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Scott @forssa.bsky.social · 5d

Today is National Techies Day! My workplace, Lockheed Martin, needs all kinds of technical expertise. They recently chose to recognize me and my team as "Cyber Defenders," which came with this fun goodie bag. Pictured are a privacy-focused badge holder, a data blocker, a clip, and a keychain.

Handouts arrayed on top of a tote bag. Clockwise from the left are a badge holder, a keychain, a chip clip, and a data blocker. All read "cyber defender."

Scott @forssa.bsky.social · 7d

As of today, October 1, 2025, the record for most government shutdowns under one president has officially been tied. The only other POTUS to see three discrete instances of such an event was Ronald Reagan (1981, 1984, and 1986).

The White House with a Spirit Halloween banner photoshopped onto it

Scott @forssa.bsky.social · 26d

Today is National Video Game Day! Like most adults, I don't find myself online as often as I once did, but today isn't just about playing games - it's about celebrating their history. Dallas is home to one of the best places in the world to do just that: the National Videogame Museum!

Statue of Master Chief originally made to promote the release of Halo 2

A gallery of consoles throughout history

Scott @forssa.bsky.social · 29d

Why would I tell you all a story most of you never knew, just to then prove it false? For the handful of you still reading, I think that today is a fantastic example of the value of curiosity and the danger of credulity.

Scott @forssa.bsky.social · 29d

The term "bug" in this sense long predated this incident, and appeared at least as early as the 1800s. A moth did appear in the Aiken computer in 1947 and cause a glitch, but the attribution of this as the first bug was a joke that went too far. Even Grace Hopper's involvement was a myth!

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Scott @forssa.bsky.social · 29d

If you researched where the term computer bug originated, you probably read that on September 9, 1947 (78 years ago today), Grace Hopper found a moth inside of the Aiken Relay Calculator. It's a pithy and memorable story that links to several of the founding figures of computation. It is also wrong.

Me spreading my "wings" and wondering what it would be like to land between two relays in a computer

A dead Atlas Moth that visitors can touch and interact with

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Scott @forssa.bsky.social · Aug 19

It's World Photography Day! Each year, the anniversary of the daguerreotype being released to the public serves as a holiday to celebrate the wonder of photography. I wanted to use today to share a few photos from this year that I didn't otherwise have a reason to post!

A cyan section of the Oklahoma City Underground tunnels

An exhibit at Wonderspaces Austin. In the foreground, a red pencil holds a curled sheet of paper flat. On the left is a container of other red pencils and on the right is a printed sheet of instructions explaining the exhibit. In the background, a large board mounted on the wall holds many pieces of rolled-up paper.

The marquee for the Galaxy Drive-in Theater. It advertises "handcrafted pizza served here" and "ask about our d t cial [sic]."

A set of sculpted lanterns that resemble a frog surrounded by lily pads

Scott @forssa.bsky.social · Aug 16

Whether you're going shopping or just sitting at home, be sure to wave at your nearest surveillance camera! Surveillance Day is a perfect day to talk about the newest way we're being watched: the government has contracted Palantir Technologies to begin developing a database of every American citizen

Scott @forssa.bsky.social · Jun 28

No, there hasn't been a surprise blizzard - this is sand! The last Saturday in June is World Sand Dune Day, and some of the most unique sand dunes in the world are here at White Sands National Park. The pure gypsum sand found here forms the largest deposit on the planet.

#WorldSandDuneDay

View of the dunes over a crest at the top of one

A dead bush in the foreground of a view of white sand dunes

Scott @forssa.bsky.social · Jun 15

810 years ago on this day, the Magna Carta was signed. The Great Charter restricted the power of kings and mandated a more just legal system. It would go on to be one of the most influential legal documents of all time, inspiring the checks-and-balances system of the American Constitution. #nokings

Scott @forssa.bsky.social · May 24

We can all think of some apothegms about the journey and the destination - but it only takes a little planning to make them literally true. The Austin Cybersecurity Summit was a blast, but the road trip down there was just as fun in its own right!

Selfie taken with my name tag for the event

A stained glass window at the art museum

A curious rock formation at Longhorn Cavern

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Scott @forssa.bsky.social · May 14

I have friends everywhere

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Scott @forssa.bsky.social · May 2

I was struggling to make the character count, but the VLA is not the largest overall interferometer array in the US - it is, however, the largest of its type.

Scott @forssa.bsky.social · May 2

The first Friday in May is National Space Day, commemorating America's first manned spaceflight, and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than stargazing at the Very Large Array! This interferometer array telescope is the largest in the U.S. I even got a sneak peek at the next-gen dishes!

Selfie with one of the dishes at the VLA Star Party

A tour led by one of the researchers at the Open House

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Scott @forssa.bsky.social · Apr 15

It's Microvolunteering Day! Volunteering can seem intense; the time and energy commitments for work like food banks can create a significant barrier to entry. Microvolunteering is all about atomically small actions that can help those around us! You just need to spare a few minutes to do some good.

Selfie with a library volunteer badge, standing in front of bookshelves in a library

Reposted by Scott

National Radio Astronomy Observatory - NSF NRAO @thenrao.bsky.social · Mar 12

Lightning strikes over the Very Large Array in New Mexico ⚡️📡

📸 Credit: NSF/AUI/NSF NRAO/B. Foott

#RadioAstronomy #Astronomy #Astrophotography

VLA radio telescope under a purple night sky, illuminated by a lightning bolt within a large cloud in the background.

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Reposted by Scott

Jon Bilous @jon.framer.art · Mar 30

Very Large Array

Prints: jon.framer.art/image/very-l...