Last week, friend of the Gorillamen, Rick Coste, had his site for the Evolution Talk podcast hacked. Rick half-joked that an upcoming episode of Men in Gorilla Suits should be about hacking and hackers, so…here it is!
We begin the episode by talking about the first instance of hacking — whether real or fictional — that we remember seeing. After that, it’s confession time: find out if we’ve ever hacked anything (or known people who have).
There’s a lot behind hackers and the reasons they do what they do. We take some time to discuss what makes someone become a hacker, and then devote time to chatting about why even people who despise hackers are often fascinated by stories about hacking things. Next, we ask if there’s ever a good reason to hack something.
“Hack” has become a word applied to many other things. Find out what we think about lifehacking and other so-called types of hacks.
We’ve talked about technology at length before, and we return to tech talk for a moment when we talk about whether or not we’re concerned about hacking as we begin creating computer-controlled implants, like some pacemakers. How secure is a controlled heartbeat in the big city? Keeping in the spirit of things very big to people that can be hacked, we know voting machines can be hacked — we talk about whether or not we think we’ll see a major election stolen from hacking…or if it’s happened already.
Groups like Anonymous are sometimes praised and often scorned for their efforts. Find out where we stand on groups like that. Also find out if we’ve ever been hacked or had personal data compromised.
With so much national infrastructure relying on technology, how has hacking become a weapon for some nations? (Find out how we feel about this.)
There’s no denying that technology will only get more complex, and that people will figure out ways to compromise the integrity of systems and items. Find out if we think we’ll ever stop hackers.
As always, we’d love to know how you feel about anything from this week’s episode on the comments section.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
CM Stewart says
Chelsea Manning, Julian Assange, Aaron Swartz, and Edward Snowden are heroes. IMO
gorillamen says
I think the most fascinating thing with Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange especially are how most critics went personal in their attacks. “Manning is obviously messed up ’cause he sees himself as a she, and Assange is a perv and a scalawag!”
I never read up on Assange’s personal affairs, but how Chelsea Manning’s gender factors into things is beyond me. Even if Assange really was a pervy gent, it shouldn’t factor into what was revealed. That people kind of skip over Swartz entirely and jump back to Assange when Snowden is mentioned, that people who found what they did appalling can’t talk at length about what they did and, instead, go straight for personal attacks is very telling.
I don’t know if I’d consider them all personal heroes, but I have no problem with what they revealed.
CM Stewart says
OK aside from the issue of the tube opening being larger than the straw opening, just how cramped for space do you have to be to attempt this hack?? Do they also recommend pouring shampoo and liquid soap into straws? Packing deodorant into straws?
gorillamen says
Scroll down for toothpaste hack: http://herpackinglist.com/2013/11/toothpaste-packing-hacks/
More wacky straw hacks: http://lifehacker.com/make-diy-travel-sized-toiletries-with-a-drinking-straw-1543993690
CM Stewart says
I can see someone with OCD totally getting into the straw hacks thing.
CM Stewart says
Just a couple of many things that can happen when your brain is “hacked” through surgery, or through its own doing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_hand_syndrome
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourette_syndrome