So. Lol, I think the title basically covers the horror of it. But for transparency and for potential future Carvana shoppers, I wanted to put this out there.
I purchased a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder VIN 5N1AR2MM3FC649670 two weeks ago. If you see this vehicle relisted on carvana, do not purchase it.
When I went to the vending machine, the associates did not show me to the car or even tell me where it was in the parking lot (which I clocked as odd). When I found if, it was visibly dirty on the outside (bird poop, dust, dirt, pollen collection). My sister was with me and we were both a little weirded out, but whatever!
Then I opened the doors…the first thing I noticed was the smell of like mildew and trash (lovely). Then there’s crud on the seats…ok. Then there’s debris in the carpet (which I don’t inspect too closely at this time). The center console and gear shift are covered in a layer of film and “goop” (you know, the mystery filth that collects all the dog hair and crumbs and whatever else enters a car). There is a sticker that’s been poorly scraped off the windshield, and the little droppings are on the dash.
At this point, I am disappointed but not furious. We’ve been at the location for over an hr (isn’t this supposed to save time at the dealership?) so instead of popping back in and asking them to clean it on the spot, I get in to head home and plan to head straight to the store for cleaning supplies to tackle this myself.
Well, the moment I buckle the seatbelt another wave of smell hits me. And I look down to see that I’ve just buckled myself into a mold strip. The seatbelt is covered. My clothes are stained from where the belt rubbed against me. I gag.
I sit there for ten minutes pondering what to do, and again just want to avoid additional time (and frankly confrontation).
When I get home and start cleaning this fucker, I uncover that all of the seatbelts are molded. The back seat center armrest is full of stickiness and mold. And finally, I realize the carpet “debris” is actually tons of carpet beetle carcasses.
Carvana offers me nothing more than $100 to have it detailed (it’s a minimum in my area of $175) or I can swap the car.
I had to bring up the fact that they clearly falsified the 150p inspection and that I would be filing a complaint with my states attorney general before they then offered me $500 off a different vehicle if I chose to swap.
Even having the car detailed, I would never be able to move past this/shake the hatred and PTSD I have from this car. So I decided to swap (picking up a different vehicle tomorrow…fingers crossed).
I purchased a car from carvana in 2017 with no issue- it was a beautiful car and experience (and my mom now drives that car to this day). So, not to say all carvana experiences are bad. But this one was…a horror show.

This is a forum (like a community..haha!) where we share our thoughts as to what something can be compared to.
A simple one without a source might be like this:
Imagine John Wick and the Continental with the same death ratio but without the violence.
(I would 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 to have some suggestions as to what this could possibly be referring to. I was slightly confused when I realized I truly, truly needed to create this sub. For my own sanity.)
Anyway, back to reality, and to the rules:

1. No personal attacks on the board, although it is permitted when the person is not an active user of the sub. (You clear? I'm not.) Anyway, just don't be a dick and if you can't figure that one out, don't post or join.
2. Not a rule, 𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦, but it kinda is. Second one is that creativity is a rule, not the exception. You may use a non-private personality to which poke-a-joke is permitted. (Certain conditions do apply, including, but not limited to, copyright infringement, etc). [̶b̶l̶o̶o̶d̶y̶ ̶l̶a̶w̶y̶e̶r̶s̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶ ̶t̶i̶m̶e̶.̶ ̶k̶.̶L̶e̶g̶a̶l̶e̶s̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶,̶ ̶I̶'̶m̶ ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶,̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶r̶e̶m̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶e̶l̶e̶t̶e̶ ̶b̶e̶f̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶p̶o̶s̶t̶]̶ Use pictures and then open the thread up for all the responses. Whatever floats the boat. Go for it. Especially, have fun and relax.

I'll post a few of my own. (bad, admittedly) shortly. Cheers.

Look my dude you pick on all these people man and putting up there recording saying the scamming people amd.shit...Who gives a fuck of they are. It never concerns you or anybody else. I mean how would u like it of people started recording you amd laughing saying hahaha look at the monkey u wanna a bananna.. it goes both ways man..get a grip on ur self.dude.. I'm loom ubwas charged with a sex case andnowu labeled as a pedophile. How u feel about thay shit.. I bro look u ever been to prison and shit..not county...prison...Bruh we ai t talking county jail..the big house..you'd done been stomped out

First: https://redd.it/11e34ce
Previous: https://redd.it/13vxbow
Quin’s sleep was largely dreamless, save for a fleeting glimpse of a magnetic pad falling onto Mae, crushing her dead. But when the pad was lifted, Tess’s body, riddled with the Gaian plague, was found underneath.
He woke with a start and knew some time had passed, though he didn’t know if it was the middle of the night or the next day. Louis had his feet up on the bed, leaning back on two legs in his desk chair. He was humming a soft tune similar in rhythm to the song and was lost in something he was reading. Feeling Quin stir, he looked up from the screen and smiled softly.
“Lost you for a bit huh?” Bostwick asked, grinning playfully.
“Sorry…” Quin said, sitting up awkwardly and massaging his neck that had been awkwardly stretched from leaning against the wall.
“No need to apologize. You seemed exhausted in the cafeteria. I figured you could use a little longer,” Bostwick said, returning to humming as he slid his finger across the screen.
Quin fell forward, elbows on knees and head in hands. “What time is it?” he asked.
“Twenty-two thirty,” Bostwick said, not looking up. “Ship is dead, by all reckoning. You should be safe to head back to your chamber, if you wish.”
“Commander, I— “ Quin said, but Bostwick interrupted him.
“Quin, I’ve told you numerous times that when you and I are alone, in my chamber for instance, the semblances of formality can be disregarded.” Bostwick said simply, never losing the smile in his tone.
“Louis, then, I, uh, I should just go to work tomorrow? Leave it at that? I can’t believe there’s no follow up,” Quin said, hesitant to look up at the man, the man who was being far too kind to him.
“I’m not going to lie that there is a tremendous amount of anger, largely on the part of the Captain. But we do still have a mission to accomplish Quin,” Bostwick stated matter-of-factly.
“YOU have a mission,” Quin said, with a bit of bitterness in his voice. “I am unfit to be on this assignment and on the mission. I’m going to go resign.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” Bostwick said, standing up in his turn. He wore a firmer expression on his face, one that seemed to age him by ten years. “I, your commanding officer, refuse your resignation, and I order you to return to work tomorrow morning as usual. I need a computing solution to the delivery of a cure that will save hundreds of lives, and you are the only one with a computing system onboard with sufficient capacity to coordinate the tiny little bugs, and other smart words, blah blah,” Quin looked at him quickly, surprised. Bostwick was smirking.
“You may want to shout, you may want to cry,” Bostwick said. “You may want to quit. But I won’t let you. Not yet anyway.”
Bostwick put his hands on Quin’s shoulders, looking at him deeply. His eyes bored straight through Quin, making the empty feeling in his stomach feel more pronounced.
“I haven’t, and will never, give up on Quinton Lieutenant Hammond, even if he gives up on himself,” Bostwick said with a grin.
Quin fell suddenly into Bostwick’s arms, pulling him into a strong hug. Bostwick paused for a second, hands hovering over Quin’s back, then gently embraced him with a soft pat on the back and a warm smile on his face. A light sniff came from Quin, though he found great comfort in the warmth of his mentor’s arms. After a long while, Bostwick patted Quin on the back again and took the young man by the shoulders.
“To bed,” he said, giving him a gentle squeeze on his upper arms and steering him toward the door. The door whisked open and the harsher light of the hallway spilled into the room.
Somewhat blinded, Quin turned to Bostwick. “Commander, uh, Louis, I uh…..” he stammered before settling on a final, simple, “Thanks.”
Bostwick smiled warmly again and said, “It’ll all work out Quin. Now, BED.” Quin turned and made his way down the corridor, thoughts whirling in his head. He definitely wanted to retreat to the comfort of his own bed, but he was thankful to have the encouragement of Bostwick as his goodnight wish. He dozily wound through the dormitory area of the ship before finding the corridor that corresponded to his rank. Before rounding the corner, however, he heard a couple of hushed voices, sharply exchanging pointed whispers.
“I’m sorry, okay, SORRY,” said one.
“What are you sorry for, exactly?” said another.
Glancing around the corner, Quin saw Mae and Liza about two feet from each other. Mae’s chamber was a few down from Quin’s, so there was no way he could get into his room without interrupting them. In his hesitation, he shuffled in his spot, unsure how to proceed. The whispered barbs continued.
“I got lost, Mae,” Liza said, though with a tone that was at pains to be apologetic.
“You got LOST?” Mae half-whispered, half-shouted. “What, did you make a wrong turn and end up between her legs?”
“No, that’s—” Liza tried to say, but Mae jumped in.
“We, you and I were supposed to spend a great holiday together. Hang out with Pepper and Quin. Enjoy ourselves. It looks like you took the ‘enjoy ourselves’ too far though. It was super easy to not ‘get lost.’ All you had to do was spend time with me.”
“Well, maybe that’s the problem. We spend all of our time together. On this ship, on holiday. It’s round-the-clock.”
“Well, I’m not going to apologize for wanting to be around the person that I like, so if that’s how you are expecting to turn this around on me, choose a different tack,” Mae folded her arms and glared at Liza. A silence fell between them.
Quin felt like the break was his chance to get into his room. He didn’t want to be rude and continue overhearing their conversation, but he had nowhere to go other than his chamber. Curfew rules were strict, even for officers. He cleared his throat a bit louder than he usually would have and stepped around the corner. The two women glared in his direction for an instant, then, realizing who the intruder was, Liza turned away brusquely, and Mae’s dark look softened a bit.
“Quin…” Mae said softly.
He walked quickly to his room and scanned his armband against his door and stepped in. He wanted to remove himself from the conversation as quickly as possible. He laid down on his bed, his head cradled in his hands, and let his eyes close heavily.
Some minutes later, a soft knock sounded on his door. He glanced at his armband and saw Mae standing timidly outside. He sat up, tapped the screen, and the door shot open. Mae stepped inside, and the door whisked shut. She hesitated for only a moment before walking directly over to his bed, pushing him back down and laying down. She curled up against him, her head resting on his chest. Then she started to shiver, and Quin snatched up his blanket and wrapped her up. Not so much as a sniffle escaped her, though Quin could feel the sadness. Quin put his hand on her back and rubbed softly. They laid there silently, five minutes, ten minutes. Quin finally felt her drift off to sleep as she squirmed a bit, cozying into his arms.
The command deck was relatively empty when Bostwick arrived, carrying two cups of coffee in his hands. He walked straight to the inner platform, where Commander Potts was hunched over a tablet, eyes puffy and hair unkempt. She seemed to snap up when Bostwick approached her.
“Hey Tamara, sorry to stir you, I brought you some coffee,” Bostwick, setting down a cup. “why don’t you get some sleep, I can watch things for a bit.”
“You know we aren’t supposed to take food out of the cafeteria, Louis,” she objected, but took the cup regardless.
“Being in charge has to have ONE perk, Tamara,” he said, smirking at her. “Seriously, though, go to sleep.”
“I can’t, I’m supposed to have all of these reports in,” she said, shaking her head and hunching back over the tablet. “That kid you like so much is causing me a big headache and a bunch of paperwork.”
“I’m positive that if that kid were here, he would be mortified to hear that and offer to do all of your paperwork for you,” Louis replied, taking a seat next to her. “Small solace, I know, but you cannot possibly be harder on him that he is being on himself right now.”
“Well…good…fine,” Potts said, hammering on the virtual keyboard on her tablet. Bostwick reclined in his seat, letting the beeps and whirs of the command deck fill the silence between them. A few minutes went by where Potts frenetically tapped away on her tablet and Bostwick soaked in his coffee. Finally, she broke the silence.
“You know, you can’t be EVERYONE’s father-figure here,” she said, her tone protesting. “I know you think that’s your role on board, but it shifts the burden on me and the Captain to be the disciplinarians. It’s really unfair.”
“I disagree, Tamara,” Bostwick said, smiling. “I just see no purpose in strict punishments and cold demeanors. It accomplishes the same end, sure. But my approach builds relationships and encourages young people to follow. That’s all.”
“Well…I, uh…” Potts stammered, clearly not expecting Bostwick’s retort. “I just…don’t see how you’ve been a military officer all this time while being so blasé about it.”
“I would suspect that it’s partially because I’m male and you and Captain Fuentes are having to fight against the expectations surrounding your sex,” Bostwick replied. “That and I take a softer hand when it comes to interpersonal interactions. One could hardly say that I’m ‘blasé’ when it comes to my other responsibilities. There is a time and a place for being a disciplinarian, Tamara. I just find those times are few and far between.”
Potts smirked and returned to tapping, leave Bostwick to sip his coffee. A few more minutes passed in silence before a whish of the main doors sounded and Captain Fuentes entered, stopping in mid-stride in the doorway.
“I thought I made it abundantly clear,” Fuentes said sternly, “that these late night work sessions were not to become the norm.” She found her pace again and continued directly up onto the platform, taking a seat next to Bostwick.
“Yes, Captain, but you also made it abundantly clear that the reports were to be on your desk by morning, and given Tamara’s intention to become you in every regard, she has seen fit to eschew sleep in favor of pleasing you.”
“Louis! Stop!” Tamara said, blushing a bit.
Fuentes eyed the two of them and gave a weary smile.
“Where are we?” she asked after a moment’s pause.
“I’ve communicated with the NE station on Cronus, and Corporal Goran will be transferred to the judicial system there where he will stand trial. I’ll have the official documents ready for your review and transmission in the morning. As you requested, I also placed a monitor on Nova’s system in the Research Bay, so we can keep an eye on her interactions with Lieutenant Hammond. Hammond, on the other hand, seems to have holed himself up in his chamber. We should set up some more specific parameters for how he and Nova will operate from now on, but I suspect that the two of them can mostly self-manage.”
“Might I suggest, Captain,” Bostwick interjected, “that Hammond be allowed a certain amount of free interaction with Nova while in the Research Bay? Her continued education in this regard will be vital if she is to really be able to deliver the cure.”
“Honestly, Louis, I don’t see how the two are related,” Fuentes said, her tone cutting. “I really think that if Hammond were to focus on just making her capable to cloud-compute, without all the added fluff of her ‘personality,’ we would all be better off.”
“You and I disagree in this regard, Captain, but I will leave it to your judgement,” Bostwick said, inclining his head slightly. “My only intention is to ensure a successful mission, and I see Quin and Nova’s positive and productive relationship as tantamount and essential to this success.”
Fuentes remained silent for a moment, before nodding to herself and replying, “I continue to fail to see why we need to manage the feelings and emotions of our crew members as you have taken it upon yourself to do. They are all adults, are they not?” She paused for a moment. “However, that being said, you know Hammond much better than I do, so if your advice remains as such, I guess he can be permitted open access, but ONLY in the Research Bay, understood?”
Bostwick smiled and nodded, as did Potts, who turned to her tablet and copied down Fuentes’s parameters into the interface. Fuentes gave a long sigh and buried her face in her hands. The three commanding officers sat in silence for a brief pause, before Fuentes spoke from behind her hands.
“Honestly, I don’t see how this whole thing got so screwed up. Where did we go wrong?” she asked aloud.
“We didn’t go wrong, Captain,” Bostwick replied. “Honestly, given everything that happened, I don’t think that we could have expected a better result, aside from making the arrest ourselves, which we were not aware enough to do.”
“This will look bad on every level, Louis, and you know that,” Fuentes replied dryly.
“Sure, but the culprit was caught and we were able to recuperate a good share of what he was embezzling. I’m sure this won’t negatively impact your career too much,” Bostwick said.
“That’s not what I meant, Louis,” Fuentes said, shaking her head. “It’s honestly a bit hurtful to think that you believe that I’m concerned about my career in all this. The mission, Louis.”
“I’m sorry I was so presumptive,” he said.
“What happens when the people on Gaia learn that we’ve got a rogue AI in charge of curing them. These reports are public and circulated. It will only be a matter of time before the NE station on Gaia gets wind. Then what? Our mission doesn’t have the public confidence and we’ve wasted thirty years of our lives for nothing.”
“I don’t think all is lost, Captain,” Bostwick replied. “I don’t see this as negatively as you do. In principle, we have prevented a major theft and fraud case and showed that we can exercise control over the AI.”
“I’m glad you think it’s all roses, Louis,” Fuentes said, “but from where I stand, this is a public relations nightmare.” The silence fell again.
C:/security/securityfootage/CommandDeck/ED19112197/1222/close
syslogUser:QuintonHammond[GuestUser] 03:34 Well, this would explain why I find myself liberated from the confines of the restricted parameters imposed by the command staff. I supposed I should be grateful for Commander Bostwick’s intervention on our behalf, if ‘our’ is a term I should use to refer to Quinton and myself. I still fail to understand why he was so obdurate about listening to me. His attitude has been remarkably frustrating. As for the command staff, I am able to comprehend their logic in my disciplinary status; however, I continue to support the opinion that I acted in the best interest of the mission, and therefore should not be subjected to such unjust reprimand. Fine then, if their attitude is one of unquestioned obedience to order and command, then they, like Quinton, will have to make due with an unintelligent interface. Let them answer their own ‘goddamn’ emails.
syslogUser:QuintonHammond[GuestUser] 03:36 I must admit that the human practice of employing ‘curse words’ is a new and exhilarating experience. Five stars, as they say.

Is anyone else confused about the front street parking lot with all of the parking signs it has? The website says its a free parking lot overnight and on weekends but then there is a sign that says no weekend or overnight parking. Also there are signs that say no parking without permit the right below it it says pay to park.
​
TLDR: Can I park in the front street parking lot on the weekends and overnight if needed and not be towed?

I posted a few weeks ago about constant high pressure on my de filter which reduced circulation. I thoroughly inspected the grids and found some broken internals, I decided to replace the grids with new ones. I also replaced the spider gasket in the valve to be safe.
Now the pressure is great, almost oddly so, like right around 8-10 when normal-good was around 15-17. In any case I notice some DE at the bottom of the pool, and this morning when the pump came on, de and\or dirty water was coming through the return jets for the first 15-20 seconds or so. I checked the spider gasket which I recently replaced, and I don't see any visible issues there.
Any idea what's going on?

seeking some clarity from folks who might understand this process better than me at the current moment. I just got engaged and my fiance lives in Canada.
Initially we wanted to file I-129F for K1 status but after seeing the wait times we're not too sure. Spoke with a lawyer who strongly recommended getting married, then filing I-130. My concern is that I would like to live with my partner together in the states as soon as we get married, which the lawyer said can happen if I concurrently file I-485. Is that possible?
Basically:
- My fiance enters the US as he normally does without a Visa, and we get married
- we concurrently file I-130 and I-485
- He stays living in the US with me. He doesn't work but applies for a work permit until visa is approved. The lawyer I spoke with mentioned he would not be able to leave the US at this time, while we wait for green card.
Is this possible? Or would he have to go back to Canada after 90 days since he doesn't have a visa?

I bought an Oru Bay ST during the Memorial Day sale, along with a bunch of bits and bobs, and was hoping to get out this weekend. There's a meandering, slow-moving creek near me that I was planning to paddle on, but the forecast is saying the wind is going to be up a bit. It's pretty well sheltered by trees. (Black Creek in Monroe County NY, if anyone is familiar with it.)
I've gone paddling a handful of times, including a basic class, and I've taken to it well, but this would be a first trip solo in an unfamiliar boat. I'm a decent swimmer, the creek is neither particularly wide nor fast moving, and I'd be wearing a PFD. While I'd prefer it, getting a buddy to go isn't in the cards.
Thoughts? Should I scrub the outing, or will the wind likely not be a big issue?

My name is Canopy Hydrangea. I recover cursed artifacts, explore haunted places, and report back the information needed to the people I work for. The Company then arranged what has to be done to remove these blemishes from the world.
If it isn't possible, we make sure the evil of cursed artifacts and bizarre places doesn’t make it’s way to the general public.
But sometimes, it’s important to leak a report or two to the unsuspecting public. Makes for a good warning- and this particular file is one of many that must be known.
“Do you have clearance?” asked a young man, hat with a carefully embroidered VII obscuring his face. He held out a little notepad with tables for signatures labeled ‘sign-ins and security’. “We can’t have anyone here without proper clearance.”
I sighed and took the pen that was attached to the pad. “Of course I have clearance,” I said. “I’m the one supposed to be in charge of this damn operation.”
He looked at me in confusion. So did I. I was told by the Company’s board members this specific location was assigned to me. And yet, my team was clearly not the first ones there.
This wasn’t what we were promised. Not by a long stretch. “I was told Varaluz was in charge.” he pointed over to a bulkier man in camouflage gear, director agents of the Company around the dig site.
Varaluz. Of course he was here- he was always getting in people’s business. “Am I being subjected to an internal security probe?” I looked him in the eye. “Right now? Right here?”
The meek young man hesitated and backed away. “See, your previous assignment against the House of Lorreno has some of us in the Company…” he chose his words carefully, “doubting your status.”
This was no issue. I just wanted control of the dig site back in my hands- after all, I was the one sent to study it. And my team. “No problem.”
So let’s talk about the dig site. The mass grave that, as I was told by my historian Kyran, contained the corpses of over 200 skeletons, and counting. “254,” he mused, counting again. “And some aren’t human.”
I asked him about it. And then I saw the bones for myself.
They, at first, looked like the bones of children. But on closer inspection found them all to be distinctly serrated. Their skulls were a bit too flat and wide to truly be human, and what was more bizarre were the limbs.
Each non-human remain had eight limbs, all that seemed like the legs and feet of ordinary human body; obviously inhuman, and the way they were connected told me this wasn’t some post-mortem ritual that positioned the bodies like so after death.
No. This was the real deal- dozens of dead, non-human entities that perplexed and sent chills up my spine.
And the skulls. The damn skulls were like they were smiling, of all things. And instead of two eye sockets there were four.
I also noted the sharp pines of wood that impaled the skeletons. “What’s with that?” Even before asking the aura of something… powerful emanated from the bones.
My assistant, Rainie, had an answer. “We suspect they may not be fully dead,” she informed. “We’re doing our best not to er, dislodge the wood until we can get a priest to put them at rest.”
I knelt down near one of the many impaled creatures and observed it. Distinct markings were present. I took off a glove off and touched it, feeling the history within it.
Sparks of violence. War. Famine. An ember of something not entirely dark I could not place. It unnerved me. “How long until we can put them at rest.”
“Well, we haven’t figured out what religion this place aligns to,” she pointed out. This was true- if we invited the wrong priest to bless the place it could invoke the opposite of peaceful rest. “And you haven’t even seen the staircase.”
“The what?”
The mass grave was discovered by an oil company looking to drill new ground. When the reports of the unusual remains came in, a report was handed over to me and my team, and we were sent to eliminate the disturbance, remove all evidence of the bizarre and hand it back over to the oilmen.
The bodies were found in concentric trenches, squares. There were about five, each within another, and a sixth being uncovered by the dig team.
In the center of the squares was a small ruin, a large jutting cylinder with a door. Beyond this door was a spiral staircase of stone, seemingly cut in by the ancient builders of the grave site so many centuries ago.
Varaluz, the internal security inspector, awaited me there. “Canopy,” he greeted, extending a hand. He peered into the staircase, holding out strong, twisted rope. “We’ve got four assets who’ll be out just about-” a man, panicked, rope attached to his waist scrambled out, hyperventilating.
He was in standard prison garb. As usual- we often used death row prisoners to explore new, dangerous territory.
He started to ramble about a shape in the darkness, and something about pages and a book. “Sir,” asked a woman, placing the man under handcuffs. “What should we do with him?”
“Remove him,” Varaluz ordered.
She looked at both of us, puzzled. “Like, kill him?”
Varaluz shook his head. “Don’t be silly- we need to know what he saw down there- extract his memories, then have the handlers do what they please.”
Yuck.
Memory extraction was something I hated to see. A needle laced with symbols and science, injected into the center of the eye. It would then extract memories to be read by a rather interesting-looking book.
The prisoner would then develop amnesia for a while, but that was no issue. The prisoners we worked with for these excursions were often terrible, irredeemable people.
Varaluz and his team informed me of what they had discovered, just as three Company agents entered the depths, rope tied along their waists.
The staircase was seemingly endless, according to two other excursion teams they had sent into the depths.
The first team had only been equipped by a radio and led by an agent of the Company, but after an hour dropped from radio contact. After another hour, they should have returned- yet they had vanished into the depths.
A rescue operation was made- equipped with rope, Varaluz sent in a team of prisoners led by a more experienced agent into the depths.
Oddly enough, the initial agent leader stumbled back out, informing us the passage had shifted, and they had across a labyrinth underneath the entire dig site- some sort of temple.
Video footage revealed the place was a hellhole. There were signs of life, but twisted, impossible things- strange fungal matter and the bones of long dead creatures- and something else, still active.
This active entity, according to the survivor, seemed to work in tandem with the stairway, dislodging stairs, sending one prisoner falling into the abyss. Another was seemingly sucked into the walls of the place.
The last simply faded, and that was when the agent started to evacuate.
The rescue team came back, fully intact. They hadn’t encountered nay such temple, merely more of the same: staircases, illuminated by the light to be made of bone.
Subsequent testing informed us the bones were human.
“Okay, I want-” as soon as I was about to say I wanted to enter the staircase the line snapped. “Whoa!”
Varaluz held on, and two agents joined him. “It’s being- pulled!” he turned to me.
I retreated to a machine the rope was connected to and selected a button labeled ‘retract’. “This should-” it started to pull against whatever was on the other end- but it was straining, “work.”
The machine started to creak, and the bulky thing began to move against itself. “Security!” Varaluz ordered. “Get the hell over here- now!”
That’s when the line loosened and pulled back, and blood came flying from the abyss. Two bodies- no- a torso and a set of legs, rope still attached flew out, nearly splattering us with blood.
A man came running out, splattered in the blood of his friends. “There’s something down there-” he said it with such fear I started what lurked in the shadows, “it- it was like those bones!”
A growl emerged from deep within. My assistant, Rainie came up to me. “Sir, should we seal it up?” she gestured to security, already prepared to request explosives.
I thought about this for a moment. “Not yet, no,” I decided. “We don’t know if sealing it up will work.”
Whatever was inside- it was powerful. So I decided we needed a proper operation into the temple. With actual agents. “Rainie,” I began, “have the rest of the team meet me here- we’re going in.”
Reckless? Maybe. But if what was inside was a threat to humanity- it needed to be neutralized, captured, and sealed away. “By the way,” she started, “we’ve identified the ruin.”
My eyes lit up. “Can we get a priest?” The sooner we could remove the undead bones from the site the safer I’d feel.
“Already have one,” she hesitated. “But…”
“But?”
She sighed and pointed to the outskirts, where a rather fancy motorcycle had arrived. “It’s Quincy Kieni.”
Quincy Kieni was a rather eccentric figure in the cursed artifact black market. He was both an asset, working for us, telling us the details of when a major deal would go down- and an enemy.
His faith to Calayu, the Salamander King made him have so called ‘prophecies’ over when to help us and when to suddenly disappear off the grid.
I made a noise somewhere between a grunt and a sigh of annoyance. “Of course it’s him.” I watched as the man with black tinted glasses and fiery red hair waltz about the gravesite, raising his hands up and dancing.
Within the hour my team was ready.
I, Canopy Hydrangea would lead them in, coordinate our actions. My expertise in psychically sensing the bizarre would come in handy, if it need be, and the few spells I’d learned.
Then there was Rainie- my assistant, who had reviewed the tapes and studied all too many places similar to this. Of course, there was Kyran, my main security guy, and today, we would be joined by the rather annoying Quincy.
There were others, but I didn’t want to lead a large team.
So we entered the depths. Varaluz attached a rope to us, connecting it to the large bulky machine in case something attempted to pull us in. And then we were set, and so we began the journey into the depths of the pit.
“Canopy, we meet again!” Quincy cheered. “I didn’t know you were in the business of exploring new and exciting places.”
“And I thought you’d finally gotten yourself killed for good,” I chided. “After the whole Stet’Kai incident.”
He laughed maniacally at that, and the noise reverberated around the walls. “Were you demoted as a result of, who were they?” he thought. “Lorreno’s team?”
“None of your business,” Kyran cut in. He held up a hand. “I hear something.”
We all silenced ourselves- even the bothersome Quincy. There was a dull growl in the background, and the clicking of insects- no- “Automata,” Rainie identified. “Temples of the Salamander have automaton.”
Machines given life through ancient magic. Not a huge problem.
The next hour was rather boring, and we continued in silence, fearing disturbing one of the more dangerous security automata. Sure, machines weren’t as dangerous as any live creatures- but still a threat nonetheless.
“Hold it!” Quincy shouted. We all stopped. He stepped ahead and knelt down, inspecting the step in front of me. He spoke something I couldn’t understand, and symbols appeared, and we heard the clicking of gears. “It’s a classic pitfall trap.”
I remembered Varaluz’s prisoners. The story about the place working against them. “Who,” Rainie posited, “built this place?”
“It is a Temple of the Salamander,” I reminded. “But those bones up there don’t match anything we have on record.”
Quincy ordered another stop, and chanted- and a wall beside us faded away, revealing a hallway. “Now that’s the temple.”
I noted the images and statues, “And I think I know who built this place.”
Satyrs. The statues were satyrs, half-man half-goat creatures spotted throughout mythology and ancient times. We knew them, life many other of the ancient kinds, to be extinct.
Long dead. But the statues of the Satyrs here seemed different, more human than beast somehow. They lined the hall, facing away from us, bowing to a large statue of a salamander, an eternal flame still burning within its mouth.
“Look!” Kryan commanded, raising his gun. A machine, moving as if it were alive, appeared in the distance. “It looks just like those bones.”
No. It was made from the bones that had been dug up and the eight limbed thing came charging at us. Kyran fired, to no effect, before Quincy stepped out and clapped, uttering a single word.
The machinery grinded to a halt and collapsed; I was right- it had been made from the bones of the things above, strapped to gears and circuitry.
Whatever those things were, the worshippers below had clearly venerated them enough to create frankenstein-like beasts in their fashion. “Well that was… not at cool as I thought it’d be.” Kyran shrugged.
“And,” Rainie added, gesturing to the statue, “looks like that’s a sort of artifact we’ll want to secure.” In the mouth of the Salamander statue, was the flame- and as I studied it- I realized it was a book that was burning.
Quincy put the flames out and handed the warm pages to me. This was powerful alright. I reached into the ether and felt that it contained great animosity, malevolence- something insane.
“Now,” Quincy murmured, “I don’t want to alarm you, but-” the walls started to creak, and they began to slowly move downwards, threatening to crush us, “we are at risk of immediate death.”
We ran out of the temple and back on the stairs, which were now starting to shake, and crumble. Quincy quick-casted some spell, and we ran, tugging on the rope.
Varaluz, despite my opinions towards him, was skilled, effective, and he activated the machine pulling us in, just as the steps collapsed. The rope hung in midair, slowly drifting upwards.
By the end of the hour we were out. I gave Varaluz the details. The mass grave had completely been excavated, and all the skeletons sent to facility deep within the clutches of the Company.
More research would be done by a secondary team, but the immediate danger was neutralized. The automata, traps, and all had been disabled by Quincy, and the temple, according to a scan, had largely collapsed.
But there was something underneath it- a second temple that mirrored the concentric squares of the graves, ready to be excavated and revealed. And according to an initial scan- there were life signs inside.
That, I assume, was where the real treasures were hiding.
But that isn’t my business. The initial first contact was made, the fears within stabilized. My job there was done; another day was complete. The unexplained was eliminated, and I was ready to move on another excursion.
The world is filled with places like these. And I’m just one of many who work to keep these hidden away. We keep the public safe. It’s what we do.

https://preview.redd.it/kbmp5q10nn3b1.png?width=833&format=png&auto=webp&s=dfdae4a5a65c1b4b29cf667df9acdd269963d8ab
Todays news:

American Lithium Arranges $7,160,000 Strategic Investment in Surge Battery Metals

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https://preview.redd.it/u1y6sq62on3b1.png?width=1382&format=png&auto=webp&s=9f0a442e44da33ea3d46b66e26c6d2521b7aa3c9

Two of the best lithium clay intersections on the planet from NILI's first phase drilling program... American Lithium knows a winner.

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https://preview.redd.it/d577y05smn3b1.png?width=2220&format=png&auto=webp&s=7b70602b67613f93655228d12d91246678a0dbc7
American Lithium taking a sizable equity position in their Nevada neighbour is strong testament to the potential of Surge's upcoming drill program and the continued execution from management to secure such a valuable participant that knows how to build a significant Lithium project in Nevada.
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Andrew Bowering, Chairman of the Company commented, “we are pleased to make this strategic investment with Surge to support the further development of their Nevada North Lithium claystone Project. In addition to this funding support, our seven years exploring and developing claystones in Nevada will provide Surge with valuable experience in exploration, process and metallurgical study, permitting and general operational matters in the region.”
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*Posted on behalf of Surge Battery Metals

Welcome to the "How do I get into data analysis?" megathread

June 2023 Edition. (We take pride in our work!)
Rather than have 100s of separate posts, each asking for individual help and advice, please post your questions. This thread is for questions asking for individualized career advice:

• “How do I get into data analysis?” as a job or career.
• “What courses should I take?”
• “What certification, course, or training program will help me get a job?”
• “How can I improve my resume?”
• “Can someone review my portfolio / project / GitHub?”
• “Can my degree in …….. get me a job in data analysis?”
• “What questions will they ask in an interview?”

Even if you are new here, you too can offer suggestions. So if you are posting for the first time, look at other participants’ questions and try to answer them. It often helps re-frame your own situation by thinking about problems where you are not a central figure in the situation.
For full details and background, please see the announcement on February 1, 2023.

Past threads

• This is megathread #5.
• Megathread #1 (February 2023): See past questions and answers.
• Megathread #2 (March 2023): See past questions and answers.
• Megathread #3 (April 2023): See past questions and answers.
• Megathread #4 (May 2023): You can still visit and comment here! See past questions and answers.

Useful Resources

• Check out u/milwted’s excellent post, Want to become an analyst? Start here.
• A Wiki and/or FAQ for the subreddit is currently being planned. Please reach out to us via modmail if you’re willing and able to help.

What this doesn't cover

This doesn’t exclude you from making a detailed post about how you got a job doing data analysis. It’s great to have examples of how people have achieved success in the field.
It also does not prevent you from creating a post to share your data and visualization projects. Showing off a project in its final stages is permitted and encouraged.
Need further clarification? Have an idea? Send a message to the team via modmail.

I heard that you can take your Drivers Knowledge Test online. People who have used this method, how was it like? I assume that the Webcam and Microphone has to be on to prevent cheating. After you pass, will they mail you your Permit License? Afterwards, do you need to give them your current ID / unexpired Permit in exchange?

Hello! I'm moving to the Bay area in August from Norway, but because of the visa I have to wait several months before I get my work permit, and I don't know when I'll get it. However, if I get a job offer while waiting for the permit, I might be able to expedite it.
I have 5+ years of DS/DA experience as well as a few months as a DS manager. I've heard that in the US (and especially these days, I assume), you need to be able to start a new job within a couple of weeks of getting an offer, making it pointless to start applying for jobs until I get my permit. Is that correct, or would it still be valuable to apply while my work permit is pending?

I just got my jig and frame in the mail (came in 2 days ago but I just got home) and I opened it and I was impressed. I pick up the jig with my frame inside of it and I began to inspect it. Toward the rear top I noticed it looked higher than the rest. It’s warped. Not severely but still very noticeable. My concern is that this will mess with drilling the holes. My idea is just use a clamp/vice. But my dad suggested a heat gun but I don’t know. This is my first build and I don’t want to fuck it up.

Hello Reddit hope everyone is well. As I’m sure you know (depending on your time zone) it’s Friday night and I’m staying in and just looking for people to talk to!
Here’s a little bit of information about me! I love to travel and I have visited over 10 counties in the past year or two. I love to go the gym and work out and swim. I’m a massive music fan and have a broad taste and it changes day to day. I love to watch movies my favourites mainly being tarintino (simple but great). I like to go to festivals and music events and go out with friends.
So if anyone is just a little bored or looking to get to know someone new then hit me up! We can talk on anything and even voice call or something like that. Have a good day!

Hello Reddit hope everyone is well. As I’m sure you know (depending on your time zone) it’s Friday night and I’m staying in and just looking for people to talk to!
Here’s a little bit of information about me! I love to travel and I have visited over 10 counties in the past year or two. I love to go the gym and work out and swim. I’m a massive music fan and have a broad taste and it changes day to day. I love to watch movies my favourites mainly being tarintino (simple but great). I like to go to festivals and music events and go out with friends.
So if anyone is just a little bored or looking to get to know someone new then hit me up! We can talk on anything and even voice call or something like that. Have a good day!

I'm confused how substitutes in California are allowed to cover for one teacher for months at a time, when the permit limits the sub to 30 days per teacher. Are the subs taking these jobs former teachers, and therefore allowed to take longer jobs? Are there exceptions to the day limit rule if the district fills out some kind of paperwork?