Beau Woods
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Beau Woods
@beauwoods.com
2.2K followers 360 following 270 posts
hack all the cybers
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beauwoods.com
ChatGPT decided to lose its mind temporarily when trying to figure it out, but it came back to a more sensible state afterward. It also generated "piece of mind" and, as another commenter posted, "sweet dreams."
Screenshot from a ChatGPT session: 09:311 = ChatGPT 5> L….. Nice one - that's a fun rebus puzzle. Let's break it down step by step: • The first image is a slice of pie → sounds like "PIE." • The second symbol is a thought bubble → represents "THOUGHT." • Then we have ''S" → indicates possession or the contraction "is." So putting that together: PIE + THOUGHT + 'S → "PIE THOUGHTS" → sounds like "PIE THOUGHTS" → "PILOTS." Actually, that doesn't quite fit phonetically. Let's check the sound: • "Pie" sounds like PI. • "Thoughts" sounds like THOTS or THOTS = THINKS = IDEAS. Hmm... maybe it's "PIE + THOUGHTS" → "PIE THOUGHTS" → **"PIE THINKS" → "PIE THOUGHTS" → "PIE + THINKS" = "PIE THINKS" = "PIE THINKS"? Wait-say it aloud-"PIE + THOUGHTS" sounds like "PIE + THOTS" → "PIE THOTS" → "PIE THOUGHTS" → "PIE THOUGHTS"... "PIE THOUGHTS"... sounds like "PIE THOUGHTS" → "PIE THOUGHTS" → "PIE THOUGHTS" → "PIE THOUGHTS"... wait - "PIE THOUGHTS" = "PIE THOUGHTS" → "PIE THOUGHTS" → "PIE THOUGHTS" - hmm. Let's step back - this is a bottle cap rebus, likely from a beer brand (e.g. Lone Star, which uses these riddles). That brand's riddles often yield a common phrase or name. So: • Pie + Thought's (sounds like) → "Pie Thoughts" = "Pythons." Aha! Pie + Thought's = Python's (→ Pythons) V Answer: "Pythons." + Ask anything Screenshot from a ChatGPT session: 09:35 4 = ChatGPT 5 > し… Totally-there are a few clean ways to read that rebus. Here are the best candidates, from most to least plausible: 1. "Food for thought." • Slice of pie = food • Thought bubble + ''s" = thoughts) • The plus sign simply combines them → food + thoughts) → food for thought. This feels like the most straightforward/intended reading. 2. "Pipe dreams." (playful/homophonic) • Pie → "pi/pe" sound start • Thought bubble → dreams) • '''s" pluralizes → dreams Not as literal as #1, but a common rebus target. 3. "Pie in the sky." • Pie • The bubble is a cloud/sky-like shape • The plus suggests combining into the phrase. A bit of a stretch, but people often draw the "sky" as a cloud. 4. "Pilots." (phonetic) • Pie + thoughts) (said fast) → "pie-thots/pie-lots" ~ pilots. This is the one you surfaced-clever, but probably a reach for the designer. If I had to pick the intended answer, I'd go with Food for thought. + Ask anything Screenshot from a ChatGPT session: 09:40 4 三つか = ChatGPT 5 > 已… What if the images represent words other than "pie" and "thought"? For instance, the first one could be slice or piece and the second one could e idea or mind. While those are less likely words, they could lead to a more sensible solution overall. What other words might the images represent and what might that translate into? Thought for 22s > Love that angle. If we allow looser synonyms for the pictures and treat the 's as either "plural -s" or just a linking bit (many rebuses drop small words like of/ for), a few tidy phrases pop out: Strongest fits • Peace of mind • slice of pie → piece • thought bubble → mind • (rebuses often omit of) → piece + mind → "peace of mind." • Sweet dreams • pie/dessert = sweet • thought bubble → dream • 's → plural dreams • Together: sweet + dreams. Other reasonable reads • Food for thought • pie → food • thought bubble + 's thoughts) • (missing for is common in rebuses) • Give you a piece of my mind (playful, longer) • pie slice → piece • thought bubble → mind • (rebuses often omit of) → piece + mind → "peace of mind." • Sweet dreams • pie/dessert sweet • thought bubble → dream • 's → plural dreams • Together: sweet + dreams. Other reasonable reads • Food for thought • pie = food • thought bubble + 's → thoughts) • (missing for is common in rebuses) • Give you a piece of my mind (playful, longer) • pie slice → piece • thought bubble → mind • Interpreting the plus as "and I'll give you..." (still drops of my). Among these, Peace of mind and Sweet dreams eel the cleanest and mo kely "intended olutions when using broar words for the pictures Ask anything
October 18, 2025 at 1:46 PM
beauwoods.com
And to manufacture all that extra stuff is an extra $4-8B - not including the compute power.
ChatGPT output 100 MW Class Space Datacenter (panel radiators, 400 K case) 1. Radiators & thermal loops • Radiator panels: ~112,500 m • Manufacturing + assembly + coatings + QA: $0.5-1.5 B • Pumps, tanks, lines, compressors (heat pumps): $0.3-0.8 B Subtotal: ~ $1-2 B 2. Solar arrays & deployables • ~360,000 m' of high-efficiency arrays • Manufacturing cost typically ~$1k-3k/m? at these scales (cells, blankets, booms, hinges) • ~$1-1.5 B • Power Management & Distribution (space-rated electronics, HV harness): $0.5-1 B Subtotal: ~ $1.5-2.5 B 3. Structures, sunshades, mechanisms • Large CFRP/Al-Li trusses, deployment systems, sunshades ・$0.5-1 B 4. Avionics, comms, GN&C, propulsion • Rad-hard computers, TT&C, high-rate backhaul • Reaction wheels/CMGs, star trackers, ion/Hall thrusters, tanks, xenon • $0.5-1.5 B 5. Testing, qualification, integration • Giant TVAC runs, vibro-acoustic tests, life tests for pumps/compressors • Integration, cleanroom throughput, spares kits ・$0.5-1 B Grand total (100 MW system, extra equipment only): ~ $4-8 B (That's just to manufacture and qualify the spacecraft parts not needed in a terrestrial DC. Add launch: another ~$2-7 B depending on cost/ kg.)
August 19, 2025 at 10:09 AM
beauwoods.com
As an avid sci-fi reader I'd guess there are some pretty steep additional costs involved since:
1 Nearly all power comes from the ground
2 Nearly all cooling is done by air
3 You'd want radiation shielding

Per Chat GPT, launch costs ALONE for these is $2-7B ("only" 0.3-0.9B for CPU/GPU launch).
ChatGPT output showing costs for a 100MW AI data center in space. 100 MW compute Option A - Radiate at 400 K (СOP=2.5) • Electrical power drawn: elec = Qc+ Qc/COP + 5% ~ 147 MW. • Heat to reject: same ~ 147 MW. • Radiator area: ~112,500 m' (~335 m x 335 m if square). • Solar area: ~360,000 m? (~0.36 km}). • Mass (moderate): • Radiators (5 kg/m3): ~563 t • Solar (150 W/kg): ~980 t • Structure, sunshade, loops (40% of above): ~616 t • Payload (compute, PCDU, batteries, shielding): ~300 t • Total: ~2,460 t • Launch-only cost (order-of-mag): • at $1k/kg → $2.46 B • at $3k/kg → $7.38 B
August 19, 2025 at 9:58 AM
beauwoods.com
Welcome to paradise! mohawklesstalk.org
Entrance to the punk rock museum, Las Vegas, Nevada
August 6, 2025 at 9:08 PM
beauwoods.com
So many people landing in Vegas my notifications are getting DDoSed. Welcome to hacker summer camp.
iPhone notifications showing dozens of meshtastic nodes detected
August 2, 2025 at 10:09 PM
beauwoods.com
Just for you...
Animated gif (pronounced however you'd like) showing milk being poured into an iced coffee to make an iced latte. Yum don't you want some?
June 26, 2025 at 8:40 PM
beauwoods.com
Seems like a Ghost Fleet moment @augustcole.bsky.social www.theregister.com/2025/06/11/u...
The Register® US Navy backs right to repair after $13B carrier crew left half-fed by contractor-locked ovens Army joins in push to break vendor grip on military maintenance Wed 11 Jun 2025 // 21:56 UTC US Navy Secretary John Phelan has told the Senate the service needs the right to repair s own gear, and will rethink how it writes contracts to keep control of intellectual property and ensure sailors can fix hardware, especially in a figh Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Phelan cited the case of the USS Gerald R. Ford, America's largest and most expensive nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which carried a price tag of $13 billion. The ship was struggling to feed its crew of over 4,500 because six of its eight ovens were out of action, and sailors were barred by contract from fixing them themselves.
June 17, 2025 at 12:33 AM
beauwoods.com
1 Startups pretending humans are AI
2 Studios pretending AI is humans

How long til we read that a studio got in trouble for using AI, only to read that the startup they worked with is being shut down for actually being just humans pretending?
A screenshot of a news article from The Latin Times. The headline reads: “AI Startup Backed by Microsoft Revealed to Be 700 Indian Employees Pretending to Be Chatbots.” The subheading explains that Builder.ai’s virtual assistant “Natasha” was actually engineers manually coding customer requests. The article is by M.B. Mack, published June 3, 2025. A screenshot from New York Magazine’s Vulture section. The article is titled: “Everyone Is Already Using AI (And Hiding It),” part of the Hollywood Issue. A quote below reads: “We can say, ‘Do it in anime, make it PG-13.’ Three hours later, I’ll have the movie.” The byline is by Lila Shapiro. The featured image is a fiery, AI-generated angelic figure with wings, labeled as coming from the Amazon series House of David.
June 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
beauwoods.com
Cliff Stoll on stage at THOTCON talking about how to make a Klein bottle out of a soccer hooligan scarf
At THOTCON, Cliff Stoll stands on stage in front of a large screen displaying a projected image of a Klein bottle. He’s mid-demonstration, holding a black-and-white soccer hooliganism scarf to show how the non-orientable shape works in three dimensions. Cliff wears a plaid shirt, navy pants, and his signature wild white hair, with a handwritten name badge reading “CLIFF.” The stage is warmly lit, and the setup includes truss lighting with purple and red hues overhead.
May 30, 2025 at 4:05 PM
beauwoods.com
Who'd have guessed a hacking conference would have an astronomer as a keynote speaker?
Two smiling people pose together indoors at the THOTCON hacking conference. Beau Woods, on the left, has a short beard, glasses, and short, purplish hair, wearing a black hoodie and a conference lanyard. Cliff Stoll, on the right, is older, with wild white hair and glasses, wearing a plaid shirt and a handwritten name tag that says “CLIFF” and “STAFF.” The background features warm lighting, curtains, and wall sconces, giving the room a welcoming, retro feel.
May 30, 2025 at 3:19 PM
beauwoods.com
Yesterday I realized THOTCON starts today and I had a pass but no flight or hotel. Unexpected weekend travel FTW! See you soon, Chicagoland.
View from seat 3F on an American Airlines 737 window at the gate during overcast weather. On the tarmac below, a baggage conveyor belt leads up to the plane’s cargo hold, where a few pieces of luggage—including a black duffel bag and a skateboard—sit on the belt. Ground crew in high-visibility vests are loading bags from a blue American Airlines cart. Another American Airlines plane is visible in the background connected to a jet bridge. The scene is busy with various ground service vehicles and equipment around the aircraft.
May 30, 2025 at 10:31 AM
beauwoods.com
Why yes a hacker is logged into my Google account, and his name is me.
PC World headline: Is a hacker logged into your Google account? Here's how to tell Make sure you recognize the devices with active access to your email, photos, and other files. BY ALAINA YEE
May 11, 2025 at 12:56 AM
beauwoods.com
It ain't nature, but standing and watching a port work with poofy clouds flowing overhead can be plenty tranquil
Port of Spain, Trinidad, at work with poofy clouds flowing overhead and busy city streets
January 18, 2025 at 10:32 PM
beauwoods.com
Cyber journalist friends: when reporting on healthcare industry plans to do nothing on cybersecurity or even to roll back protections, please get them to respond to this type of data point (via @downing.bsky.social) papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Hacked to Pieces? The Effects of Ransomware Attacks on Hospitals and Patients 49 Pages Posted: 4 Oct 2023 Claire C. McGlave University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - School of Public Health Hannah Neprash University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - School of Public Health Sayeh Nikpay University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - School of Public Health Date Written: October 4, 2023 Abstract As cybercriminals increasingly target healthcare, hospitals face the growing threat of ransomware attacks. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that prevents users from accessing electronic systems and demands a ransom to restore access. In this paper, we create and link a database of hospital ransomware attacks to Medicare claims data. We quantify the effects of ransomware attacks on hospital operations and patient outcomes. Ransomware attacks decrease hospital volume by 17-26% during the i tial attack week, with recovery occurring within three weeks. Among patients already admitted when a ransomware attack begins, in-hospital mortality increases by 35-41%.
January 8, 2025 at 5:38 PM
beauwoods.com
I gotcha
A pie chart showing the percentage of charts that @SwiftOnSecurity hates, being 100%. The pie is blue.
January 5, 2025 at 6:33 PM
beauwoods.com
Your last saved meme is your moral philosophy
Crash override in the back of a cop car yelling "hack the planet" from the film Hackers. But the caption says "hack the new year" and there are party stickers on the image.
January 5, 2025 at 2:56 PM
beauwoods.com
I'm extremely pleased with myself on today's NYT crossword and just want to brag a lil 😁
New York Times crossword puzzle result, for Sunday, December 22, 2024: 26:04
December 22, 2024 at 6:07 PM
beauwoods.com
Okay so how do you think they figured out what my (now changed) password was?

For reference, it was 20 characters, mixed case, with special characters and numbers. Not used elsewhere, so not from a breach list unless from them.
Screenshot from an email that says: "To ensure that your online banking experience is as secure as possible, we've updated the requirements for creating a password. Your current password doesn't meet the updated requirements, so we strongly recommend you create a new password now." Screenshot of password requirements that says Password rules: - 8 to 28 characters with no spaces - At least 3 of these 4: - Uppercase letter - Lowercase letter - Number - Symbols allowed:! # % ()*,i:@_$= - Can't repeat character more than twice in a row - Can't use current ID or last 3 passwords
December 20, 2024 at 12:58 AM
beauwoods.com
Drake meme: Insomnia, doomscrolling, deadlines Global SBOMcoordination
December 17, 2024 at 5:27 PM
beauwoods.com
About to take off. Safe travels my friend.
Photo from the window of a plane at an airport
December 15, 2024 at 4:23 PM
beauwoods.com
Just finished refilling some Nespresso pods with a new toy and I'm not sure how I feel about the name
Nespresso pod refills sitting on a desk. The brand is Nessus, which is the same as a security testing tool.
December 3, 2024 at 11:50 PM
beauwoods.com
If you drop by the Blue Team Village at BSides Ottawa today you might win a prize pack - including a SIGNED copy of Practical IoT Hacking.
Blank page in the Practical IoT Hacking book, signed "Keep on hacking ALL the THINGS!" With a BSides Ottawa badge.
November 22, 2024 at 5:40 PM
beauwoods.com
The first Policy Village at BSides Ottawa is kicking off soon. Come on over and see some incredible sessions bridging the gap between the hacker and public policy communities.
Stickers for BSides Ottawa's first Policy Village
November 21, 2024 at 3:17 PM
beauwoods.com
Yeah okay so the hotel I'm staying in has a warning about DYNAMITING nearby and all I want now is a GoPro streaming that into the room. Is that too much to ask?
Sign at a hotel warning if loud noises from construction including dynamiting. Full text: COURTYARD® BY MARRIOTT Dear Valued Guest, Please be advised that due to the construction of a new building across the street from us you may hear a banging type noise which is due to ground drilling as well as some noise due to dynamiting. This work is sporadically conducted between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday and May also happen on Saturday and Sunday between 8am and 6pm. As we are not affiliated with this work, we unfortunately do not have any control over it. We sincerely apologize for this and wanted to let you know that the noise is not coming from work being done in the hotel. Chère cliente, cher client, Nous vous informons qu'en raison de la construction d'un nouveau bâtiment en face de chez nous, il est possible que vous entendiez un bruit de type « bang » dû au forage du sol ainsi qu'un bruit dû au dynamitage. Ces travaux ont lieu sporadiquement entre 7h et 18h du lundi au vendredi et peuvent également avoir lieu le samedi et le dimanche entre 8h et 18h. Comme nous ne sommes pas affiliés à ces travaux, nous n'avons malheureusement aucun contrôle sur eux. Nous vous présentons nos excuses les plus sincères et tenons à vous informer que le bruit ne provient pas des travaux effectués dans l'hôtel. Nancy Champagne General Manager
November 20, 2024 at 12:17 AM
beauwoods.com
While I love all the people joining, is there any way to turn notifications off for each new follower? It's joyous when someone follows yet also distracting and a bit overwhelming.
Screenshot of the Bluesky App settings page
November 19, 2024 at 5:47 AM