Best Buy’s new anti-privacy practices are even more awful than before. They’ve lost any business I’d ever be sending them after this.
Def Con badge acquired. Most of the way through the merch line; another 4 hours at most.
Hallway.
We made it to Vegas in 1 piece, ate a deliciously unhealthy lunch, checked in early (pro-tip: pay the $15 extra for a room upgrade if given the option), and set up the WiFi router that lets all our devices connect to the Internet at the same time without paying an arm and a leg every day.
It’s been a buy morning. Now we rest, re-caffeinate, and then hit the strip.
DEF CON is nearly upon us. Today we’re finishing our packing, checking into flights, finalizing plans to meet with friends, and twiddling our thumbs until it’s time to go to bed and wake up early.
Hope to see y’all there!
Amazon sent me an email about their new “Amazon One” service:
Amazon One is a fast, free identity service that allows you to pay using only your palm at all Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and Amazon Go locations. Your Prime member discounts will be automatically applied when you checkout at Whole Foods Market.
I was raised in an evangelical Christian household, as are somewhere around 25% of Americans. I can say with authority that a huge percentage of the US believes that paying with a “mark” on your hand, or forehead, is a certain indicator that the world as we know it is about to end. I do not believe this. I personally know plenty of people who do.
Things like this from a major brand always surprise me. I find it hard to imagine that the focus groups it surely went past didn’t have at least a few people saying “no, I won’t use this, because it’s literally the work of the Antichrist”.
My last work day before Def Con. I’m getting so excited and a little anxious! I’m going to see a lot, learn a lot, maybe teach some, and reunite with some of my favorite people in the world.
“Summer camp”, indeed.
The email: Click here to enhance your account’s security with two-factor authentication!
Click.
The website: Please enter your phone number to receive your access code.
Cmd-W.
My friends and I are getting ready for the EFF Tech Trivia contest at DEF CON. We took a year off after winning in 2022. Now we’re returning to reclaim our bragging rights.
If the cupboard door is open, Jort will sense it and come running from across the house so she can climb in among the towels.
