Greetings all, finding information or interpreting it is quite a challenge for spearfishing in Portugal.
Question is:
Are you allowed to Spearfish in the following Natural Parks?
Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina
Natural Park of Arrábida
Natural Park of the North Coast
Natural Reserve of Berlengas
I got my license and the way its worded is a bit unclear: ¿ The exercise of fishing on board in the marine areas included in the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina, in the Natural Park of Arrábida, in the Natural Park of the North Coast, and in the Natural Reserve of Berlengas is authorized from Thursday to Monday and on public holidays, this restriction does not apply between June 1 and September 30.
As above statement does not include spearfishing and some random websites states that its not allowed...
P.S. if you have recommendations around Sagres for shore dive if above is allowed do let me know :D
Thank you in advance!

Still doubting with Ryan Cohen’s capability to turn a challenge into an opportunity? This is the guy that founded Chewy, sold for $3.35 billion, then IPO’d as a $17 billion dollar public company. With strong competition in the landscape, he was able to provide competitive differentiation for the business to succeed.
I came across this podcast from the Harvard Business Review. It is a case-study that demonstrates his capabilities as a leader to tackle challenges during his time at Chewy. He had to make difficult choices for the company to keep on growing, and made them he did.
Disclaimer: None of this is financial advice, just some old ape who has been around for 84 years doing some research on his management style.
From the podcast, some things that made Ryan Cohen and Chewy stood out were:
1. Differentiation by providing a personal touch
In a world where ecommerce competition is fierce, how do you differentiate a company providing a commodity such as pet food?
When asked how Chewy differentiates itself from the likes of Amazon, Ryan replied: “Last year we wrote five million handwritten notes to our customers”.
They even write to customers who have lost their pets. That’s some deep customer obsession… some deep fucking value to customers. Treat your customers right, and they'll treat you right.
2. Premiumization of the product
People who humanize their pets tend to spend more on them. You know, those who like to dress them up on halloweens or take pets with them on luxury hotels and spas.
Pets got “humanized” to the point that customers can buy food that pass as being called “human-grade”. Once you get past the beef heart, the rest of the ingredients look yum. Organic, grass feed, mmmm… better than eating crayons.
Provide premium quality products, and you’ll have repeat paying cusotmers. Coupled with a service that comes with personal touch, these are repeat customers that bring value back to the business.
3. Growth by making tough choices
It came to a point where Chewy’s third party logistics provider (3PL) couldn’t keep up with the growth of the business. The 3PL knew something about ecommerce, but had issues dealing with large bulky items. Packages became wet, packed haphazardly, and jammed conveyer belts.
The board wanted to slow down growth because they wanted to maintain a good relationship with their 3PL. Why rock the boat if the status-quo can be maintained?
Ryan had something else in mind. He had to sit down with his board of directors to tell them their 3PL isn’t keeping up pace with their growth. Things had to change. It was in a situation where he wanted to save the company with a well-defined path forward, but none of the options looked attractive. It was a tough choice to make in the presence of high ranking board members.
Jumping in with both feet in the process, in-sourcing the fulfilment capability gave Chewy the opportunity to run logistics in-house, learn the process, and keep up with the growth of the company. In-sourcing their capability also changed logistics from a variable cost to a fixed cost. It was a gamble, but a smart gamble. Vertical integration baby.
Now, this is just a case-study. Past performance is not an indicator of future results, but this shows the type of character Ryan as a leader and the business he is capable of building. This CEO knows a thing or two about building business and growing it, so chill. Just chill. Have a little faith. Or not. It's your own choice to make.
I don’t have enough wrinkles in my brain to get a fancy MBA degree, but here’s a thought...
GME can always move to the personal pet-rock business, then sell human-grade rock food powered by in-house logistics.

"What distinguished the Indian system from that of the ancient Western world is the absence of slavery. The caste system made formal slavery unnecessary in ancient India." - from The Two Classes of the Four-Fold Caste System, by Sudheer Birodkar.

In Nikken's Threefold World, which is "the world of unenlightened beings who transmigrate within the Six Paths" ** [Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity and Heaven] ... the 3rd chapter describes the structure of Nikken's World of Animality.

Table of Contents

1. Notable Purges In History
2. Stalin And The Moscow Trials
3. The Wider Purge
4. The Purge You Didn't Notice
5. Obayashi As First Kulak
6. Definition of Animality (Chikusho)
7. Getting Some Help
8. The Survivor Gita

1. Notable Purges In History

From the Wikipedia ... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purge)
In the era of Republican Rome, Marius proscribed Sullan supporters after he and Cinna ousted Cnaeus Octavius; Sulla followed with even more brutal proscriptions against Marian supporters when he came into the dictatorship. The Second Triumvirate instituted more proscriptions some forty years afterward after taking control of Rome from Caesar's murderers.
The earliest use of the term itself was the English Civil War's Pride's Purge. In 1648, the moderate members of the English Long Parliament were purged by the army. Parliament would suffer subsequent purges under the Commonwealth including the purge of the entire House of Lords. Counter- revolutionaries such as royalists were purged as well as more radical revolutionaries such as the Levellers. After the Restoration, obstinate republicans were purged while some fled to New England.
The French Revolution saw revolutionary factions purging each other. The most famous purge was Robespierre's Terror which ended with him being purged as well. After the fall of Napoleon, all those associated with revolutionary activity were purged.
Purges are often associated with the Stalinist and Maoist regimes. Those who were purged (among them artists, scientists, teachers, people in the military, but also many long-time communists who dared to disagree with the party leadership) were sent to labor camps or executed. The most notorious purge was the Great Purge initiated by Joseph Stalin during the 1930s. Deng Xiaoping was known for the distinction of returning to power multiple times after surviving multiple purges.
The Nazis also engaged in purges, most notably in the Night of the Long Knives (1934) and the mass reprisals against Adolf Hitler's opponents following the July Plot (1944).
Of these kinds of purges, the purge most likely surrounding a shaky succession [like the hand-off of the imaginary Transfer Box, between Nikken Abe 67th and Nichinyo/Gikan Hayase 68th] ... is the Stalinist Purge.

2. Stalin And The Moscow Trials

From the Wikipedia ... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great\_Purge)

Between 1936 and 1938 three Moscow Trials of former senior Communist Party leaders were held. The defendants were accused of conspiring with the western powers to assassinate Stalin and other Soviet leaders, dismember the Soviet Union and restore capitalism.

Thus, accusations of dealings with the Soka Gakkai or the Reform Priests, whether true or not, become sufficient proof to render one of the priests, vulnerable to a purge.

The first trial was of 16 members of the so-called "Trotskyite-Zinovievite Terrorist Centre," held in August 1936, at which the chief defendants were Grigory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev, two of the most prominent former party leaders. All were sentenced to death and executed.

The accusations of misconduct are immaterial. The clearing out of opposition to the changes being brought about in the next stage, which is the consolidation of power, will affect anyone who is not a complete and utter minion of the power elite.

The second trial in January 1937 involved 17 lesser figures including Karl Radek, Yuri Piatakov and Grigory Sokolnikov. Thirteen defendants were shot, the remainder received terms of imprisonment in labor camps where they soon died.
The third trial, in March 1938, included 21 defendants alleged to belong to the so-called "Bloc of Rightists and Trotskyites," led by Nikolai Bukharin, former head of the Communist International, former Prime Minister Alexei Rykov, Christian Rakovsky, Nikolai Krestinsky and Yagoda. All the leading defendants were executed.
There was also a secret trial before a military tribunal of a group of Red Army generals, including Mikhail Tukhachevsky, in June 1937.
Some Western observers who attended the trials said that they were fair and that the guilt of the accused had been established. They based this assessment on the confessions of the accused, which were freely given in open court, without any apparent evidence that they had been extracted by torture or drugging.
The British lawyer and MP Denis Pritt, for example, wrote: "Once again the more faint-hearted socialists are beset with doubts and anxieties," but "once again we can feel confident that when the smoke has rolled away from the battlefield of controversy it will be realized that the charge was true, the confessions correct and the prosecution fairly conducted."
It is now known that the confessions were given only after great psychological pressure had been applied to the defendants. From the accounts of former OGPU officer Alexander Orlov and others the methods used to extract the confessions are known: repeated beatings, torture, making prisoners stand or go without sleep for days on end, and threats to arrest and execute the prisoners' families. For example, Kamenev's teenage son was arrested and charged with terrorism. After months of such interrogation, the defendants were driven to despair and exhaustion.

Once the political enemies are finished off, the sense of relief in everyone else who is a "Survivor" is palpable.
This relief is short-lived, however. The worst has not yet begun.

3. The Wider Purge

Eventually almost all of the Bolsheviks who had played prominent roles during the Russian Revolution of 1917, or in Lenin's Soviet government afterwards, were executed. Out of six members of the original Politburo during the 1917 October Revolution who lived until the Great Purge, Stalin himself was the only one who survived. Four of the other five were executed. The fifth, Leon Trotsky, went into exile in Mexico after being expelled from the Party but was murdered by a Soviet agent in 1940. Of the seven members elected to the Politburo between the October Revolution and Lenin's death in 1924, four were executed, one (Tomsky) committed suicide and two (Molotov and Kalinin) lived. Of 1,966 delegates to the 17th Communist Party congress in 1934 (the last congress before the trials), 1,108 were arrested and nearly all died.
The trials and executions of the former Bolshevik leaders were, however, only a minor part of the purges ...
While kulaks were "liquidated as class", on July 30, 1937 the NKVD Order no. 00447 was issued, directed against "ex-kulaks" and "kulak helpers", among other anti-Soviet elements, see NKVD troika. This order was notable in several respects, becoming a blueprint for a number of other actions of NKVD targeting specific categories of people.

The Kulak's worst crime was of being competent in commerce. Their ability to do commerce on the local level was the possible seed for a counter-revolution. Therefore, they had to go.

A series of national operations of the NKVD was carried out during 1937-1940, justified by the fear of the fifth column in the expectation of war with "the most probable adversary", i.e., Germany, as well as according to the notion of the "hostile capitalist surrounding", which wants to destabilize the country. Polish operation of the NKVD was the first of this kind, setting an example of dealing with other targeted minorities. Many such operations were conducted on a quota system. NKVD local officials were mandated to arrest and execute a specific number of "counter-revolutionaries," produced by upper officials based on various statistics. .

So, in the end, the thing that threatens an incompetent elite that wields power ... is any competent sub-group that does not.
And a competent sub-group that can be crushed, MUST be crushed. The drive to crush the potential threat is overwhelming. Any vehicle will do, and most likely the one that does the job finally, is only the last in a series of failed attempts. And that ultimate successful subjugation is done with a vengeance.

4. The Purge You Didn't Notice

There was a purge done in Nichiren Shoshu that you may have only partly noticed.
Of course, there was the embarrassing growth and success of the competent Soka Gakkai, that showed the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood for the negligent and lazy parasites that they were. Then, specious charges were flung at President Ikeda, which didn't do it at first, then later something stuck well enough, and the Soka Gakkai was purged completely in the hope that some would submit, but the numbers of cowards and traitors to the Law itself, were too small. Those purges were ineffectual because of the strength and core determination of the membership to do Kosen Rufu.
But that's not the purge that I'm talking about.
The purge that I'm talking about was completely effective and was done IN PLAIN SIGHT, but went unrecognized for what it was.
Only now, in the light of the story of the missing Transfer Box, which is the heritage of the High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu, is it possible to understand the methods and purpose of the seemingly insane actions of Nikken Abe, the 67th High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu.
Now, for the first time, the truth can be seen for what it is !!!
Only the Transfer Box could give Nikken an unchallengable hold on the past, present and the future of the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood. Without it, his hold would remain tenuous, and his legacy of control, insecure.
In the prologue to the book "The Self-Appointed High Priest", is recorded only the FIRST effort to retrieve the Transfer Box by the false High Priest two days after the death of the previous High Priest Nittatsu, by attempting to extract it from Nittatsu's family in the person of his son-in-law Sugano.
After that failure to retrieve the Transfer Box, and in a pattern of terrorist actions that only the mind of Nikken Abe and the Al Qaeda commander of Iraq, Zarqawi, could understand ... the legacy of Nittatsu Shonin the 66th High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu was destroyed, piece by piece, until the last and greatest piece, the Sho Hondo, was the last remaining hostage that Nikken Abe held a knife to the throat of. True to his brother Zarqawi, Nikken acted grimly, as the butcher he is.
Without ever going public, the Hosoi sons and Nittatsu's son-in-law watched in horror as Nikken Abe unspeakably reduced every edifice and every single cherry tree that Nittatsu ever built or planted to rubble and kindling, and yet they would not give up the one thing that Nikken would destroy everything for, the legitimizing possession of the Transfer Box for Nichiren Shoshu.
And they were right not to, for having gained possession of the Transfer Box, Nikken would have had to proceed to do the exact same series of actions, so as not to appear guilty of extortion. And of course, there is the evil joy of gloating over subjugated victims, by teaching them a lesson in persistent determination.
So, this is real reason why the Sho Hondo had to go.
The Soka Gakkai was not even part of it !! We were just some extra pieces on the Go playing board.
Atari !!!

5. Obayashi As First Kulak

Someone finally perceived the threat that Obayashi, as head of the Overseas Bureau, posed to any succession of the High Priest. As a competent and corrupt head of a network of priests around the world, any small set of temples in Japan could be joined with the network under his control and that would be seen as Nichiren Shoshu. Indeed, after the departure of several temples in Japan to the reform movement, that clearly IS NICHIREN SHOSHU !!
Thus, whither goest the Overseas Bureau, goest Nichiren Shoshu.
This was too much of a threat and so in August, 2 months after the publishing in English of "The Self-Appointed High Priest", and 3 months before the announcement of Nikken's handover of the High Priest's position to Gikan Hayase, Obayashi got canned in a forced retirement. And this was a castration to Nichijyun Fujimoto's hopes for an after-succession coup d'etat. [He's speaking in a subdued and higher pitch now, I'll wager.]
And Obayashi was replaced at the head of the Overseas Bureau by a handsome fellow (clearly the recipient of the eye operation), who is unconnected by any close family ties, and who can be easily controlled or disposed of.
[This introduces an inherent weakness and inefficiency in the organization. But control isn't everything, it's the ONLY thing.]
Having lost three temples in court challenges when the Transfer Box could not be produced, Nichiren Shoshu is now in trouble and must seize the remaining temples under close family control, before any more important temples are lost.
Shiba in San Francisco and Kawabe in Washington were only the ignorable beginning. It is only a matter of a very brief time before all the major temples not now under the control of the extended group of the 6 clans (Hayase, Abe/Takanos, Ishii, Kimura, Imano) ... will be brought under direct control of family members.
The window of opportunity for the exodus of those vulnerable, non-family priests in those temples is quickly closing.
However, the issue of the Transfer Box being published in Japanese and now in English, makes a successful court challenge possible and even likely for both Overseas Bureau temples and Nichiren Shoshu temples in Japan, for the first time. This is precisely BECAUSE it is internationally public and cannot be hidden any more from the view of non-Japanese eyes.
Now is the time to take your temple over to the other side. After the consolidation, it will be too late. Then the next and closer consolidation will occur, as the old Hokikai faction finally reaps the benefits of a century of maneuvering ...

6. Definition of World of Animals (Chikusho)

From the SGI Dictionary:
http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/dic/Content/W/46#para-0
world of animals ［畜生界］ (Jpn chikushō-kai): Also, realm of animals or world of animality. The third of the Ten Worlds and one of the three, and the four, evil paths. When viewed as a state of life, the world of animals is a condition governed by instinct, in which one has no sense of reason or morality. Beings or persons in this world stand in fear of the strong but despise and prey upon those weaker than themselves. In The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, Nichiren defines the characteristic of this world as "foolishness," which is one of the three poisons.

7. Getting Some Help

If you are a Nichiren Shoshu Priest, or a Hokkeko member from anywhere in the world, and are thinking about switching to the SGI call (310) 260-8900 or contact the Headquarters at SGI Plaza.
Tell them that you are a Nichiren Shoshu Priest or Hokkeko member, and wish to speak to someone about the SGI, and what to do.

8. The Survivor Gita

Nikken, the self-appointed Usurper King of the Rats at Taisekiji, has been replaced by Nichinyo, who is an angry member of the elite, due to too many blows to the head in fights. A little punchy, he rules from weakness, since Nikken publicly had plans for his son to take over.
One thing that is known for certain: There will be a new Rat King. And then there will be another.
Another thing that is known for certain: All the alliances will change, and more than once. Anyone that has watched Survivor knows this.
Rule Number Zero:
The War of the Rodents can only be won by ... King Rat.
More to come ... These questions will be answered !!!

• RVNL stock jumps 4% after receiving two new work orders from CR and BMRCL worth ₹532 Crore
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intended major: psych
demographics: south asian female, INTERNATIONAL STUDENT APPLYING FROM INDIA, also in a private boarding schoollll if that matters somehow
budget: tuition budget is around 18k usd annually so will require aid
sat: 1500 (will retake in august)
grades: don't have a gpa but i did igcse for 9-10th and my grades were:

1. business studies A*
2. economics: A
3. accounting: A
4. environmental studies: A
5. english as a first language: A
6. spanish as a second language: A
7. extended mathematics: B

then i'm currently doing IBDP (6 subjects + core requirements for those who don't know) with a predicted of 40/42
awards and ecs: (intentionally somewhat vague)
• cambridge ICE distinction
• finalist for northeastern university essay competition (4000+ participants)
• intern at india's largest life insurance public sector company for 1 month (assisted with customer inquiries and learned how to create an analytical report)
• volunteer at a ngo with ~ 240 hours (span of 1.5 years)
• volleyball captain (9th and 10th) then volleyball vice captain (11th-12th) of varsity team
• student instructor and volunteer for an event (taught 300 kids aged 3-10 different sports)
•dance (9th-12th) performed at multiple school assemblies and annual days
•member of club (raised awareness about waste segregation in 30 elementary classes and implemented a campaign where we put separate bins and all that)
• paid esl tutor of children in my neighbourhood (9th grade and 10th grade- i was in the same school then but was not living in the boarding house it's hard to explain)
• interned at a major hospital under a psychiatrist for 1 week
•certified student volunteer for violence against women campaign
• working on more!!
essays: idk yet working on it cos applying at the end of this year cos jan deadlines (might also apply ed tho idk) :)
LOR: psych teacher (9/10) we're rlly tight💪🏼 others idk yet
unis i'm applying: for the us i haven't fully decided definitive list yet but maybe these: 1. yale 2. columbia 3. Upenn 4. umich 5. uc berkeley (omg dream) 6. nyu 7. UChicago 8. northwestern 9. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 10. UCSD 11. UCLA 12. UC irvine 13. boston university 14. give suggestions for more !!

Ryan Cohen, as CEO of GameStop, along with the board of directors, has been granted significant authority to manage the company's investment portfolio, including the ability to invest in equities. Here are the key points and implications:
Authority to Invest Company Funds

1. New Investment Policy:

• On December 5, 2023, GameStop's board of directors approved a new investment policy that permits the company to invest in equity securities, not just short-term debt
• This policy grants Ryan Cohen, as CEO and Chairman, full control over GameStop's investment portfolio. He can manage these investments similarly to how he manages his personal holdings

1. Scope of Authority:

• Cohen has the authority to invest GameStop's funds in the same companies where he holds personal investments, aligning his interests with those of the company
• The board can also approve non-conforming investments and modify the investment policy in consultation with Cohen

Ethical and Legal Considerations

1. Conflict of Interest:

• This arrangement raises significant concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Cohen could prioritize investments that benefit his personal portfolio over those that are in the best interest of GameStop and its shareholders

1. Insider Trading Risks:

• Given Cohen's access to material non-public information, there is a risk of insider trading if he uses this information to benefit both his personal and the company's investments

1. Corporate Governance:

• Good corporate governance practices require transparency and accountability. Allowing Cohen to invest company funds in stocks where he has personal stakes could undermine these principles and erode investor confidence

Historical Precedents

1. Director Fraud:

• Historical cases of director fraud involve directors using company funds for personal gain, leading to significant legal repercussions and loss of investor trust
• Examples include CEOs who engaged in insider trading, embezzlement, and other forms of corporate fraud, often resulting in prison sentences

1. Regulatory Scrutiny:

• Companies and their executives have faced regulatory scrutiny and legal action for similar practices. The SEC and other regulatory bodies closely monitor such activities to prevent misuse of company funds and protect investors

Conclusion
Ryan Cohen and the GameStop board have the authority to use company funds to invest in equities, including those where Cohen has personal investments. While this policy aims to align Cohen's interests with those of the company, it raises significant ethical and legal concerns, particularly regarding conflicts of interest and potential insider trading. Historical precedents highlight the risks and potential consequences of such practices, emphasizing the need for strict corporate governance and regulatory oversight to protect shareholder interests.
Now I can understand why he is doing back to back offerings to raise cash. He is a genius.

Hi all! The Global Talent Visa criteria are not 100% clear to me, so could you clarify the difference in the criteria?
I would appreciate any help explaining the difference in the criteria as I am already confused.
There is a mandatory criterion:

You led the growth of a product-led digital technology company, product, or team inside a digital technology company, as evidenced by reference letter(s) from leading industry expert(s) describing your work, or as evidenced by news clippings, lines of code from public repositories, or similar evidence.

There is also an optional criterion 3:

How do I demonstrate that I have made a significant technical, commercial, or entrepreneurial contribution to the field as a founder, senior executive, board member, or employee of a product-led digital technology company?

Both criteria are about the impact you have had on the company.

Example: I have participated/am participating as a leader (software engineer) in creating a product and several modules for other products for a digital technology company, which increased product demand, competitiveness, and reduced employee time for certain tasks. 

I want to attribute this to the mandatory criterion, but can you explain if I can also use this for criterion OC3? Can I attach different pieces of evidence for the same project in both Mandatory and Optional categories?
For example, evidence could include:

1. A letter from the head of the department/stream about my merits, including assistance in expanding the team by 2 valuable people.
2. Screenshots from chats with thanks for the work done on projects.
3. Employment contract with salary information (compared to salaries in my region).
4. Screenshots with repository statistics on GitHub, showing that I am the main contributor.
5. Possibly some charts and statistics.

There will also be a recommendation letter from a leading industry expert who works in this company with me and is in a higher position.
Please explain, using these examples, which evidence should go where and how they are generally distributed.
What else can be added as evidence for these criteria?

Hi all! The Global Talent Visa criteria are not 100% clear to me, so could you clarify the difference in the criteria?
I would appreciate any help explaining the difference in the criteria as I am already confused.
There is a mandatory criterion:

You led the growth of a product-led digital technology company, product, or team inside a digital technology company, as evidenced by reference letter(s) from leading industry expert(s) describing your work, or as evidenced by news clippings, lines of code from public repositories, or similar evidence.

There is also an optional criterion 3:

How do I demonstrate that I have made a significant technical, commercial, or entrepreneurial contribution to the field as a founder, senior executive, board member, or employee of a product-led digital technology company?

Both criteria are about the impact you have had on the company.

Example: I have participated/am participating as a leader (software engineer) in creating a product and several modules for other products for a digital technology company, which increased product demand, competitiveness, and reduced employee time for certain tasks. 

I want to attribute this to the mandatory criterion, but can you explain if I can also use this for criterion OC3? Can I attach different pieces of evidence for the same project in both Mandatory and Optional categories?
For example, evidence could include:

1. A letter from the head of the department/stream about my merits, including assistance in expanding the team by 2 valuable people.
2. Screenshots from chats with thanks for the work done on projects.
3. Employment contract with salary information (compared to salaries in my region).
4. Screenshots with repository statistics on GitHub, showing that I am the main contributor.
5. Possibly some charts and statistics.

There will also be a recommendation letter from a leading industry expert who works in this company with me and is in a higher position.
Please explain, using these examples, which evidence should go where and how they are generally distributed.
What else can be added as evidence for these criteria?

Before diving into the details, we have some exciting news! If you are thinking about participating in a cybersecurity hackathon, look no further. Where U Elevate, in collaboration with CCOE and DSCI, is hosting a fantastic Great AppSec Hackathon where you can boost your Cybersecurity skills and stand a chance to win a prize of 10 lac. Now, let's explore what happens in a cybersecurity hackathon.
Cybersecurity hackathons are events where participants come together to solve real-world security challenges. These hackathons can vary greatly in terms of their focus, structure, and objectives. Understanding the different types of cybersecurity hackathons can help you choose the right one for your skills and interests. Here’s a detailed look at the various types of cybersecurity hackathons and what they entail.
1. Capture the Flag Hackathons
Capture the Flag (CTF) hackathons are among the most popular and well-known types of cybersecurity hackathons. These events are typically structured as competitions where participants solve a series of security-related challenges to capture digital "flags."
Key Features:

• Challenges: Participants face a variety of challenges, including cryptography, reverse engineering, web security, and binary exploitation.
  
• Scoring: Points are awarded for each flag captured. The team or individual with the most points at the end of the event wins.
  
• Skill Levels: CTFs can range from beginner to advanced, making them accessible to participants with different skill levels.
  

Example: DEF CON CTF, one of the most prestigious CTF competitions, challenges participants with a wide range of advanced cybersecurity problems.
2. Bug Bounty Hackathons
Bug bounty hackathons are events where participants search for vulnerabilities in software, websites, or applications. The goal is to identify security flaws that could be exploited by malicious actors.
Key Features:

• Scope: Organizers define the scope, including which systems or applications are to be tested.
  
• Rewards: Participants earn rewards based on the severity and impact of the vulnerabilities they discover.
  
• Real-World Impact: The findings from these hackathons are often used to improve the security of the tested systems.
  

Example: HackerOne frequently organizes bug bounty hackathons where participants can test various companies' applications and earn monetary rewards for valid vulnerability reports.
3. Red Team vs. Blue Team Hackathons
In Red Team vs. Blue Team hackathons, participants are divided into two groups: attackers (Red Team) and defenders (Blue Team). The Red Team attempts to breach the systems, while the Blue Team works to detect and mitigate the attacks.
Key Features:

• Simulation: These hackathons simulate real-world attack and defence scenarios.
  
• Role-Playing: Participants gain experience in both offensive and defensive cybersecurity roles.
  
• Evaluation: Teams are evaluated based on their performance in either breaching or defending the systems.
  

Example: In a corporate setting, a Red Team might simulate a phishing attack, while the Blue Team works to identify and respond to the threat.
4. Thematic Hackathons
Thematic hackathons focus on specific cybersecurity issues or industries, such as healthcare, finance, or IoT (Internet of Things). These events challenge participants to develop solutions tailored to the unique security needs of a particular sector.
Key Features:

• Industry Focus: The challenges are relevant to the specific industry being addressed.
  
• Specialised Knowledge: Participants often need knowledge of the industry’s regulatory requirements and common security challenges.
  
• Innovation: The goal is to develop innovative solutions that can be applied to real-world problems within the industry.
  

Example: A healthcare cybersecurity hackathon might focus on protecting patient data, securing medical devices, or preventing ransomware attacks on hospital systems.
5. Innovation Hackathons
Innovation hackathons encourage participants to create new cybersecurity tools, technologies, or methodologies. These events are less about solving predefined problems and more about fostering creativity and innovation.
Key Features:

• Creativity: Participants have the freedom to develop their own ideas and projects.
  
• Prototyping: The focus is on building working prototypes of new security solutions.
  
• Pitching: Teams often pitch their projects to a panel of judges, who evaluate the innovation and potential impact.
  

Example: A hackathon organised by a tech company might challenge participants to develop a new type of encryption algorithm or a novel intrusion detection system.
6. Cyber Crisis Simulations
Cyber crisis simulation hackathons simulate a large-scale cyberattack, such as a data breach or ransomware outbreak. Participants must respond to the crisis, manage the incident, and mitigate the damage.
Key Features:

• Scenario-Based: The event is based on a realistic cyberattack scenario.
  
• Incident Response: Participants practice incident response procedures, including detection, containment, eradication, and recovery.
  
• Collaboration: These hackathons often involve collaboration between different roles, such as IT, legal, and public relations teams.
  

Example: A simulation might involve a mock ransomware attack on a city’s infrastructure, requiring participants to restore critical services and communicate with stakeholders.
7. Educational Hackathons
Educational hackathons are designed primarily for learning and skill development. These events often include workshops, tutorials, and mentoring sessions alongside the main competition.
Key Features:

• Learning Focus: The emphasis is on education and skill-building rather than competition.
  
• Mentorship: Experienced professionals provide guidance and support to participants.
  
• Workshops: Sessions on various cybersecurity topics, such as ethical hacking, secure coding, and malware analysis.
  

Example: A university-organised hackathon might include workshops on the latest cybersecurity tools and techniques, followed by hands-on practice through challenges.
8. Collaborative Hackathons
Collaborative hackathons bring together participants from different organisations, such as companies, government agencies, and academic institutions, to work on common cybersecurity challenges.
Key Features:

• Cross-Organization Teams: Teams are composed of members from different organisations, promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration.
  
• Shared Goals: The focus is on addressing shared cybersecurity issues that affect multiple stakeholders.
  
• Networking: These events provide opportunities for networking and building professional relationships.
  

Example: A national cybersecurity hackathon might bring together experts from various sectors to work on improving the country’s critical infrastructure security.
9. Capture-the-Flag (CTF) Jeopardy-Style
Jeopardy-style CTF hackathons present participants with a board of challenges across different categories. Each challenge has a point value based on its difficulty.
Key Features:

• Variety of Challenges: Participants choose from a range of challenges, such as forensics, reverse engineering, and web security.
  
• Point System: Teams earn points for solving challenges, with more difficult challenges worth more points.
  
• Strategic Play: Teams must strategize to maximise their points within the time limit.
  

Example: A university CTF event might include challenges on topics like steganography, SQL injection, and password cracking.
10. Corporate Hackathons
Corporate hackathons are organised by companies to solve specific security issues related to their products or services. These events often aim to improve the security posture of the company’s offerings.
Key Features:

• Specific Focus: Challenges are tailored to the company’s needs and products.
  
• Internal and External Participation: Employees, as well as external security researchers, may participate.
  
• Direct Impact: The solutions developed can be directly implemented to enhance the company’s security.
  

Example: A tech company might host a hackathon to find and fix vulnerabilities in their latest software release.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity hackathons come in many shapes and sizes, each offering unique opportunities for learning, collaboration, and innovation. Whether you're interested in solving specific security challenges, developing new tools, or responding to simulated cyber crises, there's a hackathon for you. Understanding the different types can help you choose the right event to match your skills and interests, ensuring a rewarding and enriching experience. Happy hacking!

Hi all, and thanks for all the wonderful help and advice I found on this subreddit whilst planning this trip. We've been home for a little over a month now, and I finally feel like I have some time to post the details of our trip. I'll try to be as detailed as possible, but please feel free to ask questions, and I'll do my best to answer. Just for a little background, we started planning this trip around summefall of 2022. My wife and I are in our early 30s, and our friend who joined us is in her mid-40s. Our friend has traveled extensively, but my wife and I have only had a couple international forays, and this was my first trip to Europe. We're easy going and don't pack a ton of luggage (a carry-on each and one checked bag total). We did a lot of planning up front so we could do more relaxing when we got there. My wife and our friend both have celiac disease, so you can count this post as gluten-free guide to Italy too. Hope you enjoy!
Day 1: Denver to Milan

• We flew business class on Air France. First time flying business. That was pretty rad. (My wife has done a lot of "travel hacking" the last couple years with credit card points, and we saved TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars on this trip in flights and hotels. I won't go into all the details here, but feel free to ask and I'll get the information from her.)
• Just spent the one night in Milan. Took the Malpensa Express train from the airport to Centrale Train Station, then took the metro to a stop near our hotel.
• Hotel Indigo was a super nice boutique hotel right near the old city center.
• We didn't do any museums or tours here. Just enjoyed walking around the sights at night - Piazza del Duomo and Castello Sforzesco were beautiful.
• Had a delicious dinner at Bistro on Corso Magenta.
• Milan Takeaways from our roughly 12 hours here: looks amazing if you like to shop, and there's plenty there for the art/history nerds like myself too. I'd like to check it out more on another trip, but we really just came here because of the great deal we got on the flight.

Day 2: Milan to Venice

• Breakfast at a nice gluten-free bakery called Pan Per Me.
• Explored the city a little more on foot before grabbing our luggage from the hotel and taking the metro back to Centrale Station and boarding our train to Venice.
• Arrived at Venice Saint Lucia Station in the afternoon. We walked our luggage to Hotel Aquarius, which wasn't too bad of a schlep. If you've got a lot of luggage, I'd recommend taking a vaporetto or water taxi rather than hiking it across several bridges and narrow alleys.
• We had drinks at Al Bagolo right by our hotel and met a really entertaining server who we ended up getting a nightcap from every night and making friends.
• Spent the rest of the afternoon just wandering around and getting lost (the best part about Venice) until dinner at OKE Zattere. This restaurant pops up on a lot of gluten-free blogs about Venice. It was decent, but the food didn't quite stand up to the view/setting. We would eat here again though just for the pleasure of being right on the lagoon for sunset.

Day 3: Venice

• Rialto Bridge, Doge's Palace, Saint Mark's Square, Rialto Terrace @ T Fondaco, Dinner at Frary's.
• Definitely a touristy day in the busy areas but worth the crowds. We got into Doge's Palace right as they opened up, and it was amazing. The massive rooms and the frescoes/paintings on the walls and ceilings were unfathomable. The Rialto Terrace thing was an odd experience. Basically we booked a 15 minute time slot to go stand on top of a modern mall right by the Rialto Bridge. The views were incredible and it was free, so definitely worth it, but still felt strange.
• Frary's was arguably one of the best meals we had on the entire trip. A little bit of something for everyone. Off the main path and quaint.

Day 4: Venice

• San Giorgio Campanille, Murano glass blowing demonstration and museum, lunch on Murano, dinner at Ital India.
• This was our first day using the vaporetti. I loved it, but I'm a map and transit nerd who had never been on a train or subway or definitely not a water bus before. Exciting stuff.
• We got to San Giorgio Campanille very early in the morning and had the top of clock-tower to ourselves for a good ten minutes. The views were incredible, and this was definitely a highlight of the trip for my wife. Would recommend for the cheap price of 5 euros a person.
• Murano was super cool, and we really enjoyed both the glass blowing demonstration we saw at Ellegi and the Museo del Vetro. Lunch @ Osteria Al Duomo where I had some delicious mussels in a beautiful shaded garden.
• The Indian food we got for dinner at Ital India was really good, and we found out this was a neat neighborhood of Venice that we enjoyed returning to and getting lost in.

Day 5: Venice

• Museo Correr, Accademia, aimless wandering, dinner at Ae Oche
• Museo Correr was a little disappointing, unless you REALLY like marble busts. I was hoping for a more chronologic historical exhibit of Venice, but it was more like a random smattering of sculptures, arms, and coins throughout Venetian history.
• Not a lot on this day's agenda, but wandering aimlessly and getting intentionally lost was my favorite thing about Venice.
• I had Venetian liver at Ae Oche, which I thought was delicious.
• Venice takeaways: Venice is a contender for our favorite city on this trip, and our hotel definitely helped make it up there. Hotel Aquarius was absolutely beautiful with huge Murano chandeliers and gorgeous artwork. It was located off the main path (but not too far) from the train station to Saint Mark's in a quaint little square/campo which had a few restaurants, a tabbachi, and one of the oldest churches in Venice. Children played soccer in the campo every evening, and we loved sitting on a bench with a nightcap and watching the locals walk their dogs after wandering the city each night. Everyone seems to complain about Venice being extremely touristy and crowded, but just get off the beaten path between the train station - Rialto - Saint Mark's, and there's hardly anyone around. There's something new to discover around every turn, and there are nearly infinite turns to take. We'd go back in a heartbeat.

Day 6: Venice to Arezzo via Florence

• We took the train from Venetia Santa Lucia to Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence. From there, we walked around the corner to the Hertz and rented a car to drive the hour-long trip to our Air-BnB just outside of Arezzo.
• Driving was a little stressful, but all-told not the worst experience in the world. My wife did the driving because she's braver than I am, and she did just fine. We did make the mistake of accidentally going through the Telepass lane when getting on the Autostrade and getting charged for the full length of the toll. Despite our best efforts, we could not figure out how to certify our entry point and had to end up eating a 50 euro toll for what should have been a 5 euro toll. Oh well.
• Our Air-Bnb outside Arezzo was on a working vineyard and absolutely gorgeous.
• We stopped at a local supermarket just a couple miles from our lodging and stayed in for dinner.

Day 7: Arezzo

• Drove into Arezzo and wandered around. Checked out a few churches, the archaeological museum, and the fortress.
• Lunch at Lune de Crepes
• Dinner at the Air-Bnb again, and a lovely sunset stroll around the vineyard.

Day 8: Arezzo

• After a week of travelling, we were ready for a rest day, and conveniently it rained all day. We walked to the grocery store to restock on supplies in the morning before it rained, then just lounged around the Air-Bnb all day.

Day 9: Castiglione del Lago/Cortona/Arezzo

• We drove down to Castiglione del Lago on Lake Trasimeno and checked out the castle there. Pretty awesome views of the lake.
• Next we drove to Cortona, and hiked all the way to the castle at the very top of this village. The church and the castle up top were both very impressive with amazing views of the Tuscan countryside.
• Lastly, we drove into Arezzo for dinner at La Galleria Pizzeria and picked up some amazing desserts and gluten-free goodies at La Bottega di Nana Tonni. My wife could have bought everything in this store/bakery if I would have let her. It's a must-visit for any celiacs visiting Arezzo.
• Tuscan Takeaways: Driving in Italy wasn't too bad. It was much more mountainous and less rolling green hills than I thought it would be. It was nice to be in a more rural setting for one leg of the trip and get to see some not-so-touristy locations. We saw some cool history and sights around the towns, but wish we would've done a more wine-and-food centric itinerary.

Day 10: Arezzo to Salerno via Florence

• We left the Air-Bnb in Arezzo really early to arrive back at the rental car place in Florence right as they opened. We did this because our friend who has more energy than my wife and I combined figured she could catch a train to Pisa and back before our train left Florence for Salerno. She succeeded at doing this and said it was worth it. My wife and I wandered around Florence for the morning and early afternoon. It was busy, but very pretty. I would like to spend more time here actually paying for museums and whatnot on another trip.
• It was about this time that I admitted to myself I was coming down with some sort of illness. I'd had a sore throat since night 2 or 3 in Venice, but I blamed it on the Italian Winstons we bummed from our server friend there. Now, I had woken up with my eyes glued shut and they remained oozing, itchy, and bloodshot for a couple days. I'm only adding these unfortunate details to highlight how I dealt with the Italian healthcare system as a foreigner. I did enough google-diagnosing to convince myself I probably had conjunctivitis (pink-eye) in both eyes, so I found a website called Doctors In Italy. I was able to video chat an english-speaking doctor from the train station in Florence who figured it was just allergies, and prescribed me some nasal spray and Zyrtec. Upon arriving in Salerno, I walked straight to a Farmacia, showed them my prescription and got the meds for less than 20 euro. Later that night, I emailed the doctor and asked if she could prescribe me some antibiotic eye drops in case my eyes were in fact infected. I picked those up for less than 10 euro the next day, but never ended up taking them as I seemed to be on the mend. All in all, it sucked being under the weather while on vacation, but I can't say enough about how easy and affordable it was to navigate the healthcare system (for a minor issue at least).
• We had our first of two Poke dinners this first night in Salerno. It was delicious. I still don't know why Poke is so popular in Salerno, but I was there for it.

Day 11: Salerno/Paestum

• Again, our more adventurous friend took a detour to the ruins at Paestum while my wife and I lazed about the beautiful city of Salerno.

Day 12: Capri

• We took an all-day boat tour along the Amalfi Coast to Capri through a company called Blu Mediterraneo. This was an awesome experience taking in some beautiful scenery. There were only 7 people total on the tour with a max capacity of 12, so it was intimate and laid back. It was a little too chilly yet for swimming, but we had to jump in the blue waters by the Faraglioni just to say we did. Our more adventurous co-traveler spent her three hours on Capri hoofing it from viewpoint to viewpoint while my wife and I took a leisurely stroll up to the city center, then chilled on the beach back down by the marina. We made friends with the other Americans on the tour who got picked up in Amalfi and shared some beers and champagne with them on the return trip.
• Dinner at Frazelli Panzarotto back in Salerno, which had delicous little gluten-free calzones and other fried foods.

Day 13: Vesuvius and Pompeii

• I can't remember the name of the company our friend booked this excursion through. It was a little hectic and crazy, but overall a good experience. We were picked up in a van at the Salerno train station and driven to a tourism company in Pompeii right by the ruins. We were then herded onto a different van and driven up the winding road to Vesuvius. Unfortunately, the mountain top was completely socked in by clouds so we didn't have the best view of the volcano crater itself, but it was pretty cool to look down on Naples and the sea. Vesuvius itself was a fabulous shit-show of a tourist trap with a million vans, taxis, and huge tour buses all dropping off and picking tourists up in a tiny little parking lot. Utter chaos of the type you just have to sit back and chuckle at rather than let it drive you nuts. The ruins at Pompeii were so much more massive and sprawling than I imagined. One could really spend all day here and probably still not see at all.
• We were driven back to Salerno via the same company and had dinner at Salerno Centro Pizza Gourmet, which was amazing and had a lot more than just pizza. Again, very glutenite friendly and delicious.
• Salerno Takeaways: We loved this city for several reasons. It was a lot cheaper and easier to get to than some of the more popular Amalfi Coast towns like Positano or Amalfi. It felt like more of a "lived-in" city and not a complete tourist trap. Its proximity to several cool sights such as Paestum, Capri, Vesuvius, Pompeii, and the Amalfi Coast made it a great base camp for excursions. It felt a lot like Venice with tons of restaurants, shops, and narrow streets. The sea-front park was beautiful, a great spot to have an evening night cap or gelato and do some people-watching as the sun sets. I really enjoyed walking from our Air-Bnb down to a little cafe that faced the sea every morning and having my espresso standing up with the locals.

Day 14: Salerno to Rome

• We took the train from Salerno to Rome Termini Station, then walked to our lodging at Hotel Bolivar. This was "4 star" hotel very centrally located. The room was tiny, and the service wasn't great, but the location was incredible.
• That night we walked to the Trevi Fountain, the Tiber, and the Pantheon.
• We ate at probably our favorite restaurant in Rome called Pantha Rei, right near the Pantheon at the back of dead-end alley. It was splendid.

Day 15: Rome

• The next morning we took the metro to the Vatican for a group tour of the Vatican Museums. It was Italian Liberation Day AND the Pope was speaking in Saint Peter's Square, so the crowds were absolutely insane. The Vatican Museums were truly incredible though. I think you could spend a week there and still not see everything. Not just cool catholic memorabilia, but all sorts of world history and modern exhibits too. Despite feeling like sardines for the 5 hours we were there, it was worth it.
• We planned to see Saint Peter's Square and Basilica after the museums once the Pope's crowd had cleared out, but we didn't have it in us after the crowded museum experience.
• Lunch at Mama Eat Lab was another amazing gluten-free experience.
• That evening we strolled over to the Trevi Fountain again, climbed the Spanish Steps, explored the gardens just north of there, then followed the Tiber to restaurant called Ciao Cecca.

Day 16: Rome

• We did a guided tour of the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Again, the crowds were bonkers, but worth it. Seeing these historical sights was a bucket-list item and absolutely inspiring. I would highly recommend paying for a guided/skip-the-line tour, especially if you're there on a holiday weekend as we were.
• Rome Takeways: Don't go on the holiday weekend that is Italian Liberation Day and Labor Day in one. It was insanely crowded everywhere. We were really glad to see what we got to see, and we probably don't have much reason to go back. Pay for the guided tours. I doubt we would've got into the Vatican or the Coliseum having not paid for them.

In Conclusion: Phew, that was a long synopsis. Hopefully there's one or two of you out there who gathered something useful from it. We thoroughly enjoyed this trip and can't wait to return. Venice and Salerno were definitely our highlights, but the whole country was beautiful. Traveling and navigating public transit were super easy. Learning Italian is absolutely not necessary as every person spoke at least a little English, but I recommend it anyways for fun and to show a little respect. We didn't feel the need to pay for international cell phone service, just downloaded some offline google and avenza maps and snagged wifi when we could. Please feel free to ask any questions!

The Board of Supervisors have been considering a lot of issues relating to local governmental structure and operation over the past week. Check out the June 3rd meeting and the second half of the meeting today, June 10th, if you're out of the loop. Tomorrow (June 11th) they are going to look at possibly changing the hours of operation for the Planning & Building Department, allowing the office to close to the public (that's you) at 2pm.
What does that mean? If the only time you can ever get down there to submit something or ask questions in person is in the later half of the day, you're s.o.l. Keep in mind that on June 3rd the Board of Supervisors approved an allowance for all County departments to close to the public on Fridays if the department's leadership so choose. So these new operating hours for the Planning & Building Department could be in addition to closure on Friday's.
They also don't open to the public until 8:30am every day, and in 2020/2021 during the worst of COVID the department's leadership was proud to be open to the public with normal hours before vaccinations were readily available, putting staff at risk. But I guess now they can limit their public operating hours... because reasons...
Keep in mind, staff will still be there, they just wont talk to you in person.

Hi Spikes,
For some weekend fun I made an MTG set reviewer. It lets you give card ratings, build around / side board ratings, and you can share your set review with others.
https://www.mtgsetreview.com
Here's one I started on my account for mh3 (need to finish the actual reviews lol). Just click on the my review and you can share the url with others it should be public.
https://www.mtgsetreview.com/c6cd3d0c-6f7c-416d-a61a-2f09e904c996_3ed80bb6-77e8-4aa7-8262-95377a38aba1
I just made this for fun, hoping it will make doing your set reviews a little easier and make it easier to share.
Feel free to roast or let me know if you want any specific features.

The Libertarian Party of Colorado (LPCO) will not nominate Chase Oliver & Mike ter Maat as its candidates for President & Vice President
LPCO has always stood firmly for liberty, principled opposition to overreaching government, and the promotion of individual freedoms. Our commitment to these values guides our decisions and actions.
Tonight, the LPCO Board passed a resolution affirming our dedication to these principles by deciding not to submit paperwork to place the Oliveter Maat ticket on the Colorado Presidential ballot.
This decision was not taken lightly, it reflects the will of our delegation which voted NOTA in the final round of voting. and reiterates our deep concern that the national ticket does not align with the values and strategies that the LPCO holds dear.
While Chase Oliver was having a masked and distanced Thanksgiving dinner in 2020, LPCO members were risking fines and jail to have normal, human, illegal Thanksgivings with their friends and families.
While Chase Oliver was saying that "gender-affirming care" is a decision between the parents and the child, LPCO members were pointing out the network of public school officials, public health bureaucrats, and billion-dollar pharmaceutical companies creating a web of perverse incentives to pressure parents and children into irreversible decisions.
While Chase Oliver was silent about alleged Russian collusion, LPCO members were years ahead of the public in identifying the intelligence agencies' creation and the Clinton campaign's funding of the Steele dossier.
While Mike ter Maat was making feeble jokes about former President Trump's New York trial verdict, LPCO members were organizing locally to preserve the rule of law in the face of a nationally unprecedented assault on this fundamental societal underpinning.
The LPCO appreciates their strong antiwar stances, as war is indeed the health of the state. However, the fact remains that these individuals have not understood the regime when it mattered and are therefore unfit to represent our values—they are essentially useful idiots for the regime, and we will not lift one finger to support them.
The LPCO remains committed to leveraging our position to secure concessions that advance liberty, undermine the regime, and build a local bench of elected officials who can eventually win.
We call on the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) to decertify the Oliveter Maat ticket and align with the true principles of liberty that our party stands for. At a minimum, the LNC must allow states to pursue their own electoral strategies to maximize Libertarian outcomes.
We thank our members for their unwavering support and dedication to the cause of liberty. Together, we will continue to fight for a freer Colorado and a freer America.
Source: https://x.com/LPCO/status/1800348419208135136?t=N5uLwFbJdJ2hUnh3c_s_Rg&s=19