Holton wise property group
BannedFromDestiny
2020.09.16 04:38 _JokersTrick BannedFromDestiny
Banned from Destiny? Join the club! You've found the #1 place for all fans of Steven "Steve" Kenneth "Kenny" "Destiny (a girl's name)" Bonnell II punished or unpunished. Maybe you're not banned yet, but someday you will be - this is certain. This is not a place to post unhinged hate, nor is it a support group for communists or nazis. This is private property, and some of us are "medics." Memes and constructive criticism are allowed.
2023.04.01 16:14 Wide_Candy1151 Help what do I do in this situation? Opinions on who is in the wrong?
Apologies for the long post but never been in this situation before and need opinions and what to do next?!
I’ve had my Welsh pony, Jasmine, since 2010. I got her when I was 7 and outgrew her in 2014. My little sister then rode her for the next 4 years until she also outgrew her.
In 2019 we decided to find a long-term lease/loan for Jas. She was very bored of sitting in the field with no job, and we had no riders small enough anymore.
At the time, Jas was 14, so still fairly young.
We find a great home, a long way from us (8 hour drive) however visited the property before we agreed, had a contract written up, thorough checks and references from new loaners. It seemed perfect, this family wanted a trekking pony so their young daughter could join on rides.
We made the visit twice after she went to her new home, however the next year covid hit, so we weren’t able to see Jas for 2 years. We had the new loaners on Facebook so seen lots of photos, had frequent updates, they were very happy with Jas.
At the end of last year, they told us Jas has been outgrown and they would like to buy her and retire her at their place.
We are unsure, not sure if Jas is ready to be retired. She is 18 at this point, but hadn’t shown us any signs of slowing down. Plus, we aren’t sure if we would even like to sell Jas, although made it clear we have no intention of taking the pony off them unless they don’t want her anymore.
I try to arrange to come and see Jas, I haven’t seen her since the beginning of COVID anyways, plus I’ll see for myself how the pony is doing.
I get no reply.
I try again a few times over the next month, and Im being rudely brushed off every time. These people have been great and I don’t want to overstep/annoy them, but at this point I’m getting frustrated.
I give them a certain date and time, and tell them I will be arriving to see Jas then. It’s not an option, I’m coming then.
The lady now is getting abusive, telling me I’m being a control freak and there’s no reason for me to come down. She says she can’t believe I am doing this to them after they have looked after my pony for nearly 4 years.
I ignore messages and drive down on the date I say. I have my horse box with me- I have no idea how this might go.
They have padlocked their gates shut. I wait outside properly for nearly 6 hours but no one is to be seen/replying to me.
It’s dark now, and up the road I can see one of the fences has came down. I enter through the fence and I find Jas.
She seems in great condition, and canters up to the gate to greet me.
At this point I’m quite emotional from 1) annoyance from waiting around all day. 2) excited to see Jas again.
It’s about 9pm. They live on property, but no lights on, I’m pretty sure no one is even here. I am very lucky I knew where Jas’s passport would be kept (she showed me where paperwork was kept when I first visited)
I decide to load my pony up that night and drive her home. We don’t get back home until 4am next morning.
Once she’s unloaded I go straight to bed. When I wake up in the afternoon the loaner has left me lots of threatening messages and voicemails. She tells me she is suing me for taking the pony off her property.
Now, I had already spoken to a solicitor about this, and was assured I was well within my rights to take the pony back if I feel she has breeched the contract we first put in place.
I explain I was tired of being taken for a fool and had been very patient with her. I thank her for looking after the pony well (I have to admit Jas was in great condition) and block her number to stop anymore threatening messages coming through.
Okay… fast forwards a few months. Jas settled in straight away, as if she had never left, but we still have no rider. She is growing very bored and we can see she is definitely not ready for retirement.
Not wanting to full lease again, we decided to offer a part loan, so someone could ride her on our property but we can keep an eye on her.
We put the post up, offering Jas as a good first riding pony, since that’s the job she has done for the past few years.
The women who had Jas on loan, comments on my post, slating me. She says Jas is a very dangerous horse and was drugged when she first viewed the pony, and nearly killed her daughter when they brought her home and the drugs wore off… but out the ‘kindness of her heart’ wanted to retire pony at her place so ‘I couldn’t get away with doing it again’
Apparently in her area, this women has a good name for herself, as suddenly I’m getting dozens of messages telling me how awful I am for what I’ve done.
There was multiple posts put up about me and shared around different Facebook groups, all with 100k+ members. I have been blocked from these groups so I can’t even defend myself!
I’m now lost on what to do. I do feel bad for taking Jas as suddenly as I did, but at the time I wasn’t sure what would happen if I’d left that night. I wasn’t sure if they were even planning on giving her back and could have moved her to an unknown location if they knew I wanted her back.
All of my friends have told me not to worry, as everyone who knows me, knows it all lies. But I just hate that there is people who genuinely believe I am drugging kids ponies. I’m scared to post anything incase I’m harassed again.
What are people’s thoughts on the situation? Where do I go from here? What can I do?
submitted by Wide_Candy1151 to Horses [link] [comments]
I’ve had my Welsh pony, Jasmine, since 2010. I got her when I was 7 and outgrew her in 2014. My little sister then rode her for the next 4 years until she also outgrew her.
In 2019 we decided to find a long-term lease/loan for Jas. She was very bored of sitting in the field with no job, and we had no riders small enough anymore.
At the time, Jas was 14, so still fairly young.
We find a great home, a long way from us (8 hour drive) however visited the property before we agreed, had a contract written up, thorough checks and references from new loaners. It seemed perfect, this family wanted a trekking pony so their young daughter could join on rides.
We made the visit twice after she went to her new home, however the next year covid hit, so we weren’t able to see Jas for 2 years. We had the new loaners on Facebook so seen lots of photos, had frequent updates, they were very happy with Jas.
At the end of last year, they told us Jas has been outgrown and they would like to buy her and retire her at their place.
We are unsure, not sure if Jas is ready to be retired. She is 18 at this point, but hadn’t shown us any signs of slowing down. Plus, we aren’t sure if we would even like to sell Jas, although made it clear we have no intention of taking the pony off them unless they don’t want her anymore.
I try to arrange to come and see Jas, I haven’t seen her since the beginning of COVID anyways, plus I’ll see for myself how the pony is doing.
I get no reply.
I try again a few times over the next month, and Im being rudely brushed off every time. These people have been great and I don’t want to overstep/annoy them, but at this point I’m getting frustrated.
I give them a certain date and time, and tell them I will be arriving to see Jas then. It’s not an option, I’m coming then.
The lady now is getting abusive, telling me I’m being a control freak and there’s no reason for me to come down. She says she can’t believe I am doing this to them after they have looked after my pony for nearly 4 years.
I ignore messages and drive down on the date I say. I have my horse box with me- I have no idea how this might go.
They have padlocked their gates shut. I wait outside properly for nearly 6 hours but no one is to be seen/replying to me.
It’s dark now, and up the road I can see one of the fences has came down. I enter through the fence and I find Jas.
She seems in great condition, and canters up to the gate to greet me.
At this point I’m quite emotional from 1) annoyance from waiting around all day. 2) excited to see Jas again.
It’s about 9pm. They live on property, but no lights on, I’m pretty sure no one is even here. I am very lucky I knew where Jas’s passport would be kept (she showed me where paperwork was kept when I first visited)
I decide to load my pony up that night and drive her home. We don’t get back home until 4am next morning.
Once she’s unloaded I go straight to bed. When I wake up in the afternoon the loaner has left me lots of threatening messages and voicemails. She tells me she is suing me for taking the pony off her property.
Now, I had already spoken to a solicitor about this, and was assured I was well within my rights to take the pony back if I feel she has breeched the contract we first put in place.
I explain I was tired of being taken for a fool and had been very patient with her. I thank her for looking after the pony well (I have to admit Jas was in great condition) and block her number to stop anymore threatening messages coming through.
Okay… fast forwards a few months. Jas settled in straight away, as if she had never left, but we still have no rider. She is growing very bored and we can see she is definitely not ready for retirement.
Not wanting to full lease again, we decided to offer a part loan, so someone could ride her on our property but we can keep an eye on her.
We put the post up, offering Jas as a good first riding pony, since that’s the job she has done for the past few years.
The women who had Jas on loan, comments on my post, slating me. She says Jas is a very dangerous horse and was drugged when she first viewed the pony, and nearly killed her daughter when they brought her home and the drugs wore off… but out the ‘kindness of her heart’ wanted to retire pony at her place so ‘I couldn’t get away with doing it again’
Apparently in her area, this women has a good name for herself, as suddenly I’m getting dozens of messages telling me how awful I am for what I’ve done.
There was multiple posts put up about me and shared around different Facebook groups, all with 100k+ members. I have been blocked from these groups so I can’t even defend myself!
I’m now lost on what to do. I do feel bad for taking Jas as suddenly as I did, but at the time I wasn’t sure what would happen if I’d left that night. I wasn’t sure if they were even planning on giving her back and could have moved her to an unknown location if they knew I wanted her back.
All of my friends have told me not to worry, as everyone who knows me, knows it all lies. But I just hate that there is people who genuinely believe I am drugging kids ponies. I’m scared to post anything incase I’m harassed again.
What are people’s thoughts on the situation? Where do I go from here? What can I do?
2023.04.01 16:08 That_Lebowski Advise on a first home Down payment?
Family of 3. Me and my wife make $200k a year total pre tax and we put down a good faith deposit deposit of 10k for a new construction single family home in a mid west city. House is worth $430k and currently we have a savings of $200k no debt.
We need to take mortgage when house will be ready in 4-5 months but with current mortgage rates we plan on to put as much as we could for down payment so we can reduce the loan principal. We’re thinking dropping 130-150k (30-35%) for down payment and keep 50k in savings for emergency.
Is it a wise decision to drop more than 30% home price as down payment for first home?
Is there any other financial caveats and pointers I need to consider?
Would appreciate some inputs from the group. Thanks.
submitted by That_Lebowski to FinancialPlanning [link] [comments]
We need to take mortgage when house will be ready in 4-5 months but with current mortgage rates we plan on to put as much as we could for down payment so we can reduce the loan principal. We’re thinking dropping 130-150k (30-35%) for down payment and keep 50k in savings for emergency.
Is it a wise decision to drop more than 30% home price as down payment for first home?
Is there any other financial caveats and pointers I need to consider?
Would appreciate some inputs from the group. Thanks.
2023.04.01 15:58 Wide_Candy1151 Help what do I do in this situation? Opinions on who is in the wrong?
Apologies for the long post but never been in this situation before and need opinions and what to do next?!
I’ve had my Welsh pony, Jasmine, since 2010. I got her when I was 7 and outgrew her in 2014. My little sister then rode her for the next 4 years until she also outgrew her.
In 2019 we decided to find a long-term lease/loan for Jas. She was very bored of sitting in the field with no job, and we had no riders small enough anymore.
At the time, Jas was 14, so still fairly young.
We find a great home, a long way from us (8 hour drive) however visited the property before we agreed, had a contract written up, thorough checks and references from new loaners. It seemed perfect, this family wanted a trekking pony so their young daughter could join on rides.
We made the visit twice after she went to her new home, however the next year covid hit, so we weren’t able to see Jas for 2 years. We had the new loaners on Facebook so seen lots of photos, had frequent updates, they were very happy with Jas.
At the end of last year, they told us Jas has been outgrown and they would like to buy her and retire her at their place.
We are unsure, not sure if Jas is ready to be retired. She is 18 at this point, but hadn’t shown us any signs of slowing down. Plus, we aren’t sure if we would even like to sell Jas, although made it clear we have no intention of taking the pony off them unless they don’t want her anymore.
I try to arrange to come and see Jas, I haven’t seen her since the beginning of COVID anyways, plus I’ll see for myself how the pony is doing.
I get no reply.
I try again a few times over the next month, and Im being rudely brushed off every time. These people have been great and I don’t want to overstep/annoy them, but at this point I’m getting frustrated.
I give them a certain date and time, and tell them I will be arriving to see Jas then. It’s not an option, I’m coming then.
The lady now is getting abusive, telling me I’m being a control freak and there’s no reason for me to come down. She says she can’t believe I am doing this to them after they have looked after my pony for nearly 4 years.
I ignore messages and drive down on the date I say. I have my horse box with me- I have no idea how this might go.
They have padlocked their gates shut. I wait outside properly for nearly 6 hours but no one is to be seen/replying to me.
It’s dark now, and up the road I can see one of the fences has came down. I enter through the fence and I find Jas.
She seems in great condition, and canters up to the gate to greet me.
At this point I’m quite emotional from 1) annoyance from waiting around all day. 2) excited to see Jas again.
It’s about 9pm. They live on property, but no lights on, I’m pretty sure no one is even here. I am very lucky I knew where Jas’s passport would be kept (she showed me where paperwork was kept when I first visited)
I decide to load my pony up that night and drive her home. We don’t get back home until 4am next morning.
Once she’s unloaded I go straight to bed. When I wake up in the afternoon the loaner has left me lots of threatening messages and voicemails. She tells me she is suing me for taking the pony off her property.
Now, I had already spoken to a solicitor about this, and was assured I was well within my rights to take the pony back if I feel she has breeched the contract we first put in place.
I explain I was tired of being taken for a fool and had been very patient with her. I thank her for looking after the pony well (I have to admit Jas was in great condition) and block her number to stop anymore threatening messages coming through.
Okay… fast forwards a few months. Jas settled in straight away, as if she had never left, but we still have no rider. She is growing very bored and we can see she is definitely not ready for retirement.
Not wanting to full lease again, we decided to offer a part loan, so someone could ride her on our property but we can keep an eye on her.
We put the post up, offering Jas as a good first riding pony, since that’s the job she has done for the past few years.
The women who had Jas on loan, comments on my post, slating me. She says Jas is a very dangerous horse and was drugged when she first viewed the pony, and nearly killed her daughter when they brought her home and the drugs wore off… but out the ‘kindness of her heart’ wanted to retire pony at her place so ‘I couldn’t get away with doing it again’
Apparently in her area, this women has a good name for herself, as suddenly I’m getting dozens of messages telling me how awful I am for what I’ve done.
There was multiple posts put up about me and shared around different Facebook groups, all with 100k+ members. I have been blocked from these groups so I can’t even defend myself!
I’m now lost on what to do. I do feel bad for taking Jas as suddenly as I did, but at the time I wasn’t sure what would happen if I’d left that night. I wasn’t sure if they were even planning on giving her back and could have moved her to an unknown location if they knew I wanted her back.
All of my friends have told me not to worry, as everyone who knows me, knows it all lies. But I just hate that there is people who genuinely believe I am drugging kids ponies. I’m scared to post anything incase I’m harassed again.
What are people’s thoughts on the situation? Where do I go from here? What can I do?
submitted by Wide_Candy1151 to Equestrian [link] [comments]
I’ve had my Welsh pony, Jasmine, since 2010. I got her when I was 7 and outgrew her in 2014. My little sister then rode her for the next 4 years until she also outgrew her.
In 2019 we decided to find a long-term lease/loan for Jas. She was very bored of sitting in the field with no job, and we had no riders small enough anymore.
At the time, Jas was 14, so still fairly young.
We find a great home, a long way from us (8 hour drive) however visited the property before we agreed, had a contract written up, thorough checks and references from new loaners. It seemed perfect, this family wanted a trekking pony so their young daughter could join on rides.
We made the visit twice after she went to her new home, however the next year covid hit, so we weren’t able to see Jas for 2 years. We had the new loaners on Facebook so seen lots of photos, had frequent updates, they were very happy with Jas.
At the end of last year, they told us Jas has been outgrown and they would like to buy her and retire her at their place.
We are unsure, not sure if Jas is ready to be retired. She is 18 at this point, but hadn’t shown us any signs of slowing down. Plus, we aren’t sure if we would even like to sell Jas, although made it clear we have no intention of taking the pony off them unless they don’t want her anymore.
I try to arrange to come and see Jas, I haven’t seen her since the beginning of COVID anyways, plus I’ll see for myself how the pony is doing.
I get no reply.
I try again a few times over the next month, and Im being rudely brushed off every time. These people have been great and I don’t want to overstep/annoy them, but at this point I’m getting frustrated.
I give them a certain date and time, and tell them I will be arriving to see Jas then. It’s not an option, I’m coming then.
The lady now is getting abusive, telling me I’m being a control freak and there’s no reason for me to come down. She says she can’t believe I am doing this to them after they have looked after my pony for nearly 4 years.
I ignore messages and drive down on the date I say. I have my horse box with me- I have no idea how this might go.
They have padlocked their gates shut. I wait outside properly for nearly 6 hours but no one is to be seen/replying to me.
It’s dark now, and up the road I can see one of the fences has came down. I enter through the fence and I find Jas.
She seems in great condition, and canters up to the gate to greet me.
At this point I’m quite emotional from 1) annoyance from waiting around all day. 2) excited to see Jas again.
It’s about 9pm. They live on property, but no lights on, I’m pretty sure no one is even here. I am very lucky I knew where Jas’s passport would be kept (she showed me where paperwork was kept when I first visited)
I decide to load my pony up that night and drive her home. We don’t get back home until 4am next morning.
Once she’s unloaded I go straight to bed. When I wake up in the afternoon the loaner has left me lots of threatening messages and voicemails. She tells me she is suing me for taking the pony off her property.
Now, I had already spoken to a solicitor about this, and was assured I was well within my rights to take the pony back if I feel she has breeched the contract we first put in place.
I explain I was tired of being taken for a fool and had been very patient with her. I thank her for looking after the pony well (I have to admit Jas was in great condition) and block her number to stop anymore threatening messages coming through.
Okay… fast forwards a few months. Jas settled in straight away, as if she had never left, but we still have no rider. She is growing very bored and we can see she is definitely not ready for retirement.
Not wanting to full lease again, we decided to offer a part loan, so someone could ride her on our property but we can keep an eye on her.
We put the post up, offering Jas as a good first riding pony, since that’s the job she has done for the past few years.
The women who had Jas on loan, comments on my post, slating me. She says Jas is a very dangerous horse and was drugged when she first viewed the pony, and nearly killed her daughter when they brought her home and the drugs wore off… but out the ‘kindness of her heart’ wanted to retire pony at her place so ‘I couldn’t get away with doing it again’
Apparently in her area, this women has a good name for herself, as suddenly I’m getting dozens of messages telling me how awful I am for what I’ve done.
There was multiple posts put up about me and shared around different Facebook groups, all with 100k+ members. I have been blocked from these groups so I can’t even defend myself!
I’m now lost on what to do. I do feel bad for taking Jas as suddenly as I did, but at the time I wasn’t sure what would happen if I’d left that night. I wasn’t sure if they were even planning on giving her back and could have moved her to an unknown location if they knew I wanted her back.
All of my friends have told me not to worry, as everyone who knows me, knows it all lies. But I just hate that there is people who genuinely believe I am drugging kids ponies. I’m scared to post anything incase I’m harassed again.
What are people’s thoughts on the situation? Where do I go from here? What can I do?
2023.04.01 15:54 Mysterious-Roof-6378 I have 2 update ideas
- Plane/airport update: In this update planes will be added and the cheapest plane would be 5k coins and most expensive is 65k-75k coins but not 100k because that’s too much plus there will be 2 new islands 1 will be an airport island where you can buy planes from there and even see a plane museum entry fee is 25 coins for the museum and also the second island could be an Entertainment island which would be extremely cool since sometimes when playing sneaky Sasquatch it gets boring after you did everything so in the entertainment island there would be a huge 25 floor hotel with a buffet in the top floor and bottem floor and a pool on the roof and the ground and for the stay fee should not be too expensive because speaking Marketing wise the more expensive the less people will buy it so the cheapest room is 25 coins a night a midium room is 125 coins a night a friend group sized room would be 180 coins with a small pool in the balcony and for the family sized room would be 275 coins for every 2 nights if the player stays for 1 night or there last day in the hotel wasn’t in the 2 times table then on leaving they pay 200 coins and the family room has vip survices and every room in the hotel shall have room service and depending on the room you got will give you better room service and room service for small room is 10 coins and 20 coins for medium room and 75 coins for the friend group sized room and for the family room 125 coins and buffet is for everyone 25 coins if staying in hotel or if not staying in hotel and just visiting to eat in the buffet then 50 coins but if it’s the one on the top floor then it is 50 coins for the people staying and 75 coins for the people coming from outside the hotel and for the other fun stuff the game could introduce ice cream 🍦 I know we have already have ice cream bars or marsh mallow bars but adding ice cream with diffrent colors in a cone or cup would be cool and if the persone orders from the ice cream shop a ice cream in a cup then when Sasquatch is eating it he will in a funny way also eat the cup with the ice cream lol 😂 but for the flavors there are 6 or more flavors and normal ice cream gives 2 health bar and the most expensive ice cream which lets make it random let’s say lemon ice cream gives you full hunger bar and chocolate and caramel flavors give 5 of the hunger bar and cotton candy ice cream gives you 4 hunger bar all with diffrent prices and most expensive one is 25 coins and the standard ones are for 5 coins only which again gives just 2 hunger bar. And I know this would be really hard but if you can have Disney allow it add Disney land them park into the game I know that’s too hard but I’m not saying you have to do it it’s just an idea but still if it’s not Disney you should add a theme park with roller coasters and shops and mascots and more and the entry fee is 25 coins but there are lines and if you want the front there is a line for that too but you can get fast pass for 15 coins which would be cool and you could add concrete too like the lumber and also finnaly you could add a villa on the island where Sasquatch could live in if he gets concrete and an extra 250 coins and a mansion which also needs concrete and an extra 500 coins to build and every island gets an airport biggest one in the main island ofc with commercial planes like the Boing 747 and the airbus A380 there are classes too and you could add diffrent classes with diffrent fair prices and ya.
From a sneaky Sasquatch player:Kareem
2023.04.01 15:47 No_Competition4897 [HIRING] 25 Jobs in TN Hiring Now!
2023.04.01 15:36 Fast-Joke8045 How do you get past this challenge?
 | submitted by Fast-Joke8045 to NextSpaceRebels [link] [comments] |
2023.04.01 15:31 No_Competition4897 [HIRING] 25 Jobs in TN Hiring Now!
2023.04.01 15:24 Globohomie2000 Victoria 3 is a Marxist Video Game.
I'm for real.
A lot of the mechanics in Victoria 3 that simulate its economic and political system are based off marxist political philosophy. As in, the way they work is how marxist and socialist philosophers believe it does.
The unique Interest Group system stuck out to me the day it was announced, because it basically simulates class warfare. I've never seen this done in another game.
A "class" according to Marx is a broad group of people with the same relation to the economy and the means of production, that share and work towards common political interests. For example, the bourgeois, that's capitalists and businessmen, are a class. They all get their wealth through similar means, generating profit from their workers and private property, and they have similar political interests, a business-friendly environment, low wages, low unionization, stuff like that.
The "Interest Groups" in Vicky 3 are all that! Classes. Groups of people with similar jobs and social roles that push for politics that benefit them personally.
Karl Marx also believed in something called "Historical Materialism". A political philosophy that sais that the biggest political and cultural changes in society happen because of material forces like politics, economics, technology and the mentioned classes emerging and decaying.
It also sais that capitalism is an organic development out of Feudalism, and the game reflects that.
When you start to industrialize, it starts slowly turning more of your pops into capitalists, who support industrialists, as well as laborers, who support the trade unions. Their political power and wealth eventually overtakes the Aristocrats and the Rural Peasants. Your politics change because your economy develops, and your country almost organically goes from feudalism (Traditionalism + Mercantilism) to some variant of capitalism (Laissez Faire, Interventionism, Free Trade, etc.)
And with enough power in the hands of the emergent left wing "classes" you can even evolve it further towards socialism. Which Karl Marx also thought would happen eventually under capitalism.
What I'm saying is this game is a secret Marxism simulator.
submitted by Globohomie2000 to victoria3 [link] [comments]
A lot of the mechanics in Victoria 3 that simulate its economic and political system are based off marxist political philosophy. As in, the way they work is how marxist and socialist philosophers believe it does.
The unique Interest Group system stuck out to me the day it was announced, because it basically simulates class warfare. I've never seen this done in another game.
A "class" according to Marx is a broad group of people with the same relation to the economy and the means of production, that share and work towards common political interests. For example, the bourgeois, that's capitalists and businessmen, are a class. They all get their wealth through similar means, generating profit from their workers and private property, and they have similar political interests, a business-friendly environment, low wages, low unionization, stuff like that.
The "Interest Groups" in Vicky 3 are all that! Classes. Groups of people with similar jobs and social roles that push for politics that benefit them personally.
- The Industrialists are made up of capitalists and clerks, and push for pro-capitalist politics.
- The Trade Unions are made up of machinists and laborers, and push for populist and pro-worker politics. One of their ideologies is literally called "Proletarian".
- The Landowners are made up of aristocrats, and push for aristocratic politics. In countries with slavery, where the aristocrats own slaves, they obviously support slaver too, as it is in their interest to do so.
- The Rural Folk represent the peasants and farmers and push for politics that support peasants and farmers.
- The Intelligentsia represents academics, bureaucrats and intellectual workers, and supports liberal and pro-academic policies like free speech and academic-run bureaucracy.
- The Petite Bourgeois is made up of clerks, and they sort of represent the "right wing" faction of the capitalist and middle class. People who personally or economically benefit from nationalism, reactionaryism and supremacy. Some leftist writers believed that the petite bourgeois irl would continue to support fascism and reactionary politics. That might be the reason they are the most right wing faction in the game.
- The Armed Forces represent the military, and support jingoist and pro-military politics for obvious reasons.
- And the Devout represent clergymen and other aristocrats and obviously support religious, conservative and theocratic politics.
Karl Marx also believed in something called "Historical Materialism". A political philosophy that sais that the biggest political and cultural changes in society happen because of material forces like politics, economics, technology and the mentioned classes emerging and decaying.
It also sais that capitalism is an organic development out of Feudalism, and the game reflects that.
When you start to industrialize, it starts slowly turning more of your pops into capitalists, who support industrialists, as well as laborers, who support the trade unions. Their political power and wealth eventually overtakes the Aristocrats and the Rural Peasants. Your politics change because your economy develops, and your country almost organically goes from feudalism (Traditionalism + Mercantilism) to some variant of capitalism (Laissez Faire, Interventionism, Free Trade, etc.)
And with enough power in the hands of the emergent left wing "classes" you can even evolve it further towards socialism. Which Karl Marx also thought would happen eventually under capitalism.
What I'm saying is this game is a secret Marxism simulator.
2023.04.01 15:17 YaaliAnnar NoP: Lost and Found (37)
First Previous
Memory Transcription Subject: Tresn, arxur farmer
Date [Standardized Human Reckoning]: 2136–09-28
The day I learned about humans was a calm one. The sun had slid close to the horizon and with a basket of herbs and spices, I made my way back to the farmhouse where Taksak and I lived. When I arrived my mentor was waiting for me to prepare our dinner. He asked me for three portions instead of the usual two with the third one being unseasoned.
As I was going about my business, I heard a sound that caught my attention. It was the telltale noise of an airship landing in front of Taksak's farm. I hurried to the farmhouse's kitchen window to see what was going on and the reason for the third portion became clear. I saw a betterment officer stepping out of her vehicle. Her visit was out of schedule, so that means she is bringing some intel. Taksak seemed unfazed by her arrival but I was pretty sure that he was also in the dark with me.
My heart was pounding with anticipation as I returned to prepare the three portions of meals for the day. Our ancestors, blessed they are, had always emphasized the importance of plants in our lives. Some plants had medicinal properties that could cure sickness, while others could be used as seasonings to enhance the taste of our food. They taught us that there was more to food than just meat and that the plant world held great value as well.
My mind was filled with me thinking about what sort of news she was bringing today.
I finished preparing the meals and arranged the dishes on a tray. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves before making my way to the dinner table where the officer had been sitting with her brother. I placed the first dish in front of my mentor first, the second dish graced the betterment officer, and last, I placed mine before I sat.
Taksak and I used a small dagger as befitting of the civilized way of our ancestors, while his sister grabbed the pieces of raw meat with her claw. We ate in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts as we savored them. The Betterment Officer, who had been quiet for most of the meal, eyed the sauce we had been dipping our meat in. Curiosity getting the better of her, she ended up trying it as well, and her face lit up with pleasure as she put the meat into her maw. As she finished her meal, she dipped her piece of meat in every bite, I suppose she approved of it.
After we finished our meal, the woman fished into her satchel and took out a data chip.
"You didn't get this from me," she explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "If you get caught with this, I will deny any involvement."
I tried not to think about what would happen if we were caught with them. Death would be the best-case scenario.
Without another word, the taciturn arxur gathered her things and left us alone in our living room.
"Tresn, bring me the reader," Taksak instructed me, his voice low and urgent.
I didn't hesitate for a moment. I ran into our bedroom and retrieved the reader that Taksak had asked for. The old device was a modified pad with its connectivity disabled. Taksak had the physical module removed, ensuring that whatever we open in that device, stays in our farmhouse. After I handed it to him, Taksak inserted the data chip into the reader and we were presented with a document on the screen.
The front page was printed in large letters saying that this document is classified. The preface of the document described that the original copy was written in ventongue, which was then translated into our speech. I recalled that when Taksak's sister last came here, she brought news about uncontacted species. Everything about the new species made more sense then. They had just attacked Gojid's core world, weakening the prey. With their Cradle left defenseless, our people swooped down.
Taksak and I huddled over the secret documents, poring over the details of the new species and their way of life. According to the text, the Federation had not tainted them with the prey's way of life, allowing them to evolve in their way. They had been able to maintain their carnivorous diet and maintain a society that was not based on violence and cruelty. Taksak seemed lost in thought. His eyes scanned the text as he absorbed the information. I could feel the wheels turning in his mind as he considered the implications of what we were reading.
The document ended with a section filled with pictures revealing these elusive creatures. Their soft features and their lack of natural weapons made them appear almost prey-like. It was as if a mad biologist had modified a prey species to have binocular vision. As we swiped through the pictures, we saw glimpses of their society and their way of life.
Seeing these species, My feelings of jealousy and longing intensified. These creatures lived in dense, vibrant settlements full of life and energy. I could almost feel the excitement of their festivals and rites, imagining myself lost in the sea of people. Despite their dense settlement, they had managed to preserve vast tracts of wilderness, filled with four-legged predators that roamed free in their natural habitats.
One obscene image, in particular, caught our attention. It showed a human feeding a predator with striped fur markings. These creatures had so much meat that they could afford to feed it to their animals. Not only that, but this new species also brought some of the predators into their civilized places, treating them almost like members of their own families. One image showed a small orange predator with pointy ears being held by a human, as though it was their child.
And then, we saw it. A photo of four-legged animals with side-facing eyes grazing on a lush green field. Cattle, I realized with a jolt. Non-sapient cattle, to be precise.
"Sir...look!" I exclaimed, nudging my mentor. "They have non-sapient cattle!"
But when I turned to face him, my excitement turned into concern. A pang of deep sadness etched his face and tears were streaming down his cheeks. For a moment, I didn't know what to do or say. I had never seen my mentor like this before.
"This...might be what we could have been," he said at last, his voice trembling with emotion. "If we had not been contacted from the sky… If we had been left to develop our way of life, perhaps we could have been like this."
The older arxur placed the reader away on the side table. He sobbed, as though a lifetime of sorrow had come crashing down upon him, and he could no longer keep his emotions in check. I could feel my own emotions flaring up in response to his grief. I reached out to offer some form of comfort. But before I could say anything, Taksak pulled me into a tight embrace and we wept, feeling the pain that we shared, a pain that was rooted in all that we had lost as a people.
Outside, our cattle slept in peace under the shade of their pen without a care in the world.
Memory Transcription Subject: Johan, human exchange program participant
Date [Standardized Human Reckoning]: 2136–10-02
We spent a few days exploring the island of Bali, and the news of the Gojids' threat faded into the background of our minds. However, our peaceful respite was short-lived because the arxurs swooped in after the Gojids' defenses were destroyed by the humans. In terror, we felt like we were leading lambs to the slaughter.
Damn if we do and damn if we don't.
The bad news didn't stop there. We also received an update from the Federation's Special Session on humans. It was revealed that almost forty species said outright that they wanted to exterminate humans.
We received letters from both UNOFA and the Office of The President of Nusantara ordering us to stay in Bali until further notice. We were trapped on the island, and the beauty of the island didn't feel enjoyable anymore. A couple of days later, the UNSC Space Force began bringing back thousands of Gojids that they had managed to save from the opportunistic invasion. Some of the rescued Gojids were still in various space stations, waiting for resettlement.
President Fatimah Lim offered Nusantara as a sanctuary for the gojid refugee. Her offer was met with mixed reactions from the public. Some applauded her compassion and generosity, while others criticized her for using the refugees as a political tool to win votes in the upcoming election.
Regardless of the motive behind the offer, the logistics of providing adequate shelter, food, and medical care for the refugees were not that challenging. Kalimantan has some open areas where the damage from the palm plantation was in the process of being rolled back and we were in process of making a new farming village near the capital. The place has a lot of greenery but not outright jungles like the rest of the Island.
Which is why we were being shipped to Kalimantan. Despite the venlil's protest, they believed that Vani could act as the healthcare provider for the refugee and provide some "familiar face" for the poor gojids.
My van has taken me to many different places over the years. I had driven it as far as Kuala Lumpur thanks to the bridges. However, our destination this time was a bit different. We were headed to an island to the north of Java where bridges don't make sense. For the first time in my life, I had to ride a ferry. I was dreading of leaving my van, but then I learned that the ship was big enough to accommodate my mobile house.
When we came near the port of Buleleng, my van informed me that the area was commandeered by the armed forces, and I sighed as my steering wheel folded out while the system asked me to drive. With my manual guidance, we arrived at the port where several armed force members already stood waiting. They noticed my van's license plate and my vehicle told me that its driving sub-system had been subsumed by the armed forces. I let them lead my vehicle to a garage on the ferry. The giant vehicle itself looked more like an aircraft with clipped wings than a boat.
To my surprise, I met the familiar faces of Lieutenant Ayu again when I got off my Van into the passenger deck. From the lavish deck, all we could look at was the monotonous water passing us at high speed. Seated on one of the comfortable couches, Vani asked why the vessel only flew a few meters above the water's surface. I admit I wasn't sure of the answer, so we did some research together. We discovered that the ferry utilized a phenomenon known as Ground Effect.
The Capital was situated beside a large river, making it easy for us to reach it by ferry. However, the journey to Kalimantan was a long one, and the ride would take overnight. The government had made arrangements for us to retire to a cabin while we rode the ship to its destination. I was surprised to find that it looked nothing like a ship cabin and more like a luxurious hotel suit. The spacious room was furnished with a comfortable bed, a cozy seating area, and a large window looking out onto the sea. I was about to remove my shirt and get ready for my venlil when the cabin's door chimed. Opening my door, a private stood in the corridor, bringing a batik suit for me to wear for the meeting with the president. The government also tailored Vani with a bespoke batik apron.
I realized that there will be a lot of photo ops, and being a politician, the president wanted everyone to look uniformed and at their best.
In the morning, we found ourselves back in my van on the shore of Balikpapan with a couple of the government's armored vehicles before and after us. They had yet to relinquish their control over my vehicle so we had no choice but to wait and follow their lead. I had been briefed earlier that we were going to meet the president at the Capital spaceport, but I still didn't know the specifics of what the meeting would entail. The drive to the spaceport was a short one and we arrived in less than an hour.
I was deposited in the middle of the spaceport. Launchpads were arrayed in grid position, with ample distance between them. Not far from us, three mobile platforms had also been parked, I presume to transport the refugees.
The president and her retinue were already there to greet us. Her attire was simple yet somehow exuded an air of extravagance. Her entire attire from the head wrap to her pants was colored deep red. A batik stole hung around her kebaya and a large eight-spoked sun pendant hung from her neck, glittering in the bright sunlight. Here we also saw other familiar faces standing beside the president such as Zara Karun, the UN Representative for Nusantara. The other people in the group were members of the president's cabinet relevant to the event, all dressed in matching batik suits similar to mine.
"Greetings Johan and Vani." she greeted us in Bahasa.
"I hope the ride here was sufficient?" President Fatimah sounded like a canteen auntie back in school that would give a bit more portion to the student. This contrasted with her business-like tone whenever she appeared in the media, and I couldn't tell which one is her actual demeanor.
"It was more than sufficient, madam president. Thank you for entrusting us here." Vani answered. "I have to warn you that I know about gojid anatomy as much as your doctors do."
"It's alright Vani. You're here to give them a familiar face."
The shuttle that carried the refugees had just landed. The door opened and a bunch of giant hedgehogs tumbled down onto the launch platform. These poor people look confused and shaken. One alien in particular, however, climbed down the platform stairs ahead of their people and ran toward us, one human armed force member hurried to shadow him. The Gojid stopped at a speaking distance and they looked at us in a very human way. They even stared at Vani for what felt a bit too long before the venlil replied with a nod.
"Greetings Humans. My name is Bolad. Thank you for hosting us here." subtitles appeared when they spoke with their tongue. Their pitch there was similar to Vani but I can't tell if that was feminine or masculine for a Gojid.
"Are they a man or woman?" I whispered to Vani.
I was hoping that the venlil could tell me, but then he just asked for everyone to hear. "Are you a man or a woman?"
I guess I assumed too much of him. If Vani has difficulty distinguishing human gender, of course, there's no reason to think that he can tell other species apart.
"I am a man. Also, as you can tell already, I am like you." He put his paw on Vani's shoulder.
"You're gay?" I blabbered without even thinking properly.
The Gojid looked at me, his face twitching before he started speaking.
"Human, I know your people are not cruel. So I will assume that there is something lost in translation here and you did not mean to ask if I am happy. My homeworld is being desecrated by ferocious predators and my family is probably dead. Happiness is a distant concept at this moment."
"He was asking if you are attracted to people of the same gender." Vani stepped in to clarify.
"That is an odd euphemism. Do you call those who are attracted to different genders 'sad'?"
The president coughed. "In any case, we are honored to host you in our land for as long as you need." She looked toward the shuttle, where the gojids are huddling around in the launchpad.
"Perhaps," the president continued "We should visit your people."
Bolad led us toward the rest of the refugees, some of which had climbed down the launchpad toward the tarmac. When we got close enough to converse with them, one of them spoke.
"What have you negotiated with them?" The gojid held a small child with them. "How much of us did you promise to them in return for our safety?"
Bolad replied with an even tone. "I have not negotiated anything with the humans," he said in a firm tone "They have agreed to protect us."
The Gojid turned their head from side to side, a gesture I never saw Vani ever do before. "And you believe them?"
"It is getting tiring to keep reminding you that humans do not eat people. Look at this venlil. He is still intact after weeks of being here."
"Yeah, but he's diseased like you." the other gojid replied, and even with only subtitles translating their speech, I can hear the venom in their intonation. "I bet they think you're honorary predators."
It dawned on me that on our first encounter, Bolad meant that both he and Vani were diagnosed with the P-word Disease. I wondered if verbal abuse like this was what he had to deal with back in his homeworld.
"I'm as much a predator as you. The amount of murder I had made is zero." I said, trying to temper my voice as I held my anger. "If we want to eat you, why do we even bother bringing you down here?" My voice got a bit shakier, but before I said something that could jeopardize the president's political career, she patted my shoulder.
I looked back and the president shook her head slightly. "Let me speak to them."
"Sorry Ma'am."
"If you want, we can arrange for you to be transferred to Venlil Prime." She added. "However, that will take time and for the time being, why don't we visit the camp we have made for you? You must be tired and hungry. Hopefully, a rest can calm you down."
The Gojids murmured amongst themselves as we guided them toward their transportation. Their voices were low and tense and despite the language barrier, I could feel their fear and suspicion.
As I suspected, the mobile platform was meant to transfer them. We didn't have the measurement of a Gojid, so instead of using buses, several moving platforms had been provided to transport the spiky aliens. It was the same platform we use to transport cargo, but now, instead of having a big metal box on top of it, the platform has a clear wall installed around it and plush carpet on the floor. One by one the gojid climbed on the platform, including Bolad and Vani. Zara Karun advised that the humans shouldn't come with the refugees.
Alone in my van, I question whether we would need to transfer the refugees to Venlil. Although it made sense to send them away due to the looming invasion threat, I have a feeling that it might put the venlils in danger, especially if the Federation member responsible for the attack found them guilty by association.
I hope Vani's homeworld was not also under a similar threat.
Afterwords: If the gojid refugee is non-canonical, so be it. I want to write about the hedgehogs.
submitted by YaaliAnnar to NatureofPredators [link] [comments]
Date [Standardized Human Reckoning]: 2136–09-28
The day I learned about humans was a calm one. The sun had slid close to the horizon and with a basket of herbs and spices, I made my way back to the farmhouse where Taksak and I lived. When I arrived my mentor was waiting for me to prepare our dinner. He asked me for three portions instead of the usual two with the third one being unseasoned.
As I was going about my business, I heard a sound that caught my attention. It was the telltale noise of an airship landing in front of Taksak's farm. I hurried to the farmhouse's kitchen window to see what was going on and the reason for the third portion became clear. I saw a betterment officer stepping out of her vehicle. Her visit was out of schedule, so that means she is bringing some intel. Taksak seemed unfazed by her arrival but I was pretty sure that he was also in the dark with me.
My heart was pounding with anticipation as I returned to prepare the three portions of meals for the day. Our ancestors, blessed they are, had always emphasized the importance of plants in our lives. Some plants had medicinal properties that could cure sickness, while others could be used as seasonings to enhance the taste of our food. They taught us that there was more to food than just meat and that the plant world held great value as well.
My mind was filled with me thinking about what sort of news she was bringing today.
I finished preparing the meals and arranged the dishes on a tray. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves before making my way to the dinner table where the officer had been sitting with her brother. I placed the first dish in front of my mentor first, the second dish graced the betterment officer, and last, I placed mine before I sat.
Taksak and I used a small dagger as befitting of the civilized way of our ancestors, while his sister grabbed the pieces of raw meat with her claw. We ate in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts as we savored them. The Betterment Officer, who had been quiet for most of the meal, eyed the sauce we had been dipping our meat in. Curiosity getting the better of her, she ended up trying it as well, and her face lit up with pleasure as she put the meat into her maw. As she finished her meal, she dipped her piece of meat in every bite, I suppose she approved of it.
After we finished our meal, the woman fished into her satchel and took out a data chip.
"You didn't get this from me," she explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "If you get caught with this, I will deny any involvement."
I tried not to think about what would happen if we were caught with them. Death would be the best-case scenario.
Without another word, the taciturn arxur gathered her things and left us alone in our living room.
"Tresn, bring me the reader," Taksak instructed me, his voice low and urgent.
I didn't hesitate for a moment. I ran into our bedroom and retrieved the reader that Taksak had asked for. The old device was a modified pad with its connectivity disabled. Taksak had the physical module removed, ensuring that whatever we open in that device, stays in our farmhouse. After I handed it to him, Taksak inserted the data chip into the reader and we were presented with a document on the screen.
The front page was printed in large letters saying that this document is classified. The preface of the document described that the original copy was written in ventongue, which was then translated into our speech. I recalled that when Taksak's sister last came here, she brought news about uncontacted species. Everything about the new species made more sense then. They had just attacked Gojid's core world, weakening the prey. With their Cradle left defenseless, our people swooped down.
Taksak and I huddled over the secret documents, poring over the details of the new species and their way of life. According to the text, the Federation had not tainted them with the prey's way of life, allowing them to evolve in their way. They had been able to maintain their carnivorous diet and maintain a society that was not based on violence and cruelty. Taksak seemed lost in thought. His eyes scanned the text as he absorbed the information. I could feel the wheels turning in his mind as he considered the implications of what we were reading.
The document ended with a section filled with pictures revealing these elusive creatures. Their soft features and their lack of natural weapons made them appear almost prey-like. It was as if a mad biologist had modified a prey species to have binocular vision. As we swiped through the pictures, we saw glimpses of their society and their way of life.
Seeing these species, My feelings of jealousy and longing intensified. These creatures lived in dense, vibrant settlements full of life and energy. I could almost feel the excitement of their festivals and rites, imagining myself lost in the sea of people. Despite their dense settlement, they had managed to preserve vast tracts of wilderness, filled with four-legged predators that roamed free in their natural habitats.
One obscene image, in particular, caught our attention. It showed a human feeding a predator with striped fur markings. These creatures had so much meat that they could afford to feed it to their animals. Not only that, but this new species also brought some of the predators into their civilized places, treating them almost like members of their own families. One image showed a small orange predator with pointy ears being held by a human, as though it was their child.
And then, we saw it. A photo of four-legged animals with side-facing eyes grazing on a lush green field. Cattle, I realized with a jolt. Non-sapient cattle, to be precise.
"Sir...look!" I exclaimed, nudging my mentor. "They have non-sapient cattle!"
But when I turned to face him, my excitement turned into concern. A pang of deep sadness etched his face and tears were streaming down his cheeks. For a moment, I didn't know what to do or say. I had never seen my mentor like this before.
"This...might be what we could have been," he said at last, his voice trembling with emotion. "If we had not been contacted from the sky… If we had been left to develop our way of life, perhaps we could have been like this."
The older arxur placed the reader away on the side table. He sobbed, as though a lifetime of sorrow had come crashing down upon him, and he could no longer keep his emotions in check. I could feel my own emotions flaring up in response to his grief. I reached out to offer some form of comfort. But before I could say anything, Taksak pulled me into a tight embrace and we wept, feeling the pain that we shared, a pain that was rooted in all that we had lost as a people.
Outside, our cattle slept in peace under the shade of their pen without a care in the world.
Date [Standardized Human Reckoning]: 2136–10-02
We spent a few days exploring the island of Bali, and the news of the Gojids' threat faded into the background of our minds. However, our peaceful respite was short-lived because the arxurs swooped in after the Gojids' defenses were destroyed by the humans. In terror, we felt like we were leading lambs to the slaughter.
Damn if we do and damn if we don't.
The bad news didn't stop there. We also received an update from the Federation's Special Session on humans. It was revealed that almost forty species said outright that they wanted to exterminate humans.
We received letters from both UNOFA and the Office of The President of Nusantara ordering us to stay in Bali until further notice. We were trapped on the island, and the beauty of the island didn't feel enjoyable anymore. A couple of days later, the UNSC Space Force began bringing back thousands of Gojids that they had managed to save from the opportunistic invasion. Some of the rescued Gojids were still in various space stations, waiting for resettlement.
President Fatimah Lim offered Nusantara as a sanctuary for the gojid refugee. Her offer was met with mixed reactions from the public. Some applauded her compassion and generosity, while others criticized her for using the refugees as a political tool to win votes in the upcoming election.
Regardless of the motive behind the offer, the logistics of providing adequate shelter, food, and medical care for the refugees were not that challenging. Kalimantan has some open areas where the damage from the palm plantation was in the process of being rolled back and we were in process of making a new farming village near the capital. The place has a lot of greenery but not outright jungles like the rest of the Island.
Which is why we were being shipped to Kalimantan. Despite the venlil's protest, they believed that Vani could act as the healthcare provider for the refugee and provide some "familiar face" for the poor gojids.
My van has taken me to many different places over the years. I had driven it as far as Kuala Lumpur thanks to the bridges. However, our destination this time was a bit different. We were headed to an island to the north of Java where bridges don't make sense. For the first time in my life, I had to ride a ferry. I was dreading of leaving my van, but then I learned that the ship was big enough to accommodate my mobile house.
When we came near the port of Buleleng, my van informed me that the area was commandeered by the armed forces, and I sighed as my steering wheel folded out while the system asked me to drive. With my manual guidance, we arrived at the port where several armed force members already stood waiting. They noticed my van's license plate and my vehicle told me that its driving sub-system had been subsumed by the armed forces. I let them lead my vehicle to a garage on the ferry. The giant vehicle itself looked more like an aircraft with clipped wings than a boat.
To my surprise, I met the familiar faces of Lieutenant Ayu again when I got off my Van into the passenger deck. From the lavish deck, all we could look at was the monotonous water passing us at high speed. Seated on one of the comfortable couches, Vani asked why the vessel only flew a few meters above the water's surface. I admit I wasn't sure of the answer, so we did some research together. We discovered that the ferry utilized a phenomenon known as Ground Effect.
The Capital was situated beside a large river, making it easy for us to reach it by ferry. However, the journey to Kalimantan was a long one, and the ride would take overnight. The government had made arrangements for us to retire to a cabin while we rode the ship to its destination. I was surprised to find that it looked nothing like a ship cabin and more like a luxurious hotel suit. The spacious room was furnished with a comfortable bed, a cozy seating area, and a large window looking out onto the sea. I was about to remove my shirt and get ready for my venlil when the cabin's door chimed. Opening my door, a private stood in the corridor, bringing a batik suit for me to wear for the meeting with the president. The government also tailored Vani with a bespoke batik apron.
I realized that there will be a lot of photo ops, and being a politician, the president wanted everyone to look uniformed and at their best.
In the morning, we found ourselves back in my van on the shore of Balikpapan with a couple of the government's armored vehicles before and after us. They had yet to relinquish their control over my vehicle so we had no choice but to wait and follow their lead. I had been briefed earlier that we were going to meet the president at the Capital spaceport, but I still didn't know the specifics of what the meeting would entail. The drive to the spaceport was a short one and we arrived in less than an hour.
I was deposited in the middle of the spaceport. Launchpads were arrayed in grid position, with ample distance between them. Not far from us, three mobile platforms had also been parked, I presume to transport the refugees.
The president and her retinue were already there to greet us. Her attire was simple yet somehow exuded an air of extravagance. Her entire attire from the head wrap to her pants was colored deep red. A batik stole hung around her kebaya and a large eight-spoked sun pendant hung from her neck, glittering in the bright sunlight. Here we also saw other familiar faces standing beside the president such as Zara Karun, the UN Representative for Nusantara. The other people in the group were members of the president's cabinet relevant to the event, all dressed in matching batik suits similar to mine.
"Greetings Johan and Vani." she greeted us in Bahasa.
"I hope the ride here was sufficient?" President Fatimah sounded like a canteen auntie back in school that would give a bit more portion to the student. This contrasted with her business-like tone whenever she appeared in the media, and I couldn't tell which one is her actual demeanor.
"It was more than sufficient, madam president. Thank you for entrusting us here." Vani answered. "I have to warn you that I know about gojid anatomy as much as your doctors do."
"It's alright Vani. You're here to give them a familiar face."
The shuttle that carried the refugees had just landed. The door opened and a bunch of giant hedgehogs tumbled down onto the launch platform. These poor people look confused and shaken. One alien in particular, however, climbed down the platform stairs ahead of their people and ran toward us, one human armed force member hurried to shadow him. The Gojid stopped at a speaking distance and they looked at us in a very human way. They even stared at Vani for what felt a bit too long before the venlil replied with a nod.
"Greetings Humans. My name is Bolad. Thank you for hosting us here." subtitles appeared when they spoke with their tongue. Their pitch there was similar to Vani but I can't tell if that was feminine or masculine for a Gojid.
"Are they a man or woman?" I whispered to Vani.
I was hoping that the venlil could tell me, but then he just asked for everyone to hear. "Are you a man or a woman?"
I guess I assumed too much of him. If Vani has difficulty distinguishing human gender, of course, there's no reason to think that he can tell other species apart.
"I am a man. Also, as you can tell already, I am like you." He put his paw on Vani's shoulder.
"You're gay?" I blabbered without even thinking properly.
The Gojid looked at me, his face twitching before he started speaking.
"Human, I know your people are not cruel. So I will assume that there is something lost in translation here and you did not mean to ask if I am happy. My homeworld is being desecrated by ferocious predators and my family is probably dead. Happiness is a distant concept at this moment."
"He was asking if you are attracted to people of the same gender." Vani stepped in to clarify.
"That is an odd euphemism. Do you call those who are attracted to different genders 'sad'?"
The president coughed. "In any case, we are honored to host you in our land for as long as you need." She looked toward the shuttle, where the gojids are huddling around in the launchpad.
"Perhaps," the president continued "We should visit your people."
Bolad led us toward the rest of the refugees, some of which had climbed down the launchpad toward the tarmac. When we got close enough to converse with them, one of them spoke.
"What have you negotiated with them?" The gojid held a small child with them. "How much of us did you promise to them in return for our safety?"
Bolad replied with an even tone. "I have not negotiated anything with the humans," he said in a firm tone "They have agreed to protect us."
The Gojid turned their head from side to side, a gesture I never saw Vani ever do before. "And you believe them?"
"It is getting tiring to keep reminding you that humans do not eat people. Look at this venlil. He is still intact after weeks of being here."
"Yeah, but he's diseased like you." the other gojid replied, and even with only subtitles translating their speech, I can hear the venom in their intonation. "I bet they think you're honorary predators."
It dawned on me that on our first encounter, Bolad meant that both he and Vani were diagnosed with the P-word Disease. I wondered if verbal abuse like this was what he had to deal with back in his homeworld.
"I'm as much a predator as you. The amount of murder I had made is zero." I said, trying to temper my voice as I held my anger. "If we want to eat you, why do we even bother bringing you down here?" My voice got a bit shakier, but before I said something that could jeopardize the president's political career, she patted my shoulder.
I looked back and the president shook her head slightly. "Let me speak to them."
"Sorry Ma'am."
"If you want, we can arrange for you to be transferred to Venlil Prime." She added. "However, that will take time and for the time being, why don't we visit the camp we have made for you? You must be tired and hungry. Hopefully, a rest can calm you down."
The Gojids murmured amongst themselves as we guided them toward their transportation. Their voices were low and tense and despite the language barrier, I could feel their fear and suspicion.
As I suspected, the mobile platform was meant to transfer them. We didn't have the measurement of a Gojid, so instead of using buses, several moving platforms had been provided to transport the spiky aliens. It was the same platform we use to transport cargo, but now, instead of having a big metal box on top of it, the platform has a clear wall installed around it and plush carpet on the floor. One by one the gojid climbed on the platform, including Bolad and Vani. Zara Karun advised that the humans shouldn't come with the refugees.
Alone in my van, I question whether we would need to transfer the refugees to Venlil. Although it made sense to send them away due to the looming invasion threat, I have a feeling that it might put the venlils in danger, especially if the Federation member responsible for the attack found them guilty by association.
I hope Vani's homeworld was not also under a similar threat.
2023.04.01 14:36 dennisKNedry I saw D & D movie. Woke casting, not woke story. Fun movie.
The casting is straight Diversity Equity Inclusion. The rules are: of your group of fantasy characters if 5 40% need to be African American. If ur lead is white and is married spouse Africa. America and child is mixed. Same rules here.
But: 1. The actors selected are good and to fir their archetypes well: the unconfident young mage, and I think what was a holy knight. Some casting but actors fit. Because actors are good have to give it a pass.
The makers you can tell liked D and D and other fantasy properties. I’ll take it!
submitted by dennisKNedry to KotakuInAction [link] [comments]
But: 1. The actors selected are good and to fir their archetypes well: the unconfident young mage, and I think what was a holy knight. Some casting but actors fit. Because actors are good have to give it a pass.
- There is a red headed white girl! In woke movies none survive to be replaced by D.I.E casting.
- Characters don’t de-masculate the main Chris Pine character. Character choices fit the characters.
- Story is not woke. It’s fun. It has adventure. It doesn’t go in annoying places do teach us “the message”.
The makers you can tell liked D and D and other fantasy properties. I’ll take it!
2023.04.01 14:18 TopPomegranate4432 Remitly - £10 off a £100 money transfer to yourself
Remitly is an international money transfer service that is offering £10 off a £100 money transfer when you sign up via referral. Basically, you'll earn a quick £7-£8 profit just for sending money to yourself.
My experience: I was able to earn that even after the currency conversion and £1.99 transfer fee, since you send £100 but only pay £91.99. It's also the most rapid paying of the ones I've used, taking no longer than 10 mins to land in my account. I chose to send GBP to EUR - I laid out my exact steps below.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE:
- "Delivery Method": Bank Deposit.
- "Delivery Location": AXA Banque.
submitted by TopPomegranate4432 to beermoneyuk [link] [comments]
My experience: I was able to earn that even after the currency conversion and £1.99 transfer fee, since you send £100 but only pay £91.99. It's also the most rapid paying of the ones I've used, taking no longer than 10 mins to land in my account. I chose to send GBP to EUR - I laid out my exact steps below.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE:
- Sign up to Remitly using my referral link here
- Choose Belgium (EUR) to transfer the money to. Use your Wise EUR account details to receive the transfer (I personally send it to my Wise account as find it comes through rapidly)
- Transfer £100 (there will be a £1.99 fee). Choose the below options:
- "Delivery Method": Bank Deposit.
- "Delivery Location": AXA Banque.
- Enter your Wise IBAN details and pay via Easy Bank Transfer. Send £100 but only pay £91.99.
- Then wait for your money to come through at the other side (mine took less than 10 mins). The name that appears when the transfer comes through is "Trustly Group" in case you wonder who randomly deposited money into your account. Convert it back to GBP and you're done!
- Referral link here
- Non-referral link: https://www.remitly.com/
2023.04.01 14:00 m3mgroupsco M3M Properties By M3M Groups
M3M Properties by M3M Groups is the perfect choice for those looking for luxurious and modern residential and commercial properties. Their development projects are designed to provide a premium lifestyle and world-class amenities to their customers.
submitted by m3mgroupsco to u/m3mgroupsco [link] [comments]
2023.04.01 13:47 MrunalBasu How to prepare for CLAT in a short time: A guide for last-minute preparation
 | Preparing for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) can be a daunting task, especially if you have limited time. The CLAT is a highly competitive exam that tests the aptitude and skills of aspirants who wish to pursue law as a career. In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to prepare for the CLAT in a short time. submitted by MrunalBasu to u/MrunalBasu [link] [comments] The CLAT exam is held annually and comprises multiple-choice questions from various subjects, including English, General Knowledge, Elementary Mathematics, Legal Aptitude, and Logical Reasoning. The exam aims to evaluate a candidate's analytical and reasoning abilities, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The ideal time for preparing for the CLAT exam is six months to a year. However, sometimes circumstances might prevent you from having that much time to prepare. In such cases, it becomes necessary to devise a strategy that would help you maximize the limited time available to you. Here are some tips that would help you prepare for the CLAT exam in a short time. https://preview.redd.it/536y3s4lg9ra1.png?width=2240&format=png&auto=webp&s=b4e4ac6c473a328b5f1ef24aba09768a75bb94e6 Plan Your Time EffectivelyTime management is essential when preparing for any competitive exam, especially when you have a limited amount of time. You need to allocate your time wisely, depending on your strengths and weaknesses. Allocate more time to subjects that you find challenging, and less time to subjects that you are good at.Also, divide your study sessions into smaller, manageable chunks. For instance, you can allocate 45 minutes to one hour for each subject, and take a 10-15 minute break in between. This strategy will help you stay focused, reduce fatigue and retain more information. Focus on the SyllabusThe CLAT syllabus is vast, and it can be challenging to cover everything in a short time. Therefore, focus on the essential topics that are likely to appear in the exam. Start by reviewing the previous years' question papers to get an idea of the exam pattern and the type of questions asked. This will help you identify the areas that you need to focus on.The essential topics in each subject are as follows:
Make Use of Study MaterialsStudy materials such as textbooks, online courses, mock tests, and study guides can help you prepare for the exam quickly. Choose study materials that cover the essential topics of each subject and are easy to understand.Mock tests are particularly useful because they help you understand the exam pattern, improve your time management skills, and evaluate your performance. Take as many mock tests as possible and analyze your mistakes to identify areas that need improvement. Focus on Your WeaknessesIt's natural to have weaknesses in certain subjects or topics. However, it's essential to address them before the exam. Identify your weak areas and allocate more time to them. Use study materials that explain the concepts clearly and practice as many questions as possible.Revise RegularlyRevision is an essential aspect of exam preparation. It helps you retain information, improves your memory, and reduces the chances of forgetting what you've learned. Allocate a specific time for revision every day, and make sure to revise everything that you've studied during that day.Stay Updated with Current AffairsCurrent affairs play a significant role in the CLAT exam, and you need to stay updated with the latest news and events. Read newspapers, watch news channels, and follow current affairs websites to keep yourself updated. Make notes of the important news and events and revise them regularly.Practice Time ManagementTime management is crucial when it comes to preparing for the CLAT exam. The exam is timed, and you need to answer all the questions within the allotted time. Therefore, practice time management skills when solving practice tests or mock exams.Divide the time equally among all the sections, and try to solve each question within the allocated time. Remember, accuracy is as important as speed. So, try to strike a balance between the two while practicing time management. Stay MotivatedStaying motivated is vital when preparing for any exam, and it's no different for the CLAT exam. The exam is competitive, and you may face setbacks during your preparation. Therefore, it's essential to stay motivated and keep working hard.One way to stay motivated is to set achievable goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. For example, if you complete a particular section within the allocated time, treat yourself to something you enjoy, such as a favorite snack or a movie. Another way to stay motivated is to surround yourself with positive energy. Talk to friends and family who encourage you and believe in you. Join online forums and groups of other CLAT aspirants who are also preparing for the exam. You can share your experiences, ask questions, and motivate each other. Stay HealthyYour health is as important as your preparation when it comes to the CLAT exam. You need to take care of yourself physically and mentally to perform well in the exam. Get enough sleep, eat healthy, and exercise regularly.Take breaks in between your study sessions to avoid burnout and reduce stress. Engage in activities that you enjoy, such as reading, listening to music, or watching movies. These activities will help you relax and recharge your energy. ConclusionPreparing for the CLAT exam in a short time can be challenging, but it's not impossible. The key is to plan your time effectively, focus on the syllabus, make use of study materials, revise regularly, practice time management, stay motivated, and stay healthy.Remember, the CLAT exam is just a stepping stone to your career in law. It's essential to give your best and do well in the exam, but it's not the end of the road. Keep working hard, believe in yourself, and stay motivated. With dedication and perseverance, you can achieve your dreams and build a successful career in law. There are several best coaching for CLAT in India that offer training and guidance for the CLAT exam. These institutes provide comprehensive study materials, practice tests, and mock exams to help aspirants prepare for the exam. |
2023.04.01 13:45 AdamantAce April 2023 - Brand New Stories Coming Soon!
Hello and welcome back to DC Next! We will be posting our regular announcement for April issues later today, but first we wanted to share some exciting news.
This is the month we celebrate the fourth anniversary of our very first story, which is such an exciting milestone. Thank you for supporting us and we hope you continue to enjoy what we share here every month.
This is also a month where we have some very exciting news to share, announcing the launch of a myriad of new titles starting in the following few months. Do let us know what you think of these exciting new stories!
Justice Legion by Deadislandman1, Geography3 & Voidkiller826
President Cale backs a mercenary with a shadowy past to be her flagship superhero Prometheus, prompting an investigation by Donna Troy; Mal Duncan and Mister Miracle team up to investigate Apokoliptian influence on Earth; and Green Arrow is inducted into the Justice Legion proper after his close shave with the Joker. Meanwhile amidst the Reawakening, Jaime Reyes investigates rumors of a returned Ted Kord, and a Reawakened hero from another Earth helps Terry McGinnis adjust to his new reality after he finally decides to stop running through time.
Kid Flash: Born to Run (6-issue limited series) by JPM11S
With a new writer taking the reins of the Fastest Man Alive, now is the perfect time to bring you an untold story from the previous run! After becoming Kid Flash and moving to Central City, Wally West is ready to leave his old, boring life behind, only to start living with his boring grandparents, being forced to spend time with his boring Uncle Barry, and having to start a boring new high school part way through the year! It turns out superpowers don't make life nearly as easy as Wally thought they would – they probably make it harder.
Deathstroke (5-issue limited series) by Deadislandman1
After years of dealing death, Slade Wilson faces a ticking time bomb. The serum that was originally meant to create a unit of compliant super-soldiers - of which Slade was the only survivor - has landed him with a rapidly deteriorating brain condition that is stripping him of control of his body, slowly and finally turning him into the perfect, mindless mercenary, a killer with no restraint.
Determined to hold onto his faculties long enough to see to unfinished business and get his house in order, Slade searches for any trace of the government group involved in developing the serum decades ago, hoping he can be saved before he is reduced to a snarling animal.
Opal Knights by Fortanono
One night out at the family observatory, Jack Knight was viciously attacked and left in a coma by an unknown assailant. All evidence points to three facts: one, that he was attacked with a Cosmic Rod; two, that he was keeping a secret from the family, something that he was investigating without their knowledge; and three, that the attacker was a member, or an associate, of the Knight family. Meanwhile, Rick and Dee Tyler have returned to Opal City, refusing to answer where they have been, and Jennifer Knight, Darrell Dane and Courtney Whitmore must hold together a city that seems ready to explode while simultaneously questioning their predecessors... and each other.
Action Stories by JPM11S
Spinning out of the events of Superman: House of El, your favorite bimonthly series returns! With Superman unable to be contacted and the deadly Superboy Prime on the loose, it falls to Conner Kent, Guardian of Chicago, to apprehend him! But Conner quickly discovers he’s not the only one after Prime. His competition? Amanda Waller and the… Justice Squad?
Tim Drake: Rook (6-issue limited series) by PatrollinTheMojave
Maxwell Lord was left a shell of his former self after being consumed by the deadly AI Brother Eye. Tim Drake thought he had seen the last of the man who killed his father until a legal loophole tied to the Reawakening sets OMAX free from incarceration. Now, Tim must fight to ensure his father's killer doesn't hurt anyone else while getting to the bottom of the mystery that set him free.
Battlin’ Bug (6-issue limited series) by GemlinTheGremlin
He gave his name and his name was lost. His old identity cast aside and the world as he knows it still recovering from the Dream Crisis, Bug finds himself tackling a new crisis of his own - who are you once you give up your old life, and how do you go about starting a new one? In this 6-issue mini-series, Bug comes to terms with his past and attempts to forge his own future. From investigating those Reawakened thanks in part to his own actions, to acclimatising to a brand new Earth, Bug must learn that with great ability, comes great obligation.
Atom Academy by Dwright5252
Ray Palmer teaches only one class at Ivy University, a class that many students vie for but only four get. Strange qualifications are needed for it, and its true subject matter is shrouded in mystery. Ryan Choi, Jill Athron, Rhonda Pineda and Adam Cray are the lucky students chosen for the class.
One day, Palmer fails to show up, and evidence of a break-in is evident. Led by Karen Beecher, a former colleague and research partner to Palmer, the foursome take a journey into a realm of scientific wonder and horror as they unravel the secrets of the Microverse.
Cyborg and the Outsiders by Deadislandman1
After an electric finale, Victor Stone has found his place and his balance in the world, but now he feels a duty to help others find theirs. Beyond Detroit, Cyborg joins with the Monkey Prince, Capucine, Hack, and Nowhere Man so that they might all fulfill their potential and do true good in the world, first by solving the conspiracy of Basilisk.
Starling by GemlinTheGremlin & Upinthatbuckethead
Two years ago, Mar’i Grayson found herself stranded, sent backwards through time to a world she didn’t recognise, in a time she thought of as her past. Then, just as she had begun to adjust to her new circumstances and prepared to introduce herself to this world’s Dick Grayson as his ‘daughter’, the world was thrown into chaos. Hundreds - thousands - like her, stranded through time and space with little knowledge of how to get home. In this new series, a determined Mar’i strives to set things right and return home under the guidance of her ‘mother’ Koriand’r and her new colleagues in the Teen Titans - but can she do the same to all those just like her?
Zatanna: Mistress of Magic by VoidKiller826
Behold, the great and beautiful Zatanna takes center stage once again! And for tonight's show, the Mistress of Magic receives a mysterious letter telling her to head to New York for an odd case: the murder of a reclusive billionaire known for collecting magical artifacts, and a former friend of Zatanna’s father! Zatanna will have to navigate the billionaire's family who have come to seek his fortune and look over the family's past dealings with demons, ghosts and fairies. Will Zatanna solve this murder mystery? How exactly did he know Giovanni Zatara? The stage is set, and Zatanna will perform her magic show!
Adventures of Captain Marvel by Fortanono & Geography3
Countless ages ago, the wise man Solomon concocted a plan to steal the power of the gods and use them to empower a champion. Asmodeus, his adversary, bound servant and occasional friend, did the same with his demon brethren. Now, Asmodeus' champion has defeated Solomon's champion, but the Wizard has managed to gain the favor of a very different set of gods: the eternal Quintessence.
In the wake of Billy Batson's disappearance, Freddy Freeman just wants to forget about it all, but instead the Wizard has thrust upon him a cosmic power which greatly outclassed that of his friend's. Now, Freddy must struggle to take on the legacy of Captain Marvel, all while the Wizard promises that something big is coming. Meanwhile, Billy struggles to find his way out of the shifting worlds of Hell, but his escape could also mean that of Asmodeus. All in all, Billy and Freddy both have to wonder: do they matter? Or are they simply pawns in a game between old rivals which has played out a thousand times before?
Huntress (9-issue limited series) by ClaraEclair
Time is relative. Helena Wayne knows that all too well. Having jumped back and forth across time and space, through eras afore and yet to come, she expected that reintegrating into her home time would be difficult. It’s not everyday that one has access to technology from the distant future and must give it up when the journey is over, but the knowledge is what sticks to her most.
Helena Wayne knows time, and in order to stop a cataclysm she sees coming, one that threatens her own family, she must tread carefully in order to stop the upcoming tragedy without disturbing the Timestream’s delicate balance. Without access to the tools she once possessed and unable to warn those she wishes to protect, can the Huntress save those closest to her and avert the disastrous consequences of altering what is now the past, or will her actions cause fractures that she herself would have had to deal with as a Legend of Tomorrow?
Sideways by Mr_Wolf_GangF
Teenager Derek James has been working as the live streaming superhero Sideways for months when he discovers a brand new extension of his powers: the ability to open portals between universes. While practicing with this ability, Derek accidentally attracts the attention of Lexiac, a version of Lex Luthor who merged with Brainiac and took over his universe. Looking to use Derek to complete his functional but imperfect dimension travel technology, Lexiac begins to pursue the hero. This forces Derek on the run through the Multiverse, where he's forced to team up with other versions of famous heroes. Meet a broken Thomas Wayne who became the Dark Knight, a vengeful Lois Lane who became the Eradicator after Superman's death, and the happy-go-lucky Mary Maxwell who is the Flash of her world. Can Derek and his allies defeat Lexiac and return to their home dimensions or will the Multiverse swallow them whole?
Aquaman Incorporated by Dwright5252
In this sequel series, the warring rival factions of Atlanteans instead look to unite. Spearheaded by the King and Queen, Aquaman Incorporated is born - an initiative that inducts Aquamen from each of the Seven Seas to defend Earth and defeat evil wherever it surfaces. Follow Kaldur, Garth, Tula, Kwang-Jo, Lorena, A.J., Lagaan, the Sea Devils, and a mysterious new Black Manta as the world is saved one gallon at a time.
L.E.G.I.O.N. by Predaplant
In a far-off future, the Legion of Super-Heroes stands as the paragon of heroism, a force for good known throughout the Alliance of United Planets, inspired by Superman - remembered as history's greatest hero. But everything the Legion believes in is challenged when the Reawakening puts them on a collision course with a woman who claims to know the untold truth of the Man of Steel. In 2023, Jon Kent will fall to the dark forces of Hell and annihilate whole planets before being freed, and the universe will be none the wiser… until now.
Refusing to allow this terrible tale to come true, a team of select Legionnaires is sent back in time to the 21st century, led by Brainiac 5 and the emissary that delivered this warning: Kristin Wells of Earth-Nabla. With time running out, they must search for the truth of Superman’s supposed fall and do all they can to ensure the legacy of Man of Tomorrow - and that of the Legion itself - is protected.
submitted by AdamantAce to DCNext [link] [comments]
This is the month we celebrate the fourth anniversary of our very first story, which is such an exciting milestone. Thank you for supporting us and we hope you continue to enjoy what we share here every month.
This is also a month where we have some very exciting news to share, announcing the launch of a myriad of new titles starting in the following few months. Do let us know what you think of these exciting new stories!
Justice Legion by Deadislandman1, Geography3 & Voidkiller826
President Cale backs a mercenary with a shadowy past to be her flagship superhero Prometheus, prompting an investigation by Donna Troy; Mal Duncan and Mister Miracle team up to investigate Apokoliptian influence on Earth; and Green Arrow is inducted into the Justice Legion proper after his close shave with the Joker. Meanwhile amidst the Reawakening, Jaime Reyes investigates rumors of a returned Ted Kord, and a Reawakened hero from another Earth helps Terry McGinnis adjust to his new reality after he finally decides to stop running through time.
Kid Flash: Born to Run (6-issue limited series) by JPM11S
With a new writer taking the reins of the Fastest Man Alive, now is the perfect time to bring you an untold story from the previous run! After becoming Kid Flash and moving to Central City, Wally West is ready to leave his old, boring life behind, only to start living with his boring grandparents, being forced to spend time with his boring Uncle Barry, and having to start a boring new high school part way through the year! It turns out superpowers don't make life nearly as easy as Wally thought they would – they probably make it harder.
Deathstroke (5-issue limited series) by Deadislandman1
After years of dealing death, Slade Wilson faces a ticking time bomb. The serum that was originally meant to create a unit of compliant super-soldiers - of which Slade was the only survivor - has landed him with a rapidly deteriorating brain condition that is stripping him of control of his body, slowly and finally turning him into the perfect, mindless mercenary, a killer with no restraint.
Determined to hold onto his faculties long enough to see to unfinished business and get his house in order, Slade searches for any trace of the government group involved in developing the serum decades ago, hoping he can be saved before he is reduced to a snarling animal.
Opal Knights by Fortanono
One night out at the family observatory, Jack Knight was viciously attacked and left in a coma by an unknown assailant. All evidence points to three facts: one, that he was attacked with a Cosmic Rod; two, that he was keeping a secret from the family, something that he was investigating without their knowledge; and three, that the attacker was a member, or an associate, of the Knight family. Meanwhile, Rick and Dee Tyler have returned to Opal City, refusing to answer where they have been, and Jennifer Knight, Darrell Dane and Courtney Whitmore must hold together a city that seems ready to explode while simultaneously questioning their predecessors... and each other.
Action Stories by JPM11S
Spinning out of the events of Superman: House of El, your favorite bimonthly series returns! With Superman unable to be contacted and the deadly Superboy Prime on the loose, it falls to Conner Kent, Guardian of Chicago, to apprehend him! But Conner quickly discovers he’s not the only one after Prime. His competition? Amanda Waller and the… Justice Squad?
Tim Drake: Rook (6-issue limited series) by PatrollinTheMojave
Maxwell Lord was left a shell of his former self after being consumed by the deadly AI Brother Eye. Tim Drake thought he had seen the last of the man who killed his father until a legal loophole tied to the Reawakening sets OMAX free from incarceration. Now, Tim must fight to ensure his father's killer doesn't hurt anyone else while getting to the bottom of the mystery that set him free.
Battlin’ Bug (6-issue limited series) by GemlinTheGremlin
He gave his name and his name was lost. His old identity cast aside and the world as he knows it still recovering from the Dream Crisis, Bug finds himself tackling a new crisis of his own - who are you once you give up your old life, and how do you go about starting a new one? In this 6-issue mini-series, Bug comes to terms with his past and attempts to forge his own future. From investigating those Reawakened thanks in part to his own actions, to acclimatising to a brand new Earth, Bug must learn that with great ability, comes great obligation.
Atom Academy by Dwright5252
Ray Palmer teaches only one class at Ivy University, a class that many students vie for but only four get. Strange qualifications are needed for it, and its true subject matter is shrouded in mystery. Ryan Choi, Jill Athron, Rhonda Pineda and Adam Cray are the lucky students chosen for the class.
One day, Palmer fails to show up, and evidence of a break-in is evident. Led by Karen Beecher, a former colleague and research partner to Palmer, the foursome take a journey into a realm of scientific wonder and horror as they unravel the secrets of the Microverse.
Cyborg and the Outsiders by Deadislandman1
After an electric finale, Victor Stone has found his place and his balance in the world, but now he feels a duty to help others find theirs. Beyond Detroit, Cyborg joins with the Monkey Prince, Capucine, Hack, and Nowhere Man so that they might all fulfill their potential and do true good in the world, first by solving the conspiracy of Basilisk.
Starling by GemlinTheGremlin & Upinthatbuckethead
Two years ago, Mar’i Grayson found herself stranded, sent backwards through time to a world she didn’t recognise, in a time she thought of as her past. Then, just as she had begun to adjust to her new circumstances and prepared to introduce herself to this world’s Dick Grayson as his ‘daughter’, the world was thrown into chaos. Hundreds - thousands - like her, stranded through time and space with little knowledge of how to get home. In this new series, a determined Mar’i strives to set things right and return home under the guidance of her ‘mother’ Koriand’r and her new colleagues in the Teen Titans - but can she do the same to all those just like her?
Zatanna: Mistress of Magic by VoidKiller826
Behold, the great and beautiful Zatanna takes center stage once again! And for tonight's show, the Mistress of Magic receives a mysterious letter telling her to head to New York for an odd case: the murder of a reclusive billionaire known for collecting magical artifacts, and a former friend of Zatanna’s father! Zatanna will have to navigate the billionaire's family who have come to seek his fortune and look over the family's past dealings with demons, ghosts and fairies. Will Zatanna solve this murder mystery? How exactly did he know Giovanni Zatara? The stage is set, and Zatanna will perform her magic show!
Adventures of Captain Marvel by Fortanono & Geography3
Countless ages ago, the wise man Solomon concocted a plan to steal the power of the gods and use them to empower a champion. Asmodeus, his adversary, bound servant and occasional friend, did the same with his demon brethren. Now, Asmodeus' champion has defeated Solomon's champion, but the Wizard has managed to gain the favor of a very different set of gods: the eternal Quintessence.
In the wake of Billy Batson's disappearance, Freddy Freeman just wants to forget about it all, but instead the Wizard has thrust upon him a cosmic power which greatly outclassed that of his friend's. Now, Freddy must struggle to take on the legacy of Captain Marvel, all while the Wizard promises that something big is coming. Meanwhile, Billy struggles to find his way out of the shifting worlds of Hell, but his escape could also mean that of Asmodeus. All in all, Billy and Freddy both have to wonder: do they matter? Or are they simply pawns in a game between old rivals which has played out a thousand times before?
Huntress (9-issue limited series) by ClaraEclair
Time is relative. Helena Wayne knows that all too well. Having jumped back and forth across time and space, through eras afore and yet to come, she expected that reintegrating into her home time would be difficult. It’s not everyday that one has access to technology from the distant future and must give it up when the journey is over, but the knowledge is what sticks to her most.
Helena Wayne knows time, and in order to stop a cataclysm she sees coming, one that threatens her own family, she must tread carefully in order to stop the upcoming tragedy without disturbing the Timestream’s delicate balance. Without access to the tools she once possessed and unable to warn those she wishes to protect, can the Huntress save those closest to her and avert the disastrous consequences of altering what is now the past, or will her actions cause fractures that she herself would have had to deal with as a Legend of Tomorrow?
Sideways by Mr_Wolf_GangF
Teenager Derek James has been working as the live streaming superhero Sideways for months when he discovers a brand new extension of his powers: the ability to open portals between universes. While practicing with this ability, Derek accidentally attracts the attention of Lexiac, a version of Lex Luthor who merged with Brainiac and took over his universe. Looking to use Derek to complete his functional but imperfect dimension travel technology, Lexiac begins to pursue the hero. This forces Derek on the run through the Multiverse, where he's forced to team up with other versions of famous heroes. Meet a broken Thomas Wayne who became the Dark Knight, a vengeful Lois Lane who became the Eradicator after Superman's death, and the happy-go-lucky Mary Maxwell who is the Flash of her world. Can Derek and his allies defeat Lexiac and return to their home dimensions or will the Multiverse swallow them whole?
Aquaman Incorporated by Dwright5252
In this sequel series, the warring rival factions of Atlanteans instead look to unite. Spearheaded by the King and Queen, Aquaman Incorporated is born - an initiative that inducts Aquamen from each of the Seven Seas to defend Earth and defeat evil wherever it surfaces. Follow Kaldur, Garth, Tula, Kwang-Jo, Lorena, A.J., Lagaan, the Sea Devils, and a mysterious new Black Manta as the world is saved one gallon at a time.
L.E.G.I.O.N. by Predaplant
In a far-off future, the Legion of Super-Heroes stands as the paragon of heroism, a force for good known throughout the Alliance of United Planets, inspired by Superman - remembered as history's greatest hero. But everything the Legion believes in is challenged when the Reawakening puts them on a collision course with a woman who claims to know the untold truth of the Man of Steel. In 2023, Jon Kent will fall to the dark forces of Hell and annihilate whole planets before being freed, and the universe will be none the wiser… until now.
Refusing to allow this terrible tale to come true, a team of select Legionnaires is sent back in time to the 21st century, led by Brainiac 5 and the emissary that delivered this warning: Kristin Wells of Earth-Nabla. With time running out, they must search for the truth of Superman’s supposed fall and do all they can to ensure the legacy of Man of Tomorrow - and that of the Legion itself - is protected.
2023.04.01 13:42 EmergencyBusiness624 I feel so guilty
I (21M) am currently living with my two roommates (both 21M). We're living together for over a year now and we're very close. I'm in relationship and one of them has a girlfriend too. The third one, let's call him Aman is single. He's very introvert in nature and slightly overweight but he's good man. Now whenever we go out on double dates, we take Aman with us as well so he doesn't feel like he's being left out just because he's single but sometimes our girlfriends want some private moments with us so he either goes home early or doesn't even come sometimes. We feel very bad about that and we've been trying hard to set him up with someone so we all could go on triple dates and have max fun with noone feeling any guilt or whatsoever.
So yesterday we three were having brunch in a food court. There was a group of five to six girls at next table. They were around the same age as us. After we finished our meal Aman told us out of nowhere that one of the girl is very cute. Now we were already desperate to find him a girl so we told him that atleast talk to her and tell her that you find her very cute. He said no and that he won't do that in a million years, but we were also like we're not leaving until you go and tell her that and if he won't do that then we will. We basically forced him to go to her and ask for her number. After few minutes of debate, he finally agreed on few conditions like we've to do his laundry for one week & all. So my man went to her with deep breaths and said this exactly "Hey, I think you're very pretty & I like your smile, I'd like to know you better and may be wanna hang out sometimes!? so can I have your number?". And all her response was "Have you ever seen yourself in a mirror? Creep." All her friends were laughing silently. He just like froze there for a sec and then looked at us. We could tell how humiliated he was, then he just stormed out. We both felt like shit. I wanted to tell the girl that it's not cool at all what she has done, but my roommate tried to calm me down & told that it's better if we don't make a scene out of it & he didn't want any trouble so we left.
Now Aman hasn't spoken a word to us ever since that incident. We said we're so sorry and we won't make him do anything relationship-wise but he hasn't given any response. I feel like his confidence was already down but after that incident, it's got completely shattered and we're responsible for that. I'm not sure what do that makes him okay. Also today he said that he's gonna go live with his grandparents for few days and we said nothing but okay. I hope that'll make him feel better and he comes back to us soon.
I'm feeling super guilty and this is eating me alive, i just wanted this out of my chest.
submitted by EmergencyBusiness624 to offmychest [link] [comments]
So yesterday we three were having brunch in a food court. There was a group of five to six girls at next table. They were around the same age as us. After we finished our meal Aman told us out of nowhere that one of the girl is very cute. Now we were already desperate to find him a girl so we told him that atleast talk to her and tell her that you find her very cute. He said no and that he won't do that in a million years, but we were also like we're not leaving until you go and tell her that and if he won't do that then we will. We basically forced him to go to her and ask for her number. After few minutes of debate, he finally agreed on few conditions like we've to do his laundry for one week & all. So my man went to her with deep breaths and said this exactly "Hey, I think you're very pretty & I like your smile, I'd like to know you better and may be wanna hang out sometimes!? so can I have your number?". And all her response was "Have you ever seen yourself in a mirror? Creep." All her friends were laughing silently. He just like froze there for a sec and then looked at us. We could tell how humiliated he was, then he just stormed out. We both felt like shit. I wanted to tell the girl that it's not cool at all what she has done, but my roommate tried to calm me down & told that it's better if we don't make a scene out of it & he didn't want any trouble so we left.
Now Aman hasn't spoken a word to us ever since that incident. We said we're so sorry and we won't make him do anything relationship-wise but he hasn't given any response. I feel like his confidence was already down but after that incident, it's got completely shattered and we're responsible for that. I'm not sure what do that makes him okay. Also today he said that he's gonna go live with his grandparents for few days and we said nothing but okay. I hope that'll make him feel better and he comes back to us soon.
I'm feeling super guilty and this is eating me alive, i just wanted this out of my chest.
2023.04.01 13:42 nothingtosaydude windows forms on windows run on parallels
Hello I am new to c# and I am trying to combine my app with windows forms.
I am aware that windows forms doesn't work on Mac so I am using Windows 11 on parallels virtual machine to code.
I tried using the solution explorer to reference the projects to each other but I keep on getting this error:
forms.csproj.user file
Could someone tell me what I am doing wrong or how I should change the two files?
submitted by nothingtosaydude to csharp [link] [comments]
I am aware that windows forms doesn't work on Mac so I am using Windows 11 on parallels virtual machine to code.
I tried using the solution explorer to reference the projects to each other but I keep on getting this error:
Project `/Users/John/Documents/test/forms/forms.csproj` cannot be added due to incompatible targeted frameworks between the two projects. Review the project you are trying to add and verify that is compatible with the following targets: - net7.0These are my two csproj files:
forms.csproj.user file
app.csproj fileForm
Exe net7
Could someone tell me what I am doing wrong or how I should change the two files?
2023.04.01 13:32 RyanzRetroReviewz The Thing From Another World - 1951 Film Review - RyanzRetroReviewz
THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD - 1951
The thing from another world i 1951 horrosci-fi movie starring Kenneth Tobey Margaret Sheridan, Robert Cornthwaite, Douglas Spencer and James Arness as "The Thing". Directed by Christian Nyby, or by Howard Hawks himself depending on which version of the story you believe, and produced by Hawks' own "Winchester Pictures Corporation", this movie is one of the early and perfect examples of when Hollywood films began to turn away from the classical horror movie monsters (i.e. Dracula and Frankenstein) that reigned in the 1930s and '40s, and into the realm of more science fiction based monsters.
The movie follows a group of U.S. air force personnel and a team of civilian scientists, who find a frozen humanoid alien buried under the ice in the remote reaches of northern Alaska. When the creature thaws out and comes back to life, with it's only goal being the multiplying of it's species and taking over the planet, the military men and scientist must band together to put a stop to this threat to all humanity.
We start it all off with army journalist Ned "Scotty" arriving in Fairbanks, Alaska to meet his old friend air force pilot Captain Pat Hendry, and his loyal but wise cracking flight crew. Some quick witted dialogue brings the audience to a familiar level with our characters, as they together all fly further north to a remote scientific research station, which has recently detected on radar, a large unknown aircraft crashing down into the ice in the near area.
Upon arrival at "Polar Expedition 6", Cpt. Hendry is first treated to a comically-romantic reunion with base secretary Nicki Nicholson, who's past (and possible future) history together has become the brunt of a joke amongst Hendry's men. After a quick rundown of the situation from base leader Dr. Carrington, a group of both the scientists and airmen fly out to the crash zone to investigate.
The team first finds a giant skid trail along the ice, further leading to a full on "flying saucer" at the end of the path, now buried down a few feet below the ice. When they try to thaw it out with thermite charges, the ship reacts and self destructs, leaving no evidence behind for the team to document and study, until they find a humanoid figure just a little further away, also frozen a few feet beneath the ice. Now very carefully, the group hacks out the frozen figure and hauls it back on the plane to the research station.
Back at Polar Expedition 6, the movie's themes begin to come to surface when the age old debate kicks off between brawn and brain, with Dr. Carrington wishing to thaw out the creature for further scientific research, and Cpt. Hendry insisting that this is now a military issue, requiring official military authority before carrying on with anything in regards to "the thing from another world".
"The thing" slowly starts to thaw out on it's own, finally coming back to life and attacking one of the airmen from behind, before fleeing off into the storm, and having his arm chewed off by the sled dogs just outside of the base.
Hendry and his men then form an armed search party of the perimeter and keep constant guard, giving film audiences some of the greatest jump out and scare you scenes of it's day, this being elevated by the bursting loud and terrifying theme that comes along anytime the creature appears on screen.
Dr. Carrington continuingly argues that the creature is not dangerous and must not be harmed, all while he and his team of scientist attempt to further study the creature's severed limb, finally coming to learn that this "Thing from another world" has a similar biological structure as to that of vegetable, only requiring blood other than water as the main source of nourishment for it's growth and reproduction cycle.
A secret experiment is then put into motion with Carrington actually growing these creatures from scratch in the greenhouse room closet.
But when "The Thing" then begins killing off members of the research team, most of the scientist come to agree with Cpt. Hendry and his assessment that this creature defenetely means humanity harm. A further search of the grounds unveils Dr. Carrington's mad scientist experiment, with Hendry ordering it all to be destroyed, as well as confining Carrington to limited quarters around the base.
Some practical thinking from Mrs. Nicholson helps the airmen come to realize the best way of killing this thing is by cooking it, as you do with all vegetables. This gives the special effects department their chance to shine and raise up the audiences pulses as Cpt. Hendry and his crew fight the monster, first with fire (lighting up an entire set and a record holding stuntman for it in the process), then with electricity, but not before Dr. Carrington throws himself in the middle of the "angry mob" and the creature, only to find out first hand that the creature has no interest in a mutual understanding.
But will the combined brains and brawn of the air force men and scientist, be enough to defeat The Thing from Another World? And if so, are there more out there? "Watch the skies. Everywhere. Keep looking. Keep watching the skies".
To sum it all up, The Thing from Another World (1951) is a great piece of everlasting cinema, taking us through a great storyline, with great actors, giving great performances the entire way. With such a definitive setting and great all around special effects, all rounded together by director Christian Nyby, and producer Howard Hawks, this movie remains an instant classic to any who tune into it for years to come, rivaling many of today's horror movies by far. While being remade on not 1, but 2 occasions, also helps this movie survive on through the era, but none will ever truly rival the classic.
And that's all she wrote folks. Thanks for reading.
Ryan D. Hurley.
submitted by RyanzRetroReviewz to u/RyanzRetroReviewz [link] [comments]
THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD - 1951
The thing from another world i 1951 horrosci-fi movie starring Kenneth Tobey Margaret Sheridan, Robert Cornthwaite, Douglas Spencer and James Arness as "The Thing". Directed by Christian Nyby, or by Howard Hawks himself depending on which version of the story you believe, and produced by Hawks' own "Winchester Pictures Corporation", this movie is one of the early and perfect examples of when Hollywood films began to turn away from the classical horror movie monsters (i.e. Dracula and Frankenstein) that reigned in the 1930s and '40s, and into the realm of more science fiction based monsters.
The movie follows a group of U.S. air force personnel and a team of civilian scientists, who find a frozen humanoid alien buried under the ice in the remote reaches of northern Alaska. When the creature thaws out and comes back to life, with it's only goal being the multiplying of it's species and taking over the planet, the military men and scientist must band together to put a stop to this threat to all humanity.
We start it all off with army journalist Ned "Scotty" arriving in Fairbanks, Alaska to meet his old friend air force pilot Captain Pat Hendry, and his loyal but wise cracking flight crew. Some quick witted dialogue brings the audience to a familiar level with our characters, as they together all fly further north to a remote scientific research station, which has recently detected on radar, a large unknown aircraft crashing down into the ice in the near area.
Upon arrival at "Polar Expedition 6", Cpt. Hendry is first treated to a comically-romantic reunion with base secretary Nicki Nicholson, who's past (and possible future) history together has become the brunt of a joke amongst Hendry's men. After a quick rundown of the situation from base leader Dr. Carrington, a group of both the scientists and airmen fly out to the crash zone to investigate.
The team first finds a giant skid trail along the ice, further leading to a full on "flying saucer" at the end of the path, now buried down a few feet below the ice. When they try to thaw it out with thermite charges, the ship reacts and self destructs, leaving no evidence behind for the team to document and study, until they find a humanoid figure just a little further away, also frozen a few feet beneath the ice. Now very carefully, the group hacks out the frozen figure and hauls it back on the plane to the research station.
Back at Polar Expedition 6, the movie's themes begin to come to surface when the age old debate kicks off between brawn and brain, with Dr. Carrington wishing to thaw out the creature for further scientific research, and Cpt. Hendry insisting that this is now a military issue, requiring official military authority before carrying on with anything in regards to "the thing from another world".
"The thing" slowly starts to thaw out on it's own, finally coming back to life and attacking one of the airmen from behind, before fleeing off into the storm, and having his arm chewed off by the sled dogs just outside of the base.
Hendry and his men then form an armed search party of the perimeter and keep constant guard, giving film audiences some of the greatest jump out and scare you scenes of it's day, this being elevated by the bursting loud and terrifying theme that comes along anytime the creature appears on screen.
Dr. Carrington continuingly argues that the creature is not dangerous and must not be harmed, all while he and his team of scientist attempt to further study the creature's severed limb, finally coming to learn that this "Thing from another world" has a similar biological structure as to that of vegetable, only requiring blood other than water as the main source of nourishment for it's growth and reproduction cycle.
A secret experiment is then put into motion with Carrington actually growing these creatures from scratch in the greenhouse room closet.
But when "The Thing" then begins killing off members of the research team, most of the scientist come to agree with Cpt. Hendry and his assessment that this creature defenetely means humanity harm. A further search of the grounds unveils Dr. Carrington's mad scientist experiment, with Hendry ordering it all to be destroyed, as well as confining Carrington to limited quarters around the base.
Some practical thinking from Mrs. Nicholson helps the airmen come to realize the best way of killing this thing is by cooking it, as you do with all vegetables. This gives the special effects department their chance to shine and raise up the audiences pulses as Cpt. Hendry and his crew fight the monster, first with fire (lighting up an entire set and a record holding stuntman for it in the process), then with electricity, but not before Dr. Carrington throws himself in the middle of the "angry mob" and the creature, only to find out first hand that the creature has no interest in a mutual understanding.
But will the combined brains and brawn of the air force men and scientist, be enough to defeat The Thing from Another World? And if so, are there more out there? "Watch the skies. Everywhere. Keep looking. Keep watching the skies".
To sum it all up, The Thing from Another World (1951) is a great piece of everlasting cinema, taking us through a great storyline, with great actors, giving great performances the entire way. With such a definitive setting and great all around special effects, all rounded together by director Christian Nyby, and producer Howard Hawks, this movie remains an instant classic to any who tune into it for years to come, rivaling many of today's horror movies by far. While being remade on not 1, but 2 occasions, also helps this movie survive on through the era, but none will ever truly rival the classic.
And that's all she wrote folks. Thanks for reading.
Ryan D. Hurley.
2023.04.01 13:26 Forsaken-Garlic4818 money diary: I‘m 28, live in Boston, make roughly $70k as a 👩🏼🏫 and everyone is ragey at work this week! (emoji-style baby)
part 1: net worth
positive net worth
debt
casita
NET WORTH: -45,672.46
part 2: income
Nothing exciting here as a public school teacher. My salary is fixed and the entire internet can figure out exactly how much I make. Next year I will apply to be a new teacher mentor to move over a lane (6% raise while I do the job). We won a great raise in our last contract so we can finally be paid almost as much as everyone around us!
This is my 5th year teaching but am on step 6 of 11 due to a full year internship.
read my paycheck and weep
pay schedule: 24 paychecks a year (NOT 26), biweekly Fridays with the exception of holidays and the final day of school, where you receive paychecks 22, 23, 24 and are expected to make that last late June through early September
each paycheck is different, so let’s do paycheck #1
Now paycheck #2
For those keeping track at home, my monthly gross is typically 5,871.66 and my net is typically 3,804.94
Why typically?
⭐
⭐
⭐
⭐
If you add up the categories, I’m in the red and I’m well aware of it – not for much longer though, as I’m saving really aggressively. 😊
part 4: el diario
Day 1 – Saturday
Day 2 – Sunday
Day 3 – Monday
Day 4 – Tuesday
Day 5 – Wednesday
Day 6 – Thursday
Day 7 – Friday
Grand totals:
submitted by Forsaken-Garlic4818 to MoneyDiariesACTIVE [link] [comments]
positive net worth
| category | #shesworthsomething |
|---|---|
| 💹 15,700 | Roth IRA, not much but it’s honest work. I wasn’t able to contribute last year but sent $1400 this month. Don’t think I will max this year but will do what I can. |
| 📱 1,400 | 457, not even sure why I contribute to this ($50/paycheck) |
| 📈 25,100 | Pension – cash value not super relevant here. 11% mandated contribution |
| 💰 7,100 | checking |
| 🤑 3,000 | HYSA @ 4.25% |
| ➕ 52,300 | we keep it positive around here |
| category | oops, she’s in debt again |
|---|---|
| 💷 -45,203 | Private student loan @ 4.79%, paid biweekly but sending extra $ |
| 💸 -72,957 | Undergrad Stafford + grad @ 5.2%. halfway done with PSLF! |
| ➖ 118,160 | 😬 (but it looks worse on paper!) |
| category | ah, but what about the house? |
|---|---|
| 🏡 362,000 | Purchase price, spring 2022, ginormous (income-restricted) condo |
| 💸 -317,026.81 | Mortgage #1 balance @ 2.75% |
| ♊ -23,431.95 | Mortgage #2 balance @ 0%, down-payment assistance paid in full at end of mortgage or resale |
| ➕ 21,541.24 | Equity including both mortgages, since not including #2 feels disingenuous |
part 2: income
Nothing exciting here as a public school teacher. My salary is fixed and the entire internet can figure out exactly how much I make. Next year I will apply to be a new teacher mentor to move over a lane (6% raise while I do the job). We won a great raise in our last contract so we can finally be paid almost as much as everyone around us!
This is my 5th year teaching but am on step 6 of 11 due to a full year internship.
read my paycheck and weep
pay schedule: 24 paychecks a year (NOT 26), biweekly Fridays with the exception of holidays and the final day of school, where you receive paychecks 22, 23, 24 and are expected to make that last late June through early September
each paycheck is different, so let’s do paycheck #1
| 💹 2,935.83 | gross |
|---|---|
| 💊 -37.14 | medicare (but not SS) |
| 👩🏼⚕️ -325.65 | PPO, I get sick often and in unexpected places |
| 🦷 -42.97 | dental |
| 👓 -5.91 | vision |
| 📱 -50 | 457 contribution |
| 🚕 -184.19 | federal withholding |
| 🚖 -114.32 | state withholding |
| 📈 -322.94 | pension withholding |
| ➕ 1,852.71 | behold, how little of my take home I get to actually enjoy |
| 💹 2,935.83 | gross |
|---|---|
| 💊 -48.01 | medicare (but not SS) |
| 📱 -50 | 457 contribution |
| 🚕 -323.86 | federal withholding |
| 🚖 -151.79 | state withholding |
| 📈 -322.94 | pension withholding |
| 💪🏼 -87 | union power, baby |
| ➕ 1,952.23 | Also known at work as “the good paycheck” |
Why typically?
- If we have 3 paychecks in a month: enjoy the big fat no medical or union deduction!
- …unless it’s April onwards, when they deduct health insurance from EVERY paycheck to cover your summer months (we call it double deduction season)
- in December we get a premium holiday (1/2 medical deduction)
- I also run an outdoors club at work, which I am paid $35/hr when I run the club and additional pay for certain trips (last month I was paid $375 alone for our annual weekend overnight before vacation). This can be wildly inconsistent but let’s just say I have an extra $100-150 to play with each month.
| category 💲 | PAY DEM BILLZ |
|---|---|
| 🏡 1343.38 | Putting the PIT in mortgage…or something like that. The other I is paid separately |
| ⛲ 167 | HOA |
| 🔐 68.16 | Was not required to have insurance at closing. Don’t be stupid like me. |
| 🎓 0 | fed loans, thanks Grandpa Joe. I think this will be about $250/m when it starts up again. PSLF date late 2028 |
| ⛽ 31 | YNAB tells me this is my average since moving to my house. Grateful to have big windows and a “put a sweater on” childhood upbringing – touched the heat twice this year |
| 🔌 50 | Averaged to include spicy hot summer months (it was 34 this month) |
| 💻 39.95 | interwebs |
| 🏫 412.92 | Private loan, paid biweekly (so if it’s a rare 3 payment month it’s more). The minimum monthly payment is something like $316, but I’m sending an extra $50 to get some benefit from the power of compound interest. 4.79% is not a make or break rate. Payoff 2034 but hope this can happen sooner. |
| 📰 12.50 | NYT Academic rate |
| 🚊 90 | Monthly pass |
| 🍿 15.99 | Somebody needs to pay the HBO Max |
| ➖ 2234.43 | Assigned this month |
| category 💲 | important semi-regular expenses |
|---|---|
| 🎁 20 | Averaged gifts and donations, we have a special scholarship at work |
| 👗 0 | I haven’t bought new clothes in a while and it’s starting to show. |
| 🤸🏼♀️ 85 | trampoline class |
| 👩🏼⚕️ 60 | YNAB tells me my average is 60/mo, but this is overinflated due to an MRI in November that I will only have to do (hopefully) one more time. I’m usually at the urgent care or a specialist doctor 1x/month (this month: a UTI), so it’s more like 30 |
| 🪑 40 | Hard to quantify. Since I moved in, I had a free couch moved ($200), bought a very nice TV ($750), a vacuum ($250), filters for vacuum ($30), and the world’s nicest washer ($1900). So YNAB is telling me a horrifying $400/mo, but let’s call it 40 going forward |
| 🌷 0 | I was a good urban balcony gardener, but no balcony. Waiting for a community garden spot, hopefully next year |
| 🍉 250 | Includes booze and small household things (TP, paper towels, dish soap) |
| 🥾 30 | Am avid hiker and rollerblader. Averaged cost of trip incidentals like carpool or snacks, admission to roller rink |
| 💊 55 | 3 lifesaving medicines (25/mo + 10/mo + 30 as needed) + 10 for whatever medicine needed for illness of the month (10 for antibiotics this month). Every year I get a new epi-pen for 10 or 30. This month was more like 85 because my pharmacy accidentally sent me a med I have plenty of. |
| ➖ 500 | rough guesstimate |
| monthly 💲 | annual 💲 | annual expenses (save early, save often) |
|---|---|---|
| 🤑 3.95 | 🕛47.33 | Splitting YNAB with a friend on the new family plan |
| 💇🏼♀️ 22.50 | 🕛 270 | 2x curly haircuts a year (cut + tip) |
| 🩰 127.78 | 🕛 1150 | Pair of opening weekend orchestra tickets + donor perks + volunteer dues |
| 🌴 55 | 🕛 650 | My part of family vacation with parents |
| 🕶 33.33 | 🕛 400 | Annual eye visit (exam + contact fitting + 12 months contacts) |
| 📦 11.59 | 🕛 139 | prime shipping, no car in a store desert + my mom likes videos |
| 🎄 50 | 🕛 600 | I love Christmas |
| 💸 ? | 🕛 6500 | Roth IRA, we’re getting aspirational. I sent $1400 this month because it was a 3 paycheck month. Going to try to max and see how far I get. |
| 🦷 86.35 | 🕛 2250 | Saving ½ of estimated costs for Invisalign – never had braces as a kid and now my teeth are pretty bad. Hoping to start May 2024. There is unfortunately no savings for paying everything upfront so I’m saving ½ now and expecting a monthly payment around 150/mo during the treatment. |
| ➖390.50 | 🕛 4,686 | Ignoring the Roth IRA |
| category 💲 | very big savings |
|---|---|
| 🌆 428.57 | 3k goal by August 2023 (current balance: 850), “No August pay” – we don’t get paid in August and the first week of September so setting aside money specifically for this without feeling guilty for draining my emergency fund |
| 🕐 300 | (181.82 since I’m ahead) Homeowner’s 1% Warchest, it’s exactly what it sounds like. For any and all home expenses (things breaking or projects). Current balance: 2k |
| 🛑 140.91 | Building back EF, goal is 3k by December 2023 (current balance: 1.7k). I know this is low but my job is hilariously stable. I will try to add another month in 2024. |
| category 💲 | fun money! |
|---|---|
| 💻 50 | Laptop replacement, just chucking money in there. I’d like to buy a Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5i since I love the 2 in 1 form factor. Currently have 100/600 |
| 🚝 70 (paused) | Travel fund contribution, but full at 350. BFF getting married in VT in August so hoping to turn it into a girl’s weekend with another BFF |
| 🎮 65 (paused) | General video game fund – keep it topped up at 65 in case a new game drops OR if multiple games go on sale. I try to only buy games on deep sale |
| 🎮 12.99 | Final Fantasy XIV sub, I’ll retire someday |
| 👯♀️ 50 | Anything with friends, including eating out with them. usually 100 in the summer |
| 🍦 30 | “eating out” aka solo treats for myself (breakfast at dunks, small treats) |
| 🎊 10 | events happening that we want to go to not already covered, averaged. |
| ➖ 202.99 | Not including travel and video games since that’s topped up |
part 4: el diario
Day 1 – Saturday
🌅 gotta get dad to the ballet! 4.80total: 30.80
👯♀️ brunch with daddy-o before the ballet, I provide the tickets but he pays for brunch. his wallet is hurting because he only just got paid at his new job, so I kick in 20
👀 because brunch is attached to a swanky hotel and it’s PAX east wknd. 0 for free entertainment
🥤 my father requests a water bottle before the show. 6
🩰 don q, my 3rd time and dad’s 1st. Very good, but very long. 0 because these are volunteer comps
🚊 & 👋🏼
🧼 the casita before the week starts
Day 2 – Sunday
💤 lazy Sunday morning (dw, I’m still up at 6). Read the NYT cover to cover then play 🎮Total: 79.67
🚊 meeting a friend of a friend to help her do taxes but I’m early
📖 it’s gorgeous out so I photosynthesize in the BPL courtyard with my book club book
⛔ the wifi is too slow for us to do taxes so we pack up and 🚶🏼♀️ down newbury st until we settle at trident
👯♀️ I supervise her taxes, and eat a late lunch (grilled cheese w/ avo and tomato). 22.15
🍉 make the mistake of dragging this poor girl with me to the postage stamp sized TJ’s. and it’s 5:15. one does not shop here so much as get in line at the beginning & pick what you want as you go. a tall person fetches me frozen arepas. I come in right on budget so I’m pleased. 57.52
👋🏼 & 🚊 home to plan my week and decompress with 🎮 and 📖
Day 3 – Monday
🌅 it’s just before 6 and birds are happy, but now I am taking the 🚍 to workTotal: 0
🌉 stuck on the bus with my BOSS because a 🚢 is passing through the drawbridge. at least we can now fill out 90 second walk from the bus to dunks with acceptable new england small talk subjects (weather, transit, and sports) before she dips to get coffee
😡 the youth, because tomorrow & wednesday are standardized testing. sorry kids, I don’t make the schedule!
🙏🏼 “my plan is to read the questions carefully and ask God to help me know” – A+ testing strategy
✌🏼 2:30 and on my way home
🤸🏼♀️ take the 🚊 to go to bounce (0, see monthly expenses) and catch up with bounce buddy M.
🚶🏼♀️ walk with M. to the 🚊, go home for 🍜, 🚿, 📖, 🎮
Day 4 – Tuesday
🌅 hello, happy birds as I walk to the 🚍total: 68.16
🔥 the computers are not charged for testing. teenagers have been divested of all electronics and are not allowed to talk to each other. mayhem approaching in 3 … 2 … 1 …
🤬 nonstatus (male) colleague uses a work group text thread to refer to an unknown female colleague as the b-word. mayhem continues
❓ 2 hour (!) meeting after work due to snow day cancellations. male colleague doubles down on his comment before storming out. brain is mush
🚍 I remember nothing
🔐 as I am politely informed by my e-mail 68.16
👩🏼🍳 white bean & tomato stew & watch abbott elementary because it’s cathartic
🗣📕 ballet book club on zoom! we just finished a book about martha graham so we talk about it (I’m hosting next time about james whiteside)
Day 5 – Wednesday
🌅 please go away, very loud mourning doveTotal: 25.99
🍎 computers are charged, the youth are not. Mr. Insult has decided not to come to work today (probably for the best?)
🤬 is there something in the water?! another nonstatus teacher informs me that two of my students are talking to each other in the hallway and are not following her instructions which tbh is a day that ends in Y. important context: her instruction is in English and they only understand Spanish. I send them back to their testing rooms and she says, “when students ignore me and continue to speak in a language they know I don’t understand, they are being assholes” UM! GOODBYE!!!
😡 before I say something I regret I turn heel and inform my boss of this interaction. she takes a breath and thanks me for letting her know
😤 this is me taking a calming inhale / exhale before returning to staring at children
🏹 when I am proctoring (read: not allowed to read, grade, do work, browse the interweb), I like to imagine how the hunger games would go down if these kids were in it. the odds are in this room’s favor overall.
👩🏼🏫 these miserable youth are forced into a half day of classes, so we conference about grades and I let them have some free time
🏕 run weekly outdoors club for the youth. one student informs me a teacher refuses to sign a permission slip & doesn’t know why. make mental note to find this person and politely inquire. students make a great poster of images from our last trip and practice map skills
✌🏼 at 3:30 to get the 🚂 to then get on the 🚊 to go to 🤸🏼♀️ … it sounds awful but it all goes pleasantly smoothly, especially given how the T has been. class is great, lots of one-legged kicking on the trampoline. this is my 2nd week in a row of going from 2x class a week to 3x and it’s a tough adjustment. 0
🚶🏼♀️ to the 🚊 with M., who can’t make it to class on Friday – sad!
💊 the medicine I didn’t ask for but keeps coming has arrived. Note to self to call pharmacy and ask them to stop, but says 0 refills. Not a total waste because I KNOW I will get bronchitis again & need this. 10
🍿 paid for to keep my mother happy 15.99
🍴 eat leftover stew and 📞 my mother and best friend T. to debrief this very strange day
🎮 and 📖 before bed
Day 6 – Thursday
🌅 ahoy! Run into coworker D. on the 🚍 who gets coffee at dunks. I am feeling weak and acquire some 🥑🍞 3.69total: 43.64
🤝🏼 find this teacher who refuses to sign permission slip (who is also new). his reasons are very valid and we agree on conditions the student needs to fulfill to attend trip. hooray, adults being civil!
🤬 that’s it, something is in the water. two best friends in 3rd hour begin a heated verbal altercation about … a girl? in the middle of my class?? One kid takes off so I call security to let them know he would benefit from a check-in. the other student begins texting threats to his buddy and goes off on me when I tell him to stop. what is happening?!
👼🏼 boy returns with security at end of class, so I walk him to dean to process. 35 minutes later dean says everything is gucci and no more problems. hormones, man.
✌🏼 please get me out of here
💻 bill is paid 39.95
👵🏼 our weekly call (she is my only grandparent and is not doing well)
👨🏼 weekly call with father, who still likes his new job
🍜 leftover stew and Mandalorian with my 👩🏼 (we live text each other). finally, a good space battle!
🎮 and 📖 to decompress along with a long hot 🚿
Day 7 – Friday
🌅 I don’t think I can do this today.Total: 1,524.35
🧘🏼♀️ It has been such a frustrating week (there was another incident that happened that I can’t even reference due to state law/FERPA) that was incredibly traumatic and draining.
📱 to best friend T. and work friend R. to ask what they would do. Both endorse me taking a day off after this wild week.
🎮 and 📖 along with some stretching. 📞 with best friend E. to catch up on her wedding prep and life
🤑 payday! Good paycheck since it’s the 3rd of the month, but it might be missing hours from club. I won’t know until I see my paystub on Monday. +2,183.48 (+50 to 457, +322.94 to pension)
💸 ah, but it’s also the 31st. easy come, easy go 🏡 (1343.38) and ⛲ (167)
🚊 to 🤸🏼♀️ to a really 🔥 class. Learn the name of the girl next to me on Fridays who also brings her inhaler and it turns out we’re both teachers!
🍦 take a nice mozzarella sandwich home from tatte 13.97
🚊, 🍴, 🚿, 📖, 🎮
Grand totals:
- food & drank: 65.81
- entertainment: 15.99
- home & health: 10
- clothes & beauty: 0
- transport: 4.80
- other: 1,618.49 (how I would class my house expenses)
2023.04.01 13:25 ManicSheep The white lie that led to my 'exorcism'
Obligatory Precursor: This happened 15 years ago in my final year of high school. It was an event that changed my view on life and still haunts me to this day.
Some background: In my country, they took Christianity seriously. You were raised Christian, at school, we had Bible lessons/ scripture readings every morning before class started and your social life pretty much revolved around the church. When this event occurred, I was a youth leader in my church and even had a key to open the church every Friday evening and Sunday. I was a pretty awkward kid though; a bit weird and perhaps a little eccentric. So didn’t have that many friends in school (2 to be exact). Was a real social outcast back then. We also lived about 60 km away from school and I had to wait 4 to 5 hours after school for my mom to pick me up so we could go home. All these facts will be important for later.
So there were a bunch of things that happened leading up to the event.
It all started in January of my final year in high school. As last year students we had slightly more ‘privileges’ than all the other students. For one, every Monday morning we would all meet in a big Hall for Bible reading and the announcements for the week. Here all the younger students would sit on the icy cold floor at the bottom, and the final year students (and the very few girls) would sit in on chairs at the top of the gallery overlooking the big Hall. This was always made out to be a major privilege. We also had a choice to attend sports events like rugby or athletics (where for the younger students, it was obligatory).
One of the major sporting events at the beginning of the year was this inter-high school athletics competition. On one day in January, all the schools in the area would compete against each other to find the best athletes so they could be nominated to represent the area in provincial competitions. At these competitions, all the students from each school would need to attend as 'spectators'. Final-year students had a choice of whether or not they wanted to go. However, this year this event was moved to another school and there wasn't enough space for each school's entire populous. Therefore only the first-year and final-year students were 'forced' to go. Given that final-year students always had a choice in the past, and that this event was on a Friday...me and my two friends (Let's call them Dr Dre and The Wizard) decided to stay at home on that day and make a long weekend out of it.
Dr Dre was the only 'normal' one in my little group of friends. Dr Dre was really into rap music, he had good relationships with the teachers, all the different clicks of students (from the jocks to the geeks) liked him and he was overall a really decent kid (very wise and intelligent for his age). The Wizard, on the other hand was a very tall, blond Dutch boy that was into bizarre things. People found him to be extremely weird but didn't pick on him. He liked catching mice in the field, skinning them, and making stuff from their skins. He was (in his own mind) into wizardry (he identified as a dark wicca - dark witch). He was just overall very weird.
Anyway, the Monday morning after the athletics event, my two friends and I went to the big hall for the daily weekly Bible lesson and announcements as was customary. We sat at the top of the gallery and waited for the 'plebs' to fill the hall at the bottom. When everyone took their seats, two prefects (student leaders) came to the gallery and said that everyone that wasn't at the event on Friday would need to sit at the bottom with the plebs for the rest of the year. Apparently, they handed out little cards on Friday and well, we didn't have them... So my friends and I awkwardly stood up and made out way down the stairs. Halfway down, I told them that it was bullshit that we had to go sit with the 'kids'. The Wizard then said : "I say we just go sit outside the hall and refuse to go in... Make a statement".
At the time, we thought it was a good idea and went to go sit outside. About 15 mins later, a prefect (student leader) came to ask us why we were sitting outside. I responded, "it's none of your business" and he proceeded to go call one of the teachers. Our mathematics teacher (a short, mid-40s balding Greek man) came outside and asked why we were sitting there.... Without thinking, The Wizard said : "It's against our religion". The teacher asked what religion it was and we didn't respond. He turned around and walked away.We didn't mention which religion we were and at the time, we thought it was a brilliant response.
Later the day, we were in our homeroom class. The intercom went off (it broadcasts over the entire school), and an old woman's voice asked The Wizard, Dr Dre and I to go to the principal's office. Obviously the story had already spread across the entire school and everyone knew what this was about. We went to his office and sat on the old wooden benches in in front of his door. Dr Dre was the first to be asked to go in. Ten mins later, he comes out and returns to class. The Wizard and I were then asked to come in together.
The principal asked us to sit down and proceeded to ask us to explain the situation. Not willing to give up on the jig... We proceeded to stick to our story. He then asked if we were Satanists. The Wizard then responded and said something that would put me on a path prolonged psychological trauma. The Wizard said.... Yes. (Although he obviously wasn't). The principal then proceeded to ask questions why and how and when... It felt like we were sitting there for hours. The Wizard said that he was in it for power and control.. (All the time I'm thinking... WTF Dude!). I was quite throughout the entire session.. Mostly because I was afraid but primarily because I was shocked of the things that came out of his mouth. Around an hour later, we were asked to leave and return to class... And I thought the situation was resolved...
The next day at 7am all the students lined up in the quad as we always did from Tuesday till Friday. The principal did his Bible reading and the did his announcements. His final announcement sent shivers down my spine. He said that he made it his mission to destroy the satanic rituals and satanists in the school. At this stage it felt like all the students heads turned towards me.
With the 'extra' incentive, most students started to bully me, and I was consistently made fun of. Given that both Dr Dre and The Wizard were mucho gym junkies, no one picked on them... So I took the brunt of the students' and teachers' wrath. This went on for about 3 months. By the end of the three months, people already forgot that Dr Dre and The Wizard were involved in the matter... And I was basically now labelled as the school demon.... The face of the 'satanic cult' in the school. Already an outcast, my life was now an absolute living hell... The smart-ass remark to get us not to sit at the bottom of the hall, had now turned into a life of constant physical and psychological torture (from students and teachers).
Although I kept telling everyone that I wasn't a satanist and it was The Wizard lying to get us out of sitting with the younger students, no one believed me. Everything 'weird' that happened at the school was now always made out to be my fault. I even talked to the principal and even had my pastor from the church phone him. But nothing ever came of it. I just wanted the torture to stop, but no one would believe me.
So this brings me to D-day. The last Friday of the semester, the school came out at 11:00 (it usually came out at 14:00). Although the school was out and everyone was on their way home for the start of the summer vacation, I still had to stay at school till around 17:30 for my mom to come pick me up after work so we could go home. Around 11:30 the school was empty and I went to sit under my usual tree and entertained myself with SNAKE on my Nokia 5110.
Mid-game I saw the vice principal and the teacher that was in charge of religious studies walk up to me. They asked very politely if I wanted to take a ride with them. I declined, saying that my mom would be here at any moment to pick me up. The vice principal said he already spoke to my mom (which turned out to be a lie!) and she would only be there around 18:00. Fair enough. He caught me out in my BS excuse, and given that that was the usual time she would pick me up... I didn't think to question it further.
We walked to his car and I asked where we were going. He said he wanted to introduce me to 'a friend' of his. We climbed into his car and drove about 15 mins to a church. I knew the church because that was where the school's Minister (kinda like a priest) worked. This Minister was big and wobbly... And looked as if he could afford to skip a few meals. A pudgy fellow with rosy cheeks, a massive belly and this weird blueish-grey eyes that always seemed as if they stared through you when he looked at you. Let's call him Minister Bear.
So we get there and I felt my heart sink into my shoes. I knew where this was going. I was escorted around the church and led into a darkish room at the back of the building. As my eyes adjusted from the bright sun, to the darkish room, I saw Minister Bear, sitting behind his antique yellow wood desk. He welcomed my two teachers, stood up, and walked around the desk. As his friendly eyes move slowly away from my teachers, towards me... It systematically turned into this deep look of concern and fear. He locked the door next to me and said in a deep serious voice, "I feel a very dark presence in this room". And thanked my teachers for bringing me there.
He told my teachers to sit in the corner and ushered me to a chair in front of his desk. He sat down and proceeded to ask me a bunch of personal questions. It started innocent enough, like who I was and where I lived, through to have I ever had sex and if I'm gay (a taboo subject where I was from). The questions became ever darker and each time I would answer he would tell my teacher's "This isn't ManicSheep talking".
He then asked me if I was a satanist, to which I responded with a clear NO! I told him I was a youth leader in my church and that he could phone my pastor to ask. He would then respond by saying things like "Don't lie to me demon! Release this child of God ". The more I woud deny his claims, the more he would tell my teacher's that they needed to pray because the demon has a very strong hold over me.
This went on for about 2 hours. I looked at my watch and it was already 14:30. He would ask me what the demon in me's name was and how many of them were in me. I kept denying it and eventually burst out in tears, begging him to let me go. He said to my teachers that this was the demons way to want to escape, that he was getting closer to getting 'them' to release me. He asked me about satanist rituals and between every question he would ask... He would pray under his breath. No matter how much I cried, he didn't want to stop. I stood up and screamed that I am going to phone the police and ran to the door... Tried to open it... Shakes the handle... But the door was locked.
"You won't escape this room with this child l, demon" he would yell. I fell on the ground crying, saying my mom was looking for me and I just wanted to go home. At this stage, he picked me up with both hands and held me in the air. He pushed me against the wall and started praying louder. As I struggled to get free he yelled for my teachers to come put their hands on me and pray .. As the demons were loosing Control.
I was afraid for my life. As a kid of 17, I didn't know what was going on. I remember thinking about how can they feel a dark presence as I spend all my time at church. Why don't they want to phone my pastor? Why won't they believe me.
At this stage I realized that the only way out of this was to act out the role they clearly wanted me to play. That would be the only way out of the locked room. I tried to pull my tears back and looked him in the eyes.. And tried to push the quiver in my voice down. "OK you got me Minister." I said." You can have the child". He immediately dropped me and took a couple of steps back.
He started repeating the questions from earlier and told my teachers to pray harder as we were now getting to the crux of the matter. They needed to 'cast him out'. I kept responding to the questions in the way I thought they wanted. I then started speaking German backwards as they started praying harder. At this stage I just wanted to get out of there.
After what felt like years, they finally stopped and I fell to the ground. Minister Bear said... It's done. Laying on the ground, the tears again started balling out my eyes (this time out of total relief). They asked me how I felt and I couldn't stop crying. I just wanted to go home. I lied again and said I felt relieved and lighter and was unsure what was going on or how I got there.
The Minister then told me I was possessed by a series of demons (I can't remember the name he gave it) and that they were holding on deeply to my soul. That it took hours for them to cast them out. But I am free now, and that is why I felt so light and that crying is normal. He prayed one more time and gave me his number. He told me to come see him next week and that I should phone him if I feel something is coming back.
They finally unlocked the door. I stood there silently, not knowing if I was actually free to go. Still shaking I looked at my watch... It was 17:45 and I knew my mom was waiting for me at school. The teachers then asked if it was OK to go. They then took me back to the school and dropped me off at my mom's car.
I climbed in and burst into tears. My mom asked what was wrong and I explained. She then told me that I probably just misunderstood what was going on and that she would speak to the principal. Nothing ever came of this.
This was by far one of the most traumatic events in my life. Although I know I contributed to the situation, 15 years later, as a trained and registered psychologist, the matter still haunts me...
submitted by ManicSheep to LetsReadOfficial [link] [comments]
Some background: In my country, they took Christianity seriously. You were raised Christian, at school, we had Bible lessons/ scripture readings every morning before class started and your social life pretty much revolved around the church. When this event occurred, I was a youth leader in my church and even had a key to open the church every Friday evening and Sunday. I was a pretty awkward kid though; a bit weird and perhaps a little eccentric. So didn’t have that many friends in school (2 to be exact). Was a real social outcast back then. We also lived about 60 km away from school and I had to wait 4 to 5 hours after school for my mom to pick me up so we could go home. All these facts will be important for later.
So there were a bunch of things that happened leading up to the event.
It all started in January of my final year in high school. As last year students we had slightly more ‘privileges’ than all the other students. For one, every Monday morning we would all meet in a big Hall for Bible reading and the announcements for the week. Here all the younger students would sit on the icy cold floor at the bottom, and the final year students (and the very few girls) would sit in on chairs at the top of the gallery overlooking the big Hall. This was always made out to be a major privilege. We also had a choice to attend sports events like rugby or athletics (where for the younger students, it was obligatory).
One of the major sporting events at the beginning of the year was this inter-high school athletics competition. On one day in January, all the schools in the area would compete against each other to find the best athletes so they could be nominated to represent the area in provincial competitions. At these competitions, all the students from each school would need to attend as 'spectators'. Final-year students had a choice of whether or not they wanted to go. However, this year this event was moved to another school and there wasn't enough space for each school's entire populous. Therefore only the first-year and final-year students were 'forced' to go. Given that final-year students always had a choice in the past, and that this event was on a Friday...me and my two friends (Let's call them Dr Dre and The Wizard) decided to stay at home on that day and make a long weekend out of it.
Dr Dre was the only 'normal' one in my little group of friends. Dr Dre was really into rap music, he had good relationships with the teachers, all the different clicks of students (from the jocks to the geeks) liked him and he was overall a really decent kid (very wise and intelligent for his age). The Wizard, on the other hand was a very tall, blond Dutch boy that was into bizarre things. People found him to be extremely weird but didn't pick on him. He liked catching mice in the field, skinning them, and making stuff from their skins. He was (in his own mind) into wizardry (he identified as a dark wicca - dark witch). He was just overall very weird.
Anyway, the Monday morning after the athletics event, my two friends and I went to the big hall for the daily weekly Bible lesson and announcements as was customary. We sat at the top of the gallery and waited for the 'plebs' to fill the hall at the bottom. When everyone took their seats, two prefects (student leaders) came to the gallery and said that everyone that wasn't at the event on Friday would need to sit at the bottom with the plebs for the rest of the year. Apparently, they handed out little cards on Friday and well, we didn't have them... So my friends and I awkwardly stood up and made out way down the stairs. Halfway down, I told them that it was bullshit that we had to go sit with the 'kids'. The Wizard then said : "I say we just go sit outside the hall and refuse to go in... Make a statement".
At the time, we thought it was a good idea and went to go sit outside. About 15 mins later, a prefect (student leader) came to ask us why we were sitting outside. I responded, "it's none of your business" and he proceeded to go call one of the teachers. Our mathematics teacher (a short, mid-40s balding Greek man) came outside and asked why we were sitting there.... Without thinking, The Wizard said : "It's against our religion". The teacher asked what religion it was and we didn't respond. He turned around and walked away.We didn't mention which religion we were and at the time, we thought it was a brilliant response.
Later the day, we were in our homeroom class. The intercom went off (it broadcasts over the entire school), and an old woman's voice asked The Wizard, Dr Dre and I to go to the principal's office. Obviously the story had already spread across the entire school and everyone knew what this was about. We went to his office and sat on the old wooden benches in in front of his door. Dr Dre was the first to be asked to go in. Ten mins later, he comes out and returns to class. The Wizard and I were then asked to come in together.
The principal asked us to sit down and proceeded to ask us to explain the situation. Not willing to give up on the jig... We proceeded to stick to our story. He then asked if we were Satanists. The Wizard then responded and said something that would put me on a path prolonged psychological trauma. The Wizard said.... Yes. (Although he obviously wasn't). The principal then proceeded to ask questions why and how and when... It felt like we were sitting there for hours. The Wizard said that he was in it for power and control.. (All the time I'm thinking... WTF Dude!). I was quite throughout the entire session.. Mostly because I was afraid but primarily because I was shocked of the things that came out of his mouth. Around an hour later, we were asked to leave and return to class... And I thought the situation was resolved...
The next day at 7am all the students lined up in the quad as we always did from Tuesday till Friday. The principal did his Bible reading and the did his announcements. His final announcement sent shivers down my spine. He said that he made it his mission to destroy the satanic rituals and satanists in the school. At this stage it felt like all the students heads turned towards me.
With the 'extra' incentive, most students started to bully me, and I was consistently made fun of. Given that both Dr Dre and The Wizard were mucho gym junkies, no one picked on them... So I took the brunt of the students' and teachers' wrath. This went on for about 3 months. By the end of the three months, people already forgot that Dr Dre and The Wizard were involved in the matter... And I was basically now labelled as the school demon.... The face of the 'satanic cult' in the school. Already an outcast, my life was now an absolute living hell... The smart-ass remark to get us not to sit at the bottom of the hall, had now turned into a life of constant physical and psychological torture (from students and teachers).
Although I kept telling everyone that I wasn't a satanist and it was The Wizard lying to get us out of sitting with the younger students, no one believed me. Everything 'weird' that happened at the school was now always made out to be my fault. I even talked to the principal and even had my pastor from the church phone him. But nothing ever came of it. I just wanted the torture to stop, but no one would believe me.
So this brings me to D-day. The last Friday of the semester, the school came out at 11:00 (it usually came out at 14:00). Although the school was out and everyone was on their way home for the start of the summer vacation, I still had to stay at school till around 17:30 for my mom to come pick me up after work so we could go home. Around 11:30 the school was empty and I went to sit under my usual tree and entertained myself with SNAKE on my Nokia 5110.
Mid-game I saw the vice principal and the teacher that was in charge of religious studies walk up to me. They asked very politely if I wanted to take a ride with them. I declined, saying that my mom would be here at any moment to pick me up. The vice principal said he already spoke to my mom (which turned out to be a lie!) and she would only be there around 18:00. Fair enough. He caught me out in my BS excuse, and given that that was the usual time she would pick me up... I didn't think to question it further.
We walked to his car and I asked where we were going. He said he wanted to introduce me to 'a friend' of his. We climbed into his car and drove about 15 mins to a church. I knew the church because that was where the school's Minister (kinda like a priest) worked. This Minister was big and wobbly... And looked as if he could afford to skip a few meals. A pudgy fellow with rosy cheeks, a massive belly and this weird blueish-grey eyes that always seemed as if they stared through you when he looked at you. Let's call him Minister Bear.
So we get there and I felt my heart sink into my shoes. I knew where this was going. I was escorted around the church and led into a darkish room at the back of the building. As my eyes adjusted from the bright sun, to the darkish room, I saw Minister Bear, sitting behind his antique yellow wood desk. He welcomed my two teachers, stood up, and walked around the desk. As his friendly eyes move slowly away from my teachers, towards me... It systematically turned into this deep look of concern and fear. He locked the door next to me and said in a deep serious voice, "I feel a very dark presence in this room". And thanked my teachers for bringing me there.
He told my teachers to sit in the corner and ushered me to a chair in front of his desk. He sat down and proceeded to ask me a bunch of personal questions. It started innocent enough, like who I was and where I lived, through to have I ever had sex and if I'm gay (a taboo subject where I was from). The questions became ever darker and each time I would answer he would tell my teacher's "This isn't ManicSheep talking".
He then asked me if I was a satanist, to which I responded with a clear NO! I told him I was a youth leader in my church and that he could phone my pastor to ask. He would then respond by saying things like "Don't lie to me demon! Release this child of God ". The more I woud deny his claims, the more he would tell my teacher's that they needed to pray because the demon has a very strong hold over me.
This went on for about 2 hours. I looked at my watch and it was already 14:30. He would ask me what the demon in me's name was and how many of them were in me. I kept denying it and eventually burst out in tears, begging him to let me go. He said to my teachers that this was the demons way to want to escape, that he was getting closer to getting 'them' to release me. He asked me about satanist rituals and between every question he would ask... He would pray under his breath. No matter how much I cried, he didn't want to stop. I stood up and screamed that I am going to phone the police and ran to the door... Tried to open it... Shakes the handle... But the door was locked.
"You won't escape this room with this child l, demon" he would yell. I fell on the ground crying, saying my mom was looking for me and I just wanted to go home. At this stage, he picked me up with both hands and held me in the air. He pushed me against the wall and started praying louder. As I struggled to get free he yelled for my teachers to come put their hands on me and pray .. As the demons were loosing Control.
I was afraid for my life. As a kid of 17, I didn't know what was going on. I remember thinking about how can they feel a dark presence as I spend all my time at church. Why don't they want to phone my pastor? Why won't they believe me.
At this stage I realized that the only way out of this was to act out the role they clearly wanted me to play. That would be the only way out of the locked room. I tried to pull my tears back and looked him in the eyes.. And tried to push the quiver in my voice down. "OK you got me Minister." I said." You can have the child". He immediately dropped me and took a couple of steps back.
He started repeating the questions from earlier and told my teachers to pray harder as we were now getting to the crux of the matter. They needed to 'cast him out'. I kept responding to the questions in the way I thought they wanted. I then started speaking German backwards as they started praying harder. At this stage I just wanted to get out of there.
After what felt like years, they finally stopped and I fell to the ground. Minister Bear said... It's done. Laying on the ground, the tears again started balling out my eyes (this time out of total relief). They asked me how I felt and I couldn't stop crying. I just wanted to go home. I lied again and said I felt relieved and lighter and was unsure what was going on or how I got there.
The Minister then told me I was possessed by a series of demons (I can't remember the name he gave it) and that they were holding on deeply to my soul. That it took hours for them to cast them out. But I am free now, and that is why I felt so light and that crying is normal. He prayed one more time and gave me his number. He told me to come see him next week and that I should phone him if I feel something is coming back.
They finally unlocked the door. I stood there silently, not knowing if I was actually free to go. Still shaking I looked at my watch... It was 17:45 and I knew my mom was waiting for me at school. The teachers then asked if it was OK to go. They then took me back to the school and dropped me off at my mom's car.
I climbed in and burst into tears. My mom asked what was wrong and I explained. She then told me that I probably just misunderstood what was going on and that she would speak to the principal. Nothing ever came of this.
This was by far one of the most traumatic events in my life. Although I know I contributed to the situation, 15 years later, as a trained and registered psychologist, the matter still haunts me...
2023.04.01 13:18 Sorin61 Effects of Amitriptyline and Ashwagandha on the Oxidative State and Acetylcholine Esterase Enzyme Activities in Rats [03 -2023]
Amitriptyline has a long history of effectiveness in treating depression. Due to its side effects, which include oxidative stress and anticholinergic effects, it is used less frequently. Ashwagandha is a substantial herb that has anti-depressant, antioxidant properties. Aim of study: To evaluate the effects of ashwagandha and amitriptyline on the oxidative state of acetylcholine esterase in rat salivary glands.
Material and Methods: Four groups of rats were created. Distilled water was given to group I (control), and group II received amitriptyline (10 mg/kg) orally. Ashwagandha root extract (200 mg/kg) was given orally to group III, while similar doses of ashwagandha root extract and amitriptyline were given in combination to group IV.
Results: TAC after 7 days of oral administration showed a non-significant difference between groups while, after 30 days there is a significant decrease in TAC in group II and IV in comparison with that of the control group.
Following oral dosing for seven days, acetylcholine esterase measurements revealed an increase in group II and a decrease in group IV as compared to the control group. While after 30 days, all groups' acetylcholine esterase enzyme levels significantly decreased when compared with the control group.
It can be Concluded that, Amitriptyline causes oxidative stress and temporarily inhibits acetyl cholinesterase, which results in anticholinergic action. Ashwagandha has acetylcholine esterase inhibitory characteristics and mild salivary gland antioxidant benefits.
PDF - Full: https://journals.ekb.eg/article_292610.html
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submitted by Sorin61 to Nutraceuticalscience [link] [comments]
Material and Methods: Four groups of rats were created. Distilled water was given to group I (control), and group II received amitriptyline (10 mg/kg) orally. Ashwagandha root extract (200 mg/kg) was given orally to group III, while similar doses of ashwagandha root extract and amitriptyline were given in combination to group IV.
Results: TAC after 7 days of oral administration showed a non-significant difference between groups while, after 30 days there is a significant decrease in TAC in group II and IV in comparison with that of the control group.
Following oral dosing for seven days, acetylcholine esterase measurements revealed an increase in group II and a decrease in group IV as compared to the control group. While after 30 days, all groups' acetylcholine esterase enzyme levels significantly decreased when compared with the control group.
It can be Concluded that, Amitriptyline causes oxidative stress and temporarily inhibits acetyl cholinesterase, which results in anticholinergic action. Ashwagandha has acetylcholine esterase inhibitory characteristics and mild salivary gland antioxidant benefits.
PDF - Full: https://journals.ekb.eg/article_292610.html
Note: if you liked the article, please click Join (if you haven't already) on the front page to encourage the effort and support free private enterprise. Thank you!
2023.04.01 13:16 Jiale88996 How to Get Comprehensive Coverage Car Insurance Discounts
 | Most of us have to purchase proof of insurance to drive on our state’s roads. That’s a fact, each year our premiums increase, and that’s a real pain for our financial balance. So how can get discounts for our comprehensive coverage policy? submitted by Jiale88996 to Insurista [link] [comments] Getting discounts for your comprehensive coverage is not that hard, just apply for them, you will probably be qualified for In this article, we'll explain what comprehensive coverage is, how it differs from other types of car insurance, and how you can take advantage of discounts to get the best coverage at the right cost. What is Comprehensive Coverage?Comprehensive coverage is a coverage option that will protect your car against non-collison damages. Most lenders will request you to add it along with collision coverage. As said before, comprehensive coverage will protect your car against theft, vandalism, natural disasters, animal-related damages, among others.What Does Comprehensive Coverage Include?Comprehensive coverage includes a lot of possible dangers to your vehicle, that are the following :Theft CoverageIf your car is stolen, comprehensive coverage will provide you a certain amount of money to rent a car up to 30 days until your car investigation is on progress. Once the investigation conclude, this coverage option will cover the damages caused by the thet. For example, the robber broke a window to enter your car, your comprehensive coverage will cover that broken window and other damaged parts by the theft.Vandalism CoverageImagine your ex-spouse wants revenge and vandalizes your car, breaking your car’s windshield, scratching all your car’s body, and setting fire inside your car. So all of that will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.Natural Disasters CoverageComprehensive coverage protects your car agaisnt natural disasters. Imagine you live in Florida, the Sunshine State is also known and the place where hurricanes happens the most. So if you live in Florida (hurricanes), California (wildfires, earthquakes), Michigan (floods) or Oklahoma (Tornadoes), you will definitely need comprehensive coverage for your vehicle.Falling Objects CoverageIf your car is damaged by a falling object, such as a tree branch, a rock or debris, comprehensive coverage will pay for the damages. This coverage is especially useful if you park your car under trees or near construction sites.Animal Damage CoverageIf your car is damaged by an animal, such as hitting a deer or rodensts bite your car’s electrical wires, comprehensive coverage will pay for the damages. This coverage is important if you live in an area with a high population of wildlife like Pennsylvania.How Does Comprehensive Coverage Differ From Other Types of Car Insurance?Comprehensive coverage differs from other types of car insurance, such as liability and collision coverage, in that it covers a non-collision damages. Liability coverage pays for damages you cause to other people and their property but won’t cover the damages to your vehicle, while collision coverage pays for damages to your car in case of a collision with another car or object regardless who is at fault.How Can You Save Money on Comprehensive Coverage?I know, comprehensive coverage is expensive, but not as expensive as colliision coverage. You still have many ways to save money on your comprehensive coverage premiums:Bundling DiscountsLet’s say you collect classic cars, and as you already know, comprehensive coverage is a must for your babies. So one of the best ways to save money on your car insurnace is just bundling all your car insurance into a single policy or, you can bundle your renter’s or homeowner’s policy, this way you may obtain up to 25% discount depending on your car insurer. Here are some possible discounts you can obtain from bundling your policies:
Safety Features DiscountsIf your vehicle has safety features such as anti-lock brakes, airbags, or a dash cam, you may be qualified for a discount on your comprehensive coverage. Under your car insurer’s point of view, the more safe you drive and the less likley your car is going to suffer an accident, the more money you will save. Here are some possible discounts you can obtain from adding safety devices on your car:
Good Driver DiscountsAs you may know, if you’re a good driver, and you’ve not suffered any accident, not getting any traffic fine or other violations, you will be qualified to get this discount on your comprehensive coverage. Insurance companies reward safe drivers who are less likely to file a claim. Here are some possible discounts you can obtain from being a good driver:
Low Mileage DiscountsIf you don't drive your car often or for long distances, you may apply and be qualified for a low mileage discount on your comprehensive coverage. Car insurers will consider you are less exposed to the risks of the road, so you will be rewarded for this.Payment discoutnsIf you pay your entire annual premium upfront instead of in monthly installments, you wil get this discount on your comprehensive coverage. Insurance companies prefer customers who pay in full because it reduces their administrative costs. Note: you can also get additional discoutns from setting autopay as payment method. Other sort of discounts you can add comes about early renewal. Here are some possible payment method dicscounts available from most car insurers:
Student DiscountsIf you're a student with good grades, you may be eligible for a discount on your comprehensive coverage. Insurance companies consider students with good grades to be responsible and less risky when driving. Here are some possible discounts you can obtain from being a good student:
Military DiscountsIf you're a member of the military or a veteran, you may be qualified for this discount on your comprehensive coverage. Many insurance companies offer discounts to military personnel as a thank you for their service to the country.Affiliation DiscountsIf you're a member of a professional organization or alumni association, you may be eligible for a discount on your comprehensive coverage. Many insurance companies offer affiliation discounts to members of certain groups as a way to attract new customers. Here are some possible discounts you can obtain from being part of any affiliation group:
ConclusionComprehensive coverage is a must when you ask for a loan, lenders will request you this along with collision coverage. That’s the reason why you must look for any discount you can take to lower your premiums. I know, you may think if you combine all discounts, your car insurer should pay you instead you pay them. We all know that won’t be case, but at least you will pay less for your comprehensive coverage.Read more in my blog. |
2023.04.01 13:07 Pranil1231 Flats in Dadar: A Guide to the Best Options for Homebuyers.
Dadar is a prominent residential area in Mumbai, known for its vibrant culture, easy connectivity to other parts of the city, and an abundance of residential options. If you're looking to invest in flats in Dadar, you'll find a variety of options to choose from. Whether you're looking for a 1 BHK or 2 BHK flat, you'll find something that suits your needs and budget.
Flats for sale in Dadar are available in various configurations, ranging from compact 1 BHK flats to spacious 2 BHK flats. There are numerous builders and developers offering flats for sale in Dadar, each with its unique features and amenities. Among the top developers, Promesa Realty stands out for its quality construction and exceptional customer service.
If you're a first-time homebuyer, a 1 BHK flat in Dadar can be an excellent choice. These flats are usually more affordable compared to larger configurations and can be a great way to enter the property market.
On the other hand, if you're looking for more space, a 2 BHK flat in Dadar may be the right choice for you. These flats are ideal for families or individuals who prefer more living space and privacy.
One of the key benefits of investing in flats in Dadar is the location. Dadar is located in the heart of Mumbai, making it easily accessible from other parts of the city. The Dadar railway station is a major transit hub, connecting the Western and Central suburbs of Mumbai. This makes commuting to work or other parts of the city a breeze.
In addition to its excellent connectivity, Dadar is also known for its cultural significance. The area is home to numerous temples, churches, and other places of worship, making it a melting pot of different cultures and traditions. Dadar is also home to several educational institutions, including some of the top schools and colleges in Mumbai.
Investing in flats in Dadar can be a wise decision, as property prices in the area have been steadily appreciating over the years. The demand for residential properties in Dadar is always high, making it a stable investment option. Whether you're looking to buy a flat for your own use or as an investment, Dadar is an excellent location to consider.
When looking for flats in Dadar, it's essential to work with a reliable and trustworthy developer. Promesa Realty is a leading developer in Dadar, known for its quality construction, transparency, and exceptional customer service. The company has several ongoing and completed projects in Dadar, offering a variety of options to choose from.
If you're looking for a 1 BHK or 2 BHK flat in Dadar, Promesa Realty has several options that may suit your needs. The company's ongoing project, Promesa West End, offers spacious 1 BHK and 2 BHK flats in Dadar West. The project features a modern design, top-notch amenities, and excellent connectivity to other parts of the city.
In conclusion, flats in Dadar are an excellent option for homebuyers looking for a prime location with excellent connectivity and cultural significance. Whether you're looking for a 1 BHK or 2 BHK flat.
This article is also posted on medium.com
Ref:https://medium.com/@pranilshah053/flats-in-dadar-a-guide-to-the-best-options-for-homebuyers-432b95e585e9
submitted by Pranil1231 to u/Pranil1231 [link] [comments]
Flats for sale in Dadar are available in various configurations, ranging from compact 1 BHK flats to spacious 2 BHK flats. There are numerous builders and developers offering flats for sale in Dadar, each with its unique features and amenities. Among the top developers, Promesa Realty stands out for its quality construction and exceptional customer service.
If you're a first-time homebuyer, a 1 BHK flat in Dadar can be an excellent choice. These flats are usually more affordable compared to larger configurations and can be a great way to enter the property market.
On the other hand, if you're looking for more space, a 2 BHK flat in Dadar may be the right choice for you. These flats are ideal for families or individuals who prefer more living space and privacy.
One of the key benefits of investing in flats in Dadar is the location. Dadar is located in the heart of Mumbai, making it easily accessible from other parts of the city. The Dadar railway station is a major transit hub, connecting the Western and Central suburbs of Mumbai. This makes commuting to work or other parts of the city a breeze.
In addition to its excellent connectivity, Dadar is also known for its cultural significance. The area is home to numerous temples, churches, and other places of worship, making it a melting pot of different cultures and traditions. Dadar is also home to several educational institutions, including some of the top schools and colleges in Mumbai.
Investing in flats in Dadar can be a wise decision, as property prices in the area have been steadily appreciating over the years. The demand for residential properties in Dadar is always high, making it a stable investment option. Whether you're looking to buy a flat for your own use or as an investment, Dadar is an excellent location to consider.
When looking for flats in Dadar, it's essential to work with a reliable and trustworthy developer. Promesa Realty is a leading developer in Dadar, known for its quality construction, transparency, and exceptional customer service. The company has several ongoing and completed projects in Dadar, offering a variety of options to choose from.
If you're looking for a 1 BHK or 2 BHK flat in Dadar, Promesa Realty has several options that may suit your needs. The company's ongoing project, Promesa West End, offers spacious 1 BHK and 2 BHK flats in Dadar West. The project features a modern design, top-notch amenities, and excellent connectivity to other parts of the city.
In conclusion, flats in Dadar are an excellent option for homebuyers looking for a prime location with excellent connectivity and cultural significance. Whether you're looking for a 1 BHK or 2 BHK flat.
This article is also posted on medium.com
Ref:https://medium.com/@pranilshah053/flats-in-dadar-a-guide-to-the-best-options-for-homebuyers-432b95e585e9