#encryption for beginners

[codeonedigest]

Kubernetes Secrets Tutorial for Devops Beginners and Students  

Full Video Link https://youtube.com/shorts/VXQSE4ftbtc Hi, a new #video on #kubernetes #secrets is published on #codeonedigest #youtube channel. Learn #kubernetessecrets #node #docker #container #cloud #aws #azure #programming #coding

In Kubernetes, Secret is an object that contains a small amount of sensitive data such as a password, a token, or a key. Using a Secret means that you don’t need to include confidential data in your application code. As the Secrets are created independently of the Pods that uses them, there is less risk of the Secret being exposed during the workflow of creating, viewing, and editing…

[coinbasetradingguide]

How to Make Money on Coinbase: A Simple Guide

Coinbase is a leading platform for buying, selling, and managing cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. With millions of users worldwide, it’s a trusted choice for both beginners and experienced traders. Here’s how you can make money using Coinbase.

Why Use Coinbase?

Coinbase offers:

User-friendly interface: Ideal for newcomers.

Top-notch security: Advanced encryption and offline storage keep your assets safe.

Diverse earning methods: From trading to staking, there are plenty of ways to earn.

Ready to get started? Sign up on Coinbase now and explore all the earning opportunities.

Setting Up Your Coinbase Account

Sign up on Coinbase’s website and provide your details.

Verify your email by clicking the link sent to you.

Complete identity verification by uploading a valid ID.

Navigate the dashboard to track your portfolio, view live prices, and access the "Earn" section.

Ways to Make Money on Coinbase

1. Buying and Selling Cryptocurrencies

Start by buying popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum at a lower price and selling them when the price goes up. It’s the basic strategy for making profits through trading.

2. Staking for Passive Income

Staking allows you to earn rewards by holding certain cryptocurrencies. Coins like Ethereum and Algorand offer staking options on Coinbase. It’s a straightforward way to earn passive income.

Maximize your earnings—get started with Coinbase today and start staking your crypto.

3. Earning Interest

Coinbase lets you earn interest on some of your crypto holdings. Just hold these assets in your account, and watch your crypto grow over time.

Advanced Trading with Coinbase Pro

For those with more trading experience, Coinbase Pro provides lower fees and advanced trading tools. Learn how to trade efficiently using features like market charts, limit orders, and stop losses to enhance your profits.

Coinbase Earn: Learn and Earn

With Coinbase Earn, you can earn free cryptocurrency by learning about different projects. Watch educational videos and complete quizzes to receive crypto rewards—an easy way to diversify your holdings with no risk.

Coinbase Affiliate Program

Promote Coinbase using their affiliate program. Share your unique referral link (like this one: Earn commissions with Coinbase), and earn a commission when new users sign up and make their first trade. It’s a fantastic opportunity for bloggers, influencers, or anyone with an audience interested in crypto.

Want to boost your income? Join the Coinbase Affiliate Program now and start earning commissions.

Coinbase Referral Program

You can also invite friends to join Coinbase and both of you can earn bonuses when they complete a qualifying purchase. It’s a win-win situation that requires minimal effort.

Conclusion

Coinbase is an excellent platform for making money in the cryptocurrency world, offering various ways to earn through trading, staking, and affiliate marketing. Explore all its features to maximize your earnings.

Ready to dive in? Sign up today and start earning with Coinbase.

[coolreallifes]

How to Choose the Best Broker for Stock, Forex, and Crypto Trading in 2024?

Navigating the world of trading can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to selecting the right broker to meet your trading requirements. Whether you’re interested in stocks, forex, or cryptocurrencies, the choice of broker can significantly impact your trading experience and success. In this post, we’ll explore the key factors to consider when choosing a broker and introduce you to ForexJudge.com, a reliable resource that offers comprehensive reviews and detailed analysis of the world’s best brokers.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Broker

Regulation and Security:

Ensure the broker is regulated by a reputable financial authority. Regulation provides a level of security and oversight, protecting you from fraudulent activities.

Look for brokers that offer robust security measures, including encryption and two-factor authentication, to safeguard your funds and personal information.

Trading Platform:

A good trading platform should be user-friendly, reliable, and equipped with essential tools for analysis and trading.

Consider whether the platform offers mobile compatibility if you plan to trade on-the-go.

Fees and Commissions:

Compare the fees and commissions charged by different brokers. Lower fees can significantly enhance your profitability, especially if you trade frequently.

Be aware of hidden fees, such as withdrawal charges, inactivity fees, or charges for additional services.

Range of Assets:

Ensure the broker offers the range of assets you’re interested in trading. If you plan to diversify your portfolio, choose a broker that provides access to stocks, forex, and cryptocurrencies.

Some brokers specialize in specific asset classes, so make sure your chosen broker aligns with your trading preferences.

Customer Support:

Reliable customer support is crucial, especially if you encounter issues with your account or trading platform. Look for brokers that offer multiple support channels, including live chat, phone, and email.

Check reviews to gauge the quality and responsiveness of the broker’s customer service.

Education and Resources:

Many brokers offer educational resources such as tutorials, webinars, and market analysis. These resources can be invaluable, especially for beginners.

A broker that provides regular market updates and trading insights can help you stay informed and make better trading decisions.

How ForexJudge.com Can Help

With so many brokers available, making an informed choice can be challenging. This is where ForexJudge.com comes in. ForexJudge is a trusted platform that has compiled detailed reviews and analysis of the world’s best brokers. By providing comprehensive information and user feedback, ForexJudge helps traders make well-informed decisions.

Detailed Broker Reviews

ForexJudge offers in-depth reviews of brokers across various asset classes, including stocks, forex, and cryptocurrencies. Each review covers critical aspects such as regulation, fees, trading platforms, and customer support. By reading these reviews, you can gain valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of different brokers, helping you choose the one that best meets your needs.

User Feedback and Ratings

In addition to expert reviews, ForexJudge features user feedback and ratings. This community-driven aspect allows traders to share their experiences and provide honest assessments of brokers. This real-world feedback can offer a clearer picture of what to expect and help you avoid potential pitfalls.

Regular Updates and Alerts

The trading world is dynamic, with brokers frequently updating their services, fees, and policies. ForexJudge keeps you informed with regular updates and alerts, ensuring you have the latest information at your fingertips. This proactive approach helps you stay ahead of the curve and make timely decisions.

Making the Final Decision

When choosing a broker, it’s essential to consider your trading goals, risk tolerance, and preferred asset classes. By leveraging the resources available on ForexJudge, you can make a well-informed decision that aligns with your trading strategy.

Steps to Follow:

Identify Your Needs:

Determine what you want to trade (stocks, forex, crypto) and what features are most important to you (low fees, robust platform, educational resources).

Research and Compare:

Use ForexJudge’s detailed reviews and user feedback to compare different brokers. Pay close attention to factors such as regulation, fees, and customer support.

Test the Platform:

Many brokers offer demo accounts. Use these to test the trading platform and ensure it meets your needs before committing real funds.

Start Small:

When you choose a broker, start with a small investment to test the waters. As you gain confidence and experience, you can increase your trading capital.

Conclusion

Choosing the right broker is a crucial step in your trading journey. By considering factors such as regulation, fees, trading platforms, and customer support, you can make an informed choice that enhances your trading experience.

For a reliable resource in your broker selection process, turn to ForexJudge.com. With its comprehensive reviews, user feedback, and regular updates, ForexJudge provides the insights you need to make the best decision for your trading needs.

Happy trading, and may your investments be fruitful!

[blubberquark]

Why Not Write Cryptography

I learned Python in high school in 2003. This was unusual at the time. We were part of a pilot project, testing new teaching materials. The official syllabus still expected us to use PASCAL. In order to satisfy the requirements, we had to learn PASCAL too, after Python. I don't know if PASCAL is still standard.

Some of the early Python programming lessons focused on cryptography. We didn't really learn anything about cryptography itself then, it was all just toy problems to demonstrate basic programming concepts like loops and recursion. Beginners can easily implement some old, outdated ciphers like Caesar, Vigenère, arbitrary 26-letter substitutions, transpositions, and so on.

The Vigenère cipher will be important. It goes like this: First, in order to work with letters, we assign numbers from 0 to 25 to the 26 letters of the alphabet, so A is 0, B is 1, C is 2 and so on. In the programs we wrote, we had to strip out all punctuation and spaces, write everything in uppercase and use the standard transliteration rules for Ä, Ö, Ü, and ß. That's just the encoding part. Now comes the encryption part. For every letter in the plain text, we add the next letter from the key, modulo 26, round robin style. The key is repeated after we get tot he end. Encrypting "HELLOWORLD" with the key "ABC" yields ["H"+"A", "E"+"B", "L"+"C", "L"+"A", "O"+"B", "W"+"C", "O"+"A", "R"+"B", "L"+"C", "D"+"A"], or "HFNLPYOLND". If this short example didn't click for you, you can look it up on Wikipedia and blame me for explaining it badly.

Then our teacher left in the middle of the school year, and a different one took over. He was unfamiliar with encryption algorithms. He took us through some of the exercises about breaking the Caesar cipher with statistics. Then he proclaimed, based on some back-of-the-envelope calculations, that a Vigenère cipher with a long enough key, with the length unknown to the attacker, is "basically uncrackable". You can't brute-force a 20-letter key, and there are no significant statistical patterns.

I told him this wasn't true. If you re-use a Vigenère key, it's like re-using a one time pad key. At the time I just had read the first chapters of Bruce Schneier's "Applied Cryptography", and some pop history books about cold war spy stuff. I knew about the problem with re-using a one-time pad. A one time pad is the same as if your Vigenère key is as long as the message, so there is no way to make any inferences from one letter of the encrypted message to another letter of the plain text. This is mathematically proven to be completely uncrackable, as long as you use the key only one time, hence the name. Re-use of one-time pads actually happened during the cold war. Spy agencies communicated through number stations and one-time pads, but at some point, the Soviets either killed some of their cryptographers in a purge, or they messed up their book-keeping, and they re-used some of their keys. The Americans could decrypt the messages.

Here is how: If you have message $A$ and message $B$, and you re-use the key $K$, then an attacker can take the encrypted messages $A+K$ and $B+K$, and subtract them. That creates $(A+K) - (B+K) = A - B + K - K = A - B$. If you re-use a one-time pad, the attacker can just filter the key out and calculate the difference between two plaintexts.

My teacher didn't know that. He had done a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation about the time it would take to brute-force a 20 letter key, and the likelihood of accidentally arriving at something that would resemble the distribution of letters in the German language. In his mind, a 20 letter key or longer was impossible to crack. At the time, I wouldn't have known how to calculate that probability.

When I challenged his assertion that it would be "uncrackable", he created two messages that were written in German, and pasted them into the program we had been using in class, with a randomly generated key of undisclosed length. He gave me the encrypted output.

Instead of brute-forcing keys, I decided to apply what I knew about re-using one time pads. I wrote a program that takes some of the most common German words, and added them to sections of $(A-B)$. If a word was equal to a section of $B$, then this would generate a section of $A$. Then I used a large spellchecking dictionary to see if the section of $A$ generated by guessing a section of $B$ contained any valid German words. If yes, it would print the guessed word in $B$, the section of $A$, and the corresponding section of the key. There was only a little bit of key material that was common to multiple results, but that was enough to establish how long they key was. From there, I modified my program so that I could interactively try to guess words and it would decrypt the rest of the text based on my guess. The messages were two articles from the local newspaper.

When I showed the decrypted messages to my teacher the next week, got annoyed, and accused me of cheating. Had I installed a keylogger on his machine? Had I rigged his encryption program to leak key material? Had I exploited the old Python random number generator that isn't really random enough for cryptography (but good enough for games and simulations)?

Then I explained my approach. My teacher insisted that this solution didn't count, because it relied on guessing words. It would never have worked on random numeric data. I was just lucky that the messages were written in a language I speak. I could have cheated by using a search engine to find the newspaper articles on the web.

Now the lesson you should take away from this is not that I am smart and teachers are sore losers.

Lesson one: Everybody can build an encryption scheme or security system that he himself can't defeat. That doesn't mean others can't defeat it. You can also create an secret alphabet to protect your teenage diary from your kid sister. It's not practical to use that as an encryption scheme for banking. Something that works for your diary will in all likelihood be inappropriate for online banking, never mind state secrets. You never know if a teenage diary won't be stolen by a determined thief who thinks it holds the secret to a Bitcoin wallet passphrase, or if someone is re-using his banking password in your online game.

Lesson two: When you build a security system, you often accidentally design around an "intended attack". If you build a lock to be especially pick-proof, a burglar can still kick in the door, or break a window. Or maybe a new variation of the old "slide a piece of paper under the door and push the key through" trick works. Non-security experts are especially susceptible to this. Experts in one domain are often blind to attacks/exploits that make use of a different domain. It's like the physicist who saw a magic show and thought it must be powerful magnets at work, when it was actually invisible ropes.

Lesson three: Sometimes a real world problem is a great toy problem, but the easy and didactic toy solution is a really bad real world solution. Encryption was a fun way to teach programming, not a good way to teach encryption. There are many problems like that, like 3D rendering, Chess AI, and neural networks, where the real-world solution is not just more sophisticated than the toy solution, but a completely different architecture with completely different data structures. My own interactive codebreaking program did not work like modern approaches works either.

Lesson four: Don't roll your own cryptography. Don't even implement a known encryption algorithm. Use a cryptography library. Chances are you are not Bruce Schneier or Dan J Bernstein. It's harder than you thought. Unless you are doing a toy programming project to teach programming, it's not a good idea. If you don't take this advice to heart, a teenager with something to prove, somebody much less knowledgeable but with more time on his hands, might cause you trouble.

[cyberstudious]

Free Resources for Learning Cybersecurity

I created this post for the Studyblr Masterpost Jam, check out the tag for more cool masterposts from folks in the studyblr community!

Free Online Courses

Linux Foundation Cybersecurity Courses - many of their beginner/introductory courses are free

Professor Messer's Security+ Course - a great intro to cybersecurity, gave me the skills to pass my Security+ exam

Khan Academy Cryptography - solid foundations for understanding the math behind encryption

ISC2's new entry level cert & training CC is free, although for a limited time

Linux Journey - learn Linux, the command line, and basic networking

Free CTFs & Ways to Practice

What is a CTF? - HackTheBox isn't a free platform, but this is a good article explaining what a CTF is and how to approach it

OverTheWire Bandit - practice your Linux skills

PicoCTF - this one already ran this year but their website has plenty of resources

Microcorruption - binary exploitation challenges

Hacker101 - web security CTF

Cryptopals Cryptography Challenges

Nightmare - binary exploitation & reverse engineering challenges

Cybersecurity News: follow what's happening in the industry

KrebsOnSecurity - security & cybercrime news, investigative journalism

SANS StormCast - daily 5-minute security news podcast

SANS Internet Storm Center - security blog posts

Cisco Talos blog - security news, threat intelligence & malware investigations

Schneier on Security - security & society

Black Hills Information Security webcasts

Darknet Diaries podcast

Other Free Resources

Trail of Bits's CTF Field Guide

PicoCTF Resources and Practice

SANS Cheat Sheets - all areas of security & tech

OWASP Cheat Sheets - application security & web attacks

LaurieWired's YouTube channel - high-quality videos on low-level tech

LiveOverflow's YouTube channel - binary exploitation

SANS Webinars

Cybersecurity Certifications Roadmap

Cybersecurity Job Supply and Demand Map (for the U.S.)

EFF's Surveillance Self-Defense - guides for how to protect yourself online

Don't Forget the Library!

If you have access to a public or school library, check out their technical books and see what they have to offer. O'Reilly and No Starch Press are my favorite publishers for technical and cybersecurity books, but be on the lookout for study guides for the Security+ and other certifications - these will give you a good introduction to the basics. I wrote more about cybersecurity books in yesterday's masterpost.

[exnori]

Giveaway Exnori

Discover Exnori.com’s Exclusive Bonus Program: Get 0.31 BTC with Promo Code!

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Getting started with Exnori.com has never been more rewarding. By entering our special promo code, you can receive a bonus of 0.31 BTC directly into your account. Here’s how you can claim this fantastic offer:

Sign Up: If you’re new to Exnori.com, create an account by completing our quick and easy registration process.

Verify Your Account: Ensure your account is verified to qualify for the bonus. This step is crucial for maintaining the security and integrity of our platform.

Enter the Promo Code: During the account setup or in your account settings, enter the promo code provided. Make sure to double-check the code for accuracy.

Receive Your Bonus: Once the promo code is applied, you will see 0.31 BTC credited to your Exnori.com account.

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**1. **Secure and Reliable: We prioritize the security of your assets and personal information with advanced encryption and multi-factor authentication.

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[warningsine]

All right, since I bombarded a poor mutual yesterday...

Privacy is not security and security is not privacy. These terms are not interchangeable, but they are intrinsically linked.

While we're at this, anonymity =/= security either. For example, Tor provides the former, but not necessarily the latter, hence using Https is always essential.

It is impossible to have privacy without security, but you can have security without privacy.

A case in point is administrators being able to view any data they want due to their full-access rights to a system. That being said, there are ethics and policies that usually prevent such behavior.

Some general tips:

Operating System: Switch to Linux. Ubuntu and Linux Mint are widely used for a reason. Fedora too. And don't worry! You can keep your current operating system, apps and data. If you're on a Mac computer, you can easily partition your hard drive or SSD by using Disk Utility. If you're on Windows, you can follow this guide.

You want to go a step further? Go with Whonix or Tails. They're Linux distributions as well, but they're both aiming for security, not beauty so the interface might not be ideal for everyone. Many political activists and journalists use them.

You want anonymity? Then you need to familiarize yourself with Tor. Also, Tor and HTTPS and Tor’s weaknesses. When you're using it, don't log in to sites like Google, Facebook, Twitter etc. and make sure to stay away from Java and Javascript, because those things make you traceable.

Alternatives for dealing with censorship? i2p and Freenet.

Is ^ too much? Welp. All right. Let's see. The first step is to degoogle.

Switch to a user-friendly browser like Firefox (or better yet LibreWolf), Brave or Vivaldi. There are plenty of hardened browsers, but they can be overwhelming for a beginner.

Get an ad blocker like Ublock Origin.

Search Engine? StartPage or Duckduckgo. SearXNG too. Like I said degoogle.

Get a PGP encrypted e-mail. Check Protonmail out.

There's also Tutamail that doesn't cover PGP, but uses hybrid encryption that avoids some of the cons of PGP.

Skiff mail is also a decent option.

Use an e-mail aliasing service such as SimpleLogin or AnonAddy.

Check OpenPGP out. Claws Mail is a good e-mail client for Windows and Linux, Thunderbird for Mac OS.

Gpg4win is free and easy to use for anyone that wants to encrypt/decrypt e-mails.

Instead of Whatsapp, Facebook messenger, Telegram etc. use Signal for your encrypted insant messaging, voice and video calls.

Get a metadata cleaner.

Get a firewall like Opensnitch, Portmaster or Netguard which can block Internet for trackers.

Alternatively, go with a private DNS that blocks these trackers. NextDNS is a good paid service. Rethink a good free option.

Replace as many of your applications as you can with FOSS (free and open source) ones. Alternativeto can help you.

Always have automatic updates on. They are annoying af, I know, but they are necessary.

Keep your distance from outdated software.

Always have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled.

Do not use your administrator account for casual stuff. If you're on Linux, you probably know you can be sudo, but not root.

On Linux distributions use AppArmor, but stay away from random antivirus scanners. Other distributions default to SELinux, which is less suited to a beginner.

Never repeat your passwords. If you can't remember them all, use a password manager like KeePass.

Encrypt your drive.

Honestly, VPNs have their uses and ProtonVPN, Mullvad and Windscribe are decent, but eh. If you don't trust your ISP, why would you trust the VPN provider that claims they don't log you when you can't verify such a thing?

[motleyfolk]

Web Bookmark List

Cataloguing important, fun or interest websites I’ve come across over the years. Trying to add most of these to internet archive. * = use F11 for best experience.

Last updated: 13/12/23

Internet Safety, Privacy, Rebellion

Frontpage - Tldr of different sites or services terms of service. Has browser addon.

Disroot - Project promoting the ability to communicate on the internet in a decentralized, private and open way. They have a browser, video and voice call apps, temporary upload storage, and more.

De-google-ify Internet - Like the above but cute graphics, french and no vpn.

12ft Ladder - F u paywalls

Info On How To Definitely Avoid Torrenting

Little Sis -  A free database detailing the connections between powerful people and organizations. Who do the wealthiest Americans donate their money to? Where did White House officials work before they were appointed?

Article of Journalist Trying To Completely Cut Amazon From Her Life But Its Literally Not Possible

Internet Archive - Legendary Archive of the Internet

Yesterweb - Community about how the internet has changed, advocating for positive interactions and self expression on the internet.

Stop Using Chrome Help

Wii Gay, U Crimes & Three Gay, New Crimes - If you have a wii, wii u or 3ds click this

Digital Wellbeing - Stuff on adblocks, alt browsers, just not getting tracked

Toffeeshare - Share files free, encrypted, no size limit.

SingleFile - Browser addon, downloads pages/sites at .html

Masterpost on How To Be a Pirate and Where Its Safe To Sail

Good Academic Research Sites

How To Get Music Without Subscriptions, Anyway You Want

Dark Pattern Games - Game review site that tells you about tactics games use, giving lists of bad games that use said tactics, and good ones that don’t.

DIY Feminist Cybersecurity - Simple guide to travesing the internet and tech safely, protecting yourself and your privacy.

Data Hoarding in the Modern Age - Intro guide on data hoarding.

Resources

How To Change Cursor

Itchi.io - Steam for indie games, ttrpgs, books and assets. So much cool (and free) stuff.

blinkie maker - Make your own blinkie

WebZine01 - Zine on making a personal website from scratch for absolute beginners and Another

Old Games Download - What it says on the tin.

Old Web Themes - Like above

Noclip - View and clip through tons of old game maps (like Mario Kart Wii!)

Free Movies, Books, Shows & Audiobooks

Photomosh - Free picture editior

The Spriters Resource - PNG sprites from tons of gaming sources.

Backgrounds with Emma - Tons of repeating backgrounds

EzGIF - My go to gif editor, webp to anything and quick pic cropper/editor.

Internet Archive - My beloved <3 Arching webpages, books, movies, software and making it available to the public. One of the most important websites of the internet.

Catbox - Free image/video sharing resource. Simple and 200mb limit.

Fraidycat - RSS Feed. If you don’t know what that is, it’s where you can congrate things like a specific tumblr users posts, blog posts, a youtuber, a wikipedia page, etc are updated in your own personal curated newsfeed with no ads of clutter. All your internet in one place :)

Smithsonian Open Access - Millions of free images.

Can I Play That? - Guides/reviews for those that need accessibility in games.

Graphics

The Blinkie Hoard - Tons of blinkies 

pixelbank - Graphics

murderscene - Dark pixels

SORAHANA - Japenese artist has tons of cute pixel art for stuff

@pixel-soup - Tons of cute graphics

cinni’s dream home - More cute graphics

Trash Paradise - Cool, mythical graphics

Spirit Cellar’s Horror Zone - Has some horror blinkies and stamps to the side.

Backgrounds with Emma - Tons of repeating backgrounds

Masterlist banners

Pattern Banners

Important

List of Atrocities Commit by the United States Government/Country

Article on Companies That Publicaly Supported Abortion Rights but Funded Anti-Abortion Politicians by The Guardian.

The Anarchist Library - Archive of over 800 pages of Anarchist Literature

Survive Nature - Info on wilderness and urban survival skills

Article on US Courts Sending People to “Rehab Centres” ThatS Actually Chicken Factory Slavery for Fortune 500 Companies

Wiki Page on Unethical Human Experimentation in the United States

Canadian Aboriginal Children Starved in Government Experiments during 1940s

National Security Archive - Archive of declassified US Gov documents and investigative journalism into rising government secrecy. 

Anti Capitalism Facts/Info

[theplushfrog]

Hey so, I haven't seen much about this on here, but a GREAT resource for protesters, ESPECIALLY protesters who might be targeted by signal jamming cell phones.

Meshtastic is a totally open source project that basically enables radio wave texting. Think walkie-talkies but better and with texting. It's been catching on especially in Europe, but has been growing in popularity all over.

The devices use line-of-sight connections, but the fun part is that your messages can also piggy back other devices in the area to get a bigger reach (while your message stays encrypted). So the more devices in an area, the bigger signal you can use.

These are perfect for protests, concerts, hiking, or other situations where your cell signal might end up useless.

Most meshtastic devices connect via bluetooth to your phone, so you can text on your phone with the app, making it super easy to send & receive messages in a way you're already used to. There are also ones with their own keyboards so it's a fully contained texting device.

The system is totally open source, which means if you're techy, you can put together your own device for like $30-40 at cheapest. If you're not about soldering wires or 3D printing your own stuff, you can often grab these at $60-70 at cheapest. Some examples here. Just make sure you're getting one that is setup for the legal radio frequencies you can use in your country.

Right now a lot of the documentation is written for people who previously used ham radios, or are just techy sorts, so it get confusing fast, but it's quickly becoming more beginner user friendly and really is a great resource for people wishing to buck the system or have a backup system in case of emergencies.

Right now you can check out and see if there's anyone around you who have shared the location of their meshtastic nodes on these maps.

If you want more info, of course check out the meshtastic website, but there's also plenty of youtube tutorials that can help you out as well as the meshtastic discord where you can find a lot more help.

[ogxfuturetech]

The Comprehensive Guide to Web Development, Data Management, and More 

Introduction 

Everything today is technology driven in this digital world. There's a lot happening behind the scenes when you use your favorite apps, go to websites, and do other things with all of those zeroes and ones — or binary data. In this blog, I will be explaining what all these terminologies really means and other basics of web development, data management etc. We will be discussing them in the simplest way so that this becomes easy to understand for beginners or people who are even remotely interested about technology.  JOIN US

What is Web Development? 

Web development refers to the work and process of developing a website or web application that can run in a web browser. From laying out individual web page designs before we ever start coding, to how the layout will be implemented through HTML/CSS. There are two major fields of web development — front-end and back-end. 

Front-End Development 

Front-end development, also known as client-side development, is the part of web development that deals with what users see and interact with on their screens. It involves using languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the visual elements of a website, such as buttons, forms, and images. JOIN US

HTML (HyperText Markup Language): 

HTML is the foundation of all website, it helps one to organize their content on web platform. It provides the default style to basic elements such as headings, paragraphs and links. 

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets):  

styles and formats HTML elements. It makes an attractive and user-friendly look of webpage as it controls the colors, fonts, layout. 

JavaScript :  

A language for adding interactivity to a website Users interact with items, like clicking a button to send in a form or viewing images within the slideshow. JOIN US

Back-End Development 

The difference while front-end development is all about what the user sees, back end involves everything that happens behind. The back-end consists of a server, database and application logic that runs on the web. 

Server: 

A server is a computer that holds website files and provides them to the user browser when they request it. Server-Side: These are populated by back-end developers who build and maintain servers using languages like Python, PHP or Ruby. 

Database:  

The place where a website keeps its data, from user details to content and settings The database is maintained with services like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB. JOIN US

Application Logic —  

the code that links front-end and back-end It takes user input, gets data from the database and returns right informations to front-end area. 

Why Proper Data Management is Absolutely Critical 

Data management — Besides web development this is the most important a part of our Digital World. What Is Data Management? It includes practices, policies and procedures that are used to collect store secure data in controlled way. 

Data Storage –  

data after being collected needs to be stored securely such data can be stored in relational databases or cloud storage solutions. The most important aspect here is that the data should never be accessed by an unauthorized source or breached. JOIN US

Data processing:  

Right from storing the data, with Big Data you further move on to process it in order to make sense out of hordes of raw information. This includes cleansing the data (removing errors or redundancies), finding patterns among it, and producing ideas that could be useful for decision-making. 

Data Security:  

Another important part of data management is the security of it. It refers to defending data against unauthorized access, breaches or other potential vulnerabilities. You can do this with some basic security methods, mostly encryption and access controls as well as regular auditing of your systems. 

Other Critical Tech Landmarks 

There are a lot of disciplines in the tech world that go beyond web development and data management. Here are a few of them: 

Cloud Computing 

Leading by example, AWS had established cloud computing as the on-demand delivery of IT resources and applications via web services/Internet over a decade considering all layers to make it easy from servers up to top most layer. This will enable organizations to consume technology resources in the form of pay-as-you-go model without having to purchase, own and feed that infrastructure. JOIN US

Cloud Computing Advantages:  

Main advantages are cost savings, scalability, flexibility and disaster recovery. Resources can be scaled based on usage, which means companies only pay for what they are using and have the data backed up in case of an emergency. 

Examples of Cloud Services: 

Few popular cloud services are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. These provide a plethora of services that helps to Develop and Manage App, Store Data etc. 

Cybersecurity 

As the world continues to rely more heavily on digital technologies, cybersecurity has never been a bigger issue. Protecting computer systems, networks and data from cyber attacks is called Cyber security. 

Phishing attacks, Malware, Ransomware and Data breaches: 

This is common cybersecurity threats. These threats can bear substantial ramifications, from financial damages to reputation harm for any corporation. 

Cybersecurity Best Practices:  

In order to safeguard against cybersecurity threats, it is necessary to follow best-practices including using strong passwords and two-factor authorization, updating software as required, training employees on security risks. 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) represent the fastest-growing fields of creating systems that learn from data, identifying patterns in them. These are applied to several use-cases like self driving cars, personalization in Netflix. 

AI vs ML —  

AI is the broader concept of machines being able to carry out tasks in a way we would consider “smart”. Machine learning is a type of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that provides computers with the ability to learn without being explicitly programmed. JOIN US

Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: some common applications include Image recognition, Speech to text, Natural language processing, Predictive analytics Robotics. 

Web Development meets Data Management etc. 

We need so many things like web development, data management and cloud computing plus cybersecurity etc.. but some of them are most important aspects i.e. AI/ML yet more fascinating is where these fields converge or play off each other. 

Web Development and Data Management 

Web Development and Data Management goes hand in hand. The large number of websites and web-based applications in the world generate enormous amounts of data — from user interactions, to transaction records. Being able to manage this data is key in providing a fantastic user experience and enabling you to make decisions based on the right kind of information. 

E.g. E-commerce Website, products data need to be saved on server also customers data should save in a database loosely coupled with orders and payments. This data is necessary for customization of the shopping experience as well as inventory management and fraud prevention. 

Cloud Computing and Web Development 

The development of the web has been revolutionized by cloud computing which gives developers a way to allocate, deploy and scale applications more or less without service friction. Developers now can host applications and data in cloud services instead of investing for physical servers. 

E.g. A start-up company can use cloud services to roll out the web application globally in order for all users worldwide could browse it without waiting due unavailability of geolocation prohibited access. 

The Future of Cybersecurity and Data Management 

Which makes Cybersecurity a very important part of the Data management. The more data collected and stored by an organization, the greater a target it becomes for cyber threats. It is important to secure this data using robust cybersecurity measures, so that sensitive information remains intact and customer trust does not weaken. JOIN US

Ex: A healthcare provider would have to protect patient data in order to be compliant with regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) that is also responsible for ensuring a degree of confidentiality between a provider and their patients. 

Conclusion 

Well, in a nutshell web-developer or Data manager etc are some of the integral parts for digital world.

As a Business Owner, Tech Enthusiast or even if you are just planning to make your Career in tech — it is important that you understand these. With the progress of technology never slowing down, these intersections are perhaps only going to come together more strongly and develop into cornerstones that define how we live in a digital world tomorrow. 

With the fundamental knowledge of web development, data management, automation and ML you will manage to catch up with digital movements. Whether you have a site to build, ideas data to manage or simply interested in what’s hot these days, skills and knowledge around the above will stand good for changing tech world. JOIN US

[healthyblas]

Choosing the right VPN in 2024 is crucial for online privacy, speed, and security. ExpressVPN leads with fast speeds and top-tier encryption, ideal for streaming and secure browsing. NordVPN offers double encryption for maximum privacy, while Surfshark stands out with its budget-friendly plans and unlimited connections. CyberGhost provides an easy-to-use interface, perfect for beginners, and Private Internet Access (PIA) offers highly customizable security features for tech enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for performance, privacy, or affordability, these VPNs have you covered for a safer online experience in 2024.

Looking for the best VPN to secure your online experience? Dive deeper into our detailed reviews and expert comparisons on the top VPNs of 2024. Read More

[sniffanimal]

if you're relatively new to offering commissions, here's some red flags from clients that might indicate you're potentially being scammed. these aren't foolproof, and the person could be genuine, but proceed with caution if you notice these things. also feel free to reblog with any other red flags you know of

If the way the person talks makes it seem like they're not actually familiar with your art. For example, if you draw digital icons, but the person is asking about frames and shipping costs. Or if you're a furry artist but they want a portrait of their human normie partner, etc.

If they give you a budget that's way higher than your usual asking price. I know lots of beginners and even seasoned veterans undercharge, but if you're offering $10 sketches and someone comes up and says their budget is $500, they might be trying to scam you

They offer to pay in a format other than what you take. If you only work through PayPal invoice but they want to pay by money order, gift cards, by a different e-banking system, or with crypto.

If they overpay up front, usually by a lot of money. This scam involves them asking for the difference to be sent back to them. They get their refund, but the original payment then bounces, leaving you broke.

If you don't conduct work over email, but someone somehow gets your email and reaches out to you. Never click links sent from suspicious emails. Also, if they insist on talking over an encrypted chat when that is not how you usually conduct your business.

If they refuse to pay up front. I've never encountered a client that didn't feel comfortable with some up front payment/deposit. If they're worried about you scamming them, it's valid to be worried that they're scamming you.

If the commission request *feels* like it's commercial work but was commissioned as personal work, such as the piece feels like they're asking for a logo, or mascot design, but they didn't disclose that. It's common practice in the industry to charge extra for commercial work, be sure to have something in a TOS about that.

If you have a TOS but it's clear they haven't read it, such as asking questions answered in it. Please have a TOS, even if it's simple. Setting boundaries and expectations with your art is worth it.

and the last thing I can think of, if it feels like hyperspecific fetish art and you're not comfortable taking a kink commission, you're allowed to refuse service. I have seen minors tricked into drawing fetish art, or people uncomfortable with drawing NS/F//w works be tricked into it. I have been myself. I charge extra for adult works, and hiding it to avoid paying the charge is scummy and creepy.

[bestrummygameapp]

Discover the Best Rummy Game Experience with Hukum Ka Ikka

Rummy is one of the most beloved card games in the world, offering a perfect blend of strategy, skill, and excitement. Whether you're a seasoned player or a beginner looking to learn the ropes, finding the right platform to play rummy can make all the difference. Hukum Ka Ikka has quickly emerged as a leading choice for rummy enthusiasts, offering the best rummy game experience online. In this blog, we’ll explore why Hukum Ka Ikka stands out as the top destination for playing rummy and how it can elevate your gaming experience.

What Makes Hukum Ka Ikka the Best Rummy Game Platform?

1. Seamless User ExperienceHukum Ka Ikka is designed with the player in mind, providing a seamless and intuitive user interface that makes navigating the platform a breeze. Whether you're accessing the game on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop, the interface is optimized for smooth and hassle-free gameplay. With easy-to-use controls and a visually appealing design, Hukum Ka Ikka ensures that your focus remains on the game, not on figuring out how to play it.

2. Variety of Rummy Game Formats Hukum Ka Ikka offers a wide range of rummy game formats to cater to all types of players. Whether you prefer Points Rummy, Pool Rummy, or Deals Rummy, you’ll find it all here. The platform also offers both free and cash games, allowing you to choose how you want to play. This variety ensures that there’s something for everyone, whether you're looking for a quick game or a more in-depth rummy session.

3. Play with Real PlayersOne of the key features that make Hukum Ka Ikka the best rummy game platform is the opportunity to play with real players from across the globe. This adds an element of unpredictability and excitement to the game, as you’ll be competing against other skilled players in real-time. The multiplayer mode not only makes the game more engaging but also allows you to improve your skills by playing against a diverse range of opponents.

4. Secure and Fair GameplayWhen it comes to online gaming, security and fairness are paramount. Hukum Ka Ikka takes these aspects seriously, employing advanced encryption technologies to safeguard your personal information and financial transactions. The platform also uses certified Random Number Generator (RNG) software to ensure that every card dealt is completely random, providing a fair gaming environment for all players.

5. Exciting Rewards and PromotionsHukum Ka Ikka knows how to keep the excitement alive by offering a variety of rewards and promotions. From welcome bonuses for new players to daily and weekly promotions for regular users, there are plenty of opportunities to boost your winnings. The platform also hosts regular rummy tournaments, where you can compete for larger cash prizes and test your skills against the best in the game.

Tips for Mastering the Best Rummy Game on Hukum Ka Ikka

To truly enjoy and excel at rummy on Hukum Ka Ikka, keep these tips in mind:

Learn the Rules: Before diving into a game, make sure you understand the rules of the rummy variant you're playing. This will help you make informed decisions during gameplay.

Practice Regularly: Like any other skill-based game, practice is key to improving your rummy skills. Play regularly to familiarize yourself with different strategies and tactics.

Observe Opponents: Pay attention to the moves of your opponents. Understanding their strategies can give you an edge and help you anticipate their next moves.

Manage Your Bankroll: Set a budget for your gaming sessions and stick to it. This will help you play responsibly and enjoy the game without financial stress.

Conclusion

Hukum Ka Ikka offers the best rummy game experience online, combining a user-friendly platform, a variety of game formats, and a secure gaming environment. Whether you're in it for the thrill of competition or the joy of strategic gameplay, Hukum Ka Ikka provides everything you need to enjoy rummy to the fullest. Sign up today, and discover why Hukum Ka Ikka is the go-to platform for rummy enthusiasts around the world.

[wolveswatchspace]

A Beginner’s Guide to Buying Replica Watches: What to Look For

Replica watches offer an exciting way to enjoy the elegance and sophistication of luxury timepieces without the hefty price tag. However, navigating the world of replica watches can be daunting for beginners. At WolvesWatch.com, we believe in helping you make informed decisions. Here’s a comprehensive guide on what to look for when buying replica watches.

1. Understand the Different Grades of Replica Watches

Replica watches come in various grades, each with different levels of quality and detail. The primary grades include:

Low-Quality Replicas: Often made from cheap materials with poor craftsmanship. These are easily identifiable as fakes.

Mid-Grade Replicas: Better materials and improved craftsmanship, but still lack the fine details and precision.

A5 Replicas: High-quality replicas with exceptional materials, craftsmanship, and details. These are nearly indistinguishable from the originals.

For the best experience, aim for A5 replicas, which offer the closest match to genuine luxury watches.

2. Examine the Materials

The quality of materials used in a replica watch is a significant indicator of its overall quality. Look for:

Case Material: High-quality replicas use stainless steel or gold plating that matches the original.

Crystal: Sapphire crystal is used in premium replicas for scratch resistance and clarity.

Strap/Bracelet: Genuine leather or high-quality metal bracelets are signs of a well-made replica.

3. Check the Movement

The movement of the watch is its engine. A good replica should have a reliable movement that offers accurate timekeeping. There are two main types of movements:

Quartz: Battery-operated and often found in lower-priced replicas. They are accurate but lack the prestige of mechanical movements.

Automatic/Mechanical: These movements are more desirable in high-quality replicas. They mimic the intricate mechanisms of genuine luxury watches.

4. Pay Attention to Details

High-quality replicas pay meticulous attention to details. Look for:

Logo Placement: Ensure the logo is correctly placed and matches the original in size and style.

Dial Markers: Check the alignment, size, and font of the dial markers.

Engravings: Quality replicas have precise and clean engravings, matching the original.

5. Weight and Feel

A good replica watch should have a substantial weight, similar to the genuine article. The watch should feel solid and well-constructed when worn. Light, flimsy watches are a red flag for poor quality.

6. Research the Seller

Not all replica watch sellers are created equal. Research the seller’s reputation before making a purchase:

Reviews and Testimonials: Check customer reviews and testimonials to gauge satisfaction and reliability.

Customer Service: Reliable sellers offer excellent customer service and clear communication.

Return Policy: Ensure the seller has a return policy in case the watch does not meet your expectations.

7. Compare Prices

While price should not be the sole determinant, it can be an indicator of quality. Extremely low prices often signal low-quality replicas. Compare prices across different sellers to understand the market rate for high-quality replicas.

8. Secure Payment Methods

When purchasing online, ensure the seller uses secure payment methods to protect your financial information. Look for SSL encryption and reputable payment gateways.

Why Choose WolvesWatch.com

At WolvesWatch.com, we specialize in high-quality A5 replicas, ensuring our customers receive the best in terms of materials, craftsmanship, and accuracy. Here’s why you should choose us:

Extensive Selection: We offer a wide range of replicas from top brands like Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet.

Quality Assurance: Every watch undergoes rigorous quality control checks to meet our high standards.

Customer Support: Our dedicated customer service team is always ready to assist with any queries or concerns.

Secure Shopping: We prioritize your security with encrypted transactions and secure payment gateways.

Navigating the world of replica watches can be challenging, but with the right knowledge and careful consideration, you can find a high-quality replica that offers the elegance and prestige of luxury timepieces. Start your journey with confidence at WolvesWatch.com and discover a world of affordable luxury.

[sweetheartstan]

Uhhhhh so... bloons am I right? Alright, talked about it last post, and I actually do intend on following up on the silliness that is me talking about towers and their strengths and weaknesses, both 'cause it is indeed actually quite fucking fun AND I get to hear myself talk for awhile, so a win win really. Just know I probably won't do this very often, mostly because of how goddamn complicated this all is. Bloons isn't the deepest Tower Defence game out there, but there's still a lot to talk about with each towers, like crosspathing and synergies with other towers, and that takes a lot of brainpower for me because I am not smart in the slightest!

As some notes before I jump into all this, I wanna say that I am NOT a bloons expert. I play BTD6 pretty regularly and can play it well, but I am the type who still struggles with elite bosses (I'm bad at farming). I do however play a ton on CHIMPS, and I'm MOSTLY gonna be talking about the towers in the context of CHIMPS games. That doesn't mean I'll talk about them only in that context, but know that is the main perspective I am speaking of any tower on. I also wanna note that when I say late game, I mean Rounds 80-100, and I'll use the term "aftergame" for anything post 100.

That said, Dart Monkey! Silly creature, and suprsingly a very good tower overall! The biggest positive I can give Dart Monkey overall is how fucking cheap the bastard is, being the cheapest tower in the game to place down. Aside from middle path, you aren't really gonna be breaking the bank to get T5's (Or T4's) with the little fella. They are also great in the early game no matter what path you go, though I personally think one is the obvious pick of the bunch.

That cheapness wouldn't really matter too much if the tower didn't have good damage it could deal and honestly, only one path is kinda consistently good at that? Not to devalue the other paths or say they don'tdo at least alright damage, but there's one specific path with Dart that's very apparent in being the best in most situations, due to how well it carries into late game and it being relatively cheap for how fucking powerful it is. It's ironically its biggest weakness in my eyes, but I'll get to that momentarily; got two other paths to talk about afterall.

Top Path Dart sucks in most situations!

It's big draw (aside from being the cheapest of the three paths) is that it increases the pierce of the darts before lobbing spiked balls of death at the bloons, with each upgrade letting the ball last longer, before the T5 makes it a giant ball that explodes into smaller balls upon hutting any obstacle/the edge on the screen. I think the biggest positive is that the path overall is super cheap and is good at early game defense, and could even crush Round 63 in the right circumstances. It's also a god at smashing cermrics, seemingly making them evaporate on touch, can pop all bloon types (minus camo) with just a 500, and has some excellent pierce to it. However, there's a lot of issues with said path.

The tower does NOT scale well to later rounds on most maps. It's alright at dealing with anything but MOAB class bloons, so it starts drowning as the game goes on. It just doesn't have the raw damage to keep up overtime. It also plays best when it's placed with at the end of a straight line, which while that works out well on beginner maps, it's basically almost impossible to find on some harder maps, meaning it's gonna fail about and pray that it can hit something.

On top of that, the whole "breaking out into more balls" gimmick the 5xx Dart has is basically useless on basically all maps, due to the balls bursting in cone formation, meaning the balls quickly spread out and do almost no additional damage to shit like MOABs.

There are some positives though. This tower, if used on a map that's really inclosed (like Cornfield or Encrypted), can fucking DEMOLISH almost anything that gets near it. That cone shape doesn't matter too much in a small location, and combine that with it constantly shooting? The damage does actually quite stack up and makes it a real damn threat. It's a very situational tower in that regard, being only really good on a handful of maps, but man does it makes those maps it's bitch.

As for crosspathing, objectively speaking, Middle is 99% of the time the best way to go with this one. Sure it can't hit camo, but that's nothing some other monkeys can't help with (or just use a village). A 502 is viable in certain situations (ie its your main defence but you can’t get a village near it), but just go with faster attack speed if you really wanna melt some fuckers.

The biggest positive/negative about Top Path is its situational uses. On certain maps, it will fuck up the bloons in worse ways than the other two paths can ever dream of. On basically every other map, the other two paths are fucking LEAGUES better than it. It's really only a tower I can recommend only if you are using it on certain maps... with that said, I love this path all the same. Is it bad? Mostly yes. Is it fucking fun to use? HELL YEAH IT IS. Nothing more satisfying than seeing this really mediocre tower shread through higher layered bloons like its nothing. Personally, I think this path is very fun to use in a "can I get away playing like this?" sort of way, where you try to push yourself to the limit. And as one final positive, it's dirt cheap for a T5! Only around 18K on Hard pricing iirc, so it won't even really break the bank to get.

Overall, Top Path Dart is a guilty pleasure of mine, but can be a legitimately great tower on the right map. I wouldn't really seriously recommend it otherwise, but maybe use it to have some fun once in awhile. Could be a nice shake up to most of the bog standard strats.

I'll cover the middle path sometime later, this was a lot more writing than I expected tbh. I hope yall enjoyed reading this. If I got anything wrong or you didn't like reading it for whatever reason, I will NOT be taking criticism! (I am joking please tell me if I fucked up or how I could do better, love this sort of thing).

Thanks for reading, yall the real ones :3c