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Author: David Westerfield Page 1 of 118


Was It All Worth It?

A sobering assessment by @seanmdav of post-9/11 actions by the US government in response to that fateful day. https://thefederalist.com/2023/09/11/was-9-11-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-american-empire/

There was a time after 9/11 I was all about those actions: the War on Terror, the Patriot Act, and so on, justifying every aspect, annoyingly so I might add. My brother fought in both theatres. In Iraq twice. It had to mean something, in light of 9/11, but also for our soldiers’ sacrifices.

The Risk of Grace

To Love is to Expose Yourself to Pain.

(Banner photo credit: Dark Winter Days by Inge Bovens)

“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

Romans 2:4

Why is it that if God’s kindness, patience and forbearance leads us to repentance from our sin to embrace Christ, we don’t assume the same posture and manner when dealing with others with whom we see falling? Whether it’s our own children, a friend who is wandering, or a relative who pains you with their bad choices leading to a ruined life, or for me as an elder, a congregant/parishioner who is straying from the gospel or at least a life centered upon Christ? Why would we think that anything other than grace and kindness and love and a posture of humility will do when dealing with others in these states of wandering from the truth?

Sanctity of Life Sunday and MLK Day – A Prayer

Lord God, You have created us in Your image, to reflect You in the world and ultimately bring about Your glory and praise and worth. And yet because of our sin, we have marred and distorted that image so greatly, we fall short of Your glory daily and are subject to Your wise justice and resulting judgment for how we have turned from You and treat our fellow humans. For all the ways we’ve fallen short, have mercy upon us, as we know You are ready and willing to do. Thank You Jesus for Your perfect law keeping in our behalf, Your sacrifice on the cross in our place and Your glorious resurrection for us, that we would behold Your face in glory forever and be satisfied for all eternity. 

Log4J Examples in the Wild

Using my honeypot server, I’ve been able to capture some examples of Log4J attempts against it. What this is showing is that the ModSecurity rules in place, at least in this subset of anecdotal examples, are able to block the various attempts, up to this point.

Setting up ModSecurity with NGINX and Log4J rules: https://davidwesterfield.net/2021/12/log4j-and-modsecurity/

Setting up ModSecurity with Apache and Log4J rules: https://davidwesterfield.net/2021/12/log4j-apache-and-modsecurity/

Log4J, Apache and ModSecurity

(I’ll be updating this post as more rules are available to stop new vulnerabilities.)

Credit to Christian Folini at coreruleset.org for providing the rule.

A major vulnerability has been discovered in Java web apps basic logging function called Log4J/Log4Shell. The best remedy for this is to update Log4j itself, or update the web app platform running Log4j with a newer version provided by the vendor. But that may take a while in many instances to fully implement.

Log4J, NGINX and ModSecurity

(I’ll be updating this post as more rules are available to stop new vulnerabilities.)

Credit to Christian Folini at coreruleset.org for providing the rule.

A major vulnerability has been discovered in Java web apps basic logging function called Log4J/Log4Shell. The best remedy for this is to update Log4j itself, or update the web app platform running Log4j with a newer version provided by the vendor. But that may take a while in many instances to fully implement.

EdgeRouter: End of the Road Ultimate Reset

I have a spare EdgeRouter 4 that was bricked but still appears operational, probably just having some sort of a boot error that I can’t see. I’ve been hunting for a more serious level factory reset guide and came across this (something I have yet to try): manual TFTP Recovery. Hope it helps if you’re stuck.

https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018189493-EdgeRouter-Manual-TFTP-Recovery#7

(Archived): https://westerfunk.net/archives/technology/EdgeRouter%20TFTP%20Manual%20Recovery/

Elbit America Army Night Vision Video on Washington Examiner

Proud to work for this company.

Old Testament, New Testament, Same Word: Love and Mercy, The Spirit Outpoured

Ezekiel 36:24–27

I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (ESV)

Old Testament, New Testament, Same Word: Judgment

Psalm 50:19–23

“You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother’s son.
These things you have done, and I have been silent;
    you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.


“Mark this, then, you who forget God,
    lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who orders his way rightly
    I will show the salvation of God!” (ESV)

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