. Flood the list until its unmanageable.

      Yeah right, you are dreaming if you don't think the US government has the resources to watch you. It's not like there are a million peope at HOPE.

    3. Re:The Fifth HOPE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Umm.. Hello? The feds are there openly recruiting people with technical skills. They are even giving speeches...

  39. Re:HOPE is ultra political, and will suck this yea by HBI · · Score: 1

    Heh. You summarized my thoughts almost exactly. Jello is funny, but he's overly political and who wants to hear that kind of bullshit anyway once you get a taste of how meaningless political change is? Just gets the heart rate up to no effect.

    All the bright eyed and bushy-tailed youth will be educated soon enough as to how pointless it all is.

    --
    HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
  40. Stupid me... by Dr.+q00p · · Score: 0

    this is slashdot. I should be used to getting my submissions rejected and be content with reading the same old stories over and over again.

    Please repeat after me:
    SCO! SCO! SCO! BASH IE! HOPE! SCO! BASH IE! HOPE! SCO! BSD is dying! No it's not! BASH M$! HOPE! SCO!...

  41. hackers being misperceived as terrorists...? by GedLandsEnd · · Score: 1
    Today at 10pm:
    [the discussion will include] ways for hackers to combat terrorism, methods to fight terrorist tendencies of your country, and how hackers might actually participate in terrorism. [... plus,...] What can we do to protect against hackers being misperceived as threats and terrorists?
    Gee, I know: how about don't announce to the world that you're all getting together to learn how to "participate in terrorism"?

    /duh
    1. Re:hackers being misperceived as terrorists...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah, I'm seriously wondering about the advisability of attending a conference like this, at a time when the gov't says it desperately needs the ability to get people's reading lists without a warrant. 'Evil Hackers' seem to be equated with terrorism, and we all know from the movies how '3vil' all hackers are...

      I've been thinking about going to one of these things, but decided not to because I'm afraid of what consequences there could be for me as a foreigner to be seen attending. Who knows what INS/FBI/HomeSec might think?

      Seriously, how much surveillance do you think the gov. puts on these conventions? I'd assume everyone in attendence would get a mark on their FBI files for 'participating in a terrorist organization' or something. That is assuming one doesn't get arrested.

  42. Free Kevin... by CodeArtisan · · Score: 1, Funny

    ... with any full price purchase of Jello.

  43. Re:For those who don't know who the great Jello is by molo · · Score: 1

    The shuttle can barely lift things to LEO, and you expect it to carry payloads that can get out of earth orbit and to saturn? It doesn't add up, makes the guy sound like a whacko.

    -molo

    --
    Using your sig line to advertise for friends is lame.
  44. My F9/11 review by KalvinB · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Fahrenheit 9/11 Review

    I paid my $6.50 and saw the film. The above is my full review.

    ----------------

    The next conspiracy theory deals with the Bin Laden family. Moore pretends this is new information yet this was revealed long ago. The Bush administration has a relationship with the Bin Laden family. They're very wealthy oil tycoons. But they don't have much of a relationship with their son, Osama. On September 13th they were flown out of the country. What he fails to mention is that the flight restrictions were being lifted on the 13th. The reason they were flown out was because they were being harassed. Moore spends a great deal of time showing old cop films about interrogating witnesses. What Moore fails to consider is that while the Bin Laden family was flown out of the country for their own safety, they were not necessarily out of contact with the White House. In fact he doesn't even ask the question "has the Bush administration talked to them?" He never bothers to find out whether or not the Bush Administration is still in contact with the Bin Laden family. If Bush is trying to protect Osama somehow then it's pretty odd that the first official reports blame him and a war is started against him and his organization within two months. The other important point that Moore doesn't bother to consider is that it was not Bush that authorized the Bin Laden's to leave the country but Richard Clarke. On May 26, 2004 Clarke told The Hill newspaper:

    "I take responsibility for it. I don't think it was a mistake, and I'd do it again."
    ...
    "It didn't get any higher than me," he said. "On 9-11, 9-12 and 9-13, many things didn't get any higher than me. I decided it in consultation with the FBI."

    http://www.hillnews.com/news/052604/clarke.aspx

    I guess we can excuse Moore's ignorance on the issue since Richard Clarke came clean on it most likely after Moore had finished editing his film and history. What Moore also failed to consider is that fact that the Bin Laden family was actually talked to. But that's very inconvenient for Moore since those old cop movie clips provided a bit of humor for his farce.

    ------------

    The FBI did actually talk to the Bin Laden family and then said it was okay to let them leave. Clarke then authorized their flights out. Whether or not the Bush Administration is still in contact with them (very likely) is never considered by Moore. That on top of the fact Moore never bothered to find out who actually let them leave the country or why.

    Ben

  45. Clarification by DamienMcKenna · · Score: 0, Troll

    It would have been worse if the mission after the Challenger had exploded as it had plutonium onboard which would have taken out the entire state of Florida not just the shuttle. Which would you prefer: half a dozen people dead or an entire state obliterated in the blink of an eye? Its not nice to say that you are glad some people died, but think of what could have happened!

    Damien

    1. Re:Clarification by WolfWithoutAClause · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Nah. The astronauts were intact when they hit the water (probably unconscious, possibly dead), but intact, and yet this mythical, nonexistent plutonium (in a sturdy shielded capsule) would have miraculously disintegrated and somehow, magically covered the whole of florida? Sorry. Ain't gonna happen.

      --

      -WolfWithoutAClause

      "Gravity is only a theory, not a fact!"
    2. Re:Clarification by Suidae · · Score: 1

      It would have been worse if the mission after the Challenger had exploded as it had plutonium onboard which would have taken out the entire state of Florida not just the shuttle. Which would you prefer: half a dozen people dead or an entire state obliterated in the blink of an eye?

      Man, thats a hard question. Maybe if you changed it to a different state?

    3. Re:Clarification by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The cockpit of the shuttle was blown clear and remained mostly intact before it hit the water. The bay of the shuttle was destroyed by the explosion. The plutonium wouldn't have been in the cockpit -- it would have been in the bay.

      But your original argument that the plutonium would have been shielded from an explosion by its sturdy caseing still sounds logical enough.

  46. 1 + 1 = 3 by DamienMcKenna · · Score: 1

    Numerically, when considering floating point values as well as integers, the integer "1" constitutes floating-point values ranging from 0.5 to 1.4. Therefore, if you take the upper-bound range, 1.4, and double it, you get 2.8, which when converted to an integer equals 3.

    Damien
    Read, observe, understand, laugh.

    1. Re:1 + 1 = 3 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      wrong. if you're doing integer math, you don't get to "take 1.4 and double it", zippy.

    2. Re:1 + 1 = 3 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      wrong. if you're doing integer math, you don't get to "take 1.4 and double it", zippy.

      hence the qualifier, "Numerically, when considering floating point values as well as integers ", zippy.

  47. Au Contraire... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Kevin Mitnick, Steve Wozniak, and Jello Biafra will all be speaking. Well worth your time and the $50 admission fee

    No, it's not.

  48. Re:HOPE is ultra political, and will suck this yea by isaac · · Score: 1

    Whatever.

    I stopped by today to catch Bruce Schneier's talk on my lunch break, and enjoyed it. I plan to hit Steve Wozniak's keynote, the Retrocomputing panel, and a few of the more esoteric technical talks. I'm not really interested in hearing Jello Biafra's rants - I've heard them before and the similarities in rhetoric and careless disregard of fact to Rush Limbaugh are striking.

    Yeah, there's a lot of political theater at HOPE - some of the posturing is really tiresome - but there are also a lot of very smart people. I'm going for the latter.

    It's not going to be a Bush love-in, because guess what: the dominant groupthink in the self-declared "hacker" world is anti-authoritarian. I don't remember much love for the government being expressed at hacker conventions back when Clinton was president either - Clipper chip, DMCA, you name it.

    -Isaac

    --
    I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. For Entertainment Purposes Only.
  49. Nature! by KevinDumpsCore · · Score: 1

    > Sure, if you hold it in Bumfuck, Iowa, it'll be a whole lot cheaper, but what are the attendees going to do between talks or after hours? Watch the corn? Cow tipping?

    Good point. If people bring their spouses or children, they might want to do something else during the day...

    I can think of something easier to access in the rural midwest than big cities: Nature. I know server room dwellers might not appreciate it but I can imagine horse riding, canoe trips, whitewater rafting, water skiing, hiking/biking trails, camping, cave exploring (spleunking), rock climbing, hang gliding, hot air balloon trips, etc.

    1. Re:Nature! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Central Park is actually very beautiful this time of year and any of that other stuff is just a one or two hour train ride away (well not sure about hang gliding).

  50. Re:For those who don't know who the great Jello is by jasno · · Score: 1

    Funny, I just happened to look them up the other day and found out about the legal mess. Its a really sad situation for everyone involved, and my opinion of all of them is much lower as a result. Its hard to separate the facts when all of the info I can find online is he-said-she-said. More info on the A.T. website and the 'official' band website.

    My guess is Jello has gone off the deep end while the rest of the band grew up, got haircuts and just wants to get rich making music. Both of which are a sad endings to a truly great band.

    --

    http://www.masturbateforpeace.com/
  51. wrong HOPE by xotx69 · · Score: 1

    For a second there I though that they were talking about this HOPE. Let's see...the beach, girls in Bikinis, or Nerd-fest 2004. Tough call :-P

  52. Flight got canceled by Lemuel · · Score: 1

    This is a depressing post to read. I'm supposed to be there now but after they tried rebooting the plane they still couldn't get it work and they had to cancel the flight. I'll at least be able to get there tonight and attend sessions Saturday and Sunday.

  53. Re:For those who don't know who the great Jello is by common+middle+name · · Score: 1

    Please also recall that the other members of the DKs sued Jello for failure to pay back royalties and won. Because of this case Alternative Tenticles can no longer distribute the DKs albums and I think Cleopatra is the new distributor. For such an anti-corporate, class warrier he sure had no problem screwing his former band-mates out of money. ............Kill your idols indeed.....

  54. Re:For those who don't know who the great Jello is by east+coast · · Score: 1

    My guess is Jello has gone off the deep end while the rest of the band grew up, got haircuts and just wants to get rich making music.

    I think you're right about Jello, but as far as getting rich playing old DK songs? I find it hard to think that they may make enough from that to get rich. What I think is that the 'new' DKs is more a result of bad solo projects and the attempt to make a living as a musician. I'm sure they make rent but I doubt they're going to retire from the funds.

    ...and I'd be very surprised to find that any member makes more than 4 digits (legally) from album royalties. Let's face facts, the band is old. I loved them in the day and I love them now but I wonder if new punks really have the ties with bands like DKs, Black Flag or Minor Threat. I don't see many new punks embracing the old. I know I don't seek out new punk bands.

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
  55. Worth $50? Not in my book! by Blitzenn · · Score: 1

    I don't participate in the types of activities that these individuals will be droning on about. I don't make money in those areas. They are not part of my core business. I pay others to worry about security. It is FAR from being worth $50 to me. Keep your subjective statements about what subjective material is worth to yourself.

  56. You're on to something. by KevinDumpsCore · · Score: 1

    > Who the wants to pay to go to NYC, and get harassed by facist policemen searching for bin Laden in every subway car?

    How about an Native American reservation then? Finding one with a casino might fulfill the need for a nightlife that others have mentioned.

    > If I were holding a conference like this, I'd find some depressed mid-western or just rural city that is cheap as shit and as easy as possible to get to.

    I think you're on to something. People are complaining about nothing to do, but consider The Burning Man. It's in the middle of the desert, for crying out loud! In the midwest, your spouses and kids could explore nature while you're hacking away: horse rides, biking/hiking trails, camping, fishing, etc.

    > A small college town might do; it would have to be close enough to an airport serviced by Southwestern for cheap flights, that you could run a shuttle van back and forth to get people to it.

    Don't forget about Amtrak or Greyhound either!

    I can think of several college towns that might fit the bill: Urbana-Champaign, IL; Columbia, MO; and Lawrence, KS. I know all three have live music scenes. The computer science program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is considered top-rate. They also have a spiffy new building to show off.

    1. Re:You're on to something. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm the Original Poster here . . . it all sounds good, and count me in, but are you sure Burning Man is such a great example ? I understand it is expensive, run by a group that promotes itself as being about freedom of expression and then won't let you take pictures without handing over the copyrights to the images, etc.

      I'm thinking of something more in the spirit of a ham swap meet, but maybe several days long. Fund it with a cheap daily entrance fee (a few dollars) and some booth rentals in a central area, t-shirt sales, and otherwise try to stay out of people's hair. It's a LOT of work, and not profitable. But the reason to do it is social, or at best to make business contacts, not to make money from the event itself.

  57. Holland, Michigan! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > If I were holding a conference like this, I'd find some depressed mid-western or just rural city that is cheap as shit and as easy as possible to get to.

    I have an idea... Holland, Michigan! Center of the Slashdot universe! We could hold it at the Holiday Inn and Conference Center.

  58. Pissed by billcopc · · Score: 1

    Seeing as I had been looking forward to this con for a few months now, but recent events have turned my bankroll into mush so I'm stuck 600 miles away trying to ignore it. Mitnick is just banner candy now, but to shake hands and exchange intellect with the king of all geeks, The Woz.. would have been a fascinating moment.

    Screw Dubya, Steve Wozniak for president!

    --
    -Billco, Fnarg.com
  59. As 1 - approaches 1.5 by keepper · · Score: 1

    1 + 1 = 3

    As 1 -> approaches 1.5 :)

  60. zerg by Lord+Omlette · · Score: 1

    Totally f-ing awesome. I wonder how many people took up the "kiss for a dollar" offer from that chick standing by the merchandise tables. It seemed that all of the girls were taken, but the ones that were there (and there were many more than I expected!) were exquisitely hawt and listening in on their conversations, I could tell they were hardcore.

    Keven Mitnick was there and it was awesome. The room was jam packed, look at the photos and realize that from the middle of the room, Kevin on the video screen was a single pixel speck that we could kinda sorta barely make out. Took him 10 years to get there, but he finally made it and got a standing ovation for it. Here's what I learned: Kevin Mitnick was able to literally outrun the Feds. How? Stair Master! It was so inspirational that I'm gonna pwn the gym every goddamned day from now til the day I die.

    Here's something the rest of you may be interested in: Open Source Intelligence. When the populace is educated, the govt. can't pull the wool over the people's eyes. Robert Steele took a good long look at how badly the CIA got pwn3d, put together his extensive personal experience in govt. service, examined at the way Denmark, England, and Sweden conduct their intelligence gathering and decided that the OSS model was the best. Check it out, it's fascinating, even if the guy behind me during the Capt. Crunch presentation on spam enumerated evidence that Steele's presentation was a carefully set up recruitment effort for the Feds.

    And who got owned? Some fucker owned my cell phone, but that's what I get for being a goddamned llama. Also, Bruce Schneier seemed unaware that TIPS hasn't really been eliminated... But unlike me, he's pretty goddamned cool, so I'm sure he'll get up to speed fairly quickly. One of the guys sitting next to me commented (and I agreed) that Schneier's panel was the best all day.

    Another poster here on /. commented that 2600 was too damn political and anti-Bush. I agree that it was anti-Bush, but it's because Bush is in the White House today. The next HOPE will either be more virulently anti-Bush OR it will be decidedly anti-Kerry. So if you skipped today, please, just relax and come on down and spend Saturday/Sunday w/ us. Guarantee you walk away knowing more than before you got there.

    --
    [o]_O
  61. 5th HOPE by nikkatsu · · Score: 1

    There are more than a few comments here bashing the conference. Look, it's not perfect, but if you think you can do better, please do. As with all communities, there's some posing, sure, that's unavoidable. But when you listen to people involved in things like Prometheus Radio you can see it's more about sharing knowledge and experience. As far as Mitnick, you know, it's no secret he's a fan of himself. What do you expect? But, he held the crowd's attention, he speaks well, is funny and has insight about what he went through. It's not like 2600 put Wil Wheaton up there for God's sake. It's a good time with some good shared info, with a conscience, it is worth the $50 bucks.

  62. Fifth HOPE conference, Uruguay! by aminorex · · Score: 1

    Oh, it said "underway"... darn.

    Umm... isn't it "underweigh"?

    --
    -I like my women like I like my tea: green-
  63. The thing is... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...it doesn't change anything. The libs would prefer to believe conservatives don't have a clue. Otherwise, they'd have to look at their fellow Americans as morally bankrupt sleezebags; who would gladly force the poor and patriotic to be killed or maimed while they slaughter and oppress "sand niggers" so there would be gas available to tank up their SUVs.

    They get the stupidity label when they insist that those "sand niggers" had it coming to them for 9/11. I suggest with that same logic that we incarcerate and kill white people in this country for what a few of them did in Oklahoma City. Or perhaps Bush supporters get the stupidity label from their incompetence at geography. They don't realize that the country they want to invade is Saudi Arabia, where all those terrorists came from, not Iraq.

  64. I went to HOPE to have a good time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    I'm glad you're not there.

  65. Re:For those who don't know who the great Jello is by ralphus · · Score: 1

    thanks. I happened to be wearing my Alternative Tentacles T-shirt. :)

    --
    Revolutions are never about freedom or justice. They're about who's going to be top dog. -- Kilgore Trout
  66. Re:HOPE is ultra political, and will suck this yea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "I'm starting to think twice about going to HOPE next month. Last time I went (2002) it was *incredibly* political. Jello Biafra gave a talk, and said a bunch of things about the "Bush conspiracy"--stuff that was easily debunked as bullshit on snopes.com--but everyone there just ate it up like it was hard fact. Random people would yell out "Bush sucks!" and everyone would laugh like it was the funniest shit in the world."

    And yet curiously, the snopes link states that what Moore claims is completely true.

    "I'm not even a republican. "

    Hah. Yes you are, you just haven't accepted it or are prepared to admit it.

    "I just hate people who don't think things through for themselves."

    No. What you hate is people who think differently than you.

  67. My journal while at Fifth Hope... by Colz+Grigor · · Score: 1
    Okay, so I don't claim to be anyone special, but I am a Fifth Hope attendee. I'm journaling the sessions I attend at http://colz.livejournal.com. It's intermixed with my personal notes, too, which most of you won't care about. The journal is for me, but if you find any of it interesting, enjoy...

    ::Colz Grigor

    1. Re:My journal while at Fifth Hope... by cyranoVR · · Score: 1

      Just want to say thanks! I'm reading your Brian Steele notes right now. I wanted to stay and watch his presentation, but had to leave.

      Check out my journal for notes on the presentations I went to yesterday.

    2. Re:My journal while at Fifth Hope... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Add your journal to the 5/HOPE Wiki.

      http://www.the-fifth-hope.org/5hwiki/FrontPage

      Yours seems to be the most of the listed.
      I found it throught the general Slash.dot link there, but it might be obscured because you are curently at the end of this thread.

      =ksandre=

      Any live streams of Jello's keynote? As if.... The FCC would love that, eh?

  68. Re:HOPE is ultra political, and will suck this yea by CaptainAnarchy · · Score: 1

    I just hate people who don't think things through for themselves.

    How much longer do we have to hear this tired mantra from everyone responding to someone else's opinion? It's an infuriatingly MEANINGLESS statement. Just b/c you agree with someone with a strong opinion doesn't mean you don't think for yourself; whether on the left, right or elsewhere.
    The thrust seems to be if anyone agrees with anyone else, they haven't thought for themselves. People listen to like minded opinions to gain info, discover ideas, strengthen their own thought process etc. Sure, thre are plenty of sheeple out there, uncritical of anything thats dumped in front of them by any authority figure; but how you can tell that about a bunch of people just b/c they listen to Jello Biafra or Dubya, I have no idea.

    --
    Another fine product brought to you by the folks at Unstable Solutions(TM).
  69. ahem . . . by GMontag · · Score: 1

    Some of us did go the culture route by supporting women in the arts.

    I also did a study on mini-theater technology.