No matter how discouraged you feel at the moment, now is the not the time to back down. We have had the lies and deceit laid bare before us. We know the problem, GEOTUS gave us the gift of knowledge. The next round of elections will be upon us very soon, now is the time to fix the problems...not in 6 months...not next week...TODAY. We must act at the state and local level...drain the local and state swamps first. This will be a difficult task...it will require sacrifice.
Let GEOTUS's fire burn inside you as start draining your local swamp. Do NOT back down. Let this day motivate you!!! Good Luck!

Hello fellow Pedes, I know some of you are concerned about your online privacy while browsing in these spying times and want to keep China out of your business. I have shared detailed directions on how to create secure private browsing session. I hope some on you find the information useful.

INSTRUCTIONS:

These instructions will walk through the steps to setup a Virtual Machine with a secure browser.

Follow the instructions to create a master image in in VirtualBox.

Create a clones of this master for either for each browsing session, daily or weekly…your preference.

Delete the clone and create another to ensure your privacy.

VPN Service

You should have a VPN service installed and in use on your host computer. I use PIA...but there are plenty to choose from.

Set up a VM

Install, configure, and launch VirtualBox, https://www.virtualbox.org/ . VMWare or Hyper-V. The instructions here are for VirtualBox but you could use any VM.

**OS Setup ** Download Ubuntu 20.04 Desktop from https://releases.ubuntu.com/20.04/

Within VirtualBox, click on the button labeled 'New'

Provide a name of 'Secure Browser Master'

Choose your desired location to save the machine on your host

Select 'Linux' as the type, and 'Ubuntu 64-bit' as the version

Click Continue

In the Memory size window, move the slider to select 50% of your system memory

Click Continue

Leave the hard disk file type as VDI and click Continue

Select the default option of 'Dynamically allocated' and click Continue

Choose the desired size of your virtual hard drive (20GB+)

Click Create

Click the Settings icon

Click the Storage icon

Click the CD icon which displays 'Empty' in the left menu

Click the small blue circle to the far right in the 'Optical Drive' option

Select 'Choose a Disk File'

Select the Ubuntu 20.04 ISO downloaded previously

Click 'Open' or Choose' if prompted

Click 'OK'

If prompted, Select the Ubuntu iso again

Click 'Start' in menu

Select 'Install Ubuntu'

Select your desired language and location, then click 'Continue'

Select 'Normal Installation', 'Download Updates', and 'Install third party'

Click 'Continue'

Select 'Erase disk and install Ubuntu', then 'Install Now'. Confirm with 'Continue'

Choose your desired time zone and click 'Continue'

Choose a name, user name, computer name, and password for each make it something easy to remember.

Select 'Log in automatically' then 'Continue'

Allow Ubuntu to complete the installation, and choose 'Restart Now'

Click 'Enter' or click on 'Restart Now' until reboot

Remove the Installation media from the VM, if you receive this message

Open setting go to storage and remove the ubuntu iso from the optical drive

Click 'Skip' then 'Next'

Select 'No' and then 'Next' when asked to help improve Ubuntu

Click 'Next' then 'Done' to remove the welcome screen

If prompted to install updates, click 'Remind me later'

In the VirtualBox Menu, select Devices > 'Insert Guest Additions CD Image'

Click 'Run' when the dialogue box pops up, provide your password when prompted, then 'Authenticate'

Once the process is complete, press enter, and shut down the VM (Upper right)

In VirtualBox, select your VM and click 'Settings'

In the 'General' icon, click on the 'Advanced' tab

Change 'Shared clipboard' and Drag n Drop' to 'Bidirectional'

In the 'Display' icon, change the Video Memory to the maximum

In the 'Shared Folders' icon, click the green '+'

Click the dropdown menu under 'Folder Path'

Select 'Other'

Choose a desired folder on your host to share data back and forth

Select the 'Auto-mount' option and then 'OK'

Click 'OK' to close the settings window

Click on Start to restart your Ubuntu VM

In the left dock, right-click and eject the CD

Click the 9 dots (Applications Menu) in the lower left and launch Settings

Click 'Notifications' and disable both options

Click the 'Privacy' option, then click 'Screen Lock' and disable all options

Click 'File History & Trash', then disable the option

Click 'Diagnostics', then change to 'Never'

Click the back arrow and click Power, changing 'Blank Screen' to 'Never'

Click 'Automatic Suspend' and disable the feature

Close all Settings windows

Open and Configure Firefox

Click on the menu in the upper right and select 'Preferences'

In the General options, uncheck 'Recommend extensions as you browse'

In the General options, if present, uncheck 'Recommend features as you browse'

In the Home options, change 'Homepage and new windows' and 'New tabs' to 'Blank page'

In the Privacy & Security options, select the Strict option under Content Blocking

Check the box titled 'Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed'

Uncheck the box titled 'Ask to save logins and passwords for websites'

Change the History setting to 'Firefox will use custom settings for history'

Uncheck the boxes 'Remember browsing and download history' and 'Remember search and form history'

Check the box titled 'Clear history when Firefox closes'

Uncheck 'Browsing history' from the 'Address Bar' menu

In the Permissions menu, click 'Settings' next to 'Location, Camera, Microphone'

Check the box titled 'Block new requests' on each of these options

Uncheck all options under 'Firefox Data Collection and Use'

Uncheck all options under 'Deceptive Content and Dangerous Software Protection'

Close all menus and return to Firefox

Enter 'about:config' into the address field and hit enter

Search and change geo.enabled to FALSE

Search and change browser.safebrowsing.phishing.enabled to FALSE

Search and change browser.safebrowsing.malware.enabled to FALSE

Search and change media.navigator.enabled to FALSE

Search and change dom.battery.enabled to FALSE

Search and change extensions.pocket.enabled to FALSE

Search and change network.trr.mode from 0 to 2

Search and change network.security.esni.enabled from False to True

Search and change media.peerconnection.enabled to FALSE

Search and change media.peerconnection.turn.disable to TRUE

Search and change media.peerconnection.use_document_iceservers to FALSE

Search and change media.peerconnection.video.enabled to FALSE

Search and change devtools.jsonview.enabled to FALSE (If using MJSONViewer below)

Helpful Addons for Firefox

Click the Firefox menu and choose 'Addons'

Search and Install Add-on titled Multi-Account Containers

Search and Install Add-on titled uBlock Origin

Search and Install Add-on titled DownThemAll

Search and Install Add-on titled VideoDownloadHelper

Search and Install Add-on titled Full Web Page Screenshots

Search and Install Add-on titled Nimbus

Search and Install Add-on titled HTTPS Everywhere

Search and Install Add-on titled MJSONViewer

Search and Install Add-on titled User-Agent Switcher

Search and Install Add-on titled OneTab

Search and Install Add-on titled Image Search Options

Search and Install Add-on titled Resurrect Pages

Search and Install Add-on titled Copy Selected Links

Search and Install Add-on titled KeePassXC Browser

Close Firefox

Shutdown the VM

Clone the Master VM

Give the Clone a different Name

You are ready to browse securely and privately.

Hauled my cousin, who has not voted since the 90's down to the early voting station and he pulled the lever for GEOTUS! Check on though your contact lists and get your family and friends down to the polls to vote!

Dear Columbus State Community,

I am writing to inform you that a plan is in place to remove the Christopher Columbus statue from our Columbus campus as soon as possible. Originally created by sculptor Alfred Solani in 1959, the statue was first installed in an Illinois park, and was moved to its current location in 1988. Physical details and logistics for the removal are still being planned, but we expect the statue to be removed and placed in storage in the next two weeks. This decision did not emerge solely in the wake of the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Ahmaud Arbery but was a years-long dialogue out of concern and support for students of color who have been harmed and traumatized by systemic racism. This effort was led by many dedicated students, faculty, and staff.

As an institution of higher education with a specific mission to foster critical thinking and service to its community and student population, Columbus State has a unique opportunity and duty to address systemic racism on our campuses. The collegiate setting is often where students begin to refine their understanding of history and the world around them. Our students contributed their voices to this discourse around systemic racism, reinforcing the conclusion that the Christopher Columbus statue is not consistent with the values and mission of Columbus State. How we choose to memorialize or celebrate our history is always the result of choices and is both dynamic and evolving as we are inclusive of more voices.

Our students, community, faculty, and staff have consistently and patiently asked for the removal of the statue. We are listening. We will continue to grow as an institution that educates and inspires not only in the classroom but in every aspect of what we present to the community we serve. We commit to facilitate these difficult conversations and thoughtfully assess our present and future with an eye towards transparency, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Every step of societal progress should have happened sooner, and the removal of the statue is no exception. We will use this opportunity to re-envision our campus, and engage our community, students, faculty, and staff in developing spaces that promote inclusive learning for all. The removal of the Christopher Columbus statue is not the end, but rather the continuation of more discussions and changes to come. Removing the statue will not remedy all of our challenges, but it is a purposeful first step as we commit ourselves fully to fighting systemic racism and ensuring equal opportunity for every member of our community.

DAVID T. HARRISON | PRESIDENT

COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

550 E. Spring St., Columbus, OH 43215