In order to consolidate and streamline my online presence, I have moved my ITP work (including everything here)to my new site: http://aaronuhrmacher.com

Please redirect yourself there!

kthnxbye.

Instead I kept coming back to our conversation in class as fanfic for entertainment, and so, having just watched the Woody Allen movie, “Whatever Works,” starring Larry David, I was inspired to write an imaginary episode of one of my favorite shows, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

To be honest, I don’t even know if it’s on the air anymore, as I no longer own a TV. But I remember reading that the show was actually improvised a lot of the time, and so that made writing a fake episode more compelling. As a result, I focused more on the dialogue and less on the description.

It’s a little long, and since I wrote it using the word processing program WriteRoom, it was easy to turn it into an HTML page and preserve the formatting. To be fair, I did feel a bit guilty about having an additional week to ruminate, hence its length. Once I got going and thought about the storyline, the dialogue flowed pretty easily. I could hear the characters talking as if watching the show. The situation I devised was just as absurd. However, feeling like you can imitate the thought process of a Woody Allen, Larry David or Neil Simon type character also compels one to consider immediate and extensive therapy.

So here it is, Curb Your Enthusiasm – “Larry Hates Kids”.

If anyone takes the time to read it, I would love to your feedback!

Introduction
I really like the idea of masking a conversation within a larger communications platform. Specifically, I think Twitter (at least right now) is an easy place for activists to exchange coded information because of its inherent qualities:

• It can be accessed on multiple platforms, including mobile;
• There is already a set of universal “codes,” such as “@,” “RT,” and “#” that can be exploited or re-purposed;
• It’s easier to hide communications in plain sight when there is already a large volume of messages being exchanged;

Context
I’ve named my code StegaTweet, which is based on the science of steganography, or hiding one message inside another message. Obviously I’ve co-opted the term for my own use here, which differs from the more traditional use of steganography where messages are disguised inside the code of audio or image files.

User Scenario
I imagine StegaTweet as a useful code for a small group of people (maybe 10) who are mobile and need to communicate privately among themselves where email or SMS communication might compromise the team’s security. Mind you, Twitter is already in use by activists as a means of communications. What’s unique here is the code that I developed, not Twitter as the networking platform. For this particular set of codes, let’s imagine that it’s for a team of leaders at a large political rally in New York.

Preparation
For this to work, each person involved needs to have a Twitter account with a code name, a complete bio w/fake picture so as not to arouse suspicion. Everyone should then share their handle with the group. You should also actively use the account before you need it incorporating some of the code words to make it harder to break when it’s time to use it for real. It also makes sense to follow more people than just your team members to help preserve your anonymity. This is where adding spambots might actually prove useful!

Another thing you’ll need is a Twitter app on your phone, such as Tweetdeck or any of the other Twitter applications available for your mobile device. That way, you can follow hundreds of people and still be able to filter the Tweets coming from the small group of people on your team with little effort. To everyone else, it will look like a normal Twitter account. Only the people who are part of your team will know what your Tweets mean. What’s also useful about Tweetdeck is that you can have multiple accounts running at once (one for private communication with the leaders and another, say, to communicate with the larger group).

As an experiment, watch the Twitter stream of a random person for one day and see how random the messages are. Another advantage of this method is you will never have to actually send a Tweet directly to another team member to get his/her attention, maintaining everyone’s anonymity. This type of planning will pay off in the long run.

Code
I’ve tried to incorporate as many of the short codes already used by people on Twitter to help messages sound innocuous in case your Twitter stream is discovered or monitored. As a reference for what code phrases might be useful to activists, I referenced “Messaging Through Distortion: Texting at the RNC” by The Ruckus Society.

The basic idea is that only a few words in each Tweet have a meaning, the rest is just filler.

Check in/Check Out: [time of day] + tweeple. Tweeple is a Twitter short code for your Twitter followers. Nothing else matters. The use of ‘tweeple’ indicates you have checked in and you are able to send/receive messages.

Example: “good evening, tweeple.” or “just got my morning coffee, tweeple. go java!”

Security Warnings: [Crime TV show] + location. This would indicate that there is a problem in that area. If you need assistance, include @aplusk (Ashton Kutcher’s Twitter handle).

Example: Film trucks on 4th and Avenue A. Probably Law & Order or something. @aplusk guest star?

Security Response: @aplusk + [positive/negative comment]. Positive indicates you are coming, negative you are not.

Example: @aplusk sighting? Gotta check it out!

Everything okay and on the move: RT. RT is Retweet on Twitter and is used to amplify someone else’s message by sharing it with your followers. In this case, it’s just a red herring.

Example: RT @zelda – today is the anniversary of Nintendo’s GameBoy. Huzzah!

Meetings: “#” + location. A “#” is called a hashtag and it’s used so people can do a search and find all the threads to a certain conversation. Since you all know you’re in the same city, you can use yours to identify the time and location of a meeting. The meeting time should be agreed upon beforehand (i.e. 30 minutes after the message is sent).

Example: Starbucks on Astor Place is too crowded #avoid.

Conclusion

StegaTweet is an exercise in creating a secret code. Since it’s published here, (obviously) I’d recommend not using it in a real world scenario without changing the code to meet your needs. I also recognize that it might not include enough detail or might omit some codes that would be useful for small group communication.

In either case, feedback is welcome via the comments section below.

Analysis
I chose to monitor the FDNY because I thought it would be useful to know the streets and addresses referenced by dispatch. I also considered listening to one of the scanners in Florida, since that’s where most of the episodes of COPS are filmed.

First, two hours sounds like a long time, but it takes just about that long to get a feel for how the communication protocol works and to become familiar with new jargon. It took at least an hour of listening to start finding patterns and to decode the chatter.

Here are some of my observations:

1. 248 was the code for the dispatcher. This was the point person communicating with various engine companies.

2. The dispatcher noted the time at the end of each transmission by saying the numbers (i.e. 11:47 was spoken as ’1-1-4-7′) and then giving his dispatch number (248).

3. No conversation lasted longer than 10 seconds. Most were shorter than 5 and involved only two or three exchanges between the dispatcher and the contact.

4. Through some research into the ‘10 codes‘ used by firefighters as shorthand for various messages, I understand that I heard the following codes used:

• 10-4: Acknowledgment
• 10-6: Stand by
• 10-18: Return all units except 1 engine AND 1 ladder
• 10-32: Defective oil burner
• 10-12: First arriving unit give preliminary
• 10-40: Utility emergency
• 10-33 code 2: Odor of smoke (any other type of odor)

5. The dispatcher addressed the firefighters in a variety of ways (battalion 11, ladder 12, engine 5), and I was unclear what the difference was among these groups. It’s possible that it indicated in code the rank of the responder or it might have differentiated between two trucks from the same firehouse.

6. Much of the chatter was faster than I could transcribe it, and sometimes so garbled I was surprised not to hear more use of code 10-5 (Repeat).

7. A lot of the exchanges were simply 10-4, confirmation that the message was received.

8. At two points, I heard what sounded like Morse Code beeping, but I was unable to determine its significance.

Partial Transcript

Date: Saturday, September 26
URL: The Bravest
Time: 11:45 AM – 1:45 PM

subway exits on 14th and avenue A. 10-4

1146 248

just got another call

1147 248

ladder 12

10-6

ladder 3

inspecting 166 and 167

12: available

sending you a gas leak [gives address] odor of gas.

10-4

gives directions

ladder 12 became available. unknown where its coming from. [gives more precise address]

engine 5 here.

[unintelligible]

conversation about address and odor

odor is at 17th and 8th

that’s correct

10-4

1154 248

[Morse code sounding beeps]

engine 47

47 we responded 1196

10-4

telephone 1196 [gives address] smelling fire on roof

battalion 11

elevator shut down and white smoke in that area

11 10-4

1194 [unintelligible] 248

ladder 28

1200 hours is the time at 248

engine 47

auto accident, no injuries

10-4 what direction?

10-18 574

inspecting subway entrance engine 246

10-4

1157 we already 86′d the lights in station

downtown platform

10-4

1206 the time at 248

battalion 11

10-18 1196 10-32 battalion [unintelligible]

80 we sent you an EMS you get that?

10-4 thank you

supposed to be a female struck. 1204 248

man a lot of 26

engine 8 ok

10-4

alarm box 1791 [address] smell of gas (repeats)

10-12 on the 19

1211 is the time on that 248

257

battalion 19

10-12 code apartment 6charles

1212 the time on that 248

engine 14

exits 124/125

that’s affirmative, over

engine 7

can you call 32 recorded

10-4

1214 the time 248

engine 54

10-4

code

engine 54 10-4

1215 248

engine 95

can i have battalion 2

1217 the time of that 248

Manhattan bat 1

can you call your quarter?

1218 at 248

10-18 1791 battalion 7

1220 the time 248

going back to the bronx at 1224 hours

[Morse code like beeps]

Manhattan battalion 7

7 here

3 and 2 at the hotel.

7 10-4

fire alarm at the hotel [gives address]

[gives address] odor from building. code is a 540. Manhattan battalion 6. we have 3 engines and 1 truck.

1229 248

engine 44

ladder 11

engine 53

1238 time 248

1133 investigating an odor on the 5th floor

1142 248

10-18 testing the alarm system

code 2

battalion 2 10-4

1244 the time on that 248

140 code 2

1248 the time

ladder 45

come in engine 53

might be on the far side

53 10-4

the 10-40 on the walkway.

10-4 Manhattan 53

you have to enter …

10-4

53 do you require any add’l resources?

we didn’t get on the scene yet

1314 on that 248

ladder 43 – relay to ladder 53 we are being waved in to a pier on the east river by some civilians just off of 103 street and we’re pulling in now

53 did you hear that?

going there now

let us know if you need any add’l resources

43 10-4

median on west side highway, rubbish on fire.

10-4

10-33 there’s no fire at that location

10-4

10-33 code 2 547 1019

engine 3 Manhattan

55 10

inspecting subway exits 130 and 13 110

10-18 box 547

1322 248

engine 1

assigned to 6 bound and zero

assigned as to 13210

1331 Manhattan 248

END TRANSCRIPTION

How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube from Aaron on Vimeo.

The teahouse owner shuffles to my table and announces, “the Maoist rebels have arrived.” He bows, palms pressed together, then disappeares. I glance towards the trio of soldiers huddled around the fire chanting propaganda from a book. The youngest looks at me, shifts his rifle to the opposite shoulder. I slurp my soup, waiting.

Don’t Google Your Way Through Life.

Feel free to add your own in the comments.

Twitter hashtags are a really great way to not only keep track of a conversation thread of a platform with millions of disparate voices, but also to see which people are willing to participate in a dialogue on a topic that interests you.

I ran through a bunch of ideas of what hashtag to use, but finally settled on #firstjob. To be a part of this conversation, all a Twitter user needed to do was describe how they found their first job (or what it was) and include “#firstjob” somewhere in the tweet.

Here were the responses:

I knew he first few people that responded, but found that it quickly spread beyond my friend network. Part of the reason is that I chose a topic that didn’t take much thinking to answer. I suspect that the more effort it takes to participate, the fewer voices there are that are willing to join in.

Of course, I hope to be proven wrong about that this semester (even though current trending topics include “RIP Patrick Swayze” “Kanye West” “Taylor Swift” “Jay-Z” and “Zune HD”).

That’s exactly how I stumbled upon SnapImpact.

Essentially, SnapImpactis a free application that uses your current location to identify upcoming events in your area related to a myriad of socially conscious causes. Categories include:

- Animal Protection and Welfare
- Arts and Culture
- Civil/Social Action
- Disaster Relief
- Education
- Environment
- Health and Medicine
- Religion

After downloading the app, you’re treated to a screen that looks like this:

You can then scroll through the events, find one that you like, and learn more about it:

The final screen allows you to sign up to attend the event:

At first I was surprised to see that there were no upcoming events in my area (the closest was an Alzheimer’s Memory Walk in Westchester County), but after a little research into the SnapImpact website, I saw that the app was only approved by Apple in June and the creators only announced it was ready for download a few weeks ago.

This application has a lot of potential. As someone who does not regularly check-in with many socially active websites and might miss their updates on Twitter or Facebook, SnapImpact not only gives me an easy way to access upcoming events, but lowers the barrier to participation by allowing me to register as well.

One additional option I’d appreciate is the ability to submit my own events through the application instead of having to visit the website, but that’s pretty minor.

You can read more about the development process here.

Overall, this application has a ton of potential once it gets populated with more activities in a greater number of cities. I’m psyched to follow its development.