cpunk-like meeting report

[Major Variola (ret.)]

I went to a meeting of the Irvine Underground (irvineunderground.org)
which reminded me of late-90s SF CP meatings.  Although the overall
tech level was probably lower and social implications weren't a big
topic.
Also, at this meeting, there were far more cameras or videocams than
were present (at least overtly :-) at the few CP meats I attended.
However,
nyms were used more than they were (overtly :-) at CP meatings; this may

have been due to a "introduce yourself" poll.  The IU
group seems to be a bit more social, going to movies for instance, than
the
topic-only CPs were.  The meeting was held in a room at an IHOP (pancake
restaurant
for furriners)

The exploit mentioned in
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-12-11-microsoft2_x.htm
was demonstrated, we were debriefed on the recent LA 802.11b War Flying
mission
(and the EMI resistance of 1960's era single-engine airplane instruments
:-).
Toorcon organizers were present.  About 30+ people
were there, with what appeared to me to be a bimodal distribution of
skills,
some advanced, some admitted unix newbies, etc.  There was even
recreational
lock picking.  A WiFi LAN, net connectivity through someone's cell phone
eventually.
A video projector.

I didn't notice persons with exceptional Euler numbers,
though black was definately the color of choice for garments.  Ages
appeared
well distributed from undergrad to hoary.  One gent noticed a certain
TLA on my
cypherpunks T-shirt and admitted that he had once worked in Ft Meade,
though
he wouldn't say on what :-)