Hi,
Hope you all are doing fine.
I'll keep this brief. I have a job in mechanical engineering, but it's not my passion. I want to switch to computer programming. I have some basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and Java that I learned independently during university. In the past month, I enrolled in a course that's teaching me the fundamentals of python programming, and I'm also taking CS50 from Harvard to bridge the gap in computational thinking.
What path would you recommend after I learn Python backend development (e.g., Django) or data science? I'm particularly interested in jobs in Pakistan and remote opportunities. Finally, what strategies can I use to land my first job and gain experience?
Thanks.

I've commented a few times in a few posts about my family's experience going through the F-1 to H-1B to GC route to migrate to the US and I've received a lot of questions over the DM, many of which I thought were pretty basic. I thought it might be helpful to put this primer together so folks know the right questions to ask and approach their planning more strategically.
This post is going to be very candid. I've noticed that the questions I've received come from misconceptions about higher education, F-1 visa, and what comes after graduation. I want to give folks the right information, but also temper expectations and give a realistic portrait of what it means and takes to use the student pathway to legally and permanently reside in the US. It is not a stroll in the park, and I don't want to give anyone the wrong idea.

BACKGROUND

Two of my siblings plus myself are all here in the US via the student visa route. I received my green card in 2021 after being in the US for nearly 4 years. After receiving my Masters at a prestigious university, I was hired immediately by an organization willing to sponsor my H-1B, which they did so after two years of employment under STEM-OPT work authorization. My employer started putting together my I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, which is the start of the process for an employment-based green card) shortly after receiving approval of my H-1B. As the paperwork was being put together, my partner and I decided to get married and I switched from employment-based green card to marriage-based green card. The employment-based green card would have added around a 3 year wait if we went through with it, while my marriage-based green card was approved in less than a year.
Both my siblings are currently in the same pathway. One received their Bachelors last year, was hired before graduation and has recently received approval for her H-1B. Their employer has committed to sponsoring their employment-based green card next year. My other sibling received their MFA last year and is now in the process of getting their O-1, which is a different kind of work visa. Like me, they both came to the US with a student visa. We were all very strategic about the programs we chose and how we approached networking within our industries.
We also prepared for years. I knew I wanted to get my Masters and permanently reside in the US even before I finished college in Manila. My siblings also knew that early on. So as a family we planned for years, including preparing financially because we knew that we had a very slim chance of getting free rides for our planned degrees. Our early planning also helped with our professional decision-making, because we became very strategic about what kinds of jobs we took after graduation in Manila (except our youngest sibling, who did her Bachelors in the US, so her planning revolved around her academic career in high school). I would say from start (initial planning) to finish (with the last sibling also now on the way to permanent residency), it took about a decade.

GETTING STARTED

Is the student pathway the right pathway for you?
The first question you should ask yourself: can you afford the student pathway to permanent residency in the US? Higher education in the US is not cheap. Universities very rarely offer full scholarships to Masters programs, and those that do are incredibly competitive. So you cannot depend on scholarships to help you pay for your degree--doing so will likely end in disappointment.
(PhDs are usually free and includes a living stipend, but the application process for PhDs are on a whole other level. I will not cover it here but I can answer any questions related to applying for PhDs.)
Most Masters programs in the US are two-year programs, and the average cost of a Masters degree is around $60,000 per year (source). That's $120,000--almost Php7,000,000--in two years. That is a lot of money. That does not include your cost of living, which depending on the location can vary. I personally spent around $1000 on living expenses every month (housing was through the school, so the cost of that was included in my tuition statement)--and that is living frugally in a very high cost of living city. That's an additional $12,000 per year. Of course, you can lower than number by living with family if that option is available to you.
So on average, you would need around Php4,200,000 per year for your Masters degree. Again, a lot of money. It goes without saying that the student pathway is a very expensive pathway to permanent residency in the US. Can it also be a quicker pathway than, say, being sponsored by a sibling? It can be, but that depends on how long it will take for you to save up for tuition.
What if you can make those numbers work? What else should you know?
I need to put this upfront: the F-1 student visa is a non-immigrant visa. Meaning that it is a visa meant for people who will enter the US on a temporary basis. This is why the student visa has no direct pathway or benefit to permanent residency in the US. You need to change status inside the US to one with immigrant intent or double intent to be able to be on that pathway or receive that benefit. That's where visas like the H-1B visa comes in.
You also cannot work outside of your school on an F-1 visa. During the school year, you are allowed to work part-time on campus, and during the summer you are allowed to work full-time on campus. Work outside of the school is only allowed if it's part of your curriculum (i.e. your program has a class for "onsite internship") and you are allowed to be paid while that opportunity is going on. You can do this part-time, but most legitimate universities will have limited opportunities for this (i.e. under your program you're only allowed to take credit for onsite internships one or two semesters). However, your eligibility to work full-time after getting your degree will be affected if you do this full-time for one year. If you want to jump from F-1 to H-1B, this is not something you want to do.
Your ability to bring dependents to the US on a student visa is also limited. You can only bring your spouse and unmarried children under 21. Dependents of F-1 visa holders are not allowed to work in the US (although children under 21 can go to school full-time). This means your spouse cannot work while in the United States, and that includes working remotely for a company in the Philippines.

APPLYING TO PROGRAMS

The student visa still seems like my best option. What's next?
The next step starts with you. I've received a good number of DMs asking me "Is Master of ABC the right course for me?" or "Will a Master of DEF get me a green card?" These are not the right questions to ask because they're not going to get you any good answers. Yes, we know the ultimate goal for taking your Masters in the US to get permanent residency. But the true purpose of getting a Masters in the US is to make you highly marketable and competitive to US employers that will be willing to sponsor your work visa and petition you for your permanent residency.
So you need to view this degree as a way to level yourself up professionally. I absolutely do not suggest getting a Masters degree in something "you already know"--the objective is not to coast while spending Php4,200,000 a year--but to be so much better at what you're already doing. Here's an example.

Maria Clara graduated from Accounting at a good university in Manila and now has around 2 years of experience as a CPA at the finance and accounting department at a multinational corporation based in Makati. She wants to get her permanent residency to the US via the student pathway and has done a significant amount of research on possible Masters programs and career paths in accounting in the US. She started reading into forensic accounting and realized how interested she is in various aspects of this career path. After looking through universities and programs, she has put SUNY Albany's MS in Forensic Science at the top of her list for a variety of reasons. One, it meets the education requirements for certified public accountant licensure in the state of New York. Two, even without a scholarship of financial aid, the costs for international students is not exorbitant at $23,000/Php1,320,000 for the year-long program--with some frugal living and help from relatives in the US, she can save that amount in 3-4 years. Three, New York is the center of global commerce--all the biggest companies and their accounting firms are either headquartered or have large offices in New York City, so she has a wide swath of employment options. Now she just has to get her ducks in a row and make sure her Bachelors meets the requirements for application, as well as put together a shortlist of other programs she should apply and create a timeline for herself and the milestones that need to be hit to make this dream a reality.

Bottomline is, your starting point in this entire process is reflection and research. You need to reflect on your own professional experience and skills, as well as your interests. You need to figure out which pathway will give you that professional and technical boost and do your research on available programs at reputable universities, what the job market looks like for your target profession, which companies are known to hire in this space.
Of course, you should also take into consideration your limitations. For example, you can only go to school in San Diego because you can stay with relatives while you're studying. That means your research is location-limited to however far you think you can commute.
When this is properly done, it should lead you to a place where you have a shortlist of programs to apply to. Each program will have their own application and testing requirements, as well as their own deadlines, so make sure to keep track of that.
PRO TIP: while grades during college are an important part of your application, many graduate programs put a lot of weight on your personal statement and professional recommendation letters. This is why the first step on reflection is critical--it gives you a good direction from which to build your story, which you will need to convince admissions committees to accept you into their programs.

ACCEPTANCE

I got into one of my top programs and I have my finances in order! What happens now?
Now it's time to apply for your F-1 visa. Your university will provide you with the documentation you need from them (this is mainly the I-20 and your acceptance letter), but the bulk of the documentation you need to present to the visa officer will mostly come from you. Namely, because the F-1 is a non-immigrant visa, you need to show strong ties to the Philippines. This can take a variety of forms, and oftentimes your mileage may vary especially depending on the school you will be attending (i.e. there will be less scrutiny if you're going to Harvard as compared to a university that's not that known).
If you did not receive a scholarship with your acceptance, you also need to show that you are able to afford the first year of matriculation. So bank statements containing the total amount of tuition, as well as room and board, will be important (usually the I-20 that the university will issue you will include this amount).
At the interview, be polite and only answer the questions asked. Do not offer up information not asked by the visa officer. I suggest you have a ready answer if the visa officer asks you why this particular school and program, but you should have this answer already if you followed my advice about reflecting and researching before applying to programs :)
Visa is approved and on hand! What do I do while I wait to leave for the US?
Networking starts the moment you receive your passport with your F-1 visa. You absolutely cannot and should not waste a single minute of your active student visa, so this is the time you start telling people that you're going to be studying in the US. You need to work your current network and find peers and mentors who will be willing to connect you with colleagues they know who work in the US or have ties to the US in your professional field. Let's go back to Maria Clara as an example.

Finally, after years of hard work, Maria Clara has her desired acceptance into SUNY's MS in Forensic Accounting program, and her F-1 visa was approved by the embassy without any issues. After celebrating with her family, she lets her boss know about her visa approval, who has been one of her most ardent cheerleaders during this entire process. Her boss has also offered to introduce her to their counterparts in the US once she got her visa approved, which is really important to Maria Clara--she knows she needs to get ahead of networking professionally since her time in the US is limited. She has also reached out to other people she knows in the company that engage frequently with teams in the US. She's messaged her college professors as well, as she knows that a number of alumni from her college have migrated to the US. Her plan is to get connected with as many professionals in her field as possible, connect with them in person once she's in the US, and build a rapport with as many connections as possible so she can be guided accordingly and stand out when the time to apply for jobs comes.

Remember that unlike US citizens (USC) and legal permanent residents (LPR), your time in the US is limited and bound by the rules set by your visa. So you have to be creative and get ahead in some way. You need to be more prepared and more strategic than USCs and LPRs because you simply do not have the time to dilly dally. Yes, enjoy and savor in the moment of seeing the fruits of your labor, but the hard part begins now. You simply do not have time to waste.

DURING THE PROGRAM

I'm in the US now and working harder than ever! Is there anything more I can do to set myself apart from others?
Other than to make sure you have high grades and you're setting aside time to build professional relationships, it's time to think outside the box. Remember that you are limited by the rules of the F-1 visa, so experiences such as an off-campus summer internship is off limits to you. You will need to find ways to strengthen your resumé that doesn't include working off campus, and that could take many forms. One of the most effective recommendations I've received on this is to do an independent research during the summer--you could do it via a professor whose class you really liked, or if you've made inroads with some of the connections you've been building since getting your visa, have a professor oversee a research project you could do with those connections. (This is still academic work, and many programs will give credit for this, so it is not considered off-campus work under the eyes of USCIS.) You can use your research to really elevate your skills and experiences when applying for jobs.
It's also time to seriously start looking at potential employers. You can use the connections you've built to get a sense of what the professional landscape is for your field, learn about peoples' experiences at various companies and organizations, and get a feel for hiring processes. Remember, you don't have a lot of time to apply for jobs once you near the end of your program, so you have to be armed with the right information to guide your job hunting strategy. You will need to put yourself out there and be the best version of your professional self if you want employers to disregard that they will need to spend more money to hire you rather than a USC or LPR who doesn't need sponsorship.

LAST SEMESTER AND GRADUATION

I'm in my last semester of my program! Any tips?
The last semester is usually job hunting season, so make sure that resumé is polished and your network is activated. By now, if you've done the leg work, you will have a shortlist of potential employers and you will have made connections in most, if not all, of them. Time to check-in and ensure that they know you're interested in joining their company and you'd like their support and guidance in doing so. This is one of the harder parts of this journey, and you have to be relentless. Use all the resources at your disposal to ensure your resumé is seen by as many eyes as possible, and that includes speaking to your professors, especially your favorite ones, so they can also lend a hand.
More importantly: submit your work permit application (more commonly known as OPT) as early as possible to avoid delays and getting stuck in the USCIS backlog. You need this permit to be able to work after graduation for a limited time (one year for graduates of non-STEM programs, with an additional two years for graduates of STEM programs) without needing to immediately require H-1B sponsorship.
Getting employed by a company willing to sponsor you is not the end of the line. All for-profit companies are subject to the H-1B lottery, which means you will be competing with other internationals for the limited number of H-1B visas allotted every year. So even with an employer willing to sponsor, the H-1B visa is still not guaranteed. You can work around this by joining what is a called a cap-exempt organization instead, and USCIS classifies those as institutions of higher education, nonprofit entities related to or affiliated with an institution of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and governmental research organizations. That means more research, and more targeted strategic networking, given that your employer pool now is limited.

EPILOGUE

The student visa is not an easy or cheap pathway to permanent residency in the US. It is getting harder and harder to beat out USCs and LPRs for great jobs in companies that have the experience and resources to sponsor H-1Bs and GCs. You need to do your research every step of the way and prepare to do some really grueling work in order to be the better investment for these companies. Plus, there is the luck element of the H-1B lottery. But it's not impossible. It can and does happen--my family is a great example of it (we're 3 for 3 in this pathway now). Your preparation and willingness to go the extra mile is critical, and you have to be ready to grind for a while. Rest often only comes when the green card is approved.
For those still considering the student visa pathway to migrate to the US after reading this very long post--good luck, and may the force be with you.

Hi! I am a digital artist looking to build a new PC as my current one is getting so old it can't even support Windows 11 (and with Windows 10 losing support in a year-ish I figured It's Time). I plan on purchasing all the parts within the next couple of weeks and assembling the PC (with help lol) sometime over the summer. I really don't know the first thing about any of the stuff that goes into this so I will fill out the answers as best ! can! Thank you for your help 🙏
I will follow the instructions
Questions

Is this a brand new build, or an upgrade to an existing build?

This will be a brand new build

Please list any existing parts or monitor(s) you have that you would like to re-use with this build. For upgrades, a PCPartPicker list of your full build is extremely helpful. Be as specific as you can be here, including links or exact model numbers of each component whenever possible.

No, everything on my current/old pc is 5-10 years old 💦

What will this PC be used for? Examples include things like gaming, general/multimedia use, photo/video editing, coding, AI/ML, etc. Include specific games and applications you intend to run, and any particular performance goals you have, as each may have different specific hardware needs.

I will mainly be using it for creating art and animations using both 2D and 3D software such as Clip Studio Paint and Blender. I would also like it to handle some casual gaming (most intensive I can think of are Subnautica, Outer Wilds, Another Crabs Treasure?) and streaming. I just need them to play well enough. I have some interest in game development as well although I don't have any software chosen for this purpose yet, its more of a dabble 🙏

What country will you be purchasing in? If you are in the US, do you live near a Micro Center? For other countries, please check if your country is supported by PCPartPicker by using the country selector dropdown on the top right - if not, please provide some links to reliable local vendors you are comfortable ordering from.

I am in the US and I can access a Micro Center

Do you need one or more monitors included in the budget? Please list how many and any size/resolution/refresh rate preferences if needed.

Yes, I would like one ~23-26 inch monitor. 1920x1080 resolution (seems pretty standard?). Good color accuracy is also fairly important

What is your preferred and maximum budget range for this build, in local currency? Parts lists may sometimes have additional shipping costs. Please note whether prices in your country include sales tax or not, and adjust your budget accordingly. Typically VAT countries will have it included in the part list prices, whereas regular sales tax countries like the US and Canada will not.

My preferred budget would be between $1500-$1800 but I'm willing to go up to ~$2000. I'm not terribly concerned on shipping/tax pushing it a little over.

Do you need WiFi, or do you have a wired ethernet connection available?

I have wired ethernet connection available

Do you have any specific size or noise requirements for the build?

My tower is mainly going to be sat on the floor on the outside of my desk, so the size can be pretty flexible as long as we can pick it up to put it on a table for occasional maintenance. Noise should ideally be quiet but i don't need it to be dead silent or anything.

Do you have any aesthetic preferences for color or lighting? Describe what you're looking for, or feel free to provide some links to examples that may help. Some people prefer an inobtrusive stealth build, while others may prefer a case full of rainbow RGB.

I'm more interested in practicality and longevity than aesthetics! I would prefer minimal/no lights but its not a dealbreaker. (I sleep in the same room as my PC and would rather not be awoken by a random rave when windows decides it needs to update lol)

Any other specific requests or requirements? Examples might include a specific minimum amount of storage, or a particular CPU socket for a future upgrade path, etc.

I would also like an internal blu-ray/disc drive if possible on a modern case

Hello there, I'm looking for an intern interested to contribute to a project as a Game Designer.
More about the role: This is a primarily game designing and level designing role so most of your work will not involve programming. Beginners can sometimes see level design as simply placing objects in the world and calling it a day, but it will be significantly more than that in this case. You'll be working on levels, various entities that are controlled by the player, you'll be testing the levels you created with said entities. You will record data about the tests and adjust your designs accordingly.
The game will be in Unity Engine.
You do not need any prior experience in Game Design or programming. All you'll need is some highschool level mathematics. I'll bring you upto speed with everything else that is needed (software, technical knowledge, design processes and skills). This is for complete freshers in the Industry.
Since I'm in the very early stages of establishing this company, I want to be very transparent that I cannot pay a lot. But I also do not want to exploit anyone therefore this is a part-time internship. I ask about 16-20 hours of your time per week. For that time, I can pay you Rs5000 per month.
Since this is remote, you'll have to work on your own computer. I cannot sponsor a computer for you at this stage.
A little bit about me: I'm a Game Designer at heart, although I do a bit of everything. I've worked in two companies in India and two companies in the US. My overall work experience is ~4 years. I'm trying to start a Game Studio in India after my last job and I'm currently working on this project which requires an additional person.
I'll be happy to answer any more questions in the comments.

14th: Jud “Fabio” Birza (Nicaragua - Winner)

MOVIE STAR JUD \"FABIO\" BIRZA
u/SMC0629:
Fabio, my second favorite winner of the entire show, he’s just too much fun. He perfectly encapsulates the trainwreck that is Nicaragua, and is the best winner for it as well. He gets to the end by just being himself, a decent amount of luck, physical strength, and a tiny bit of strategy. I know there’s some who seem to think Fabio is brought down by this factor of the edit building him up to know what he was doing, apparently undermining everything before the endgame. If you ask me though, who’s to say he DIDN’T have a tiny strategic mind in there? It seemed perfectly reasonable and in character for me, and it only improved him for me. Love Fabio, so happy he made it this far.
~
u/DryBonesKing:
From the same editing program that watered down Mike Gabler from OTT weirdo to a CP-lite strategic player “hiding in plain sight”, we have his prototype - the OTT blond surfer-bro that the players literally changed his name from Jud to Fabio because of how he comes across that gets a watered down CP-lite strategic edit of “they don’t realize I’m actually really smart, y’all!” Quit being cowards CBS! Give us the Goofball Fabio winner edit! #LetFabioBeFuckingWeird
I stand by the Gabler-Fabio comparison, but despite how much I dislike how the CP-edit kills Gabler’s character potential, I think Nicaragua does somehow make it work with Fabio. I blame the cast itself; with people like NaOnka, Marty, Jimmy T, Jane, Shannon, Dan Lembo, and whatever the fuck a “Benry” is supposed to be, “Fabio” almost does come across sane in comparison. As such, he can get these confessionals about pretending to be dumb and it does almost work just because the people he is surrounded by just feel literally ripped from Loony Tunes.
But despite it kinda working here, I do think Fabio is hilarious when he’s just allowed to be this weirdo that no one takes seriously, that ultimatley ends up winning because he’s surrounded by two people who have truly pissed off the jury. He’s a fun character with a truly unique winner’s story, and ultimately, I just REALLY dig his vibe. I wish I had him Top 100. But I also just wish we got a full season with the “real” Fabio as opposed to the occasional cuts to CBS trying to water him down to his most strategically-presentable version. #LetFabioBeFuckingWeird #ReleaseTheFabioOTTWinnerEdit
Overall Rank – 115/821
~
u/Zanthosus:
While I’ve never been as big on Nicaragua as many in the rankdown circle, I still appreciate a lot of what the season does and represents. And I think that Fabio’s win is the perfect ending for the clusterfuck of a season that preceded it.
~
u/Tommyroxs45:
Fabio’s run on Nicaragua is simply iconic and is a great way for the season to end. Having this likable underdog beast his way to the end under all odds against him is so satisfying. I’m happy he made this endgame even if I personally don’t have him here.
u/Regnisyak1:
Fabio is cool. I have him probably lower than a lot of people comparatively, but he was a ray of sunshine on such a negative season, and his win coming out of nowhere was great. He played the surfer bro role correctly, and while I don’t think he necessarily had the greatest ability to lead a season, he is a necessary feature in making it thrive and giving it such a large cult following here. Glad he made it after a long gap.
Personal Rank: 77/821. 9/10.
~
u/ninjedi1:
Jud “Fabio” Birza (1st Place, Nicaragua)
I love Fabio. He’s easily one of my favorite winners of all time. Every time I reevaluate my winners rankings, Fabio at worst will be the third best winner for me. Plus, as an added bonus, he also stars in my favorite B movie of all time, My Stepbrother is a Vampire!?!, which I won on DVD (I’m not joking, who do you think got the screenshot of Fabio for this writeup?). I mentioned in my Colby 3.0 writeup how I consider Nicaragua the last true old school season of Survivor, and that’s because it feels like a big fuck you to strategy, and Fabio plays a huge role in it. Enough of simply stating my love for Fabio’s character, it's time to describe why he’s so great.
The first episode properly sets Fabio up as who he is as a character this season. He gets the first confessional of the season, talking about how dangerous it really is out there and how it's not like the zoo cause it's all real (the first hint of the winner for being the first confessional of the season). He then gets put on the young people tribe, which he says are his people. One of Fabio’s main characteristics gets shown right at the start, where he basically says that they could use a snorkel flipper to collect rainwater, and when Chase said Fabio looked like he would be good in the water, Fabio instantly gets a woodchip in his foot, making him rescind the comment. Shannon then has a confessional where he calls Fabio a dumb blonde, and it instantly cuts to Fabio getting pinched by a crab claw. He then starts calling Fabio his titular nickname…uh…Fabio. This quickly catches on in the tribe, and even at the first challenge where Jeff tries to talk to “Jud”, the tribe corrects him, saying that they only know Fabio. This is Fabio’s first characterization, that he’s a goofball that isn’t taken seriously. While that’s a big characterization, it's not the most important one. The important one is shown in his confessional responding to his new nickname. He comes off surprised that everyone is calling him Fabio, calling the guy a cheeseball, but then says that he doesn’t care what people are going to call him cause he’s going to win the million dollars (in the weirdest audio edit ever) so people can call him Fabio. This highlights his second characterization, and the most important one, he is aware of what other people think of him.
Of course, just because he’s aware of his status doesn’t necessarily mean he has great strategic capabilities. This is shown in the first La Flor vote, where it's looking to be between either Shannon and Brenda, and Fabio was voting for Brenda with Shannon’s. However, Shannon has a huge meltdown at tribal, which clearly would be bad to stick with and would be better to switch sides. However, Fabio ends up sticking with Shannon anyways, voting for Brenda and going “I guess this is the vote?”, which put him on the outs. This would normally be an issue, but since everyone sees him as a goofball, he’s not near the bottom of the pecking order. It also helps that La flor will win every immunity from here on out until the swap happens, and while not happy at first that a swap was happening, he happy with the end result, as he ends up in the majority with the OG La Flor members, although some La Flor members aren’t too happy to work with Fabio strategically. Luckily though, Fabio would successfully make it to merge, where his true game would begin.
I would usually just talk about what Fabio did throughout the merge, but I would rather highlight his interactions with key people from the merge, as they all highlight Fabio’s main characteristics to varying degrees and also help add to his story.
Alina
Alina and Fabio don’t interact too much, as Alina would spend most of her time with Kelly B and then gets swapped onto Espada when the tribe swap happens, separating her from Fabio. But when they return at the merge, Alina ends up getting targeted for her involvement with the missing food fiasco. When she tries to pitch to Fabio to keep her around, he just flat out tells her that people want her out cause she’s dangerous and people think she always has a hidden motive. This does reflect back to earlier in the game, when they were both at the bottom but no one was worried about Fabio and wanted Alina and Kelly B out first. This would carry over all the way over to that moment now. Fabio has more on the pulse in the game than people think as shown here, and he’s able to avoid it due to how he plays up the perception of him.
Marty
On paper, it makes no sense for Marty to vote for Fabio as the winner. How could the most strategic guy on Espada vote for the least strategic person in the game? However, the relationship they develop over time is what really shines. When Marty gets swapped onto La Flor, everyone from OG La Flor either wants him out, or to use him for strategic gain. Fabio is really the only guy from OG La Flor that has his back. Fabio tells Marty about Naonka getting the clue, and when OG La Flor wants to split the vote and get Marty out, Fabio fights for Marty to stay. Even though Marty does trick Fabio by claiming he was a chess grandmaster, he does warm up to Fabio. They even work together at the merge, although that ends up being short-lived as Marty is taken out
Naonka and Purple Kelly
I have to lump these two together since they both highlight the one issue with Fabio’s story. Unfortunately, since both of them quit, they both get slaughtered by the edit, which in turn ends up hurting Fabio’s story since they’re both key to it. With Naonka, she is Fabio’s biggest adversary. She finds his antics way more annoying than funny, and actively yells at him when he complains to her about something, and pretty much dislikes him all around. The feeling appears to be neutral while there on La Flor, but not all is what it seems. When merge comes around Fabio and Naonka reunite again, they actually hug and get along. Even if that ends up being short lived when Naonka steals food, but when she gets cornered and comes clean about it, Fabio is the only one to thank her for doing that. Eventually, all that kindness pays off when at the F9 reward, Naonka is the one to fill him in on the Brenda vote. When FTC comes around, Naonka, despite everything that they’ve been through, calls Fabio her hippy friend and asks about how seeing his Mom gave him the strength to keep going, and Fabio gives a heartfelt answer, telling her about how much he misses his Mom and that it was the fuel he needed to make it all the way to the end of the game. Despite their rocky relationship, Naonka ends up giving Fabio her vote to win.
Purple Kelly is another important aspect of Fabio’s story that unfortunately gets buried due to the assassination edit given to Purple Kelly. Everyone knows that Kelly was miserable due to being given very little clothes to keep her warm during Nicaragua’s monsoon season, which led to her quitting. The only real time it gets acknowledged is when Fabio mentions that now Purple Kelly can sleep when they win the tarp, which is barely heard because it happens the same time that Chase finds a hidden immunity idol clue in the tacklebox. But it's interesting that Fabio is the one to vocally acknowledge it, as he’s the one who’s most involved in it. It's never mentioned, but you do always see it. Multiple times throughout Nicaragua, you can see Kelly wearing Fabio’s yellow jacket. He allowed her to wear it sometimes when she was cold to help her stay warm. Just that kind of gesture along from Fabio helping her out the best he could, led to her voting for Fabio to win in the end.
Benry
I don’t have much to say about Fabio’s relationship with Benry, but there are two things I want to highlight from it. The first is during the Marty vote, where Benry says that the best plan is to lay low and play stupid, while Fabio says that he hated playing stupid but it was the smartest thing to do. Fast forward to the F7, and the vote is between Fabio and Benry. The main alliance of Chase, Sash, Holly, and Jane are deciding who should go between Fabio, who everyone on the jury loves and could win, or Benry, who could go on an immunity run to the end. While Fabio is in general clueless at the vote and is still “playing stupid”, Benry ends up playing really hard to get the vote onto Fabio, which freaks out Chase and leads to the alliance voting out Benry over Fabio. And guess who ends up going on an immunity run right after F6 and makes it to the end and wins?
Jane
At the first merge immunity, it's a double immunity where the last standing man and woman would win immunity. When it came down to the men, the last two guys standing were Fabio and Chase. Ultimately though, it would be Chase that drops first, giving Fabio immunity. The only person that Fabio really had to compete against was Jane. This is a great foreshadow to the end of Jane’s store as well as the continuation of Fabio’s. Both of their stories are kind of similar overall, both of them end up on the outs of their starting tribe, they get new life when the swap happens, they're both overall well liked, and they were both screwed over by Chase during the loved ones visit. Both of them had strong cases to win the game just with overall likability, but one of them would have to go to allow the other one to thrive, and when Fabio comes in clutch to win F6 immunity, the majority alliance decides to cut Jane as a threat, allowing Fabio to fully harness Jane’s power to get to the end.
Sash and Chase
Once again I’m going to lump these two together because they are the ones that end up sitting next to Fabio at the end. You have big strategy Sash and country boy Chase. On paper, it should be one of these two that should win the season instead of Fabio. They were both in control for most if not all of the game, and the only reason why Fabio was there was because he won a couple immunities at the end. But yet, Fabio is the one to clutch out the title of sole survivor. Why? In my opinion, it's because Fabio is always himself, so people see him as a genuine guy, while the other two come off as terrible or fake.
Sash's main game is strategy, doing whatever he needs to get ahead of the game and make it farther. Any bond he has with someone is only on a surface level which makes him come off as sleazy and slimy, while Fabio is always genuine with his feelings and relationships with people. No one highlights this better than Marty. Marty’s main relationships involving La Flor were mainly Fabio and Sash. While Fabio always liked Marty and gets to know Marty on a personal level, Sash only really talks to Marty for strategy and cons him out of his idol on the promise of keeping him around longer. And when Sash no longer needed to keep Marty around anymore, he burned him and voted him out. Everything Sash does comes off as slimy to everyone, even his allies, while Fabio remains pure and genuine.
With Chase, it's a bit of a different story. Chase wants to be the good guy, but gets caught up in the strategy, and keeps ending up being on both sides. He always gets flip floppy and wishy washy when it comes to voting someone out or for rewards, which ends up annoying people. It's not a problem at first, but it definitely is when he starts making promises to people that he can’t keep which upsets them more, hurting his image and makes people like him less. The biggest example to this is the loved ones visit where he promised to take Fanio on reward with him if he won. However, Chase ends up burning both Fabio and Jane, who expect Chase to pick her. This leads to both Fabio and Jane being upset, and even Fabio telling Jane about the promise Chase made, which also pissed off Dan who was there. Chase always wants to maintain being the good guy while he is playing the game but struggles because of his indecisions and breaking of promises, while Fabio is actually able to maintain that status all throughout.
This all pays off at FTC, where we finally get to see Fabio speak out against the two guys, talking about how he actually got to play the game that Chase wanted to play. He talks about how played hard by being himself and being an open book for everyone, and never backstabbed anyone in the game which Sash could never do and Chase wishes he could do. He laughs when Sash calls him a wingman, telling him to take a backseat and take some notes. He doesn’t even let jurors who put him down get in his way, as when Alina says that he wants to vote for a man to win, not a boy, Fabio said he deserved to win, and when Chase said that winning three immunities didn’t mean he outwit, outplay, or outlast hi, Fabio points out that that’s outplaying him and he chose to bring Chase to the end and then says that Sash didn’t outplay anyone. I know people usually say that Chase had the better FTC performance since he flipped votes to his side, but that doesn’t matter (and is also wrong) as Fabio will end up clenching a 5-4 victory in one of the best endings to a season I could ever ask for, and that’s awesome.
SMC0629: 5
DryBonesKing: 19
Zanthosus: 20
Tommyroxs45: 15
Regnisyak1: 21
DavidW1208: 7
ninjedi1: 2
Average Placement: 12.714
Total Points: 89
Standard Deviation: 7.889 (3rd Highest)

Background: I have ehlers danlos syndrome, fibromyalgia, POTS
TLDR?: My foot rolled over on itself early Thursday morning, went to urgent care to get an X-ray, claimed no fracture or dislocation. Foot has been gradually getting more swollen and blue bruise color. Went to ER early this morning (Tuesday) because of IMMENSE pain, they refused to admit me saying it wasn't a "true emergency" and refused to even do any kind of imaging study (X-ray, CT, ultrasound). Hospitalist I work with says that's bullshit, they should have admitted me. Earliest orthopedic appointment I could get is Thursday and I'm legitimately concerned now if I should try to go to a different hospital to try to get formally admitted so the surgeons can examine my foot.
So I unwrapped my foot right before settling in for bed (didn't think to take a photo and I don't wanna go through the whole process of unwrapping it now), the foot swelling is worse by about 10-20%, the cyanosis (blue bruise color of my skin) is starting to spread over my entire foot (it's like a very faint shade of blue-purple) and going up my ankle.
When we went to the hospital this morning at about 4am, doctor said "well we aren't going to admit you because this isn't an emergency, emergency, we will give you some pain meds and nausea meds so if you feel ill in your stomach you can take the nausea" despite me clearly saying "can I at least get an ultrasound or CT to check on the soft tissues?" And they refused saying I needed to be formally admitted for this.
The earliest I could get an orthopedist appointment is Thursday morning. It feels like my skin is being stretched painfully thin over my foot where the injury occured (basically I got up too fast from the couch, BP dropped, pots episode, foot rolled over on itself in my effort to self correct).
My boyfriend is really concerned about my foot (he's not one to easily worry) and is worried that I could lose potential sensation or worse case scenerio, possible toe amputation because of how badly swollen things look (as well as the bluish color).
So now I'm laying in bed, with a wrap around my banged up foot and a hot toes/hands in the wrapping to try heat therapy to encourage the muscles and everything to relax.
He flat out said "if you get a lot of pain again tonight, fuck it, we are going to another hospital and demanding you get admitted because this is not okay at all". I work with a hospitalist remotely in another state (been working with this one for about 8 years), explained the foot situation and he texted me "😠 what the fuck if I saw you, I would have absolutely admitted you."
So, what exactly is the next best move? Really hoping I don't wake up in the middle of the night in a lot of pain again, at the same time, I am now legit worried about the condition of my foot and I do not want to risk any life long damage to it or potential amputation of toes due to lack of blood flow because the swelling is so bad right now.

I'm currently working in a hospital's IT department under a "System Access" team as an analyst. The job duties are what I consider to be very simple, just requires some knowledge of knowing what certain basic things are and how to use them such as working with Active Directory, leveraging a Identity Governance tool to grant access, and understanding of a little bit of lots of different applications such as Epic. But there is no coding/programming involved. Over some time I've started to realize that the people in my team or in the company have been here for 7+ years and they rarely open positions. I've tried to bring up that I was interested in collaborating with the only app developer on the team or maybe even some form of automation (planning to learn on the fly since they were already looking to use UiPath for some tasks), but it just goes out the window, specially since most managers/directors might be retiring in the next couple of years they don't really care that much or want more work on their shoulders.
I thought it would more than likely be accepted given that I've already been able to do most of the "senior" level employees tasks since they're not interested in working outside of their oldschool techniques, and didn't even ask for a promotion or raise, but I guess not. So after 3 years and still being an "Associate" making 1/3 of what the rest of the team makes so I'm getting somewhat demotivated.
When I received this position I was in the process of completing my B.S. in Cybersecurity. I completed it last year and this year I began my M.S. in CS with a concentration in AI/ML this year. I realized near the end of my B.S. that I enjoyed programming more so I started working on The Odin Project to get more knowledge in J.S./NodeJS/DBs/HTML/CSS and eventually work on some personal projects as a hobby to build my skill, but the Masters program is pretty intensive and during my undergrad I didn't dig too deep into programming, more very basic/entry level coursework in C#/C++/Java/Python.
Reflecting on everything brought me some questions and I thought I'd reach out to see if someone can give some guidance.

1. Should I still try to pickup The Odin Project "bootcamp" for Fullstack JS/JSNode again? But instead do it very slowly since my Masters program is taking up most of the time? Or just focus solely on the course knowledge?
2. Seeing other threads, I'm assuming that it might not be the best time to transition to a SWE or SDP job? I see mixed comments but mostly negative about the field at the moment.
3. If I do plan on slowly transitioning to a different company for a job, are there any known positions/titles, or indicators to look into that might make the job/company seem stable? Not really in a good financial position with my current salary to get laid off after a couple of months. (making around 45k before taxes at the moment, and live in a high cost city, moving soon if a new job permits it because in healthcare remote is a bit difficult)
4. Should I be dedicating more time into leet code as it'll be for sure required if I were to transition? I roughly looked into it and realized I wasn't even able to answecomplete the easy ones.
5. Are city/government positions that involve AI/ML or even JS-related descriptions good to move to gain experience and knowledge while studying? If so, what are some recommended departments or agencies?

Overall, I do feel like if someone seems my history/resume it might be a bit all over the place given I'm looking to go from Cybersecurity to some Junior Developer position to then AI/ML? But I'm just thinking of the smoothest way to transition while also being able to have a stable job and be good financially.

Dental chairs are a cornerstone of any dental practice, providing the essential support and functionality needed for a wide range of dental procedures. Foshan ANYE Medical Equipment Technology Co., Ltd, established in 1998, specializes in manufacturing high-end dental units and has passed ISO 13485 and CE certifications. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the different types of dental chairs, their features, and their practical implications for dental equipment procurement and operations.

Key Types of Dental Chairs

1. Standard Dental Chairs

Standard dental chairs are the backbone of many dental practices due to their simplicity, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. These chairs are designed to accommodate a wide range of patients and are typically equipped with basic features such as adjustable headrests and armrests, ensuring patient comfort during routine procedures like cleanings and examinations.

2. Hydraulic Dental Chairs

Hydraulic dental chairs are known for their smooth and precise adjustments, facilitated by a hydraulic system. These chairs allow for easy modification of height, backrest angle, and footrest position, providing optimal patient placement during various treatments. The hydraulic mechanism ensures stability and is often controlled via foot pedals or touchpads, enhancing workflow efficiency.

3. Electric Dental Chairs

Electric dental chairs represent the cutting edge of dental chair technology. They are equipped with electric motors that allow for precise and customizable positioning. Features such as memory functions enable dentists to save preferred settings, ensuring a consistent and personalized experience for patients. Additional features may include built-in massagers, heating options, and integrated multimedia screens.

4. Portable Dental Chairs

Portable dental chairs are designed for mobility and flexibility, making them ideal for mobile dental clinics and outreach programs. These lightweight, foldable chairs are easy to transport and set up, providing essential dental care in remote or underserved areas without compromising on patient comfort or safety.

5. Ergonomic Dental Chairs

Ergonomic dental chairs prioritize the well-being of both patients and dental professionals. These chairs are designed to promote proper posture and reduce strain during long procedures. Features such as adjustable lumbar support, headrests, and armrests help prevent musculoskeletal disorders and enhance overall comfort and efficiency.

6. Specialized Dental Chairs

• Orthodontic Dental Chairs: These one-piece, full-body chairs can be articulated into various seating positions, providing comfort and security during orthodontic procedures.
• Surgical Dental Chairs: Designed for oral surgery, these chairs offer full recline capabilities and enhanced stability, ensuring optimal patient positioning and access for complex procedures.
• Pediatric Dental Chairs: Custom-designed for children, these chairs often feature bright colors and playful designs to create a welcoming environment for young patients.

Key Components of Dental Chairs

• Seat and Backrest: Essential for patient comfort, these components should be well-padded and adjustable to various positions.
• Headrest: Supports the patient's head and neck, ensuring comfort and optimal positioning during procedures.
• Armrests and Footrests: Provide additional support and stability for patients.
• Delivery System: Integrates essential dental tools, enhancing the efficiency of dental procedures.
• Operating Light: Ensures proper illumination of the oral cavity.
• Control Panel: Allows for easy adjustments and enhances workflow efficiency.

Practical Impact on Dental Unit Requirements

Purchasing Decisions

When selecting dental chairs, it is crucial to prioritize ergonomic designs and technological features that enhance both patient comfort and dentist efficiency. Evaluating long-term benefits and return on investment is essential to make informed purchasing decisions.

Installation Procedures

Proper installation is vital for the performance and longevity of dental chairs. Considerations include the type of flooring, clinic layout, and ensuring that all components are securely and correctly installed.

Regulatory Compliance

Ensuring compliance with ISO 13485 and CE certifications is critical. Meeting industry standards for safety and hygiene impacts purchasing and operational decisions, ensuring that the equipment is reliable and safe for use.

Challenges and Knowledge Gaps

Understanding Advanced Features

Hydraulic and electric mechanisms can be complex. Detailed explanations of how these systems work and their benefits can help bridge the knowledge gap for dental equipment professionals.

Ergonomics

The importance of ergonomic features and their implementation in dental chairs can be challenging to grasp. Understanding how these features reduce strain and improve comfort is essential.

Regulatory Compliance

Navigating the steps to ensure compliance with relevant standards can be complex. Detailed guidance on maintaining compliance can help ensure that all equipment meets necessary regulations.

Practical Applications and Considerations

Ergonomics and Comfort

Action Item: Evaluate and select chairs with advanced ergonomic features. Next Steps: Assess current chairs and plan upgrades for better ergonomics.

Technological Integration

Action Item: Choose chairs with integrated technology for efficient procedures. Next Steps: Identify key technological needs and select compatible chairs.

Regulatory Compliance

Action Item: Verify certifications and compliance before purchase. Next Steps: Conduct a compliance audit of existing equipment and plan for necessary upgrades.

Conclusion

Selecting the right dental chair is crucial for the success of any dental practice. By understanding the different types of dental chairs and their specific applications, dental professionals can make informed decisions that enhance patient comfort, improve procedural efficiency, and ensure long-term reliability. Foshan ANYE Medical Equipment Technology Co., Ltd is committed to providing high-quality dental units that meet the diverse needs of dental practices worldwide.

If you want to test out your Atmos speakers, I recommend to watch Air Force One 4k Blu-ray. The audio blew me away. Amazing Atmos content!

For context, my mom is an incredibly stubborn person who likes to think that she knows everything and can order me around because she is my mother. For instance, I had to argue with her for days to get rid of a cable box for a TV we never use for a service that's already redundant to what our ISP service provides over streaming. The rental equipment costs us 10$ a month for rental equipment, and we have 2 more in the house so I thought I should just get rid of it. It was hard fought but now they are paying less for the same functions.
I am now expanding this mission of money saving to self-hosting streaming services through a Plex ServePieHole I configured. The PieHole doesn't work because my ISP doesn't allow me to change the DNS setting on my router, but the Plex Server works fine to stream music and movies I rip from BluRays and records I own. I bought the lifetime pass a few days ago and I don't regret it. I unsubbed and deleted spotify from my phone the other day, and I got my dad to do it too. We are now saving 50$ a month with this investment and I can feel it.
Here's where we start butting heads: every single time she has issues with the internet, it's the server's fault. It's not the fact that the home shitty laptop she uses for work is slow and at 100% disk and CPU usage all the time. Nor is it the fact that she doesn't understand that the interface for the cable box and the android SmartTV are two different layers of similar apps.
She blamed the server for opening a menu and changing the channel, when in reality what happend was she clicked on the Samsung SmartTV app instead of the HDMI source output for the cable box.
Whenever we have a drop in the connection or Wi-Fi speeds it's always the server's fault, by extension, my fault. She has to use a tablet to submit her hours for work over wifi, and when that doesn't work it's my fault and the server.
Fast forward to today, my brother is home from college with his PC. Upon hooking it up our home network, apparently he had a few torrents going while he was away and I can only guess that's what sprang the alarm for my ISP. His roommate for school is going for IT, and I can only guess that he had a powerful network-wide VPN to cover both of them. Now that he's home, he's exposed to our ISP's .
Now my mom wants to throw the server out after getting the DMCA warning email, but the kicker is that the IP address and the device name is literally listed in the email - it's my brother's ffs. I know this because I assigned him the IP for the PieHole.
I'm so fucking tired of her ignorance and blaming things on me that is literally not my fault. I can't explain everything to her because she doesn't want to listen to me explain things that don't align woth her ignorance. She doesn't want to let me explain how it's my brother's IP and he is the culprit - I'm always at fault. We had a big argument the other day where it felt like she was finally going to lay off me and then this shit happens and basically visited her ignorance of what us me trying to save everyone hundreds of dollars a year.
Another question here: from what I've seen, DMCA letters are mostly empty threats. Is this true or should I be worried? The DMCA claim only covered 1 torrented file, and I understand that the maximum tolerance is 5 warnings. Can anyone confirm if I should be worried about my ISP coming after me?
Thanks for reading.

Please give honest feedback and tell me what can I do project wise and for a better portfolio
https://portfiolo-theta.vercel.app/

Hey all, I'm graduating soon from HS in Seattle and am working out my college options. I was wondering if I could get input from some of you on the pros/cons and differences between WSU and Central Washington, perhaps even from someone who has attended both.
Don't want to get super TMI but here's what is currently on my mind:
Pro CWU-

• Ellensburg is much closer to Seattle
• CWU is cheaper (in my case about $5000 less in tuition yearly)
• I have close family in Ellensburg and have grown up spending time there. The work I do requires audio/video recording and would be a struggle to accomplish in a dorm, but having access to a family member's home nearby would likely help a ton.
• Both schools are in small rural areas, but I prefer the Ellensburg area and definitely prefer its climate over Pullman (much more sun than Pullman and here in Seattle, less snow)
• More intimate education environment that I predict I would work a lot better in

Pro WSU-

• It's pretty obvious that WSU has more going on socially and a larger student body. I'm not remotely interested in greek life but see myself occassionaly attending major social events. Having the option to participate in that portion of the "college experience" is definitely something I think is worth considering. Although I'm not an incredibly social person I'm sure I could meet people at either school, there just might be less options and less lively activities at Central.
• Better fashion program, in fact the best in the PNW apparently (my chosen major, at least for now lol)

I think its fairly likely that I'll end up transferring out of state after a couple years regardless of which I choose in Washington, so I recognize that the decision isn't permanent and may not even be the school I graduate from. But I digress.
I realize you will all naturally be slightly biased towards you own school, but what would you add that might help me make my decision? Thanks in advance!

Hey all, I'm graduating soon from HS in Seattle and am working out my college options. I was wondering if I could get input from some of you on the pros/cons and differences between WSU and Central Washington, perhaps even from someone who has attended both.
Don't want to get super TMI but here's what is currently on my mind:
Pro CWU-

• Ellensburg is much closer to Seattle
• CWU is cheaper (in my case about $5000 less in tuition yearly)
• I have close family in Ellensburg and have grown up spending time there. The work I do requires audio/video recording and would be a struggle to accomplish in a dorm, but having access to a family member's home nearby would likely help a ton.
• Both schools are in small rural areas, but I prefer the Ellensburg area and definitely prefer its climate over Pullman (much more sun than Pullman and here in Seattle, less snow)
• More intimate education environment that I predict I would work a lot better in

Pro WSU-

• It's pretty obvious that WSU has more going on socially and a larger student body. I'm not remotely interested in greek life but see myself occassionaly attending major social events. Having the option to participate in that portion of the "college experience" is definitely something I think is worth considering. Although I'm not an incredibly social person I'm sure I could meet people at either school, there just might be less options and less lively activities at Central.
• Better fashion program, in fact the best in the PNW apparently (my chosen major, at least for now lol)

I think its fairly likely that I'll end up transferring out of state after a couple years regardless of which I choose in Washington, so I recognize that the decision isn't permanent and may not even be the school I graduate from. But I digress.
I realize you will all naturally be slightly biased towards you own school, but what would you add that might help me make my decision? Thanks in advance!

I ripped the film with makemkv and encoded(?) it with BD3D2MK3D. Now I have a 38GB folder. If I drag the 2GB MKV file from the folder onto my Pico 4, I can watch the film in 3D, but the quality is not the best. Do I have to drag the entire folder over or what is the problem? sorry, I'm an absolute noob.