For running my #HamRadio portable setup from solar power, I made a power distribution box. I didn't know where to stop, apparently, and now I have a beast that weighs 1.2kg. It has two isolated battery busses, each of which has an XT60M, PowerPole, and 5.5x2.1mm barrel connector to choose from, supporting the batteries I have and that friends might have. It has four other circuits that can each be switched dual-pole (no shared ground) between the two battery busses, or isolated/disconnected:

• Solar charger, which is only connected if the charger is switched to an active battery bus with battery voltage present. If enabled, it charges the connected battery and provides USB-A 5V output. It also displays solar and connected battery voltage. The solar panel is connected via XT60M.
• USB-C PD 65W and USB-A QC 3.0 with voltage display.
• Two independent device busses, each of which has 4 XT60F, one PowerPole, and one 5.5x2.1mm barrel connector. On each, one fuse is shared between the barrel connector and the PowerPole, and pairs of XT60s share a fuse.Internally, the primary buses have 75 mix ferrites on them as common-mode chokes, and many other places including all the XT60 connectors have diminutive FT50-43 ferrites for the same purpose.

Additionally, the solar panels that can be connected to this also have both USB-C with PD and USB-A QC.

My main regrets are:

• I modeled all the hardware to make sure it wouldn't interfere, but didn't model all the wiring and ferrites. It was a tight squeeze.
• I wish I had used rocker switches instead of toggle switches; I'm concerned these will be damaged in transport
• Am I really going to use this beast?

This project becomes more funny because I do most of my portable operating QRP, and could run for hours off a USB-C power bank that weighs less than the power distribution box alone. (So really I should make a few octopus cables.)

Modeled in #FreeCAD and 3D printed using yellow ABS filament.

Painted Sky - Evening thunderstorm over the Raton-Clayton volcanic field, Colfax County, New Mexico, USA. The sky looked absolutely unreal and incredible over the vast, open landscape. I watched this storm build for about 90 minutes as I was driving in its direction.The lone tree is actually a pretty large tree! (June 25, 2025) #NewMexico #sky #clouds #storm #thunderstorm #summer #weather #tree #nature #outdoors #landscape #mountains #highchairs #Fujifilm

NEW: After announcing a deal with the Pentagon (and sparking a social media shitstorm), wearable smart ring maker Oura says it's not sharing users' data with the government.

But customers raised justified and valid concerns about where and how Oura stores and secures its data, including how Oura encrypts data and who has access to it.

Oura now tells me that it *has* received government demands for user data.

For premium subscribers. ❤️

https://this.weekinsecurity.com/oura-ring-deal-raises-valid-concerns-about-users-health-data-security/

Oura's service is not end-to-end encrypted, and customer data can be accessed by some Oura employees. That means anyone else with legal authority, like a government, can also demand access to that data.

Without a published transparency report, it's unclear how many times Oura has given over customer data to the government.

This isn't an issue unique to Oura, but raises important questions for consumers to ask about how their sensitive data is stored.

https://this.weekinsecurity.com/oura-ring-deal-raises-valid-concerns-about-users-health-data-security/

Want to drink a Coke? Eat a donut instead, it’s healthier. 💀

Today on New Living Internet Translations:

Do not post in anger, do not get mired in a flamewar because you’re mad online. If a comment is in your cause’s favor, then post it; if it’s not then for FFS stop. Anger can be replaced by cat pics, the maddest online can still learn to touch grass — but a banned account isn’t getting unbanned, and the people who blocked you aren’t gonna unblock. Watch yourself, bro.

— Sun Tzu’s Art of Social Media

#translation #localization #classicalchinese

nice and scratchy

I found this screenshot again and I still think it's brilliant. The best OS overview I've ever read.
#Linux #FreeBSD

Education report calling for ethical AI use contains over 15 fake sources
Experts find fake sources in Canadian government report that took 18 months to complete.
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/09/education-report-calling-for-ethical-ai-use-contains-over-15-fake-sources/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

“This async-first approach to communication is a very real way to ensure accessibility in the workplace. That may sound like a convenience, but for people with chronic illness, disabilities, or caregiving responsibilities, it’s something closer to a lifeline.”

https://nicholasgarofalo.com/workplace-accessibility-starts-with-communication/

Wrote a new post about some ideas behind future-proofing web "stuff" once you're no longer around to manage it

"What Happens After I’m Gone? The Future of the Online Me"

https://btxx.org/posts/planning-ahead/

https://effinbirds.com/post/794506186000121856

My #Obsidian + Contacts + #Shortcuts mini #CRM is making good progress. This is fun. I had hoped that I would be able to only use core plugins for it, but Bases alone doesn't cut it – no way to get the vault name inside a Bases document, it seems, which is vital for what I'm trying to do. So… Bases + Dataview, then.

Still early days 😅

Our friends at Karios recently shared why they chose FreeBSD as the foundation of their hardened operating system.

This is another great example of how companies are leveraging FreeBSD to build secure, production-grade infrastructure.

Curious how other organizations are using FreeBSD? Explore our collection of end-user stories to see real-world use cases and learn how FreeBSD is making an impact across industries:

https://freebsdfoundation.org/end-user-stories/

#FreeBSD #OpenSource #Security #Infra

@markwyner @Em0nM4stodon

Those “we’ve updated our privacy policy” notifications feel like a trap. And who has time to read every sentence in every one of them? And even if we do, most of us aren’t attorneys, making them nebulous anyway.

Thankfully, @Em0nM4stodon has your back with this guide on what to look for.

https://www.privacyguides.org/articles/2025/09/03/red-and-green-privacy-flags/

#Privacy #PrivacyPolicies #RedFlags #InfoSec #WatchingTheWatchers

Hark! This account is newly made,
to serve a poet's heart;
And on this instance you will find,
delight, amusing wonder!

If you would like to also be
a user in this place,
Come join forthwith by clicking here!

Do note that email is a pain,
and SMTP's blocked;
So I'll approve you when I can,
just check back on the morrow.

"Drink Coffee! Do stupid things, faster, and with more energy!" -- Darynda Jones

If Apple still had courage they would've opened the keynote with this. @atpfm