Categories
Humor

This actually happens.

Categories
Humor

The joke in this comic will sneak up on you

Categories
Reading Material

Arguments for staying away from crypto, NFTs, and “Web3” in general

If you have doubts about cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and web3 in general and need some more convincing, you might find these arguments helpful. If you’re a true believer, these are the arguments you’ll have to counter. Either way, enjoy!

The “You’ll be running with a crowd of terrible human beings” argument

Tap to view the original tweet

The article Bitcoin Goes to War in The New Republic has a subtitle that explains its thesis a little better: “For some crypto holders, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an opportunity⁠—and a validation of their increasingly radical beliefs.”

However, I feel that the best summary comes from a sentence in the middle of the article, which reads “For some right-wing libertarian-minded coiners, the right to freely trade crypto takes precedence over opposing a Russian invasion of a sovereign nation.”

Nothing drives this point home better than investor Mike Alfred’s Twitter response to Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, who asked:

Alfred’s response? This gem, which will someday be cited regularly in ethics courses under the “don’t be this guy” category:

The computer science argument

UC Berkeley professor Nicholas Weaver dedicated one lecture of the Computer Security 161 course to material that would not be on the exam, but simply to help “immunize you from crap”. The topic is cryptocurrency, and luckily for us, he posted it on YouTube!

Here’s Weaver’s opening slide:

He points out that the blockchain data structure isn’t anything revolutionary, but instead is based on decades-old, well-documented structures: hash chains and hash trees (a.k.a. Merkle trees):

He also talks about the excuses that crypto-fans make for its massive power consumption…

…how easy it is to steal or grift from other people…

…that it just created a new business model for VCs…

…the dubious economics…

…and the incredible inefficiency:

It’s an amazing lecture that’s well worth viewing, even if you’re a crypto believer — just so you know the arguments against your thing.

The layperson’s argument

If you (or someone you know) has heard of cryptocurrency and NFTs but doesn’t know much about them or why they’re getting a lot of hype, Dan Olson’s Line Goes Up — The Problem with NFTs explains everything quite well.

Don’t let the 2-hour 18-minute runtime scare you off — it’s broken into chapters and presents its material so well that you won’t even notice the time passing.

Here’s its table of contents:

  • 00:00:00 Preface
  • 00:01:12 0. In 2008 The Economy Collapsed
  • 00:07:09 1. Bitcoin
  • 00:18:18 2. Ethereum
  • 00:24:34 3. The Machine
  • 00:39:07 4. NFTs Exist To Get You To Buy Crypto
  • 00:57:54 5. The Unbearable Cringe Of Crypto
  • 01:11:46 6. A Self-Organizing High Control Group
  • 01:16:57 7. Crypto Reality
  • 01:25:36 8. There Is No Privacy On The Chain
  • 01:32:52 9. If This “Looks Like Scam” Then Every NFT Room I’m In Looks Like Scam LOL
  • 01:38:29 10. Play To Earn Exists To Get You To Buy Crypto
  • 01:46:39 11. We’re All Gonna Make It And By “We” I Mean “Us” Not You
  • 01:56:08 12. DAOs Exist To Get You To Buy Crypto
  • 02:13:21 13. I Know It’s Rigged, But It’s The Only Game In Town

The artsy English-accented argument

English Youtuber and musician Georgina “munecat” Taylor does a wonderful takedown of the entire Web 3.0 scene, and while the video clock in at over an hour and forty minutes, it’s a very entertaining and informative watch.

The “Fucked Company” argument

If you were around during the dot-com bubble’s burst, you might remember a website called Fucked Company (whose name s a pardoy of Fast Company) that chronicled the ongoing failures of dot-coms with maximum snark.

There’s now a Web3 version: Web3 is going just great, and it’s part of my daily cautionary reading. Check it out.

Categories
Humor

“I also like to live dangerously.”

No photo description available.

In case it’s not clear: Don’t do this.

Categories
Current Events Tampa Bay

What’s happening in the Tampa Bay tech/entrepreneur/nerd scene (Week of Monday, March 7, 2022)

Here’s the list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events for Tampa Bay and surrounding areas for the week of Monday, March 7 through Sunday, March 13, 2022.

This list is a weekly service from Tampa Bay’s tech blog, Global Nerdy! For almost five years, I’ve been compiling a list of tech, entrepreneur, and nerd events happening in Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. There’s a lot going on in our scene here in “The Other Bay Area, on the Other West Coast”!

As far as event types go, this list casts a rather wide net. It includes events that would be of interest to techies, nerds, and entrepreneurs. It includes (but isn’t limited to) events that fall under the category of:

  • Programming, DevOps, systems administration, and testing
  • Tech project management / agile processes
  • Video, board, and role-playing games
  • Book, philosophy, and discussion clubs
  • Tech, business, and entrepreneur networking events
  • Toastmasters (because nerds really need to up their presentation game)
  • Sci-fi, fantasy, and other genre fandoms
  • Anything I deem geeky

By “Tampa Bay and surrounding areas”, this list covers events that originate or are aimed at the area within 100 miles of the Port of Tampa. At the very least, that includes the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, but as far north as Ocala, as far south as Fort Myers, and includes Orlando and its surrounding cities.

This week’s events

I try to keep this list up-to-date. I add new events as soon as I hear about them, so be sure to check this list’s page on Global Nerdy often!

Monday, March 7

GroupEvent NameTime
Rafael StuchinerBlockchain, Bitcoin, Crypto! What’s all the Fuss?~~~Tampa, FL
RGANetwork.netSouth Tampa Professionals Networking Lunch Wrights Deli
Orlando Power BI User GroupPower BI Summit 20228:00 AM
Low Light Photography GroupPhoto Drop off at the MPAC March 7th9:00 AM
Tampa Cybersecurity TrainingTampa Bay’s Job Seeker Coffee Talks9:00 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to Data Analytics: SQL Fundamentals10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EST
Option Trading Strategies (Tampa Bay area) Meetup GroupOption Trading Strategies Meetup (Online)11:00 AM
Orlando Photo + Design MeetupVirtual Event: Adobe Photoshop – Skin Retouching11:00 AM
Entrepreneurs & Business Owners of Sarasota & BradentonVirtual Networking Lunch Monday11:30 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupSouth Tampa Referrals11:30 AM
Christian Professionals Network Tampa BayLive Online Connection Meeting- Monday11:30 AM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsSouth Tampa Professional Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netSouth Tampa Business Networking Lunch11:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netSt. Pete Networking Lunch! Fords Garage! Monday’s11:30 AM
Entrepreneurs’ Empowerment EmpireOffice Hour12:00 PM
Orlando Digital Media Design MeetupVirtual Event: Adobe Design Coach3:00 PM
West Orange Comics & Video GamesMagic Mondays5:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || What Tech Career Is Right For Me?5:00 PM to 6:30 PM EST
Entrepreneurs & Startups – Bradenton Networking & EducationMarch Founder’s Event – Jason & Katie Close5:30 PM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCritical Hit Games: Board Game Night5:30 PM
New Wealth CoLabNew Wealth CoLab for Real Estate Investors Meet & Greet6:00 PM
Beginning Web DevelopmentWeekly Learning Session6:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Casual Pokemon League at Nerdy Needs6:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[FR] Waterdeep: Dragon Heist – DM Carson (Tier 1)6:00 PM
We Write Here Black and Women of Color Writing GroupVirtual Writing Get Downs6:00 PM
Tampa Bay TabletoppersMonday Feast & Game Night6:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesMTG: Commander Open Play6:00 PM
Board Game Meetup: Board Game BoxcarWeekly Game Night! (Lazy Moon Location)6:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48North Port Toastmasters Meets Online!!6:30 PM
Tampa – Sarasota – Venice Trivia & Quiz MeetupTrivia Night – Off the Wagon Kitchen & Brewery Smartphone Trivia Game Show6:30 PM
New Port Richey True Crime MeetupTruecrime6:30 PM
Toastmasters District 48Time to Take Speaking Your Passion to the Next Level at South Tampa TM!7:00 PM
Polk County BiggerPockets Members Networking GroupPolk County Bigger Pockets Meetup7:00 PM
Tampa Flutter Meetup GroupIn-Person Meetup7:00 PM
Orlando StoicsONLINE: “Stoicism and Christianity” Part 2 (Similarities)7:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceIntro to the Babylock Embroidery Machine (Members Only)7:00 PM
Toastmasters Division ELakeland (FL) Toastmasters Club #22627:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Fireside Lounge & Billiards 7 PM Start7:00 PM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyFREE Lightroom Study Group7:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48Sharpen Your Presentations at South Tampa TM Before Going Live!7:00 PM
Central Florida AD&D (1st ed.) Grognards GuildWorld of Greyhawk: 1E One-Shots7:30 PM
North Florida Stock Investing EducationNorth Florida Chapter Model Investment Club7:30 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to HTML & CSS: Build Your Own Website8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST

Tuesday, March 8

GroupEvent NameTime
Tampa Bay Business Networking Happy Hour/Meetings/Meet UpClearwater/Largo Professionals Networking Breakfast All Welcome7:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netBreakfast with professionals at Perkins!!! New Location!7:30 AM
Business Game Changers GroupClearwater Breakfast Mastermind Village Inn7:30 AM
Tampa Cybersecurity TrainingCareer Success is Not an Accident10:00 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || What is UX/UI Design?10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EST
Orlando Unity Developers GroupVirtual Event: Blender Fundamentals10:00 AM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsOldsmar Professional Business Networking lunch11:00 AM
Ironhack Tampa – Tech Careers, Learning and Networking[2/3] An Intro to Popular Machine Learning Algorithms: Nearest Neighbors11:00 AM
A Social Gathering-Mahjong playersMahJongg – come join us for some fun! All are welcome!11:00 AM
The Orlando Python User GroupPython Lunch & Learn11:00 AM
ASHE Tampa BayEngineering Infrastructure and Development at Port Tampa Bay11:30 AM to 1:30 PM EST
Tampa Career ClubLet’s Lunch & Learn11:30 AM
Wesley Chapel, Trinity, New Tampa Business ProfessionalsNew Tampa Networking Lunch at Glory Day’s Grill New Tampa11:30 AM
Pasco County Entrepreneurs MeetupProfessional Business Networking Lunch Glory Day’s New Tampa11:30 AM
Toastmasters District 48MESSAGE CRAFTERS12:00 PM
Block Co-op – Crypto Blockchain Orlando & Beyond ClubBitcoin/Crypto. Buying, Selling and sharing ideas. Small group atmosphere.1:00 PM
UX for Change | Tampa BaySeven Years of Leadership, Empathy & Post Traumatic Growth1:30 PM
Orlando Digital Media Design MeetupVirtual Event: Adobe InDesign 1014:00 PM
Free Video Production Classes – TV/InternetSocial Video Marketing Tips(ONLINE CLASS)-FREE for Hillsborough County Residents4:15 PM
South Florida Photographic SocietyLight Study Pro, Intermediate Lighting for Pro Portrait/Commercial Photographer.4:30 PM
AWS User Groups of Florida – OrlandoAWS API Architectures5:00 PM
UiPath RPA TampaWomen in Automation – Opportunities in the Workforce Panel5:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Bootcamp Alumni Success Secrets5:00 PM to 6:30 PM EST
Writers on the AirWriters on the Air meets every Tuesday5:30 PM
St. Petersburg Crypto Investors and Miners ClubCrypto Charting: Using Fibonacci with other trends lines6:00 PM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyMeet & Greet at O’Keefe’s Family Restaurant6:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceWeekly Open Make Night6:00 PM
St. Petersburg Business Networking Pick-up BasketballWeekly pickup networking basketball6:00 PM
Orlando Video & Post Production MeetupAfter Effects for Beginners6:00 PM
Tampa Business Club/Networking After HoursTaco Tuesday NETWORKING Bash & International Women’s Day Celebration6:00 PM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayCool Stuff Games: Board game night6:00 PM
Tampa Business ClubTaco Tuesday Networking Bash6:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST
Their Eyes Were Watching Books – Classic Book MeetupMarch Book Club REVIVED6:30 PM
West Pasco Toastmasters Club Weekly Meeting6:30 PM
The Sarasota Creative Writers Meetup GroupThe Sarasota Creative Writers6:30 PM
Tampa eMarketing GroupsLearn About Podcasting and How to Monetize Your Interest!6:30 PM
Bradenton Photo GroupCamera Basics6:30 PM
Florida Podcasters AssociationFlorida Podcasters Association General Meeting!!!6:30 PM
Tampa Drones MeetupMeet and Tweak Drone Night @ AMRoC Fab Lab6:30 PM
Tampa – Sarasota – Venice Trivia & Quiz MeetupTrivia Night – Moose Lodge 2117 Smartphone Trivia Game Show6:30 PM
To Play (DM) or not to Play (DM)Session Zero6:30 PM
Tampa HackerspaceWoodshop Safety (Members Only)7:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Best of British 7 PM Start7:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[Online SEASONAL] Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden – DM Canon (Tier 2)7:00 PM
Lakeland Note Investing GroupLakeland Note Investing Meetup Group7:00 PM
Communication Skills for Quiet PeopleHow to Get Rid of Negative Thinking and Negative Emotions7:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48Dunedin Toastmasters Club #21667:00 PM
Tampa Entrepreneurs NetworkDiscover the 8 Secrets to a Consistent Moneymaking Business | Katrina Sawa7:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!D&D Adventurers League at Armada Games7:00 PM
Crypto/Trading/Online Business/Entrepreneurship nightsCrypto/Trading/Online Business/Entrepreneurship Nights7:00 PM
St. Pete Beers ‘n Board Games for Young AdultsSt. Pete Beers ‘n Board Games Meetup for Young Adults7:00 PM
TB Chess – Tampa Bay – St. Petersburg Chess Meetup GroupLet’s play chess at Muddy Water!7:30 PM
Shut Up & Write!® TampaOnline Event: Shut Up & Write on Zoom7:45 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || UX/UI Design: Wireframes and Prototypes8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST

Wednesday, March 9

GroupEvent NameTime
Entrepreneur Collaborative Center1 Million Cups Tampa 
Network Professionals Inc. of South Pinellas (NPI)NPI Profit Partners Chapter – Exchange Qualified Business Referrals7:30 AM
Toastmasters District 48#1958 Sarasota Toastmasters7:45 AM
North Tampa Networking GroupBusiness networking9:00 AM
Tampa Bay WaVEOpen/FREE Coworking for Women Tech Entrepreneurs9:00 AM
1 Million Cups – Orlando1 Million Cups – Orlando Weekly Meetup9:00 AM
Orlando Unity Developers GroupVirtual Event: UV Mapping in Blender10:00 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Data Analytics: Tools of the Trade10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EST
WESOS Wesley Chapel ChapterWESOS Wesley Chapel: 5 Steps to Winning on Instagram11:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netCarrollwood Professional Networking Lunch Wednesday All Welcome JOIN us11:30 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupBrandon Business Professionals Carrabba’s Italian Grill11:30 AM
Liza Marie GarciaChristian Professionals Meeting TPA 3/9/2022- Wednesday12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST
Ironhack Tampa – Tech Careers, Learning and Networking[3/3] Tools every wanna-be designer needs to know about 🔍: Notion!12:00 PM
Orlando Machine Learning and Data Science2022 Lunch n’Learn12:00 PM
Success Strategies for Business OwnersHR Series – Part 2 of 5 – Define and instill your company’s culture12:00 PM
Pasco County Entrepreneurs MeetupWednesday Business Networking Lunch New Port Richey at Widow Fleatchers12:30 PM
Network After Work Tampa – Networking EventsHow to Optimize Email Marketing1:00 PM
Free Video Production Classes – TV/InternetDigital Video Editing Class (ONLINE CLASS) -FREE for Hillsborough residents only1:00 PM
Tampa Startup Founder 101The 3-Step Guide to Scaling: Going from $0 to $1M in Revenue (Online)1:00 PM
Big Data and Analytics TampaData Observability: Extend Data Lineage Beyond the Data Catalog2:00 PM
Work From Home – Online Business Opportunities and NetworkingFind Out About Print on Demand Using ETSY Platform!!3:00 PM
The Woman Entrepreneur NetworkHow to Bust Your Limiting Beliefs in ONE HOUR or Less3:30 PM
Central Florida CitySecSwanCitySec Meetup5:00 PM
Brandon BoardgamersBoard Gaming – In Person5:00 PM
The Tampa Chapter of the Society for the Exploration of PlayPlaying Games in the Alley5:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[HISTORIC] Storm King’s Thunder Tier 2 – DM Robert5:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || UX/UI Design: Creating A Design System5:00 PM to 6:30 PM EST
Computer Coach Training CenterHang Out with WITI Tampa Bay5:30 PM to 7:30 PM EST
Full Stack MeetupFull Stack Meetup6:00 PM
The Remote Work Collective | Sarasota | 20s/30s/40s/Pizza & Brew Night6:00 PM
Thoughtful WritingPhilosophy in Writing6:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesBoard Game Night6:00 PM
West Orange Comics & Video GamesVS. System Wednesdays6:00 PM
Wesley Chapel, Trinity, New Tampa Business ProfessionalsWednesday Evening Business Networking Dinner6:00 PM
Brews N Board GamesBoard Game Night at Gatlin Hall Brewing6:00 PM
Pasco County Entrepreneurs MeetupBusiness Networking Evening Dinner at Brick City Eatery6:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceMake a Cutting Board 101 (Members Only)6:00 PM
Tampa Bay Business Networking Happy Hour/Meetings/Meet UpLutz /Land O Lakes /Odessa /Trinity Evening Networking Dinner All Welcome6:30 PM
Tampa Bay Inventors Council – www.TampaBayInventors.orgTampa Bay Inventors Council – www.tbic.us bi-monthly Meetup6:30 PM
Tampa Writers AllianceTampa Writers Alliance Critique Group6:30 PM
Ocala BitcoinersBitcoin vs. Crypto6:30 PM
Tampa Gaming GuildLearn to Play: Vast: The Crystal Caverns6:30 PM
Tampa HackerspaceGirls Who Code Python for Grades 6-127:00 PM
Communication Skills for Quiet PeopleHow to Open Yourself Up and Connect with People7:00 PM
Tampa Bay Bitcoin[Virtual] Tampa Bay Bitcoin Meetup: News, Markets, & Community7:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!MtG Modern Constructed at Armada Games7:00 PM
Central Florida AD&D (1st ed.) Grognards GuildNew Beginnings & Old Rivalries7:00 PM
Castaways Euchre ClubCastaways Euchre Club7:00 PM
Florida Writer’s Association / OrlandoFlorida Writer’s Association / Orlando7:00 PM
Writers of Central Florida or ThereaboutsThe Short Attention Span Storytelling Hour7:00 PM
Broward Drupal Users GroupCall for presenters7:00 PM
Nerd Night OutGames & Grog – Party Games Social Night7:00 PM
Suncoast Developers GuildOpen Code7:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Barley & Hops 7 PM Start7:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to JavaScript: Build a Virtual Pet8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Orlando Lady Developers MeetupCode challenge bi-weekly coding session8:00 PM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsCarollwood Professionals Networking Lunch!11:30 PM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsBrandon Business Professionals IN Person!!!!11:30 PM

Thursday, March 10

GroupEvent NameTime
Bianca Baez with United Wealth EducatorsBusiness Networking event 
Pasco County Entrepreneurs MeetupHappy Hangar Early Bird Professionals Networking7:30 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupTampa Young Professionals Virtual Networking Thursday Morning All WElCOME7:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netWesley Chapel/Lutz networking breakfast7:30 AM
Wesley Chapel, Trinity, New Tampa Business ProfessionalsBusiness Over Breakfast ~ Happy Hangar IN PERSON JOIN US!7:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netVirtual Networking Breakfast Thursday’s7:30 AM
TampaBayNetworkersSun Coast Networking Meeting8:30 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Learn Data Analytics With Thinkful10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EST
Tampa Bay Business Networking Happy Hour/Meetings/Meet UpPinellas County’s Largest Networking Lunch and your invited!11:00 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupThe Founders Meeting where it all Began! JOIN us! Bring a guest and get a gift11:00 AM
Business Game Changers GroupClearwater Professional Networking Lunch11:00 AM
Block Co-op – Crypto Blockchain Orlando & Beyond ClubCrypto Set-up Class -Limited to 5 Seats Only11:00 AM
Florida Startup: Idea to IPOHow to Cut Product Development Costs by up to 50%!11:00 AM
Orlando Unity Developers GroupVirtual Event: Unity Fundamentals11:00 AM
Network Professionals Inc. of South Pinellas (NPI)NPI Power Lunch – Exchange Qualified Business Referrals11:30 AM
Toastmasters District 48Sarasota Speakers Exchange Toastmasters12:00 PM
Tampa Cybersecurity Training10 Musts to Rock the Interview12:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Commander Open Play Night at Armada Games1:00 PM
Learn Cybersecurity Skills – OrlandoCybersecurity Career Coaches Tell-All Essential Tips to Get Started in Tech1:00 PM
The Ambitious Entrepreneur Lounge – Meetup GroupThe Art of Getting Online Paying Clients – Networking Event1:00 PM
Orlando Cybersecurity MeetupIdentities are the new passwords2:00 PM
Free Video Production Classes – TV/InternetYouTube Basics (ONLINE CLASS) – FREE for Hillsborough County Residents3:00 PM
Hourglass Brewing Axe ClubHourglass Longwood Axe Club4:00 PM
Orlando Digital Media Design MeetupVirtual Event: Digital Painting Level 24:30 PM
Tampa – Sarasota – Venice Trivia & Quiz MeetupTrivia Night – Bunkers Bar of Sun City Center Smartphone Trivia Game Show5:00 PM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyFCCP Weekly Photo Assignment 62: Speed5:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Data Science vs. Data Analytics5:00 PM to 6:30 PM EST
Tampa Bay AgileLean Beer for All Things Agile (Downtown St Pete)5:30 PM
West Orange Comics & Video GamesThursday Night Yu-gi-oh!6:00 PM
Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Tampa BaySME TOUR OF TAMPA BAY BREWING COMPANY 
Land O Lakes Cigars and Networking GroupCigars, Networking, Referrals –6:00 PM
St. Petersburg Crypto Investors and Miners ClubNFT’s for creators: Tools and platforms6:00 PM
St. Petersburg Gnostic AssociationCorresponding lecture of the program6:00 PM
Women Who Code Tampa2nd Annual Nonprofit Night – Website Solutions6:00 PM
Brandon and Seffner area AD&D Group1st ed AD&D Campaign.6:00 PM
Network After Work Tampa – Networking EventsVirtual Cocktails and Connections6:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesD&D Adventurers League6:00 PM
New Yorker Magazine Discussion Group Pinellas CountyFebruary 14 & 21 Issue Discussion6:00 PM
Tech4Good Tampa2nd Annual Website Solutions Nonprofit Night with Tampa Women Who Code6:00 PM
Tampa HackerspaceSteel TIG Welding Safety and Basic Usage (Members Only)6:00 PM
Tampa Business ClubNetworking After Hours @HAIKU Downtown TAMPA6:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST
Eccentricity Club (Foodies and Fun)Korean at Korea House in Longwood6:30 PM
3D Printing OrlandoBasic 3D Design7:00 PM
Live streaming production and talentLive streaming production and talent7:00 PM
Drunk’n Meeples the Social Tabletop (Board) GamersTHURSDAY Game Night @ de Bine Brewing Co.7:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Graffiti Junktion 7 PM Start7:00 PM
Tampa Bay Business Builders MeetupSaint Petersburg Business Builders7:00 PM
Code For OrlandoCommunity Action Night: Connecting with Clarity8:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro To Data Analytics: Tableau Basics8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST

Friday, March 11

GroupEvent NameTime
RGAnetwork.netInternational Professional Networking JOIN us to grow your business 
Winter Park Toastmasters – Learn while having FUN!Improve your communication, listening, and leadership skills7:15 AM
Network Professionals Inc. of South Pinellas (NPI)NPI St. Pete Business Builders Chapter – Exchange Qualified Business Referrals7:30 AM
Agile OrlandoVirtual “2nd Fridays” Lean Coffee Orlando7:30 AM
Laid Back Leads GroupLaid Back Leads Group8:00 AM
Toastmasters District 48Trinity Odessa Toastmasters8:00 AM
Dr. Phillips Chamber of CommerceFriday Weekly Leads Group of Dr. Phillips FACE-To-FACE Networking8:30 AM
Brandon Biz ProsBuild your Business with Brandon Biz Pros8:30 AM
Homebrew HillsboroughMarch 2022 VIRTUAL Homebrew Hillsborough: GrowFL8:30 AM
Project Codex: Orlando Junior DevelopersVirtual Coffee9:00 AM
Entrepreneur Collaborative CenterIN-PERSON – Local Stories Live! Celebrating Women!9:00 AM to 9:45 AM EST
Toastmasters District 48Real Talkers #73069:15 AM
Christian Professionals Network Tampa BayImprove Speaking Skills & Build Confidence9:25 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Free Crash Course: JavaScript Fundamentals10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EST
Computer Advantage, Apple Premier PartnerAdvantage Talks: Don’t let iCloud be confusing!10:00 AM to 11:00 AM EST
Front End CreativesA Day in the Life of a Penetration Tester10:00 AM
Tampa Bay Business Networking Meetings & MixersFriday Business Introductions!11:30 AM
Professional Business Networking with RGAnetwork.netFriday International Business Introductions at McAllisters Westshore11:30 AM
Young Professionals of Tampa Bay Networking GroupFriday Business Introductions JOIN us at Cafe Delanie All Welcome11:30 AM
Tampa Bay Business Networking Happy Hour/Meetings/Meet UpInternational Networking Westshore McAlisters Deli11:30 AM
Tampa / St Pete Business ConnectionsInternational Professionals Networking Meeting11:30 AM
Powerful Women NetworkingWINTER PARK: Join us for outrageous connection, growth and networking too!11:30 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Enhancing Your Career With Mindfulness5:00 PM to 6:30 PM EST
Clermont Nerd GamesBoard Game Night!5:00 PM
Tampa Gaming GuildFriday Board Game Night5:30 PM
Toastmasters District 48MESSAGE CRAFTERS5:30 PM
Meeple Movers Gaming GroupLet’s Play Games ONLINE on Fridays!5:30 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Board Game night at The Strange Realms in Carrollwood Friday, 6 PM6:00 PM
West Orange Comics & Video GamesFriday Night Magic6:30 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Barley & Hops 7 PM Start7:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesMTG: Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty FNM Draft7:00 PM
Tampa StoicsIN-PERSON: Epictetus Discourses (Part 8)7:00 PM
The Pinellas County Young “Professionals”Join our Facebook group!7:00 PM
MARS ASTRONOMY CLUBIntroduction to Astro Imaging (March MARS Meeting)7:00 PM
Saint Petersburg Introverts Socializing (Ages 25-40)Food and Games @ Dave and Buster’s7:00 PM
Orlando StoicsThe Practicing Stoic – Chapter 4 continued7:00 PM
Ironhack Tampa – Tech Careers, Learning and Networking[ON-DEMAND SESSION ] How to overcome Imposter Syndrome 🚀7:00 PM
Orlando Adventurer’s Guild[Online] DDHC Tomb of Annihilation – DM Matt (Lvl. 1 Only)7:30 PM
Gen GeekLaser tag7:30 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || UX/UI Design: Designing A UX Case Study8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Tampa Bay Tech Career Advice ForumA Day in the Life of a Penetration Tester10:00 PM

Saturday, March 12

GroupEvent NameTime
Doris Muller for NPI Westchase ChapterBusiness Networking Event for Local Professionals 
Central Florida Philosophy MeetupWake Up and Think Clearly Saturday morning share and discuss.7:00 AM
Black Billionaire InstituteBlack Billionaire Institute Presents: The Startup8:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST
Black Billionaire InstituteCoffee Talk – Networking Event8:00 AM to 9:00 AM EST
Toastmasters Division GEarly Bird Ocala8:00 AM
Tampa HackerspaceCreate Your Own Resin Art9:00 AM
North Florida Stock Investing EducationComputer Aided Stock Analysis Class (CASA)9:30 AM
Chess RepublicCoffee & Chess: Tampa Midtown9:30 AM
Pinellas WritersWeekly Group Meetings – All Writers Welcome!9:30 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro To Data Analytics: Excel Basics10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EST
St. Pete Short Video Projects Meetup GroupCome and check out our current project. Share your skills or try something new.10:00 AM
Orlando Lady Developers MeetupCode with me – learning sessions weekly on Saturdays10:00 AM
Tampa HackerspaceWood Shop Router Table 101 (Members Only)10:00 AM
Coffee Lovers UniteCoffee Class!10:00 AM
Critical Hit GamesStar Wars Legion Takodana Tussle Tournament11:00 AM
Gen GeekTaco and Margarita festival12:00 PM
Lithia Chess Meetup Group(Chess in the Park) Chess at Park Square Plaza12:00 PM
Nerd Night OutNNO Book Club: We Could Be Heroes1:00 PM
Toastmasters District 48Advanced Articulators Toastmasters Club1:00 PM
Tampa Entrepreneurs NetworkUse Social Values to Distinguish Your Business | Catherine Rocheleau1:00 PM
Suncoast MakersFREE Fab Lab Orientation1:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Mad Hippo Saloon 2 PM Start2:00 PM
The New Normal Book Club – OrlandoTHE TEST by Sylvain Neuvel2:00 PM
Central Florida Florida Foam Fighting (Fumetsu)Fighter Practice! (Newbies welcome)2:00 PM
Tampa Hackerspace3D Printer Orientation: Prusa mk3s Printer (THS Members only)2:00 PM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Saturday MTG Draft at Hammerfall Games and Collectibles3:00 PM
The Tampa Bay Movie Fans Meetup GroupThe Batman, 3/12 at CMX Tyrone4:00 PM
ITADAKIMASU Tampa Japanese Food MeetupDinner at Kazu’s Sushi in New Port Richey4:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to Data Analytics: SQL Fundamentals5:00 PM to 6:30 PM EST
Lithia Dungeons & Dragons And Gaming GuildRIFTs (Palladium Games)6:00 PM
Tampa Bay Area World of Darkness MeetupTampa Bay by Night – Changeling (First Session)6:00 PM
Nerdbrew EventsCommunity Hang-out Night7:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || What Tech Career Is Right For Me?8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EST
Central Florida AD&D (1st ed.) Grognards GuildTHE ONE-SHOT GUILD8:00 PM

Sunday, March 13

GroupEvent NameTime
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] Increase Your Website Sales & Leads in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] How Google Works Ranking Websites in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google AdWords Tutorial & Walk Through in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] On Page vs Off Page SEO Strategies in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Google Analytics Beginners Tips & Tricks in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How To Optimize & Rank YouTube Videos in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] On Page SEO Strategies for Google in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Get More Targeted Instagram Followers in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Link Building Strategies 101 in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] SEO Keyword Research Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Facebook Marketing Tips, Tricks & Tools in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] How to Write SEO Friendly Google Content in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free SEO Masterclass] Google Search Console Tutorial in Tampa 
Brandon Leibowitz from SEO Optimizers[Free Masterclass] Rank #1 on Google Maps & Yelp: Local SEO in Tampa 
Bradenton Photo GroupSeaScapes with Mark Cohen7:00 AM
Toastmasters District 48Clearwater Sunday Speakers Toastmasters Club9:30 AM
Florida Center for Creative PhotographyVisit ZooTampa while the Weather is Cooler9:30 AM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Intro to HTML & CSS: Build Your Own Website10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EDT
Shut Up & Write!® St. PetersburgShut Up & Write! – March 13th at Station House in St Pete10:00 AM
Pinellas Autism ProjectMeetUp: Sensory Day at GreatExplorations10:00 AM
Suncoast Social PhilosophyStoic Virtue10:00 AM
Let’s Build an Animation CommunityMeet up 1 : UE5 Beginner course11:00 AM
Tampa Bay Gaming: RPG’s, Board Games & more!Board Game Flea Market at Your Turn – A Board Game Cafe11:00 AM
Central Florida Computer SocietyJoin us for the Windows Special Interest Group1:30 PM
Drunk’n Meeples West PascoWeekend Game Day2:00 PM
Drunk’n Meeples the Social Tabletop (Board) GamersBoard Games at Dented Keg (New Port Richey)2:00 PM
Critical Hit GamesD&D Adventurers League2:00 PM
South Florida Poker, Music & Entertainment GroupFREE Texas Holdem Poker Tournaments at Paddy Wagen Davenport 4:30 PM Start4:30 PM
The Guild of Independent Game DevelopersLecture5:00 PM
Learn-To-Trade Cryptocurrency (as seen on Orlando Sentinel)Learn-To-Trade Cryptos, Forex & Futures – (ONLINE)5:00 PM
Nerdbrew EventsTaps & Drafts @ MacDinton’s5:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || What is UX/UI Design?5:00 PM to 6:30 PM EDT
Tampa Bay Beach and Sunset Photography and Modeling ClassesSpringtime-themed Off-Camera Lighting Workshop **Photographer Signup**5:30 PM
Tampa StoicsIN-PERSON: A Walking Meditation – Causeway Trail6:00 PM
Lithia Dungeons & Dragons And Gaming Guild5E (ish) AD&D – Humble Beginnings Campaign (Trouble in Elm).6:00 PM
Toastmasters Division EFind Your Funny Advanced Toastmasters Club6:30 PM
Nerd Night OutNerdBrew Karaoke @ MacDinton’s!8:00 PM
Thinkful TampaThinkful Webinar || Bootcamp Alumni Success Secrets8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EDT

Do you have any events or announcements that you’d like to see on this list?

Let me know at joey@joeydevilla.com!

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Categories
Security Video

Get to know Bellingcat and open source intelligence (OSINT)

The Bellingcat logo.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, you’re increasingly likely to hear the name “Bellingcat”. It’s the name of an independent group of researchers, investigators, and citizen journalists who practice open source intelligence (OSINT). Here’s a quick primer about Bellingcat and open source intelligence, plus a whole lot of videos about Bellingcat’s work and their reporting on aggression by Russia’s government and armed forces.

Bellingcat’s origins

Illustration: The mice planning to bell the cat.

Bellingcat get their name from Aesop’s fable, Belling the Cat. In the fable, the youngest of a group of mice who were terrorized by a cat suggests that they put a bell on the cat, which would act as an early warning system. While the suggestion was warmly received, one of the elder mice brought up a serious challenge to the plan: “Who will bell the cat?”

Eliot Higgins founded Bellingcat in 2012 after being laid off from an administrative job. He started doing independent research on the civil war in Syria by collecting and analyzing publicly available photos and footage, and cross-referencing them with reports. Since then, he’s grown the organization, who’ve gone on to apply their open source intelligence skills to stories including:

Open source intelligence

Open source intelligence, often referred to as OSINT, is a term meaning any information that can be gathered from freely-available, publicly-available sources. It’s most often used to referred to information gathered online — the kind that anyone with an internet connection would be able to access. This information could be available free of charge, or it could be acquired for a fee (e.g. a subscription to a news organization, data source, or API).

It also applies to non-online/non-digital information from books, newspapers, magazines, academic journals and papers, FOIA requests and their equivalents, and so on.

It could be in text form, but it also applies to video, photographs, sound recordings, data files, and databases.

Giancarlo Fiorella, a senior Bellingcat investigator based in Toronto, makes it clear that OSINT is not “hacking” (as in accessing computer systems or information illegally), stealing, or spying. It’s about gathering data and doing the research.

Bellingcat contribute to the Russia-Ukraine monitor map

Click the image to visit the map page.

You may have read about the Russia-Ukraine Monitor Map on my personal blog, but if you haven’t, it’s a a public resource for mapping, documenting, and verifying significant incidents that happen in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Bellingcat are a primary contributor of information to this resource.

Videos about Bellingcat

Here’s a collection of YouTube videos on Bellingcat for those of you who’d like to know more about them or about OSINT.

Insights from Bellingcat on Russia’s Ukraine Ambitions (March 2, 2022 – Reuters Institute)

This is a Zoom interview with Christo Grozev, Bellingcat’s lead Russia investigator.

Researchers create open-source map tracking incidents in Ukraine (February 28, 2022 – CBC)

Fact-checkers on the front line of Russian propaganda machine (February 25, 2022 – CBC)

Inept Info-Wars: Bellingcat’s Eliot Higgins on Putin’s Problems with Reality (February 24, 2022 – Foreign Press Association USA)

Open-source Intelligence (OSINT) by Giancarlo Fiorella, Investigator and Trainer at Bellingcat (December 2021 – Asian College of Journalism)

This features a presentation by senior Bellingcat investigator Giancarlo Fiorella about Bellingcat, open source investigations and how they’re conducted. He goes into detail about investigating the Mahbere Dego massacres and the ethical issues and challenges in open source research.

We Are Bellingcat: An Intelligence Agency for the People (May 2021 – Talks at Google)

Ethical Matters: Bellingcat – The Citizen Intelligence Agency (April 2021 – Conway Hall)

Putin’s Assassins Exposed: An Evening w/ Bellingcat Founder Eliot Higgins (March 2021 – Renew Democracy Initiative)

I Exposed a Russian Assassination Squad (March 2021 – Vice’s “Super Users” series)

Discussion with Bellingcat Founder Eliot Higgins (March 2021 – Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress)

How Bellingcat tracked a missile system in Ukraine (February 2020 – 60 Minutes Overtime)

Bellingcat: Truth in a Post-Truth World (2018 documentary film)

Categories
The Street Finds Its Own Uses For Things

Airbnb users are booking in Ukraine to directly support Ukrainians

May be an image of 1 person and text

You may have seen the news about Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky ’s announcement that they’re suspending all operations in Russia and its puppet state Belarus, but you may not be aware of the other Airbnb activism: making bookings as a way to directly give money to Ukrainians!

People have reasoned out that Airbnb can be used as a way to find people in a specific area and send them money. It’s simple — you just book a room or house in Ukraine without actually staying:

I found about this novel approach to crowdfunding from the Facebook account of Christopher “Christophe the Insultor” Buehlman, a comedian and writer whom I know through his insult comedy show at Tampa Bay’s Bay Area Renaissance Festival.

I’ve also read posts where people are giving money to Airbnb hosts in neighboring countries who are taking in refugees.

I’m going to do the same.

Find out more here: