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Podcast Patapoe·Sep 3, 2026

About this Episode

Podcast Episode

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You can say whatever is on your mind.

It can be about technology.

It can be about hackers.

It can be about the radio station.

It can be about life in general.

We do this about once a month where we open up the phone

lines and basically let our listeners take control.

802-321-425 is the phone number.

802-321-425.

If you're calling the regular station number,

you won't get through because we are broadcasting on a remote

studio.

And while we wait for the phone to start ringing,

and I hope the ringer is on this week,

because sometimes we don't hear it.

And that can be embarrassing.

Is there any thing people want to update or tell?

This is a nightmare.

I have nothing.

I don't think any of us.

Because I think with it last week that I had confidently said,

oh no, we feel fine.

We're very well rested and totally doing fine.

And two days later, a respiratory crud

started appearing in our house, which I should never

confidently say, we feel fine.

Are we all sick?

Is everybody sick?

All of us?

Yeah.

So sick, you can't even get on the radio.

That's a story.

I don't know if Concord can be time-delayed in such a manner.

I was sick last week.

And I feel like I might be, you know,

how when a spaceship goes out into space,

and then it comes back to get a gravitational push

on its longer journey.

Yeah, I feel like I'm coming back for that second part.

So yeah.

Earth below us drifting falling.

We have a phone call, but we need Kyle back in the room

in case they say something bad, and we have to press the button.

He's the only one I can press the button.

Oh, you have the medicine there.

That's good.

Yeah, it brought them syrup.

Yeah, Kyle's really feeling the effects of it.

I don't know what it is exactly.

It might just be the city.

It might be a lot of people getting together.

Hopefully everybody else is OK.

But yeah, it's done a number on us.

Let's see who's out there.

Good evening.

You're on off the hook.

Go ahead.

Hi, guys.

Am I on?

You're on the air right now.

Great.

My question is, when you guys are discussing technical things,

we the late art arties really don't understand.

And you talk in jargon, which seems to be among yourselves.

I understand the way people in my profession

they talk about things in a very savvy way.

So my point is, can you guys just break it down to us

when you start these various subjects regarding the internet

and the computer?

Yes, Collar.

That's actually something we really try to work on.

And I have a question for you, but I'll explain

a little bit of why sometimes we go back and forth.

We really try to make things approachable and simple

in some regards.

But also, we want to get into some of the technical stuff.

And often we get calls from people who are like,

I already know this, or this is easily looked up.

And then we have to explain to them, well, not everyone

has the same understanding.

And we want this to be a discussion that everybody

from your grandma to your niece can understand what's going on.

So you're absolutely right.

It's something we want to work on.

And my question is, is there a particular bit of jargon

that you had a question on that we mentioned either this week

or that prompted you to remind us?

I'm sorry.

I should have written it to ask.

That's the bad part.

That I just went immediately to the point that I can't, you know,

assume that you're speaking inside a jargon, which is cool.

Except that for us, we have no idea what that refers to.

It's like an acronym that we don't know.

Wow.

What do you mean?

I mean, that's something that we try so hard not to do.

But we could be doing it without realizing it.

Rob Gila, you have something to add?

I was going to say as a voice from the inside, y'all,

sometimes I don't know what you're talking about.

One time, Mike.

We know.

Yeah.

That is something that I think is important about the format

we have where we have this handful of different people

who are interested in different things

and our experts in different fields and stuff.

And we get to explaining this stuff to one another.

And hopefully, also explain it to those out there

listening who might be interested, but not totally fluent

in the jargon and the lingo as you put it, Collar.

And we totally appreciate it.

If there's anything you ever hear us talking about,

that you would like us to go more at two,

please send us an email.

And we could totally, you know,

solicitate whatever you like.

Email addresses OTH at 2600.com.

That's 2600.com.

And we'd often OTH for Off the Hook,

which is named the show, at 2600.com.

And that'll get all of us out.

Can I ask, what are you going from?

I'm going from Brooklyn.

OK, great.

Do I have to do something else?

Well, this is going to mention another scenario

where sometimes words and jargon gets thrown around

in the news stories.

And we're kind of trying it on.

So we sometimes throw that stuff around

because we read it in an article.

And we're trying it on, or poking fun at it a little bit,

because it's some new term that sort of industry wants us

to adopt.

And we do get a little bit flippant with it in those cases.

So there's a couple different scenarios.

I hope you're absolutely right.

I hate what people do.

I hate when people talk in jargon.

It's a way of kind of isolating yourself from everybody else.

And saying that you're smarter somehow.

And basically, it's not proving you're smarter at all.

It's just basically us.

You'll be.

Absolutely.

I as a business person, I just choke it up

to you guys are talking in the language

that you've been familiar with, the high end of the technology.

So I just end with this suggestion.

Give them a thought when you're discussing these esoteric concepts

to break down a couple of the acronyms

that you've got about, OK?

Absolutely.

We will endeavor to do that.

Thank you.

Thanks for your call.

Yeah.

That is what I call constructive criticism.

And the thing we need to do that more,

because I got to tell you, half the time,

I don't know a lot of the acronyms and terminology that's used.

And it just, it sounds me that I could actually

talk in a way that somebody would think is jargonese.

And I imagine people that we think are talking in tongues

and saying all kinds of incomprehensible technical speak.

They probably have people.

They hear that are talking in jargon.

And it just goes on and on and on forever.

So yeah, I think we all need to not just

on the radio, but in real life, try and define our terms

so that people know what the hell you're talking about.

And this might be a night where we say all kinds of things

that don't make sense.

It's not because of the jargon.

It's because of probably the medicines.

And I measure the stoves today.

Just swing it right on the wall.

Well, is that the kind of knock you out?

Because that's the kind of thing.

This is the uppers.

OK, good.

No, we're not.

No.

No, I'm not running the board.

I'm fine.

You know, we used to have a drug show.

It's the daytime.

On WBAR, I used to have a drug show.

Like how to take recreational.

It was not going to take sleepy time.

The 60s or the 7.

It was a different era.

Different era.

We definitely have it.

We could talk about drugs.

I mean, it's probably people making drugs with computers,

but that's not what this phone calls about.

A lot of good ideas for shows that I've had over the years.

One show in particular, a bunch of taxi drivers just

get together and trade stories for an hour.

That's a great show, right?

It is.

Do you have an idea for a show?

No, I was just thinking.

I feel like taxi drivers, it's the gun.

Has it?

Yeah, it was a really successful sitcom.

OK, I'm talking about real life, not a sitcom.

All right?

I mean, when I could get Jud Hersh, when I could pay people,

it's just a roundtable discussion.

Kind of like this weird roundtable we have.

There we go.

The other question I had was when you said drug show,

I was like about drugs or on drugs.

Because that's a totally different.

You know, this brings back a memory of hope, actually,

where there was a banner on the second floor,

which was visible from the lobby.

And a couple of security guards were asking us,

so what is that big banner that says free drugs?

We weren't giving away free drugs.

It was basically a drug testing service.

But it was the dual meaning, free them,

like, free them in the sense of not restricting them,

free them.

And it also said in parentheses, testing and information.

So they were kind of using the banner as a play on words,

but you could really only see it in large print.

It got their attention.

And these guys were downstairs.

And they couldn't go upstairs to check it out.

I didn't know what they were talking about.

You guys got free drugs up there.

I was like, what are you talking about?

Where?

And I was like, show me.

What do you see?

And then I saw the banner.

I was like, oh no, it's testing.

You know, that's not what people thought we were doing.

No, I had to explain it.

I was like, it's testing.

It's like, so you know, fentanyl, so you don't die.

That kind of thing.

So it was also somebody with a table on the mezzanine

that had come in.

It wasn't like an official conference thing, right?

Yes, they were a vendor, a real vendor.

Wonderful group, grassroots harm reduction.

Yeah.

They are a local in New York.

Did you at Doorbell, Jess Ring?

It did, and we don't know why.

Yes, we did not order anything.

So why does your doorbell sound so horrible?

It's like, you know.

Because this building was built back in 1950, bad,

or whatever, and they've never upgraded the system.

That's interesting because my grandparents had a doorbell

that sounded just like that.

And their building obviously was from that era.

It's got pizazz.

Well, I guess people didn't look forward to visitors.

So they had a harsh sound when they arrived.

And they're also really loud in this building.

So we can hear our neighbors.

I'm sure they can hear ours.

And it's this mid-century modern living

that we're doing.

But you're the only ones doing a radio show

that you know of in the building.

To our knowledge.

Yes, you have to be here.

OK, we have a caller who's been very patiently waiting.

Good evening.

You're on off to her.

Her neighbors, I'm sure they can hear us.

Please don't play us because we don't want to hear us.

OK, this is Rebel calling.

I see the caller ID.

And Rebel, we told you specifically, ask you specifically.

Please don't call because you called last week.

In fact, you were the only caller last week.

And we're not going to have that again.

Please don't call back.

If you do, you won't be allowed to call the next week

and the week after.

And that's a good way to silence yourself.

Boy, I was tying up the line for all that time.

802-321-4225 is a fun number.

We're sorry about that.

Can I also?

People would help.

If they listened to the radio, then

they would know that we asked specifically not to call

because you called last week.

He needs a personal dissipation.

So I think you look.

We also mentioned it at the end of overtime last week.

I slept through that buzzer.

Did you?

I slept.

Yeah, I did.

Yeah.

Apparently, I'm a very sound sweeper.

Yes, but you've also been living here longer than I have.

And I think I've had more time to grow used to the sounds

and the really long time ago though.

Yes.

So 10 years ago, I slept there.

We have another phone call.

Good evening.

You're on off the hook.

Go ahead.

Good evening.

Yes, go ahead.

I'd like to talk about old time privacy.

And I'd like to talk about the conversation.

I suspect I'm substantially older than most of you.

And I have installed, if you recall,

the X10 accessories throughout the house,

which are sent signals over the internal electric wiring.

And there's no internet of things here.

And I can automate plenty.

And I have other, I'm very suspicious.

I've been a privacy hawk to decktaste.

And I'd like to open up the conversation

that if you can control things remotely,

but within your own abode, is this something

that intrigues you or anybody else?

It's still a bit of an X10 community.

They still make some of them.

And the parts are available.

I turn on the outdoor lights.

And the timer is controlled.

To come up, it knows when sunrise is.

It'll turn lights off 20 minutes after sunrise.

And 20 minutes before sunset, as well as controlling.

In fact, the radio I'm listening to you

ought to, I can control who is really

an ancient technology.

But it's not the internet of things.

There's nobody else outside the house to can snoop on it.

Wow.

Well, this is precisely what I think many people

are moving towards now, because they've

seen the evil of what internet-driven devices can do,

have the spying works, and all that.

Keeping in mind the previous caller,

can you define what X10 is, for someone who might not know?

You know what?

I may even have a box.

I think X10 is a protocol that uses

it sends codes over your electrical system.

You plug in, you put accessories,

but plug into any outlet.

And there are 16 channels, I believe,

and two 16 channels that are alphabetical.

Now 16 channels that are numeric,

and you cross reference them and give them

an alphabetical code.

So you have all those permutation.

I think 256 different items and commands that can go over.

You can put macros that make one thing

to work after another.

I'm munking with these for decades.

Old enough to know to be a college when Nixon resigned.

So I'm thinking with this stuff.

And if I've always been very cautious about who

gets to look into what's going on in my abode.

I would ask you what kind of resources

would you point people to if they were interested in this,

since you've had quite a bit of experience with it.

And I would just commend you for picking this

to really use in a wide variety of ways,

because it really does reduce the footprint of stuff

that is using adware and other kinds of snooping techniques,

just because it can.

So yeah, we'll kind of resources.

OK.

Use this once or ginger whatever you prefer.

X dot 10, this dash 10, or even X 10 with no dash,

just say accessories.

It'll open up wide vistas of enthusiasts and vendors.

Smart home still makes them.

Levitton, the electrical supplier, got out of the business.

Yes, but they used to.

And I will give you a proviso.

You got to like to hack with it because it gets

ornery sometimes.

You have to stop noise.

Asianly, it's on the line.

But I manage work around.

If you like to solve problems as well as avoid problems.

You mean like compressors or some kind of motor

or something that's on the same circuit and that kind of thing?

Or interference?

Well, if they actually.

You control motors, they have relays.

Oh wow.

You have remote that'll trigger a relay.

And I have a set up for my router printer net service.

And if it gets flummixed, I have a remote button that

will turn it off and reboot it remotely.

And it's not that it's not that.

Thank you for the while, but it's fairly pedestrian stuff

like that.

I think many of us have forgotten about it.

When was this in its heyday?

It's been at least, it's been around the least of the system 70s.

Wow.

Yeah.

And it's still this.

There's still manufacturers.

You go on eBay and you'll say, you look on eBay, say X10 Spotlight or X10 Switches.

You'll see all sorts.

And there are wired in every other way imaginable.

You can have chains of lights that turn on.

And you can use it.

They only have a Windows version of the master programming.

And it's no longer made.

You can basic, but you can download all of the programming onto a sort of a plug-in

master.

It's tethered to your PC and it will absorb all your commands.

You know, I'm plugging afterwards because it'll stay.

It'll stay.

And there's a combination of wireless that will trigger a wireless receiver, but it's

all inside your house.

So I hope you.

If you are a privacy lock, you don't like doorbells that run at SIM pictures or through

a third party, telling you that the package is arrived.

It might be kind of fun.

If you like the hack and play, I've got pictures of my desk 65 years ago with soldering

on the computer.

Wow.

Well, we certainly like to hear more about this.

I hope you maybe write a piece about this.

We even give a talk about this because people don't know about it.

I guarantee you, people don't know about this.

And it can be very useful, a lot of fun.

And you can learn so much just by doing the programming and the troubleshooting.

That's what it's all about.

There's one book I reference I use.

Troubleshooting, either X10 or the author is Jeff, the FF Fisher, FISHER, you might do

a search on that as well.

You might find that if you want to dive in.

But the stuff is available.

It's all around.

And some places still make it.

Smart home makes more modern versions.

They do a combination of they have some where your phone, some folks have developed an app

that acts as a remote within your house.

So it's kind of, I like that no one's snooping.

And I like the troubleshoot when I get a little bit of a pickup, usually from noise on

the line and on the electrical system.

I think this will inspire some people to really look into this.

Maybe more companies will come into being or making technology.

Yeah, reviving technology that's sort of new but forgotten.

Because some of this stuff, like you said, it's fairly recent and then it kind of resurfaces

and then gets kind of forgotten and then people rediscover it.

So maybe there's an opportunity here.

And all the attacks on privacy, that's really in the news a lot lately.

So I think people are looking for stuff like this, just at least so they can have something.

Yep.

I wish you're looking at it.

If I get an opportunity to call in again with some more details.

I sort of have actually picked up phones.

So then from you to the gentleman.

On that note, I don't know if this is connected in any way, but you have the best phone connection.

I think we've heard a long time.

People call on cell phones and they just sound awful and you sound crystal clear, like

the old days.

I don't know.

Maybe I'm not getting any news with them.

All right.

Thanks for your call.

Have a peaceful night.

Take care.

You too.

Wow.

That's amazing.

That really is amazing.

X10.

That was very cool stuff.

I had forgotten all about X10.

I had read a little bit about it ages ago.

It was a big deal in the 80s and the 90s.

The fact that people are still messing with it is a lot of fun.

There was also a type of browser ad in the early 2000s around 2001 that one X10 manufacturer

got notorious for because they figured out how to pop up banner ads underneath your browser

window and people hated that.

I forgot about it so much.

I don't even remember ever knowing about it.

That's kind of weird.

I got to look into that.

802-3214-225 is our phone number.

Someone's already on the line.

We're about to pick up that line.

If you call someone's on the line, you'll wind up going to voicemail.

So just hang up and try again.

Let's take this phone call.

Good evening.

You're on off the hook.

Go ahead.

Hello, Mayon.

Yes, you're on right now.

You're knocked on the door.

You left it at the possible action.

Action.

It's a radio program for the snow.

Action.

The program for people with a great, good taste.

Action for the hecka-sense.

For fun people.

For special people.

You know what the action is for you.

With art.

Or is it?

What also can be.

Literature.

You make a lot of circles.

Small.

Far from.

And other work.

But you could hear music.

Music.

Here we have a patent action.

Action.

In the country.

She was going on and on.

Of course, let me help her.

After using her collection, let me.