I've had issues in my bedroom before with mold, I recently cleaned off the mold using wall cleaner. I wasn't sure on the type of mold, it was dark grey, smelt sour and musty, was all over one corner of my room but didn't grow in large round patches like traditional black mold, it was more scattered.
Anyways I can't see any mold at all in my room yet the smell is worsening day by day. I came into my bedroom this evening after the window being open all day and it smelt the strongest I've ever smelt it. I'm wondering what the cause could be because I honestly have no idea.
I've never been sick or anything from having mold/whatever in my room, it had been there for many months before I cleaned it off as it didn't pose much of an issue for me - until it started to smell. So I'm not sure if this even is mold.
However the intensity of the smell IS making me feel a bit nauseous, the air now feels musty despite the window having been open all day long.
Does anyone have any ideas/advice?

So I'm not planning on use it since I already have one but I would like to write it down.
The idea it's simple: fate exists and there is a date when people it's fated to born and die.
Whenever you cast a spell the date of dying of your lastest son to be born will be reduced.
If it's reduced to zero it will be fated to never born to begin whit and the usage of magic will start affecting the previous one.
If all your sons are fated to never born you will become sterile and therefore unable of using magic.
If you are fated to never have a son to begin whit you will be unable to use magic.
You can only reduce the lifespan of unborn sons, if you have no sons left to be born you will lose your ability of cast magic.
What are your thoughts? I thought it was cool because it makes a lot of sense for elves, a race whit a really high lifespan, to have a natural affinity with magic aside of the more classical "They are just good at it".
And the fact that you can't never know if the spell you are going to cast could be the last one of your life it's also really cool.

I'm writing this as a non-Black individual, not to speak on Black people's experiences, but to discuss the issue with bringing a non-Black person into what should be a safe space for Black people.
Here's my issue:
why would Bravo produce a show like SHMV, where the premise (or so I thought) is to create an environment where cast members can be themselves without having to code-switch, be accommodating to white people, etc. etc., only for them to introduce an obviously racist white woman who is allowed to disrupt the dynamics of the group and put a male cast member at risk by misconstruing what was said?
She is way too comfortable taking up valuable space, only for the betterment of her public image and real estate career, and at the expense of actual cast members.
This is why we can't have nice things. This is why we can't go places. Production should have NEVER given her any screen time and I am so mad about it.
From her talking about "this behavior", touching Tasia's hair repeatedly in a derogatory manner, and taking it upon herself to speak on things she should stay mute on, I am absolutely done with her and Bravo should just quit giving her any platform immediately.

I used to be phone-obsessed. I’m talking scrolling late into the night, scrolling in the bathroom, scrolling first thing in the morning. I’d instinctively check my pocket multiple times when out and about just in case it had gone missing. Like, not only did I rely on it for practical reasons, I’d probably feel some kind of anxiety separation if I didn’t have access to it.
Which is exactly how I realized it was time to get rid of it. I deleted Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat accounts, cleaned out my inbox and camera roll, backed up everything worth saving to my desktop Mac (which stays in my room at all times), powered the iPhone down, and stuck it in a drawer, where it’s remained untouched for a few months now.
It was difficult at first. I’m Gen Z so most of my life has been phone-ful. There was so much extra silence—without checking notifs every few minutes, it felt like my friends didn’t exist. My birthday came and went, and the only “happy birthday”s came from those with whom I directly interacted; of those people, only a handful remembered. I constantly lost track of time, so I bought a watch. I googled directions before traveling to a new place and wrote them down on scrap paper, which I’d keep safely tucked between the pages of a growing journal collection, but I’d still get lost constantly. Multitasking was no longer an option as I could only do work when at home, in my room, connected to WiFi from my one virtual source.
However, these tedious differences improved the quality of my life DRASTICALLY. It felt as though hours of my day had been cleared up. I finally had time to lose myself in literature, crossword puzzles, cooking, and other hobbies without the pressure of the screen and virtual world waiting for my return. At night, I fell asleep much faster, and slept for much longer. I even found conversations with friends and acquaintances more interesting as I could fully invest myself. I started noticing things, like fragrances in the air, unlikely sounds; my sense of direction and handwriting both improved. I started writing letters (I now have two pen pals). Everything felt lighter, and the anxiety of not documenting everything—as I’ve grown to do over the years of the smartphone era—gradually abated.
I acknowledge that I am privileged to have access to a phone and the internet in the first place, and even more privileged to be able to give it up. Many need constant access to these things for their career or simply for survival. (I should mention that I am a college student, and my work this semester was completed from the computer, which obviously can’t travel with me). But I would strongly urge anyone on the fence about their phone addiction to give this a shot, even for a week or a month. Since working on myself, I’ve become aware of how energies shift in the presence of a phone; my friends walk and talk more slowly as their minds are split between real life and the social internet; my parents grow less present when they receive an alert. Yes, it’s cool that I found more contentment by becoming a Luddite, but in this day and age it’s ultimately impossible to remain this way forever. I feel sad knowing that this invention can’t be undone and that I never got to experience a world where nobody had access to their phones and instead made the most of real, tangible materials.
Btw, I’m not arguing that phones are bad or should be abandoned. They’ve done so much for us in terms of efficiency, employment, and communication. This has just been my (lucky) experience and I’m disappointed that this is the farthest I’ll get from the virtual world.

Hi Reddit, throwaway because my fiancé uses Reddit loads. I am hopelessly in love with my boyfriend. We have been together for coming up to two years this summer. I love this man more than anything and I know he loves me the same. But I have lots of little “problems” and I’m terrified they’re going to eventually add up to too many for him, and he’ll decide I’m not worth the effort, or heartache.
My problems my boyfriend wants me to work on: 1. Procrastinate. Often say I’ll do something then procrastinate it. Because of this I’ve missed out on a couple of job opportunities as I missed the deadlines. I don’t know why I do this as I was so excited for the jobs for example but I did. It’s like even though my brain is telling me to do it my body doesn’t follow. I have improved on this, I joined a class and have kept up with it regularly and I am better at completing chores before bed or in manageable chunks but I still procrastinate in other areas. My boyfriend tells me I’m going to miss out on life goals and get left behind compared to him and my peers. He’s very successful and recently got a promotion at work and he also puts things off but it’s different things that usually cost money like visiting the doctor for something he’s had for a while. 2. Late. My boyfriend is very timely as is his whole family. I tend to be late a lot as do my family. My boyfriend and I will agree to leave the house at 5pm for a dinner for example, but I’m not ready by 5.10pm and it causes an argument or he’ll not want to go at all. He is very strict about this but even over two years I still struggle with being on time. I do feel a little defeated as I think 10 minutes isn’t so bad but it’s something hugely important to him and minor to me so I figure I should be the one who compromises here and I do try, I just struggle to. I do feel like I am on time for him more often than he thinks as he says I’m always late and rarely on time. 3. Uncontrolled emotions. Whenever I get upset I don’t just step away or get a small amount of upset. I get massively upset, crying, panicky breathing, I put my foot in my mouth and go overboard and say things I wish I hadn’t. My boyfriend tells me I’m being emotional and he’ll return to the convo when I’m calmer but this makes it worse as I’m convinced he’s gonna break up with me. Then I make him angrier by not listening and keeping going on and then he gets madder because he says I’m not listening to him and if I actually cared I would try in the first place instead of arguing after suffering the consequences (like above when he cancelled our dinner and I got mad and upset and he said it was because I was late one time too many and this was the result and that I obviously don’t care about trying for his sake). Then I got mad and said he’s trying to change me and he said if I don’t want to change one minor thing that is big for him I clearly don’t love him very much.
I do love him very much. We have different cultural backgrounds so that’s been tough to navigate but we have managed it together. We live together and mostly we get along well but when these above things go wrong it’s always a huge deal. I feel like I make it a huge deal by how I react instead of taking responsibility for it.
He has his own problems too. He tells me off a lot in an angry tone for lots of little things. Like if I’m being too slow to tidy a room or if I take a corner too fast. He says I’m being careless. If I argue back he says I’m acting like a kid.
Writing it all out like this makes it seem like he’s a jerk and sometimes I think that too, and wonder why he won’t be softer or less strict about these things. Then I wonder if it’s just because I lack good boundaries but he has strong ones. I go with the flow but on the inside there are things I expect too, I just don’t voice them or stick to them very well. So then all our arguments seem one-sided as I don’t bring up my own issues until we’re in a fight.
I know it’s not healthy and I am in therapy to work on my problems but recently we got in a huge fight and now he’s asked for space and I think he might break up with me. I feel like there is only so many times I will say I will do better before he stops believing me. Even though I am genuinely trying and since we first met I have gotten much better.
In exchange I feel like his short temper is exactly the same as always and he hasn’t gone to therapy for it he says he’s dealing with it. He also has a habit of when we argue and I spiral to say “I would have taken you out today, I would have said sorry first but you said X thing and ruined” which makes me feel guilty and self-hate for ruining his attempt to reach out. He also is the type who asks for space vs me who wants to hash it out then and there. Everytime he says “I need to think” I am certain he will decide that he doesn’t love me enough and will break up.
I also feel like because he is a really good speaker (he has to be for his job) he wins every argument and even if I come into it feeling like I justified for feeling sad I leave it feeling like an idiot or that I just said sorry for everything and he said sorry for nothing even if he was harsh about me.
This is a rambling post, but my head and thoughts are messy. Please ask any questions so I can make things clearer.
And because this post is about our problems is sounds like our relationship is bad, but it’s more like, our relationship is great until a problem happens and it’s usually my fault and it usually ends up huge. But when we don’t have these problems we are super close and affectionate and loving.
I guess I’m just tired of feeling like a failure. I’m tired of doing things and regretting them. I’m tired of trying my best and still when push comes to shove, repeating old bad habits.
If anyone has advice on how to improve these but mainly how to demonstrate to my boyfriend that I am a work in progress but that doesn’t mean I don’t love him or care about him, please help!

I am building a NAS, and although I have done this before, I am still very inexperienced and would like some guidance for how to go about doing this.
I have 8x 300 GB 10K RPM 2.5" SAS drives. They are mixed brand, 3 of them are Seagate and 5 of them are Fujitsu (1 note, the Seagate drives happen to be about 1.5x faster than the Fujitsu ones). I am planning on using an old LGA1151 Supermicro server board to build this NAS. I have a Xeon E3-1270 v3 (4C, 8T, 3.5-3.9 GHz) for it, an LSI 9207-8i HBA, and I am working on getting 2x8GB DDR3 1600 ECC UDIMMs.
I would preferably have 1 TB of usable storage, but what I really want is a lot of speed, both read and write. I plan on getting a Chelsio 10 Gb/s NIC (if you all think my Xeon E3 would be able to keep up). As of right now, I will mainly use it for ISO images and also small coding projects, but I plan on trying out some VMs.
My first thought, to get a lot of speed, was some sort of RAID 10 equivalent in ZFS. After some research, I found that this should be possible, but I have no idea how to set that up. I also don't know if RAID Z2 would actually be faster with 8 drives.
Also, I have another Supermicro board (X10SDV-F) which has a more powerful (albeit soldered) CPU, but only 1 PCIe slot besides an M.2 slot, which wouldn't allow me to use the HBA and a 10 Gb/s NIC at the same time without an M.2 to PCIe x4 adapter.
Any advice?

Hello Community,
I usually use rack-mounted NAS storage (10Gbase as of now) for recording/ingest/camera card offloading with spinning HDD-Disks-Arrays on larger productions where multiple machines record or offload material.
Now for larger productions win UHD 6G/12G this can easily mean 5-10TB per show and if there are multiple shows/rehearsals storage becomes the bottleneck quite quick for recording and backup to external transfer drives combined with short handovers.
This is why I use local 8TB NVME RAIDs in each workstation and record a second copy to off-the-shelf external USB 3.2 NVME drives at the same time or copy afer the recording is done. But since those consumeprosumer drives are mostly limited to 4TB and busses can overheat, USB-C cables/ports can be incompatible and it breaks the "single-place-of-truth" folder structure (spanned data) this is not ideal. I like having everything in one (fast) place to copy off / qc / backup etc. and to be independent of the clients drives and being able to take the show with me when I leave the venue (which I cannot do with a big server).
I am now looking either:
A) An all flash replacement network storage for my old server which can handle two 10Gbase I/O streams (2x850MB/S write speed) coming from two software ingest solutions at the same time. I have looked at solutions like QNAP/Supermicro servers.
B) A external drive with network capabailty like Iodyne or like the Blackmagics Cloud Dock 2/4 with U2. Drives. The later could be an interesting low-cost alternative for bigger servers and to have “network mounted” U2 drives which can be easily send from set to a client or taken to a postproduction for backup. Of course this means losing RAID protection but could be a good second copy/ingest target which can also function as a shuttle drive once the recording is done.
Did anybody here used the Blackmagic cloud docks with u2 drives? I am worried about the cooling and "Blackmagic-failure-factor" hence I am also a bit sceptical about their own new lineup of storage.
What do you guys use for fast offload and recording outside of EVS and Elements storage if it has to be network/multi-machine capable so it does not need to be unplugged from machine a and plugged into machine b?

Hello. I was fired last week and considering filing a complaint for discrimination and wrongful termination. Curious to hear your thoughts.
The background:
I was hired into a position where, unbeknownst to me, I was required to perform two jobs at once.
Job 1 was what was in the job posting and job description and something I'm good at. I succeeded in this job and won the company several big accounts, leading them to the most profitable quarter in the company's history.
Job 2 was not in the job posting or description and was a job I sucked at, in part because I don't have the required background, training, and skillset. It's also an insanely detailed job that requires superior time management and organizational skills. I have medically diagnosed and treated ADHD, which makes it even more challenging. I would have never taken the job had I known the Job 2 duties would be part of the expectation.
I flagged my concern over these job duties to my manager and senior leadership the first month I was hired in and continued to raise and document my concerns about my ability to perform in the job and the stress it was causing me and my team. I also went to HR with these same complaints.
I did not mention having ADHD to my manager until I brought it up in a conversation about 5 months after I hired in. He hates people who make excuses and I did not want to be seen as incompetent. I didn't mention it to HR shortly after that, again because I was afraid of being seen as incompetent and also I feared retaliation from my boss.
I required in writing modifications such as an additional person on my team to perform this function, a change in job duties, and/or project management software to help me be successful in my job.
All of these requests were denied. And so, as the direct result of continuing to perform poorly in a job I was not able to do and had no idea I'd be asked to do when I hired in, I received negative performance feedback from my manager. He did not use our employee performance review tool, but rather sent notes in a Google doc and over email.
The situation got increasingly serious, and eventually I was told by my boss it needed to get better in a week's time or I would be fired. I asked for my boss's help in coming up with solutions on how to improve. He told me I needed to come up with these solutions myself and gave me 2 days time to present them to him in a meeting.
Freaking out, I went to HR with a timeline that included all of the times I had raised the issue of not being able to perform in the Job 2 aspects of my job and asked for help that I did not get as well as the two times I had mentioned having ADHD to my boss. I also mentioned the time my boss had made a very rude joke about my age in a 1:1 meeting. For those reasons, I asked HR to initiate an investigation into my boss. HR said my concerns were serious and that they would initiate an investigation.
Meanwhile, I had the meeting with my boss and proposed the solutions to him that he asked for. He said they were not enough and that I should prepare myself to be terminated. I was taken off work projects and basically shut out of all the work I was normally doing. It was super humiliating and shitty.
A couple days go by. HR says they are still conducting the investigation into my boss but won't tell me anything about the process of who they're talking to, only that they'd follow up with me when they reached a conclusion.
Cut to, my boss, HR, and the president of the company put a meeting on my calendar. I assume it's to talk about the next steps regarding the investigation into my boss and/or mediation (something I had proposed to HR because my boss and I appeared to be at an impasse).
Anyway, I was fired in this meeting. I asked for the status on the investigation into my boss. HR brushed it aside and said I was being terminated for poor performance.
Now I'm wondering if I have a case -- EEOC, retaliation, or otherwise. I'm guessing no because the answer is always no and you can't fight city hall, but just thought I'd throw it out here on Reddit in case anyone's interested in offering an opinion.

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 you 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 ❤️

TLDR: Bought something new from an individual on FBM. Got the wrong tracking number then they switched the tracking number. Finally two versions of the item showed up (one 95% correct, one from another manufacture). Never once had post sale communication from the seller, and I have screenshots and photos documenting all of this.
First red flag: Killer deal
An individual on FBM was selling a new piece of sporting equipment at basically a 65% discount. That was the first thing that had me nervous but I've gotten amazing deals like that before on reddit, craigslist, etc. ^{My first pair of skis as an adult came from a dude who's wife said he needed to sell a bunch of his. I could have turned around and sold them for twice what I paid for that day.} Decided to use Paypal as my payment method with my CC to try and triple my redundancy from potential shenanigans.
Second Red flag: Zero communication
The first UPS tracking number that was sent to me was to a state I've never even visited, and not with my name on it ^{(confirmed by UPS}). So I messaged the seller and asked for the correct one, no response for multiple days. A few days after that first tracking number was delivered I gave them another message asking for a refund since I never got the package. Two days after that they changed the tracking number to one that was actually going to my shipping address but from a location that was different than the seller's on FB. Again zero response and that hasn't changed.
Third Red Flag: Multiple items and tracking numbers galore
Kept a close eye on that tracking number and it was forecasted to arrive today via UPS. Yesterday I got a UPS package that matched about the size and weight, but from a business. So I took a picture of the box and opened it before checking the tracking number. It was the same category of sporting equipment, but a different model and manufacture. So I checked the tracking number and we now have three tracking numbers involved. So today I got a package from USPS that came from Canada from a retailer I'd never heard of before. In that package was the correct manufacture, model, but wrong sub model of the item I ordered (can still be used for what I need). Guess what though...FOURTH different tracking number (wasn't a UPS sure post situation). And that 2nd UPS tracking number still is "out for delivery" as I write this.
Where I'm at now:
No idea what is up. Wondering if it's something where I'm the middle man for some sort of weird irl "duplication glitch" where I'm going to be asked to send something back. Are they going to ask to send one or both back or open up a FB market claim? Some really weird form of brushing?
Tried to google for something like this to no luck. I'd really like to use what I ordered ^{(or at least the one that is 95% correct}) but want to keep things new in case some sort of shenanigans is going down.
*edit\* And now I can't get on the sellers page (getting the message like I was trying to see content from a private group I'm not a part of)

I feel like my mind is rotting.
Always coming back in front of screen to see there is something worth to see. Always sitting in front of computer and figuring out what to do, but of cource when i am deciding that in front of the screen i cannot just get up and do stuff irl. I think i should just sit and look from window or stare at wall and think about stuff i should do or let myself be bored and that would bring something up... Instead i just always end up in front of screen, consuming stuff that interest me (least), random videos, random scrolling and pornography.
After some hours of this i go on walk with my dog and real world just seem boring. It feels like i cant think straight, like i cant immerse myself in thinking and i cant immerse myself in outside world and soak up everything that it has to offer, i simply cannot see that it has something to offer. I feel dissociated but in kinda fucked up in head sense...
When im trying to do something about it like using computer for stuff with more purpose like emails, movies, work, music and being in front of screen just in mornings (i like to watch something with my morning coffee) and at evenings (movies) and not for the majority of day (i just have part time job), i feel the world around me, i soak up nature, i feel that i have motivation to do something productive and so on, my perspective on world around me changes as my mind doesnt feel rotten anymore.
I was just wondering if anyone feel the same, if this is the general experience or if im alone in this. If this is product of addiction or maybe ADHD or whatever.(?)

15yo FD* started living with my wife and me about 6 weeks ago(see if she responds better to us FD has been failing and basically missed 4 weeks of school). My grandmother(80yo) has guardianship(no blood relation w/FD)
From the start, the school staff is mostly uncooperative because I don't have Ed rights. I was an elem teacher and know FERPA. I have been asking them to send info to her guardian. I emailed teacher about general class policies, like late work or if they have large projects coming up. Caretaker form isn't going to work until next school year because I live out of school boundaries.
I'm writing this now because i'm pretty pissed. FD texted me that she ditched. Gma saw her along the road. I called the parent help center to ask if the parent app is updated when attendance is taken or at end of day. Staff says depends on the teacher. I ask if he can transfer me to security or someone to check if FD is in the class. HE REFUSES TO TRANSFER MY CALL because i'm not her guardian. I know that whether IF she is in class is private. I want someone to check and call guardian.
All that to ask, has someone encountered this before? the district doesn't have a waiver and the school will only recognize legal guardianship. I just want to help our kid. If you know of a waiver or release of information, i'd like a link to template my own and try that. With what happened today, I asked gma if she is willing to add me as a guardian

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."

At a dead end with experimentation and looking for input on my situation!
I got Covid In October 2022 while already sick with a sinus infection and on antibiotics. It was a mild infection I developed constipation and insomnia that has not left since I fell ill. Things popped off 2 weeks later after I hit the gym.
Highlights: (from October 2022 - Present) - I tested with a 12.6 on the longhauler index under the cytokine panel (may 2023) with Bruce Patterson, last test In march 2024 i was under 1. - progression from slight intestinal methane overgrowth in 2023 to a significant methane overgrowth and addition of hydrogen SIBO in present) - I have done antimicrobial treatment and had an FMT, currently on antimicrobials again and still only passing stool once in very other day very constipated - cognitive impairment, depressive thoughts (this is volatile on a day to day basis i will go through periods where I don’t feel significantly overwhelmed and stressed, and then I will feel like everything is manageable and so I don’t have these feelings or thoughts), malaise, brain fog, muscle twitching, sensitivity to sounds, head pressure between eyes and on temples, memory troubles, very stiff neck and mid back on and off, terrible insomnia (needs medication) if not I get hypnic jerks on repeat for hours and an very overwhelming feeling in my body that can best be described as anxious, restless, and I get squeamish. I will eventually sleep but it will take 6 hours and it will be of exhaustion. - I’ve had chronic sinus infections every day for the past 19 months they have improved significantly once I halted probiotics. Was blood and green snot every day
Summary of abnormal testing: 2023: Basophils have been consistently above high normal on some tests and normal on others - above high normal progesterone - h pylori (been dealt with) - slightly elevated histamine (plasma) - slightly below normal natural killer cells - SPECT scan (concentration) showed some low levels of blood flow to 6 major areas of brain, the write up mentioned results show a likely past brain injury. I’ve never had a brain injury in my life -> I know it’s from Covid just don’t know how it fits in the puzzle . - my organic acid test had above high normal 4-hydroxyphenylacetic arabinose, glycolic, oxalic, 3-methtylglutaric acid. And below normal pyruvic acid. Was also notably on the lower end of a lot of my amino acid metabolites - very mild ochratoxin A mild residue on mold test (was treated)
Crossed off: - Covid spike (in blood) - negative Lyme, negative EBV - majority of autoimmune tests - B cell testing - cytokine testing - Mast cell activation markers Lymphocyte markers (cd3, cd4, cd8) - normal general blood testing, complement testing (c3, c4, CH50), differential testing, general hematology, , lgG, IgM, IgE, IgA, , c reactive, liver enzymes, cortisol am, glucose random, rheumatoid factor, vit D, thyroglobulin AB, thyroid peroxidase AB, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, t4 free, Tsh, potassium, sodium, fsh, estradiol, testosterone, dheas, insulin
If you made it this far in my little essay cheers loooool this shit is absolutely fucking insane, you’re not alone 😂. I am seeing an infectious disease specialist in July and am looking to book a neurologist. I look forward to your responses and wishing you all the best guys🙏

In the grim darkness of the stock market, there is only profit. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, that venerable index of capitalist endeavors, has achieved a momentous milestone: 40,000 points! As the bell tolled on the trading floor, traders and investors alike raised their goblets of recaf in celebration. The Emperor’s blessing was upon them, for the numbers climbed ever higher, like a Space Marine scaling the walls of a hive city.
​
Commissar Yellen, the High Lord of the Federal Reserve, stood resolute. Her vox-caster crackled with determination as she addressed the masses: “Fear not, citizens of Terra! The economy remains stable, and interest rates shall be cut forthwith!” The crowd erupted in cheers, their fervor rivaling that of an Ork Waaagh! charging into battle.
​
But amidst the jubilation, whispers spread like the tendrils of a Genestealer Cult. Was this truly a golden age, or merely a mirage conjured by the Dark Mechanicus? Some pointed to the Walmart Crusade, where the retail giant surged 6% after delivering robust first-quarter results. Others cited the Tech-Priests of Silicon Valley, whose S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite soared to record heights, like Titans striding across the battlefield.
​
Yet, lurking in the shadows, the Chaos Bears plotted their heretical schemes. They whispered of inflation, of warp storms brewing on the horizon. Would the Emperor’s interest rate cuts be enough to stave off the daemonic forces of stagflation? Only time would tell.
​
And so, the Dow Jones marched onward, its ticker tape scrolling like ancient runes etched into a power sword. The Adeptus Bullus chanted their mantras: “Buy low, sell high! Diversify your portfolio! May the Omnissiah guide your investments!” Meanwhile, the Short-Sellers of Nurgle gnashed their teeth, their plague-ridden spreadsheets predicting doom and gloom.
​
In the hallowed halls of the Imperial Exchange, traders donned their ceramite suits and wielded data-slates like bolt pistols. They shouted orders across the abyss, their voices echoing like battle cries on the battlefield of numbers. “Long on promethium futures!” cried one. “Short the squig-meat index!” bellowed another.
​
And so it was written in the Book of Ticker Symbols: the Dow Jones Industrial Average, like a mighty Leviathan Dreadnought, breached the 40,000-point threshold. The Emperor’s tithe had been paid, and the markets rejoiced. But remember, dear investors, as you navigate this perilous galaxy of finance: In the grim darkness of the stock market, there are no refunds.
​
May your portfolios be blessed by the God-Emperor, and may your stop-loss orders hold firm against the tides of chaos. For in this eternal war of bulls and bears, only the boldest shall prevail. 🚀🌟

I was super happy with my weight after following a carnivore diet. Then I was diagnosed with GHSV1 (oral herpes strain on my genitals). The depression and anxiety and shame and stigma triggered me back into binge eating. In some ways I think I am trying to make myself unattractive to justify isolating and not dating.
I have had some people accept my status but even when they did I still felt like they would leave me for someone without this. Other people ghosted me after i disclosed. I just gave up on dating for now but I can’t stop bingeing. I just gave up on ever feeling beautiful with this stigmatised virus.
Wondering if there is anyone on here that has dealt with a diagnosis like this impacting their weight loss motivation?

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).

In education, we have formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments give feedback to students and allow for teachers to intervene before things go off the rails and the kids fail the big test: the summative assessment. I've been saying that we need to intentionally install more "formative assessments" for drivers. If we see "summative assessments" as the situation where a driver kills a person or plows through a building, "formative assessments" are smaller tests and checks that allow for someone to recognize they are not driving well or have regulatory agencies intervene before they kill someone.
What are your ideas for formative assessments? Here are mine:

1. Install concrete walls at fairly narrow placements for entering/exiting neighborhoods (like those now famous yellow ones in Seattle). Put bollards all over the place with paint that permanently marks cars that hit them. Anyone who makes contact with these objects loses their license until they retest. People say we need to retest old people, but really, we need to retest anyone who has gotten worse at driving, and we need a way to identify those people.
   
2. We need to remove the center yellow line anywhere there isn't a visibility issue for passing. Some people who shouldn't be driving use it to guide them so they don't have to process the road. Never mind that they should be watching for bikes they might need to cross the center line to safely pass.
   
3. With the cars that have auditory safety features that beep when a person speeds, crosses a lane line without signaling, or tailgates, we can't have people turning them off. My mom says all her elderly friends turn them off because they ding all the time and they don't know why. If you can't figure out what you are doing wrong, you shouldn't be driving. On top of that, I think an additional safety feature should be that if they don't stop dinging within a minute the car should disable power to the accelerator and call for help if connected to a network. They would need to be reactivated by police or highway patrol once they have checked on the health and state of mind of the driver. Someone who doesn't know how to drive safely without correction for over a minute should no longer be driving.
   

Vecna: Eve of Ruin🎲

The evil lich-god Vecna has unearthed secrets he can use to unravel and remake the multiverse. Stopping Vecna will require working with three of the multiverse's most famous archmages, traveling to far-flung locales, and rebuilding the legendary Rod of Seven Parts.
Vecna: Eve of Ruin is a high-stakes adventure in which the fate of the multiverse hangs in the balance. The heroes begin in the Forgotten Realms and travel to Planescape, Spelljammer, Eberron, Ravenloft, Dragonlance, and Greyhawk as they race to save existence from obliteration.
A level 10 to 20 adventure.

• 📕 Game system: DnD5e
• 🕛 Game start time: 2,00pm EST/8,00 pm GMT+2 Tuesday
• 🎮 Game Link - Monday - 2/6
• 🎮 Game Link - Tuesday - 2/6

🤓 About me

• I played RPG's for over 10 years, almost exclusively as a DM. Conventions, local game centers and community interactions are all things I did and enjoyed. Decided to go online to continue what is, to put it the simplest, my passion.
• Several ongoing campaigns: players are engaged, looking forward toward next sessions, actively engaging in their own discord communities
• I would picture myself as a rules as fun DM rather then rules as written. I do homebrew materials, constantly rewriting and improving. I reward roleplay and creative thinking. My players make the story - I just flesh it out.

👉 What am I paying for?

• The work I put into my campaigns: Even though I run established adventures I do not run them straight out of the box - I always make sure to purchase additional maps, resources and outright change the story if need be just so my players have a memorable time
• Dedicated players with a certain level of maturity, a fee eliminates player no-shows and creates a full experience where we look to finish the module, not just start it.
• Scripts and modules that automate the combat and provide players with a smooth gameplay experience
• Full access to Heroforge
• Maps from talented patreon creators: Domille's Wondrous Works, Czepeku, Mad Cartographer and more.
• VTT dice from Q-workshop and Rollsmith.

📖 Content details

• Any official WotC/Paizo product
• Unearthed Arcana/Playtest materials
• Homebrew (open for discussion)

🐲 Rules

• Be respectful to other players - everyone wants to have a fun game.
• Everyone is welcome, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, minority status, language skill or game skill. 💕

📞 How can I contact you?

• I am active on discord each day. A private message here or a discord small talk is all it takes: dmthetulio
• If you would like to play another campaign, in the same time period in any of the systems I do paid sessions in (pathfinder, starfinder, dnd5e) be sure to contact me! I am more than willing to change the campaign for something else if we are still waiting for players.
• Reviews

Just wanted some thoughts on this. I finally had a therapy session to talk about all that's been going on with me and my therapist said that part of my desire to virtually self-destruct is because I'm "chasing highs". I don't have much of a gray area. I typically feel up, down, or bored/discontent. Sometimes down and discontent. I think that's just part of being BP. But is it normal that, even while medicated and mostly stable, to chase the highs? That seems more like a personality disorder than Bipolar Disorder.
She told me to write down when I've felt content and identify my content moments and try to go for those. I'm rarely content though. And even when she told me that I actually felt bored.
It's moments like these that I really think there's something more f'ing wrong with me. After that session I just cried.
I'm just a little caught up on this notion of "chasing highs".

TL/DR
So this happened a couple years ago and it still makes my blood boil when I think about it.
So I had two copies of Japanese Pokemon Ruby with dead batteries and I go to a battery store that used to replace my batteries a decade ago for pretty cheap and I went back for my 2 games expecting around the same price maybe a slight higher price of around $5+ a battery. I speak to an employee and he told me they can replace the batteries but won't know the price and I thought of no problem shouldn't be too much. So I hand them the games and almost a week later I had a friend pick it up for me while I was at work and I found out that it was $40 I was shocked and but mad but whatever I paid it.
After my friend dropped the games off to me at work she said they glued the games shut since they couldn't properly seal it and I was floored and was livid that they would glue my games. So I later called them asking why they would glue my games and they explained they couldn't seal it. So I asked for a to speak to a manager because of how incredibly disrespectful they were to glue my property shut. I spoke to a manager and we eventually hung up and I waited a couple days to hear back.
My other friend said he had glue gone to remove the glue and after he removed it he noted they put the wrong battery in. I told the guy it needs a CR 1616 and they ended up putting a slightly bigger battery and it was a CR 1620 a couple days later I called back and started going a wall on the manager because I felt like I needed to assert myself and the manager told me calm down and that he was talking to me calmly so I forced myself to calm down. I told him they put the wrong battery in and that's why it wouldnt shut and it was disrespectful that they super glued my games. They offered to replace it with the proper battery or refund and I asked for a refund because I didn't want them touching my games again. So after I called corporate I was eventually issued a refund and got to keep the battery. The good part of this whole ordeal is that my friends friend was able to lower the battery more and told me that it is a longer lasting battery and now the game shuts better not perfect but better, I was told that I should write a review and I decided not to but part of me does want to. With this whole ordeal out of the way I will never again go to that battery store to replace batteries ever again. Especially since in 2014 they lost my Japanese Sapphire's screw and used a bigger one destroying the plastic yet still usable.

I have a set of Matter enabled WiZ smart bulbs that I'm loving so far. My only issue is the way it interacts with my light switches. I'm looking to be able to control the bulbs properly from the switches on the wall without cutting power and crewing up HomeKit on it. I haven't had success with anything from Cync, and I'm now looking at a matter light switch from TP-Link. Ideally I'd like a version of the Lutron Aurora that works with matter. What should I do here?