From out of the Shadows

A week after the 26th Chaos Communication Congress and I find myself looking back at the issues, the people, the presentations, the ideas.. everything that was being thrown around and shared during that amazing gathering of hackers from around the world.  I sit at the computer working on a larger write-up about the hackerspace movement, which has taken root not only in the west, but on every continent in more countries than I ever believed possible.

Besides all the great ideas and the very talented and fun individuals taking part in this event, what I find most interesting is that whether it be through annual events or permanent creative spaces, this community feels more and more open and engaged with  other communities in society. From science, to art, to politics, or history… the list of intersection and cooperation with the hacking community continues to grow. A development which I would describe as positive when compared to being an isolated, ignored, or intimidated group of thinkers.

For the past 4 years I’ve wandered around these congresses and marveled at everything around me.  Above all at how much individuals can create together, without a profit motive,  out of sheer interest and curiosity (and maybe some bragging rights). They take this massive bland building, and they make it into a living, breathing organism that functions in a very efficient and exciting manner.

Looking at all the banners and listening to all the languages being spoken, it seems more clear than ever that hackers have entered a new era where they are not afraid of being judged, and will not be shamed because of their interests and abilities.  It begins perhaps, as it has for many minority groups in history, with taking back their word that was twisted into something derogatory – hacker. And it continues with the establishment of creative spaces, all over the world, where people can meet and work on their projects.

It’s safe to conclude that at 26C3 last week, I was watching history be made…. again.

ctrp324 Podcasting in 2010

Tim Pritlove has been involved in podcasting since the early days. Like so many early adopters, he has stayed committed to his goal of having is own program which he can bring the way he wants to his audience. But how does he do it? How does he make it as a full time podcaster at a time where many have given up or been forced to give up the idea.
Sitting in his recording studio we discuss how he does what he does, as well as why and how he see’s the future for both personal media creators and himself specifically.

To hear Tim’s work, you can listen (in German) to Chaos Radio Express or simply type his name into the search box in itunes.

ctrp323 Other than that Mrs. Lincoln…

John Aravosis is annoyed. For him and millions of Obama supporters who believed in the campaign that swept the current president into office, there is a great feeling of disgust with what has happened over the past year.  What happened? On issue after issue, causes that were very clearly indentified as goals once Obama got into office, the white house has backed down.  As John breaks it down, they don’t even back down, they simply do not fight, despite having said they would.
I spent several days with John as I manage to do almost once a year for the last few years and he is always one of my most favorite interviews. In this recording we get into why those that most supported Obama are now very upset with his actions. From DOMA, to Health Care, to Foreign Policy, the list of issues that they’ve done an about-face on continues to grow. And with each of these broken promises, the anger and the speaking out gets louder.

americablog.com
gay.americablog.com

Busiest Town in America

As I pushed open the big red door at the back of a very average looking church, I made my way quickly up the stairs to avoid questions from security or random people in the hallway.  Several steps and doors later, I see the sign I’ve been looking for: HacDC, Washington DC’s first hacker space.  As I reach for the door I picture a huge room with computer parts everywhere, funny robots designed by creative minds, and a few people hanging out on a Thursday afternoon typing away on their laptops. But after attempting to push he doors opened and knocking, it became obvious not only that the place was locked, but that no one was home.

A text message from my friend from HacDC: I’ll be right there.

Rushing over from his job, he’s glad to see us and unlocks the doors, turning on the lights and revealing a good sized room with a long table, and indeed, plenty of computer and machine parts scattered in different corners of the place.  He explains to us what usually happens on the average week at HacDC and that there aren’t typically people hanging around working on projects during the day. “We don’t have students, unemployed or self-employed people like you might see at other hacker spaces in the US or in Europe. Here in DC all our people are very busy with their jobs and they don’t hang out much unless for a specific event.”

I thought about those words and what I had seen of the DC world over the few days I was in town. As someone who visits here only every other year for the past decade, I’ve long noticed that people in this town are among the busiest people I know. Even when they’re relaxing in a café or chatting at a party late at night, they’re talking about what they are busy with during the day.  A pretty big different from other cities I know where people work as freelancers or consultants and take time during the week to do something completely different or simply relax in the middle of the day.

While I watch all the busy Washingtonians getting on the metro with their heads already buried in their smart phones, I think about the Climate Change Conference going on in Copenhagen at that very moment.  Here we sit on a comfortable and efficient metro system, while out the window I can see traffic jams and parking lots. Hardly any of my good friends in DC have cars, and if you ask them about the Climate Conference, they’re concerned and quite informed.  But as I watch everyone inside and outside the train, busy in their hectic work worlds that seem so demanding, Copenhagen and climate change seem pretty far away.

Writing this several days later, I now know about the “deal” world leaders reached at Copenhagen.  Naturally, opinions on what the results are worth, vary.  The critical and experienced voices on the ground at the conference are talking about the deal as coming up well short of what is needed to stave off the severe effects of climate change in the near future.  We needed a strong and comprehensive deal, that goes for those us on the metro in Washington or those working the fields in Thailand, but our leaders came back with something less than what we needed.

Lot’s of reasons can be and are being listed to explain why they came up short in Copenhagen.  Myself I think back to my Washington visit, and all those busy people. Surely I don’t know everyone’s story and I can’t know what they’re really worried about. But when it comes to the Climate Conference of 2009, like many places around the world, the nation’s capital that I observed seemed to have its focus elsewhere.

Restoring Links in the Balkans

I arrived this afternoon in Washington, DC, opting for the more affordable bus over the railroad.  It had me thinking about the news this week out of one of my favorite regions in the world, the Balkans. The rail link between Belgrade and Sarajevo, broken ever since civil war over 18 years ago, was restored. After almost two decades without direct service, people will now be able to take the train between these two nations who were both part of the former Yugoslavia.

Observers are calling it a largely political gesture, as most people either don’t travel between the two cities or take the bus instead. Yet be it political, commercial, or whatever they want to call it, the result at the end of the day, is the restoration of a once vital and treasured connection between two great cities.  Or as they put it in the international press, another small step towards reconciliation.

When I finally do return to that region, one of my main goals will be to ride that train, and record my observations to share with those who can’t be there, and would like share in the experience.