Has anyone used cat fences or successfully altered regular fences to make it so cats can't get in a yard? I'm trying to create a cat free space outside. Red pepper or lemon peels work for a day or so, but are expensive to maintain. (By "work," I mean that the massive local feral and outdoor cat population stays away and the local birds hang out.)
When I tried to research cat rollers, cat spikes, DIY instructions, and other conversion kits for existing fences all the advertisements and reviews seem to be focused on cat owners keeping their cats safe in yards vs. keeping cats out. I was hoping, giving the nature of this subreddit, that you all might have some experiences or advice you would be willing to share. Specifically, if there are any things that you have used that work on cinder block or wood fences. I don't want to harm cats, I just don't want them in this one space. Thank you.

I am selling the following in a bundle:
https://imgur.com/uYTRLA8
https://imgur.com/VD3cG1t
Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K with LP-E6N Battery and AC Plug
MEKE 25mm T2.2 Micro Four Thirds Cine Lens
1TB Samsung T5 SSD
Davinci Resolve 17 Studio Activation Key
Smallrig Baseplate with 15mm Rods
Smallrig SSD Mount Bracket Holder
Smallrig Top Handle Grip
Smallrig Camera Cage for BMPCC4K
VILTROX EF-M2II 0.71x Speed Booster
VILTROX EF-M1 Lens Mount Adapter for Canon EOS EF/EF-S Lens
Looking for $1300 for the whole kit. Everything is in perfect working condition with very little to no signs of wear and tear. Buyer pays for shippping. Any and all questions are welcome.

Occupation – Government employee
Age – 34
Location – Zimbabwe
My salary – $500 (paid monthly)
Side Gig Income – $0
Other income – negligible amounts from dividends received from my stock portfolio that I re-invest
Housemates – 4 (husband P, 6 year old L, 4 year old E and nanny F. My nephew M is around and makes appearances too)
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Assets and Liabilities
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Equity	$60,000 fully paid off
Retirement Balance	??	I contribute monthly, and employer matches fully. But because of changes in currency and hyperinflation, I don’t really count this as an asset
Savings	$1700	(went down due to travelling trying to get my passport done since it expired)
Current account balance	$660	Includes my mum's money since I'm managing her financial affairs while she's abroad
Loan from employer	$130	I took a personal loan from work, because the interest rates are lower than rate of inflation and repayment is over 18 months. Loan was used to make improvements on our house, and what wasn’t used, I bought shares on our stock exchange, due to hyperinflation, the amount I owe in US$ has gone down
Investments (shares in various counters on our local stock exchanges)	$1,186
Car	$4,000	Based on current resale value. Car was bought secondhand for cash

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Income progression- (https://www.reddit.com/MoneyDiariesACTIVE/comments/vbbb7s/i_live_in_zimbabwe_making_3600year_and_i_just/)
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Expenses
This year, my husband and I decided that he would take on the bulk of our expenses since I do most of the domestic work/childcare. Expenses I pay will be indicated. My salary is now for my expenses, my investments and my savings, and spoiling the kids. Husband caters for the family basics. There was a point last year when I felt my husband wasn’t as invested in the family because he barely did anything financially. By having him cater for all expenses, he is now definitely involved and invested. My husband’s income is just about the same as mine, slightly higher at some times.
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My Expenses

Expense	Amount /period	Note
Car insurance and licensing	$300/annum	This is due in March, and I pay for the entire year
Petrol	$60/month
Electricity	$10/month
Airtime/data	$20/month
Groceries	$60/month	This is for additional groceries such as bread, veg and fruit bought during the month
Kids’ clothes	$40/month	I’m trying to build up their winter wardrobe so I try to buy them something each month
Makeup/clothes/toiletries/ supplements/hair	$30/month	I do not us this much monthly though
Water	$15/month	Based on last bill received in April. We do not get water consistently so bills are infrequent
Donations	$20/month	Ad hoc donations to a soup kitchen, and maternal health fun
Stock market investment	$50/month	May invest more or less, but I do try to buy shares every payday

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Household Expenses (paid by P)
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Expense	Amount /period	Note
Groceries	$200/month	Bulk grocery shopping of staple food items and toiletries
LP Gas	$30/approx. every 2 months	We buy when it runs out. Usually every 2 months depending on how bad the power supply is
Medical	$15/month	For OTC meds (painkiller, cough syrup, antacid stocked for emergencies) and any prescriptions
Pet expenses	$60/ twice a year	For vaccinations and checkups for 4 dogs. Pet food is covered under groceries
School fees for the kids	$347/ term	One kid has fees paid every month, the other every 3 months
Nanny	$80/month	Less than before as both kids are now in school fulltime, and nanny is there to get them ready for school and care after school for 3 hours.
DSTV subscription	$37/month
Transport for kids to/from school	$60/month	L gets picked up and dropped off at home daily, E is dropped off after school

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Previous MDs - (https://www.reddit.com/MoneyDiariesACTIVE/comments/vbbb7s/i_live_in_zimbabwe_making_3600year_and_i_just/) and (https://www.reddit.com/MoneyDiariesACTIVE/comments/yc801g/i_am_33_years_old_and_i_just_graduated_with_my/)
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MD Q&A
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, I have a BSc in Accounting, a Masters in Accounting, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Taxation. My parents both have Masters degrees, and in my family, the bare minimum acceptable for education was getting a Bachelors. My mother paid for my undergraduate degree, and I paid cash for my postgraduate studies.
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Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money?
My parents divorced when I was very young. My dad is the wealthier of the two, my mum has always been middle-class. My mum brought me up with very little financial help from my dad, he only covered tuition and healthcare until I turned 18. My mum catered for everything else. My mum taught me how to look for bargains, how to save and invest, and also how to sometimes enjoy your money.
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If you have, when did you move out of your parents'/guardians' house?
I would say I moved out at 26 when I got my current job. I had moved out when I got my first fulltime job, but moved back home when that contract ended
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At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself? Does anyone else cover any aspects of your financial life?
At 26 again. That's when I earned enough to cover all my bills without needing help. My husband P covers some aspects of my financial life, and my mum occasionally helps out with stuff for her grandchildren.
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What was your first job and why did you get it?
I worked as a receptionist at my mum's law firm after finishing my A Levels (age 18) while waiting to start university. My mum gave me the job to keep me occupied and out of mischief, lol.
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Do you worry about money now?
I worry about building generational wealth for my children. I want to make sure they will be set for life as adults. I do worry about money because hyperinflation is eroding my earnings and retirement dramatically. This is my second time losing my retirement. My mum and in laws are losing their retirement for the third time, so honestly our old age looks bleak if we do not invest outside of work pensions.
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Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income?
I receive negligible dividends from the shares I own, lol.
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Day 1
0430 – I’m woken up by loadshedding. I sigh, rollover, and sleep some more
0600 – Alarm goes off. I turn it off, enjoy cuddles from P and finally get out of bed. Our water tanks ran out 4 days ago, and council has not yet deigned to give us water, so we rely on P’s parents and friends to give us water. I get my water that was warming up on the stove, and take a quick bucket bath. I moisturize, do my brows, throw my lace wig on (I cut my hair in January, and I’m at a really awkward stage where my hair looks bad when I wear it out all day) and get dressed. It’s cold in the mornings so I put on winter stockings and a black and white chevron patterned dress, nude ballet pumps plus my warm jacket. I get E from the couch where he was watching Cocomelon and my lunch bag out of the kitchen and we head off to his school. After dropping off E, I go to the office. No electricity means no elevator, so I go up the stairs. I see my boss’s boss and greet him as we do the ZESA (local electricity company) sponsored workout. I log in to the work register, fill up my kettle, and settle down to check out my work email. Nothing urgent came through overnight, so I go into my personal email. The wig company I patronize has given me a code for my birthday, and I’m wondering if I should pull the trigger on my cart. I decide to do a report while thinking this through.
My mum is currently working out of the country, so I am managing her local finances/obligations while she’s away. I remember I have to buy the prepaid electricity token for my childhood home as well as for the house she lives in when she’s working in the country. I spend $23 on electricity for both houses (mum’s money so doesn’t count)
1030 – After doing some firefighting and office gossip I have my breakfast. Today its rice, peas and 2 fried eggs. I sprinkle some peri-peri Aromat on top since I don’t have a sauce/gravy ad I have been craving spicy food lately. I also pop my multivitamin and supplements. I check my team’s work and send back anything that needs correcting. I also generate the multiple reports my boss expects from me. I suddenly remember I need to claim my allowance for performing a role that is higher than my actual position at work. I quickly complete the form, and send it to my boss for his signature. The extra money from this is what I use to fund my stock market investments. I also remind my team to send a report to me for consolidation by noon.
12.00 – I do a major push of all my work due today so I can relax after lunch. I compile my reports and set them ready to send. I also finish my first 2 litres of water of the day, and cue up the next 2 litres
1300 – Its lunchtime, and my work bestie and I head out around town**. I find shorts that L would fit and buy 2 pairs for $10**. We head back to the office and I have caramel popcorn for lunch. Then I remember I forgot to have my afternoon meds, oops. Anyway, more work before heading to an audit meeting
1630 – The audit meeting is finally over, and I rush to shut down my computer, pack up my things and go home. I have an agreement with my manager that as long as I make up for the hour, by either coming early or skipping lunch, I can leave work at 4pm. I had a total hysterectomy end of last year so I still can’t manage driving in heavy traffic. I arrive home, make the bed (P had not made it when he went to work), and harvest chilies from our garden that have ripened. I also harvest a local herb used as a flu remedy and lemongrass, so I can brew up a tea/tisane for the flu affected people in my house. I also pack L’s lunch for tomorrow, a pie, a naartjie and juice. It’s also F’s payday, so I give her US$80 (P gave me this money).
E says he is hungry so I feed him sadza and sour milk by his request. I multitask covering L’s school textbook while supervising his homework and watching Married to Real Estate and the Great British Bake Off. I then have my dinner of sadza, greens and beef. I have a chat with the kids about their day at school. P gets home.
1900 – P and my nephew M go to fetch water from P’s friend’s house. The city council still hasn’t opened up our water supply. I do some French on Duolingo while the boys wreak havoc in their playroom. I read L and E their bedtime stories and put them to bed. I decide to do my hair in cornrows while watching Masterchef Australia. They get home and I help them carry water indoors. I remember that when power comes back I need to boil tripe on the stove, so I cut it up, put it in the pot with water, salt and garlic, and place it on the electric stove. We have serious loadshedding these days, so we have a gas stove and solar power to tide us over. I take a quick bath and change into my pyjamas. While P watches TV, I read Wild Sweet Love by Beverly Jenkins and continue to do my hair in cornrows.
2200 – My arms are tired and I’m only halfway through with the cornrows. I give up and go to bed with P.
Total spent - $10
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Day 2
0600 – I hear crying. E is in a bad mood today. I turn off my alarm, and go to see what’s wrong. E does not want to get dressed for school. I sigh, and help F dress him while he throws a massive tantrum. E is dressed, so I go do my morning routine of shower, moisturize, contact lenses, and eyebrow makeup. Today, I wear a green dress I took from my mum, black tights, nude ballet flats and a black and white coat. E gets put into the car by F, and starts crying for porridge. We are already late, so he learns that the consequence of refusing to eat his porridge on time is to go to school without having his porridge. It’s not a big issue though, as he gets fed at school. So I lock the doors and windows and drive him to school as he throws a tantrum for the entire 10 minute drive. I shove him into the school gate and head to work.
It’s another ZESA sponsored stair workout today. I log into the register, and fill up my kettle with water. I switch on my computer, check my work email and send off client emails to my team for their response. My personal email has an annual report from one of the companies I have shares in so I check out if there’s a dividend this year. I own a negligible number of shares in the company though, but 28c per share is quite impressive. I check to see if my stock exchange wallet has been credited with the money I transferred there so I can buy more shares. It still hasn’t so I send a follow up email o the enquiries desk at the stock exchange. I do have a stockbroker, but I prefer doing my trades myself. I also do some French on Duolingo before 8am.
0830 – Our HR is in a tizzy because people are late for work. I don’t make a big deal out of it usually, because salaries are shit and people are demotivated. As long as my team shows up and does some work, I’m ok. I approve some work, and warn my team about coming in a bit too late. I also tell a teammate that she will have to cover for me on Monday as I am taking the day off. Our internet connectivity is shit so I can’t log into our system to check some stuff. My work bestie gives me avocados from her house. I almost cry because I have been craving avocados, but been too cheap to buy them.
1000 – I have a really bad sore throat. I am also hungry since I haven’t had breakfast yet. I jot down my shopping list for the weekend and head to Pick ‘n’ Pay to buy carrots, green peppers, tomatoes, lemons, cheese, polony and bread. I also buy my breakfast/lunch, which is rice, beans, ox liver and egg salad**. It all cost $10**. I leave my shopping in my car, and go to the office to wolf down my food, and take my multivitamin and painkiller. I also receive my wigs that I bought in May. Perfect timing, as I want to wear a new wig tomorrow for our girls’ day out.
I do some more work, and remind my team to send me the information I need for my daily reports.
1300 – I go out to buy a few items I didn’t find in Pick ‘n’ Pay earlier**. I go to Spar and buy peas, eggs, soft drinks for the outing tomorrow and a sausage roll. Total cost is $10**. The outing has been deemed kid friendly, so I needed drinks for the boys to have tomorrow. I get back into the office, and spend the rest of the lunch hour working.
1600 – It’s finally time to go home. I send my email to handover work issues for the person who will take over my role on Monday while I am on leave. I also send my out of office email, and head home. The kids are at their grandmother’s, so I take a leisurely bath, put on my pyjamas and eat dinner. Then I watch Masterchef Australia until P and E get home. I also get in some French Duolingo practice
2000 – P goes out with his friends, so I snuggle up on the couch with E and watch TV. I put E to bed, read him his bedtime story and kiss him good night. I finally finish season 13 of Masterchef Australia, and move on to My Kitchen Rules Australia. I love Australian reality shows, ngl.
2200 – I go to bed P gets home and tells me some bad news about a friend of ours. I feel very sad for him. He cuddles me and we sleep.
Total spent - $20
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Day 3
0700 – I wake up feeling like a truck ran me over. I get out of bed, and get ready to hand-wash our laundry. We still have no running water so we can’t use the washing machine. I play music while doing my laundry to keep me motivated
0900 – Laundry has been hung out to dry. F has cooked potato curry, so I boil eggs and water. I have my breakfast of potato curry, egg, multivitamin and coffee. Once I’m done, I give E a bath and dress him. I also bath, moisturize, do my brows and get dressed. I’m wearing jeans and a t-shirt today as my friends and I ae supposed to take our kids out for a playdate. Then I receive a message that the outing is cancelled since one of our group is really sick. I try to think of something I can do with E, since L is out having fun with his grandmother. I do my Swahili Duolingo practice.
1100 – The welder comes to do some work on our garage door. I monitor the work for a bit, and then my nephew takes over. E starts really bugging me to go out. So I put on my headband wig and sneakers, and pack a cooler bag with snacks and drinks. We head into town and I buy myself some ciders for $9. These are for me to drink when the mood strikes me. E wants to go to a resort by the lake so I oblige him. We pay $8 for our entrance. He goes to play on the swings, and I take pictures of him having fun. Another family turns up, and one of his classmates is among them. He’s so happy, and goes to play with his friend. I watch him running around.
1500 – I get a call from my friend that she’s in town with my cake. This cake was meant for the cancelled outing. I pack up our stuff, hustle E into the car and drive back into town. I let out some colourful swear words when I realise I forgot to get our change of $2. Anyway**, I meet up with my friend and get the cake, and pay her $30**. It’s so pretty. I call my MIL while still in town to find out what time she will be there so I can pick up L. She says it will be an hour, so E and I head home to drop off the cake so it doesn’t melt in my AC-less car.
1600 – We are back in town waiting for L and MIL. E wants an ice cream so I buy him one for $0.50 using money I had in my Innbucks wallet. MIL calls and asks me to head over to where she is to pick L up since she can’t leave yet. E and I get there. MIL gets me sadza and goat tripe stew, which I eat a bit of to be polite even though I am not hungry. When I’m done, I pack up the kids and drive home. I bath and change into my pyjamas.
1800 – I feed the kids, and we play until their weekend bedtime of 8pm. I read them their bedtime stories and tuck them in. I watch TV and iron my morning laundry while having a gin and juice until 9pm, and head to read in bed. P and my nephew arrive home from their amateur soccer league match and subsequent outing with the boys. I fall asleep soon after.
Total spent - $49.50
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Day 4
0700 – I’m woken up by L demanding that I come and play with them. I am still sleepy so I fob him off.
0900 - F knocks on the door and tells us she is off to church. I finally get out of bed and get dressed. I see the boys playing relatively peacefully so I let them continue with their antics. In the kitchen, I find F had cooked breakfast, and since I’m starving, I heat up water for coffee. L surprisingly isn’t hungry so I serve up breakfast for P and me. I have my daily multivitamin. P heads out to go fetch water, while I bath, change and hang out with the kids. I also do my French Duolingo practice for the day
1200 – I have played with the dogs and kids, and I am exhausted. I collapse onto the couch and watch MKR Australia. P gets home, and naps on the couch. I give the kids haircuts and baths.
1700 – L is hungry and really wants cake, so I feed the kids a dinner of sadza and sour milk. Then some cake for dessert. I also pack L’s school lunch, which will be a polony sandwich, a cupcake and juice. The kids play until its bedtime at 7pm. The usual routine, bedtime stories and tuck in is done
2000 – P and I watch a movie while having some alcoholic drinks.
2200 – Bedtime for us
Total spent - $0
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Day 5
0600 – It’s my birthday today. I am going all out celebrating myself since TW I tried unaliving myself twice in the past year. L wishes me a happy birthday before he goes to school. I get birthday messages from my mum, dad, SILs, and friends. I also get a call from my brother, his wife and their son, and they sing to me. I feel very loved today. P goes to drop off E at school today so I can sleep in
0800 – I am finally up and hungry. I cook a quick breakfast of boiled eggs, and a bean curry. P takes my car to get serviced, while I bath, moisturize, contact lenses, do a full face of makeup and get dressed for the day. Today I wear a tie-dyed cutout mini-dress and sneakers, and my wavy headband wig
1300 – P is home and he drives me to a hotel outside town near a renowned tourist site in our country. We have a platter of fried fish, chicken strips, pork strips, fries, and a salad to share and multiple Savannah Drys while there. It’s really nice getting to reconnect after a very tumultuous year in our marriage. P pays.
1700 – We drive around the area, before heading home. Once we get home, P and my nephew go on a hunt for water, while I feed the kids. P and I head off to take our showers. I remember why I don’t do a full face of makeup when it take a long time to get the makeup off my face.
1900 – The family sings happy birthday, and we eat cake. Birthday gifts were gin and chocolate. I hustle the boys off to bed. No story today, as they went to bed later than usual. P watches TV while I read my novel.
2100 – Bedtime for the grownups
Total spent - $0
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Day 6
0530 – I wake up and lie in bed for a bit. Then I read my novel some more.
0620 – I am up, and take my bath, moisturize, do my brows and get dressed. It’s cold this morning, so I wear a yellow dress with black polka dots, black tights and ankle boots. I pack up the cake I’m giving to my colleagues, as well as my water bottle. E and I head out. I drop E off at school, and go to the office. I log into the work register, turn on my computer, and check my emails. There are a few pressing issues I need to get up to speed with. One of my colleagues gives me $50 as a birthday gift. I also hand out the cake to my team.
0900 – Work is pretty quiet today, so I update my MD. I also receive news that one of my nephews is getting married. He is not that much younger than me, and could be my younger brother, but it makes me feel so old.
Note on my family: In our culture, even distant relatives are given close relationships so the large number of nephews/nieces is from those relationships. It’s a big thing done to maintain close family bonds. I have 4 actual (in a Western sense) nephews and nieces who are all under the age of 6.
1000 – I head to the supermarket and buy bread, onions, carrots, pork chops, pork trotters and my breakfast and lunch. This costs $25. The meat is the main cost driver here. I have a sausage roll, my multivitamin, supplement and milk for breakfast. I remember that I need to check if my stock exchange wallet was credited, ugh. The website is refusing to load and I’m very frustrated. I finally log in and see the amount is still not credited. I email and send a tweet to the stock exchange. Hopefully the tweet will get them to start moving.
1200 – My boss is mad. One member of my team left his desk without informing me and there’s an urgent matter. I was about to go downstairs to give P the groceries, so I stick around for a bit before committing the same offence as my subordinate, lol. I quickly get back into my office and check on work, sign some papers and letters, and clear out my emails.
1300 – My work bestie has to run other errands at lunch so I decide to stay in the office. I check my personal email and see I have received a dividend of $0.27, lol. The share price will probably drop soon, so I will buy more shares in this counter if I can get them to increase my shareholding. My goal for this year is to breach the 10,000 share mark for one counter. I suddenly remember I have work to do, so I use my lunch hour to do the work, and then take a quick break to eat my lunch of fries and a sausage and do some Swahili Duolingo practice.
1500 – I am thinking of going home when one of my team members calls me to deal with an angry client. I go to the office, and find out it’s a surprise birthday party from my team. I am so happy, lol. We have more cake, and there’s also fruit and juice. I head home feeling so appreciated with even more cake.
1700 – P and my nephew go out to get water. I warm up my bath water, and give the kids their dinner. Today its rice and croc meat. I make L’s lunch for tomorrow, a toasted polony sandwich and juice. I also pack my lunch, rice, a fried egg and peas. And some cake for my work bestie’s kids. I take my bath; change into my pyjamas and hound E to eat his food. If we let that kid be, he would probably live on the bits of our souls he sucks out daily by being stubborn. I am feeling nauseous so I have plain rice with a bit of avocado. The kids watch cartoons, while I do some more Swahili on Duolingo.
1900 – Bedtime for the kids. Today, there’s no demand for a bedtime story, so I just tuck them in and tell them I love them. I read my novel as increasingly feel more nauseated. I end up going to hurl my guts out. P comes home and finds me lying limply on the bed. He gives me a cuddle, and goes to eat his dinner. I get up but smell fish, and run back to throw up. If I hadn’t had a hysterectomy, I would be doing a pregnancy test ASAP.
2100 – I go to bed, and lie in bed for a bit, before finally drifting off.
Total spent - $25
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Day 7
0500 – I wake up feeling nauseated again. Ugh, this reminds me of having hyperemesis while pregnant. I put my water on to heat and get back in bed to read some more.
0600 – E comes to lie on our bed. I get out of bed, and go throw up. I get my bath water, take my bath, moisturize and put my contacts in. I look like a reanimated corpse this morning. I do my brows to try bring a bit of life to my face and get dressed. It’s very misty and cold today so I put on warm brown tights, a long black dress, my warm jacket and ballet flats. I grab my lunch and the cake, pop E into the car and head out. Visibility is extremely low, so I drive slowly. I don’t know why people like surprising other drivers by having their cars pop out of the mist without switching on their headlights. I successfully avoid the drivers who hate life and drop E off at school before heading to work.
0700 – I am in the office, and I log into the register, before turning on my computer and checking my work email. Not too much in there, so I check my personal email. My stock exchange wallet has finally been credited with the $100. I also ponder whether I should pull the trigger on a V-part wig.
I do my weekly report, and start doing some boring work in the system. I realise I didn’t save the work I did yesterday, so I have to re-do it, so I can have the list of error messages to send to ICT.
0830 – Everyone is in the office, so I do some reshuffling of duties, so that essential areas are covered while one of my colleagues is on leave. I give the cake to work bestie, who tells me how much her daughter was excited over the cake yesterday. It’s now time for me to put my head down and really focus on knocking out the system work today. I also log into an online training, and I listen while doing my work. My mum also deposits money for my birthday gift and to spoil her grandkids.
1000 – I log into my stock exchange account and buy shares for $99.14 (doesn’t count as spending, as the money was moved before the MD started). The deadline for other departments to submit their weekly reports to me for consolidation has passed so I start following up. One department is a big problem as they always send their report late. Le sigh. I draft a very passive aggressive email to them. I also decide not to buy the wig and instead ask the person making me my custom earrings that I got myself for my birthday to bill me the rest of the money so I can pay and move the remainder of the money in my account into savings. Our currency has taken an enormous hit in the last week, and is free falling dramatically. I’d rather keep USD cash than money in my account at this point. The training finally ends.
1100 – I’m getting hungry so I go warm up my lunch, sprinkle on peri peri Aromat and dig in. Yum. I also have my multivitamin and supplement. A lady who sells local snacks comes in. She persuades me to buy maputi (corn nuts mixed with roasted peanuts) for $0.50. I buy them for my afternoon snack. I end up sending the report with missing statistics, and tell the department to send directly to the compiler, as they were late. That was a very aggressive email tbh. I’m still hungry, so I munch on my maputi, leaving the peanuts because I don’t feel like eating them lately.
1200 – I see a missed call from a number I don’t know. I call and it turns out they had sent money to my mobile wallet mistakenly. I check the mobile wallet and it shows it had an extra $11. I send the money back to the person. Times are too tough to keep people’s money
1400 – I snack on a few skittles instead of having more food. I just want something to entertain my mouth, I’m not hungry at all. I review more work and drink more water. The jeweler has sent the payment request for the earrings. I pay $100 (total spent on the earrings comes to $200, which is worth it for sterling silver custom made Jewellery. I use $50 of the birthday money from my mum to cover for part of this expense)
1600 – Finally time to go home. I shut down my computer, and drive home. Once I’m home, I put on my bath water, and help L do his homework. Then I do some Swahili Duolingo practice and pack L’s lunch for tomorrow. He requested maize (corn on the cob), a boiled egg and a naartjie. His wish is my command for once. I also pack my lunch, a boiled egg, peanut butter sandwich and a bit of birthday cake. The jeweler sends pictures of the final product. They are absolutely gorgeous. Happy 34th birthday to me!!!
1800 – I serve the kids their dinner, and go to take my bath. P sends a text that he will be home late as they are working late today. I have my own dinner while persuading E to eat his food
1900 – Bedtime for the kids. I read them their bedtime stories, tuck them in and tell them I love them. Then I go to watch TV. I’m catching up on Married to Real Estate, Food Factory and Man Vs Food. You can tell that reality TV is my jam.
2100 – I decide to have some decaf black coffee and cake as my bedtime snack. P and my nephew arrive home. They are later than they thought they would be because nephew dropped his phone in the middle of the highway and they were searching for it. Because nephew’s ancestors were on the job, they found it intact. It’s a big deal because this is a major highway and huge trucks use that road constantly. I chat with P as he has his dinner and takes his bath.
2200 – Cuddles and bedtime for us
​
Total spent today – $100
​
Total spent this week – $204.50
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Spending by categories
Food & Drink – $84.50
Home & Health – $0
Clothing & Beauty – $110
Transportation – $0
Fun & Entertainment – $10
​
Reflections on this week’s spending
The spending is pretty much about normal for me tbh (excluding the cake and earrings). I had quite a bit of petrol in the tank so I didn’t need to top up my tank this week. The converted US$ prices are a bit inaccurate since our currency had a big drop this week, and most of my spending is in local currency. I could reign in my spending a bit, and focus more on investing. However, I do enjoy using my money to bring joy to my kids and myself. Particularly myself after the absolutely shitty year I had.

Hi everyone
So i bought a ferris sweep kit from here https://42keebs.eu/shop/kits/pro-micro-based/sweep-bling-lp-30-hotswap-low-profile-split-ergo-kit/ and bought the frood promicro rp2040 controller.
I solded and flashed both boardds with qmk, following the instructions on how to flash the rp2040 frood from here https://42keebs.eu/shop/parts/controllers/frood-rp2040-pro-micro-controlle, and they are both working fine when powered with usb-c.
When I connect the trrs cable the slave stops working either the left half or the right half depending on where i have the usb connected.
I already check for continuity with a multimeter, which everything is fine.
On the software part things i have in the config.h

#pragma once #define MOUSEKEY_INTERVAL 16 #define MOUSEKEY_TIME_TO_MAX 40 #define MOUSEKEY_DELAY 100 #define MOUSEKEY_WHEEL_DELAY 100 #define MOUSEKEY_WHEEL_INTERVAL 50 #define MOUSEKEY_WHEEL_TIME_TO_MAX 100 #define TAPPING_TERM 200 #define PERMISSIVE_HOLD #define QUICK_TAP_TERM 0 #define RP2040_FLASH_GD25Q64CS #define RP2040_BOOTLOADER_DOUBLE_TAP_RESET // Activates the double-tap behavior #define RP2040_BOOTLOADER_DOUBLE_TAP_RESET_TIMEOUT 200U // Timeout window in ms in which the double tap can occur. #define RP2040_BOOTLOADER_DOUBLE_TAP_RESET_LED D5 // Specify an optional status LED by GPIO number which blinks when entering the bootloader #define SPLIT_USB_DETECT #define SPLIT_USB_TIMEOUT 2500 

and in the rules.mk i have the following:

CONVERT_TO = promicro_rp2040 SPLIT_KEYBOARD = yes BOOTLOADER = rp2040 MCU = RP2040 SERIAL_DRIVER = vendor 

Already been in several reddit posts with people with the same problem but none has really resolve the issue. Any help is appreciated guys.
Thanks in advance.

Hey guys,
I’ve been curating a list of companies that employ remote data analysts from anywhere. As I’ve seen some people on this subreddit asking about remote jobs, I thought it’d might be interesting to share here.
If this is interesting to you, let me know. I’ll continue building this and might try to source some jobs from these companies as well. Maybe I can start an e-mail list or something similar to keep you updated.
Cheers!
Edit: wow thanks for all the upvotes and kind messages! I didn't expect so much interest, love it! Just made a quick landing page so I can keep on updating you with new companies and new lists. I'll also start sourcing jobs from these companies so we have a good overview of who's hiring. If you want in, join here: subscribepage.io/joindata
​
1. ConvertKit
https://convertkit.com/
ConvertKit empowers creators with a robust email marketing platform designed to build and nurture meaningful relationships with their audience. Their user-friendly interface and automation tools make it easy to create engaging email campaigns, landing pages, and forms. With ConvertKit, creators can effortlessly segment their subscribers, track their engagement, and drive conversions like never before. The company's culture thrives on the spirit of innovation and a deep understanding of creators' needs. They foster a supportive and collaborative environment where individuals can unleash their creativity and shape the future of email marketing.
​
2. Automattic
https://automattic.com/
Automattic is the driving force behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Jetpack, and several other popular web development tools. This globally distributed company is fueled by a passion for empowering individuals and businesses to create impactful online experiences. With a vibrant culture of remote work, Automattic encourages autonomy, flexibility, and continuous learning. They foster a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives flourish, fueling innovation and the creation of exceptional products. At Automattic, you'll find a dedicated team of professionals united by their love for the web and a shared mission to democratize publishing and make the internet a better place.
​
3. GitLab
https://about.gitlab.com/
GitLab revolutionizes the way software development teams collaborate and streamline their workflows. As a complete DevOps platform, GitLab provides a single application for code versioning, CI/CD pipelines, project management, and more. With a culture of transparency, inclusivity, and remote-first principles, GitLab fosters a sense of belonging and encourages collaboration across teams and continents. They embrace the values of efficiency, iteration, and open communication, empowering individuals to contribute and make an impact. At GitLab, you'll discover a community-driven company where innovation and continuous improvement are at the core of everything they do.
​
4. 10up
https://10up.com/
10up is a full-service digital agency that combines strategy, design, and engineering to create exceptional web experiences. They specialize in WordPress development, crafting custom solutions for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. With a passion for innovation and a commitment to quality, 10up delivers cutting-edge solutions that push boundaries. Their company culture thrives on collaboration, creativity, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. They foster an environment where talent flourishes, ideas are celebrated, and employees are empowered to take ownership of their work. At 10up, they're not just building websites; they're creating digital experiences that leave a lasting impact.
​
5. Zapier
https://zapier.com/
Zapier is a game-changing automation platform that connects apps and simplifies workflows, empowering businesses to automate repetitive tasks and focus on what matters most. With Zapier, users can seamlessly integrate their favorite apps and create custom automated workflows without any coding knowledge. The company culture at Zapier is driven by the values of empathy, transparency, and a strong emphasis on work-life balance. They champion remote work and believe in giving individuals the freedom to work from anywhere while fostering a supportive and inclusive community. Zapier is the go-to solution for those seeking efficiency, productivity, and a touch of magic in their everyday workflows.
​
6. Groove
https://www.groovehq.com/
Groove is a customer support software that helps businesses deliver exceptional customer experiences. With its intuitive ticketing system and collaborative features, Groove enables teams to provide timely and personalized support. The company culture at Groove revolves around empathy, customer-centricity, and a passion for continuous improvement. They foster a work environment that encourages innovation, growth, and open communication. Groove believes in the power of human connections and strives to create a positive impact on both their customers and employees. Join Groove, and you'll be part of a team dedicated to transforming customer support into an art form.
​
7. Banzai
https://www.banzai.io/
Banzai is an event marketing platform that helps organizations drive engagement, expand their reach, and deliver exceptional virtual and in-person events. With Banzai, event marketers can streamline event planning, maximize attendee participation, and measure the impact of their efforts. The company culture at Banzai is driven by a passion for events, innovation, and collaboration. They value creativity, adaptability, and a deep understanding of their customers' needs. Banzai's team is made up of experienced event professionals who are dedicated to providing the tools and expertise needed to create memorable and impactful events that drive business growth.
​
8. Zyte
https://www.zyte.com/
Zyte (formerly Scrapinghub) is a leading web data extraction and scraping platform, enabling businesses to gather valuable insights from the web at scale. Their powerful tools and services make it easy to collect, structure, and analyze web data for a wide range of applications. Zyte's company culture revolves around curiosity, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. They foster a collaborative environment where individuals are encouraged to explore new ideas, embrace challenges, and push the boundaries of what's possible. Join Zyte, and you'll be part of a dynamic team dedicated to unlocking the potential of web data and empowering businesses worldwide.
​
9. Sonatype
https://www.sonatype.com/
Sonatype is a software supply chain automation and security company, helping organizations build secure and reliable software faster. With their advanced tools and insights, Sonatype enables developers to make informed decisions about open-source components and mitigate risks. The company culture at Sonatype is driven by a passion for innovation, collaboration, and creating a secure software ecosystem. They value diversity, inclusion, and the power of continuous learning. Sonatype's team is united by a shared mission to ensure that software is always secure and dependable, empowering developers to build with confidence and deliver exceptional results.
​
10. Podia
https://www.podia.com/
Podia is an all-in-one platform for creators to sell online courses, digital products, and membership subscriptions. With Podia, creators can build beautiful storefronts, market their offerings, and connect with their audience—all in one place. The company culture at Podia thrives on creativity, entrepreneurship, and a commitment to helping creators succeed. They foster an environment where individuality is celebrated, collaboration is encouraged, and big ideas are turned into reality. Podia is more than just a software company; it's a community of passionate individuals who are empowering creators to monetize their expertise and make a meaningful impact on their audience.
​
11. Doist
https://doist.com/
Doist is the creator of Todoist, one of the world's leading productivity apps, and Twist, a communication platform designed for remote teams. Doist is driven by a mission to help individuals and teams achieve their goals and find work-life balance. Their company culture emphasizes autonomy, remote work, and a focus on personal well-being. They believe in creating a positive and supportive work environment where individuals have the freedom to do their best work. Doist values simplicity, efficiency, and the power of collaboration, making them the go-to choice for those seeking productivity and harmony in their professional lives.
​
12. Articulate
https://articulate.com/
Articulate is a leading e-learning software company that empowers organizations to create engaging and interactive online courses. With their suite of tools, including Rise 360 and Storyline 360, Articulate enables instructional designers and educators to build impactful learning experiences. The company culture at Articulate is centered around creativity, innovation, and a passion for education. They foster a collaborative and inclusive environment where ideas thrive, and individuals are empowered to make a difference. Articulate's mission is to transform how people learn, equipping organizations with the tools they need to deliver compelling and effective online training.
​
13. Epic
https://www.getepic.com/
Epic is a digital reading platform designed for children, offering an extensive library of books, audiobooks, and educational resources. With Epic, kids can explore a world of stories and develop a love for reading. The company culture at Epic revolves around a deep commitment to education, imagination, and fostering a lifelong passion for learning. They believe in creating a safe and engaging space where kids can discover new worlds through literature. Epic's team is comprised of passionate individuals who are dedicated to providing children with exceptional reading experiences, empowering them to become lifelong learners.
​
14. TaxJar
https://www.taxjar.com/
TaxJar is a leading provider of sales tax automation solutions, simplifying the complexities of tax compliance for businesses. Their robust platform automates sales tax calculations, reporting, and filing, allowing companies to focus on growth and profitability. The company culture at TaxJar is built on a foundation of expertise, efficiency, and customer-centricity. They value transparency, collaboration, and a deep understanding of the challenges businesses face when it comes to sales tax. TaxJar's team is committed to providing exceptional service and ensuring that businesses can navigate the ever-changing world of sales tax with ease.
​
15. Arcadia
https://arcadia.io/
Arcadia is a leading population health management company that leverages data and technology to improve healthcare outcomes. Their platform integrates and analyzes health data from various sources, providing insights that enable healthcare organizations to deliver personalized and effective care. The company culture at Arcadia is driven by a passion for improving healthcare, innovation, and data-driven decision-making. They foster a collaborative and inclusive environment where individuals are empowered to make a positive impact. Arcadia's team is united by a shared mission to transform healthcare through advanced analytics, ultimately improving the lives of patients and communities.
​
16. Harvest
https://www.getharvest.com/
Harvest is a leading time tracking and project management software designed to help businesses streamline their operations and maximize productivity. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, Harvest enables teams to track time, manage projects, and analyze data for efficient decision-making. The company culture at Harvest is rooted in simplicity, transparency, and a commitment to work-life balance. They value collaboration, personal growth, and creating a positive impact in the lives of their customers. Harvest fosters an environment where individuals are empowered to do their best work and find harmony between their professional and personal lives.
​
17. Ad Hoc
https://adhocteam.us/
Ad Hoc is a digital services company that partners with government agencies to design and build user-centric digital experiences. They specialize in creating intuitive and accessible websites, applications, and platforms that enhance public services. The company culture at Ad Hoc is characterized by a deep commitment to public service, innovation, and collaboration. They value diversity, inclusivity, and the power of human-centered design. Ad Hoc's team consists of talented professionals who are passionate about using technology to improve the lives of citizens and create meaningful impact in the public sector.
​
18. Fyusion
https://fyusion.com/
Fyusion is a computer vision and deep learning company that develops cutting-edge technologies for creating and analyzing immersive 3D visual content. Their solutions empower businesses in industries like automotive, e-commerce, and real estate to leverage the power of 3D imagery and augmented reality. The company culture at Fyusion is driven by a spirit of innovation, collaboration, and a deep passion for visual storytelling. They foster an environment where creativity thrives, ideas are nurtured, and technological boundaries are pushed. Fyusion's team is dedicated to revolutionizing the way we interact with visual content and unlocking new dimensions of human perception.
​
19. Dandy
https://www.meetdandy.com/
Dandy is a modern insurance company that offers affordable and customizable home and renters insurance. With a user-friendly online platform, Dandy simplifies the insurance process, providing individuals with the coverage they need and a delightful customer experience. The company culture at Dandy is built on the principles of simplicity, transparency, and customer-centricity. They value innovation, integrity, and going above and beyond to exceed customer expectations. Dandy's team is committed to reimagining the insurance industry, making it accessible, straightforward, and tailored to the needs of the modern consumer.
​
20. Addepar
https://addepar.com/
Addepar is a leading wealth management platform that provides comprehensive data aggregation, analysis, and reporting for financial advisors and investors. Their intuitive platform brings together complex financial data, enabling users to gain insights, make informed decisions, and optimize their portfolios. The company culture at Addepar is driven by a passion for empowering financial professionals, integrity, and a commitment to excellence. They foster a collaborative and inclusive environment where expertise is valued, and ideas are encouraged. Addepar's team is dedicated to transforming the wealth management industry and helping clients achieve their financial goals.
​
21. Pachama
https://pachama.com/
Pachama is a technology-driven forest carbon marketplace that connects forest conservation projects with companies and individuals looking to offset their carbon emissions. By leveraging advanced satellite imaging and machine learning, Pachama ensures accurate measurement and monitoring of carbon sequestration efforts. The company culture at Pachama is rooted in environmental stewardship, innovation, and a commitment to combating climate change. They value collaboration, transparency, and the power of collective action. Pachama's team is composed of passionate individuals who are dedicated to protecting and restoring forests, making a significant impact on the health of our planet.
​
22. Clipboard Health
https://www.clipboardhealth.com/
Clipboard Health is a technology platform that connects healthcare facilities with qualified healthcare professionals, simplifying the staffing process in the medical industry. Through their innovative platform, healthcare providers can efficiently fill shifts, while medical professionals gain access to a wide range of job opportunities. The company culture at Clipboard Health is centered around compassion, reliability, and a commitment to improving patient care. They value teamwork, adaptability, and providing support to both healthcare providers and professionals. Clipboard Health's team is united by a shared mission to transform the way healthcare staffing is done, ultimately making a positive impact on the lives of patients and medical professionals.
​
23. Illuvium
https://illuvium.io/
Illuvium is an open-world, decentralized game that combines blockchain technology and captivating gameplay. Players can collect, battle, and trade digital assets within a vibrant and immersive fantasy world. The company culture at Illuvium is driven by a love for gaming, innovation, and community engagement. They value creativity, inclusivity, and the power of shared experiences. Illuvium's team consists of passionate game developers and blockchain enthusiasts who are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the world of blockchain gaming, creating a truly unique and thrilling gaming experience for players worldwide.
​
24. Overleaf
https://www.overleaf.com/
Overleaf is an online collaborative writing and publishing platform that simplifies the process of creating scientific documents and academic papers. With its intuitive editor and seamless collaboration features, Overleaf enables researchers and academics to focus on their content while streamlining the writing and publishing workflow. The company culture at Overleaf revolves around creativity, academic excellence, and a commitment to accessibility. They value collaboration, continuous learning, and supporting the global scientific community. Overleaf's team is passionate about advancing research and education, providing researchers with the tools they need to communicate their ideas effectively and make a lasting impact.
​
25. Hopper
https://hopper.com/
Hopper is a mobile app that uses artificial intelligence to predict and analyze airfare to help travelers find the best deals and make informed booking decisions. With its user-friendly interface and personalized recommendations, Hopper takes the stress out of travel planning. The company culture at Hopper is centered around innovation, simplicity, and a passion for wanderlust. They value diversity, data-driven decision-making, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. Hopper's team consists of travel enthusiasts and technology experts who are dedicated to revolutionizing the way people discover, book, and experience travel, making it more accessible and enjoyable for all.
​
26. Percona
https://www.percona.com/
Percona is a leading provider of open-source database software and services, specializing in MySQL, MongoDB, and other popular database technologies. Their solutions help businesses optimize their database performance, scalability, and reliability. The company culture at Percona is built on a foundation of expertise, collaboration, and a commitment to the open-source community. They value innovation, knowledge-sharing, and empowering customers to achieve exceptional results with their database infrastructure. Percona's team consists of highly skilled database experts who are dedicated to helping businesses succeed by harnessing the power of open-source technologies.
​
27. Pocket Worlds
https://www.pocketworlds.com/
Pocket Worlds is a blockchain-based gaming platform that allows players to collect, own, and trade virtual assets in a variety of engaging and immersive games. With its decentralized infrastructure, players have true ownership and control over their digital items. The company culture at Pocket Worlds is driven by a passion for gaming, blockchain technology, and community building. They value creativity, inclusivity, and fostering a sense of belonging among their players. Pocket Worlds' team is dedicated to revolutionizing the gaming industry by leveraging the power of blockchain, creating unique and rewarding experiences for players around the world.
​
28. Mailerlite
https://www.mailerlite.com/
Mailerlite is an intuitive email marketing platform that helps businesses create, automate, and analyze effective email campaigns. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, Mailerlite enables companies to connect with their audience and drive engagement. The company culture at Mailerlite is rooted in simplicity, innovation, and a customer-centric approach. They value transparency, continuous improvement, and providing exceptional support to their users. Mailerlite's team is passionate about helping businesses succeed in their email marketing efforts, empowering them to build meaningful connections with their subscribers and achieve their marketing goals.
​
29. Xapo
https://www.xapobank.com/
Xapo is a digital banking platform that provides secure storage and management of cryptocurrencies, making it easy for individuals and businesses to buy, sell, and store digital assets. With their advanced security measures and user-friendly interface, Xapo offers a trusted and convenient solution for cryptocurrency management. The company culture at Xapo is centered around security, innovation, and financial empowerment. They value privacy, trust, and providing a seamless user experience. Xapo's team consists of experts in blockchain technology and financial services who are committed to revolutionizing the way people interact with and manage their digital wealth.
​
30. Superside
https://www.superside.com/
Superside is an on-demand design platform that connects businesses with a global network of talented designers. From graphic design to branding and illustration, Superside offers a wide range of creative services to support companies' design needs. The company culture at Superside is driven by creativity, collaboration, and a dedication to delivering exceptional design solutions. They value diversity, customer satisfaction, and empowering designers to showcase their skills. Superside's team is committed to making top-quality design accessible and affordable, helping businesses elevate their brand presence and stand out in a visually competitive landscape.

See the previous posts: https://www.reddit.com/JurassicPark/comments/1419mpy/jurassic_world_the_hegemony_of_biosyn_dominion/ https://www.reddit.com/JurassicPark/comments/142b35e/jurassic_world_the_hegemony_of_biosyn_jwd_rewrite/

Act III - The Gathering of the Clouds

Mia Everett
Visually confirming Rainn's revelation, Victoria is shown in a cage inside Amelia Everett's lab, within Biosyn's Citadel. Mia does her best to comfort the scared and depressed Achillobator and her motivations are explored shortly after. It's revealed that due to her experience within the team who made the Indominus and the Indoraptor, Biosyn tasked her with reviving InGen's IBRIS program by breeding raptors with high obedience potential. However, none of the achillobators cloned by Biosyn proved to be trainable enough for the program's ambitions (even though they attempted to mimic Owen's experience by having keepers being there at the animals' birth), which displeased Dodgson and the other higher-ups, who are now favouring another research team, who focuses on a more intrusive way of controlling dinosaurs. Basically treated as a second-class researcher amidst a rather toxic work environment, Mia became desperate enough to hire poachers to capture Blue, which she intended to breed with their achillobators in order to finally have trainable individuals. As Victoria is not sexually mature, Mia is in front of a considerable setback and fears that Dodgson will pull the plug due to her lack of results, especially in this troubled period for Biosyn.
The tying noose
The next day, the intel collected by the UN agents (people involved in the Black Market, Biosyn's connections with it) are sent to the nearby countries, including Italy, where an arrest warrant is launched against Kayla.
On his side, Isaac Gibbon is contacted by Bigelow who tells him about the debacle of their mission in Malta, saying that Claire and Owen saved the grey guards from disaster. He orders her to stay in Italy for the moment and wait for new orders. Shortly receives, he receives a candidate for a desk job in the DSD: It's Franklin. Gibbon tells Franklin he heard about his bravery during the 2019 incidents and his past connection with InGen (Before the DPG, Franklin worked for it as an IT Technician), before asking questions about Claire as he is aware that she collaborated with him not only on some occasions in the past few years but also in the 2019 Costa Rican incident, where Franklin was the couple's companion while they were running from InGen's agents and the authorities.
Dubrovnik
The inhabitants and tourists of the Croatian seaside city of Dubrovnik are surprised when a Biosyn Quetzalcoatlus descends upon the old town and starts attacking people. As a joke similar to one in TLW with the Japanese businessman and his reference to Godzilla, some extra could yell in Valyrian "I left Westeros because of this!" or "By the Seven, not again!" (Dubrovnik was one of Game of Thrones' filming location).
Ramsay's email
In a manner similar to the Hawaii attack scene in Gareth Edwards' Godzilla, the Dubrovnik scene cuts just as the Quetzal swoops on the bystanders and we are now in the bar of Biosyn's employee village. Wu is watching the news of the Dubrovnik attack on the TV (there is even a declaration from Zoe Murdoch, in which she denies the pterosaur came from Auronzo's Sanctuary and was probably created by a rival company who somehow put their hands upon Biosyn Quetzalcoatlus DNA. In the bar, someone whisper that one of their Quetzals did escaped from the valley thanks to the temporary deactivation of the invisible fence system and that Dodgson has launched an investigation to know who's responsible) when he receives a mysterious email from Ramsay, which includes the name of some woman. Wu search it on the internet and ends up on IMDB where he discovers that the adult "Charlotte" on the videos is actually an actress who lives in London.
Arrest
In Rome, early in the morning, Kayla is arrested in her flat by the police as she is accused of illegal smuggling.
Viscontini
Following all the incidents in the Alps, the clash in the Sabine Hills and the recent Dubrovnik attack, people gets pissed at Biosyn and protests occur in several locations, including Rome. In the Italian Ministry of the Interior, Viscontini has an argument with Pazzi, declaring that they need to take severe actions against Biosyn but the minister retorts that taking large-scale actions against the corporation might trigger a whole deal of undesirable consequences, including deteriorating US-Italian relations due to the close ties between Biosyn and the US government. He won't risk that just because of some rumours, weak proof and small incidents. Viscontini retorts that soon, Biosyn might have an angry mob showing at its gates with the goal of driving it out of Italy.
Following Vuillier's instructions, Claire, Owen, Nyamu and Dougal leave Malta the same day and fly to the Eternal City, where they have to meet Viscontini in the AISI headquarters. There, they have a video call with Vuillier. He and Viscontini wants to send the trio of WDMC agents to Auronzo Valley so they can infiltrate Biosyn's facility, find compromising information and transmit them to the Italian authorities, hoping to finally convince Pazzi and the rest of the government to take action against Biosyn. However, one of the agents points out that they will need an entrance ticket as one doesn't simply walk into Auronzo, since the borders of Biosyn's lands are guarded and monitored while some people disappeared after going too close from the Sanctuary (anti-Biosyn activists, reckless adventurers, Grendel Corporation's spies, others from the AISI's and Austrian government). Viscontini declare they might have that ticket.
We cut to Kayla in her prison cell. The guard announces she has visit and she is brought to a room where Viscontini and Dougal waits for her. The head of the AISI and the WDMC agent then negotiate with her: In exchange for her freedom, she will bring Dougal, Claire and Owen to Biosyn's Sanctuary. However, Viscontini precise he'll have her hunted down if she ever betrays them.
Kayla raises the fact that she can't show up at Auronzo like this and needs a motive. Viscontini and Dougal then talk about the animals seized in Malta's black market.
Theo's Mission
That day, Wu summons Theo, explain the whole issue with the fake Charlotte and ask him to go to London, find the actress and question her about the videos so they can have proofs to show Maisie, who started to really become insufferable because of Dodgson's bad influence (in that part of the story, one of the few scenes where she's likeable is one where she and Drummond bonds over the common passion for dinosaurs). The ex-mercenary soon leaves Auronzo, taking a bus for Venice in the nearest village while Wu explains to Pellegrino and Dodgson that Theo had urgent family matters to deal with in the UK.
Leaving San Francisco
Desiring to supervise the Dolomites Crisis more closely, Vuillier fly to Italy.
Nine containers
As evidence of Biosyn's possible connections to the Maltese black market has been discussed on the news, Dodgson knows it's a matter of time before Vuillier, the Italians or the Austrians send people in Auronzo and expose Biosyn's misdeeds.
We then follow Pellegrino's POV as she oversees the exit of nine large mysterious containers from the Citadel and their departure from the airstrip just outside the valley. One of her subordinates asks what's inside and she answers that she has no idea, with Dodgson only giving her a series of instructions. They watch the containers being flown abroad.
The following day, Pellegrino speak about it to Wu and other employees with anti-Dodgson sentiments like Drummond. She notices that Wu is uncomfortable as they talk about it and realize he must be hiding something. Ramsay, who just arrived from the US in preparation for a big corporate event in the Citadel, almost surprise their discussion. As they're not sure if they can trust him or not, they pretend it's nothing. Wu then phones Theo and asks him about his secret mission's progress.
London
In London, Theo finds the actress from the videos and initially posing as a reporter, filming her in an interview, he then ask her questions about the videos and after some hesitations, she concedes to give him answers and reveals among other things that the shooting occurred a few months ago in some local warehouse, that the director of those videos is none other than Colin Trevorrow (who, desperate for a job after the debacle of the Jurassic World film, accepted to participate to that project, oblivious that Biosyn was behind it since a dummy company took care of the production).
AISI
Vuillier arrives in Rome and meets with his agents, Nyamu and Viscontini in one of the AISI headquarters' conference rooms, where a map of Auronzo Valley and its surroundings has been laid. Kayla is also there and offscreen, our characters talk about the plan.
At the end of the meeting, everyone but Vuillier and Viscontini leave the room. Both have a secret conversation during which the Italian say that the Grey Guard's Mediterranean Company, supported by the Austrians and secretly by him (as he fears that Biosyn has informers within the Italian government), are deployed in one of the villages near Auronzo, and is supposed to act as a Plan B should the Claire-Owen-Dougal trio fail, by taking a secret path through an old mine and a mountain pass before breaking into Biosyn's citadel. The WDMC agents don't know that and when Vuillier ask why, Viscontini answers that it's better that way (should the agents be captured ant tortured, they won't tell Biosyn that there is a second team) and that the secret path isn't safer as one of his spy was killed by some creature after taking it and arriving in sight of the valley. He thinks that a small dozen of grey guards have better chances surviving the pass' guardian(s) than three civilian agents.
To the Dolomites
The next day, in the middle of the morning, Kayla is preparing her plane in some airstrip near Rome and the seized creature from the black market is loaded in the hold (I have no idea which species to choose). Equipped by the Italians, Claire, Owen and Dougal say farewell to Vuillier, Nyamu and Viscontini. The Frenchman tells Claire that it's time to unleash the She-wolf upon Dodgson but Claire correct him by saying "Not the She-wolf. The Dragon." (in this AU, she has a particular connection with the dragon-like Indominus), implying she'll get the mission done whatever it takes. He and the other two men wish them good luck and the trio of WDMC agents climb aboard the plane. They soon take off.
Biosyn's aerial defense
Kayla's plane arrives in sight of the mountains which delimit Biosyn's Sanctuary. Informed of their mission by Vuillier and Viscontini, one of the grey guards is watching the plane through his binoculars as it passes over the village where they are staying.
Kayla is soon contacted by the Citadel's control room as they detected the aircraft on their radars and they ask her why she's coming. The pilot answer that she collected an animal which might interest them (she told the WDMC agents and the Italians that Biosyn doesn't have this particular species in their Sanctuary) and ask to land on their airstrip. While the Biosyn employees discuss, the plane is about to enter Auronzo Valley by the east, as that part of the sanctuary is the furthest from most of the buildings (while the airstrip is in the northernmost parts of Biosyn's lands, beyond the mountains with the frozen dam lake) and thus where Claire, Owen and Dougal has the best chances of landing unnoticed. The trio of agents take their parachutes and prepare to jump, but at the same time, Dodgson, who heard that Kayla was arrested by the authorities just a few days ago, fears that her plane is a Trojan horse and decides to activate the valley's "aerial defense". On the screen of one of the room's monitors, we see a group of dots heading straight towards the plane. It's actually a group of pteranodons, from the same toothed variant as those who appeared in Jurassic Park 3 (there is even at least one black male identical to the scrapped one from Johnston's film), and they just collide with the plane, crashing against the cockpit and getting turned to shred by the rotors' blades, damaging the plane (the scene is partly inspired by a cutscene from the Ninth Mission of Paraworld's campaign). Owen wonder why those pteranodons behave in a suicidal manner. Suddenly, the pteranodons retreat and as their window is shrinking, the agents know they have to jump now (they've reached the middle of the valley and their trajectory deviated northwards, towards the mountain dam). Claire jumps first but as Owen is about to jump in his turn, the plane is attacked by a Quetzalcoatlus and the Raptor Whisperer sees another and a few pteranodons chasing her fiancée, whose parachute opened. Claire shakes the pterosaurs off by disappearing into the valley's dense forest. As they will be grabbed by the attacking pterosaurs as soon as they leave the aircraft, Owen, Dougal and Kayla stay inside it and brace for the crash. The plane crashes down at the surface of the frozen lake by the mountain dam in the northern part of the valley.
Back in Rome, Vuillier, Nyamu and Viscontini are worried as they heard the agents and the pterosaurs' screams (they had an open channel all that time with Kayla's plane). They hope the agents will survive this ordeal and activate the beacons they were given before their departure.
Note: The fate of the animal they took with them is still unclear for me. It really depends on the chosen species. If it's something large and potentially dangerous, Kayla would probably want to drop it in the valley in order to have a lighter plane and not deal with it after crashing. But if it's a creature about the size of a small dog for example, they could free it as they leave the wreckage.
Gigantoraptor
We then cut to Claire hanging in the trees but instead of a Therizinosaurus (which already appeared in TRQ. Moreover, Claire had a small arc with this species in that story), she is threatened by a Gigantoraptor. The scene plays out much like the Theri scene from Trevorrow's version, with Claire hiding in a pond etc.. Once the Gigantoraptor walks away, Claire gets out of the pond and sees the fumes from the plane's crash in the distance, behind the mountain dam.
The dam lake
Before it sinks in the lake, Owen, Dougal and Kayla leave her plane and step on the ice. Under it, they notice a large shadow and know they better move away from the lake. They notice a ladder by the dam but as they head towards it, a Quetzalcoatlus or a Pteranodon lands on their way. They step back, moving towards an opening on the lake's surface. Suddenly, a giant 9-meters long temnospondyl (based upon an unnamed and fragmentary genus from Lesotho) burst out the water, almost killing one of the characters. Ensue a scene where our three protagonists have to evade both the pterosaur and the amphibian. The pterosaur ends up being dragged underwater by the temnospondyl but other pterosaurs arrive and to escape them, our trio climbs on the dam and rushes to its elevator, going down in the valley. Down at the dam's base, they notice it's dilapidated and Kayla tell her two companions that Biosyn sell some of its power to the nearest villages.
Note: The main doubt I have about this scene is having a temnospondyl living in the icy water of a mountain lake. It might be too much of a stretch so if you think it's not realistic at all, it will be scrapped from the scene (and perhaps be replaced by a juvenile Baryonyx or something like this, an animal which could be also the one our characters brought with them in the plane.
Plan B
Since the agents lost their beacons during the pterosaurs' attack and the crash, they couldn't tell Rome that they were still alive. Vuillier and Viscontini fear the worst and send a message to Laurenzo Cesare.
Droppings
Meanwhile, Claire started walking towards the dam, hoping to find her companions on the way if they made it out alive from the crash. When she hears a racket in the woods, she hides and a Biosyn tyrannosaur arrives. But it's not on a hunting mode and instead, it just leaves some droppings on a log near Claire's hiding place. After the predator leaves, she approaches the log and smears her face with the droppings, remembering her "Walk in the Park" with Owen when they searched her nephews during the Fall of Jurassic World (the droppings hide her smell, dissuading the other animals to investigate her).
Argument
An argument bursts out between Owen, Dougal and Kayla while they're walking south. The first wants to find his fiancée, the second says that their mission is more important, and Kayla is mad at both men since she lost her plane (and livelihood) because of the WDMC's mission. And unsure about her intentions, the two men distrust her but she tries to reassure them by saying that Biosyn can fuck off since they are also responsible for destroying her plane.
However, the Sanctuary's denizens remind them that they better be united or else it will be the failure of their quest.
At some distance, in the middle of the fog, they see the recognizable silhouette of a sauropod, that of an Argentinosaurus (the species was seen in the distance and mentioned earlier in the story. Instead of Argentinosaurus, it could also be another large titanosaur). However, this herbivore has the particularity of having a symbiotic relation with some small carnivore species within Biosyn Sanctuary (I'm more thinking about a pterosaur or a flying/semi-arboreal theropod than a strictly ground-dwelling predator. For now, the baboon-sized Variraptor is my candidate), with the Argentinosaurus letting those carnivores eat its parasites and the insects flying around it while the carnivores will let out an alarm call shall a large predator approach. It could be illustrated in a scene where an Acrocanthosaurus (the one from the Drive-in scene) is spotted by the carnivores as it passes by. The Argentinosaurus turns to face the larger predator, adopt a defensive posture, and as the acro hasn't yet moved, the smaller carnivores take off from the sauropod and flies straight to the acro's head. Harassed by those creatures, the Acrocanthosaurus retreats. Thus, if those small carnivores (which we'll call the Argentinosaurus' suite) are brave enough to attack a megatheropod, our three protagonists know they're not safe and that they better move away.
The Sanctuary's true nature
While still heading north, Claire's path crosses that of a bull Shantungosaurus. She move out of his way and stay still. She and the audience recognize the animal as he was already in the JW rewrite and TRQ (in the first story, he gained some scars after a fight with a few Metriacanthosaurus), where he was a secondary "character" (and a threat in a few scenes). Both have a peaceful scene where they make eye contact but that quiet moment is shattered when a gunshot resounds in the forest and the hadrosaur flees, badly wounded. Claire hides and in the distance, she sees a hunter, accompanied by a couple of Biosyn security guards and another employee which she presume is some sort of supervisohunting guide. Watching how the hunter is dressed and how he behave in the wild, she knows he's not a professional hunter but just a rich hobbyist and then realizes the Sanctuary's true nature: It's a hunting reserve. As the Shantungosaurus escaped them, the hunter express his discontentment at the guide, which promise to find him another quarry. They leave and following the blood trail left by the hadrosaur, Claire finds him by a stream. His wounds are too grievous and he's too weak to lash out at Claire, who kneels by his head, trying to comfort him in his last moments, up until his last breath. Watching another of her former park's animals dying fills Claire with not only grief, but also anger. She change her plans and heads back south instead of continuing northward, following the hunting party's track.
Note: It doesn't necessarily have to be a Shantungosaurus in the role of the animal shot by the hunters, but it have to be a recognizable animal from the previous installments for emotional impact and Claire's development (another candidate could be the Therizinosaurus from TRQ)
She later finds another hunting party. One of its members, a Biosyn guard, pulls out an item she recognize: a raptor resonating chamber. The guard use it like a bird call and soon, an Achillobator, arrive, believing it heard one of its kind. The poor animal is shot by the hunters, who scream in satisfaction before taking a picture with their quarry. They then brings it to the Biosyn vehicle waiting nearby but before they leave (after having a short conversation during they mention that another team captured the rex and is bringing it the paddocks), Claire deliberately attract the attention of one of the guards, the same one which used the resonating chamber, and he say to his companions he won't be long. He move away from the road and deeper in the woods, he fall into Claire's ambush. She kill him, loot some of his equipment (including the resonating chamber), hide his body and leave. Worried for his colleague, the other guard with the hunters orders the guide to drive them back to the lodge, and search his friend. But he too is murdered by Claire, who takes a small metallic box on him. Activating the box, she realize it's a sonic weapon she has seen before, in the hands of InGen Security's elite troops during the fall of Isla Nublar (it's like a weaponized version of the box Dodgson and his companions have in Crichton's TLW). She turns it off, take it with her and follows the hunters vehicle's tracks on the road, towards the lodge.
However, Claire ignores she's being watched, and not by human eyes...
Over hill
Cesare and his men leave their accommodation and head for the frontiers of Biosyn's lands. Leaving their vehicles near a ruined fort, the grey guards start their trek while the sun is setting behind the mountains ahead of them.
A bed in the trees
As walking through the valley at night would be too dangerous, Owen, Dougal and Kayla decide to find a resting place and climb in a tree. From it, they have a panorama on a nearby lake and notice they are approximately halfway between the dam and the Citadel. At this moment, we also have peaceful scenes with the valley's denizens at dusk (Pelecanimimus fishing in the lake, herbivores drinking nearby, the same Spinosaurus from the report at the beginning peacefully sitting on the bank like an oversized duck...).
Theo's peace
In the evening, just a few hours before his flight to Venice, Theo also passes by his former home, which he left years ago before joining Ken Wheatley's mercenary company. His ex-wife still lives here and noticing that she started a new life with another man and seems happy, he walks away in peace, leaving behind him the last picture he had of himself and her (earlier in the story, Theo is seen looking at said picture).
The secret path
Back in Italy, the grey guards find the entrance of an old mine and enter it, taking the path that will allow them to pass under the limits of Biosyn's lands.
Mercenaries
Mercenary troops land in Biosyn's airstrip and their leader is brought to the Citadel. He has a discussion with Dodgson behind closed doors.
Foes... or allies?
A few hours after nightfall, Claire finally finds a large old chalet with typical Tyrolean architecture: The Hunting Lodge (it's implied that it was built way before Biosyn bought those lands, when the area was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before WWI). Claire remarks it's surrounded by an invisible fence (identical to the one from Jurassic World Evolution 2's Biosyn DLC) which prevents the animals from getting too close. Aware that the lodge wouldn't be a shelter for her and that its occupants probably outnumber her, she turns away from it, continuing to wander in the woods. But just a few minutes later, she hears sound in the nearby bushes. Aware she might be hunted, she is ready to use the ultrasound box and fight for her life. A pack of Achillobators shows up, menacingly walking towards her. At the same time, it starts to rain.
Claire first thinks of using the box and running away while the predators would be bothered by the sound but she knows it will be useless in the long run as they could track her all across the Sanctuary. She then remembers the reports she read earlier in the story, and especially that of the 2001 incident on Sorna, where Alan Grant and his companions walked out alive and unharmed from a close encounter with raptors.
In dire straits, she makes up a desperate plan and carefully, she pulls out the resonating chamber she stole from the Biosyn guards. She uses it and due to their bad experience in the sanctuary with the resonating chambers' usual users, the raptors get agitated but their pack leader tells them to calm down as Claire doesn't seem to be a Biosyn guard or a hunter. The pack leader walks alone towards Claire and sniffs the dried blood on her hands and clothes, realizing it belongs to other humans. Nothing happens for a moment and then the pack leader lets out a bark. Behind Claire, two raptors move aside. Slowly walking backwards, watching carefully the raptors' moves, Claire exits the circle made by the surrounding predators and continues doing so until she's at a respectable distance. At the beginning, the raptors just watch her but as she's heading towards the Hunting Lodge, she hears them following her. However, she is aware that they would have already pounced on her if they wanted to eat her and knows that they're more intrigued. Meanwhile, the rain intensifies (there could also be a storm).
Claire reaches the invisible fence, crosses it, and searches for its power source. But as she's sabotaging it, the Lodge caretaker (a gnarly-looking old local man) spots her and frightened by her look, runs away towards the building. She is forced to catch him and, after a short struggle, kill him with her knife before he can raise the alarm. After showing some trouble due to killing a probable innocent, she resumes her sabotage and the fence is deactivated. The raptors cross it and see Claire entering the lodge. Near its entrance, she finds a sword hanging on the wall as a decorative element and noticing it's still sharp, she takes it along with its sheath and heads for the rooms. Behind her, the raptors open the door and silently enter in the lodge. In the hallway which leads to the rooms, Claire stays still when the raptors walk past her as they head to the rooms and grin as her audacious plan is working. Claire enters one of the rooms, raises her sword blade over a sleeping hunter and when the time comes, thrust it into his body. Meanwhile, the raptors open other doors and entering the rooms, they rush on the sleepers. Slaughter ensues and only those who locked up their doors have the time to wake up, grab a weapon and fight for their very survival. Some of the lodge's occupants offer some resistance in the lounge but there, Claire activates the sonic weapon she stole and an ear-piercing sharp sound comes from it. While the raptors back off behind her, their common enemies kneel and scream in pain and Claire (who put on some earplug) slashes their throats, deactivate the weapon, and let the raptors tear the hunters alive while she raids some items (stuff like snacks, water, a first-aid kit, a map...) and leave, disappearing in the woods.
A bit later, she finds a small cave whose entrance is high from the ground and rest in it, sleeping until mid-morning.
The mountain's pass
At the end of their night-long ascent, the grey guards arrive in a pass/cave where they found human bones, which they presume to be those of the AISI's spy Viscontini told them about, and the remains of a Biosyn drone. Soon after, they are attacked by the guardian animal(s) the corporation left there to kill any trespasser coming from that direction. (I haven't chosen any species yet). They manage to defeat it (or them) and dawn break out as they arrive at a vista point which overlooks the valley. The grey guards observe it, the eyes of Cesare stop on the Citadel for a moment, and they retreat back inside the mountain to rest a few hours before descending into the valley. They send a message to Vuillier and Viscontini, telling them that they're inside the Sanctuary.
Traces of a slaughter
During their early morning patrol, a security team discovers that a massacre occurred during the night in the Hunting Lodge. They find clues indicating that someone helped the raptors and participated in the killings. The control room check the Lodge CCTV footage and fear spreads like wildfire among the staff when they discover the culprit is a sinister-looking black-clad hooded woman. Seeing that one of the figure's hand is a prosthesis and that the other wear a silver ring with a red gem, they realize it's Claire and Dodgson pretty much start to crap his pants (partly because one of the hunters was a very wealthy and powerful foreign client whose disappearance won't go unnoticed). Since she made it out alive from the plane's crash, Dodgson fears that the other WDMC agents might have too. When asked about the slaughter itself, Dodgson orders his staff to cover it up for the moment, as he don't want to worry the board of directors who are set to arrive later that day for a big event he planned in the evening.
Theo's return
Theo returns to Auronzo and Wu, who just learned about Claire's presence in the valley, tells him that they must get Maisie out of the facility as soon as possible since disaster tends to follow Claire like a shadow.
Taking the gloves off
However, Maisie has meanwhile discovered that the videos were another lie, by recognizing one of the scientists from the video, who also work at the Citadel (and who didn't aged, even though the adult Charlotte's video was supposed to be taken fourteen years ago). Aware that the gentle method is no longer considerable, Dodgson decides to use the hard one and Doctor Lesser locks Maisie in a cell within her lab, to which Wu can't access. Lesser reveal that it wasn't Wu who told Dodgson that she was a clone but the spy he has among Lockwood Manor's employees, and that the only true part in the video was the one about the genetic disease: Charlotte did had it, just like her mother Elizabeth before that (she died in 1993 and it was because of her Lockwood and Hammond fell out), and had the car accident which took her life didn't happened, the disease would have killed her a few years later. As he wanted Maisie to have a long life, Benjamin Lockwood asked the scientists he hired (there is a whole subplot about what they became in TRQ) to cure it and they did find a way. As the scientists' notes were accidently destroyed, the solution is now within Maisie's body, and Dodgson wants it so he can put new drugs on the market.
Before it's too late, Wu and Theo, with Ramsay's help, start organizing Maisie's evasion. The geneticist mentions a secret trail from WWI in the northeastern mountains: It's their escape route. He then heads for his lab, planning something else.
Tracking Claire
Curious about Biosyn's movements around the Hunting Lodge, Owen, Dougal and Kayla investigate it after the departure of the security troops. They discover evidence of Claire's passage and Owen tries to follow her fiancée's tracks. Kayla and/or Dougal make comments about the slaughter of the hunters.
Bigelow's last chance
Isaac Gibbon gives Jessica Bigelow a new mission: Go to Auronzo and ensure the evacuation of Lewis Dodgson and Biosyn's most important research. The agent ask her boss why and he said that he just received news that Biosyn is compromised. He also precise that it's her last chance after the Malta fiasco. Bigelow leave her safe house in central Italy and goes north.
Shady preparations
Continuing south, Owen, Dougal and Kayla see mercenaries positioning some sort of moveable antenna on a ridge which overlooks the road which connects the Citadel to the valley's northern continue, as finding Claire and entering the Citadel is more urgent.
The gathering of the clouds
One of the control room's employees ask Dodgson to come. He shows him footage from the Biosyn lands's southern gate, near the employee village.
Before the gate, a group of Carabinieri stand, showing to the guards and the security cameras a search warrant: The government finally decided to act against Biosyn. But Dodgson refuses to open the gates for the Carabinieri and orders the mercenaries who arrived during the night to intimidate them. The Carabinieri move away from the gate, with their leader warning against the consequences of such an action. At a respectable distance from the gate, Vuillier, Viscontini and Nyamu watched the scene. Soon, other groups of Carabinieri are deployed along the other entrances to Biosyn's lands. The siege of Auronzo has started.
Hearing about the siege's situation, some employees leave their post and head for the metro (which connects the Citadel to the village. Another loop also connects the Citadel to the various facilities across the Sanctuary, including the seven towers and the dam), in order to go to the village and then hoping to be able to leave Biosyn's lands before things starts to get too ugly but Dodgson's has the metro's station locked and commands them to go back to their posts. Seeing their CEO starting to act like Hitler in his bunker, they are afraid.
​
End of Act III.
See you tomorrow for Act IV

Hi all,
As I've detailed here before, I've been on a slow ongoing quest to liquidate inventory from my PC building side-gig in my spare time (which has mostly failed because I'm an idiot who's bad at business). While I'm still actively servicing long-term business/professional clientele, I've stopped offering consumer-facing gaming builds.
The components are either overstock or consolidated parts from client builds. The laptops are from my dad's closed print shop business (he retired recently). Here is the latest batch of items for sale:

Component	Model	Price	Condition / Notes	Timestamp
CPU #1	Intel Pentium Gold G7400	$70 shipped / $55 local SOLD	New, Sealed	https://imgur.com/a/XXxszTj
CPU #2	Ryzen 9 5900X	$285 shipped / $260 local	New, Sealed	https://imgur.com/a/eJ2ZBUJ
CPU #3	Intel Core i5-13600K	$300 shipped / $275 local SOLD	New, Sealed	https://imgur.com/a/ieQGPqJ
RAM Kit #1	16GB (2x8GB) ADATA XPG Gammix D10 DDR4-3600 18-20-20-42- Black	$35 shipped / $30 local	Used, stability-tested: DDR4-3600 16-19-19-39 and DDR4-3733 17-20-20-40; Hynix DJR. No retail box (ships in generic packaging)	https://imgur.com/a/wK19abS
RAM Kit #2	16GB (2x8GB) Team T-Force Xtreem DDR4-3600 18-20-20-39 - Black	$45 shipped / $40 local	Used, stability-tested: DDR4-3600 16-16-16-16-32; Samsung B-Die. Original box included	https://imgur.com/a/zjxOMOt
Motherboard #1	Asus ProArt B660 Creator D4 (DDR4) LGA 1700 Motherboard	$160 shipped / $140 local	New, Sealed	https://imgur.com/a/ic3coTI
Motherboard #2	MSI MEG B550 Unify	$200 shipped / $180 local	New, Sealed	https://imgur.com/a/S0zaDvf
Motherboard #3 (bundled w/ 32GB DDR5-6000)	Asus Prime Z790-P Wi-Fi DDR5 LGA 1700 + 32GB (2x16GB) G.Skill Ripjaws S5 DDR5-6000	$250 shipped / $220 local SOLD	New, Sealed. Price includes both motherboard + RAM kit	https://imgur.com/a/appnMTM
GPU #1	Intel Arc A770 16GB Limited Edition	$325 shipped / $300 local	New, Sealed	https://imgur.com/a/S0f3iUy
GPU #2	Sapphire RX 6800 Nitro+ 16GB	$385 shipped / $360 local	Used, 9.5/10 condition (a couple of scratches on the backplate	https://imgur.com/a/dgTtWV5
PSU	Asus ROG Strix 750W Gold - Fully Modular	$110 shipped / $95 local	New, Sealed	https://imgur.com/a/zNk30wj
Laptop #1	Lenovo Legion 5 Pro Gen6 (16" QHD IPS 165Hz, Ryzen 7 5800H, 32GB DDR4-3200, RTX 3070 140W, 1TB SSD)	$1040 shipped / $980 local	9.9/10 condition, 100% battery health. Squaretrade warranty ($0 deductible) valid until 12/15/2023	https://imgur.com/a/ROljHnD
Laptop #2	Lenovo Legion 7i Gen6 (16" QHD IPS 165Hz, Intel Core i7-11800H, 32GB DDR4-3200, RTX 3070 140W, 1TB SSD)	$1180 shipped / $1120 local	9.8/10 condition, 100% battery health. Lenovo has recently replaced the motherboard with a brand-new unit. Legion Ultimate Support warranty valid until 12/05/2024	https://imgur.com/a/PWLfIQB

Please comment under the listing, then PM me with the item that you'd like to purchase along with your PayPal info. I will do my best to answer any questions that you might have, and I will send you a detailed invoice with the exact serial number of the item. I will accept chat requests with understanding that we will hammer down the details of our conversation via Reddit PM. You must still comment below.
Final note: Local transactions prioritized. For shipped items, Redditors with trade history are preferred. Depending on the exact day, I may not be able to get to the local UPS/Post Office in time before they close. So if you want an item shipped, please allow one full business day after your PayPal invoice is paid.
Local zip code: 92821 (Brea, California)

I'm trying to set up Jellyfin in an Ubuntu LXC container on Proxmox. Right now, I got to the point where everything works, except for transcoding HDR content.
My host is a Lenovo M920q with an i7 8700T and a UHD 630 iGPU.
The Intel drivers were installed using these instructions: https://github.com/intel/compute-runtime/releases
If I run the service with the "jellyfin" user and group I get the following errors in the ffmpeg logs:
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QSV transcoding:

[AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x5591d63acf80] Failed to get number of OpenCL platforms: -1001. Device creation failed: -19. Failed to set value '[email protected]' for option 'init_hw_device': No such device 

VAAPI transcoding:

[AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55a88acbf940] Failed to get number of OpenCL platforms: -1001. [Parsed_hwmap_1 @ 0x55a88acb7080] Failed to created derived device context: -19. [Parsed_hwmap_1 @ 0x55a88acb7080] Failed to configure output pad on Parsed_hwmap_1 Error reinitializing filters! Failed to inject frame into filter network: No such device Error while processing the decoded data for stream #0:0 Conversion failed! 

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I had a hunch it was permission related, so I changed the service to run as root and everything works fine, but from my understanding it's not best practice to leave it running that way so I'd appreciate any advice.
Some other stuff I checked:

[email protected]:~# ls -l /dev/dri/ total 0 drw-rw---- 2 root video 80 Jun 1 03:17 by-path crw-rw---- 1 root video 226, 0 Jun 1 03:17 card0 crw-rw---- 1 root render 226, 128 Jun 1 03:17 renderD128 

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[email protected]:~# /uslib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/ffmpeg -v verbose -init_hw_device vaapi=va:/dev/dri/renderD128 -init_hw_device [email protected] ffmpeg version 5.1.3-Jellyfin Copyright (c) 2000-2022 the FFmpeg developers built with gcc 12 (Ubuntu 12.2.0-3ubuntu1) configuration: --prefix=/uslib/jellyfin-ffmpeg --target-os=linux --extra-libs=-lfftw3f --extra-version=Jellyfin --disable-doc --disable-ffplay --disable-ptx-compression --disable-static --disable-libxcb --disable-sdl2 --disable-xlib --enable-lto --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-shared --enable-gmp --enable-gnutls --enable-chromaprint --enable-libdrm --enable-libass --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libbluray --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopus --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libdav1d --enable-libwebp --enable-libvpx --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libzvbi --enable-libzimg --enable-libfdk-aac --arch=amd64 --enable-libsvtav1 --enable-libshaderc --enable-libplacebo --enable-vulkan --enable-opencl --enable-vaapi --enable-amf --enable-libmfx --enable-ffnvcodec --enable-cuda --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-cuvid --enable-nvdec --enable-nvenc libavutil 57. 28.100 / 57. 28.100 libavcodec 59. 37.100 / 59. 37.100 libavformat 59. 27.100 / 59. 27.100 libavdevice 59. 7.100 / 59. 7.100 libavfilter 8. 44.100 / 8. 44.100 libswscale 6. 7.100 / 6. 7.100 libswresample 4. 7.100 / 4. 7.100 libpostproc 56. 6.100 / 56. 6.100 [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b13e1100] libva: VA-API version 1.18.0 [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b13e1100] libva: Trying to open /uslib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/lib/dri/iHD_drv_video.so [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b13e1100] libva: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_18 [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b13e1100] libva: va_openDriver() returns 0 [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b13e1100] Initialised VAAPI connection: version 1.18 [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b13e1100] VAAPI driver: Intel iHD driver for Intel(R) Gen Graphics - 23.1.6 (8589406). [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b13e1100] Driver not found in known nonstandard list, using standard behaviour. [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b1404480] 0.0: Intel(R) OpenCL HD Graphics / Intel(R) UHD Graphics 630 [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b1404480] Intel QSV to OpenCL mapping function found (clCreateFromVA_APIMediaSurfaceINTEL). [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b1404480] Intel QSV in OpenCL acquire function found (clEnqueueAcquireVA_APIMediaSurfacesINTEL). [AVHWDeviceContext @ 0x55b6b1404480] Intel QSV in OpenCL release function found (clEnqueueReleaseVA_APIMediaSurfacesINTEL). Hyper fast Audio and Video encoder usage: ffmpeg [options] [[infile options] -i infile]... {[outfile options] outfile}... Use -h to get full help or, even better, run 'man ffmpeg' 

​

[email protected]:~# /uslib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/vainfo --display drm --device /dev/dri/renderD128 Trying display: drm libva info: VA-API version 1.18.0 libva info: Trying to open /uslib/jellyfin-ffmpeg/lib/dri/iHD_drv_video.so libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_18 libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0 vainfo: VA-API version: 1.18 (libva 2.18.0) vainfo: Driver version: Intel iHD driver for Intel(R) Gen Graphics - 23.1.6 (8589406) vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints VAProfileNone : VAEntrypointVideoProc VAProfileNone : VAEntrypointStats VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointFEI VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointFEI VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileVC1Simple : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Advanced : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointEncPicture VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointFEI VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointFEI VAProfileHEVCMain10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain10 : VAEntrypointEncSlice VAProfileVP9Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile2 : VAEntrypointVLD 

"Be excellent to each other... and party on dudes!"

He is Bill S. Preston, Esq.! And he is Ted "Theodore" Logan! And together, they are Wyld Stallyns!
To everyone else in late-80s/early-90s San Dimas, California, Wyld Stallyns may look like the impossible dream of two slackers with no skill in anything else. But in truth, the music of Wyld Stallyns is so bodacious, so non-heinous, so excellent that it brings about an era of prosperity, both across the earth and to the stars beyond, and technological advancement so advanced that even time can be accessed as freely as a 10-digit phone number from the nearest payphone. Because of this, agents from the future utopia have sent back a time-travelling phone booth as well as information about the future to make sure that Bill and Ted are able to continue having most excellent adventures and fulfill the destiny of Wyld Stallyns.

Key

Movies:
^EA = Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
^BJ = Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
^FtM - Bill & Ted Face the Music
Shows:
^CSxEy = Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (DiC Animated Series); Season X Episode Y
^LAEx = Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (Fox Live Action Series); Episode X
Comics:
^M#X = Bill & Ted's Excellent Comic Book (Marvel Comics) Issue #X
^BVx#y = Boom! Studios Comics; Volume X, Issue #Y

Vol. 1 = Bill & Ted's Triumphant Return
Vol. 2 = Bill & Ted Go To Hell
Vol. 3 = Bill & Ted Save the Universe
BV1#xS = Boom! Studios Comics; Side Story

^DH#X = Dark Horse Comics (Face the Music Compliant) Issue #X
Games:
^AL = Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (Atari Lynx)
^NES = Bill & Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure (NES)
^WS = Wyld Stallyns (Mobile Game)
Live Show:
^EHAyy = Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure; 19YY/20YY

Bill and Ted

Strength

• Twist around several amps while running as a blur. ^CS1E7
  
• Run straight through several tentpoles. ^CS1E7
  
• Hold themselves against the winds created by a giant monster that toss around buses and tanks. ^CS2E5
  
• Push around large stone slabs. ^AL
  
• A version of Bill and Ted from a bad future become super jacked and help curbstomp a robot. ^FtM
  
• [Limitation] Struggle to do push-ups. ^BJ
  

Speed/Agility

• Dodge a stone discus launched hard enough to embed into a marble pillar, and a falling chandelier. ^CS1E2
  
• Dodge around weapons swung by Roman gladiators. ^CS1E3
  
• Dodge a speeding horse and a flying coffin. ^CS1E9
  
• Able to dodge a frog mid-jump. ^CS1E11
  
• Run off fast enough to kick up a trail of dust. ^CS2E1
  
• Intercept a cannon shot. ^CS2E1
  
• Dodge a cannon shot just before it hits. ^CS2E3
  
• As babies, able to run off hidden behind a cloud of baby powder. ^CS2E7
  
• Duck underneath a swinging pendulum. ^AL
  
• Very good at jumping really high. ^NES
  
• Dodge a booth as it falls from time jump. ^LAE2
  
• Disguise themselves as a doctor and a cadaver in the time it takes for a woman to leave a room. ^LAE3
  
• Scale up the snout of a large, metal dragon. ^BJ
  
• Attempt and almost succeed at intercepting a bullet, moving a good distance in the time it takes to go from a gun to a person feet away. ^EHA08
  
• Outrun several species of dinosaur. ^M#2
  
  • Outrun a T-Rex running fast enough to kick up large rocks in its wake. ^BV1#3S
• Dodge a superhero sent flying hard enough to leave a comet trail behind him. ^M#10
  
• Dodge around machine gun fire. ^M#11
  
  • Again. ^BV1#5
• Able to see the two drivers in a high speed chase. ^BV1#2S
  
• Hit a button that causes the spaceship they're in to lurch forward fast enough to send everyone inside tumbling, then run off before anyone else can catch their bearings. ^BV3#1
  

Durability

• Get tossed across a bar, their heads smashing through a thin wood wall. ^EA
  
• Fall from a second floor balcony into some bushes and walk it off. ^FtM
  
• Has Death thrown at them bodily and get back up. ^DH#3
  
• Crushed under a mountain of falling china. ^CS1E1
  
• Are sent flying back by their amplifier's exploding to little ill effect. ^CS1E1
  
• Have a stove dropped on their heads. ^CS1E2
  
• Launched through a window and fall a story down into a stone fountain. ^CS1E2
  
• Fall from the top of a three-story building into some bushes. ^CS1E4
  
• Get slammed into a brick wall hard enough to indent. ^CS1E7
  
• Get launched into the air by their inflatable shoes and then fall back down. ^CS1E9
  
• Get kicked out of a stadium hard enough to send them flying, toppling a food cart. ^CS1E9
  
• Get blasted high into the air by a jet of water strong enough to blow away a stone statue, then land in a river. ^AL
  
• Get blasted back by the explosion from this huge gun. ^M#8
  
• Punch themselves. ^M#11
  
• Get zapped in a clash between Darth Vader and Gandalf and walk it off. ^EHA02
  
• Fall down a trap door a dozen feet and get up fine. ^BV3#1
  
• Hit a button that causes the spaceship they're in to lurch forward fast enough to send everyone inside tumbling, then run off before anyone else can catch their bearings. ^BV3#1
  
• Take hits from the Death Quills of Koloko IV, the Lightning Web, the Fire Bones of Kykartian Dragodon, the Cyberwasps of the Robot Zoo Planet, and the Lavaspin of Sector 487. ^BV3#2
  
• Roll into a snowball then crash into a building hard enough to demolish it. ^DH#3
  
• [Limitation] A long fall from the top of this cliff is enough to instantly kill them. ^BJ
  

Skill

• Easily bat in a baseball game one-handed while focusing on other things. Ted even throws the bat so that it spins hard enough to hit the ball without him holding it. ^CS2E3
  
• Jump from an upper banister and swing down on ropes, knocking out two guys and stealing their weapons in the process. ^LAE6
  
• Briefly hold their own in a duel, despite neither having any dueling experience. ^M#1
  

Intelligence
Yes, really.

• Can comprehend and utilize stable time loops. ^EA
  
  • Leave a recording device hidden in the corner of a room with a timer to use as a distraction. ^EA
  • Leave a typed message for themselves at a printer with instructions to duck at just the perfect time. ^EA
  • Sets up a trash can to fall at the right time to trap Ted's father. ^EA
  • Outwit De Nomolos, setting up not only a sandbag and cage to fall at just the right time and place to disarm and trap him, but also set up a key for the cage and fake gun to trick him into believing that he would win the encounter. ^BJ
  • When they don't have access to a booth, they go back in time to ask Station to build one so that he's done in time for them to go back and ask. ^BV1#1
  • Loosen a chandelier just so that it falls on Vlad the Impaler's head while he's cornered them. ^BV3#1
• When they're being pursued by versions of them from a bad future, who remember everything they're about to do, they do something they can't possibly remember doing to escape. ^FtM
  
• Able to somewhat fix the booth's broken antennae with some fudge cans and a large wad of chewed gum. ^EA
  
  • Able to somewhat fix the booth's broken antennae with a magazine and a shoelace. ^LAE1
  • Able to more or less fix the booth's broken numpad by copying what they remember Station doing to fix it. ^BV1#3S
• Survive a long fall from within the booth by jumping at the last second. ^CS1E8
  
• Rig up a lever to launch Dracula out of the booth and onto a bed. ^CS1E9
  
• Make functional guitars out of laundry and string. ^CS1E12
  
• Make a castle display out of water sealant cans and boxes. ^LAE2
  
• Rewire a jukebox to play music from a walkman. ^LAE5
  
• Their advice helps their music teacher move on from heartbreak and live peacefully where before she was bitter and angry at everyone. ^LAE7
  
• Outwit Einstein, tricking him into delivering his speech about the Theory of Relativity instead of his bad stand up routine. ^LAE8
  
• Able to escape from Death with a Melvin. ^BJ
  
• Trick Evil Robot Bill and Ted into thinking they're the real good Bill and Ted. ^M#7
  
• Escape from a future prison by starting a fire to set off the fire alarm. ^M#8
  
• Impress Socrates with their philosophizing. ^EA
  
• Are able to convince Hyper-World, a planet who's entire society is predicated on comic book violence, to stop fighting... for a few seconds. ^M#10
  

Rockitude
Skill

• Wyld Stallyns' music eventually becomes good enough that it ushers in interplanetary peace. ^EA
  
  • Their music apparently brings about post-scarcity, or at least post-the need for money. ^CS1E12 ...NOT! ^M#8
  • Post-training and with full band backing, a televized broadcast of their performance is able to cause people of multiple different cultures around the world to jam. The newspapers of the following years also state that their touring schedule causes crops to grow in the American midwest and peace to come to the Middle East, that rumors of their split cause the stock market to plummet and when those rumors are disproven the stock market surges. ^BJ
• Seduce a pair of medieval babes with some off the cuff lyrics. ^EA
  
• Jam with Little Richard and a young Mozart. ^CS1E2
  
• Rock with Angus Young. ^EHA01
  
• Shred with James Hetfield. ^EHA06
  
• Tear it up with Fall Out Boy. ^EHA13
  
• Demolish with Axl Rose and Slash. ^EHA14
  
• Fuck it up with Kurt Kobain. ^EHA15
  
• Play the guitar very well with Freddy Mercury. ^EHA17
  
• Play a pocket organ well enough that the surrounding Roman guards are too busy dancing to notice them. ^AL
  
• Can play basically any instrument placed in front of them. ^FtM
  
• Calm an agitated baby dinosaur. ^BV1#3S
  
• Able to build guitars out of random debris in a gladiatorial death pit in a matter of seconds, then play well enough to pacify a rampaging alien monster who is also the most esteemed music critic in the galaxy. ^BV3#3
  
• Able to rouse a crowd of people from a society so downtrodden that the ability to smile has atrophied out of the gene pool. ^BV1#5
  
  • Writing one song is enough to uproot the entirety of said society and motivate Death to bring them back after dying even though he had lost the ability to do so. ^BV1#6
• Even God and Satan are fans. ^BV2#4
  
• Alien cultures that don't even speak English and who's entire cultures are predicated around war are brought to peace by hearing their music. ^BV3#1
  

Power

• Consistently blow out their amps while playing. ^EA
  
  • Blow out an amp and cause it to catch fire. ^LAE1
• Defeather a bird. ^CS1E1
  
• Shatter a porcelain cup. ^CS1E1
  
• Knock dozens of objects off of a nearby shelf and shatter windows. ^CS1E7
  
• A single resonant note is enough to knock out the Black Knight. ^CS1E7
  
• Even when hooked up to a boombox, are able to blow away people and tables. ^CS2E5
  
• After Bill rewires the amp, it causes Ted's guitar to melt through the floor. ^CS2E7
  
• After Station alters the amps a little, cause any avalanche. ^DH#4
  
• Destroy robots with their riffs alone. ^WS
  

Ghost Bill and Ted

• People can pass right through them, though it causes some unnerving (though not totally unpleasant) sensations. ^BJ
  
• Can possess the bodies of the living. ^BJ
  

Other

• Build the Great Wall of China in a couple days. Although not particularly well. ^CS1E1
  
  • They arrive in China on Saturday and have finished and leave before Monday. ^CS1E1
• Summon rain with an Incan rain dance. ^CS1E3
  
• Play a single player game co-op and one-handed. ^CS2E7
  
• Are able to beat Death at Battleship, Clue, Electronic Football, and Twister. ^BJ
  
  • And Monopoly. ^M#5
  • And Rock, Paper, Scissors. ^EHA17
• Can fly after being zapped by the F-Ray, which only convinces the brain that it is capable of flying, thus allowing it to fly. ^M#10
  
• Spend a week without sleeping and only eating snack foods trying to devise a plan to save Abraham Lincoln. ^M#11
  
• Are temporarily given God's divine enlightenment, able to see everything past and future, and on a micro and macro scale. ^BV2#4
  
• Surf on a black hole. ^BV3#3 They're obviously going through some form of spaghettification, but also given the size of the black hole, the audience, and the official helping them do it, it's likely that this black hole has been altered to be safe to surf.
  
• Have sex. ^BV1#1
  
• Do drugs. ^EHA00
  

Bill

Strength

• Knocks over the Liberty Bell with an elbow. ^CS1E5 The Liberty Bell weighs over 2000 lbs.
  
• Easily pitches and bats cannon balls that Ted had difficulty handling. ^CS1E9
  
• Knocks Ted into the air with an accidental headbutt. ^CS1E9
  
• Floors Monomonop with a yo-yo. ^M#8
  

Speed/Agility

• Pulls Ted out of the way of a flail. ^CS1E3
  
• Snatches a flying chip bag out of the air. ^CS2E2
  
• Bats a baseball pitched hard enough to leave a trail of flames. ^CS2E3
  
• Escapes from being grappled by swinging on a noose while the floor is dropped from under him. ^EHA92
  
• Ducks a bullet at close range. ^EHA08
  

Durability

• Takes a punch from Evil Robot Bill. ^M#7
  
• Takes a punch from Ronda Rousey. ^EHA16
  

Skill

• Spars with Joan of Arc. ^EA

Other

• Strong poker face. ^EA
  
• Folds a paper hat into a to-go box. ^CS1E1
  
• Rewires an amp which causes it to melt Ted's guitar through the floor. ^CS2E7
  
• Beats up the Invisible Woman using dark force powers gained as Darth Bogus. ^EHA05
  
  • Force chokes a man to the ground in an instant. ^EHA05
• Save nearly 70 people from being used as a virgin sacrifice. ^EHA13
  

Ted

Strength

• Knocks out a man in a leather helm with one strike. ^EA
  
• Accidentally sends Marco Polo flying with the swing of a broom. ^CS1E1
  
• Flicks a paper football hard enough to knock an apple into the air. ^CS1E2
  
• Breaks a wooden plank off on the T-800 Terminator, then knocks him into a well using a skateboard. ^EHA92
  

Speed/Agility

• Takes a tumble down the stairs hard enough to knock him out of his metalplate suit and somehow hides before anyone notices. ^EA
  
• Flip jumps to the top of the booth. ^CS1E5
  
• Dodges a swipe from behind from Vlad the Impaler. ^BV3#1
  

Durability

• Takes a tumble down the stairs hard enough to knock him out of his metalplate suit. ^EA
  
• Takes a headbutt to the chin that knocks him off of his feet and into the air. ^CS1E9
  
• Takes a full punch to the gut from Officer T. J. Hooker and brushes it off. ^EHA98
  
• Gets tackled to the ground and waled on by General Thade. ^EHA01
  
• Doesn't seem bothered touching a lightsaber with his bare skin. ^EHA05
  
• Gets smashed over the head with a guitar hard enough to crack it in half. ^BV1#4
  
• Thrown across the room onto the coffee table and is back on his feet shortly. ^BV2#1
  

Skill

• Flicks a paper football in such a way so that it flies around and knocks an apple off of Bill's head from the side. ^CS1E2
  
• Lassos the Black Knight while he's riding a horse full speed. But then forgets to keep a hold on the other end of the rope. ^CS1E7
  
• Briefly holds his own against an Italian fencer. ^LAE6
  

Other

• Reads the time and place text. ^CS1E1
  
• Starts a fire by rubbing George Washington's wooden teeth. ^M#8
  
• In a bad future where Ted was sent to military academy, he was able to double bust a corrupt cop by posing as a drug dealer. ^LAE4
  
• Kicks the Sith out of Darth Bogus. ^EHA05
  
• Gets with Taylor Swift. ^EHA13
  

Good Robot Bill and Ted

Robots created by the most brilliant mind in the universe, Station, to combat the powerful Evil Robot Bill and Ted. ^BJ

• The can be controlled via remote control but also seem to be capable of autonomous movement. ^BJ

Strength

• Punch through a brick wall. ^BJ
  
• Decapitate Evil Robot Bill and Ted with a punch, then cause their bodies to explode with a second punch. ^BJ
  
  • Evil Robot Bill and Ted no sell a punch to the chin from Bill and walk off crashing through a window and into a brick chimney. ^BJ
• Chew up a phone reciever. ^M#3
  
• Punch out the demonic Colonel Oats when the princesses couldn't faze him with their strikes. ^BV2#1
  
  • The princesses were smashing up musical equipment and sending other women flying with their strikes. ^BV1#6S
• High five each other hard enough to destroy each others' hands. Keep the Evil Robot Bill and Ted scaling in mind. ^DH#1
  
• Walk through a wall. ^DH#4
  

Durability

• Still functioning while demolished down to just their heads. ^M#7
  
  • Or arms. ^BV2#3
• Robot Ted gets blasted through several brick walls. ^BV3#4
  

They Run On Car Batteries

• They do. ^BV1#1S
  
• Electrocute two men to death when they try to stab them with rapiers. ^M#1
  
• Cause the booth to randomly jump when they electrocute it after touching some slushie material. ^M#12
  

Other

• Have tape recorders built in. ^M#3
  
• Can receive temporal emails, and promptly get a virus from this. ^BV1#1S
  
• Their code is written in a form of binary compose of "Bill"s and "Ted"s. With a source code constructed entirely of Van Halen references. ^BV1#1S
  
• Become presidents of the United States. ^BV1#2
  

Mecha Bill & Ted

• Rocket away from San Dimas to Scandinavia. ^DH#4
  
• Transforms from houses into humanoids form, piloted by Good Robot Bill & Ted. ^DH#4
  
• Beat up and send flying giant mountain trolls. ^DH#4
  

Mobile Suit Bill & Giganto-Ted

• Burst out of the sewers and through the streets, creating a massive tremor that could be felt from blocks away. ^BV1#6
  
• Disarm an entire crowd of guards with powerful magnets. ^BV1#6
  

The Time Booth

Time Travel

• A time machine that can travel to any place and time on earth after dialing a specific number. The number for each time and place is listed in an attached directory which catalogues most important points in history. ^EA
  
  • If Bill and Ted don't know what time or place they're looking for, they can ask the operator for help identifying a landmark. ^CS2E1
  • Can travel all the way back to the big bang. ^M#2
  • Is able to travel to and from "the center of time" which seems to exist outside of the regular timeline. ^M#6/7
• It is stressed multiple times throughout the series that even while time travelling, the clock in San Dimas is running, so Bill and Ted still have a limited amount of time to accomplish their goals while time travelling. ^EA This isn't well supported by other events and usages of the booth in the series, but it is a consistent concern regardless.
  
• Bill and Ted can use the Phone Booth to interact with themselves in the past, giving themselves needed equipment or advice. ^EA
  
  • Find a note of advice from themselves and then go back and leave the same note without having to even write it. ^AL
  • Get called to go forward from a few minutes beforehand to help out their future selves. ^EHA06
• Allow Bill and Ted to leave and then return to the exact same point in time, with 16 months of training in between. ^BJ
  
  • Further emphasizing that they can return to any point they want and San Dimas time doesn't matter. ^CS2E1
• A trip through spacetime can be cut short and will cause the booth to reappear at a median point. ^CS1E2
  
• A trip can also be reversed, allowing the booth to return to from where it just came. ^CS1E9
  
• A trip can be rerouted mid-stream without too much issue. ^CS1E10
  
• While this is not usually the case, as most time travel trips result in loops, drastically changing past events can lead to alternate present timelines. ^CS2E5
  
  • Bill and Ted use the booth to go back 15 minutes and redo a botched conversation resulting in a different outcome. ^LAE1
  • A closer to canon example. ^M#11
• Time travel 2 seconds into the future to catch an evil robot off guard. ^BV1#3
  
• Falling into the wormhole behind the phone booth can let someone travel through the circuits of time with it. ^EA
  
  • Rufus is able to follow a different phone booth using a grapple electric guitar, despite not being anywhere close to it when it time travels. ^BJ
  • The black knight and his horse are able to follow the booth. ^CS1E7
• Able to travel and be gone in the time it takes for a killer robot to aim and fire a vaporization beam. ^FtM
  
• Can travel to a point in time and space selected by an actual phone number in use at the time. ^CS1E8
  
• Can travel to a different point in space without changing time. ^CS2E8
  
• Elizabeth and Joanna apparently use the booth to travel to alternate timelines, though this mostly happens off screen. ^FtM
  
• Can travel to alternate dimensions entirely. ^M#10
  
• Travels to heaven. ^M#11
  
  • And hell. ^BV2#1
• Teleports from heaven to the earthly timeline, all the way to the Boomerang Nebula, and back in a matter of seconds. ^BV2#4
  
• Using the infinity button, allows the occupants to be multiplied infinitely to interact with all points in space and time simultaneously. ^FtM
  
• The booth can't travel if all of the circuits of time are currently occupied. ^CS2E5
  
• Travelers through the circuits of time can see other travelers in the same area. ^M#2
  
• The booth can seemingly track individuals in a specific time frame as shown by the fact that the future Bill and Ted were able to trick Bill and Ted into thinking they were rich and successful by being in the right place at the right time. ^FtM
  
• Rufus gives Bill and Ted a new booth that can trace the calls of other booths, though it tends to show up a little late. Also it's a rotary phone. ^M#2
  
• Rufus gives Bill a mobile phone which can call back the booth with the correct number. The first time its used however, it calls Doc Brown's Delorean instead. ^EHA92
  
  • Shown here actually working. ^EHA96
• When Ted uses a magazine to try and fix the antennae Bill and Ted end up going inside of the world of the magazine by accident. ^LAE1
  
  • By connecting the booth to a cable box, they're able to enter the worlds of television broadcasts, though it's entirely dependent on what the tv is currently turned to. ^LAE3

The Squint System
An upgraded directory that allows the booth to travel to fictional settings, including books, CDs, movies, and games. ^CS2E2

• Use the booth to enter an episode of Leave It to Badger. ^CS2E4
  
  • Can also use the booth to skip around within the episode. ^CS2E4
  • Once the episode ends, every person in it, including Bill and Ted, disappear. It looks like this. ^CS2E4
  • Foreign objects can persist between episodes, if they're plot relevant. ^CS2E4
• Can bring characters from the fictional world to the real world. ^CS2E4
  
• Characters in the fictional world are fully aware that they're fictional. ^CS2E4
  
• Altering the interior of the fiction does change how the fiction appears in the real world. Also might cause that fiction to become unavoidable? ^CS2E4
  
• Showing places that aren't supposed to be there reveals static. ^CS2E4
  
• Shrinks Bill and Ted down to smaller than a bottlecap when they forget to put the 1 in front. To reverse this effect, they simply dial 9. ^CS2E2
  

Durability

• [Limitation] When the booth's antennae get smashed by a knight's flail it can still travel fine but where and when it lands becomes uncontrollable. ^EA
  
  • [Limitation] A thrown frisbee knocks out the antennae, preventing the booth from time travelling. Ted is able to partially fix this with a magazine and a shoelace, though it causes the jumps to become uncontrollable again. ^LAE1
• Crash lands upside down and works perfectly fine. ^CS1E2
  
  • Tears through the roof of a tent, crash lands upside-down, and then falls onto its side. ^CS1E5
• Slides along the ground, crashing into a horse hard enough to launch it into the air, taking no damage. ^CS1E2
  
• Gets knocked off a crow's nest with a cannonball and tumbles to the deck of the ship without damage. ^CS1E4
  
• Gets run over by a train. ^CS1E8
  
• Tanks a fall from the top of Big Ben's clock face. ^CS1E8
  
• In a cabin as its demolished by a cannon, and protects the people within. ^CS1E9
  
• Smashes up the wooden walls of a log flume. ^CS1E11
  
• Takes several blasts of energy weapon fire and isn't damaged until one hits the antennae. ^LAE4
  
• Gets shot up by Billted 1.0's machine gun arm and has enough in it to make a trip before collapsing. ^BV1#4
  
• Vlad the Impaler has trouble breaking the glass with the hilt of his sword. ^BV3#1
  
• [Limitation] The floor breaks falling onto a bear's head. ^CS1E13
  
• [Limitation] Destroyed by a large boulder falling on it. ^BV2#3
  

Landing Strength

• [Limitation] While operating normally, it doesn't land hard enough to seriously harm an old man. ^CS1E5
  
  • But it did harm this guy. ^LAE1
• While malfunctioning however, digs a hole into the earth in a second. ^CS1E5
  
• Still while malfunctioning, crashes up through some wooden floorboards, knocking aside a dresser. ^CS1E5
  
• Demolishes a small kennel. ^CS1E6
  
• Smashes through a thick wooden roof. ^CS1E10
  
• Smashes through the deck of a ship. ^CS2E3
  
• Sends Columbus ricocheting around the Santa Maria. ^CS2E5
  
• Sends two cowboys a distance away flying from the shockwave. ^EHA92
  
• Smashes Billted 1.0 which is capable of flying straight through walls and windows without damage. ^BV1#3
  
• While malfunctioning, lands hard enough to crater concrete. ^BV1#4
  
• Smooshes a pair of demon spawn. ^BV2#4
  

Other

• Can still make a trip while on its side and is able to land normally. ^CS1E11
  
• It also works while water-logged. ^CS1E1
  
• Sideways AND waterlogged. ^S1E12
  
• It hovers in the air for unsaid reasons while malfunctioning. ^CS1E4
  
• Has some video recording and playback functions, though seemingly a preset one for display purposes. ^FtM
  
• When their regular booth gets blown up, Rufus lets them use a payphone on a stand to much the same effect. ^EHA02
  
• Can sometimes require coins to make calls with. ^NES
  
• It can also make regular calls. ^EA
  

"Catch ya later Bill and Ted!"

Hey guys, this is my second E-bike conversion and I would love to get some advice.
I plan on using Samsung 50e for my 48v 40amp build (104 cells - 13s 8p 5.0 amps). I would pair this with a bbs02 middrive motor. The reason being I already have 52 of these so I would only need to pay for 52.
Are these cells right for this build? my previous build was the Samsung 40T how would these compare?
​
As far as Bms is there any advantage of using a 40 amp Bms over a 30 amp when the peak draw is 25a.
​
I used a 30 amp Daly BMS on my previous build and the only issue I have is when the Battery drops to 20% the bms cutoff.
​
thanks.
​
link to cells: https://www.18650batterystore.com/en-ca/products/samsung-50e
link to bms : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0876NGKLZ
link to Mid-Drive kit https://www.ebay.com/itm/354109346955?var=623870313568

Hey guys, this is my second E-bike conversion and I would love to get some advice.
I plan on using Samsung 50e for my 48v 40amp build (104 cells - 13s 8p 5.0 amps). I would pair this with a bbs02 middrive motor. The reason being I already have 52 of these so I would only need to pay for 52.
Are these cells right for this build? my previous build was the Samsung 40T how would these compare?
​
As far as Bms is there any advantage of using a 40 amp Bms over a 30 amp when the peak draw is 25a.
​
I used a 30 amp Daly BMS on my previous build and the only issue I have is when the Battery drops to 20% the bms cutoff.
​
thanks.
​
link to cells: https://www.18650batterystore.com/en-ca/products/samsung-50e
link to bms : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0876NGKLZ
link to Mid-Drive kit https://www.ebay.com/itm/354109346955?var=623870313568

"Bump" of previous post last week. All have been unused/untouched since March 1st, just sitting there or in boxes, except the monitor.
$650 for everything (list 1 and list 2). Not parting out due to payment method precluding shipping.
TL;DR quick overview of all parts
one i5-12400 w/stock cooler, 1 downdraft cooler, 3 120mm tower coolers
two B660m ddr4 motherboards, one win10pro key, and one anti-bending lga 1700 bracket
two kits 3200c16 ddr4, one 2x8gb singlerank other 2x16gb dualrank
one RX460 4gb gpu
two nvme m.2 drives; 500gb sn770, 2tb 970 evo plus
two cases, one matx nr200 clone, other atx lancool 216 and 5pack of arctic p12 pwm fans
two psu, one sfx 600w platinum (w/ 1 cable extension), other atx (300)w F-tier
one 24'' 1920x1200 60hz monitor with a desk clamp arm
cheap mouse and keyboard(keyboard w/RGB!!!....sry)
one set entry level professional speakers and an old sound card
webcam, xbox360 controller, microphone
​
Local cash only, no paypal(don't have one), quakertown-doylestown area in bucks county.
Timestamps
pet/[email protected]/[email protected]/scent free household, and do not eat near computer area. The second hand items from the 12400 guy exude much less fragrance compared to when they were obtained (assuming his household laundry detergent or similar had fragrance as the source), and I doubt you'd sense it if your own living arrangements have any sort of scented items. They come with all original cables, boxes, manuals, etc I still have. If you want more information about anything, feel free to ask and it will be added. Selling because old 2010 pc with phenom ii x3, gtx460, and 8gb is sufficient for my use case, try for modern hardware again some other time.
​
Tabulated/Itemized/Descriptors:
​

Part Name	Detailed Comments/Condiiton
	CPU
i5-12400	2nd hand. H0 stepping, not the more power hungry C0 (C0 is a partially disabled 8core die), and is AVX-512 capable going by the production date(did not verify; see motherboard notes). small blemish/ding(?) from previous owner's cooler on ihs, but can't tell if it was permanent indent or rubbed off hard bit of dried paste. includes box and cooler.
	Coolers
unknown 6 heatpipe thermalright cooler - possibly the burst assassin non-argb model without fan	2nd hand from the 12400 guy. tower only. has blemish/nick on contact surface. his laundry detergent had fragrance, so i couldn't use it. he also didn't clean the paste off and shipped it in a ziplock bag. i cleaned it as well as i could and replaced the bag.
noctua s12b redux 1200rpm	2nd hand from the 12400 guy. same scent problem. can't remember testing it.
arctic alpine 17 co	BNIB, but box looks beat up
id cooling se-224-xt-basic	used to cool a 3800X for a few months before the faulty mobo went kaput and sold the other parts of it. no 1700 mounting hardware because it was produced before alder lake. the win10pro key from the msi pro mobo is written on a slip of paper tucked inside the instruction manual.
Thermalright Assassin X 120 refined SE	mounted 90 degrees clockwise for bottom-to-top airflow in sama case
	Motherboards
msi b660m mortar wifi ddr4	mobo vrms have coil whine crackle-hum using turbo boost, most likely related to powerstate/frequency switching (disappears when fully loaded or not doing anything) or concurrent with putting load on the integrated graphics, tried a whole bunch of bios settings to stop it, C1E enabled reduces it. integrated graphics culprit unverified due to case and difficulty with it; haven't tested a discrete card to eliminate igpu cause. latest bios(v19) at the time is flashed, need earlier bios version for avx512 capability, tried to get that instruction set working but found out it involves tainting my kernel and i don't use windows but if you do, the only os-side step is to move the specific intel microcode file out of system32. replaced the ilm with the thermalright one. includes right angle usb3 header adapter.
msi b660m a pro ddr4 wifi	2nd hand from 12400 guy. has smudge on backside near cpu bracket from alcohol solubility test on the paint; backside is alcohol soluble. has same scent as others from him. he did a bad paste job on cpu area and shipped it that way, i cleaned it up (no socket pins got paste on them thankfully because he didn't remove cpu from the board) tested and it works. comes with windows 10 pro key. the m.2 wifi card was worked, but putting it back in this board... i didn't have enough finger dexterity. one of the contact n!pp!es is bent, needs to be bent back. can't get it back out to do that, stuck. includes piece of factory glue that goes between the contacts and holds the leads in place. treat as non wifi version with potential bonus for trying hard enough. anti static bag on one side MAY have trace of urushiol due to being blown away when airing out onto a patch of cracked concrete where two weeks previously had been a sprout which had been disposed of then the area alcohol-doused then two rainstorms. includes right angle usb3 header adapter.
thermalright 1700 anti-bending ilm silver	comes with thermal paste(used once) and original ilm of the mortar mobo
	RAM
teamgroup 2x8gb 3200 c16	2nd hand from 12400 guy, works, had somehow strongest scent of them all.
timetec 2x16gb 3200 c16	dual rank with hynix 8gigabit jjr ic's (lower binned cjr) remember to lock in the voltage to safe level for that ic instead of auto. partially manually overclocked, enabled xmp then increase to gear1 3466mt/s (what i can tell, max speed with the locked vcssa without loosening timings) and the few timings changed are: command rate to real 1N; did not test tighter than tRRD to 6, tRRD_L to 6, and tFAW to 24; tREFI should be able to be higher than 24960 but didn't test; tRFC has errors at 460, can't remember what 480's result was, and 500 is stable. stressapptest for an hour after each change made, no errors. may go tighter, less than 10 attempts worth of tweaking.
	Storage
western digital sn770 500gb	2nd hand from the 12400 guy, but didn't notice scent(was under heatsink). has been secure erased. smart data said 2.4tbw.
samsung 970 evo plus 2tb	2nd hand from best buy geek squad refurbished. smart data indicated literal open box condition. has been secure erased. smart data says 3.28tbw.
	GPU
xfx rx460 4gb	2nd hand from a miner in 2021. was dirty but cleaned it, had mining bios, and the standard bios or other custom bios don't seem stable, but it works with a rx560 bios i modded to rx550 clocks. thought i saw something spherically, iridescently marbled green-yellowgreen falling from it when putting it back together after cleaning but couldn't find the drop or where it may have dropped from, capacitors look ok. single fan version. has annoying blue led. requires 6-pin pcie power even though it draws less than 75w.
	Cases
sama im01	hohboy, man oh man, this case.... removing the front panel carefully according to the manual causes the top clips to break(so that's why it includes two spares), and is difficult to work in even though all sides but the back come off. can't put a discrete gpu in because it can't go into the slot all the way; something about the mobo tray being depressed or pci slot design prevents it. front left usb3.0 defective (blips then doesn't work) but the right one is functional. pci slot magnetic swinging screw cover hinge is a bit bent because the top and bottom packaging foam were switched in factory(foam cutouts did not align). matx mobo prevents bottom from having second fan if not want to risk mobo header bending.
lian li lancool 216 black non-rgb model	opened the box and took out the inner accessory box on top but put it right back because became busy and never got around to using it. did not take out the case. almost literally open box. do not know state of tempered glass but jiggling box does not make broken glass sound.
arctic p12 pwm pst 5 pack	2 used in the sama im01, 3 unused
	PSU
corsair sf600 platinum	3 months use. powered the 12400 using integrated graphics, don't think total system power exceeded 150w from the wall.
thermaltake tr2 430np	don't know if it was 2nd hand or not. used to power a windows xp office machine which was bought without one. Don't use more than 350 watts; here is a review of the unit showing why- https://www.hardwaresecrets.com/thermaltake-purepower-430w-np-power-supply-review/ its F-tier but would personally trust it in a system pulling less than 100 or so from the wall. one cable with 20+4-pin motherboard connectors one cable with 6-pin pcie connector one cable with 4-pin 12v connector one cable with 3 molex connectors two cables with 3 molex and 1 floppy connector one cable with 2 sata connectors one molex-to-sata converter
cablemod black modflex EPS 4+4 pin 45cm extension	sf600 needs the extension to reach the mobo receptacle in the sama case
	Peripherals/Accessories
hp zr24w + ergodepot J2 monitor arm	60hz, 1920x1200, 24inch. 12 years use. ccfl backlight has been on for ~3.3 years. came with a scratch not noticeable when on most of the time. has smudges from over a decade of use, not trusting myself to clean it without scratching. includes J2 monitor arm (desk clamp), but makes it skew a little. when powered on, it knocks channel 6 out of the airwaves until it is turned off. flickers below 100% brightness.
tecknet um013 mouse	awful scroll wheel. defaults to the lower of the two dpi settings every time it loses power; does not save setting. 2 months use.
redragon karura k502 rgb keyboard	2nd hand. works, but did not verify all keys.
presonus eris E3.5 studio monitors	were on my desk for 10 days and powered on at low volume for under an hour, may be low amount of specks of dust, and the speaker wire had been connected, but otherwise is as if you opened up a new one. didn't like the space they took up and preferred my headphones, but B&H would not take these back because i told them i used the included speaker wire. no joke.
samson go mic	2nd hand. works, good shape. usb condenser with omni/-10/cardioid switch and 3.5mm jack. has sticker covering the led to diminish the brightness.
xbox 360 wired controller	didn't use it often, but owned it for a really long time. the left thumbstick has worn down, is low tension, and can drift slightly if off center to the northwest.
asus xonar dx	2nd hand. used for a few months in 2011 but was too close to gpu intake so put it away.
logitech c600 webcam	model V-U0007

​

Hello everyone,
This is the biggest comeback since my last post on hardwareswap two weeks ago! I'm going big this time. I'm giving y'all the chance to buy the recently decommissioned 2016 gaming build with nearly 7-year-old and 6-year-old parts including AMD RX Vega 56 and RX 6800 graphics cards that have done me well in gaming and productivity since 2016.
All parts except one are shipped/insured to the USA ONLY by USPS or UPS depending on the package size. For anything bigger like a PC case, it will be shipped in the original packaging and will be reinforced with additional packing materials.
When it comes to pricing, I believe that they are fair and cheaper than fair market value. Please understand that shipping is expensive nowadays and it's difficult to ship a big item like the PC case cheaply as possible depending on the mileage. I'm all ears for the bundle or combo offers. No lowball offers, please! Thank you for the reading and good luck on your treasure hunt!
Select each part to see the photos of the items and my timestamp signature in the first column of the table.

Part	Item(s)	Price	Note
LGA 1150 Intel Z97 Motherboard	ASRock Fatal1yt Z97X Killer and Samsung EVO 850 250GB M.2 SSD w/ fully-cleaned Windows 10 Pro install (incl. OEM I/O shield, 4x SATA 3.0 cables (black), ASRock HDD Saver power cable, Multigpu Molex power, and driver CD/instructions)	$60 - SOLD	Flashed with a modded BIOS to enable the hidden 'above 4G decoding' which enables AMD/NVIDIA's Resizable-BAR and Smart Access Memory support.
LGA 1150 Intel CPU	Broadwell Intel Core i5-5675C Desktop Processor (Unlocked)	$50 - SOLD	Delidded/Resealed with Thermal Grizzly Liquid Conductonaut by defunct Silicon Lottery
AMD GCN 5.0 GPU	Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2	$85 - SOLD	Repasted/Reseated with Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut
AMD RDNA2 GPU	Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 6800 16GB GDDR6	$370 - SOLD	Repasted/Replaced with Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut and Aairhut Thermal Pad 13W/mk
16GB DDR3 Dual Channel Kit	2x Corsair Vengeance Pro DDR3-2400MHz CMY16GX3M2A2400C11R (2x8GB/Dual-sided)	$30/each - SOLD
16GB DDR3 Quad Channel Kit	G.SKILL Trident X DDR3-2400MHz F3-2400C10Q-16GTX (4x4GB/Single-Sided)	$40 - SOLD	The 2400MHz speed and timings bring the latency down to the mid-50s. ASRock Fatal1yt Z97 loves this kit and runs 100% stable!
Network Card	ASUS PCE-AC88 Dual-Band AC3100 Wireless PCI-E Adapter (incl. a four-antenna stand, slim PCI slot bracket, and driver CD/instructions)	$30
3.5" HDD 7200rpm	Western Digital Blue 1TB WD10EZEX	$10 - SOLD
AIO CPU Liquid Cooler	Corsair Hydro Series H80i V2 High Performance	$25	8 years old; out of warranty. Still adequate for a 65W CPU. Four screw holes may be widened or stripped partially due to past installation. Several cosmetic damages on all screw holes
Power Supply	EVGA SuperNova 650W G3	$35 - SOLD	Only takes a motherboard with 4 or 8 pins EPS CPU connector
ATX Case	Be quiet! Pure Base 600 (incl. 3x Noiseblocker Multiframe M12-3 Low Fan Noise 1800rpm and fan gaskets, 2x fan logo stickers, 2x RGB led light strips and press/push button controller, 1x CD mounting bracket, 3x HDD cages, 5x HDD covers, brass standoffs, and screws)	$50 + shipping	A holder clip on the lower right corner of the front panel was broken off and replaced with a small patch of heavy-duty Velcro tape. Black electrical tape holds two mesh CD vent covers together, so you can replace them with OEM CD front covers.
Case Fan #1	4x Noiseblocker Multiframe M12-2 Low Noise Fan 1250rpm (incl. rubber gasket, logo sticker, and screws)	$6/each	Like-new; used for the brief time
Case Fan #2	1x Noiseblocker M12-PS PWM Quiet Fan 1500rpm (incl. rubber gasket)	$7
Case Fan #3 - Same link is shown above	1x Noiseblocker Multiframe M12-P PWM Quiet Fan 2000rpm (incl. rubber gasket)	$8
Case Fan #4	2x Noctua NF-S12A FLX	$10/each
Case Fan #5	2x Noctua NF-F12 PWM	$10/each

​

The Stretching Guide
Jewelry-
Wearing quality jewelry is one of the most important parts of the stretching journey. The best material(s) for stretching first and foremost are “Single-Flare Glass Plugs” or just glass jewelry in general; while single flare implant grade Titanium and Niobium are safe to use it is important to get it from a trusted makeseller to ensure the grade labeled is true to the product. Acrylic, silicone, cheap metal, double-flared as well as natural (e.g., wood, stone, horn) jewelry should never be used to stretch piercings let alone in freshy pierced flesh. Here’s why!
Acrylic: Materials like acrylic are quite easily scratched and dented even in packaging which can lead to irritation, and while acrylic is sold as jewelry it is not currently available in a biocompatible or “medical grade” version(s) in the jewelry trade, this means it is extremely hard to know the actual quality and with all the additives used to cheapen the product and worst case scenario leach these chemicals out of the jewelry. This honestly makes them a poor choice in all scenarios. Cheap Metals: Cheap metal jewelry can be safely presumed to be low quality in many ways, either being low polished, coated in low quality metals or just not the proper grade in general. This can lead to swelling and irritation in most cases. If you are going to choose to wear cheap/low-grade jewelry it is important to be sure the area for it to be used in is fully healed beforehand. Silicone: In this case there is a medical grade silicone jewelry provider, ‘Kaos Soft Wear’. Silicone is a poor choice for stretching as it can easily lead to micro-tears, blowouts, irritation, and infection. High-grade silicone is an excellent choice for healed piercings and after stretching has healed but not during either process. Natural Materials: These materials include wood, horn, stone, bamboo, and bone. Though these materials may surpass many types of jewelry in aesthetics they make a poor choice to stretch with and for initial piercings due to their porousness. This aids in trapping bacteria which of course can lead to the worst case, infections, if a blowout were to occur and irritation because of the larger pores in the surface. Having this happen during a stretch or initial piercing can make for a very poor experience which is why it is only recommended to wear these pieces in properly healed holes.
We always recommend buying your jewelry from a well-known manufacturer. Here are some quality jewelry manufacturers:
· Anometal
​

• Industrial Strength
• NeoMetal
• Glasswear Studios
• Gorilla Glass

Why Glass Single-Flare Plugs?-
Single-flare glass plugs are the best choice due to having a gentle but steep tapered end making insertion of the jewelry easy and comfortable when your body is ready. Being extremely smooth, non-porous, weighing less than other metal jewelry and with the ability to be autoclaved make it an excellent choice for stretching and fresh piercings alike!
O-Rings-
O-rings are regularly available in Nitrile and Silicone. Though usually safe, some people may have allergies to either of these materials. Signs of an allergy from your O-ring will usually result in redness or itchiness at the location of the O-ring, but it’s important to note not to confuse an allergy irritation with your ears not being ready to stretch as blowouts usually result in the days to come and not so much immediately after stretching. People who do use O-rings can often have trouble keeping them on, whether it be while sleeping or throughout the day, but there is a hopeful fix! The X-Ring - Nitrile No-Roll O-Rings. These O-rings stay where you need them much better than normal O-rings... Unfortunately, they only come in sizes from 8g to 1"(25mm)
Stretching Basics-
Keeping your Piercings Healthy:
Lubrication is necessary when stretching and with everyday maintenance/care. The products below are particularly good for keeping your lobes healthy & moisturized and when mixed with beeswax, they will work for twice as long!
​

• Jojoba Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Emu Oil
• Raw Cocoa Butter
• Vitamin E oil

Always keep your lobes well lubricated!
Especially when inserting jewelry! This helps keep your skin happy and healthy, along with this the process of massaging the area is also beneficial in itself!
-How to Make "Ear Butter"
It is incredibly simple to make your own ear butter.
For it you’ll need the following ingredients:
​

• Coconut Oil = 1 TBSP
• Vitamin E Oil = 1 TBSP
• Jojoba Oil = 1 TBSP
• Raw Organic Cocoa Butter = 1 TBSP
• Emu Oil (AEA Certified Always) = 1 TBSP
• Organic Beeswax = 1 TBSP for a soft "butter," or 2 TBSP for a firmer mix

Instructions:
1. You will need two pots, a large pot filled with water, and a small pot to set inside the larger pot which will float on top of the water. This is how you make a double boiler.
2. Place pots on stove, on Low heat.
3. Add all ingredients to the small pot.
4. Slowly allow all the ingredients to melt together.
5. Stir thoroughly & pour into small mason jar or other container and allow to cool at room temperature.
6. When cooled, it should be creamy to slightly firm depending on the amount of beeswax you decide to use. *If it is too hard for your liking, melt mixture back down and add more oils. If it is too soft add more beeswax.*
When you’re stretching your ears and the area has healed, it’s important while oiling and massaging them to also practice being without them. This helps promote a healthier lobe by helping with circulation and prevention of thinning. However, some people may not be able to leave their plugs out for long periods of time but the point is to allow your lobes to rest each day while still being able to gently insert your jewelry again after said period of time. There are of course exceptions such as when you are planning to or have recently stretched already. You should be leaving your jewelry in while you sleep for two to four weeks before and after stretching but should still be removed for about an hour after showering or cleaning once a day to massage and lubricate them. While youre lobes are initially stretching try not to sleep on them and instead sleep on your back if possible or use a specially made pillow like a travel pillow.
· Ear Piercing Pillow
If you happen to have had a blowout that has healed and are trying to reduce the “cat-butt” look, lubricating, and massaging your lobes three times a day may prove to be beneficial, as well, downsizing, may prove beneficial and may also help thicken lobes!
How to stretch your Piercings:
When on your stretching journey patience is a virtue!
The longer you wait in-between stretching your newly loved piercing the better the results!
Below is an approximate timeline you can follow for soft tissue such as earlobes. Remember when in doubt, wait longer.
The following is the approximate time needed to wait in-between stretching softer tissue:
Fresh Piercing 6+ months 14g-12g 1+ month 12g-10g 1.5+ months 10g-8g 2+ months 8g-6g 3+ months 6g-4g 3+ month 4g-2g 3+ months 2g-7mm(1g) 4+ months 7mm-8mm(0g) 4+ months 8mm(0g)-9mm(00g) 4+ months 9mm(00g)-10mm(00g) 4+ months
When it comes to piercings located in cartilage and or other thicker tissues it is recommended to at least double the table above. To reiterate these are just general approximations. It is important to note that some people may need to go slower. It can be VERY hard to tell if you are going too fast sometimes. Stretching is not a race. The question should never be "How fast can I go?" But rather: "How slow should I go to avoid doing any damage."
Everyone’s body is different, the same goes for various locations of the body and stretching them. The smaller the increase in size the safer the stretch will be. You should never stretch more than 1mm at a time especially since it’s become quite easy to acquire glass plugs in 1.0mm and even 0.5mm increments. You can find incremental jewelry sizes here:

• Gorilla Glass .5mm Plugs
• Nirvana Glass .5mm Plugs
• Arctic Buffalo Glass 1mm Plugs
  -Dead Stretching is the process of using single-flare plugs of proper material and simply inserting it into the piercing at a slightly larger size than currently worn once the fresh piercing or previously stretched area is healed fully. You will see a slight gap between your skin and the jewelry when pulled lightly downward. At smaller sizes this may be less noticeable but indicates you are ready for the next size. Dead stretching should not be done with double-flared plugs as the flare is usually another 1-2mm wider in diameter than the size you are ordering. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately. -Taping is the process of using of using PTFE tape to gradually go up in size over time. Bondage tape is also used but is not always recommended due to it being almost two times as thick and over twice as wide. With this method you would start using this at larger sizes 0g(8mm)+ when you are healed from your last stretch and you start to have a small gap that won’t stretch up to the next size. You would wrap it around your jewelry about two times, lubricate your ears and insert the jewelry. You would then wait for the stretch to heal and proceed to the next available jewelry size. This method though not as safe as dead stretching is sometimes needed, that being said, the taping method can be more of a pain as you should be changing the tape daily to keep it clean which means removing the tape and rewrapping. To make this easier you could use a decent quality caliper to check the size of the jewelry with the tape after wrapping. Taping should be used as a last resort of sorts for people who have waited the appropriate amount of time but still can’t get to that next size. It is also used to help facilitate the stretching of cartilage in even smaller increments than 0.5mm. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately. -Weights are an addition or replacement of a heavier piece(s) of jewelry that can be used in numerous ways. Weights should always be avoided with new and freshly stretched piercings. Lighter weight can be used to help facilitate stretching in the form of stone plugs or even the addition of Captive Bead or Seamless Rings into sturdy tunnels. These small increments of weight can help get you to that next little step but it is important when using hanging weights to really keep track of how much they weigh. For example, a Rose Quartz 25mm double-flare plug weighs about 18grams, a 0g 5/8”steel captive bead ring weighs about 31grams, hanging weights can be found at about 6-50grams but knowing this also consider that instead of the weight being distributed more so properly like when we wear our plugs, hanging weights will be constantly pulling downward on the same spot of the ear which can lead to the thinning of the area and irritation this can still go for inserting heavier weights through tunnels. It’s important when considering hanging weights to use them temporarily, about 2-4 hours a day. Even heavier stone and extra rings through tunnels should be used in moderation, any excess weight pulling on a specific area can cause thinning if you leave it in long enough. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately. -Tapers(traditionally) should realistically be considered an instrument rather than a piece of jewelry. Tapers can cause (and often do) severe damage before you realize what has happened and this also includes tapered jewelry. This includes pinchers, spirals and twist pieces alike. Due to the very gradual increase in size this makes it easier to insert larger jewelry before the area is ready causing blowouts, tears, swelling and possibly infection. It’s also important to not wear these types of jewelry to bed as they can get stuck in blankets and pillows! Using tapers to stretch is extremely discouraged in most scenarios though there are some exceptions, being cartilage and other tougher tissue areas(e.g., upper ear, septums, some genital areas). Even though this is the case and stretching these areas is quite different than the standard earlobe it is still recommended to go slow, use half sizes, and be aware of how these areas should feel when stretching. Like any other piercings you can still cause blowouts, tears, and infection. If this is a new journey for you, it is STRONGLY recommended to see a piercer to stretch these areas for you the first few times to figure out how it should be done and feel. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately.
  
• Proper Tapering set w/ in-between sizes
  
• Snap Plug Stretching Kit 4g-0g, 0g-1/2”
  

Snap-Plugs are a not mentioned very often now adays but are a safer alternative to tapers when/where they can be applied. These plugs snap together in small increments, more so than tapers. For example tapers in mm starting from 4g-0g would be 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8mm with half sizes, whereas the snap-plugs from 4g-0g would consist of ten steps making it less likely for blowouts or tears when of course used properly.
Stretching Cartilage and Other Areas:
When considering stretching cartilage and other tougher areas it’s important to note that this is quite a different experience than stretching tissue like the standard earlobe. As mentioned above, healing and stretching time is about doubled when it comes these tougher areas whether it be septums, upper portions of the ear or even genital piercings like the apadravya. If you plan to stretch these areas you should consider how large you want to go with your stretching journey. If you only plan to go up a couple sizes from the initial piercing, stretching over time is definitely feasible where others who may want to go larger may consider a larger needle gauge or even get it done with a dermal/biopsy punch, area dependent. When it comes to these piercings it’s always recommended when stretching to see your piercer to make sure this is done properly even if only to get a feeling of how it is supposed to go. Stretching these areas even when going about it properly you can and usually will experience some slight pain and thereafter, redness along with tenderness in the area. Just the same, stretching these areas should never involve bleeding, swelling, consistent sharp pain, and shouldn’t feel tender for more than a week or so depending on the person and location. Using tapers should be done slowly, and with respect. Most of you have at least witnessed what happens when ears blowout and the damage improper taper use can cause, adding that experience to cartilage or other tougher areas and you can see why we are so strict with how/when tapers should be used.
Gauge and Sizes:
Once you reach about 2g you should realistically ignore “gauge” sizes as well as fractions of an inch and focus on using millimeters (mm). You can get yourself a decent caliper to measure your jewelry diameter as well as its overall and wearable area to be sure youre receiving and ordering the correct products.

• Quality Digital Caliper

There is nothing worse than buying a new set of plugs or other body jewelry only to find out it doesn’t fit properly.
Remember: It's Not a Race! Be Safe!
* I do not claim to be a professional piercer nor do I work in the body modification industry. If you are a professional and there are any improvements which could be made to this guide, PLEASE message me!* *Some additions may be made to this guide in the future* *Special thanks to TribalMethods who made the original stretching guide we have built upon! It was a huge help to a plethora of people through the years and we know it was greatly appreciated*

The truth is that you only need to know a handful, and none are all that complicated. Below, I’ve outlined the five knots every angler should know for connecting something sharp to the end of your line, whether that’s an octopus hook for catfishing or a crankbait for bass fishing. These can be mastered by anglers of any skill level, so learn them and you’ll know how to tie a fishing hook, lure, fly, or terminal tackle to your line the right way in any angling situation. Here we go.

1. How to Tie a Fishing Hook on With an Improved Clinch Knot Use With: Monofilament, Fluorocarbon Best With: 4- to 20-pound-test line Pros: Easy to learn, good for most light-tackle applications Cons: Should not be used with braid or super line https://youtu.be/irven3mhwNg Improved Clinch Knot Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1. Run the end of your line through the eye of the hook, lure, or fly. Pull enough through to create a 4- to 5-inch tag end.
Step 2: Wind the tag end around the standing line 4 to 6 times, depending on the line’s diameter. As a rule, the thinnelighter the line, the more turns you should make.
Step 3: Pass the tag end through the hole created at the hook, lure, or fly eye.
Step 4: Now, pass the tag end through the larger hole created between the wraps and the tag end.
Step 5: Slowly pull the standing line to begin drawing the wraps towards the hook, lure, or fly eye.
Step 6: As the coils form, wet them with a bit of saliva and give the standing line a firmer pull to draw them tight and seat them against the eye.
Step 7: Trim the tag end close to the tightened coils.
The improved clinch is one of the easiest fishing knots you can tie, and for many anglers it was the first knot they ever learned. Sometimes referred to as a “fisherman’s knot,” it will quickly secure a hook, lure, or fly to your line, and when tied correctly, it provides ample strength for most freshwater and light inshore saltwater applications. But despite being a very simple knot, it does have drawbacks.
An improved clinch knot relies on friction between the tight coils to stay secure, and this is why you should never use an improved clinch with braid or super line—it’s so slick that a clinch may fail to “bite” properly and can easily come undone. Likewise, the thicker your fluorocarbon or monofilament, the more difficult it becomes to ensure tight, secure seating of a clinch knot. As a rule, I won’t use one with line heavier than 20-pound-test. Otherwise, the improved clinch will get the job done.

1. How to Tie a Fishing Hook on With a Palomar Knot Use With: Monofilament, Fluorocarbon, Braided Line, Super Line Best With: 2- to 50-pound-test line Pros: One of the strongest fishing knots ever developed Cons: Has difficulty seating properly with monofilament and fluorocarbon heavier than 50 pounds. https://youtu.be/6e9PAyl7zM8 Palomar Knot Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1. Form a loop with the standing line. Make sure it’s big enough that whatever you’re tying on can be passed through easily.
Step 2. Feed the loop through the eye of the hook, lure, fly, or terminal tackle.
Step 3. Tie a simple overhand knot with the end of the loop around the tag end and standing line.
Step 4. Now, pass whatever you’re tying on through the loop.
Step 5. While gripping the hook, lure, fly, or terminal tackle in one hand, slowly pull the standing line, and then the tag end, to snug it all up.
Step 6. After the knot cinches down at the eye, trim the tag end.
If you only ever learn one fishing knot, make it the Palomar. Not only is the knot incredibly easy to tie, but it’s also practically unbreakable. I’m not even sure it’s possible for a Palomar to fail, because for one to slip, the laws of physics would need to be defied.
Unlike other knots that rely on coils jamming against the hook eye for strength, the Palomar behaves more like a noose. Once the knot is looped around the hook, lure, fly, or piece of terminal tackle you’re securing, there's no way for it to slip. This is why the Palomar is one of the few knots that is safe to use when tying braid or super line directly to a hook or lure eye.
In truth, you can use a Palomar knot with almost any line diameter. Just be aware that when dealing with monofilament and fluorocarbon heavier than 50-pound-test, getting one to cinch up properly takes a lot of strength, and you’ll want to wet or lube it to avoid creating too much friction when you pull it tight. This is because thick mono and fluoro are very stiff, hindering the ability of the line to be compressed down into a tight enough loop to seat this knot fully easily.

1. How to Tie a Fishing Hook on With a Uni Knot Use With: Monofilament, Fluorocarbon, Heavier Braided Line, Heavier Super Line Best With: 10- to 80-pound-test line Pros: Simple to tie, stronger than an improved clinch knot Cons: Can cause line failure under extreme stress. https://youtu.be/Il7CGMFACe4 Uni Knot Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Pass the tag end through the eye of the hook, lure, fly, or terminal tackle, creating a 4- to 6-inch tag end.
Step 2: Create a loop with the tag end by moving it toward the eye, and keep it open by pinching the tag end and standing line together near the eye.
Step 3: Make 4 to 6 turns with the tag end around the standing line, passing the tag through the loop with each wrap.
Step 4: Pull the tag end slowly to tighten the coils around the standing line.
Step 5: Once tight, pull the standing line firmly to slide the coils down to the eye and jam it in place.
Step 6: Trim the tag end close to the knot.
The uni knot can sort of be considered the “grown up” improved clinch knot. The tying mechanics are remarkably similar, but one slight variation in the steps ramps up strength significantly. Whereas an improved clinch tightens down directly on top of the hook or lure eye, the coils in a uni knot tighten around the main line first and then slide down and jam against the eye. It seems like a minor difference, but it’s a big one.
Tied correctly, the uni is extremely strong, though it’s not completely fail-proof. Under extreme tension, the main line can cut right through the coils, causing the knot to fail. Keep in mind, however, that this would be most likely to happen during long, drawn-out battles with extraordinarily strong fish like tuna or amberjacks. While most anglers would agree a uni is perfectly fine for use with braid and super line, this failure is more likely to occur when it’s tied with very thin, slick braid. If you’re using braid or super line that’s 50-pound-test or heavier, the odds of a cut-through diminish.

1. How to Tie a Fishing Hook on With a Non-Slip Mono Loop Use With: Monofilament, Fluorocarbon Best With: 12- to 60-pound-test line Pros: Adds action to flies and lures Cons: Can fail under too much pressure https://youtu.be/SoZ9iJNGAp8 Non-Slip Mono Loop Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Tie an overhand knot in the standing line, leaving a 5- to 7-inch tag.
Step 2: Pass the tag end through the eye of your lure or fly.
Step 3: Now, pass the tag end back through the overhand knot in the standing line.
Step 4: Make 3 or 4 wraps around the standing line with the tag end.
Step 5: Pass the tag end back through the overhand knot near the lure or fly eye.
Step 6: While pinching the open loop near the eye, pull the tag end and standing line to cinch it tight.
Step 7: Trim the tag end close to the knot.
The non-slip mono loop should be part of every angler’s knot repertoire, though it’s often overlooked. The benefits of this tie revolve less around strength and more around action, which is why it's used mostly with lures and flies. Whereas most knots cinch snuggly to a lure or fly’s eye, the non-slip cinches above the eye, creating a loop that runs through the eye, leaving your lure or fly free to pivot more freely from side to side and slide up and down a bit to create more vertical action. As a rule, I use this knot for any lure that doesn’t have a split ring or any streamer fly that I need to “swim” to create the illusion of a baitfish, leech, or crayfish.
The downside of the non-slip mono loop is that it’s only as strong as the line you’re using. Therefore, I skip the non-slip mono loop whenever I’m using less than 12-pound-test line or leader unless I’m targeting exceedingly small fish. Conversely, I’ve tied on tuna jigs with this knot using 60-pound fluorocarbon, and they didn’t snap me off.

1. How to Tie a Fishing Hook on With a Snell Knot Use With: Monofilament, Fluorocarbon Best With: 15- to 50-pound-test line Pros: One of the most fail-proof connections for tying on a single hook Cons: Takes practice to master, should never be used with braid https://youtu.be/KnbEo9mnsxE Snell Knot Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Pass the end of the standing line through the eye of the hook until it reaches the middle of the shank. Pinch it against the shank and hold it in place.
Step 2: Pull more of the standing line through the eye to create a loop under the hook. Make sure the loop is large enough to pass around the hook several times.
Step 3: Moving the line away from you, wind the loop around the entire hook 4 to 6 times, pinching each wrap tightly to the shank, if needed, to keep it in place.
Step 4: While holding the hook and wraps, slowly pull the standing line to draw the coils tightly around the shank.
Step 5: Once everything is cinched down, give the standing line a firm tug to slide the coils against the back side of the hook eye.
Step 6: Trim the tag end close to the knot.
Have you ever wondered why the eyes of many hooks are slanted, making them perpendicular to the shank? It’s to help a snell knot seat properly. Unfortunately, Snelling a hook is a bit of a lost art, but if you fish a lot of live and dead baits, you should know how to snell, though I’ll be the first to admit, it takes practice and coordination.
Tied properly, a snell knot won’t ever slip or break—because it’s not actually tied to anything. A snell is a series of tight coils locked around a hook shank by an angled eye that the coils can't slip through. One thing to know about snelling is that it works best with stiffer line. I tend to only snell larger hooks that I’ll use for big fish requiring leaders of 20 pounds or heavier. That’s not to say you can’t snell with lighter line for garden-worm dunking, though the benefits are questionable when dealing with fish weighing less than 10 pounds or so.
Frequently Asked Questions Should I always wet or lubricate my knots before cinching them down?
It never hurts, though it’s more important with some knots than others. As a rule, anytime you tie a knot that gets its strength from a series of wraps or coils that cinch down very tightly, adding a little saliva is a plus. This is especially true when tying these knots with monofilament or fluorocarbon. Heavy-gauge mono and fluoro will create more friction during the tightening process than light mono and fluoro, making lubrication even more critical. Although many of these knots require a little abrasion within the coils to maintain strength, too much is a bad thing. It’s always smart to wet an improved clinch or uni knot before tightening, and if the idea of using spit grosses you out, hit the wraps with a little lip balm instead.
Does adding a drop of super glue to my knots increase their strength?
It depends on the knot, but if you put it on the wrong knot, it can make the connection weaker. This is especially true with coil-based knots like the uni and improved clinch. By design, the more pressure you put on them, the more tightly they should cinch. Adding glue to the wraps, however, will lock them in place, halting their ability to get any tighter through the day as you retrieve lures and fight fish. It’s much more common to see a dab of glue used on line-to-line connections than it is line to hook/lure/fly connections.
What is the best knot for a heavy monofilament line? (Pitzen)
If you need to use monofilament or fluorocarbon that tests heavier than approximately 60 pounds, you need to buy a crimp kit and forget about knots. Lines this heavy are very stiff. They don’t like to bend, conform, or compress tightly enough to properly tie any of the knots outlined here. Heavy lines are usually fitted with a metal sleeve that gets squeezed tight with a set of crimping pliers after the line is passed through the sleeve, through the eye, then back through the sleeve in a U shape.

Welp, I'm desperate.
I own a Samsung Galaxy Young S6310T, my first phone ever, and decided to move back to it, as I got addicted to my modern phone. I thought that it's minimalistic abilities will help me be more focused on my uni classes and all that, to some extent I was right. That being said, I still have many issues, but let's focus on the main two:
The stable CyanogenMod 11 is android 4.4 (KitKat), and no longer supports WhatsApp (and will completely shut down the support later this year). I sadly need this app in order to communicate with everyone in my life.
[KK][4.4.4] CyanogenMod 11.0 for S63xx (Unofficial CM11 Nightly 20160724)
The Beta CyanogenMod 12 is an abandoned project that IS android 5.0.2, and thus I could use WhatsApp on it, but because it's an abandoned beta it is super buggy, constantly randomly restarts, the SD card isn't recognized, and the SIM card recognizes the network, but will not connect, nor call.
[LP][5.0.2] CyanogenMod 12.0 for S6310 (Unofficial CM12 Beta1 20160627)
I don't know what else to do, and I looked a lot to see if there's a ROM I missed, but now I'm just desperate... I could try and take a crack at finishing the code, but I don't know where the source code is.... nor if any other phone with the same processor got a mod I can copy lines from...
Thanks for your help,
any help,
really

Kelly wanted to drive that evening. We went to a music festival in Pittsburgh and were well on our way back to Buffalo. After we were around Westfield, New York Kelly began to act differently. When we drove the route two days earlier nothing came up, but she just seemed on edge all the sudden.
“Is there anything on your mind?” I asked her.
She looked at me and peaked a grin then responded, “Paul, it’s nothing, you don’t want to hear it.”
“Come on! Tell Me.” I shot back.
“My parents would drive my sister and I on this highway everytime we went to see my Grandparents.”
“So?” I interrupted her.
With a face that said she was being more serious, she looked at me. Then she looked back to the road and said, “My dad was driving us home one night back when I was fourteen. He told us something that I’m just remembering.”
There was a pause of silence as Kelly began to reveal more. “My dad told us that the local Erie tribe believed in an ‘evil spirit’ that would roam the woods by these roads. Also specifically he said to never stop around here.”
Afterwards I turned on the radio which made Kelly more calm. Our conversation then started to drift to Kurt Cobain as our favorite Nirvana song “Come As You Are” started playing. The song put us in a good mood. Then I started looking out the window towards the woods to the right of us. A sensation that there was something staring at us began to grow. That’s when I heard Kelly let out a whimper. Quickly I looked at her. She pointed out the highway closed up ahead with a detour. This was odd as.the highway was open just a few days earlier. Kelly also mentioned that her car was low on gas, but she was thinking about whether she’d be able to make it to the next town.
Her statement startled me and I asked if she seriously believed the story her dad told her. This offended her. After I explained if we got stuck with no gas we’d be more vulnerable, Kelly agreed to go to town.
We were driving through a small town in a mostly rural area. There were many fields and woods, although it soon became clear we were no closer to a gas station. Kelly began to get anxious. The low gas light came on, the idea that we’d have to pull over was becoming a reality.
An argument began between the two of us. Things were not going well. We had driven for some time while arguing before realizing we were now lost on some backroad. Soon dense trees surrounded us on both sides, and then we saw it, there was something on the road. We stopped. Kelly turned on the bright lights of the car and we saw what looked like a body in the middle of the road. We sat there for a few seconds just processing what was happening. Kelly locked the car before I could mutter anything.
Unlocking the car was my first instinct. In a panicked voice Kelly said, “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m responding to the situation,” I declared as I got out of the car. Kelly kept her brights on as I approached what was in the road. Upon closer inspection it became clear it wasn’t a human body. It was a decapitated pig carcass in what looked like white silk clothing. The feeling that things were extremely messed up washed over me. Then I heard what sounded like a loud buzzing. Coming from the woods about a hundred feet away.
Even though Kelly began to honk her car’s horn I fell into a trance from the buzzing. Whatever was creating the sound began to get closer, a slender black silhouette with a wingspan of many feet began to fly towards me. Whatever this was almost managed to reach me, but not before Kelly hit it with the car. The sound of the thump that the car made with the silhouette's torso broke my trance. Kelly yelled to get in the car, I was somewhat dazed, but I still responded to her command.
Several cracks ran through the windshield of the car and there was obvious damage to the bumper. We only had a few more miles worth of gas, but we drove anyway. The woods extended some ways, but eventually we came across a large soybean field and we concluded there must be a house nearby. The car began to make sounds and was shaking. We’d have to leave our car if we wanted to continue further.
It was silent between us, until we came to a complete stop and the engine was off.
“Do you think it’s still behind us?” I gravely asked.
“I don’t know, but it’s probably not safe to sit here.” Kelly said as she turned on the hazard lights. She continued, “If we leave this on it’ll draw attention to the car.”
We had some basic equipment in the back that I grabbed. This included a flashlight, as well as a backpack containing such items as a first aid kit and some fire starting supplies I had leftover from a camping trip. We started walking down the road quickly. When we heard the buzzing, that walk turned into a run. It was bright enough from the moon that we were able to spot a black silhouette hovering above the treeline a long distance away. Both of us were fairly quick on our feet and the field was about to end, but still there was no house in sight. The silhouette had just reached the car and was beginning to come towards us.
“We’re gonna have to run through the field.” Kelly confessed what we both knew. We made a sharp turn into the soybean farm and hunched over to conceal ourselves. Kelly was in front as I kept checking behind us. The field was quite wide and it felt like I was running for a long time. At some point we heard the buzzing again.
Subsequently Kelly let out a hopeful whisper, “There’s a house nearby!” I looked to see a modern farmhouse just up ahead. The buzzing was getting louder however. By the time we made it to the front door, we started pounding and screaming our lungs out for help. A shadow of what looked like a massive bat circled us on the ground. That’s when a light on the top floor finally turned on. Waiting around wasn’t an option however, so we ran to the back yard underneath a trailer.
Lying there seemed to be our only option. While underneath I wanted to tell Kelly that I was sorry for not listening to her, but I was silent for our safety. The entity touched onto the ground by our trailer, we could see the sophisticated pattern on its wings. It had two feather-like extrusions from its face, and between them a thin trunk-like organ that curled up. The buzzing was loud enough that we had to cup our ears. Just as the winged entity began to walk towards us we saw the flash and heard the first gunshot. This led the entity to fly away.
For a few moments we waited until the buzzing was gone completely. That’s when we heard a warm older voice, “The both of you should come inside before it comes back.”
We got up and followed the man into his back door which led directly to his kitchen. My shirt had some residue on it, and it was sticky. The man hastily got me a new shirt. Once we got seated I could now more clearly see the white beard and hair that the man had. He seemed somewhat weathered. If he were a little bigger he could pass off as Santa, but he was too thin for that.
He said if anyone wanted coffee he was gonna make some. He put his rifle against the wall. He was extremely calm considering the situation. That’s when he walked to the phone and called the sheriff. We explained to the man about our car. Through the conversation it was clear the man was named Sameul and he was the owner of the soybean field. Then we heard something we’d never heard before, “Yeah Chuck you wouldn’t believe it, the EnCropia almost got them.”
After Sameul hung up the phone I asked him, “‘EnCropia,’ is that what that thing is called?”
“Unfortunately yes, it’s been here for generations, it’s most of the reason we can’t have livestock in these parts.” He finished brewing the coffee and began pouring himself a glass. He quickly gestured if we wanted a cup. Kelly wanted some so I accepted as well. He then continued, “It’s odd that it’s interacting with people again. I’m assuming you two were stopped in the middle of the street.”
“Yeah, how’d you know? We-” Kelly began to say but was cut off.
“That’s what it does, it tries to play tricks on you,” he stated.
Sameul introduced us to his wife Matilda, she seemed pleasant, and took a sincere tone when talking to us about our experience. We began talking about how university professors used to visit their town and talk to them about the sightings. Samuel said he talked to one professor who told him the official name they had for the entity. He continued to talk about how nothing was done. He was mid sentence about to reveal more details when the power went out. It happened suddenly and scared us.
What made matters worse was that one of the windows in the other room got broken by a stone. Samuel grabbed his rifle and he instructed Matilda to grab hers. In the dark we could hear the buzzing. Samuel walked to the broken window and began to fire his gun. Matilda instructed us to follow her outside. There was a building that was made of cement. The buzzing persisted as we waited there, with more shots being fired we hunkered down.
Cold is how it felt at first, again it was dark, but Matilda had her gun pointed at the door. We began to hear the screaming, it was Sameul. He did not sound well. The buzzing sounded like it was getting closer. We could see out one window, when we thought it was over we saw the lights and heard the sirens.
Chuck had called in reinforcements. When this became clear the buzzing faded away. We were in the middle of the lawn. Some officers told Matilda to come with them, while Chuck had us follow him to his car. While we followed Chuck we heard shrieks from Matilda. I still had the backpack on, as I never took it off. Chuck told us they found the car and that he was gonna take us back to the station with him for our safety.
Driving in what seemed like a safe vehicle was the only thing comforting about the situation.
“EnCropia’s is intelligent. You two should have just followed the detour.” He sternly announced.
“The highway was closed-.” I tried to say.
“-Yeah, guess what caused that.” Chuck cut me off.
Kelly wanted to know what happened to Sameul by asking. Before Chuck could respond however, he slammed on the breaks. The EnCropia was in the middle of the road. He prepared his weapon, the entity flew over and picked up the front of the car with its massive human-like appendages, while its tentacle licked the windshield. Its buzzing was almost ear damagingly loud. Chuck tried to slam on the acceleration, but we were held in place. Chuck called in for backup, but the EnCropia was very strong and managed to flip completely over.
Unfortunately I was in the back and my door didn’t open from the inside. However Kelly managed to crawl out of her door. Chuck was dazed or even possibly unconscious. Kelly then got up and tried to open my door. In this process the The EnCropia grabbed her.
“Come for me!” Kelly screamed over the buzzing. I then watched the entity fly off with her as the buzzing faded. Suddenly I heard Chuck. He sounded somewhat concussed. It wouldn’t take long for more officers to arrive.
Ambulances were called for the both of us, I didn’t need to go to the hospital, however Chuck wasn’t as lucky. I drove with a captain on the force. We drove a few miles more. That’s when I saw it. Not too far a large silhouette flew into the woods. I told Chuck’s second in command I was going to vomit. He asked if it could wait. I told him it could not wait. He stopped the car on the side of the road. As soon as both of my feet were on the pavement I broke into a full sprint. I was quick, and although the trees were thin and spaced out, it was dark enough that I disappeared. I still had my back pack which had a flashlight. I turned it on after about a mile.
The woods were becoming more dense. Soon it became clear I was lost. I now didn’t know which direction to go. I debated retracing my steps, but that’s when I saw it, it was an entrance to a cave underneath a large tree. I walked towards the entrance to it with my flashlight. I wasn’t sure how to interpret what I saw at first. It was slimy, football shaped shapes that moved.
As I explored the cave further I discovered a host of equipment made from trash and what looked like other loose wood. These looked like they assisted in turning the sticky residue from the massive larvae into silk. And that silk into clothing. That’s when I heard the whisper, “Paul, is that you?”
It was Kelly, she was beneath some of the larvae. I managed to pull her out. She then told Sameul was also there. He was unconscious, but we managed to drag him out as well. Kelly explained to me that the larvae belonged to the EnCropia. We dragged Sameul some distance from the cave, before I made the decision to go in with lighter fluid and set the larvae ablaze. When I got done pouring all the fluid however we could hear the buzzing once again. The entity was nearby. Kelly began to scream after, but I decided to light the fluid regardless.
Larvae began to cook from the flames. This angered the entity and it flew into the cave. Kelly and I dragged Samuel out in the opposite direction. Luckily after a little bit of time we saw flashlights. They had already put together a search party. Samuel was in rough shape and was sent to the hospital, but Kelly was physically fine, but emotionally not as much.
At the police station we were finally safe. We were told Sameul and Chuck were stable. By this point the sun was starting to rise. A few hours passed until some federal agents interviewed us. They wanted to know everything. Kelly’s mom came and picked us up. It was silent on the car ride home. After we arrived back Kelly and I talked and agreed to part ways.
About two decades have passed since this occurred. I’m married now to a different woman, and I have children. I haven’t had contact with Kelly since. I still have nightmares about what I saw and what I experienced. Now I always warn my kids about that part of I-90.

Just moved out to a rural area. Guys at the appliance store told us there is no conversion kit and that we can manually adjust our oven for propane. I found a way to adjust and at the highest oxygen in-take for all 4 burners and the oven itself, it improved dramatically. Flames went from out of control all orange to controlled, mostly blue. The tips of the flame are still orange though even at the highest airflow setting for the burners/oven. Is that alright can I just be done with my stove now? Lol

I spent 2 weeks traveling through Japan - Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and I'm writing this for those who are thinking about visiting. To preface, I did travel with a friend but spent a lot of time on my own. I'll cover as much as possible.
Pre-Trip
I booked a flight with American Airlines / Delta Airlines for $590 round-trip three months before departing.
I flew out of Los Angeles to Tokyo (Haneda). The trip started on February 9 and ended on February 20. I booked my accommodation before arriving in Japan. I used Hostelworld and Agoda. More about the hostels and hotels I booked are below.
COVID Screening and Visa information for US Citizens only
During the time I visited, Japan still required visitors to be fully vaccinated and have a pre-screening for arrival. First I had to do a pre-screening for American Airlines on VeriFly (please do this a day before checking in at the airport if so). Then, save yourself time and use Visit Japan Web (http://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/) and do the pre-screening requirements a couple of days before departure.
When you land in Tokyo, immediately after deplaning, swaths of airport personnel ask if you have the screener filled out and ready to go. If you don’t, they put you to the side and ask you to fill it out using the airport’s wifi. It takes time and you still have to go through customs after.
Visas for US citizens is a free, 3-month visa if I recall correctly. Bring your COVID vaccination card just in case they ask for it.
Tech/Phone
I took my iPhone 14 Pro (unlocked) and connected buying Ubigi 10gb data plan. Do this before flying to Japan. When you land, you can activate your data plan directly on your phone. I didn’t get pocket wifi as the Ubigi worked perfectly.
Download the Ubigi app. They give instructions but please follow them.
Apps that I used:
Google Maps: you can download offline maps.
Google Translate: Use this everywhere you go. You can use the camera feature and it can translate Japanese to English really great. It saved me a lot of hassle when ordering at restaurants.
Currency Converter
You might want to download a VPN if you want to use Netflix and such. Express VPN is one I’d recommend.
Money/Currency
I took my Charles Schwab debit card and a backup Chase credit card/Chase debit card. Surprisingly, a lot of stores in Japan are cash-heavy; especially small shops and restaurants. My budget for the trip was $2000 with flights included.
Hostels and hotels were around $20-35 USD. Food prices were about $7-$20 a meal. It can get really expensive if you eat at fine dining restaurants. That being said, I stuck to eating mostly at hole-in-the-wall establishments where no English was spoken. Believe me when I say that the best ramen I ever had was only $7 USD. More on what restaurants I recommend are down below. If you really want to save money, don’t buy alcohol.
A solid budget for me was $60-$80 per day without lodging expenses. Some days, I only spent $40 which was all food (I spare no expense for food), then some days I went over because I bought cool souvenirs for myself and some excursions were pricey. You can visit Japan for less but I didn’t want to money pinch myself because I was only there for 2 weeks.
Transportation
I love Japan for this reason. So here’s my take: If you are visiting Japan for exactly 14 days; get the JR Pass on Klook. You buy this a month before departing your home country. For me, Klook delivered it about a week after I bought it over Mail. You could buy either a 7, 14, or 21-day JR pass so I would recommend planning a trip that matches these exact number of days to get the most out of your money.
Now imagine you’re in Japan. It is your first day officially visiting…go to a JR Pass office at any major train station and ask them to redeem your pass. They will ask for the paper ticket that arrived in the mail to your home and they will ask for your passport. After they verify that it is you, they will give you a small ticket which will be your JR pass. DO NOT LOSE THIS! I believe they will not replace it. On how to use it, check out this video.
Now to navigate, I used a combination of Google Maps and Apple Maps to get around. Use whichever one is more comfortable for you. These 2 apps are really exceptional at mapping out the best routes and the times trains depart. Note: the JR Pass only works for JR rail lines! Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka all have their own subways and train lines with their own payment system. More on this…
So the best way to get around the city is using a Suica card. These are sold virtually at any train station. If you can't find it, ask a train station attendant and say “Suica?”. They point you in the right direction.
A Suica card can be refilled unlimited times and can be used for any rail lines (JR included, but not for Bullet Trains). It is used by tapping at the turnstiles to enter the rails and at any vending machine in Japan! Also at arcades! It is a total mindblower haha Also in Tokyo, some hostels or hotels have a 3-day subway pass for cheap.
Bullet Trains - You can use the Shinkansen bullet trains if you have the JR Pass. Make an important note: You can only ride the Hikari or Sakura trains with your JR Pass. The Nozomi and Mizuho are reserved seating and cost extra because they have fewer stops. If they catch you using these rail lines, they will ask you to get off the next stop or worse, fine you and report you. To see Mount Fuji from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka, sit on the right side of the train (right side of the direction it is going). Use Google Maps and Apple Maps to pinpoint when to look out the window.
Food
I usually ate sandwiches and pastries from 7-Eleven in the morning or whenever I needed to pack a lunch. It was a great way to save cash and the food was delicious. High-quality foods and snacks.
As I said earlier, I really spare no expense for good, big meals. I save money at 7-Eleven so I can go all out for lunch and dinner. My go-to meal was usually ramen because it was so damn good. I tried a lot of foods. I’ll try and remember which ones I ate: - Ramen - Okonomiyaki - Unagi - Katsu Curry - Taiyaki - Tempura - Japanese cheesecake - Macha ice cream - Macha waffles - Onigiri - And a lot of different ice creams, confectionary snacks - McDonald’s - please try lol they have interesting combinations
Pack List
I used a 40-liter Osprey backpack.
1 scarf
1 beanie
2 cotton t-shirts
2 thermal polyester long-sleeve shirts (Odor resistant)
2 pairs of joggers
1 pair of Nike thermal leggings
8 pairs of Nike Dri-Fit boxers (lost 1)
4 pairs of ankle socks
3 pairs of Darn Tough Merino wool blend socks (Highly recommend, Odor resistant)
1 parka
1 pair of Adidas Ultraboost shoes
1 Hershel toiletries bag
2 Forge cable combination locks
External battery pack (13000 mAh)
Bose QC-25 noise-canceling headphones
Over the course of the trip, I bought a much-needed 30L Patagonia day backpack
I don’t sweat heavily so I re-wore my shirts, the Merino wool blend socks, and joggers. I did my laundry maybe once or twice at the hostels. It was freezing at the time I went, so I usually layered up when temperatures were lower than usual.
Safety
I am a 6'1" (1.85 m) male with a light brown complexion. I felt safe most of my time there. I think it was the safest country I have ever been to. Some Japanese people are known to be racist but I didn’t experience it. So I wouldn’t worry about it.
Itinerary/Activities
Feb 9 Day 1 Tokyo Feb 10 Day 2 Tokyo Feb 11 Day 3 Tokyo (Day Trip to Odiaba/Yokohama) Feb 12 Day 4 Osaka Feb 13 Day 5 Osaka (Day Trip to Hime-ji Castle/Kobe) Feb 14 Day 6 Osaka (Day Trip to Nara) Feb 15 Day 7 Kyoto Feb 16 Day 8 Kyoto Feb 17 Day 9 Kyoto Feb 18 Day 10 Tokyo Feb 19 Day 11 Tokyo Feb 20 Day 12 Tokyo (Fly Out)
I will put a star (*) next to anything that I highly recommend! 2 stars are for more emphasis! I will list the accommodation first, then activities, and then bars/restaurants.
Tokyo - 3 Nights (Asakusa + Akihabara + Odaiba + Yokohama)
Lodging: Sakura Hostel Asakusa
Activities: *Tokyo National Museum, *Senso-ji Temple, Kaminarimon Gate, Nakamise-dori Street, *Sengaku-ji Temple, Hirose Entertainment Yard arcade, Animate Akihabara, **Mandarake Complex Akihabara, Tsukiji Outer Fish Market, TeamLabs Odaiba, Gundam Yokohama, NISMO Museum Yokohama, Nissan Headquarters Yokohama
Restaurants/Bars: Fuji Ramen Asakusa, Asakusa Unana, *Naruto Taiyaki, *Koyangi Asakusa, *Ouzakura Ramen Yokohama
Took a Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka
Osaka - 3 Nights (Kobe + Nara)
Lodging: Backstage Osaka Hostel
Activities: *Hime-ji Castle, *Kaiyukan Aquarium, Dontonbori, Shinsekai, Round 1 Stadium (arcade), *Nunobiki Waterfall Kobe, *Todai-ji Temple, *Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha Temple, Gilco Sign
Restaurants/Bars: *Wakakusa Curry Nara, *Nakatanidou Nara, *cafe CROCO Nara, Fanny Mae Bar Osaka, Rikuro’s Namba Main Branch, PC and Retro Bar Space Station, Bible Club Bar Osaka, Untitled karaoke bar next to Rock Bar Cherry Bomb lol, Takoyaki Wanaka Sennichimae Osaka, Sushi Dokoro Kuromonsuehiro Osaka, *Dotombori Ichiaki Osaka, *Hamamoto Coffee Himeji, Tairku Ramen Kobe
Took a Shinkansen bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto
Kyoto - 3 Nights (Day Trip to Uji)
Lodging: **Gojo Guesthouse
Activities: Otagi Nembutsu-ji Temple, Adashino Mayumura (closed when I arrived early), Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, *Tenryu-ji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge, *Nishiki Market, *pocoapoco Record Store, Super Milk Record Store, *Fushimi Inari Taisha Temple Complex, *Byodo-In Temple Restaurants/Bars: *comorebi Ramen House, 茶室 tea room Uji, *Gion Duck Noodles, 自家製麺 うどん 讃式
Took a Shinkansen bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo - Saw a glimpse of Mount Fuji :’)
Tokyo - 2 Nights (Shinjuku + Shibuya + Akihabara)
Lodging: **Capsule Hotel Anshin Oyado Shinjuku Station (Males Only)
Activities: Tower Records Shinjuku, Disk Union Shinjuku, Mandarake Complex Shibuya, Nakano Broadway, Tokyo Dome for Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, *Shibuya Sky at Night, Tokyu Hands Shop
Restaurants/Bars: Ramen Kaijin, Shakey’s, McDonald’s, Ichiran Nakano
Tips, Advice, and Bonus Stuff!

1. Goes without saying but please respect the local customs.
   
2. Please learn how to say “Thank You” in Japanese! Just learning and using “Arigato” anywhere you go will make you seem like you care and respect everyone. Nothing was more embarrassing than watching an American say “thank you” to a Japanese person.
   
3. Plan to do the major tourist attractions early in the morning. You will get nice pictures without any tourists and you’ll sometimes get the whole temple complex to yourself. The staff will also be more friendly and willing to chat with you. I usually aim to be at temples around 7:00 when they open.
   
4. Use Google Translate for everything! You can have full conversations with friendly Japanese people when using the conversation feature on the app! Use the camera feature to translate Kanji at restaurants that do not offer an English menu.
   
5. Get a Ubigi data plan, I bought 10GB and it had good service anywhere I went. Get more GB if you plan on staying longer.
   
6. I ate at 7-Eleven most of the time when I was too lazy or tired to go out. The 7-Elevens here in Japan are nothing like the ones in the US. Expect to find high-quality sandwiches, Onigiri, and more Japanese snacks.
   
7. Shop at supermarkets near the end of the day (1 hour before closing) and they usually mark down prepped meals half-off or at a discounted price! If you really on a budget, this can help you to save a ton of money and still get a taste of the local cuisine.
   
8. If you need to buy random stuff like clothes, bags, or toiletries; go shop at any Don Quijote or Tokyu Hands department store. They have other shops too that are great to find cool stuff.
   
9. Use Google Translate to translate English to Kanji (Japanese) and use Kanji to find restaurants that are hidden because they don’t use English words. For example, if you want to find the best ramen place, search “拉麺” and you’ll find hidden gems with 5-star reviews!
   
10. The best souvenir I brought back myself was a Goshuincho. These are “honorable stamp/seal book” used by people visiting shrines or temples. If you want more info, google this! I highly recommend doing this!
    

If you have any questions, comment below or send a DM. Peace!

With regards to choosing the main foundation where your youngster will accept their initial training, your choice will have an effect into the indefinite future. In the UAE, there's such a huge amount to browse, and to make it more straightforward for you, we interview a portion of the veterans of the UAE nursery scene for a manual for your kid's initial step.

Educational program

"Guardians ought to initially get to know the various educational programs offered and their interesting ways to deal with learning"
"As a family, you then need to limit your choices in view of area, cost and hours as a subsequent step."
Leads Early follows the Early Years Establishment Stage (EYFS) program in a Montessori school climate, a typical educational plan utilized in UAE preschools.
"I sincerely have faith in the EYFS, an educational plan that is likewise utilized in Britain. It has seven areas of learning and functions as a structure for our instructors to screen, track and access a kid's advancement, guaranteeing the homeroom and exercises cover all areas of learning,"
"Is it an extensive educational plan that sets out the essential data and direction for setting up a program, or a structure that permits instructors/facilitators to make the educational program? Is there proof of the educational plan's viability when carried out well? Are assets accessible to help staff in executing the educational plan?" she makes sense of.
Beside educational program materials, guardians ought to likewise really focus on the qualities it elevates and exercises joined to it. While certain nurseries will zero in on play-based learning, others might pick a more primary methodology - and both would be following a similar educational program.

Climate

Most guardians search for a climate where their children could feel great, however what makes a decent nursery setting?
"Nursery conditions ought to be welcoming, comprehensive, kid well disposed, open and testing, with instructive exercises that empower children to pick their learning,"
"It's implied that they ought to follow elevated degrees of wellbeing and security conventions. Focuses ought to have regions that take into consideration indoor and outside play, as well as ones that cultivate different formative spaces. For instance, a library, rec center, and pretend and tangible corners," she adds.
Homeroom structure is likewise one of the main elements while picking a nursery. "In a Montessori educational program, for example, Leads Early’s, the homeroom is separated into five explicit learning regions and gear is on low-level racks, making it effectively open for youngsters. There's an understanding corner and an easel in every study hall to empower freedom," she says.
"A study hall ought not be excessively occupied or jumbled as it very well may be diverting for youngsters, and there ought to be sufficient room with the expectation of complimentary progression of development. It's vital to check class sizes and the proportion of grown-ups to kids, with clear rules accessible from the Service to lead this,"
The nursery climate ought to be protected, warm, inviting and invigorating, for youngsters, yet for guardians also.
"A catchphrase with regards to assessing a climate is that it should be 'empowering'. It ought to help children's requirements, give open doors, rouse and start interest. Early Training should be exploratory and children ought to enter their homeroom consistently and see new exercises and thoughts,".
"This additional extraordinary learning climate can be conveyed by an energetic and exceptionally gifted instructor who comprehends youngster improvement, one who's searching for different ways of broadening learning. I likewise accept that an excellent nursery looks to give a learning an open door at each second and in each discussion. Learning is all over," she adds.

Educators and staff

Nursery staff assume a fundamental part in your youngster's turn of events and schooling, and initial feelings are critical.
"When you stroll into a middle, you ought to get a quick 'feeling' about the spot. Do staff look cheerful? Do they make proper acquaintance and welcome you? Is it safe to say that they are effectively drawn in with kids? At Splendid Starting points, we typically take a visit with imminent guardians at our most active times so they can see staff and children completely inundated,".
"While visiting the office, see how staff associate with children and whether they look satisfied. Address them and check whether they're ready to make an association with you. Ensure you get some information about educators' capabilities and experience,"
"Subsequent to checking qualifications, I investigate potential new educators' fundamental beliefs and measure them against those of our nursery school. Homeroom strategies can't be educated, however warmth, persistence, inspiration and commitment are intrinsic," she says.
"I figure guardians ought to search for nurseries with a low staff turnover, strength inside the supervisory group and great capabilities across all the staff - including support, she adds. "These elements genuinely have an effect."

Educational cost

Perhaps of the greatest variable guardians will consider is whether a nursery merits the educational expenses. Normally, a kid's schooling is, however the foundation they become a piece of requirements to mirror that - and it's no simple choice to make.
"Most Early Years educational plans consider some adaptability, so search for the outcome when a kid has gone through the framework. What objectives have they accomplished in proficiency and numbers? How would they foster individual, social and close to home abilities? Does the nursery offer extra advancement exercises like dialects, music and actual turn of events? Another significant perspective is check the way that they speak with guardians in regards to the kid's learning and objectives accomplished,"
We encourages guardians to pay special attention to an extremely low expense structure, and to not consequently go for the less expensive choice. "Nursery instruction is the underpinning of your youngster's future. The advantages will be not difficult to see when they change with certainty, enunciation, confidence and a major tool kit of mastering abilities. Great nurseries are famous and popular for good explanation," she says.
Abu Dhabi's Splendid Starting points, the more guardians see, the better of a choice they would have the option to make. "I accept guardians ought to visit various focuses prior to choosing which one would be the best fit for their youngster. Informal exchange proposals go quite far, as well. Guardians need to consider their own spending plans while concluding over educational cost rates that suit them best, however be careful - the most costly or present day looking doesn't be guaranteed to mean the best," she makes sense of.
Blossoming Buds' Boulos urges guardians to focus on wellbeing and security. "Whenever needs are set, a reducing interaction will assist with finding the right Early Years setting. There sure are numerous choices to browse on the lookout, which goes with choice making for guardians one piece of the complicated riddle that is their work and everyday life," she says.
"Guardians might need to check locales which have a registry posting of the relative multitude of nurseries alongside their educational expenses, area and surveys. Besides, informal exchange goes quite far, and getting some information about their experience inside a specific setting can assist with the dynamic interaction," Boulos adds. "Pick carefully."

Basically

"Tight down your decisions originally founded on your necessities. Assuming you're working guardians, you would require longer functional hours, perhaps transport offices and nearness to your home would be significant, as well. See esteem presented at the cost: does the nursery give any extra-curricular exercises inside the charges, and are any dinners or tidbits included?" says the Leads Early Principal.
"Search for foundations that have been around for quite a while and have a history. Generally, they're the ones you know about habitually by overhearing people's conversations. The main models would be staff as your kid will be in their consideration, so get some information about their experience, capabilities and responsibility,"
Security is fundamental as well: are there qualified medical caretakers anywhere nearby and is staff emergency treatment prepared? Presumed nurseries ought to have approaches and methodology set up for everything, so request to see them.

First Prev Next Royal Road
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[Thank you for agreeing to teach them.]
Volta nodded, not entirely sure if it was for the best, but recognizing a request—or in this case, a thinly veiled order—for what it was.
Ever since she had taught Scarlet and the others her field, the occasional rotation of Lilhuns would be assigned to work under her for a time. It made her job easier, especially since the settlement was expanding at a ludicrous rate compared to what she had heard from the new members of the pack.
The Atmo that had joined were quickly treated and cared for, those who did not require so much time for recovery quickly accompanying the existing insects in their tasks. The largest, Mama, frequently assisted in construction and decoration of structures, so they worked with her. Once they had oriented how things progressed and their part in it, they were paired off with a construction group to be assigned a project. It was to the point where there were as many as five buildings nearing completion at once, the majority of them being accommodation for the new members of the pack.
The remaining question was regarding the insect kits. The answer? Well, there were four Atmo slightly smaller than the purple ‘Queen’ that had requested Volta instruct them, the pearlescent shimmer of her scaled carapace dancing in the sunbeams afforded by the skylight the den had been constructed with.
Teaching Violet—as well as the two Atmo that Volta had escorted to this pack—in the ways of sanitation had been an interesting endeavour, all things considered. They held a remarkable dexterity in those long edged appendages, but the lack of something to properly grasp with made finding a way to secure a rag onto the ends difficult. Luckily, Heralt was receptive to assisting her with creating something that would attach to the blades.
It was little more than a mop that secured to the joint and braced around the cutting edge gingerly, the ends of the stick using ‘ironwood’ springs to clamp onto fabric pads that would soak in the cleaning solution and allow them to do the floors and walls. Were it not for how shockingly efficient the task was performed, she would have been useless through the laughter at the sight.
Each Atmo kit held two of the devices on their limbs, allowing them to travel in pairs and simply finish large spaces within the time it would take her to prepare the next batch of cleaners to use. They had only started a short while ago and yet two dens had been finished, Scarlet assisting her in doing whatever furniture or ledges the Atmo were unsuited to completing. The odd pack member going through what Head Sahari called ‘versatility training’ listened to her instructions in an oddly compliant manner, giving the blue-furred female pause at the unusual experience.
All in all; the cleaner was guiding the five insects and three Lilhuns in the ways of cleanliness. Scarlet was primarily keeping an eye on those who interacted with the purple-coloured Atmo, her contributions to the other tasks proficient, despite the split attention. Before, she would have assumed the servant quietly acquiescing orders, but the dark red-furred female was particularly vigilant in matters pertaining to the kit now.
Volta wasn’t sure what happened to the other servants that regularly assisted her on a rotation—save for Kaslin, the female seeming to have been unofficially inducted as Grand…. Toril’s assistant alongside his mate, Tersa—but Faye, the mild-mannered deep gold-furred female, and Raine, the polite and excitable brown-furred female, had been absent for many suns now.
It was almost lonely, in a way.
Almost.
“That should be sufficient for this den,” she announced to the gaggle of Atmo kits and Lilhuns, careful to remind them not to bother the few ‘rock-worms’ that Ferra kept separate from the rest outside. There were only four, the largest one adorned in an odd script, but they were apparently a selection of favourites of the female. Regardless, it would not do to irritate a mate of Atrox.
The brown-furred male was responsible for the ghastly armour that the Grand Hunter wore on occasion, and she was not in a hurry to see if the disturbing tendencies of the male extended to how he displayed his displeasure.
“Where is our next destination?” Scarlet asked, her tail brushing up Volta’s spine in an uncomfortable way. It wasn’t that she disliked the touch, but the owner of it worried her. Something about the servant struck her as more than what was presented, and it was obvious that the female thought of it as immensely entertaining. That much was obvious, even without the sly grin.
“We have proceeded much faster than I was expecting,” the blue-furred female admitted, mentally checking over her itinerary while subtly batting away the offending appendage. “I suppose we should attempt the barracks while the pack is engaged, then rest for a time.”
[May I leave to check on the other Atmo?]
Volta paused, unsure why it was being requested rather than merely presented as a fact. Violet was—as far as it mattered—completely beyond the cleaner’s station, if only because she was an adopted kit of the Grand Hunter, as well as a sort of leadership figure for the insects. It was an enigmatic blend of positions where the purple insect could very well order Volta to do things, rather than ask. Though the hierarchy was not nepotistic in nature, it was safer to adhere to the wishes of the den-kit than it was to disobey.
“You may. What of the others?”
[I will leave them with you and Scarlet.]
The mentioned servant frowned. “I am to accompany you.”
Violet chittered her curious laugh. [These young ones are your task. I must attend to my own.]
Volta discreetly jabbed the female with a claw, glaring at her not to question the wishes of her better. The less attention drawn from the Grand Hunter, the better. Just picturing the disturbing mask and piercing gaze was enough to make her blanch.
Either reminded of her position, or merely interested in playful retaliation, Scarlet sighed quietly, bowing slightly to the insect. “As you wish, young mistress. Do call for me if I am required.”
[I will. Thank you, Scarlet, Volta.]
Volta lowered her head, watching the Queen leave before returning her attention to the group.
“We will do the first barracks, then determine if we are of time to do the second. The kits are to await the floors cleared of obstruction by the Lilhuns before cleaning them. We will manage it in sections so as not to disturb any who may be taking a break. In future—assuming you are to operate independently from myself—it would be best if you are used to working in groups.”
The Lilhuns nodded their understanding, the young Atmo hesitantly conferring with each other before approaching Scarlet to have their mops freed of soiled cloth and materials placed upon their carriages.
The Atmo had all been outfitted with a specially made platform that fitted over their wider base, clasping underneath past their six legs. It allowed them to transport much, their carrying capacity much larger than one would suspect from their size. The kits could comfortably haul all of the materials for the sun by themselves, and the adults had been the subject of idle speculation for mounted weapon platforms—assuming the fragmented conversation she had chanced upon was to be believed.
Volta inspected the odd section that the Lilhuns under her tutelage completed while she waited for packing to finish. She was not necessarily pleased with the results, but it was more important for them to understand the procedure to take for various locations at the moment. They had proven that they understood what to do for the dens, so next came teaching them how to approach high-traffic areas.
Once everyone had been prepared and the materials gathered, they left the den and started towards the barracks, glimpsing the Grand Hunter sparring with some of the pack in the open.
Ever since the Atmo were delivered by a trade caravan, the male had taken to training much of the pack personally, Huntress Pan taking over much of his more mundane work. Those who were deemed adequate were then pawed off to Head Tel for some specialized training, though Volta was not privy to what exactly it was meant to accomplish.
Regardless, Head Sahari was in charge of rotating out the pack amongst tasks, only a few specialists being directly assigned to any one occupation. By all rights, Volta herself should be training under the male, but the nature of her work meant that she was typically better off doing her job when such was under way. Given that the Grand Hunter was a rare case of someone fully understanding the importance of her specialty—and how little she wished to interact with the alien—she was thankfully spared.
Disregarding the events going on, she motioned for her group to follow her. There was work to do.
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“Two up!” he called out, wiping the sweat from his brow. The exertion cleared his mind, and the break from endless paperwork was appreciated. With the influx of members and various training being required, he had gotten rather exhausted mentally. Between the Wraiths being gone for two weeks since he told them to do recon around the Atmo traders, regular interaction with various caravans, planning out what they needed to do, and Robert still not calling him since the man had left to handle something, he had been pretty high-strung.
As always, there was more on his mind. Harrow had become more elusive regarding him ever since he had her transcribe the Union documents regarding the Lilhuns, their conversations vapid and brief. Jax didn’t have anything useful to say about it other than that she wanted time to sort her thoughts. Toril, Idee, Mi’low, and Bratik were given copies of the file to go over recently, since they were the closest thing he had to a counsel unfettered by a close relationship.
His own makeshift family took the news in an odd way. There was a lot to unpack.
Jax had become quiet, his muscles tensing. Harrow ended up staying away from her mate for a few days until he had stopped brooding about it. In the end; the guy just told Joseph that he would trust the Grand Hunter’s decisions regarding it, finding himself at a loss otherwise.
Sahari and Nalah were approached about the bonding information, the latter denying any bond to him, as well as Sahari confirming the same towards her blond-furred mate. The only line of reasoning that they could think of to make sense was that Nalah’s circumstances had messed with her in some way. The two seemed rather distressed by the assertion, but calmed somewhat when he mentioned that nothing would change between them regardless. Sahari could tell how conflicted he was about the whole thing, he just wanted to give them something to hang on to.
It was a bigger deal for them than he had initially internalized. In retrospect; something revered as a literal gift from their god being denied really should have been an obvious point of stress. As begrudging as his acceptance was, he was linked to the whole ‘Great Hunt’ business in their minds, so he was aware of how deeply that belief ran. He didn’t personally subscribe to the religion, but they never really bothered him with anything besides overseeing funeral rites—not that he would have refused anyway.
Pan seemed to mirror his feelings on the matter—a dark feeling of helplessness and sorrow. She had fallen quiet when she heard about the trials on the defectives, that particular section hitting her harder than the others. After an entire day of silence, all she had to say about it was that she loved him, and then spent the night burrowed between him and Tel, unable to sleep. He had a hard time as well, but it extended well past the initial night.
Tel had informed him that his restlessness had made it difficult for her to get any shut-eye, his shifting disturbing her, but it was said in a slightly concerned tone. Her general reaction was fairly subdued compared to the rest otherwise, her lifetime of being at either end of a gun numbing her to the reality of things. It was weird for him, but he was deeply thankful for it on some level.
She kept him sane, her cold response being a candid ‘Wish it, and I will end all who displease you.’
For once, her more violent background gave him something to grip onto. It resonated in him—loose, yet present. A door within him, chained and locked, was brought to mind as he really considered what he wanted for those involved. The traders who abused the Atmo, those who seemed so bent on hurting his friends, the Union ‘GUOS’ who called for the experiments... A thrumming settled in his fists, an itch that couldn’t be sated by just scratching.
A paw flew past his brow, his shifted posture allowing him to slip the claws that had been left exposed in the heat of the spar. His heart hammered, his sweat soaked his clothing, and his focus returned to the fight.
No Union, no traders, no worries. Just the two security members who had doubted Jax’s claims that the smaller Human had somehow bested the male in a fight, and were now bringing out their natural weapons on instinct.
Grabbing the wrist with his right hand and gripping the shoulder with his left, he pulled, using the rotational force to pivot on his left foot and haul the overeager Lilhun to the dirt, the appendage bending behind them sharply. A second fist came from the corner of his eye, the other combatant trying to use the momentary distraction to score a hit.
Using the gripped arm as a balance, Joseph leaned into the spin, firing the sole of his shoe into the head of the opportunistic attacker. The loud slap of his foot connecting with the larger male almost outdid the crumpled form crashing to the ground unconscious. It was only a dull sensation of mercy that stopped him from completing the spin while he maintained his iron grip on the arm of the thrown adversary, saving them a torn and dislocated shoulder.
Joseph breathed heavily, the adrenaline wearing out as Jax checked on the defeated. Minus some stiffness expected in one of them and a sore jaw for the other, they would be fine, albeit embarrassed for such a quick disposal in front of their usual teachers.
The sound of his rubber sole slapping on the ground some distance away killed off whatever motivation he had to continue, his shoes finally giving out.
“I would ask you not to disable my security, Grand Hunter,” Jax said with mock frustration, the black-furred male’s eyes following the two leaving with an expression of exasperation.
“Sorry,” Joseph breathed out, his heart hammering in his chest as his system wound down.
The Head of Security glanced down at him, his expression pensive. “As much as I enjoy my boasting of your prowess to be validated, I do worry that you see more than a spar in them.”
He drew his lips thin as he brushed his sweat-soaked hair back, his arm dropping to his side. He took a few moments to sort the thoughts that returned. “I probably should have called that kick, yeah.”
The larger Lilhun snorted. “They will be fine, it is not their health I am worried about.”
“I’m fine, Jax,” he snapped, averting his eyes when his friend seemed to have made his point. “I…. I’ll be fine. Just some things on my mind right now.”
“Joseph,” the black-furred male started, walking up to place a large paw on his shoulder. “We are here if you wish to talk.”
His breath died in his throat, his eyes closing in defeat. He felt the soreness in his hands surface, hours of constant fighting to soothe the burning in his blood that failed to abate. Bruises made themselves known, dehydration made his joints stiff, and lack of sleep clouded his mind. Jax was right, he was a bit of a mess.
“Grand Hunter,” Mi’low called, his tired glance in her direction revealing the female approaching. “We are ready to speak.”
Joseph placed a hand on Jax’s paw, patting it softly. “Talking will have to wait. Tell Harrow I said hi and that I’d like to hang out again. I miss it.”
The male looked at him apologetically, nodding as he was still unable to offer anything to ease the sting of a friend distancing themselves from the Human. “I will.”
The Human cycled a breath and faced the actress. “The rest?”
Mi’low nodded. “Where will we meet?”
Joseph waved an arm towards the base. “My place. More chairs.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Toril was wearing his usual smile, his eyes inspecting everything about the hub from the couch while Tersa stood nearby, her body language telling that she was wary about being in a new place without time to scout it. Bratik was in his wheelchair, Sorren holding his paw as he sat on the opposite side of the chemist. Idee—being the only one to spend time in the outpost regularly—simply thanked Kaslin for the water from her place between the two mated males. Mi’low had claimed a free chair, her legs crossed and back straight as she stayed away from the others on the couch. The Wraith handed Joseph his requested tea since Scarlet was babysitting the insects, then occupied a place out of the way, but close enough to act if things got heated.
He stayed standing rather than occupying his usual place on a table, his second choice of seating being filled up. He could have dragged over the Atmo couch, but he didn’t want to stress his body any more than he had already by lugging it. “So, everyone had plenty of time to read the documents.”
“Indeed,” Mi’low commented dryly, a glare shot in his direction. Idee nodded, though her expression fell as it was brought up. Toril maintained his detached look of amusement, but it didn’t escape Joseph’s notice that Tersa stiffened.
The Grand Hunter took a sip of his refreshment, enjoying the fleeting feeling of warmth from something other than exertion. “And what do we think?”
“We?” Sorren asked, the male not quite used to the Human using their tongue. Joseph’s mastery of the language was still spotty at times, but Kaslin could fill any gaps if needed.
“Yeah,” he replied plainly. “It has more to do with you than me. I just got the message.”
“I find it rather fascinating,” Toril opined cheerily, his energy at odds with the atmosphere of the room. “Such thorough study allows us many insights into facets of our own biology that we may never have known!”
“By slaughtering our kin in the thousand,” Mi’low shot back, a slight snarl pulling her lip.
“As regretful as such is, we can not bring them back,” the chemist noted with a small nod. “We must simply use the information gleaned by our foes without repeating their atrocities.”
“You suggest ignoring their sins?”
“I suggest utilizing what they have learned and incorporating it to our advantage.”
“Or,” Joseph interjected, “we talk about it instead of getting into an argument.”
“Your people are not free of fault, Grand Hunter,” the crimson-furred female spat. He remained silent, already having spent far too long thinking about how none of it would have happened if Humans weren’t in the picture for them.
“You can not hold him as a factor, Mi’low,” Idee said softly, shifting in her seat to get comfortable and smiling apologetically at Sorren when she bumped him.
“Were it not for them, then we may not have lost our homes!”
“Were it not for him you would be little more than bones bleached by the sun, or so I hear.”
“We are not here to cast blame,” Bratik disputed quietly, his voice carrying through the room despite the low volume. “The Grand Hunter has saved each of us. Some from demise, others from the shackles of their station, and others from the fate of losing loved ones.”
Toril and Idee shared a glance as the male continued, Tersa paying attention to him for the first time.
“He seeks our counsel. Not our aimless ire to be spewed upon him for that which he himself had no knowledge of, nor involvement in. His kin were as much victims as our own.”
“Quite,” Toril concurred as the two females ceased their bickering reluctantly. “How would you like to address this, Grand Hunter?”
Joseph blinked, expecting the blame, but not Bratik defusing it so quickly. “Well, we have a few things to work off of. Years of experiments coinciding with missing persons after accepting a job, whoever tipped off your military taking info with them about Sol and the ‘blacklist’, whatever bond fuckery they discovered, and the defects.” He shrugged weakly. “Take your pick.”
“There are too many missing across too wide an area to recognize such a comparative few,” Idee stated, the others in the group silently agreeing.
He nodded, nursing his tea with small sips. “Figured that would be a sticking point. Plus, we don’t really know how long it was going on... or when it started... Not even if it was a bulk recruitment or slow trickle. I guess the missing people are something we’ll just have to keep unknown.”
“The bond information was rather enlightening,” Toril mentioned, his eyes rising to the ceiling as he thought about it. “Our peoples are wildly compatible.”
“As servants, perhaps,” came the scathing remark from the High Huntress. “What use is our gift if it is twisted to be mere subservience? To discard ourselves for some alien race?”
Sorren’s ear flicked. “It is hardly ‘twisted’ to protect that which the Hunt Mother has afforded us.”
“Are we to just accept that our bonds are better suited to that,” she emphasized with a pointed claw in Joseph’s direction, “rather than our kin?”
“Drop it,” the Grand Hunter ordered tiredly, his reflection in his beverage shaking as he shifted on his feet. “Arguing isn’t going to help anything.”
Mi’low held her disgusted expression. “You ask us to trust that which led to our downfall? We are yet another strike against your kin, no?”
He shook his head, his eyes buried in remains of the shimmering image he held in his hands. “I blame the sick fucks that did all this. If you can’t agree with that, then there’s not much reason to hold this meeting.”
“What is it you seek to accomplish?” Toril asked, amused by the theatrics. The rest seemed surprised by Mi’low’s pointed aggression, but the chemist was more interested in continuing.
“I have people looking to get me out of here,” Joseph informed them, laying his empty cup on the table with a soft clack. “People who will probably extend the offer to you. If they come, I need to know what we’re doing about it. The last thing I need is people acting like Mi’low and opening fire on whoever comes to drag us out of the mud.”
“Why would we?” Sorren asked, taking his mate’s paw as he gave a worried glance to the offended female.
“Because our people were tortured due to our interactions with them,” the chemist noted in a matter-of-fact tone, his pleasant demeanour remaining despite the morbid topic.
“Did our people not initiate contact with another species on less hostile terms?” Idee asked, her head tilted slightly.
“But no one lived to talk about it,” Joseph countered, gesturing with an upturned palm. “Plus, that’s assuming whoever was in charge of that call being the norm, rather than the exception.”
“You believe our people to act otherwise?” Bratik asked, his tone inquisitive rather than judgmental.
Joseph shrugged. “To be fair, I’ve almost been killed by more of your species than the wildlife. Granted, a few of those were just people being assholes, but still.”
“Many would see the opportunity as retribution for the Union,” Mi’low mentioned dryly.
Sorren’s face fell. “Then we should not propagate this knowledge?”
The Human glanced between each of them. “That’s why you’re here. My group knows because I trust them with it. I think we should keep this to ourselves, but if we do—and someone finds out—it would just cause a lot of issues. Alternatively; we tell everyone.”
“And suffer the consequences of that action as well,” Idee concluded dejectedly. Joseph returned a wry smile as Toril raised a paw, speaking when the Grand Hunter raised a brow at him.
“Perhaps we should withhold the information from the lesser station?”
“Like, just the Grand Hunters?” Joseph inquired cautiously. Toril tilted his head.
“Those who would be more diplomatically minded, perhaps.”
“I don’t exactly see some of them as what you would call ‘diplomatic’ and I’m not going on some voyage to visit everyone with the info in tow.”
“We are able to make copies,” Sorren offered. “Perhaps we could exchange the information using traders and gain something from it as well?”
Mi’low shook her head. “That is assuming they do not claim us manipulative nor seek to remove him. Some may very well move to strike us all down for ‘withholding’ the information, regardless of how readily we supply it.”
“Do your people know?” Bratik interjected, gathering the attention of the others. Joseph winced in uncertainty.
“I’m not sure. I’d guess my brother does, but I don’t know how sensitive things are. It could have been announced and there’s an intergalactic war, or it might be kept under wraps until conflict isn’t as likely. At least until it’s less likely to blow up in our faces, anyway.”
“They are of lesser force?”
“No clue,” he admitted. “Not my area. All I do know is that there are more species allied against us—or at least aren’t inclined to take a bullet—than are.”
“So our options are rather limited,” Idee concluded, receiving a series of agreements.
“We could,” Mi’low said after a few moments of contemplation, “distribute the information anonymously. Humans are not named directly in the document, and we need not divulge its origin.”
“So, what? Just pass people tablets and ask them to forget where they got it?” he probed, not entirely disagreeing with the idea, but skeptical all the same.
“Tersa may make additions to trader inventories without their knowledge,” Toril offered, the mentioned Blade frowning at him, but not protesting. “Or perhaps Trill’s kit, since she is devoted to yourself.”
“Eh. I guess that’s an option,” he conceded, sighing. “So, about the bond; any opinions? Notes?”
“Stay away from me,” Mi’low answered warily, earning a flat scowl.
“I meant something besides that. I’m not too keen on adding to the cluster-fuck I have going on anyway.”
Sorren smiled. “I am excited to meet your people—should I be so blessed. There are many who would never know the joy of the Hunt Mother’s gift otherwise.”
“I would not mind her words, Grand Hunter,” Toril chuckled. “She is a creature of dishonesty—including her own desires.”
The actress glowered at the chemist. “I preferred it when you were nomadic. It was much easier to ignore your presence. Your words were but some distant wind I need not soil my ears with.”
“Perhaps our meeting is best ended here,” Bratik interjected, waving his functional paw. The other arm was coming along, but still too stiff to use for much. “We should propagate the information through unsigned parcels to the Grand Hunters.”
“One last thing,” Joseph said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The information on Sol; anything ever get done with that?”
“We were capturing habitable planets in a particular direction, though the decision to do such was made by our superiors.”
He nodded. “Makes sense. Same issue we have now. Can’t let everyone know because chaos is a lot easier to manage when it’s directed. Between the religious connotations and the context around it; there’s no saying if it would lead to riots or worship. Rather not bring the problem to our door.”
“Wise,” Mi’low remarked sarcastically, her judgmental side-eye aimed between him and Sorren.
“Alright,” he said with a raised voice, ignoring the red-furred female to the best of his ability. “Drop off letters and lock myself in a room or something. Sounds like a plan.”
“That will not be required,” Sorren corrected with a laugh. “Though the documents confirmed a high percentile of successful bonds, there were many incompatible pairings. It is unlikely that your informant included every variation of failure, but the bond seems to be as selective as usual, just more receptive to those who meet the criteria. I would speculate that the majority of those who would bond to you by now, have. Barring the new additions, of course. I doubt you will need to worry about bonding to half a species by yourself.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” he muttered. “Okay, you’re free to go back to your work. You know who to talk to if something comes up.”
The gathering dispersed, Toril requiring Tersa to drag him by the ear before he got too distracted. Mi’low stayed behind, waiting for everyone else to leave.
“Thoughts?” he asked, glancing over at her. She shook her head as she dropped the antagonistic persona.
“Two attribute you to their religion, Toril is too interested in your species to act against your best interest, and Idee rather enjoys her time here—as well as sympathizes with your position. Tersa’s allegiance is with Toril, so she will follow him, as well as your tentative arrangement as a superior over her.”
“So, we’re good?”
“We are,” she confirmed. He looked at her for a long moment.
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Going to try and kill me again?” he questioned wryly.
The High Huntress snorted. “Unfortunately, my pack has ostensibly become yours, and with it, my fate. They would rather watch me go than follow. It seems your influence extends past our biology.”
Without an opportunity for him to ask what she meant, she headed to the exit, pausing in the doorway when he called out to her.
“Mi’low?” Her ear tipped back towards him. “Thanks. For putting yourself on the block like that. I know how risky that could have been for you.”
She afforded a single nod before letting it close behind her.
“’Past our biology’, huh?” he muttered, eyeing the empty cup on the table.
He considered bothering Tel, since she would likely offer him a distraction for a while.
Sighing at his remaining intact shoe flopping as he stepped, he decided to do exactly that.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
“How are we holding up?”
Tech leaned back in her chair, yawning widely. “Communications have been down for a while, navigation software is pointing everywhere at once, and if it wasn’t for me, everything else would be dark too.”
“All hail Tech Ops,” Comms quipped, struggling to make his system do much more than transmit static on a loop.
Willin rolled his eyes at Tech’s boasting, but she was probably right to do so. They had aligned themselves in the right direction and simply let navigation go, communications discreetly blinking out as they got close without warning. All they had left was the actual piloting and onboard support systems, both of them hanging by a thread until Tech could run diagnostics to see if she could counter them properly. She might be able to eventually, but she didn’t seem confident beyond keeping the crew mobile and alive.
“How’s it look down there?”
Nav had long since given up making sense of their controls, opting to keep watch for whatever they were approaching. Since they had gotten within visual range, they had occupied themselves using whatever scanning equipment Tech managed to keep shielded. They leaned over the readouts, brows raising before furrowing at the information.
“It appears that they have remained fairly close together. I am reading several AEC distress signatures... Why am I able to?”
Tech raised a paw. “Right here. The jamming is consistent with the United Military’s algorithms, though boosted past what we have the equipment to manage. Can’t override it for you or Comms, but it was never meant to counter the low-frequency of a distress pulse, since that would get lost in normal noise anyway. I took the liberty of limiting the scope of collected data to increase the sensitivity.”
“Not much frequency pollution on an untapped planet,” Willin remarked dryly, his screen mirroring what Nav was looking at. Thirty-eight sources, most of them repeating the initial call-signs. Two seemed to have retained some power, though not much, implying a makeshift solution. There would normally be more to glean, but the measures taken to make picking them out at all possible had stifled it.
“Orders?” Nav asked after a moment. Willin considered it, scouring the somewhat distorted visual feed.
“Let’s get closer first.”
“Understood.”
He adjusted his uniform as they drew near, Tech frowning as more of her fail-safe measures ironically failed. Quick action saved them from listing aimlessly, but any chance of copying the survivor’s distress call faded. The Atmospheric Entry Crafts were effectively invisible until Tech had dealt with the issue preemptively, and their beacon wasn’t any stronger.
Detriment of a scout craft, he supposed. Help would have to deal with not knowing where his ship had gone until they were up to their necks in the warp-spike’s field. Hopefully, the EW fleet would manage it better.
“Just outside of atmosphere,” Nav reported, activating the scanning equipment again. Normally, it would be able to tell them everything down to the rough number of wildlife in an area, but all the interference gave them little more than confirmation that life existed.
“Well, there goes any advanced recon,” Willin muttered, ignoring Comms silently debating if he should bother Tech to duplicate the feed again. Noticing, she did anyway, the male gesturing their thanks. “Tech, can you get us population density?”
“I’m good, Leader, but not that good.”
“Leader,” Nav called, highlighting a few points on the feed. Whatever it was that they were trying to show him, he didn’t see it. “These areas are likely settlements.”
“Structures?”
“Affirmative. It is subtle, but there.”
He nodded, trusting their judgment. “Which is the largest?”
The feed zoomed in, losing most of the clarity—not that there was much to begin with. “Location coincides with an AEC still actively reporting.”
“They set up around it.”
“Likely, Leader.”
Willin exhaled slowly. “Take us down nearby. I’d say to hide us, but that’s hard to do with open skies.”
“The planet suffers constant rain,” Tech added, her screen already reverting back to a simplistic game while she waited for someone else to need something. “We could descend under the cover of it.”
“Any idea how long?”
Her monitor flickered. “One local sun.”
“Then we spend the time gearing up,” he ordered, waving to have Nav and Comms’ screens defaulted. “You two will make sure our defence armaments ship-board are active and loaded. Tech, queue up whatever armour and equipment we might need for a diplomatic mission.”
She turned in her chair, her head tilting questioningly. “Just us?”
“Just us. We’ll want someone here to keep things warm in case we need to leave quickly. Can you get Comms’ station capable of short-wave?”
She nodded after a moment, her eyes losing focus as she consulted her implant. “We’ll lose the fabricator during, but we should have enough for life-support and in-atmosphere flight. Weapons will have to be swapped out with it too.”
“That bad?”
The purple-furred female shrugged. “It’s that or I take down the defences and we lose it all.” She frowned at her screens. “Even this is pushing it.”
“Can you take down the purifier once we’re down there? Switch to external flow?”
“As long as you don’t mind alien air, sure. It won’t give us more to work with, but it should make it less taxing to keep what we have.”
Willin scratched at his ear. “Do it. They lived here this long, doubt we’ll join the Void breathing it too.”
“Will do.”
He shifted his attention back to Nav. “Set course to that settlement. Keep us above the clouds until it gets bad enough to obscure us.”
Nav signalled their agreement, the scenery shifting slowly as they picked a cloud to shadow in the meantime. Comms looked at Willin expectantly, forcing him to come up with something for the male to do.
“Comms, I want you to monitor anything this place has coming in or out. Set up surveillance.”
The male raised a brow. “My systems are inoperable, Leader.”
“If you try to do anything big, yes,” Willin corrected. “Just keep us informed if something goes through. We don’t need to know what happened, just that it did.”
“Keeping track of possible communications between settlements?”
Willin bobbed his head to the side. “Whatever we learn, it’s more than we know.”
“Understood. I will try to arrange a passive probe.”
The group set about their tasks as he brought up a still-frame of the settlement Nav spotted. It was blocky, blurry, and the chromatic aberration on the edges hurt to look at, but it was a settlement. A large AEC surrounded by silver constructions, all laid out in a slightly haphazard way. He couldn’t judge it too harshly, however. There was a method to the madness. Narrow pathways hidden between dens, each leading to the AEC like a system of routes for select Lilhuns to reach anywhere they may be needed as quickly as possible.
The AEC itself seemed modified, large solar panels placed where a solid hull would be expected, the semi-transparent material likely acting to illuminate the interior. Many of the buildings around it were larger than those beyond, some appearing to be two or three levels.
From sheer volume of dens, Willin figured this was a contender for the largest settlement. His best estimate placed the number of inhabitants in the range of three hundred or so. If the other settlements were even close, then the initial guess of a thousand survivors was woefully short.
That made things complicated, yet so much simpler.
He awaited the distant storm clouds rolling over the landscape, thankful Tech had prioritized the water-proof gear.
He hated being soaked.
Next
A/N: 500k words. Half a fucking million.

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The return trip to Madhyam somehow felt a great deal faster than the initial voyage to Rājadhānī. Tristan chalked it up to a combination of things—Encroachers seemed to stay out of their way, the winds and sands moving in their favor, and everyone received at least one full night’s rest. With so many bodies, it was easier to split the night watch between all of them.
Tristan shared his gigashank with Zahra, and they filled the time with idle chatter. His thoughts were consumed by the immense amount of work that lay before him, not allowing for anything deeper than brief observations and inquiries.
Cailu had asked him to essentially resolve the same issues on San Island that plagued San Francisco; homelessness and orphaned kittens. Battling Encroachers and Defiled were one thing, but resurrecting a broken economy? That was a task that could take years of designing and implementing. Just how long did Cailu want him to stay on San?
When they did reach Madhyam, the group made a point to visit Ishani at Tristan’s suggestion. It was the least he could do for Zahra after all of her help. They were welcomed just as warmly as their first visit with Zahra’s mother.
“Three men in my house! What an honor!” Ishani fussed between them, her eyes glittering with wonder. “Please, allow me to serve you a small meal before you continue on.” She rested her hands over her stomach and performed the traditional bow.
Tristan returned it, and Cailu was nearly in sync with his movements. Tristan cleared his throat to catch Matt’s attention and was glad when he followed suit.
“It would be our pleasure,” Cailu replied. “Your daughter has been a tremendous help.”
Ishani straightened her back and clutched her hands to her chest. “You bless us both. Sands walk with you, sir.”
There was an unspoken rule on Ichi when someone invited you to stay. The guests were meant to relax and let the members of the household do all the work. But even with Zahra’s help, preparing anything for thirteen people would be no easy feat.
“Ishani, if you’d permit me to, I’d love to help you prepare everything.” Tristan smiled. “I know there are a lot of us.”
“Oh! Me, too!” Cannoli said. She’d been far more chipper during their journey back than Tristan had seen her in a long time. He hoped it was a good sign.
Ishani studied them for a time, eyes flickering to the full group as her tail rocked back and forth in thought. At last, she nodded. “Yes, I would be glad to have your assistance.”
“And mine, of course,” Zahra chimed in. “It is still my house after all.”
Ishani swept an arm over Zahra’s shoulders and hugged her daughter close. “Of course, my sweet. This will always be your home.”
They moved to the modest kitchen while the rest of the group made their way outside. Cannoli set to work on passing out drinks and preparing small plates while Ishani gave Tristan and Zahra instructions for cutting and seasoning meats. While they worked, Ishani’s questions began to roll in like the tide.
“We heard of Magni’s death a little over two days after it happened,” Ishani began. “An Ejderha arrived begging for Sanctuary. How did it happen?”
Zahra pursed her lips. “The Ejderha didn’t say?”
“It is best to hear a tale from a tongue you trust,” Ishani replied.
“Cailu challenged Magni to a sanctioned duel and won,” Tristan said. “He left the throne to Naeemah.”
“Then it is true. That is wonderful news!” Ishani stoked the flames at the stove, hooking a large pot over the coal. “And what of Sanrai?”
Tristan looked up from his diced onyans and over at Zahra.
Zahra’s expression softened. “Sanrai returned to the sands, Mother,” she said softly. “She refused to see reason.”
Ishani froze, her hand hovering over a ladle. A string of expressions passed over her face, her eyes searching into an abyss they could not see.
Even after the hell Sanrai had put them through, Tristan’s heart broke for her mother. He couldn’t imagine how receiving news like that felt, and he desperately searched for the right thing to say. Sanrai was powerful, intense, calculating. She’d driven them out of the city not once, but twice, and very nearly killed Ceres.
“Zahra did everything she could to bring her sister home.” Tristan was careful to keep his words even. “You raised two incredible daughters, Ishani.”
Ishani’s lower lip quivered, and a string of tears trickled from the corners of her eyes.
Zahra stepped forward and embraced her mother in a tight hug.
Tristan quietly set the knife down beside the cutting board and stepped into the hallway. He was surprised to find Cannoli on the other side of the threshold, hugging the doorframe and peeking inside.
Cannoli’s cheeks pinked, and she rapidly blinked her bright ruby eyes. “I-I just didn’t want to interrupt anything,” she whispered.
“I know. You’re not the type to eavesdrop.” Tristan grinned.
“Tristan… how do you do that?”
He blinked. “Do what?”
“You always know just what to say to make someone feel better,” Cannoli murmured. She looked into the kitchen and back at him. “Not just to me, but what you said to Ishani about Sanrai was so kind. Even though Sanrai was never nice to us. Not once.”
It was Tristan’s turn to blush. He ran a hand through his hair and crossed his arms, realizing only a second later that it was a gesture he’d picked up from Matt. He sighed and shook his head. “I just try to put myself in their shoes.”
Cannoli cocked her head to the side and touched her chin. “Why would you want to wear their shoes?”
“No, not actually wear their shoes.” Tristan covered a laugh behind his hand. “What I mean is, I think about what I would want to hear in their situation. Like finding you here. You wouldn’t want me to call you a spy, right?”
“No. I would have felt awful if you thought that.”
“Exactly. It’s important to see things from the other person’s perspective, I think. No real magic to it.”
Cannoli rocked on the balls of her feet. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It takes a lot of practice.” He leaned to the side, seeing if he could catch Zahra’s eye.
Zahra locked his gaze and waved him into the kitchen. Ishani dabbed at her eyes with a cloth and inhaled a deep breath.
“Back to work, then?” Tristan asked Cannoli.
“Yes.” She touched his shoulder and flashed him a brilliant smile. “Thank you, Tristan. For the advice.”
“You’re welcome.” He cupped a hand over hers. “Though, a smile like that will make anyone feel better, Cannoli.”
Cannoli giggled and ducked into the kitchen.
“Apologies for my poor manners, Tristan,” Ishani said as he returned.
“Please, you have nothing to apologize for.” He shook his head. “Besides, cutting onyans makes everyone cry, right?”
Ishani laughed, her mood brightened, and they continued to prepare the afternoon meal.
They were able to serve it in good time, and the conversation was light-hearted and cordial. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits and laughed easily. Tristan was happy to enjoy a meal outside of the citadel. The experience was a lot closer to an intimate family gathering rather than the battle strategy style meetings that every meal in Rājadhānī brought with it.
Tristan finished eating before the others and procured his sketchbook from his [Cat Pack]. With the enchanted pen, he sketched a smiling Zahra. Something about her had changed since they first met. She now carried herself with a grace Tristan recognized in Naeemah, and the determined spark in her eyes had changed to one of excitement. She’d succeeded in her mission, and it showed.
Flipping the page, he made one more drawing. A piercing, ruthless gaze. Lips slanted in a dry, knowing smile. Dark tattoos carved into umber skin. Sanrai looked as alive in his sketch as she did in the shadow of the citadel.
As the others readied to leave, he handed the sketches to Ishani. “These are for you.”
Ishani accepted both pieces of parchment, her lips parting in a silent ‘o.’ Eyes wide, she looked at Tristan. “You protected my daughter, and now you grant me such beautiful gifts. Tristan, I have no way of repaying you.”
“You already have, Ishani.” Tristan touched her wrist. “May the wind carry your desires—”
“And the sun warm your back,” she finished for him, clutching the drawings to her chest. “You are truly Saoirse’s gift to this world, child.”
As they departed Madhyam, Tristan let himself believe Ishani’s words, just a little. He knew he’d need them in the coming weeks.
​
Zahra Pro Tip: Thank you, Tristan, for all you have done for my mother and for me. I will pay your kindness forward.
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