i (f) dated my ex (m) for almost 5 years, in reality as much as it hurts to admit we were really on and off and i would often initiate the breaks because deep down i knew he wasn’t for me. i am an “anxious attachment” and he’s an “avoidance” i’m not sure if that’s the right term but i did go to therapy for a couple months and my therapist was good at explaining he will never be able to meet my emotional needs and in the back of my head i always knew this but it was so hard to let go. at the beginning of may i said enough is enough i feel so lonely and misunderstood and unhappy in the relationship so i let him know it was best we stopped talking, we went no contact for 11 days (longest before was 5, and i always broke it) and again this time i broke no contact i just couldn’t take it, even though i was doing SOO GOOD!! :( well anyways the conversation we had when i broke no contact was cold and i felt worse after he ended it with “we’ll see when we talk again” , then a day later he called again and we caught up more and he even said he wanted to see me which made me happy!!, but then after that call i realized how stupid it was that i once again broke no contact, if i had never done it he would have still not reached out. well i once again stopped reaching out until i had another moment of weakness and called, this time he asked why i reached out and he was right.. why did i ?? i feel so stupid and alone, i really have no friends besides him and i just wish things were different but i can’t force someone to love me how i need to be loved.
i just felt like letting this off my chest i would appreciate if no one judged me i know i shouldn’t have reached out when i was the one that said we needed do be apart :( i need to start therapy soon again

Hi everyone,
I, (25M) recently had a holiday in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt, and I met a Ukrainian woman, (26F) in my time there. [04/05/2024 to 11/05/2024]
My "friend" destroyed my phone on day 2, so I had no communication with anyone, so if I wanted to make connections, it would be the old-fashioned way.
We met in the pool at our resort whilst playing volleyball on day 4 of 7 of my holiday. Her family brought a young child with them (not her child, the child is Moldovan) The child came up to me whilst I was applying sun-tan oil, and pointed at it. I wasn't sure what he was trying to say, but I made the gentle gesture that he was perhaps asking for the bottle. He took the bottle, turned around to his family and they started to apply it to themselves. I didn't mind that, the Egyptian sun is ruthless.
This woman, is absolutely stunning, in every possible measurable and conceivable way. The entire pool would leer over this woman in a crude, crass way.
If I could describe her, she is taller than me by a couple of inches, jet black hair, nose piercing, tongue piercing and plump lips. It is clear that she took care of her figure, as she has an hourglass figure, and this was evident when she showed me her TikTok.. From what I've been able to piece together from TikTok, she was an exotic dancer, twerker - what have you, etc up until around mid-2022. She has since, from what I can see, put on a stone or two of weight (which does not bother me in the slightest, I actually prefer her look now, she carries it so well)
Her infectious smile made me melt, and her laugh makes me feel like I'm the funniest man alive.
She wrapped her legs round mine in the pool and shook my leg until I became visibly aroused. She would flop onto a li-lo inflatable and invite me to join her. We shared hugs, and one brief kiss.
She would make fun gestures with her tongue and her piercing. She then held my hand at the swim-up bar. We got a drink and swam to the Infinity pool. It was an all-inclusive booking, so all paid for. She knows very, very little English, the basics. By basic, I mean Yes & No, but even then that was backed by shakes of the head and nods.
We spent the next 3 days virtually constantly with eachother, with the exception of most of the mornings and sleeping. Even with no phone, she managed to find me, and I managed to find her, and every day we would enjoy one another's company, even though we were not able to linguistically talk to eachother. All of our conversations were done through Google Translate and showing eachother.
Key moments, were that she would learn English if I would learn Ukrainian, she is single, unmarried with no children. Her story about Putin's invasion and her tragically losing her Nan to a blast, tore my heart into a million pieces.
As I had no working phone, she would write her TikTok and Instagram name on my forearm, slapped it and showed me a translation "Do not wash this until you fix your cell phone."
I am not the most of handsome of guys, and I had a full-face beard on my holiday. I am a powerlifter, so I'm bigger than most people with visible muscle mass, but in no way toned or defined in body shape, which made me wonder why she was so attracted to me so quickly.
She is a self-employed beauty technician in Kyiv, doing nails and lashes.
She skipped a foam party on the beach to be with me on my last day in Egypt. From the moment I left the resort and sat on the coach transfer to the airport - I could not control my emotions and I cried. I was sad to leave Egypt, but I was more sad that I would not see her again until we arrange another meet. Her situation, her story, her perceived purity, her qualities and resilience, just won me over. Head over heels.
Now I'm back home, we are still talking, and I asked her the day after; "Do we want it [relationship] with me, or were you just being kind to me in Egypt?" To this; she said "I want to be with you, I miss you"
I am however, noticing a pattern over the last couple of days and I'm torn on how to feel about it. In the evenings, the messages are sporadic. Sometimes I might get maybe one an hour, sometimes it might be instantaneous I get a reply.
She was extremely ill last night, and she sent me a video where I could tell she was in visible discomfort. Does this mean she feels confident in showing this side of her to me? Or am I reading too far in to this?
I have heard horror stories of people introducing Ukrainian people to the country, to help them flee a war-torn country, and then get shafted / ghosted. Given I look the way I do, and she looks the way I do - I'm trying not to be cynical.
At this point, I know I might be being naive, and maybe even downright stupid. But, the protector in me, wants to help her to come to the UK for the sake of her safety and wellbeing.
We are going to arrange another trip, so that we can meet again at the same resort, but nothing has been set in stone.
Is what I've described, normal behaviour? This is going to absolutely kill me if this is not genuine, as I've just had the most mind blowing holiday with her, and never had so much attention from a lady of this calibre on my home-soil.
I've consulted friends, they've told me I'm a "simp" "tapped" citing "red flags are there" but I really don't want to believe them even though there is a sense of truth behind it.
I'd really appreciate anyone's input on this unique situation.
[TLDR:] Brit fell in love with a Ukrainian who doesn't speak English on holiday, both want to progress, but been told to be careful.
Thank you ❤️

Seriously, how does one find those mystical local hooters? I think I saw my last owl last november? and one before it was like 5 years ago. Seeing all those cool owl pics in here is making me slowly really jealous 😂
Anyways, I live in Finland, we got decent amount of owl species, ranging from tiniest eurasian pygmy owl to eagle owl. The area where I live is stereotypical finnish countryside, which is literal sea of trees. Look into pretty much any direction and there will be more trees than what you can count. If anyone has any other good tips besides looking for murder of crows harassing stuff, I would be greatly interesting hear it.

I know this is an iPod subreddit, but it's the most active subreddit dedicated to mp3 players (I think). I know there are some fans of these players around here but let me know if you want this gone though.
After a few frustrating weeks of trying to upgrade my Creative Zen Micro to 128gb, I finally succeeded on upgrading it. Here is a step by step.

With a Virtual Machine

Given that the software part can get very frustrating, I suggest that you first focus on creating a working environment based on your stock mp3 player. This will limit the number of things that can go wrong.
This was tested on a Windows 11 machine (called Host from now on).
Download Virtualbox. Use your own Windows XP SP2 image or find one (google: archive + WinXPProSP2ENG). Download the Windows Media Player 10 updater from archive.org Download the Creative Zen Micro drivers and upgraders from archive.org
Install Virtualbox. Install Windows XP on Virtualbox - this can be a big step if you don't have much experience in this field, but there are plenty of tutorials on how to do it - check the references below.
Now that you have your Windows XP VM (called Guest from now on) up and running, go to the Devices tab on the top of your screen and click on "Insert guest additions CD...". This will insert a virtual CD containing some Virtualbox drivers and you'll get a pop up on your Guest machine. Install them and reboot your machine.
Turn off your Guest machine.
Connect the Zen Micro to your Host machine. Your Host machine should recognize the player with no trouble.
In Virtualbox, click on your VM machine and go to settings > USB > USB2.0 > click on the 'plus' sign and add your device there. The name should be "Creative...".
Now, in the same settings menu, go to the tab "shared folders" and click on "add". Now, choose the folder you want to share between the Host and the Guest machines. Give it a name and a mount point. I picked "sharewithxp" for all the fields, including the name of the directory on Host. Check 'auto-mount' and 'make permanent' (if it exists).
On your Host machine, copy the files MP10Setup.exe, ZenMicroPDE_PCFW_LB_1_11_01.exe and JB3MV2_PCWDRV_US_2_01_00.EXE to the shared directory you just created. Also copy MP10Setup.exe.
Turn on your Guest machine and go to "My Computer". You should see your shared folder in there. Copy all the files from there to your Guest's desktop.
Install MP10Setup.exe - this upgrades the Windows Media Player from 9 to 10. By experience, Windows Media Player 11 was problematic and apparently 9 isn't ok either. Stick to WMP 10. This was key for me. It really didn't work without WMP10.
Install JB3MV2_PCWDRV_US_2_01_00.EXE - these are the drivers for the Zen Micro.
Disconnect your Zen Micro from your computer. Connect it again. Go to devices > usb on the top menu and make sure your device is selected.
Execute ZenMicroPDE_PCFW_LB_1_11_01.exe If everything went according to plan you should now see an "Upgrade" button. If you see said button - congratulations because this was the most painful part of the process. I realized that when the device is correctly loaded, the executable won't open right away - It takes a few seconds. If the device wasn't fully recognized, you'll see a message saying "Your player is not connected, please connect your player".
(If you got the dreadful second message and no "upgrade" button, try to reboot your Guest machine. Disconnect and connect your player again. Make sure it appears on the devices menu.)
Now that you have a working environment, let's move to the fun part.
Format your micro sd card (fat32 if I'm not mistaken) - I used a Sandisk Extreme 128gb (the golden ones) and it worked fine. Insert the micro sd on your CF-to-SD adapter. I got the the only adapter I could find (red one).
Disassemble your Zen Micro - there are tutorials and videos around that show you how to do it better than I possible could - check the references below.
Remove the CF card from the mp3 player and insert the adapter. Pay attention to the position of the old CF card. CF cards don’t have a big distinguishable difference on one side like sd cards do. It's really easy to get mistaken and connect it on the wrong side. The only differences are the slots/openings on both sides of the CF card/adapter - one is larger than the other. When the adapter is connected and in place, its label should be visible (pointing upwards). Take a picture of the original CF card if needed or check the video in the references below.
Assemble everything back but do not insert the battery right away.
Toggle the power button to the left and hold it that position. Insert the battery. You should now be in recovery mode. Navigate to "format all" and click ok. Navigate to "reboot" and click ok.
Connect your player to the computer and, in the Guest machine, make sure it is selected on the devices > usb menu.
Open ZenMicroPDE_PCFW_LB_1_11_01.exe If everything went according to plan, the upgrade button should now be visible. Click. Wait. Enjoy.
PS: Inside the Creative Zen Micro link, there is also an upgrader for the most recent version - 2.21. I haven't tried it because I don't think it brings anything that interesting to the player. There are also 2 older drivers in there - also untested.
References: https://www.reddit.com/ipod/comments/18e1698/creative_zen_micro_upgraded_from_5gb_hdd_to_a/ https://www.instructables.com/Upgrade-the-Zen-Micro-5gb-to-8gb-on-the-Cheap/ www.youtube.com/watch?v=VERkcCTJFyI https://www.intowindows.com/how-to-boot-and-install-from-iso-in-virtualbox/

Without a VM

^Soon.

First Previous
"Arran of many stags, the sea strikes at her shoulders, companies of men can feed there, blue spears are reddend amongst her boulders. Merry hinds are on her hills, juicy berries are there for food, refreshing water in her streams, nuts in plenty in the wood."
-Agalllamh na senorach-
"Don't say goodbye, wish me luck and a swift return."
Sorcha's words echoed in Robert's head as he watched the transports race the local star into the sky. Robert was the last to leave the cargo bay, wanting to remain in her presence for as long as possible. It was childish now that he thought of it, but it had earned him a long, deep kiss and a promise she would come back to him soon.
The port where they had been dropped off was located on a cliff overlooking the sea, and the golden light of dawn was echoed on the incoming waves. Beyond the tarmac, grass and bushes grew unhindered and thin trees towered over the terminal. Robert led the 449th toward the building which was built to resemble something out of a story book. A faux thatch roof hung over white walls resembling rough hewn stone while a clocktower with a black slate roof rose from behind. It was a beautiful example of deceptive architecture to give a weary traveler a sense of tranquility. The main concourse radiated the same fairy tale charm with shops lining the interior between cobblestone walkways and a grassy area with long wooden benches under manicured alder trees.
To the casual observer it was a welcome distraction from the busy day to day worries of modern life, to the former convicts who were used to concrete, reinforced walls and armed guards it was heaven on earth. Robert's troops ignored the benches to lay in the soft grass, a luxury unaffordable to the soldier and the convict alike, drawing looks of curiosity from travelers and shop workers alike and Robert had to fight the urge to join his men in this simple pleasure. Finding a seat on a bench, he sufficed himself by running his left hand through the soft blades where the unit colors had been planted.
"How long have you all been fighting?" A stranger asked.
"Feels like forever." Robert replied feeling a pang of guilt at not telling the whole truth.
"Just passing through?" The stranger inquired.
"Here to stay, at least for a while I hope." Robert said.
The strangers face brightened and his eyes reflected the smile that he wore.
"Fáilte Abhaile Óglaigh," He said before continuing to his gate.
Gallóglaigh was the only word Robert knew in Gaelic, and it quickly became apparent that he would have to learn quickly as other people took notice of the rag-tag unit relaxing in the grass. Gallóglaigh meant young soldier he surmised, so óglaigh probably meant soldier, but 'saighdiúir' as well as 'laoch' was also directed at him and his men. Laoch sounded bad, but the people who said it smiled and shook hands with him. 'Saighdear' sounded like 'saighdiúir' and he had no idea what 'ghaisgich' meant, but every face told them how happy they were to meet them. 'Tha gaol again ort' and 'Is Breà liom tú' found their way to his troops, mostly from women and a number of them tried to pronounce the words themselves which caused more confusion and a few impromptu lessons on pronouncing the words followed by a kiss on the cheek or forehead.
Robert was seriously considering reigning in his troops when he heard a more familiar language from a weathered older man with an amused smile.
"May I assume you're Colonel Grant of the 449th?"
"Yes sir." Robert replied.
"Perfect, I'm your escort, Brian McMurray," he said, "whenever you're ready please follow me."
Robert was able to contain the enthusiasm of his rowdy batch of heathens before they could caused any trouble, to the further amusement of their escort, and they wove their way through the port with the expert guidance of Brian McMurray who led them to several busses waiting just outside the passenger entrance. Troops were filed onto four of the vehicles and Robert was guided to an open deck with his officers while the lower deck of the front vehicle would carry the remaining troops. Brian sat in the front and swiveled his seat around to address them.
"I do apologizefor not having an air transport to meet you, but the MacSweeney family was able to charter these coaches at the last minute." Brian said as the coaches began to move.
"MacSweeney?" Hobbs said under his breath.
"Shut up Cyrano." Robert ordered.
"It's alright Colonel," Brian said, "Yes Captain, Laird Collin MacSweeney, Governor of Arran. Have you heard about him before?"
Hobbs eyes grew wide and he shook his head to indicate he hadn't. Robert turned a shade of red, Jacob and Derrick had the common sense to hold their tounges. Thomas on the other hand...
"Collin MacSweeney, son of Aaron MacSweeney, current lord of the MacSweeney family. Descending from Suibhne O'Niall, chieftain of Argyll. Aaron MacSweeney, settled Arran with the last Gaelic speaking people from Ireland and Scotland in order to preserve their heritage."
"Thank you,Captain Reed." Robert said, half relieved Hobbs had been bailed out, and half curious how Thomas knew so damn much.
"Rather impressive summary I must say," Brian replied, "anywho, the languages you were having trouble with and the history of this world will be made available to your troops, please do study it to prevent any unfortunate misunderstandings. We should be arriving in Brodick Castle shortly."
"If I may," Robert asked, "What is the history and population of Arran?"
"Certainly," Brian replied, "Arran Colony was started with the last 1000 Irish and Scots Gaelic people on Earth. With a bit of hard work and luck we settled the planet as an agriculture world, primarily ranching but expanding into other crops and fishing as well as natural textiles and some light mining and mineral refinement. Today Arran has a population of just over four million."
4 million, from the look of the small port town which hugged the harbor you wouldn't know it.
"And the port city?" Robert inquired.
"Brodick." Brian explained. "The harbor on this island is almost an exact match of Brodick on Earth, so the island was named Brodick as well as the city we just passed through and the MacSweeney family have called it home ever since."
"Brod..."
Robert shot Hobbs a murderous glance before he could finish and the rest of the trip was conducted in silence.
The chartered coaches pulled onto a gravel driveway in front of an amazing castle, built stone by stone into an exact replica of the one on Earth. Troops were ordered to disembark and form ranks below a massive tower that loomed regally over them. An equally impressive man exited to greet the arrived troops, wearing a fine wool suit and a red and black kilt shot through with yellow covered slightly by a leather sporran with polished silver trim. Robert waited for Hobbs to call it a skirt, and was thankful that he remained silent.
"Fáilte Abhaile." Laird MacSweeney said in a neutral tone.
"Apologies sir," Robert replied nervously, "but the men don't speak much Gaelic yet."
"No worries," Laird MacSweeney said, "but 500 does not a regiment make."
"No sir." Robert replied. "We are what's left from Diani unfortunately."
Laird MacSweeney nodded quietly. "We shall have to remedy that. Carry on."
Robert rendered a salute "On the orders of the Terran Military, The 449th Infantry Regiment has been reassigned to Arran SIR!"
Laird MacSweeney returned the salute and began to speak.
"I know who you are and where you came from. I expect all of you to act like civilized people, not the convicts you were previously. Think carefully how you conduct yourselves here on Arran. Housing accommodations for the command staff will be here at the castle, company commanders and enlisted will be housed temporarily in a hotel in the city. This is your second chance gentlemen, you will not recieve leniency from me or my people."
Laird MacSweeney paused momentarily to let the warning sink in.
"With that being said, you are owed three months of pay, which has already been taken care of, and I believe a week furlough is in order to acclimatize you to Arran. Be responsible and respectful, but please enjoy yourselves. Colonel Grant."
Robert nodded and rendered salute again before turning and shouting "DISMISSED!"
The unit cheered at their freedom, but returned the the coaches in a somewhat orderly fashion. Robert tensed slightly at the thought of what they might do if not under watch, and the hand placed lightly on his shoulder made him flinch inside.
"Calm yourself Colonel," Laird MacSweeney said in a gentle tone, "You have a lot of work ahead of you yo get your unit properly organized, but you've done an excellent job considering."
"Thank you sir." Robert replied. "If I might ask, what does Fáilte Abhaile mean?"
Laird MacSweeney chuckled as Robert turned to face him.
"We shall have to remedy that as well." Laird MacSweeney replied.
"Fáilte Abhaile means Welcome home."

Right so, I’m turning 21 and my partner is 22. We are in the same university and have known each other r for a year now. His grandfather figure just died and he is grieving that. I wanted to see him as soon as he got back but I was bed bound nd and ill. He didn’t like that I didn’t ask to come see him when he got back and started replying with simple word one responses every now and then. The next day I messaged him saying I miss you and he said I could’ve just asked etc. In his defence I got pretty agitated in my texts and neither of us were being friendly…
Almost minutes after I realised I should’ve thought before I said anything and apologised. He didn’t accept as we have argued before and I have been quick to anger which I understand. He says he doesn’t think we are going to work and that I need to work on my anger.
I love him with all my heart, I would move heaven on earth for him. I know I shouldn’t have been so defensive considering what he’s going through. He has asked for some time to himself which I’ll obviously give him but there’s so much I want to tell him and I feel as though if I stopped telling him how much I want this to work, id be doing an injustice to how I feel about him. He needs his boundaries right now and I’m not even sure if he will ever like me again. I know I’m not this angry person so why am I doing this to him? I can feel my heart breaking and I’ve never cried as hard in my life. He lights up any room he enters and I think he is the glue to his friendships. I feel proud to walk with my arm linked to his.
I came out to my grandparents so I could introduce him to them. I mean, I’ve kept my sexuality a secret from them for 7 years until a few months ago.
Edit: never physical angry just verbally. I know I’m more than edge now than ever and I have been ignoring it for too long. I know I should be giving him the benefit of the doubt

Edit: sorry for the clinical formatting. I posted to askvet first. IYKYK.

• Species: dog
• Age: 2 y/o (Born 3/30/2022)
• Sex/Neuter Status: male/neutered at 12 months
• Breed: Mini Aussie, Border Collie mix
• Body Weight: 33 pounds
• History: adopted at 3 months from a rescue, litter was reportedly surrendered by an Amish farm, received all necessary shots and procedures, socialized at dog parks (starting at 4 months) and daycare (starting at 1.5 years)
• Clinical Signs: aggression and anxiety?
• Duration: anxiety starting around 6 months, aggression starting around 1.5 years
• General Location: Michigan

Cheddar's disposition has always been energetic and anxious. He is hyper around people other than me (running back and forth, jumping up on people and furniture, and insisting on pets/attention) and absolutely annihilates my apartment (single-handedly blew my chances of getting a deposit back) if left alone outside of his kennel. Until recently, those were my only concerns.
He used to be exceptionally (in my uneducated opinion) "well mannered" at dog parks. Due to the fact that he has to stay in his kennel when I'm at work, we go to the park most evenings and I started sending him to a doggy daycare for one or two days a week. On his second or third visit, the daycare workers reported that he snapped at another dog and had to go in "time out" in the kennels. Now I get similar reports about every third day that he attends. They also report that he is the "fun police" (barking at dogs for playing) and humps, behaviors which I haven't witnessed myself.
Prior to starting daycare, I had never seen him be aggressive even towards aggressive dogs. He used to just roll over and show his belly when confronted. Since then, I have seen him snap at dogs at the park. Most of the time it's when a dog is in his space, but the most recent occurrence was at a puppy through a fence with absolutely no provocation.

• Bite One: Last Friday, we went to the vet. It was a very, very long wait and he was incredibly stressed (panting, whining if I stopped petting him for so much as a second, and occasionally snarling/barking at other dogs) for the entirety of the visit. When the vet was finally able to get to us, my dog let him examine his teeth, ears, and eyes, but snapped when he tried to touch his belly. The vet made the call to muzzle him for the rest of the visit.
  
• Bite Two: Today, I took him outside to go potty after I got home from work, and we ran into a very sweet, high-energy neighbor. Cheddar was already pretty excited and began jumping and running back and forth as the neighbor approached. When they went to pet him he snapped at her.
  

None of the bites broke skin, but obviously these behaviors are escalating. I've already emailed a veterinary behaviorist, but I don't know how long it will take to get him services, or even whether I'll be able to afford them.
I don't want my dog to be this distressed, and I definitely don't want him to hurt someone. What else can I do to help him?

I was looking for a new dentist a while ago because the clinic that is near me messed up a filling replacement, caused a relative of mine to need a root canal (that started with a shallow cosmetic filling), and just has terrible scheduling. So after all that, I was done, and decided I'd eat the cost of going to a private dentist if it meant seeing someone good who wasn't bogged down by 1000 patients, as unfortunate as our medical system is in the US. I did try looking for other medicaid/medicare accepting offices, but one office used film x-rays and did my new patient appointment in 5 minutes, and the other aggressively told me he would not look at the x-rays I brought, nor do any work unless I let him remove all of my wisdom teeth, and he pressed his probe so hard on all my teeth, he actually broke one of my old fillings, the pos...
So anyway, I tried researching the private dentistries in my area, made calls, and tried to make my best effort picking the right place. I did find one, and it seemed good! The office was nice, I liked the staff, and the dentist (and their history) seemed good too. Even though early experiences with dentists had given me some bad hypochondria (that has thankfully waned off for the most part now), I was actually excited to go to this dentist because I was anticipating experiencing a major improvement in quality and putting my mind at ease.
So I called their office to ask about stuff like costs and some basic info a few times, partly because I was still uneasy about paying what is to me, a lot of money, and so I hesitated. And, what might've been kind of dumb was trying to ask if I could speak to the dentist, or if there was an email I could reach them at. I wanted to ask them their opinion on certain things, like certain oral hygiene practices and some studies I read about, but part of me also wanted to ask if they'd be willing to do work on me for a reduced cost, because at the time, I was struggling to find a job. I know a dental office is still first and foremost a business, so I would've accepted the likely 'no' without any issue, even though I never ended up asking them about it. I visited their office one time in person since I was already driving by it with someone, just to check it out since I've never been in a private office before.
Finally, I noticed on their site they also had a sort of essay competition and a person could potentially get free dental treatment if they needed it and didn't have a lot of money, so with what I already said about my money issues, I took to it, and wrote up a good essay about my current situation, how my lifestyle and diet is completely different than when I was a kid, and how I'd be grateful if I were chosen. They said the most recent contest was already over after I waited a while and called to inquire, so I gave in and pushed passed my stress and said I would want to schedule an appointment and pay out-of-pocket.
When I was going to schedule it, the dentist themselves actually answered, to my surprise. What they told me is basically what the title of my post says; they said they were a former domestic abuse victim and that I gave off red flags, and that, since both the patient and the dentist have to be comfortable, they could not accept me as a patient. I was just, totally speechless. I've never heard someone say that, nor would I have expected it. I just, apologized because I didn't understand where it was coming from or why they were anxious, but I didn't argue it at all. Later I was upset by the fact they associated me with their abuser somehow, and that for some reason I actually apologized in that situation.. but I still regret that I couldn't have been a patient there. My area doesn't have great options, and I don't like having to drive up to an hour to see someone.
Did I look like their ex? Did I sound like them? Did me calling the office before and asking to talk to them really trigger some kind of anxiety? Uhg..

Note I'm saying I solved it not cured it. I've only figured out the cause of this terrible condition about 2 weeks ago.
I've been dealing with this issue now for years. People would often make remarks about me or avoid me and it definitely isn't in my head as I can often hear people talking about me. Just like most of you I couldn't smell it myself and I've tried everything in the book to fix it.
Anyways, for some reason it seemed to improve an its own after I started gyming and eating healthier and the bullying and comments stopped. I was better it seemed for a good few months. I had almost forgotten I had this terrible condition for years. It's weird how we kind of just block out these things. Unfortunately about 3 weeks ago I noticed the comments again. I don't know what caused it but it was definitely back and it was bad. I could even subtly smell it myself this time. At this point I freaked out and cut out everything other than plain boiled chicken breast and rice. My idea was to do an elimination diet and these are apparently the safest foods. I was very wrong. The chicken breast and rice diet made things so much worse. The bad news was the embarrassment but the good news is that I finally know what is going on.
So here's what it is. It's flatulence. Yes farts that I could not feel or hear. I have a couple of theories as to why I could not feel them or have any control at all over them but I'll get to that later. The good news is I don't think there is anything structurally wrong. So here is how I figured it out. As things got worse and worse on the chicken and rice diet, I noticed a tingling feeling down there. Eventually it became a stream and it was obvious to me that gas was streaming out almost non stop. This is one of the reasons I do not think it is a structural issue. With such a large amount of gas, it essentially forces it's way out regardless of if your sphincter is working properly. I also noticed I wasn't pooing much anymore. There is definitely a link with constipation.
After a week on the diet, I stopped as the constitution was getting severe and I wasn't feeling well. I immediately went back to my old diet which consisted of things like bread, meat, bananas, Greek yogurt, protein powder etc (note that this is still better than the diet I used to eat years back when the condition initially started, at that time I ate a lot of fast food). I also increased my fiber intake and took magnesium to help with the constipation. Even after I started pooing normally I still had severe FBO for at least a week longer. At this point I realized that since rice makes things worse I should probably cut out grains. Right now I'm throwing everything I can at this. I have cut out grains and dairy and am taking a bunch of supplements including magnesium, vit d, vit b complex, probiotics, oregano oil and it currently feels like the FBO is getting less. Though I still haven't cured it, I hope this post helps someone else figure out what is going on. My guess is that it is SIBO which is creating such a large volume of gas that it forces it's way out. I have also struggled for years with acid reflux which I believe is also the result of gas forcing it's way out the oesophagus.
Good luck to anyone else dealing with this. I know how much it sucks.

As explained I have a board which I’ve used for cruising in summers gone by, and I’ve always had a love for skateboarding, Bart Simpson introduced me, then the OG Skate 3, later Skater XL. But I want to do what the cool skaters do and go around town finding spots and just having a good time, but I have no friends that skate. I live in the UK where skateboarding is less popular, but is there any spots where skaters would maybe hang around other than a skatepark because I’m not about those crazy tricks. I have a passion for exploring and skateboarding to urban street skating appeals to me so much. Any help would be class and any pointers to how to improve would be great! Stay blessed 🙏

I got broken up with 2 months ago. She said she wanted to work on herself. I didn't want to I knew what that means at least I knew what I meant when I said that to someone I was dating. I caught feelings for this women. She turned to cold. It was like a 180 degree switch. I didn't understand what was going on I was confused. I struggled for a while. Then I had what you can call an epiphany. I realized that even though I have so much love for this women. I cannot force her or convince her to be with someone she doesn't want to be with. I accepted it. Do I still want to be her person? Of course I think about her everyday. When I think about her I think about the good times. The feelings she would give me when we would be together. I look back on it happily because even though it was not for a long time. I still experienced what it felt to be loved by and in love with someone. She went no contact with me and I spammed messaged her a bunch of long harry potters book sized text messages vomiting my feeling out. It was pretty cringe I didn't care though I needed to do it. We have been no contact since. The craziest part of it all is I can feel her. It is like a gentle tugging sensation in my chest. Sometimes it gets intense other times its subtle. I feel like It happens when she is thinking of me. I miss her dearly. She was my passenger princess. I will not call another woman my passenger princess. I only have room for one. I want to talk to her. I want to catch up. I want to know how you are doing. That is all however, I will not disrespect your wishes by communicating since you want to be left alone. I hope we are in each other's lives in the future whenever that may be.
-B

Hi wheelchairs- I'm new here, but sadly not so new to needing one of these infernal machines to get around like I used to could all by m'self. Anyway, after much discussion and reviewing options, I got the SP2 in late '22 for general getting around purposes. I'm not paralyzed, but due to some kind of nerve damage even the folks with the fancy titles can't quite figure out, my legs move but have so little strength, I can neither stand nor walk for even one step.
None of which is all that pertinent to my question- Just how sensitive are these fuckers to rain and moisture in general? The tech who delivered and set it up for me made it sound like if I so much as drooled on it, it might completely fall apart, but the manual only says "Do not take into shower" & "Do not leave the wheelchair in a downpour", which are both logical things to say with what amounts to an EV, but also makes it seem a bit less sensitive than the tech had led me to believe.
Any thoughts or personal experiences to share?

Cisco Router Security
What are the two access privilege modes of the Cisco router?
User EXEC Mode: This is the initial access mode for a router. In this mode, the user can access only a limited set of basic monitoring commands.
Privileged EXEC Mode: This mode provides access to all router commands, such as debugging and configuration commands. It requires a password for access to ensure security.
What is the approach for password for the privileged mode of the router?
enable secret [password]
uses hashing algorithm so that the password is not in plain text but encrypted
How to ensure that all passwords in the router are stored in the encrypted form?
service password-encryption
What is the difference between the Cisco router’s startup and running configurations?
How to save the running configuration into start up configuration?
Startup Configuration: Stored in the NVRAM, this configuration is used to boot the router. It remains unchanged until an administrator explicitly saves the running configuration to it.
Running Configuration: Held in the router’s RAM, this configuration is active on the router. Changes to the router’s configuration are made here and are effective immediately.
Know and be able to configure all aspects of the Cisco router covered in class. For example,
configuring the router interfaces, setting the router OSPF ID, etc.
enable
configure terminal
hostname MyRouter
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
interface Serial0/0/0
ip address 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.252
clock rate 64000
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
exit
enable secret mysecretpassword
line console 0
password myconsolepassword
login
exit
line vty 0 4
password myvtypassword
login
exit
crypto key generate rsa
ip ssh version 2
ip ssh time-out 60
ip ssh authentication-retries 2
ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.1.254
access-list 10 permit 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255
access-list 10 deny any
Practical Routing, OSPF, and Security
What is the difference between static and dynamic routing?
Static Routing: Involves manually setting up routes in the router's routing table through configuration commands. These routes do not change unless manually updated or removed. Static routing is simple, secure, and uses less bandwidth but lacks scalability and flexibility.
Dynamic Routing: Automatically adjusts routes in the routing table based on current network conditions using routing protocols. This approach allows for more flexibility, scalability, and fault tolerance, but consumes more resources and can be complex to configure.
What is the difference between link state and distance vector routing?
Distance Vector Routing: Routers using distance vector protocols calculate the best path to a destination based on the distance and direction (vector) to nodes. Updates are shared with neighboring routers at regular intervals or when changes occur. This approach can lead to slower convergence and issues like routing loops.
Link State Routing: Each router learns the entire network topology by exchanging link-state information. Routers then independently calculate the shortest path to every node using algorithms like Dijkstra’s. This results in quicker convergence and fewer routing loops.
Distance Vector Routing: Each router computes distance from itself to its next immediate neighbors. (RIP, EIGRP, & BGP)
-Does not build a full map of the network
-Focuses more on the next hop towards the destination
Link State Routing: Each router shares knowledge of its neighbors with every other router in the network. (OSPF and IS-IS)
-Builds a full map of the network
-Each router shares information
-Maintains a database of the entire network.
Give an example of the distance vector and link state algorithms.
Distance = RIPLink State = OSPF
What type of protocol is Routing Information Protocol (RIP)? Be able to understand
examples and solve problems.
Example of a distance vector protocol
dynamic protocol
-shares routing info with neighboring routers
-an interior gateway protocol that operates within autonomous system
-oldest of all dynamic protocol; RIPv1
-widely used open standard developed by IETF
-a distance vector routing protocol
-limited to maximum 15 hops;

 how rip works -rip sends regular update message (advertisements to neighboring routers) 

-every 30 seconds that resets after each successful ack
-route becomes invalid if it has not received a message for 180 seconds
-RIPv1 (obsolete) uses broadcast, while RIPv2 uses a multicast address -Update message only travel to a single hop
downside : limitations, each router in its table can only have one entry per destination. Have to wait for advertisement for an alternative path, cannot reach hops 15 paths away, little to no security.
What type of protocol is Open Shortest Paths First (OSPF) protocol? Be able to under-
stand examples and solve problems.

• an interior gateway protocol that operates within autonomous systems to build a full map of the network.
  
• widely used open standard developed by IETF
  

-a link state routing protocol

 intra as routing with RIP 

What is the Link State Advertisement (LSA) in OSPF? What is the Link State Database
(LSDB)?
-LSA contains data about a router, its subnets, and some other network information.-OSPF puts all the LSAs from different routers into a Link-State Database (LSDB)
The goal of OSPF is to be able to determine a complete map of the interior routing path to be able to create the best route possible.
The way this is done is that OSPF finds all the routers and subnets that can be reached within the entire network. The result is that each router will have the same information about the network by sending out LSA.
How does each router in OSPF create a map of the entire network?
Step 1 : Acquire neighbor relationship to exchange network information.
Step 2: Exchange database information, neighboring routers swap LSDB information with each other
Step 3: Choosing the best routes, each router chooses the best routes to add to its routing table based on the learned LSDB information.
What is the process for two OSPF routers to become neighbors?
A. a neighbor sends out a Hello packet including the router ID along with subnets that it routes to the given multicast address to a given OSPF area ID.

this is also a way for routers to tell neighbors that they are still on and good to go. 

B. Once other routers receive this packet, they run some checks. The neighboring routers must match the following requirements:
-area id needs to be the same (also used when scaling up OSPF)
-the shared or connecting link should be on the same subnet.
-The Hello and dead timer must be the same.
-the dead timer is having enogh time before the sending router assumes that the neighbor is down.
-this timer is typically 10 secs for point-to-point and broadcast networks.
C. If all is fine, the receiving router will go into Init stage and sends a hello message of its own. This Hello packet list its own network info along with the known neighbor R1. This puts R1 into a 2-way communication status.
D. R1 sends another Hello message to R2 with the information as a known neighbor. This allows the R2 now with a 2-way communication status as well.E. We now have a 2-way neighboring routers
What is the difference between point-to-point and multi-access networks? How does OSPF
handle each case?

Point-to-Point: A network setup where each connection is between two specific nodes or devices. OSPF treats these links with straightforward neighbor relationships since there are only two routers on each segment. 

Multi-Access Networks: Networks where multiple routers can connect on the same segment, such as Ethernet. OSPF uses a Designated Router (DR) and a Backup Designated Router (BDR) on these types of networks to reduce the amount of OSPF traffic and the size of the topological database.
DR selected by the highest OSPF prio.
Be able to configure OSPF routing given a topology.
–
Example:
Consider a topology with three routers R1, R2, and R3. The routers
are connected R1 =⇒R2 =⇒R3 =⇒R1.
R1 has interface f0/0 connected to the
interface f0/0 of R2. R2 has interface f0/1 connecting to the interface f0/0 of R3.
Finally R3 has interface 1/0 connecting to the interface 1/0 of R3. Assuming all
routers are Cisco 7200 routers, configure them to use OSPF to dynamically route in
this topology (you will be given the Cisco router manual for such questions).
•
R1enable
configure terminal
hostname R1
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.12.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
interface FastEthernet1/0
ip address 192.168.31.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 192.168.12.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
network 192.168.31.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
exit
end
write memory
R2enable
configure terminal
hostname R2
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.12.2 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
interface FastEthernet0/1
ip address 192.168.23.1 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 2.2.2.2
network 192.168.12.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
network 192.168.23.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
exit
end
write memory
R3enable
configure terminal
hostname R3
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.23.2 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
interface FastEthernet1/0
ip address 192.168.31.2 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 3.3.3.3
network 192.168.23.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
network 192.168.31.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
exit
end
write memory
How does OSPF authenticate packets to protect against packet spoofing and tempering?
Be able to enable it a Cisco router.
OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) can authenticate packets to protect against packet spoofing and tampering using several methods. The two main types of authentication are:
Plain Text Authentication: This is simple and provides minimal security. It sends the password in clear text.
Message Digest 5 (MD5) Authentication: This provides stronger security by using cryptographic hash functions to authenticate OSPF packets.
Plain textenable
configure terminal
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.12.1 255.255.255.0
ip ospf authentication
ip ospf authentication-key cisco123
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 192.168.12.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
area 0 authentication
exit
write memory
MD5enable
configure terminal
interface FastEthernet0/0
ip address 192.168.12.1 255.255.255.0
ip ospf authentication message-digest
ip ospf message-digest-key 1 md5 securepassword
no shutdown
exit
router ospf 1
router-id 1.1.1.1
network 192.168.12.0 0.0.0.255 area 0
area 0 authentication message-digest
exit
write memory
Network Defense Fundamentals
•
What is IP spoofing? Explain.
-The ip packet contains the source and destination Ip addresses.-Is it straightforward to modify the ip address of the packet.
-IP Spoofing: sender chagrin his source address to something other than his real address.
How can IP spoofing be used in security attacks?
-If the attacker sends an Ip packet with a spoofed IP, they will not receive a response form the destination: the machine with the IP matching the spoofed IP will receive the response.Ip spoofing operation - the sender spoofs the source IP address to point to another target. The receiver system replies to the spoofed IP.
•
What are the countermeasures to IP spoofing?
Ingress and Egress Filtering: Network operators should implement filtering rules on routers and firewalls to block packets with source IP addresses that should not originate from those networks. Ingress filtering blocks incoming packets with a source IP address that is not valid for the network, while egress filtering blocks outgoing packets with an invalid source IP address.
Reverse Path Forwarding (RPF): This technique ensures that the incoming packets are received on the same interface that the router would use to send traffic back to the source. If the path does not match, the packet is discarded, preventing spoofed packets from passing through.
IPsec (Internet Protocol Security): IPsec can be used to authenticate and encrypt IP packets, ensuring that they come from legitimate sources and have not been tampered with. This makes spoofing attacks significantly more difficult.
How can IP spoofing be used to perform DoS attacks?
IP spoofing is often used in Denial of Service (DoS) attacks to obscure the attacker's identity and to overwhelm the target with traffic from what appears to be multiple sources. One common type of DoS attack that utilizes IP spoofing is a Smurf Attack. In a Smurf Attack, the attacker sends ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) echo requests to broadcast addresses of networks, with the source IP address spoofed to that of the victim. The devices on the network respond to the echo requests, sending replies back to the victim's IP address. This amplifies the traffic directed at the victim, potentially overwhelming their network and causing a DoS condition.
•
Know how to use
hping3
for performing ping floods.
Using hping3 to perform ping floods involves sending a high volume of ICMP Echo Request packets to a target to overwhelm it.basic ping floodsudo hping3 -1 --flood [target_IP]
Using spoofed source ipsudo hping3 -1 --flood -a [spoofed_IP] [target_IP]
Controlling the Packet Sending Rateo hping3 -1 --flood -i u1000 [target_IP]Combining sudo hping3 -1 --flood -a 10.0.0.1 -i u1000 192.168.1.1
Firewalling
What is a firewall?
a filtering device on a network that enforces network security policy and protects the network against external attacks.
According to NIST SP 800-41, what are the characteristics of a firewall?
NIST standard defines the possible characteristics that a firewall can use to filter traffic.
-(IP Address and Protocol type) filtering based on source/destination IP address/ports, traffic direction and other transport layer characteristics.
-(Application Protocols)controls access based on application protocol data
-(User identity) controls access based on user identity
-(Network activity)
What are the limitations of the firewall?
Firewall capabilities: -Define a traffic chokepoint in the network and protects against IP spoofing and routing attacks
-Provide a location for monitoring the security events -Provide non-security functions: loggin internet usage, network address translation-Serve as platform for VPN/IPSec
Firewall limitations:-protect against attacks bypassing the firewall, connections from inside the organization to the outside that do not go through the firewall.-protect against internal threats such as disgruntled employees.
What is a packet filter firewall? Be able to write and interpret rules and to spot configu-
rationflaws.
Packet filtering firewall : applies a set of rules to each packet based on the packet headers.Filters based on: source/destination IP, source/destination port numbers, IP Protocol Field:defines the transport protocol, Interface : for firewalls with 3+ network interfaces, the interface from which the packet came from/going to
•
What is the difference between the default and allow and default deny policies? Which
one is the more secure one?
-when no rules apply to a packet, a default rule is applied: default deny : what is not explicitly permitted is denied default forward : what is not explicitly denied is allowed
default deny is more secure, you dont have to identify all of the cases that needs to be blocked, if one is missed, default deny will deny it.
Port 0-1023 reserved
1024-2**17 ephemeral
source port used by the system initialiatizng a connection is always chosen from the ephemeral ports
Be able to configure the packet filtering functions of iptables.
–
Example:
Write iptables rules to block all ICMP traffic to and from the system.
iptables -A INPUT -p icmp -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -p icmp -j DROP
Example:
Write iptables rules to block all traffic on port 22
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --sport 22 -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -j DROP
–
Example:
Write iptables rules to block traffic to host 192.168.2.2
iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --dest 192.168.2.2 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --src 192.168.2.2 -j DROP
What are the limitations of the packet filter firewall?
-does not examine upper layer data : cannot prevent attacks that employ application specfic vulnerabilities or functions.cannot block application specific commands.
•
What is the stateful firewall and how does it compare to a packet filter?
A stateful firewall is a network security device that monitors and tracks the state of active connections, making decisions based on the context of the traffic. Unlike a simple packet filter, which examines individual packets in isolation based on predetermined rules, a stateful firewall keeps track of connections over time, distinguishing between legitimate packets that are part of an established session and potentially malicious ones. This contextual awareness allows it to block unauthorized connection attempts and prevent attacks such as spoofing and session hijacking. While packet filters, or stateless firewalls, operate faster and consume fewer resources by applying static rules to each packet independently, they lack the sophisticated traffic pattern handling and enhanced security provided by stateful firewalls.
•
What is the application-level firewall? What are its advantages and limitations?
An application-level firewall, also known as an application firewall or proxy firewall, operates at the application layer of the OSI model. It inspects and filters traffic based on the specific application protocols (e.g., HTTP, FTP, DNS) rather than just IP addresses and port numbers. limitations : increased communications overhead due to two separate TCP connections

 and not transparent to the client 

Application-level gateways are also known as application-level proxies.
-act as a relay for the application-level traffic.
-runs at the application layer, and examines application-layer data
Supported ProtocolsFTPSTMPHTTP
What is a circuit-level firewall? What are its advantages and limitations?
-Similar to the application-level gateway, but only tracks the state of the TCP/UDP sessions.
-Does not examine application data , simply relays TCP segments
-Allow/deny decisions based on whether a packet belongs to an established and trusted connection
Advantage of circuit-level firewall -do not filter individual packets(simplifies rules)

-fast and efficient 

Disadvantages:

-do not filter individual packets -require frequent updates: traffic is filtered with rules and policies that need regular updates for new threats and risks -the vendor needs to modify the TCP/IP implementation for thor applications to use the circuit-level proxy. 

What are the different approaches to basing the firewall?

-stand-alone machines -software modules in roosters, switches, or servers, or pre-configured security appliances. 

What are the host-based firewalls?
Host-based firewalls: a firewall software module used to secure a single host.
What are the network device firewalls?
Network device firewall = routers and switches often have firewall functions, like packet filtering and stateful inspection, to check and filter packets
What are the virtual firewalls?
-in a virtualized environment, servers, switches, and routers can be virtualized and share physical hardware. The hypervisor that manages the virtual machines can also have firewall capabilities.
What is the DMZ? How is it used for securing networks?
A Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in network security is a physical or logical subnetwork that contains and exposes an organization's external-facing services to an untrusted network, typically the internet. The primary purpose of a DMZ is to add an additional layer of security to an organization's local area network (LAN). By isolating these externally accessible services, the DMZ ensures that if an attacker gains access to the public-facing systems, they do not have direct access to the rest of the network.
How the DMZ Secures Networks
Isolation of Public Services: Services that need to be accessible from the outside, such as web servers, mail servers, FTP servers, and DNS servers, are placed in the DMZ. These services are isolated from the internal network, which helps protect the internal systems from attacks that may exploit vulnerabilities in the public-facing services.
Controlled Access: Firewalls are used to create boundaries between the internet, the DMZ, and the internal network. The firewall rules are configured to allow only specific types of traffic to and from the DMZ. For example, incoming web traffic might be allowed to reach a web server in the DMZ, but not to access internal systems directly.
Minimal Exposure: Only the necessary services are exposed to the internet. This minimizes the attack surface, reducing the number of entry points that an attacker can exploit. Internal systems and data remain protected behind the additional layer of the firewall.
Layered Security: The DMZ provides an additional layer of defense (defense-in-depth). Even if an attacker manages to compromise a server in the DMZ, the internal network is still protected by another firewall, making it harder for the attacker to penetrate further.
Monitoring and Logging: Activities within the DMZ can be closely monitored and logged. Any suspicious behavior can be detected early, and appropriate actions can be taken to mitigate potential threats before they impact the internal network.
Traffic Filtering: The firewalls between the internet and the DMZ, as well as between the DMZ and the internal network, can filter traffic based on IP addresses, ports, and protocols. This filtering ensures that only legitimate traffic is allowed and that malicious traffic is blocked.
-if attacker compromises a server on the network, they will be able to pivot to other systems on the network.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of having the two DMZ firewalls be from
different vendors?
Using different firewall manufacturers for the two firewalls maybe a good idea, avoids possibility of both having the same vulnerability but introduces more complexity and management overhead.
Be able to write pfSense firewall rules
Penetration Testing
•
What is penetration testing?
-legal and suthorzied attempt to locate and exploit vulnerable systems for the purpose of making those systems more secure.

pen testing, pt, hacking, ethical hacking, whitehate hacking, offensive security, red teaming 

What is the objective of the penetration testing?

Use tools and techniques used by the attackers in order to discover security vulnerabilities before the attackers do. 

What is the BAD pyramid?

The purpose of a red team is to find ways to improve the blue team, so purple teams should not be needed in an organization where the red/blue teams interaction is healthy and functioning properly. 

red attack
purple defender changes based off attack knowledge
blue defend
green builder changes based on defender knowledge
yellow build
orange builder changes based on attacker knowledge
Why are the penetration tests conducted?
-a company may want to have a stronger understanding of their security footprint.

-system policy shortcomings -network protocol weaknesses -network/software misconfigurations -software vulnerabilities 

What is the difference between penetration testing and vulnerability assessment?
-two terms often incorrectly ,interchangeably used in practice.
-vulnerability assessment : review of systems services to find potential vulnerabilities-penetration testing: finding an exploiting system vulnerabilities as proof-of-concept
What is the difference between black-box, white-box, and grey-box testing.
Black-Box Testing
Tester Knowledge: The tester has no knowledge of the internal structure, code, or implementation details of the system.
-lack knowledge of system
White-Box Testing
Tester Knowledge: The tester has full knowledge of the internal structure, code, and implementation details of the system.
-very thorough , but not completely realistic
Grey-Box Testing
Tester Knowledge: The tester has partial knowledge of the internal structure, code, or implementation details of the system.
What is the difference between ethical and unethical hackers?
-penetration testers, with proper authorization of the company, help improve the security of the company.
-unethical hackers, personal gain through extortion or other devious methods, profit, revenge, fame, etc. No authorization to conduct the attacks
•Ethical vs unethical hacking, penetration testers: obtain the authorization from the organization whose systems they plan to attack unethical hackers: attack without authorization.
Know the stages of penetration testing and the importance of following a structured ap-
proach.
–
Planning and Reconnaissance:
Planning: Define the scope and goals of the test, including the systems to be tested and the testing methods.
Reconnaissance: Gather information about the target, such as IP addresses, domain names, and network infrastructure, to understand how to approach the test.
Scanning:
Purpose: Identify potential entry points and vulnerabilities in the target system.
Methods: Use tools to scan for open ports, services running on those ports, and known vulnerabilities.
Gaining Access:
Purpose: Attempt to exploit identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to the system.
Techniques: Use techniques like password cracking, SQL injection, or exploiting software vulnerabilities.
Maintaining Access:
Planning and Reconnaissance:
Purpose: Ensure continued access to the compromised system to understand the potential impact of a prolonged attack.
Methods: Install backdoors or use other methods to maintain control over the system.
Analysis and Reporting:
Scanning
Purpose: Document the findings, including vulnerabilities discovered, methods used, and the level of access achieved.
Report: Provide a detailed report to the organization, highlighting the risks and recommending steps to mitigate the vulnerabilities.
Remediation:
Gaining Access
Purpose: Address and fix the identified vulnerabilities to improve the security of the system.
Action: Implement the recommended security measures from the report to protect against future attacks.
Retesting:
Maintaining Access
Purpose: Verify that the vulnerabilities have been successfully remediated.
Process: Conduct a follow-up test to ensure that the fixes are effective and no new issues have been introduced.
Importance of Following a Structured Approach
Consistency: A structured approach ensures that each stage is systematically followed, making the testing thorough and reliable.
Comprehensiveness: Following each stage helps identify and address all potential vulnerabilities, leaving no gaps in the security assessment.
Documentation: A structured method produces detailed documentation, which is crucial for understanding the security posture and for future reference.
Effectiveness: It ensures that the penetration test effectively mimics real-world attack scenarios, providing valuable insights into how an actual attacker might exploit vulnerabilities.
Risk Management: By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities, organizations can proactively manage security risks and protect their assets from potential attacks.
Example:
What is the difference between the passive and active reconnaissance?
•
Passive Reconnaissance
Definition: Gathering information about the target without directly interacting with the target system or network. The aim is to collect data without alerting the target.
Methods:
Publicly Available Information: Searching for information that is freely available on the internet, such as social media profiles, company websites, and news articles.
DNS Queries: Looking up domain registration information (WHOIS data), DNS records, and IP address ranges.
Network Traffic Analysis: Capturing and analyzing network traffic without sending packets to the target (e.g., using tools like Wireshark in a non-intrusive manner).
Search Engines: Using search engines to find information about the target, such as employee names, email addresses, and technical details.
Advantages:
Low Risk: Minimizes the chance of detection by the target because no direct interaction occurs.
Stealth: Suitable for the early stages of reconnaissance when the goal is to remain undetected.
Disadvantages:
Limited Information: May not provide as much detailed or specific information about vulnerabilities or configurations as active reconnaissance.
Active Reconnaissance
Definition: Actively engaging with the target system or network to gather information. This involves direct interaction, such as sending packets or probing the target.
Methods:
Network Scanning: Using tools like Nmap to scan for open ports, running services, and network topology.
Vulnerability Scanning: Running vulnerability scanners (e.g., Nessus, OpenVAS) to identify known weaknesses in the target systems.
Social Engineering: Directly interacting with individuals (e.g., phishing attacks) to gather information.
Probing and Enumerating: Sending specific queries or packets to the target to elicit responses that reveal information about the system (e.g., banner grabbing).
Advantages:
Detailed Information: Provides more detailed and specific information about the target's vulnerabilities, configurations, and active services.
Identification of Weaknesses: More effective in identifying exploitable vulnerabilities that can be used in subsequent attack phases.
Disadvantages:
Higher Risk: Increases the risk of detection by the target, which could alert them to the reconnaissance activity.
Potential Legal Issues: Unauthorized active reconnaissance can lead to legal repercussions if done without permission.
Summary
Passive Reconnaissance: Involves gathering information without direct interaction with the target, resulting in lower risk of detection but potentially less detailed information.
Active Reconnaissance: Involves direct interaction with the target to gather detailed information, but carries a higher risk of detection and potential legal consequences.
Both types of reconnaissance are essential in penetration testing to understand the target's environment and identify potential vulnerabilities while balancing the need for stealth and detailed information.
Be able to use the penetration testing tools discussed in class
nmap 192.168.1.1
nmap -sS -sV -O -A 192.168.1.1-sS: Perform a stealth SYN scan.
-sV: Detect service versions.
-O: Detect operating system.
-A: Perform aggressive scan (includes OS detection, version detection, script scanning, and traceroute).

Hello, this is my first post here on cablemod and reddit, and I was hoping someone could help me out with my problem. I bought an "asus rog strix rtx 4080 white edition" recently and upon doing some research I saw that the adapter cable that comes with the 40 series can cause burns due to bad connections or too much flex of the cable on the 4090s and some 4080 gpu, so I prefer not to risk using it and buy a cable that goes directly from the power supply to the GPU. Checking the compatibility list on the cablemod website, I find on Amazon the "CableMod RT-Series Pro ModMesh Sleeved 12VHPWR StealthSense PCI-e Cable for ASUS and Seasonic", but I saw that my power supply is not on that list. My PSU is an "asus rog strix 1000G" and the one listed is an "ASUS ROG Strix 1000W Gold Aura Edition". This are my questions:
• Do I need to buy a new cable or will I be fine with the original adapter? • Is the cable I want to buy compatible with my power supply even if it is not on the compatibility list? • The cable is a 3x8 pin connector, can I connect only 2 or do I have to connect all 3? (I can connect all 3 pins btw, I have room on the power supply) • I saw that there may be 2 versions of this cable and that the first version has some problems (random black screen caused by issues on the 4 little sensors), How can I be sure I'm buying the second version and not the first? I don't know if I can put the amazon/asus links, but if they are necessary I will submit them.
Thank you!

so i’m currently learning how to produce and make my own music and i’ve learned so much but i have so much more i need to learn, i’m currenly learning music theory and learning how to make melodies using logic pro but i have one problem that i need the answer to
so when i open up logic pro and use the piano roll and use the different sounds to make a melody, i have the melody playing in my head exactly how i want but when i try to put it into the piano roll in logic pro, the notes go off the grid when putting in several notes
does anyone know how i can create the melody i have visioned in my head and put it onto logic pro with the notes being off the grid or keep it on the grid to where it fits while it still sounding how i want it to like in my head?
the biggest thing that confuses me is when i watch other people online create melodies from scratch, some of the notes in their melody goes off the grid but it still sounds great like how they imagined but when i do it in attempt to create what i have visioned, it sounds terrible and off rhythm
like i mentioned i’ve learned a lot however i still have a lot to learn and am currently learning music theory, so if i sound stupid my apologies and please do correct me if i’m wrong
but to basically summarize everything what i’m trying to ask is…
how can i create the melodies i have in my head without them being off rhythm?
when the notes in my piano roll go off the grid, can it still be on rhythm and sound good? if so how?
if not, how can i have several notes that i put into the piano roll be on the grid while still having the melody that i want to create sound exactly like it?
like i mentioned i’ve seen people online create melodies from scratch and some of the notes in the piano roll go off the grid but it sounds great, if anyone might know what i’m doing wrong please let me know, thank you all

I (17f) am a sophomore in high school, I've been with my current friend group since freshman year and we all get along for the most part. The group I am currently in has been there for me since my last group kicked me out for drama and incidents that had happened with my ex boyfriend and I basically became a social outcast in my grade. But my friends have been there for me every step of the way and have always been able to make me smile, laugh and happy. But one of the guys in my group named Destin has been getting on mine and my friends nerves. For context, Destin has always been the social butterfly and is always outgoing much to everyone's annoyance. He is always trying to outsmart everyone in our classes, the teachers and everyone. He always wants to prove us that he can do anything and when he doesn't get to do it or he gets upset very quickly he will put his head down and pout about it for the rest of the day and ignore us. He also intends to always says stuff that he doesn't need to say especially to me and my friends. Whenever I get a boyfriend he always wants to say stuff to me that I don't want to hear. Like in freshman year when I was with my boyfriend at the time Jason, Destin wanted to be in a poly relationship with me and Jason because he was Destin's ex boyfriend and I said no because I had just gotten out of a bad relationship before and I wanted to make it work and whenever I said no to Destin he wouldn't stop asking and I cried to most of my friends about it and when me and Jason eventually broke up, Destin took advantage of the situation and got with Jason. I didn't mind that they were dating but it broke me knowing Destin would do this to me when he knows my troubled past. And when I got with my new boyfriend in sophomore year I showed Destin a picture of him since he was curious and he said he was cute and he looked like a guy he would date (btw Destin is gay) and I didn't mind that but what he said next truly hurt me. He said "if you ever f*ck him you can go first and I'll f*ck him after you" and when he said that I was about to scream at him and I told him to stop saying that but he wouldn't stop. So when I got our friend group to back me up he didn't even apologize to me he just walked away like a pussy and ignored us the rest of the day. This was before spring break but after break he apologized and I thought that was the end of it I was wrong. A couple of weeks ago rumors started going around about my ex boyfriend Xavier and the rumors were that he was apparently "sexually harassing" the girls in our class and when me and my friends heard about the rumors we felt sorry for him and we were mostly talking about how we can help Xavier and clear his name. But we didn't include Destin because we knew he would go around our grade telling everyone about it and making Xavier's life more worse than it already was. But when he did hear us talking he mistook it for trash talking and when we wouldn't stop talking he yelled at me saying we were becoming the people who started the rumors. He yelled that at me in front of our entire history class and I almost had a heart attack and my friend Emmett was over near our table and he almost beat Destin for saying that to me since my boyfriend broke up with me that day and he just made it worse. And he didn't even apologize again and kept ignoring us and making our days bad and my friend Holly sent me a screenshot of her texts with Destin and he said he was never going to apologize to me or my friends and I tried moving on from there but the next day he acted like he didn't do anything wrong and we all were so mad at him and we tried kicking him out but he wasn't getting that message across and we all have been ignoring him ever since but he acts like we are still friends with him even though we weren't. And he always asks me for snacks and when I tell him no he starts pouting and begging me and then I have to give it to him to shut him up. But me and my friends are going to officially tell him at the end of the year that we are no longer friends with Destin. We know he will probably start problems with us during junior year but after everything that he has said and done to everyone in our class nobody will want to be friends with him. Do you guys think we are being to harsh on him or are we in the right to kick him out?

Before we start imo the Unwielding deserve a rework, it should encourage a glass cannon type of playstyle together with Bloodied without making it better than everything else in the game, it would be the ultimate dps playstyle, not the ultimate all rounder class that tops everything Full health can do but much times better, Full Health builds have nothing going on for them other than "confort" they dont even have a strong mod for their playstyle, they have to rely on Aristocrat that barely makes them do 50% more damage of the 95% that Bloodied offers, they can use aristrocrat in the armor too but its not anywhere near as good as Unwielding.
For anyone who say the lame cliche of "High Risk, High Reward" we know and you know that its a lie, vets are nearly unkillable with Unwielding and perk cards like Blocker, Dodgy, Evasive, and Serendipity boosted by 15+ luck from Unwielding so where is the "High Risk" at this point its not a even trade to justify such high Rewards.
"But we worked so hard to achieve those results, we deserve it" and doesnt every other build need to be worked hard before they can be "good", your efforts are not more valuable than anyone else's, building requires as much time, attention and patience just like yours.
"If Bloodied/unwieldinng is unfair then Vanguard is too, why should you be rewarded for being full health?" why can one side have all the fun with broken stuff while the other have to just sit down and watch from afar?
Bloodied/Unwielding is unfair to every other build around and you cant deny it, you have a lot more carry weight, vats accuracy, 15% extra xp, lower shop prices, lots of Action points and high percentages of luck, its basicaly another 2 characters on top of yours.
"But we need to manage rads, stimpaks, and other micro management" having to manage rads and stimpaks from time to time doesnt explain you being able to do everything everyone does but much times better.
Low health builds should be hyper dps oriented, a literal glass canon, but guess what, unwield together with the damage evading cards you get to be best DPS, Tank, Vats specialist, XP farmer, Action points, Luck/rng oriented all at SAME TIME.
Bloodied/Unwielding does affects other builds negatively because it is constantly compared to other builds in overall performance and results, you can look a full health build on youtube but you will always hear the following "it will never have the same perfomance/damage as a Bloody/unwielding build, but it is still really good, trust me."
"This is a pve game and at the end of the day, having fun is what matters most, why do you care about what builds people use? it doesnt affect your gameplay just play however you want with whatever weapon/build you want, the game is easy enough" - Then why is my gameplay/results limited on how well i can perform because of your playstyle? If this is a PVE game and Full health players shouldnt care about other player's builds then i can trust you wouldnt mind if Full health builds got a mod called "Living Fortress" that gave +3 to all special stats (except strenght) the more health they have? i can trust you play a low health build because you like the challenge of it, right?
"if other builds where as strong as low health there would be incentive to play low health anymore." - taking advantage of a weakness of the build system/design is really lame imo, you become a slave of it, when you tell people to play whatever they want and what makes them have fun at the end of the day, that doesnt make it any better for them knowing that if they want to be really strong with a weapon that is not meta they need to surrender bloodied builds to make such weapons viable in harder content.

I desperately need advice on how to start decluttering my room. I am 20 and living at home. We moved in about a year before the pandemic, and I picked the smallest room in the house because it had one spot where a bed could fit, one spot where a desk could fit, and a built in closet, so it took out all the decision making for where to put furniture, and made it super easy to move in. The problem now, is that my room didn't have enough room for the stuff I owned in the beginning, and the amount of stuff has only grown.
I've got a couple boxes of knick knacks that have never been unpacked. They are sentimental, and I want to someday display them on shelves, but I don't currently have any shelves to do so and there's no where else to store them in the house. I am a major crafter, and this is most of what has entered my room since moving in. I have gained so much fabric for making quilts and cloths, yarn, and art supplies.
The mess has been a slow building problem that has progressed to the point that it is totally overwhelming. As it got worse, I became more and more busy with college and would spend almost all of my time away, and no time in my room. I've never been good at decluttering, it totally overwhelms me, and now it is out of control.
If I'm being totally candid, my room currently looks like it belongs in an episode of hoarders.
My floor is full of boxes and clothes and other random stuff (in some places knee high), my bed is covered in boxes (I've resorted to sleeping on the sofa, which is incredibly embarrassing), and some days I can barely open the door because there is so much stuff. I try to clean it, but it is so demotivating and I've never truly gotten anywhere.
I know I need to downsize, but it is such an overwhelming task that I am desperate for any advice on where to start, or any kind of gameplan. I want so badly to have a clean space where I can be alone and actually do my hobbies.

so i’m currently learning how to produce and make my own music and i’ve learned so much but i have so much more i need to learn, i’m currenly learning music theory and learning how to make melodies using logic pro but i have one problem that i need the answer to
so when i open up logic pro and use the piano roll and use the different sounds to make a melody, i have the melody playing in my head exactly how i want but when i try to put it into the piano roll in logic pro, the notes go off the grid when putting in several notes
does anyone know how i can create the melody i have visioned in my head and put it onto logic pro with the notes being off the grid or keep it on the grid to where it fits while it still sounding how i want it to like in my head?
the biggest thing that confuses me is when i watch other people online create melodies from scratch, some of the notes in their melody goes off the grid but it still sounds great like how they imagined but when i do it in attempt to create what i have visioned, it sounds terrible and off rhythm
like i mentioned i’ve learned a lot however i still have a lot to learn and am currently learning music theory, so if i sound stupid my apologies and please do correct me if i’m wrong
but to basically summarize everything what i’m trying to ask is…
how can i create the melodies i have in my head without them being off rhythm?
when the notes in my piano roll go off the grid, can it still be on rhythm and sound good? if so how?
if not, how can i have several notes that i put into the piano roll be on the grid while still having the melody that i want to create sound exactly like it?
like i mentioned i’ve seen people online create melodies from scratch and some of the notes in the piano roll go off the grid but it sounds great, if anyone might know what i’m doing wrong please let me know, thank you all

This is a long one but I had to give background for context.
So, this happened a few years ago. I was an Assistant Department Manager at one of our local grocery stores. I was friends with my Manager outside of work and we would do a lot of stuff together. That year we had insane rain and a major flood that meant the only way on and off our farm was to get a ride in our neighbour's massive tractor through the 3' deep water. I was morning shift so my sister and I got off the farm at 5:30am and didn't get back on until we both got off work. This meant I was occasionally a few minutes late but since I opened the Department, and the General Manager didn't have a problem given our situation, I didn't give it much thought. That wasn't where the harassment from my "friend," let's call her Sharon, started but that's when it amped up. She would constantly tell me how much worse she had it because one of her roads was flooded and she had to drive an extra 15 minutes to get to work, and if she could make it on time, so could I. Normally we should've been evacuated since we had no cell service and our landline was flooded but we have farm animals and were unwilling to leave them.
That year my sister had bought me a horse that was "kid safe," I'd been in an accident on a horse and lost my confidence, so I was riding him at the seller's place until the water got too high and we couldn't easily get on and off our farm. That was when I fell into a VERY deep depression. The constant badgering from Sharon on top of dealing with the flood was just too much. It had gotten to the place where I couldn't do anything right at work to the point of her even making fun of the way I sign my initials.
Fast forward to the end of the summer when the flood waters subsided and I was able to get out to ride my "kid safe" horse again. I was just regaining the courage to lope when this horse took it upon himself to dirty buck me off. I landed hard on my hip and did permanent damage to my sacrailiac and sciatic nerve. Still, I came in for my shift every day. A couple days following my accident I went to the Dr, concerned I'd done more than bruise myself. He took xrays of my back as he thought I may have fractured my lower vertebrae. He didn't write me a note about lifting yet in case I had to be of work to let my back heal. He just told me zero heavy lifting until my results came in.
I went in for my shift as usual and told Sharon what the Dr said. She got pissy but I ignored it until the cases of rotisserie chickens arrived. Each case weighs around 50 lbs. She ordered me to unload the pallet and put them in the cooler. I reminded her what the Dr told me and that I might have fractured vertebrae. She told me if my back was fractured I wouldn't be walking around and it was no excuse. At this point I'd had enough. I told her, "it's not my fault I got bucked off a f#*king horse." She yelled, "do not use that language with me!" She would swear like a sailor, by the way. So, I put my order forms down, took off my apron, walked out and never returned.
AITA?