What is the main difference between monatomic and polyatomic ions?

Precision is the difference between a butcher and a surgeon.

2016.11.17 20:10 benetonr Precision is the difference between a butcher and a surgeon.

Welcome to /CamilleMains! This subreddit is dedicated to Camille, the Steel Shadow, a champion from League of Legends.
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2019.08.14 09:20 CaLaHa717 LiminalSpace

"A liminal space is the time between the 'what was' and the 'next.' It is a place of transition, waiting, and not knowing. Liminal space is where all transformation takes place, if we learn to wait and let it form us."
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2009.06.13 02:15 sharedidea Pilates

Welcome to the Pilates community of Reddit! ⭐️ Everybody is welcome! See the Pilates Wiki for info.
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2024.05.29 04:54 tempmailgenerator Understanding C#: 'String' vs. 'string'

Exploring C# Type System Nuances

In the world of C#, types play a pivotal role in defining the structure and behavior of data. Among these types, the distinction between 'String' and 'string' often becomes a topic of subtle yet significant discussion. This difference, while appearing minimal at first glance, underpins deeper insights into the language's type system and its interplay with .NET framework. The exploration of these two identifiers is not just about syntax but touches upon the foundational aspects of C# programming, including type safety, code readability, and the underlying system types.
The intricacies of 'String' and 'string' in C# serve as a gateway to understanding the language's handling of primitive types versus reference types. This distinction also sheds light on the broader theme of how C# maintains compatibility with .NET's Common Language Runtime (CLR), ensuring that the language is both powerful and flexible. By delving into this topic, developers can gain insights into the nuances of C# programming, leading to more robust and maintainable code. The following discussion aims to demystify the nuances between 'String' and 'string', providing clarity and enhancing the developer's toolkit for effective coding in C#.
Command Description
String (with uppercase S) Refers to the .NET Framework class System.String. It is a reference type that represents a sequence of characters.
string (with lowercase s) Is the C# keyword alias for System.String. It is compiled into System.String in IL, making it interchangeable with String.

Exploring the Nuances of String Handling in C

In the realm of C#, understanding the difference between String and string is pivotal for developers, especially when delving into the nuances of type handling and assignment. At its core, the distinction lies in the representation and usage within the C# programming language. The 'String' (with an uppercase 'S') refers to the .NET Framework class System.String. This class is a part of the system namespace which provides a plethora of methods for manipulating strings of characters. As a reference type, it is capable of representing null, indicating the absence of a string. On the other hand, 'string' (with a lowercase 's') is a keyword in C# that acts as an alias to System.String. This syntactic sugar is designed to simplify code writing, making it more readable and concise.
The interchangeable use of String and string might suggest a purely stylistic choice at first glance. However, the decision between them can have implications on code consistency and readability. The C# convention recommends using 'string' when referring to an object or a data type and 'String' when accessing static members of the System.String class. This distinction, while subtle, aligns with the broader C# coding guidelines that advocate for clarity and precision in code. Understanding these conventions is essential for writing clean, maintainable C# code that adheres to best practices and leverages the powerful features of the .NET Framework to manipulate and manage strings efficiently.

Understanding String vs. string in C

C# Code Example
using System; class Program { static void Main(string[] args) { String str1 = "Hello World!"; string str2 = "Hello World!"; if (str1 == str2) { Console.WriteLine("str1 and str2 are equal."); } else { Console.WriteLine("str1 and str2 are not equal."); } } }

Exploring String Types in C

In C#, the distinction between String (capital S) and string (lowercase s) might seem minor but carries significant implications for developers. Both String and string are used to represent text as a series of characters. However, their usage can reflect different programming practices and understandings of the language. String, with an uppercase 'S', refers to the .NET Framework class System.String. This class provides a range of methods for manipulating strings of text, such as comparing, searching, and formatting strings. When developers use String, they are directly invoking the capabilities of this class.
On the other hand, string (with a lowercase 's') is an alias in C# for System.String. Essentially, it is a shorthand provided by C# to make code more concise and readable. The compiler treats both String and string the same way, which means there is no performance difference between them. The choice between using String and string often comes down to coding standards and personal preference. Some developers prefer using String to make it explicitly clear that they are working with a .NET Framework class, while others opt for the lowercase string for its brevity and because it aligns with the lowercase types like int, bool, etc., that are intrinsic to C#.

Frequently Asked Questions on String vs. string in C

  1. Question: Is there any performance difference between String and string in C#?
  2. Answer: No, there is no performance difference between String and string. Both are compiled to System.String in the Intermediate Language (IL).
  3. Question: Can you use String methods with the lowercase string keyword?
  4. Answer: Yes, since string is an alias for System.String, all the methods available with the String class can be used with string as well.
  5. Question: Why would a developer choose String over string, or vice versa?
  6. Answer: The choice often depends on coding standards or personal preference. Some prefer String for its explicit reference to the .NET Framework class, while others choose string for its simplicity and consistency with other C# intrinsic types.
  7. Question: Is string a value type or a reference type in C#?
  8. Answer: In C#, string is a reference type, even though it often behaves like a value type because it is immutable.
  9. Question: How does C# handle the immutability of strings?
  10. Answer: Strings in C# are immutable, meaning once a string object is created, it cannot be changed. Any operations that appear to modify a string actually create a new string object.
  11. Question: Is it possible to initialize a string with a null value?
  12. Answer: Yes, strings can be initialized with a null value. However, performing operations on a null string will result in a NullReferenceException.
  13. Question: What is string interpolation in C#?
  14. Answer: String interpolation is a feature in C# that allows you to embed variable values directly within string literals, making it easier to format and concatenate strings.
  15. Question: Can string literals span multiple lines in C#?
  16. Answer: Yes, with the introduction of verbatim strings (denoted by @ before the string literal), you can create multi-line strings without needing to use escape characters for new lines.
  17. Question: How can you compare two strings for equality in C#?
  18. Answer: You can use the == operator for a simple equality check or the String.Equals method for more control over the comparison, such as case sensitivity and culture-specific comparisons.

Wrapping Up the String Discussion

The nuances between String and string in C# may appear subtle, yet they embody the depth and flexibility of the C# language. This examination underscores that while both represent sequences of characters, their usage is influenced by developer preference and context rather than technical distinction. String, as a .NET class, and string, as its C# alias, are interchangeable, offering the same performance and methods. The choice between them often boils down to readability, convention, and the intent to make code as clear as possible to other developers. Understanding these aspects is essential for writing effective C# code, as it not only affects how one interacts with strings but also reflects on broader coding practices. Embracing the dual nature of string representation in C# allows for a more nuanced approach to coding, where decisions are made with an understanding of both the language's syntax and its underlying framework. Ultimately, whether one prefers String or string, the key is consistent usage within a project to maintain code clarity and readability.
https://www.tempmail.us.com/en/c/understanding-c-string-vs-string
submitted by tempmailgenerator to MailDevNetwork [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 04:53 skeeredstiff The disappearing ghost town.

In 1982, I and six buddies went bear hunting in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We were staying at some cabins near Twin Lakes at the base of the Keweenaw Peninsula. When you hunt most critters you go out before dawn and sit until an hour or two after the sun comes up and late afternoon until dark. Most bigger game animals hunker down during daylight hours, so it doesn't pay to sit all day. This means you have a lot of time between hunts; this part of the UP has some remote areas; it is also where a lot of copper mining went on in the old days; the mines are all closed now and mostly full of water. There is a lot of big paper mill holdings there also that are still being logged so there are a lot of logging roads built by the paper mills, they are good enough roads for large double trailer logs truck filled with many tons of logs to travel on. One thng you learn quickly when you use these roads is to get the hell off the road when a truck is coming because they take up the whole raod and they don't even slow down for civilians becasue the mill owns the roads not the state or county and you are on their land, but as long as you don't get in the way they don't care. Most of the bridges across streams or rivers just constist of huge piles of large rocks with smaller gravel on top for for the road. These things look like dams but because of the large bottom rocks the water can flow through the "bridge" it's a pretty cool thing to see. We spent a lot of time driving on these logging roads exploring. On one particular day we went down a new road that lead to an actual state park at the bottom of Misery bay on Lake Superior. It's a park maintained by the state on paper mill property, there are several very rusitc camp sites at that park. We spent some time at the park and messing around on the beach. About noon we headed back down a different road, you see alot of small shacks that usually have smoke coming out of the chimneys, they are apparently used by the loggers. We eventually eneded up way out in the wilderness with no signs of logging or logging trucks, its usually like driving in a tunnel because the trees come together over the road. After a long while we came into a clear area and aronund a bend there was we came upon what we thought was a small town. The road basically went right down "main street" and as we drove through the the place it became apparent there were no people to be seen. We came to a building that was a kind of store so we stopped there. The "store" was completly empty, looking in the dusty windows you could see it had been empty for a long time. We walked around "main street" checking out the houses, a lot of them were in pretty good repair but they were completley deserted, dust on all the floors had been undisturbed for many years and ther were no signs of foot traffic anywhere. We eventually got back in the trucks and moved on we were all pretty intrigued by the town, we didn't go in any of the houses because it just looked like the owners might actually come back. The "main street" went up a pretty big hill, at the top of the hill was a large building that was obviously some kind of industrial use building covered in that old galvanized corrugated metal sheeting. We stopped that the building and found an openening in the siding. The inside of the building was wide open and it was very tall, like 30-40 feet tall inside with a lot of supporting steel work, everytihng was very rusty and obviously hadn't been touched in many years. There were large windows with no glass just open to the outside high up in the walls that allowed the sun to light it up pretty good inside. At the center of of the place there was a large hole in the floor like 15-20 feet square, we peered down into the opening and it was a deep dark hole somebody dropped a stone down the hole and it was a long time before you couls hear a faint spalsh of water so we dropped a stone and we had a couple of those old Casio watches with a stop watch function so we dropped a rock and timed it to the splash, it took almost exactly ten seconds. there were no guard rails or safety measures of any kind, it was really scary thinking about falling into that deep black hole. There was some old equipment left that looked to be like turn of the century type stuff, we assumed it was a closed copper mine.The whole time we were exploring we had two 35mm film cameras taking a lot of pictures, this was 30 years before cell phones and 35-40 before smart phones. After exploring the place for a while we decided it was time to get going because we only had a few hours before dark. After miles of running down those unmarked roads we eventually made it back to the cabins and we all went out to our hunting spots. After it got dark we all headed to the local bar where we usually went to get something to eat. One of the guys asked the the lady bartender if she knew anything about that shut down mine and abandoned town, she got kind of a funny look on her face and went toi the kitchen pass through window and said "hey Dave these guys went and visited Peterson, we all looked at each other like WTF is she talking about, the kitchen door opened up and the a the cook apparently called Dave came out dressed in typical bar cook clothes. Dave came over and said what did you see in Peterson; we said first of all we never saw a sign with a name on it but it was just an abandoned town with pretty decent looking buildings and a closed down copper mine up on the hill. Dave said yep that's Peterson some people see the signs going into town and some don't, the thing is there never was a Peterson it never existed. Whh......What the fuck are you talking about we were there, we looked into the buildings and dropped rocks down the empty mine shaft we took a lot of pictures. Dave said yep, you and a lots of other people but if you try to go back you won't find it. What? We know the road we took we can get back there, he said go ahead and try you won't find it. Dave asked did you by any chance drop a rock in the hole and time it to the bottom? Yes actually we did it took almost exactly ten seconds, Dave said yep I did too and I looked it up a falling rock or anything falls about four hundred feet in ten seconds he said Peterson is a real ghost town the whole place is a real ghost town, he said I was there and saw the same things years ago but I've tried many times to go back and I've never been able to find it, me and a lot of other people who live in this area and know it like the backs of our hands have seen it once and once only. Dave said go to Houghton Hancock and get your film developed and lets see the pictures. The next day we decided to take off from hunting and go up to town and get the film developed. Houghton Hancock is home to Michigan Tech so it's a college town with all the amenities it had a quick film developer place so we dropped the film off and went to see the sights, it's a really picturesque place. About an hour north east of HH is Copper harbor at the very top of Michigan were it ends into Lake Superior, it to is a really cool place. When we got back to HH we were dying to see the pictures so we went and got the film and tore open the envelopes. There were lots of pictures, beautiful pictures, but, not a single picture of "Peterson"..........Now just a goddamned minute this is not fucking possible a couple of the guys went back the film place and asked where are the other pictures that were on those rolls? There were no other pictures you have all the negatives we don't keep other peoples pictures we see thousands every month. There's a park in town and we stopped there and all sat at a table just kind of in shock, not saying much for quite a while. In 1982 I was 23 years old at 23 you think you know it all, when you are hit square in the face by something like that it shakes you to the core, everything you think you know is now suspect because you were in that abandoned town, it was just a cool old abandoned town, you saw it with your own eyes in the wide open sunny broad daylight, not on some dark foggy creepy night and nothing creepy happened, we took pictures that don't exist. That changed my life from that point forward. After that we went back to see Dave, gave him the stack of pictures, of the woods, the Big Mac bridge, Misery Bay, the park on the bay, logging trucks, the rock bridges, some of the shacks, one of which was just about two miles from "Peterson." Dave just kind of chuckled and said yep, that's our "Peterson" alright. For the next two days we totally forgot about hunting, we split up in two trucks and drove those roads over and over and over and never re-found "Peterson." That is my high strangeness story, we found a town that never existed, that other people have also see but only once. As I look back with what we are now hearing stories about, stuff like different timelines like this fucked up one we are in now compared to the real one we branched off from on January 20 2016. Is Peterson a place that is close to a spot where two different timelines come very close together? Is it possible that when all the conditons in the universe are just right and you happen to be in the right place when all those conditons are right you can visit Peterson? What would happen if you were in Peterson and the universal conditions changed? I wonder if we will ever find out? If you can only go there once how would it be studied? The mind warping question is who keeps track of who has been to Peterson only once and who hasn't?
submitted by skeeredstiff to HighStrangeness [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 04:51 ComunCoutinho Lancer Sakamoto Ryouma's Servant Profile from Fate/Grand Order Material XIV

True Name: Sakamoto Ryouma
Class: Lancer
Source: Historical fact
Region: Japan
Gender: Male
Alignment: True Neutral
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 72 kg
Character Creator: Keikenchi
Character Design: pako
Character Voice: Kase Yasuyuki & Horie Yui
Appearance in Main Works: Fate/Grand Order
Strength: B Endurance: C Agility: B+
Magic: C Luck: A- Noble Phantasm: EX

Class Skills

Magic Resistance: C+
When Super Oryou gets serious, Oryou's hide prove quite the magical barrier, Ryouma!
Riding: EX
A special Riding Skill given to Ryouma for crossing the Bakumatsu period Japan riding the dragon that is the changing eras. It's a Skill exclusive for riding Oryou, existing separately from other Riding variants.

Personal Skills

Dragon of the Restoration: A
The man called a mystical dragon in a human body. His fleeting life briming of pride, crossing the Bakumatsu period Japan riding the dragon that is the changing eras solely for the sake of the people, was like a soaring dragon.
White Serpent of Takachiho: A-
The serpent who failed to become a dragon. The serpent, initially a black abomination held in contempt, aimed for the heavens in attempt to become a dragon, but ultimately, the serpent couldn't manage it.
Amanosakahoko (Pair): B
The pike of light fallen handle-first from heaven. The spear of the heavenly gods, which sewn together heaven and earth to seal the black abomination. Originally a single polearm, but taking the form of pair when weilded by the hero and the serpent.
The pike of light fallen handle-first from heaven is both a blessing and a curse.

Noble Phantasm

Ryuu yo, Wadatsumi no Hara wo Yuke (My dear, venture through the vast oceans)
Rank: EX Type: Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
Range: 2-70 Max. Targets: 700 persons
By offering the Amanosakahoko that Ryouma pointed at the heavens, the black serpent sheds her skin and grows wings, becoming a white serpent of such beauty that she could be mistaken for a divine dragon.
Clad in radiant-white arcanity from the Age of Gods, the White Serpent of Takachiho exerts tremendous power. This form possesses physical abilities beyond comprehension and can deploy a sturdy physical barrier, preventing any mediocre attack from hurting her, potentially making her the god of the new era.
Instead of becoming a dragon and soaring the skies, she chose to be the serpent travelling the sea with the hero.
Pronouns (Ryouma)
  • First person: Boku/washi (in Tosa Dialect Mode)
  • Second person: Kimi/oman (in Tosa Dialect Mode)
  • Third person: Kare/kanojo
  • Master: Master
Pronouns (Oryou-san)
  • First person: Oryou-san
  • Second person: Omae/name without honorifics
  • Third person: Koitsu/are
  • Master: Ningen/omae

Personality

Pretty much the same as a Rider. Oryou hasn't changed either.

Motives and attitude toward the Master

He wishes for his relationship with his Master to be like that between two friends from the same town. Oryou is relatively fond of them and doesn't mind helping out every now and then.

Dialogue examples

  • Ryouma: "Let's get washing them all away, then." Oryou: "I'll scrub them hard."
  • Oryou: "Yaaay. Oryou-san turbo peace."
  • Ryouma: "Oh? Time for the Kaientai to go all out?" Oryou: "Right... Ryuu yo, Wadatsumi no Hara wo Yuke"
  • Oryou: "Done. Time for Oryou's victory peace. You do it too, Ryouma." Ryouma: "L-like this?" Ryouma & Oryou: "Yaaay!"
  • Oryou: "I am the White Serpent of Takachiho. For thy offerings, some frogs would be welcomed." Ryouma: "Hahaha, you can't keep a solemn face either, Oryou."
  • Oryou: "Fine, I can let Izou ride the tip of my tail." Ryouma: "Make sure not to drop him."
  • Oryou: "Now that you're a Lancer with no divinity, we can kick that Archer's butt. Good job, Ryouma. We're having frogs for dinner tonight." Ryouma: "I wish it were that easy."

Historical character and figure

A loyalist living through Japan's Bakumatsu. Born from a country samurai family in Tosa, he deserted his fief, studied under Katsu Kaishu, founded the Kameyama Shachuu (which would later become the Kaientai), intermediated the Satsuma-Choushuu Alliance, and devoted himself to the restoration of imperial rule, overall contributing a lot to the Meiji Restoration. However, his ideals fell to assailant's blade, thus he never got to see the age of Meiji.

Character in Fate/Grand Order

An aloof man on his mid-20s appearance-wise. He may be a master of the Hokushin Ittouryuu, but he’s actually a kindhearted guy who dislikes conflict to his very core. Instead, the mysterious belle by his side will take the lead.
His default Class is Rider, but circumstances lead to this manifestation of him as a Lancer.
This form, in possessing of the Amanosakahoko and one of the Three Knight Classes of the Holy Grail War, is a what-if possibility that Sakamoto Ryouma could have attained, and a Servant powerful enough to uphold the reputation of Hero of the Restoration.
If Sakamoto Ryouma is summoned as Heroic Spirit, he's restricted to only getting either the polearm or the serpent as a Noble Phantasm. That goes to show how much of miracle it is that he is capable of using both.
He is a master of the Hokushin Ittouryuu and his swordsmanship is a force to be reckoned with, but the course he practiced was for the naginata, so the Lancer class is where he can best put his prowess to work. In addition, Super Oryou is bursting with power. Together, they're an invincible Kaientai.

Regular weapons

  • Ryouma: Amanosakahoko (because he snapped it in two, he has the ability to split it into two spears). Super Ryouma Gun (can switch into Sniper Mode). "And dontcha forget mah Mutsu-no-Kami Yoshiyuki1".
  • Oryou: Hyper Power-Up Oryou Martial Arts and easily spammable beams of something unknown.

Related characters

Okada Izou
His best friend in their town. He wanted to stay best friends but their relationship never recovered from their split. After an incident where he got punched, they managed to return to their nostalgic ways.
Takechi Hanpeita
Former fellows who split off due to ideological differences. Takechi holds Ryouma in such regard that he believes Ryouma's presence would have spared the Tosa Imperialist Party from its failures. After an incident where they got punched, they managed to return to their previous ways.
Tanaka Shinbei
Takechi's right-hand man. In life, Shinbei kept Ryouma away from Takechi. He was probably annoyed at the faith Takechi had in Ryouma.
Nakaoka Shintarou
"It wounds me to disagree with Nakaoka in a discussion. Nonetheless, if I can't discuss with him, there is no one else worth discussing with."2
While Ryouma was frequently suspected, he was trusted by everyone. He and Ryouma compensated for what the other lacked.
Takasugi Shinsaku
They share mutual respect, with Ryouma acknowledging Takasugi as The Unicorn Prodigy and Takasugi acknowledging Ryouma as the Dragon Soaring the Skies. They also envy each other, believing one has what the other lacks.
Voyager
Ryouma can't hide his excitement about a rocket that can fly to space. Oryou gets competitive and begins an irregular training regime to fly to space.

Comments from the illustrator

Have a nice triiiiiiiip!!! Feels great to see those two having fun. I can hope they don't break any property or any debt-ridden alcoholic anywhere they go, but I know that's not a realistic expectation. (pako)

Translation notes

1) Sakamoto Ryouma's favorite katana. The same he uses in his Rider version.
2) Historical from the real Sakamoto Ryouma.
submitted by ComunCoutinho to grandorder [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 04:50 conrayray Player are nothing like the Sub

Just hosted a Bots Level 7 operation at level 28, and the three lads that joined were tremendous. They were super friendly, focused on the objectives, and very communicative. Enjoyed my time with them so much that I sent friend requests to each of them - first time since I began playing that I've done so.
I haven't been playing a ton of HD2, but have been lurking around a bit on the main sub. The difference between online personalities and in-game players can be very stark. Not to say they're aren't great people on Reddit, or that there's no bad players in-game, but the experience was completely refreshing and made me extremely happy that there's a great game and playerbase to enjoy.
Big thanks to all you positive players, discord and reddit users, and everyone in between. This is what Managed Democracy is meant to look like!
submitted by conrayray to Helldivers [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 04:49 ezabil_234 Samsung 970 EVO Plus vs Samsung 980

Hey everyone,
I'm looking to upgrade my computer's storage and I'm stuck between two options: the Samsung 970 EVO Plus and the Samsung 980. I'm pretty new to all this, so I'm hoping to get some advice from the community.
First off, can anyone tell me the main differences between these two SSDs? I've heard that they're both from Samsung, but I'm not sure which one would be the better choice for me.
I've read some good things about the 970 EVO Plus, but then I saw that the 980 is newer. Does that mean it's automatically better, or are there other factors I should consider?
Also, I'm not really sure what the technical specs mean. I've seen terms like NVMe and PCIe, but I'm not sure how they affect performance. Can someone explain it to me in simple terms?
If anyone has any experience using either of these SSDs, I would love to hear about it. Did you notice a big difference in speed or reliability between the two? And is there anything else I should know before making my decision?
I just want to make sure I'm getting the best SSD for my needs, so any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
submitted by ezabil_234 to PC_Parts [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 04:36 lavalj91 My girlfriend's parents are asking us for money to help them financially

Sorry for the title that does not say much about the whole situation, but here it goes... (tl;dr at the end)
My girlfriend and I purchased her parents’ home in the city two and a half year ago. They sold us the house at a favorable price for $440K (say, 25% below market value) for two main reasons.
First of all, they were going into (semi-)retirement in their early-mid 50s, and their dream was to go live the rest of their lives up north in their chalet. They wanted peace of mind and did not want to rent the house or have anything to do with it anymore. It was assumed that they (or at least one of them) would still be working, albeit much less stressful (and lower paying) jobs.
Secondly, at the time, my girlfriend and I had relatively modest salaries and we lived in a small apartment basically throwing money out of the window, and they wanted to give us a chance to own our first home, for which we are very thankful for.
However, because we both had below average salaries, the banks would not grant us a mortgage as high as we needed to purchase the house. Therefore, we discussed this with her parents, and we verbally agreed that we would get a mortgage as high as we could ($360K), and we would have to pay off the difference of $80K over time to them without any pre-established deadline, and we wouldn’t have to pay anything on the short term.
Eventually, after a year in the house, we all discussed this again, and agreed that we would be comfortable “reimbursing” them $800 a month.
This was going well for a year, but then they started running into money troubles… I don't believe it was related to any specific event, they just realized over time that their savings were running out much faster than expected, and my girlfriend’s father was the only one with an income during those two and a half years, and that’s with an erratic schedule… so he asked us to help him financially without telling his wife.
At first, he asked us if we could give him $5K while he was waiting for the busy season at his job to start, which we agreed to do. Then a month and a half later, he asked us again for an additional $5K because the season was not as busy as he expected, and we also accepted… and then two months later (yesterday…), he asked us for $4K because he had to go to the vet urgently for one of his cats who had to have surgery to save her life… it was agreed that the amounts we pay him will go against our debt.
But now, I am a bit lost on what to do…
On one hand, during those two and a half year, my partner and I are at a much better place financially, as we both almost doubled our salaries. We also have a good amount leftover at the end of each month, but not enough to continue paying him an additional several thousand dollars like this every 2 months…
On the other hand, this is still money we owe them and we intend to honor the repayment over time... We never signed anything on that $80K, no established deadline, etc. They also have many expensive “toys”, like a pontoon and another boat, snowmobiles, four wheelers, etc. most of them being fairly recent, and costing them quite a bit of money on insurance, maintenance, etc.
We could technically ask for a loan at the bank for the $60K that is currently remaining and give it to him, but… we got our mortgage at a bit under 2% interest rate, and with today’s rates I suppose it would be between 6.5% to 12%... at best, that would mean paying 2x that amount over the course of 25 years…
Also, while I do not know the exact amount they have, I believe they have money in their RRSP but they refuse to take it out, as their “real” retirement is in 7-8 years… Then again, his wife does not know anything about this precarious situation to this day. I believe he’s too proud to tell her that they have financial problems.
tl;dr : my girlfriend and I currently owe her parents $60K without any pre-established deadline following a verbal agreement when we purchased their house (we also have a mortgage). We agreed to pay them $800 a month, but my girlfriend's father asked us twice for an additional unexpected $5Ks since the beginning of the year, which we paid him... His wife doesn't know anything about these additional unexpected amounts and their precarious financial situation, and I am unsure how to proceed as he now asks us to pay him another $4K, which is hard financially on us...
submitted by lavalj91 to PersonalFinanceCanada [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 04:29 Krixwell Homebrew Outsider: Mannequin

"I want to pick *points* this player and *points* that pl— oh wait, that's just a mannequin in similar clothes."
Mannequin (Outsider): Once per night, when a player chooses a player, they might register as choosing you instead, if legal. You then learn the real chosen player.
The Mannequin quietly takes the place of one player in up to one choice each night.

Jinx

I don't know why you'd do this as an ST, but the Butler ability doesn't work unless the Butler knows who they're choosing and why, so it needs a jinx.

Examples

The Monk chooses to protect the Fortune Teller. The Mannequin is protected instead, and learns the Fortune Teller's name.
The Fortune Teller chooses the Imp and the Soldier. The Fortune Teller receives a no. The Mannequin wakes to learn the Imp's name.
If the picker chooses multiple players, the Mannequin only replaces one of them, and only learn the one they replaced.
The Vigormortis chooses to kill the Sage. The Mannequin dies instead, and does not learn the Sage's name.
The second part of the ability never resolves because the Mannequin lost the ability partway through.
The Alchemist Poisoner chooses to poison the No Dashii. The Mannequin is poisoned instead, and may or may not learn a player's name.
This poison does not undo the "choice" of the Mannequin instead of the No Dashii. The poison does however come into effect before the Mannequin would be told who was really picked, so they may learn the wrong player or nothing at all.
The Alchemist Devil's Advocate chooses the Poppy Grower. The Mannequin is protected from execution. The next night, the Alchemist Devil's Advocate chooses themself. The Mannequin cannot replace this, because the ADA would have chosen them two nights in a row. (The ADA could also legally have chosen the Poppy Grower.)
"if legal" prevents the Mannequin from being "chosen" by a character that shouldn't be able to choose them tonight.
The Lunatic chooses to "attack" the Ravenkeeper. The Mannequin learns the Ravenkeeper's name. The Lleech learns that the Lunatic chose the Mannequin. The Lleech follows suit and kills the Mannequin.

Why does it learn?

Even working only once per night, this seems like it would be a rather destructive form of misregistry, likely enough that most players with this ability would self-nominate day 1.
But I also want getting rid of the Mannequin to be a valid option for the good team, for the same reason. Thus, no "even if dead".
So how do we keep it from being unfun to stay alive longer than necessary?
The information part of the ability is a carrot for the Mannequin. If the Mannequin can work out who was affected, it can be used to reverse engineer how and why the ability was used, and facilitate some amount of confirmation between the Mannequin and players whose abilities were redirected.
It also acts as a balancing measure against STs using the ability in certain overly punishing ways.
For example, imagine you're the Mannequin in the Fortune Teller example above, and you manage to connect with the Fortune Teller. Hmmm, kind of interesting that the Storyteller used the ability to redirect an FT's pick away from the Imp player, isn't it? That's arguably more suspicious than an FT yes on its own, considering the existence of the red herring mechanic and the ambiguity of which of the two players is giving off the yes. But only if the FT and the Mannequin are able to trust each other.
This also makes it potentially useful for ST's to occasionally use the Mannequin ability even when it wouldn't actually change the result, for evil players to bluff having picked the player the Mannequin is claiming to have learned, or for Minions to bluff being the Mannequin (wouldn't recommend it for Demons without a backup life).
In short, I think the Mannequin learning who they replaced is far more interesting for everyone involved, including the Mannequin themself. It gives the Mannequin something to do while alive and a chance to mitigate or even utilize the damage their ability does without necessarily sacrificing an execution and a good player's democratic powers.

Interactions

Townsfolk
Outsiders
Minions
Many Minion interactions are more likely to be relevant to an Alchemist than to the actual Minion, because this is an Outsider and should ideally be used to interfere with good more than evil. As such, I will treat the Minions below alignment-agnostically unless otherwise noted, with good ones probably being Alchemists.
Demons
Demons in general (with a couple exceptions) can have their kills redirected to the Mannequin. This is mostly useful if they were about to kill a landmine character.
Travelers
Most Travelers can't be affected by the Mannequin because they either don't make picks or pick in the daytime.
submitted by Krixwell to BloodOnTheClocktower [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 04:17 kklusional [PF] How is this paradigm?

Rate this paradigm out of ten!
https://www.tabroom.com/index/paradigm.mhtml?judge_person_id=591261
PF
About the Judge
As far as experiance goes, I am ranked 29 in my country, China. I do realize that people hold back when they see I am chinese, however, do not let the fact disturb you in dropping any contentions.
Spks evaluation
Team Spks (What you do affects you and ptn)
Dont violate rule 1: 15 spks
Solid constructive: 3 spks
Solid Rebuttal: 3 spks
Solid Summary: 2 spks
Solid FF: 2 spks
Basically, the minimun spks you can get is 25.
Individual
good delivery: 1.5 spks
error catching skills: 1.5 spks
speech organization: 1 spk
Basically, 29 spks if you are a good debater.
\Very hard to score a 30*
really good tech: 0.5
really good style: 0.5
Rules
\Important*
  1. I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY RACIAL TERMS AND PERSONAL ATTACKS. If that happens is a gaurenteed lose for you.
  2. Since the format is PF, evidence is always they most important. If your opps just have better evidence that is still standing, no amount of logic will turn that back. Thus, truth>tech. However, if you have a tech with evi supporting and attacking a weak evidence, I will consider it. If the tech is really good I will boost your spks up 0.5
  3. Style. If I like your style thats an additional 0.5 spks.
  4. Swearing. I understand it. Everyone swears. If you drop a swear in the appropriate setting, I dont mind at all. In contrary, I will emphasize some things to me. However, do not put a "I f**king said that" in front of everything. Some things lose their original emphasis if overused.
  5. If you have a DOPE/CRAZY/SUPER evidence make sure to point it out to me why it is such so, or it is just another peice of evidence.
Consturctive
Speak as concise and clearly as you can. You can go fast, but DO NOT MUMBLE RAP. Minus 1 on spks and I will not be asking for parts I miss because that is your issue.
Cross
Be nice. There is a difference between being aggressive (which im totally fine with im actually kinda aggressive) and being mean. Do not be mean.
I generally do not flow everything in flow, alot is not useful. However if there is any important clashes I will note it down.
*For online tournaments.
Please try to not shout. It blurs everything and makes it really really hard to hear. Thank you.
Rebuttals
Be organized. Dont be rebutting all over the place. I understand you cant do much in a mere 4 minutes but get every important thing out. If you want you can even drop bullet points (stats mainly) to help you condense your speech. However, that means it would be harder for you to gain your tech skps boost. Not entirely impossible but cross and FF is hard to evalute on.
Summary
Make sure to CONDENSE. BE FOCUSED. I will be very hard keeping up with a spread. Obviously if your spread is there because your opp didnt address it, understandable. You guys know the format but clash analysis, evi weighing are important parts of it. DO NOT ADD ADDITIONAL INFO. IF YOU DO I WILL NOT RECORD IT.
FF
TELL ME WHY YOU SHOULD WIN. Do you have larger numbers? Do you have more stable evidence? What on your side weight over? Over here its mainly evidence. DO NOT ADD ADDITIONAL INFO. IF YOU DO I WILL NOT RECORD IT.
submitted by kklusional to Debate [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 04:07 apehasreturned Booking the AEW World Title in 2024 - Part Two: The Master

Booking the AEW World Title in 2024 - Part Two: The Master
Part One Here!
We pick up following Blood and Guts, where AEW Champion Swerve Strickland led his team to victory over the Elite. It’s been an insanely brutal and bloody reign for Swerve so far, and with enemies and allies alike climbing the ladder towards a shot at the gold, he’s starting to grow slightly paranoid. With a second trip to Wembley approaching, the talk of the town is who’s going to win the Owen and go for AEW’s top title at Wembley - if Swerve even makes it there, the fans knowing that his wars of attrition are leaving him worse for wear with each passing defence.
Road to All In London
The lineup for the Owen is being narrowed down coming out of Blood and Guts, with MJF, Jay White, Bryan Danielson, Will Ospreay, Darby Allin, Hangman Page, Konosuke Takeshita and Katsuyori Shibata all in the running. With blockbuster match after blockbuster match being fought to determine the finalists for Calgary, we eventually come down to two: MJF and Will Ospreay, set on a collision course for the ages.
Swerve’s troubles don’t end there, though - after leaving the Mogul Embassy, his old allies smell blood in the water, and the EVPs are all too happy to make Strickland’s life more miserable by announcing a title match with Brian Cage for the Dynamite opener in Alberta’s largest city.
AEW World Title: Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Brian Cage
Cage gets a good showing in here, using his remarkable athleticism to nearly put the champion away early, but once Swerve gets rolling, it’s clear that there are levels to this game. The Machine goes for a Liger Bomb, Swerve reversing into a hurricanrana to leave him prone for a HOUSE CALL, FOLLOWED BY A SWERVE STOMP! ONE! TWO! THREE!
Swerve Strickland def. Brian Cage (11:51) to retain the AEW World Title
After the bout, Swerve’s handed his title, and he keeps it hugged tight to his chest as he grabs a microphone. He says everyone’s been working their asses off around him to try and take this from him, but the champion promises he’s not afraid. He welcomes the challenge, because there ain’t nobody like Swerve Strickland in SWERVE’S HOUSE. He says he’s looking forward to seeing who comes out on top in the main event, and heads off backstage to watch it with Prince Nana.
Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Final: MJF vs. Will Ospreay
This gets a lot of time, with no limit on a tournament final. Let them cook. MJF is in worse shape than Ospreay, having been flung straight into a tournament after a series of surgeries left him held together with duct tape, but Ospreay’s in a worse headspace, his typical unending confidence hampered by a few narrow wins en route to the final. However, it’s two spectacular in-ring talents, and they go ham in pursuit of victory, MJF wanting to headline Wembley for the second straight year and Ospreay looking to win the AEW World Title in a stadium in his home country. The back-and-forth gives way to MJF getting control, working the arm extensively to warm Ospreay up for the Salt of the Earth. However, an appearance by Adam Cole gives an unknowing Ospreay the opportunity to turn the tables with a handstand reversal to a Heatseeker, following it with a Hidden Blade for two. Ospreay considers working on the shoulder, MJF crying out in agony with each blow to the surgically repaired joint, and eventually, Will has him in perfect position for the Storm Driver 93. He knows MJF’s neck and shoulder are in such a state that this would be an automatic victory, but he hesitates just long enough for MJF to roll him up… ONE! TWO! THRE-KICKOUT! MJF grabs the arm to go for a Salt of the Earth, Ospreay rolling him back into a pin of his own, followed by another HIDDEN BLADE! STORMBREAKER! ONE! TWO! THREE! OSPREAY’S GOING TO WEMBLEY!
Will Ospreay def. MJF (31:02) to win the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament
Out comes Swerve, standing toe to toe with his challenger as confetti falls around them. Ospreay leans on his trophy, grabbing a microphone as it becomes rapidly apparent his confidence is back. He says that All In is on the horizon, and last time AEW was at Wembley Stadium, he won as an outsider… yet Swerve lost. Now, Ospreay’s in AEW full time, mowing through all the competition, and now it’s time that the Kingpin get a shot at the crown. Swerve chuckles before his smile turns into a sneer, growling under his breath that Ospreay will have to kill him to take the AEW Title away - and he’s seen that despite being called the Assassin, he can’t do that.
The next week on Dynamite, Ospreay and Swerve are scheduled for a face to face promo in the ring, the title match official for All In. It’s electric as they stand opposite one another in the squared circle, trading some quick verbal barbs that they both brush off before getting down to brass tacks, Swerve holding the microphone and beginning to speak.
“Will, you’re impressive, man. You can be as athletic as the day is long, but it’s not ‘heavy is the body that wears the crown,’ it’s ‘heavy is the head,’ and there ain’t nobody like me. This is a mental game, and you don’t have what it takes there. You blew yourself up and broke your own neck when you went for the IWGP Title. You were betrayed by the Don Callis Family and somehow didn’t see it coming. You were beaten on your home turf by your sworn enemy because you got in your own head. You had the win of a lifetime against Bryan, and then you felt so bad about it that you neutered your arsenal. You don’t have what it takes… in your head or in your guts. There’s only one head fit for this crown, and it’s mine.”
Ospreay scoffs, trying to keep his cool, but he doesn’t wait long before grabbing the microphone out of Swerve’s hand to an “oooh,” from the crowd.
“Ain’t nobody like you, bruv? How dare you talk down to me. How dare you condescend me, belittle me, you arrogant bastard? I came here to AEW and started taking heads, just like I did in Japan, and there were people there just like you. People who said ‘ah, he’s not got it in him to be the next big gaijin. He’ll never be the champion,’ and now there’s you, saying I don’t have what it takes because I don’t have the mentality. YOU don’t have the mentality to do what I do. To fly from the UK to here twice a week, to raise a family, to spend a whole career an ocean away from home, to wear the crown on your head that says you’re the greatest wrestler on Earth. Nobody’s done that but ME, and when that championship’s fastened around my waist, mate, it’s going to prove what everyone already knows - that Will Ospreay’s on another level, and Swerve Strickland… he’s punching up.”
Now it’s Strickland’s turn to try and keep a lid on his anger, stepping toe to toe with his challenger and holding the title inches from his face. He tells Ospreay to listen close, before saying that the years of hard work Ospreay put in everywhere but home aren’t gonna be enough to help. He’s gonna be in front of his family, he’s gonna be in front of his friends, he’s gonna be in front of his people, and he’s going to let them all down, because he’s an impressive athlete, but he’s not the guy. Finally, Ospreay snaps, throwing a SHORT HEADBUTT, AND NOW BOTH MEN ARE THROWING FISTS! IT’S UTTER BEDLAM! The bell starts ringing to try and encourage them to break it up, but neither man is stepping down now, furiously exchanging blows as security rushes to the ring to divide them. Swerve grabs the championship, hoisting it high as he spits venom at Ospreay, the challenger spewing a string of words that probably won’t make air. They keep trying to break free and take another swing, commentary asking what on Earth they’ll do when they’re finally let loose at Wembley Stadium, pride and the promotion’s top prize on the line.
Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Will Ospreay
All In London
Wembley Stadium is packed to the gills as All In goes on the air, and they’re fit to burst as the first theme they hear is that of the Commonwealth Kingpin. Justin Roberts announces that our opening match is for the AEW World Title, and Ospreay receives plenty of fanfare and fireworks as he makes his way to the ring, looking more motivated than ever. He’s clearly jonesing in the ring, eagerly awaiting Swerve’s arrival as his compatriots cheer him on… and then Chaka Khan hits. Strickland may be in enemy territory, but the crowd can't help but sing. Oozing charisma as he enters the squared circle, the AEW Champion seems more than ready to put the Assassin down, the electric crowd letting both men soak in the moment as the bell rings. HERE WE GO! SWERVE VS. OSPREAY, LIVE FROM WEMBLEY, AEW TITLE ON THE LINE!
AEW World Title: Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Will Ospreay
From the bell, Strickland and Ospreay are exchanging words as they gravitate towards one another, Ospreay calling for a lockup. They settle into a collar and elbow, Ospreay using his size to his advantage to try and muscle Swerve into the ropes, but Strickland reversing the momentum to cinch in a side headlock. Will still drives Swerve into the ropes, eventually breaking free and whipping Strickland across the ring, the champion building up speed as he ducks a clothesline attempt from the challenger and nails a Tijeras to send Ospreay flying. Ospreay’s quickly back up to his feet, Swerve attempting a slip behind for a German Suplex, but Will countering with a headlock takeover, kipping up and throwing a superkick that’s narrowly avoided by Swerve, who drops flat to his back, picking Ospreay’s leg and floating into a handstand to bring Ospreay down with a headscissors. Will kips up once more to break free, Swerve scrambling to stand up before OSPREAY THROWS A HIDDEN BLADE, SWERVE DIVING OUT OF THE WAY AT THE LAST MOMENT BEFORE CATASTROPHE! Strickland quickly pivots as Will looks to get to his feet, attempting a HOUSE CALL, BUT NOW IT’S OSPREAY’S TURN TO DODGE AS BOTH MEN END UP STANDING!
Gritting his teeth, Swerve goes for another lockup with Ospreay, this time quickly kicking him in the gut for a snapmare, cinching in a chinlock to talk some smack. The Aerial Assassin lands a few elbows to the body as he strives to get back to his feet, finally breaking free before being grounded again by a Tijeras from Swerve. Strickland grabs hold of his challenger again, Ospreay furiously backpedaling into the corner to avoid a lifting inverted DDT, only for Swerve to send him through the ropes for a HANGING NECKBREAKER! Ospreay rolls out to the apron instinctively, Swerve kicking out one of his legs and stepping through the middle rope to SLINGSHOT INTO A DDT ON THE APRON, BUT OSPREAY HANDSPRINGS STRAIGHT TO HIS FEET ON THE FLOOR! Strickland gets cocky, thinking he landed the shot, and turns around to see Ospreay charging at his legs. Swerve leaps up, still on the apron as Will overshoots, the champion pivoting for an APRON PUMP KICK, OSPREAY DUCKING IT AND LEAPING BACK ONTO THE APRON! SWERVE TURNS AROUND ONCE AGAIN… AND OSPREAY FLIES IN WITH AN APRON OSCUTTER! Tumbling to the floor, Swerve tries to get to his senses and figure out how he came out on the rough end of the sequence on the apron, but Ospreay gives him no time to think with a ROBINSON SPECIAL OFF THE APRON, STRAIGHT THROUGH THE BACK OF HIS HEAD! He props Swerve against the barricade, chopping him across the chest before scrambling to the top rope for a SKY TWISTER PRESS TO THE OUTSIDE - ONLY FOR SWERVE TO AVOID IT, NAILING OSPREAY WITH A GERMAN SUPLEX ONTO THE FLOOR!
With Ospreay stunned, Strickland slides back in to break the count, measuring his man before effortlessly delivering a FOSBURY FLOP OUT TO RINGSIDE, WIPING OUT THE CHALLENGER! Turning the tables on Ospreay, now it’s Swerve’s turn to lay in some chops against the barricade, only for Will to dump him over the barrier and into the crowd. He follows it up with a hook kick over the guardrail to stagger the champion, running the length of ringside and LAUNCHING HIMSELF STRAIGHT INTO A PUMP KICK FROM THE CHAMPION! Swerve hops up onto the barricade, grabbing hold of Ospreay in a front facelock before MUSCLING HIM UP AND OVER WITH A BRAINBUSTER, OFF OF THE BARRICADE AND RIGHT DOWN ONTO THE FLOOR AT RINGSIDE! He rushes to roll Will back between the ropes, hooking both legs… ONE! TWO! TH-NOOO! Swerve jumps to the middle rope to deliver a diving European Uppercut to the back of the head before Ospreay can quite get to his feet, following it up with a DISCUS LARIAT! The assault on the head is relentless, Swerve looking for a DDT before being driven into the ropes, Will trying to earn a momentary reprieve. Instead, Strickland pummels him with Muay Thai knees to the body, heaving him up for a LIGER BOMB! ONE! TWO! THRE-KICKOUT ONCE MORE! Swerve lets out a frustrated roar, deadlift Ospreay up to attempt another powerbomb, but Ospreay manages to drop to the apron for a gamengiri, followed by a PIP PIP CHEERIO! ONE! TWO! KICKOUT! Desperate to keep momentum on his side, Ospreay quickly delivers a rolling elbow, following it up with a SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX, BUT SWERVE RIGHT BACK UP TO HIS FEET, NAILING A GERMAN! He swivels around, only to see Ospreay landed on his feet, BOTH MEN THROWING HIGH KICKS BEFORE COLLAPSING TO THE CANVAS!
Wembley rallies behind Ospreay as both men struggle to get to their feet, barely stirring before the challenger begins pounding the mat, leaning back onto his hands for a kip-up before Swerve simply spins to punt him in the face and bring him back to the mat. Strickland rises to his feet, looking for the House Call, but OSPREAY HAS NONE OF IT, CATCHING THE LEG FOR A STYLES CLASH! ONE! TWO! THR-NOO! Following through, Ospreay attempts a Hidden Blade, Swerve ducking it before rushing towards his opponent and INTO A SPANISH FLY FOR A NEARFALL! Ospreay grabs the back of Swerve’s head, paying him back for the focused assault with a flurry of Kawada Kicks to the face, followed by an attempt at a delayed vertical suplex, Strickland floating over and landing on his feet. The champion runs the ropes, Ospreay stopping him in his tracks with a dropsault and an enziguri, continuously building momentum with a STUNDOG MILLIONAIRE TO FINALLY DROP SWERVE TO HIS BACK! Unleashing a war cry, Ospreay has a gleam in his eyes as he looks towards the top turnbuckle, dragging himself through the ropes to the apron before clambering up to the high rent district, turning his back to Swerve for another SKY TWISTER PRESS, SWERVE ONCE AGAIN ROLLING IN TOWARDS THE TURNBUCKLES… BUT OSPREAY ROLLS STRAIGHT THROUGH TO HIS FEET! Strickland flashes his grill to the camera in the corner with a smile, Ospreay looming behind him before BLASTING STRAIGHT THROUGH HIM WITH A HIDDEN BLADE! ONE! TWO! THRE-SWERVE POWERS OUT!
It’s been just over fifteen minutes of insanity as Ospreay smells blood in the water, knowing if he connects with a Stormbreaker, he can wrap this up. However, that certainty would only be cemented if he were to nail a Storm Driver 93, but he refuses to go to such lengths, hooking the arms… BUT SWERVE COUNTERS WITH A BACK BODY DROP, ONLY FOR OSPREAY TO LAND ON HIS FEET! HE BREAKS INTO A SPRINT, REBOUNDING OFF THE ROPES FOR A SPRINGBOARD OSCUTTER - STRAIGHT INTO A HOUSE CALL! SWERVE INTERCEPTED HIM! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOOO! Strickland can’t believe it, but he’s got Ospreay dead to rights, spinning him around into position for a Tombstone. Strickland looks to the hard cam, a smug sneer on his face as OSPREAY REVERSES WITH A SEGA MEGA DRIVER, SPIKING HIM DOWN ON HIS HEAD! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOOO! Ospreay is in disbelief, even a tribute to Mad Kurt not being enough to put Swerve down, but he’s staying on the ball as he hooks Swerve’s arms to go for a STORMBREAKER, ONLY FOR SWERVE TO FLOAT OVER FOR A LIFTING INVERTED DDT! Will’s rally wasn’t enough to get him out of trouble, and STRICKLAND FOLLOWS IT UP WITH A SECOND HOUSE CALL! SWERVE IMMEDIATELY ON THE ATTACK ONCE MORE, POSITIONING OSPREAY FOR A JML DRIVER… BUT WILL CLEARS HIS HEAD, COUNTERING WITH A POISON RANA! SWERVE UP TO HIS KNEES, BUT OSPREAY FOLLOWS IT WITH A SPRINGBOARD OSCUTTER! HIDDEN BLADE TO THE BASE OF THE SKULL, AND NOW… STORMBREAKER! ONE! TWO! THREE! WILL OSPREAY IS THE AEW WORLD CHAMPION!
Will Ospreay def. Swerve Strickland (20:10) to win the AEW World Title
Later in the night, Kazuchika Okada defeats Kenny Omega to win their fifth encounter, establishing himself firmly as the Number One Contender to the AEW World Title, giving the new champion only two weeks to prepare to face off with one of his greatest foes - a foe he’s only managed to beat cleanly once, while falling to the Rainmaker eight times.
Road to All Out
Ospreay gets to celebrate on Dynamite, cutting a promo saying he’s geared up to finally put this to bed. He says he’s glad he’s starting his title reign like this, because he’s certain he can beat Okada, and he’ll not have to worry about the spectre looming over him anymore. Every time there was a title on the line, every time the stakes were high, he failed against the Rainmaker - but the stakes were high at Wembley, and he won. He proved Swerve Strickland wrong, and now it’s time to prove Kazuchika Okada wrong. Out steps the Rainmaker, taking the EVP Elevator up onto the stage to say that Ospreay has already proven him wrong; he thought, years ago, that Ospreay was a talent worthy of being in Okada’s stable of CHAOS, and Ospreay proved him wrong when he betrayed his leader, only for Okada to beat the brakes off him at the Tokyo Dome. Okada says that Ospreay should be all too familiar with Okada being the top champion, the Ace, and he plans to finally bring that vision to AEW by restoring the world to its natural order and beating the Aerial Assassin for a ninth time. The Rainmaker’s ego is peaking, having avenged his loss to Kenny Omega just a few days prior, and he says that Omega’s a taller mountain to climb than Ospreay. However, he says he’s sure there’ll be room in the Elite’s ranks for Ospreay, should he come to his senses and want to fall back in line behind the Rainmaker. Ospreay declares that at All Out, he’ll prove to Okada and the world that he’s eclipsed the onetime Ace, while Okada insists that Omega was just the beginning - in just a few days, it’ll be time for the Rainmaker Era to start back up.
All Out
With All In having just occurred recently, All Out is a package deal with the Wembley show, ensuring a huge audience for what’s certain to be an all-timer main event between the Rainmaker and the Assassin. Both men want to walk out with the gold more than anything in the world, making an already personal rivalry all the more exciting as the coin drops for the last match of the night. Okada appears in a new robe, debuted two weeks prior at Wembley, and as he rises from the Elite Elevator, he’s looking more daunting than ever. There’s only one feud the man had ever lost, and he’d just avenged it against Kenny Omega - this is the most dangerous he’s ever been, and as Will Ospreay makes his way to the ring, Okada doesn’t even turn to face him. The champion is furious, but the challenger sees him as a formality standing between him and another epic World Title reign, refusing to even acknowledge him as they’re both introduced by Justin Roberts. They head to their respective corners, and THE BELL RINGS! IT’S OKADA AND OSPREAY, WORLD TITLE ON THE LINE!
AEW World Title: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
Both men are hesitant to open themselves up to a big counter in the early goings, especially given how well they know each other, so they try and psych each other out a different way - by waiting. The crowd greets them with a deafening reception as they slowly circle the centre of the ring, eventually meeting with a lockup that sees Okada immediately put his height to good use, bearing down on Ospreay with an attempt at a test of strength. He pushes Ospreay down to the mat, even getting his shoulders down for a moment, but the champion bridges up off the canvas. Okada jumps up and drives his legs down into Ospreay’s body, but Ospreay maintains the bridge with both men’s weight, Okada getting back up and shooting for a lateral press that gets a one count. Transitioning into a side headlock, Okada talks some smack, the Young Bucks supporting him at ringside while taunting the champion. However, Ospreay’s put on plenty of muscle mass over the years, making it all the easier for him to slowly make his way to his feet, twisting free and securing a side headlock of his own on the Rainmaker. Okada sends him into the ropes, Ospreay clinging to the top as Okada instinctively goes for a flapjack. Momentarily confused, Okada gives Will the opening to run in for a dropsault, attempting to follow it with an enziguri that’s ducked, Ospreay springing up… and into a flapjack, the inevitability of the Rainmaker’s plans coming to fruition putting the champion in a bad spot early.
Continuing with his somewhat lackadaisical pace, Okada keeps treating Ospreay like he’s not that big of a deal, shoving him into the corner for a double pat on the chest, followed by a stiff forearm across the jaw as the referee steps in. Ospreay lunges at him, Okada grabbing the arm for an Irish Whip into the opposite corner, rushing the champion with a big boot, but Ospreay SLINGSHOTS RIGHT OVER HIM, LANDING ON HIS FEET BEHIND THE RAINMAKER FOR A KICK TO THE HAMSTRING! Ospreay hones in with a swift roundhouse to Okada’s other leg, trying to take out his base, but Okada shrugs it off by catching the leg on a third kick attempt before driving his shoulder straight into the bridge of Ospreay’s nose, following it with a DDT that makes it look like Ospreay just died. The champion goes full scorpion, folding over himself like PAC as Okada grabs hold of the wrist to attempt an early Rainmaker. He gets Ospreay up to his feet, a smirk on his face as he winds him up, but Ospreay cuts through his grip with a sharp elbow before rolling Okada up with a victory roll reversal, straight into a DOUBLE STOMP TO THE GUT! Okada rolls right out of the ring and into the waiting arms of the Elite, Ospreay lining up to try and take him out with a dive before being halted by the Bucks, who leap into the way with their hands up. Ospreay shouts at them to move before going for it anyway, launching himself with a PESCADO, STRAIGHT INTO A BOOT TO THE STOMACH BY THE RAINMAKER! THE BUCKS GAVE HIM TIME TO RECOVER!
Taking advantage immediately, Okada sends Ospreay crashing into the barricade, Ospreay crying out before Okada sends him into the aisle on the crowd side of the barrier. He measures his man as he heads to the opposite end of ringside, the Bucks gassing him up as he takes a running start for a CROSSBODY OVER THE GUARDRAIL, LANDING ON HIS FEET AFTER TAKING OUT THE AERIAL ASSASSIN! Okada dusts himself off, his signature look of superiority clearer than ever as he drags Ospreay back to ringside, laying in a few boots to the body before spitefully laying in another DDT, this time on the floor. He breaks the count before continuing to pummel Ospreay at ringside, the Bucks taunting the champion with each consecutive shot he takes. Okada works over the champion’s neck, digging a knee into the back of it as he postures with his stablemates before securing a waistlock for a GERMAN SUPLEX ON THE FLOOR, BUT OSPREAY FLIPS OUT OF IT! He flings himself at Okada with a Hidden Blade attempt from behind, the seemingly omniscient Okada ducking at just the right moment before throwing a boot - but Ospreay’s just too quick, slipping under it and LAYING IN A HOOK KICK, FOLLOWED BY A BACK SUPLEX ON THE OUTSIDE TO THE RAINMAKER! Ospreay backs the Bucks away, threatening to put their faces through the back of their heads before sliding back into the ring and EFFORTLESSLY SOARING THROUGH THE AIR WITH A SKY TWISTER PRESS TO THE FLOOR! He sends Okada back between the ropes, following him with a PIP PIP CHEERIO, BUT OKADA CUTS HIM OFF AGAIN BY KICKING OUT THE ROPES! Ospreay is left hung up on the top, Okada turning him over for a DRAPING NECKBREAKER OFF THE TOP! ONE! TWO! THR-KICKOUT!
It’s been virtually all Okada thus far, and he continues to methodically wear Ospreay down with a targeted offensive on the neck of the AEW World Champion. Whenever Ospreay tries to get some momentum going, Okada’s able to reverse it, the style Ospreay honed in New Japan having paid dividends against plenty of other AEW talents, but not the man who defined the style for over a decade. Soon enough, Okada looks for the Rainmaker again, and Ospreay finds his opening by reversing it into a SPANISH FLY! ONE! TWO! KICKOUT! Ospreay looks like a bullet fired from a gun the second Okada’s constant pressure is taken off his shoulders, the champion bolting out to the apron to connect with a PIP PIP CHEERIO, NAILING IT BEFORE OKADA HAS TIME TO REALIZE WHAT HIT HIM! Okada tries to evacuate out the other side of the ring, but Ospreay’s having none of it, grabbing him by the trunks and pulling him back in for a SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX! ONE! TWO! TH-NOOO! Okada sits back up just in time for Ospreay to strike him with a standing round kick to the ear, filling the Rainmaker’s head with cobwebs before flattening him to the canvas with a superkick, finishing the sequence with a RUNNING SHOOTING STAR PRESS! ONE! TWO! THR-ANOTHER KICKOUT, BUT OSPREAY’S FINALLY GOTTEN CONTROL AWAY FROM THE CHALLENGER! With the Chicago crowd rallying behind him, Ospreay struggles to get to his feet, the twenty straight minutes of punishment taking a heavy toll on the champion. However, he’s certainly up before the stunned Okada, with the challenger still attempting to get his wits about him when Ospreay charges with a ROBINSON SPECIAL, STRAIGHT TO THE BASE OF THE SKULL! Okada gets to his feet on instinct alone, the Assassin positioning himself behind his prey and circling him before running the ropes for an OSCUTTER! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOO!
Ospreay unleashes some Kawada Kicks on the challenger, letting out his aggression before lighting him up with a flurry of chops, Okada attempting to stand on business and throw some of his own, only for Ospreay to obliterate him with a superkick. Okada is left leaning on the ropes, Ospreay beckoning him towards the centre of the ring before attempting a SHOTGUN DROPKICK, SENDING HIM STRAIGHT THROUGH TO THE APRON! With Okada prone, Ospreay looks for the OSCUTTER ON THE APRON, BUT OKADA CATCHES HIM IN A STRAITJACKET! He attempts a Straitjacket German Suplex on the apron, Ospreay avoiding catastrophe with a back headbutt to the bridge of the nose, followed by a stiff back elbow to send Okada tumbling to the floor. Ospreay vaults over the ropes to break the count, finding himself in the perfect spot for an old favourite as Okada gets to his feet at the base of the ramp. Measuring his man, Ospreay leaps into motion with a SASUKE SPECIAL, BUT OKADA CATCHES HIM! WHAT STRENGTH FROM THE RAINMAKER, AND NOW… OH MY GOD, A TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER ON THE FLOOR! Okada’s confidence is peaking, the Tombstone on the floor having been a hallmark of so many of his defining victories and none of his defeats. Knowing this, he rolls Ospreay straight back into the ring, the work on the neck having paid dividends as he immediately secures wrist control, hoisting Ospreay up into position for a RAIIIINMAKERRRRRR! HE GOT ALL OF IT! ONE! TWO! THRE-OSPREAY SOMEHOW LIFTS THE SHOULDER UP!
Frustrated, Okada hurls Ospreay’s lifeless corpse into the corner and simply starts stomping a mudhole in his face, grinding his boot into the champion’s features before the referee pulls him away. Okada bickers with the ref as the Bucks sneak up on each side of Ospreay, Will instinctively grabbing a hold of Matthew, who scrambles backwards. However, Will stays latched onto him, forming a fist around Matthew’s tie and being pulled through the ropes… ONLY FOR NICHOLAS TO SUPERKICK OSPREAY STRAIGHT INTO THE RING POST, SPARING HIS OLDER BROTHER! Blood begins to spill from the side of Ospreay’s head, dripping onto the ring post and ring skirt as it becomes clear he hit his head damn hard against the steel. Okada pushes past the referee and continues to beat Ospreay down, relishing each moment of offence as he sends the champion packing to the outside with a petulant boot to the side of the head. He rolls out to the floor, the Bucks handing him a bottle of water to cool himself off with after such a brutal match, and now Okada gets to admire the Elite’s handiwork as crimson teardrops start dotting ringside, a bloody mask obscuring Ospreay’s face. Okada keeps beating ass, commentary noting that this is now the longest we’ve seen these two duke it out for, nearly 40 minutes having elapsed. Excalibur notes Ospreay seems harder than ever to put down, but Okada’s showing the same sort of dominance he has in the past, with Schiavone sounding worried that it might just be a matter of time.
Looking to finally put an end to things, Okada starts raining closed fists on Ospreay’s head wound, hurling him into the timekeeper’s table. Eventually, he lays Ospreay out on it, clambering up with him before flipping off the camera and calling for another Tombstone. He flips Ospreay around… but Ospreay drops to the floor behind him, sweeping out Okada’s legs before nailing a CHEEKY NANDO’S AGAINST THE GUARDRAIL, LEAVING OKADA SPLAYED OUT ON THE TABLE! Ospreay scrambles towards the ring post, blood pouring down onto his chest as he makes the long climb up the turnbuckles for a FROG SPLASH THROUGH THE TABLE, AND THROUGH OKADA! The count was broken by him hitting the top rope, sparing both men the risk of being counted out as they lie their motionless. Chicago wills them to their feet, Ospreay sending Okada back into the ring before using the surge of energy and momentum to get the challenger up for a STORMBREAKER! HE GOT HIM! OSPREAY’S GONNA DO IT! Ospreay leaps atop Okada, grabbing the leg and leaning back into a deep cover, putting all his weight across the challenger’s shoulders… ONE! TWO! THRE-OKADA’S FOOT IS HOVERING OVER THE BOTTOM ROPE, OSPREAY TOO ENTHUSIASTIC WITH HIS PIN! The Bucks look like they’re about to have panic attacks as an exasperated, mentally battered Ospreay fights back tears, a fraction of an inch away from redemption. However, he knows he’s got control, so all he has to do is take this one home.
Both men are in deep waters now, and with both being renowned for their gas tanks, it’s clearly come down to a war of attrition, both men knowing that it’ll all come down to landing the one big move that’ll keep one of them down. They’ve both sustained plenty of damage, but as Ospreay staggers over to the downed Okada, he gets this look in his eyes - the look of a man who has the chance to do the funniest thing ever against a man he resents oh so much. Ospreay grabs Okada’s wrist, the crowd letting out an “oooh” as it becomes clear he’s going for his own parody of the Rainmaker, traditionally a ripcord Spanish Fly. Okada is on dream street as Ospreay positions him, pulling the wrist to whip Okada around… but the Rainmaker is still wise to Ospreay’s moveset, keeping an arm near his side to stop Ospreay from latching on for a Spanish Fly. However, he wasn’t wise enough, Ospreay digging into Kenny Omega’s toolkit with a RAIN TRIGGER, BLINDSIDING OKADA WITH A HUGE HIT HE DIDN’T SEE COMING! Okada falls into the ropes, trying to keep himself upright by keeping a firm grip on the top rope, only to be uprooted by a POISON RANA, OSPREAY SPIKING THE CHALLENGER RIGHT ON HIS HEAD! He stumbles to the corner, Okada looking to find his footing as he gets to his knees… AND EATS A HIDDEN BLADE STRAIGHT TO THE FACE, OSPREAY MOWING STRAIGHT THROUGH HIS CHALLENGER! ONE! TWO! THRE-OKADA GETS THE SHOULDER UP, AND THE GRUELLING BOUT CONTINUES!
Justin Roberts is starting to sound pretty nervous as he makes the 50 minute time call, informing both competitors that there’s only ten minutes left in their longest bout against one another to date. Ospreay crawls towards the ropes, driven by pure determination as he peels off his elbow pad, winding up for the Hidden Blade of a lifetime as Okada slowly starts to stir. Both men have taken each other’s biggest shots, but Okada’s in the champion’s sights now, Ospreay waiting until he’s in the perfect position before CHARGING AT FULL TILT INTO A DROPKICK FROM OKADA! Somehow, Okada’s still got pristine form this late into the match, but there’s no time to linger on his magnificence as he rises to his feet, dazed and confused, in desperate need of a dagger against Ospreay. He leans over to hook Ospreay’s wrist, calling for a second Rainmaker, and now he ripcords him in, ONLY FOR OSPREAY TO BLAST HIM WITH A HIDDEN BLADE TO THE FACE ONCE AGAIN ON THE REBOUND! Okada somehow keeps hold of Ospreay’s wrist, tumbling into the ropes and dragging the champion with him, gritting his teeth and letting out a primal roar before CLOBBERING OSPREAY WITH A SHORT ARM LARIAT, BRINGING THEM BOTH DOWN TO THE MAT! Ospreay gets the slightly better landing tactically, turned completely inside out and managing to drape an arm over… ONE! TWO! THRE-NOO! Okada’s kickout flips Ospreay onto his back, the Rainmaker now making an exhausted pinfall attempt… ONE! TWO! THRE-KICKOUT! WHAT’S IT GOING TO TAKE FOR ONE OF THESE MEN TO STAY DOWN?
Puddles of Ospreay’s blood stain the canvas as both men lie there, the unimaginable exhaustion washing over both of them as they fight to be the first man to a vertical base. Commentary discusses the importance of securing the upper hand at this moment, and somehow, it’s Ospreay who’s up first, although only by a matter of seconds. Okada decks him with a forearm, the Rainmaker doubled over trying to catch his breath, but Ospreay clocks him with one of his own, followed by a ROLLING ELBOW TO DROP OKADA TO A KNEE! Ospreay ponders a moment, considering going for a Storm Driver 93, and as Justin Roberts says there’s five minutes remaining, he goes for it. He hooks Okada’s arms in a butterfly, muscling him up off his feet… but Okada drops down to his knees, Ospreay too exhausted to lift 250 pounds into position if that 250 pounds is still fighting back. The champion knees Okada in the face before going for it again, but this time, Okada shifts his weight back and SWINGS OSPREAY OVER HIS OWN SHOULDER FOR AN AIR RAID CRASH NECKBREAKER! Ospreay goes down like a sack of potatoes, clutching the back of his neck in pure agony, unable to function properly as Okada scrapes him off the canvas and positions him for an EMPHATIC COBRA FLOWSION, DRIVING OSPREAY’S NECK INTO THE MAT ONCE AGAIN WITH A RESOUNDING THUD! The challenger rises to his feet behind his foe… AND SPREADS HIS ARMS, THE CAMERA ZOOMING OUT TO ENCOMPASS THE CHICAGO CROWD! OKADA HITS THE RAINMAKER POSE, AND HE’S READY TO STUNT ON OSPREAY ONCE MORE!
Ospreay’s in the perfect position for the Rainmaker, only a few minutes left on the clock, but both men’s movements have become lethargic and feeble after all they’ve been through. Matthew and Nicholas pound the mat to encourage Okada as he painstakingly leans over to latch on to Ospreay’s wrist, the champion fighting as best he can with a few back elbows, all of which miss the mark. Okada drives a forearm into the back of Ospreay’s neck, dropping him to his knees again before finally heaving him up for the Rainmaker, winding up… AND WHIZZING RIGHT BY OSPREAY, WHO COLLAPSES FROM EXHAUSTION! Okada falls in a heap behind him, but he’s still in better shape than Ospreay with moments remaining. With the last of his adrenaline, Okada scrambles up and picks Ospreay up once more, positioning him for a Rainmaker… BUT OSPREAY DUCKS, THIS TIME BREAKING INTO A SPRINT TO GET OUT OF THE WRISTLOCK! HE BOUNCES OFF THE ROPES, OKADA TOO TIRED TO SPIN AROUND IN TIME, AND NOW OSPREAY NAILS AN UNPROTECTED HIDDEN BLADE TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD! He’s got to roll him over, the seconds counting down as Ospreay simply digs his shoulder into the Rainmaker’s arm to slowly turn him onto his back, struggling to hook the leg… ONE! TWO! THRE-KICKOUT! OKADA GOT THE SHOULDER UP! Ospreay can’t believe it, fighting to get his feet under him, frantically attempting to hook Okada’s arms to get him into position for a Storm… ding ding ding.
Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada fought to a draw (60:00), for Ospreay to retain the AEW World Title
Road to WrestleDream
With Ospreay having been unable to put away the Rainmaker within an hour, it’s pretty clear that a rematch has to be on the horizon, but the question is where. Both Grand Slam and WrestleDream are coming up, and on Dynamite, Okada lays down the gauntlet for the PPV, saying that he intends to win the AEW Title at a show paying tribute to one of his idols in Antonio Inoki. However, Ospreay’s not off the hook until October just yet - Grand Slam still stands in the way, and a battle between two of his fantastic previous opponents is set to determine his challenger for the event. Those opponents? Swerve Strickland and MJF. In the end, MJF manages to pull out the win, securing a title challenge right next door to his home at Grand Slam. Ospreay walks in insecure, just as he did in the Owen Finals, but this time with good reason - his first title defence was hardly a successful one, and he might not even have the chance to make up for it if he doesn’t manage to put away the longest-reigning AEW World Champion ever, in their home state. The pressure’s on for the Assassin, and with challengers hounding him, all he can do is try and build momentum with wins week over week. He doesn’t bother trying to match MJF on the stick, the next challenger eviscerating the champion with promo after promo until the go-home show, where a fed up Ospreay simply snipes him with a Hidden Blade to cut him off. Grabbing the microphone, Will promises to prove the title belongs around his waist, telling MJF that he wants the same Max who dominated the AEW main event scene for over a year.
(Cont'd in Comments)
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2024.05.29 03:52 ShitpostDumptruck Differences between USA and EU manufactured batteries

This might not be the right board to ask this in but I figured if it wasn't, you guys might know a better place to ask.
I was in a training class for my job today (forklifts/lift-trucks) for an outside brand to teach us about their products. The trainer was from the UK (I'm in the US). He mentioned at one point that, due to there being an entire ocean between us, when they sell one of their electric trucks over here, they have to source a battery from the US to install in it. This is mostly due to shipping costs, customs, and all the paper work involved.
All of that leading up to him saying; they don't sell certain models over here because apparently our batteries aren't able to provide the same amperage that the ones manufactured in Europe can. He said this is the case with both lead-acid and lithium ion. I was wondering what the cause of this was? I figured it came down more to certain manufacturing practices or regulations.
I was just wondering if anyone knew the direct differences?
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2024.05.29 03:50 tempmailgenerator Exploring the Efficiency of Sorted Arrays in Java

The Speed Advantage of Sorted Arrays

In the realm of computer programming, the organization of data plays a crucial role in determining the efficiency of algorithms. Specifically, in Java, the manner in which arrays are sorted can significantly impact the speed of data processing. This phenomenon is rooted in the principles of computational complexity and data structure optimization. Sorting an array organizes its elements in a specific order, either ascending or descending, which can facilitate quicker search and retrieval operations. The sorted arrangement allows algorithms to leverage binary search techniques, which drastically reduce the number of comparisons needed to find an element.
On the other hand, processing an unsorted array lacks these efficiencies. Each element may need to be individually examined, leading to a linear search approach. This method is inherently slower because it does not take advantage of any inherent order within the array. Understanding why sorted arrays are processed faster requires a deep dive into the mechanics of data access and algorithm efficiency. The benefits of sorting become especially evident in large datasets, where the difference in processing time can be substantial. This exploration sheds light on the importance of data organization in programming and its direct influence on performance.
Command/Concept Description
Arrays.sort() Java method to sort an array of elements into ascending numerical order or into a custom order defined by a Comparator.
Branch Prediction In computer architecture, a technique to improve the flow in the instruction pipeline. Processors guess the direction of conditional operations to enhance performance.

Understanding Array Processing Efficiency

When it comes to processing arrays in programming, the arrangement of elements plays a crucial role in determining the efficiency of operations performed on them. This principle is especially true in the context of search and sort operations, where sorted arrays often provide significant performance benefits over their unsorted counterparts. The underlying reason for this disparity lies in the predictability and orderliness of sorted arrays, which allows algorithms to leverage certain assumptions and optimizations that are not possible with unsorted arrays.
For instance, binary search algorithms can quickly locate an element in a sorted array by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half, a method that is exponentially faster than linear search techniques required for unsorted arrays. Similarly, operations like finding the minimum or maximum value, merging arrays, or identifying duplicates are inherently more efficient with sorted data. These operations can take advantage of the sorted order to minimize comparisons and iterations. Furthermore, modern processors and their branch prediction algorithms perform better with the predictable access patterns of sorted arrays, reducing the number of costly cache misses and improving overall execution time. This discussion highlights not only the computational advantages of sorted arrays but also underscores the importance of data organization in software performance optimization.

Example: Sorting an Array in Java

Java programming environment
int[] numbers = {5, 3, 2, 8, 1, 4}; System.out.println("Unsorted: " + Arrays.toString(numbers)); Arrays.sort(numbers); System.out.println("Sorted: " + Arrays.toString(numbers));

The Impact of Array Sorting on Performance

Understanding why processing a sorted array can be significantly faster than an unsorted one involves delving into the intricacies of modern CPU architecture and algorithms. At the heart of this phenomenon is the concept of data locality and branch prediction, two critical factors that significantly influence performance. When an array is sorted, the elements are organized in a predictable order, which enhances data locality. This organization allows the CPU to efficiently cache and access the data, reducing the time it takes to retrieve it from memory. Additionally, sorted arrays benefit algorithms that rely on comparisons or searches, as their predictability leads to fewer computational steps.
Another key aspect is the optimization of branch prediction within the CPU. Modern processors use branch prediction to guess the likely outcome of conditional operations, preparing in advance to execute the following steps. In the context of sorted arrays, the predictability of data order makes these guesses more accurate, thereby minimizing the costly penalties associated with incorrect predictions. For instance, binary search algorithms exhibit remarkable efficiency with sorted arrays, as the predictable division of the dataset aligns well with the CPU’s branch prediction mechanism. This synergy between sorted data and hardware optimizations underscores the importance of understanding underlying computational principles when aiming to enhance software performance.

FAQs on Array Sorting and Performance

  1. Question: Why does sorting an array improve search performance?
  2. Answer: Sorting an array improves search performance by enabling more efficient search algorithms, like binary search, which significantly reduces the number of comparisons needed to find an element.
  3. Question: What is data locality and how does it affect array processing?
  4. Answer: Data locality refers to the arrangement of data in memory in a way that minimizes the distance and time it takes for the CPU to access it. Good data locality enhances cache utilization, making array processing faster.
  5. Question: Can all types of data benefit from being sorted before processing?
  6. Answer: While sorting can improve performance for many data processing tasks, the benefits depend on the specific operations being performed. Tasks that involve searching or ordering can benefit the most.
  7. Question: How does branch prediction work with sorted arrays?
  8. Answer: Branch prediction in CPUs tries to guess the outcome of if-else conditions. With sorted arrays, the predictability of conditions (e.g., in a binary search) improves, making branch prediction more accurate and processing faster.
  9. Question: Is there a downside to sorting an array before processing it?
  10. Answer: The main downside is the initial cost of sorting, which may not be justified if the array is large and the performance gain from subsequent operations does not offset this initial cost.
  11. Question: Does the size of the array affect the benefits of sorting?
  12. Answer: Yes, the larger the array, the more significant the performance improvements can be, especially for operations like search, due to the efficiency of algorithms like binary search on sorted data.
  13. Question: Are there any specific sorting algorithms that are more effective in improving performance?
  14. Answer: The choice of sorting algorithm depends on the context, including the size of the dataset and its initial order. Algorithms like quicksort and mergesort are generally effective for large datasets.
  15. Question: How does sorting affect memory usage?
  16. Answer: Sorting itself does not significantly affect memory usage, but the choice of sorting algorithm can, with some algorithms requiring additional memory for operations like merging.
  17. Question: Can hardware differences affect the performance gains from sorting an array?
  18. Answer: Yes, hardware differences, such as CPU speed, cache size, and memory speed, can affect how much performance gain is realized from sorting an array.

Wrapping Up the Insights on Array Sorting

The exploration into why processing a sorted array is faster than its unsorted counterpart sheds light on fundamental principles of computer science and hardware architecture. The benefits of sorting, encompassing enhanced data locality and branch prediction accuracy, underscore the symbiosis between software strategies and hardware capabilities. This interplay not only optimizes computational efficiency but also emphasizes the importance of algorithm selection in software development. While the initial cost of sorting might seem like a drawback, especially for larger datasets, the subsequent performance improvements in processing tasks validate its utility. Moreover, this discussion highlights the adaptability required in programming, urging developers to consider both algorithmic complexity and the underlying hardware environment. In essence, the decision to sort an array before processing it is a testament to the nuanced approach needed in optimization, balancing between computational overheads and execution speed to achieve optimal performance. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for both seasoned programmers and those new to the field, as it influences the effectiveness and efficiency of the solutions they craft.
https://www.tempmail.us.com/en/java/exploring-the-efficiency-of-sorted-arrays-in-java
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2024.05.29 03:31 Pearl_the_5th Who was/were Doran, Elia and Oberyn's father/s?

TLDR: Doran has a different father to Elia and Oberyn. Both fathers were Free City nobles. Doran's father died in the 251 RHPR. Elia and Oberyn's father died in the 260 WOTNK. This would explain why no one has mentioned them yet and the Martell's interest in the Free Cities.
Quick Note: My headcanon name for their mother is Neria. Just saves me typing "Doran's predecessor", "Oberyn's mother", "former princess of Dorne", etc.
The strongest and most sensible assumptions I've made about this subject are:
  1. The fathes died before 273, the year Tyrion was born, during which Oberyn went on his betrothal journey with "my mother, her consort, and my sister Elia" (ASOS Tyrion V). It makes no sense for Oberyn to refer to his own father or Elia's as a consort.
  2. Doran and Oberyn never mentioning their fathes points to a lack of sentiment in regards to them, which in turn points to them dying before the brothers were old enough to remember them much, and given their ~10-year age gap, they must've had different fathers for this to be true. Conversely, Elia and Oberyn have about a year between them, so they likely shared a father.
  3. Both fathers were openly married to Neria, since there is no in-text speculation about the three siblings' legitimacy or paternity, and the likes of Joanna and Aerys II would never have considered marrying their heirs to anyone of questionable birth. You can't be pulling the Mormont "my children were fathered by bears lol" schtick when you're trying to betroth your daughter to the crown prince.
  4. Both fathers were from prestigious enough backgrounds to marry the heiruler of Dorne but on individual levels were so unremarkable that even their own sons don't namedrop them from time to time.
  5. Excluding the Martells, all the great houses and Dornish houses can be ruled out. Quentyn, Arianne and the Sand Snakes never mention any living cousins besides each other, and if either of their paternal grandfathers had been a non-Martell Dornish nobleman, Arianne would've mentioned his house when thinking of who she could trust to help her while imprisoned. I think it's also safe to write off the houses Elia and Oberyn visited on their betrothal voyage (Daynes, Redwynes, Hightowers, Chesters, Grimms, Hewetts, Serrys and Crakehalls).
With all that in mind, let's move onto some candidates:

Martell Man/Men

Consanguinity is common enough in Westeros: Tywin and Joanna were first cousins, and Cregan, Edric, and Rickard Stark show it's not taboo in the North, so unless the Rhoynar had an aversion to it that was carried pver into Dornish culture, there's no reason to think the Martells would be against it.
From the reign of Daeron II to that of Aerys II (i.e. 99 years), the Martells had close ties to the Targaryens. Though the deaths of Baelor Breakspear and his children put an end to the main Targ line having Martell ancestry, the "several heirs" (TWOIAF - The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II) Daenerys had borne for Maron were half-Targ. Though highly unlikely that they began to practice sibling incest, it's likely that in order to keep their Targ blood (and in turn the possibility of marrying back into the royal line) strong, some of Daenerys' grandchildren and great-grandchildren were married to each other. Neria might have been subject to this tradition, and therefore either her first husband, second husband or both could have been a descendant of Daenerys. This would help explain why the current Martells seem to be so small in number, as well as why Elia was chosen to be Rhaegar's wife over every other noble lady with Targ ancestry (really hard to imagine that all descendants of Saera, Baela, Rhaena, Elaena, Daella and Rhae at the time were either male, married, menopausal or less Targy).
However, Doran and his children point to this not being the case. If this tradition existed, then why was Doran not subject to it? If second-degree incest (is that what you're supposed to call it? I don't know, you get what I mean) was the Martell deal now, then why did Arianne feel so "uneasy" and ashamed when internally recalling her childhood crush on her uncle (AFFC The Queenmaker)? Furthermore, if Quentyn was the product of such intentional inbreeding, not only would it have been really stupid for him to not tell Dany this, he likely wouldn't have been burnt. If my calculations about Ben Plumm are correct, then he could be as little as 1/16th Targ, which is evidently enough dragonlord ancestry for dragons to take to a person (ASOS Danerys V). Rhaegal did not take to Quentyn, which means he must have less Targ ancestry than Ben (or perhaps there's a big difference between a dragon being cool with sitting on your shoulder and a dragon being cool with you screaming at it while cracking a whip). This is also why I don't believe that Doran is Aerys' bastard (along with there only being a four-year age gap between them), but what of Elia and Oberyn?

Aerys II

I don't think Elia and/or Oberyn are Aerys' bastards, though I understand why some might come to that conclusion. "Joanna Lannister was not the first lady to be dismissed abruptly from Her Grace's service, nor was she the last" (TWOIAF - The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II), Neria was one of Rhaella's ladies, and it would explain why Elia, out of all the noble women in Westeros and the Free Cities, was chosen to be Rhaegar's wife. However, Aerys would've had to have been 12-14 when they were conceived, it is unlikely he was interested in a woman old enough to be his mother when he was known to be "exceedingly fond of young women", and given that Aerys lost interest in his lovers quickly and both he and Neria seemed to have fertility issues, it's very improbable that they produced a child together, let alone two. The risk of trying to pass off your unborn child as legitimate only to be forced to admit you had a fling with the teenage crown prince after it pops out Valyrian would be such an insane one to take even once, and it's hard to imagine the mother and mentor of Doran doing such a thing.

Brynden Tully

This theory was mostly just me slamming two big questions together - who was Neria's husband/s and why did Brynden never marry - in hopes of forming an answer to both. For a short time I was gripped by the idea that Elia and Oberyn's father was a veteran of the War of the Ninepenny Kings and IIRC my thought process went something like this:
"Didn't the Blackfish fight during the WOTNK? GASP That's why he never married: he was already married to Neria! That's why he left Riverrun: he felt guilty for fighting for the side that ended up killing his daughter! That's (partially) why Doran refused Hoster's invitation for Arianne to visit Riverrun! Black fish, red viper, "colour" "animal" moniker, THIS MAKES TOTAL SENSE!"
As much as I'd love it to be true because the idea of Catelyn and Oberyn being first cousins is hilarious to me, it can't be. Among many other reasons, we only know him to be near Dorne in 260, 3-4 years after Elia and Oberyn were born. Now I think their father did not survive the war, just as Doran's father was killed in the 251 rebellion of the Rat, the Hawk, and the Pig, which took place when he was around three. Their fathers dying while they were still toddlers would explain why they haven't been mentioned yet.

Free City Noblemen

I think this is the strongest theory. It explains why we haven't heard anything about them; Westerosi nobles don't seem to care much about Free City politics, and the few examples of FC nobles marrying into Westerosi houses don't seem to elicit much intrigue outside of xenophobic villainisation and scapegoating (Larra Rogare and Serala of Myr come to mind).
It is possible that Aliandra Martell's marriage to Drazenko Rogare started a trend of Dornish nobles marrying and/or making paramours of FC people, particularly those of Lys. I believe Ellaria Sand's mother is Lyseni, since she is described as "exotic" (which is never used to describe the Dornish), worships a Lysene goddess and the names of her two youngest daughters, Dorea and Loreza, sound Lyseni (Dorea is one letter off of Doreah, the name of Dany's Lysene handmaid).
I don't think either Doran's or Elia and Oberyn's father were Lyseni, though it is one of the better options. The Free Cities I've written off as options are:
  1. Lorath. It's too insignificant to marry into, not to mention far away.
  2. Norvos. Would've been mentioned by now since Doran married a Norvoshi noble. Also Norvos is probably the poorest Free City after Lorath, so not a great match for a Dornish princess.
  3. Tyrosh. Could've easily been mentioned when Doran told Arianne about his plan to send her to the Archon of Tyrosh. Also it was the Blackfyre stronghold, so unlikely to be an attractive option to the Martells.
That leaves Braavos, Pentos, Qohor, Myr, Lys and Volantis. Myr was close to being the fourth written-off city because having ties to Myr after the Defiance of Duskendale would've likely put the Martells in grave danger of Aerys' paranoia. On top of that, along with Tyrosh and Lys, Myr is a historic rival of Dorne's for dominion over the Stepstones. However, Taena of Myr looks a lot like Arianne, and she could be one of Dorne's "friends at court" (ADWD The Watcher). Perhaps she is a cousin?
Out of the six, my preference is that Doran's father was Qohorik while Elia and Oberyn's father was Volantene.
Qohor is one of the most fascinating Free Cities and yet we know so little about it. We don't even know what type of government they have. It would fit Doran's character to partially hail from such a secretive city.
Elia and Oberyn's father being a Volantene noble would explain why Elia was chosen over every other highborn girl in Westeros and the Free Cities to be Rhaegar's wife (maybe they descend from Saera's son by a Triarch?), as well as how Oberyn got behind the Black Walls so quickly and got away with fathering a bastard by a woman "of the noblest blood of Old Volantis". One might wonder why no one has mentioned this, especially since their nephew Quentyn was in Volantis, but technically he's not related to Elia and Oberyn's father any more than he is Nym's mother, and if Oberyn left Volantis on bad terms, it'd probably have been best for Quentyn to not use his connection to him as leverage.
Together with Doran's marriage to Mellario, that would give the Martells connections to Norvos, Qohor and Volantis, the three Free Cities that are located along the Rhoyne, their ancestral home. Funny, that.
submitted by Pearl_the_5th to pureasoiaf [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 03:30 Annabelle-Surely Large unreported bias about the Gaza war, whistleblow

Unfortunately it seems likely that the non-Muslims who comment on the Gaza war don't understand Islam, and that the Muslim commentators don't admit that they have a bias, meanwhile Islam in fact plays a role in the Gaza war. A relevant summary:
Muhammad started his own religion when he was forty and immediately came into conflict with the other religious people of his community, mostly polytheists and Jews. Muhammad became a war general and spent the next ten years of his life trying to kill off the other religions around him. He succeeded.
During this time, every day he in essence gave war pep-talks to his troops. As most of their fighting was against Jews, most of the war pep-talks were against Jews. His followers wrote down everything he said every day, mostly in the form of scraps of paper containing short segments. When he died, his followers swept these scraps of paper together to make first the Quran, then the Hadith, as there were thousands of these scraps of paper.
The entirety of the Islamic literature reads, therefore, like a slow, hypnotic rant against Jews, and also against Christians, against polytheists, against other now obscure and defeated religions, and against all non-Muslim "disbelievers" in general.
Mostly though, it focuses on Jews. The first two main chapters of the Quran in fact are about Jews: chapter 2 "The Cow", criticizing the Jews for once worshipping a golden calf, and chapter 3 "The Family of Imran (Moses)", meaning all of the Jews. There's not much difference between any of the Quran or Hadith chapters though; they all continue along mostly in the same way as the first two and are titled variously by the scant amounts of other concepts sometimes explored in the chapters. Mostly it's all a slow, hypnotic rant against all Jews and other non-believers.
If you don't believe any of this, check it for a first time. You'll be shocked. Islam is an inherently discriminatory religion toward Jews, and that's really the basis of the aggression that comes out of Gaza and other places toward them.
Most revelatory of all in this regard is the fact (if you check your history books) that the Ottoman Empire participated in attacking Britain and the allies in World War 1, and Britain won over them, obtaining what is today the Gaza, Israel, and West Bank areas. There was never any Jewish theft. Britain wanted to let the Jews move into that land afterward, and it was their choice to do so, as it was the Brits' land.
The Jews were met with immediate violence from the Muslims, whose religion tells them to attack Jews. It got worse. Sick of the violence, the Jews declared independence for their territory and formed a state. This was fair and appropriate. Immediately, large groups of Muslims combined armies to try to massacre the Jews. They were repelled.
It never stopped. The Muslims tried to combine armies and massacre the Jews again, in '67. They were repelled that time too.
Then in 2007 Gaza started the Gaza War against the Jews, and have fought it every day since, including today. They've been rocketing Israel constantly since 2007; October 7th was just a sort of culmination.
By the way, declaring independence and forming a state was the pattern set for and by every other territorial area that was formed out of the Ottoman Empire- resulting in every Middle Eastern state you see today- Israel did nothing different, and did not need a reason to do it- Gaza and the West Bank have always had the same ability, but have torn themselves apart fighting each other instead, while the world continues to wait on them. Also, they need to not form a government that declares war against Israel as part of its foundation. That’s the other reason they haven’t formed any real states yet. No one would stop them from doing so if they did it without any war declarations. The concept that anyone else in the world would somehow be able to give them a state is bogus.
The real problem will be solved when the world has a conversation with Islam, telling them to give up the part about cursing non-believers: approximately half the content of the Islamic religion. Then the Gazans can live non-aggressively with Jews next to them. So as well with the West Bank, Jordan/Iraq/Syria/Libya/Yemen/Iran, the twenty-or-so other nations that don't accept Israeli passports, etcetera.
Before any moderators, members of this site, or non-members of this site, try to get me banned or give me -100 karma points, insisting that I’m biased or that I’ve made this up: I challenge you to read or watch any summary of the life of Muhammad and the first ten years of Islam, then to read the first hundred pages of any English translation of the Quran, then to read the sub-chapter “Fighting Jews” of the chapter “Jihad” of the Al-Bukhari hadith book, then to read Gaza’s government charter “The Hamas Covenant”. If you put in a few minutes a day it’ll take you about two weeks. Don’t complain about me asking you to do this much research; it’s not much and it’s a bare minimum I can think of for you to check my work. Then you’re going to ask the same question I asked, “Why haven’t I heard of this from anyone or any side reporting on the Gaza war?” I believe the answer is several-fold: one is that there is simply a shocking lack of bothering to do much research by even those most vocal about the conflict. Two is that those who know about this know that no outsider asked for support of Gaza would sympathize with them if they knew about this. Three is that this stuff is outrageous, and no one wants to be the deliverer of that outrage, or get accused themselves of making this up. Four (and you’ll have to read to understand this) is that the believers are told in general to not trust disbelievers, which would include not telling them the truth. If you believed someone else was going to Hell, but that they didn’t know about it, would you tell them? They’re not gonna like hearing it; why tell them? Count the number of times Muhammad says all Jews and disbelievers are going to Hell in the Quran. You’ll lose count by about page 25 and it just keeps going like that.
All the resources mentioned are easily available online for free in pdf form or otherwise; just do a search for each, and youtube has lots of good videos on Muhammad’s life. I also highly recommend you watch overhead-battle-analysis-style videos (like Kings & Generals channel & similar) to review every single early battle of Islam, in order. You may also want to watch some on the first few battles of Abu Bakr also, the guy who picked up Muhammad’s war banner after him and carried on the violent conquest of the entire Arabian Peninsula, eradicating one by one what used to be a diverse array of now-extinct local religions. You could check out a copy of the Quran translated or order one, which I also recommend. I have Pickthall’s translation as a hard copy and I recommend it; I also used three different online Qurans and three different online Al-Bukhari hadiths (I wanted to make sure I wasn’t making any mistake by reading some bad translation; turned out nope they all read like that).
And before anyone says, well, that kind of stuff is said in the Bible too… First of all, find it; second of all, if it says that kind of stuff even a handful of times in the Bible, that’s different from Islam’s thousand times saying it, over and over again- it’s really a different sort of book.
I want to say last that the Muslims aren’t “like this”; rather, they’re told to be like this, by a high-pressure, demanding religion. They’re also told I’m sure, as for Gaza, by their friends, parents, neighbors, grandparents, local TV stations, and government, what is truly an altered version of history, wherein the Jews “stole” Palestine. They’re taught to distrust anything that the West says against that, because they’re taught to distrust disbelievers- of course the disbelievers would lie about this stuff- “hasbara”. The Jews “stole” Palestine, so, they’re “occupiers”. They don’t want to sound racist because they know discrimination is not tolerated in the disbelievers’ world, so they say “Zionists”, in place of “Jews”. Underneath it, they’re not saying much to the outside world- just enough and in just the right ways to sound presumably appropriate and reasonable, legitimate. It’s like a big game to try to get what they want (Jews expelled or killed), or, as discussed above, it's that they unfortunately don't know any better cause they've been lied to themselves. To the extent that anyone knows this stuff though and hasn't mentioned it, I would feel that we’ve been lied to and played for fools, and it makes me want to say screw the Squad, Sanders, and the campus protests... all right here on American soil!!!! I trust the vast majority of Muslims are not like this. I think they are too afraid though to voice any opposition to any of the Muslims who are hardcore about this stuff, of which Gaza and the West Bank have become the best examples- I told you to read the Hamas Covenant so I’ll trust you’ll do it; meanwhile I’ll add that the guy who ran the West Bank, Abbas, wrote his own dissertation as a youth on his conspiracy theory that the Jews “did the Holocaust to themselves, to create false international sympathy and a pretext for stealing Israel”, and he has continued to educate the West Bank’s people with this line of reasoning, making “Nakba day” into a sort of mockery of anyone else’s Holocaust remembrances. Meanwhile Iran continues determined to one day lead the eradication.
If you care about caring, do the right thing- help educate others on what’s really going on in Gaza. It’s bigger than the past few months, it’s bigger than October 7th, it’s even bigger than tens of thousands of casualties, and if we don’t do the right thing (demand and converse about how disbelievers have rights too), one day far in the future that total may be millions or billions. The time is now to resolve this between all of us, with words. Learn about and then be vocal about the unfairness of Islam. Demand rights. Have conversations.
To add to this goal, I offer the following:
I make this contract with Islam, whether they agree or not:
Disbelievers’ Bill of Rights:
  1. The disbelievers have rights too.
  2. The disbelievers have wonderful and diverse cultures of their own, that are not to be eradicated; Earth is good when its cultures are diverse and not homogenized.
  3. The disbelievers are not going to Hell for disbelieving Islam.
  4. The believers are not going to Paradise for eradicating the disbelievers.
  5. There will be no “final day” where all the Jews are killed.
  6. Jesus will not show up on the final day to personally kill all the Jews (Islamic eschatology).
  7. Disbelievers have the right to not be discriminated against or degraded by the believers. Any disbelievers neighboring believers are not to have rocks thrown at them, suicide attacks launched at them, rockets launched at them, rifles or pistols fired at them, etcetera.
  8. Disbelievers have the right to not tolerate any literature that discriminates against them or is derogatory or degrading toward them, or that advocates any sort of violence against them, or that proscribes any mistreatment of them.
Furthermore, I liberate all Muslims, with the following lines:
You don’t have to surrender to Islam, completely, if any of it seems wrong to you. For that matter, you can pick any religion, you can pick no religion, you can make up your own religion, you can institute your own renewal of Islam and start a new chapter on it; you can do anything you want on this planet, and no lightning bolt will strike you from anyone’s god. If the afterlife is real, then you’re going to it whether you believe in it or whether you disbelieve in it. If there’s Heaven and Hell, you’re going to Heaven for being a good person, Hell for being a bad person.
Also, Muhammad may have said that his teachings were “a Book”. However, Muhammad did not give any specifics instructions to make any book exactly in the fashion in which the Quran and Hadith and others (Kitube of Shia, Wahhabiism’s books, Salafist works etcetera) were made, and, I believe that Muhammad would have seen the error in making them in those exact ways- this would cause problems later- the format is too heavy on the disbelievers- it will someday make for a problematic relationship between different faiths- you should feel free to rearrange any and all verses, excluding as many as you like, reinterpreting any you like, to make any new Book that makes more sense for use as an every-day, all-time religious book: one that focuses on “the good stuff” and not the bad. Muhammad needed to rally an army every day. We don’t need that in our daily lives now that we’re all trying to put war away. This is the 21st century. Nine nations use nukes, and two of them are Muslim (Pakistan, Kazakhstan). We need to right now make decisions that will put away all war inclinations between us forever. If you don’t like my way of doing it, come up with something better and suggest it. I say we can do it by having a conversation where disbelievers stick up for themselves and believers listen.
And, I suggest this interpretation: perhaps Allah wanted to include a sort of test, within Islam, to separate hypocrites from believers- Allah included a bunch of stuff telling you that disbelievers are bad and to attack them. Maybe it’s to see who rejects that, to send them to Paradise, and to see who decides to act on it, to send them to Hell.
There is plenty of evidence that this is true in Gaza right now. Why would Allah punish them unless they were bad? They have relentlessly attacked Israel for years. Maybe this is Allah’s punishment.
Also, you are free to associate with disbelievers, at any time and place, whatever they’re saying at the time. You can date and intermarry with disbelievers if you like. Try not calling them disbelievers and you’ll have luck.
I also state that I am a learned scholar (college degree earned, floor-to-ceiling stacks of nonfiction books read, research published) and I am authorized to make fatwa (judgments) and to issue tafsir (commentary/interpretations on holy works).
As a warning to angry-comment-posters: you may find that I can back up with references and examples every point I’ve made! Watch out!
That being said, am I wrong about anything? Please tell me if I have anything wrong; I can only do so much research and then sweep it all together off the top of my head. Let me know. I’ll apologize if I get something wrong and perhaps adjust my thesis.
submitted by Annabelle-Surely to IsraelAndPalestine [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 03:24 Remarkable-Shine-204 some thoughts,, mostly wrong,, sorry for the bad English and punctuation,, and for the long-read in advance...

some thoughts about the new Shadow of the Erd tree story trailer...
== in the story trailer at 0:40, everyone is saying that this is mostly the foundation of the Erd tree because of the piled up bodies in that scene and we know that the Erd tree roots contains of dead bodies,, to which i don't disagree. but could this also be like a gateway to the lands between? the way the sky is dark and gloomy on both sides and there is this twilight beyond this opening in the middle,, as if it is a different world, a different land in "between" the shadow lands around it.
== also in the story trailer between 0:53 and 1:12, the way the wicker men are moving and wreaking havoc looks so similar to the rumbling from Attack on Titan, could this scene be inspired by it? or maybe the whole design of the wicker men is not only inspired by.. wicker men, but also other ideas, one of them is the colossal titans from Attack on titan?
== again, in the story trailer at 2:13, this scene is showing st. Trina (mostly her) drowning. which is very similar to the scene from the ending of the movie "angel's egg", for those who don't know it or those who do, if you go check the movie at 59:25, in that scene the main character, the girl is drowning and turning into a woman. these two scenes are maybe not identical, but i think that the drowning scene of st. Trina shown in the trailer was inspired by the drowning scene of the girl in Angel's egg.
== hot take/theory,, Miquella influenced queen Marika to break the elden ring, either directly by bewitching her, or indirectly by being the real mastermind behind the night of the black knifes, that caused her to break it as a result. which leads me to believe that Miquella is actually the mastermind behind all the events that took place in elden ring, that everything that happened was according to his plan. from the stealing of the rune of death from Maliketh, the night of the black knives and the breaking of the elden ring then the shattering wars, even being kidnapped by Mohg. bringing back the tarnished to the lands between, helping and guiding them indirectly through Melina and other means in their journey to become elden lord or else. all to rid the world of the greater will and the influence of the outer gods and cure the afflictions caused by them, and to bring back death to the world. either because he is secretly ambitious to ascend to godhood, or only because he sees no other way he can really help the low and the meek and those without grace. and this theory can work in both cases, whether Miquella is really kind and wants good for the land between even if he would sacrifice himself, or he is actually evil and only cares about his own best interest no matter who or what he will sacrifice to serve his goals. maybe thats why, he is the most fearsome Empyrean of all.
== am i the only one who thinks that Messmer is a lord of the Frenzied flame? i know that i 'm 99.99% wrong about this, but hear me out..
-- first, i know that it is widely believed that Messmer at some point has partaken in dragon Communion because of how his right eye looks and his attire in general, or that he is into blasphemy and stuff like Rykard because o the snakes he is carrying, but even if that is the case, who said that you can't do both, why can't you partake in dragon communion then later on be influenced by the frenzied flame? who said that snakes are only related to blasphemy and nothing else? especially, that Messmer's snakes look nothing at all like the god devouring snake. why can't they be related to the frenzied flame?
-- second, the way the "snake flames" in the story trailer at 1:08 are moving is very similar to some of the frenzied flame incantations, specifically "unendurable frenzy" and "the flame of frenzy". now i know that they don't look or move exactly the same, but considering that we use the frenzied flame incantations on enemies that are usually on the same ground level like us and significantly close to us, unlike Messmer who is standing on a cliff and using these flames on the far below battle field, so the flames have more time an distance to dance around like snakes. and who knows, we are getting new weapons and incantations in the dlc, so these snake like flames can be a new frenzied flame incantation.
-- third, the frenzied flame sigil has three main heads, a short one on the left that is split into three , the biggest one of them is leaning to the right, a long one in the middle leaning to the left and another short one on the right that is split into two smaller heads, the left one is leaning left and the right one is leaning right. now if we look at the flame symbol on Messmer's sigil, it also contains of three main heads, a short one on the left that is leaning to the right, a long one in the middle leaning to the left and another short one on the right that is split into two smaller heads, the left one is leaning left and the right one is leaning right. considering the different art styles that are used to draw the frenzied flame sigil and flame symbol on Messmer's sigil that makes them look different, they are actually very similar to each other, if not the same.
-- forth, Melina.. now this one is based on the sole assumption that the woman who is sitting in the battlefield and holding a spear in the story trailer at 1:13 is indeed Melina. so, one of the things that always poked my interest about Melina was her relation to the frenzied flame. i have always wondered.. out of all the outer gods, why is it the frenzied flame in particular that Melina seemed to be afraid of and hate so much? to me it always felt more than just "it's pure chaos and it will make the lands lifeless", she didn't just know what the frenzied flame can do, but to her, it was much more personal than that, she have seen it before, she was affected by it, she lost everything and everyone she held dear to it. and there,, she sat on the battlefield amidst the chaos and destruction, defeated, holding the spear that was left to her by her mother, the gloom eyed queen. watching the frenzied flame, Messmer's flame burning everything around her, then she herself was burned by it. then somehow and for some reason, she was spared or brought back to life, and she was branded with a tattoo of the three fingers over her right eye, to add insult to injury, to summarize this last point.. the woman in the battlefield for sure hates Messmer and his flame, assuming that this woman is Melina, and we know already how much Melina hates the frenzied flame, then it is not much of a stretch to conclude that messmer's flame is the frenzied flame.
anyways, these were some thoughts that i had since the story trailer came out. as i said they are mostly incorrect, but thank you all the same if you are here and you read the whole thing.
submitted by Remarkable-Shine-204 to Eldenring [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 03:23 AnasQiblawi What's the difference between Acer Predator Helios 16 and Helios Neo 16 ?

What's the difference between Acer Predator Helios 16 and Helios Neo 16 ?
I found two devices on the official Acer website thry both cost 1200$,
the main difference is: Helios 16 has i7 13700hx, Helios Neo 16 has i7 13650hx,
other than that, what is the actual difference between these two devices? and what should I go for?
submitted by AnasQiblawi to GamingLaptops [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 03:23 WideSuccotash7494 Quick Tip Tuesday! 🪩 (Please read full description.)

Quick Tip Tuesday! 🪩 (Please read full description.)
Hello everyone. I’ve decided to put together a quick tip for people to consider if they are having feeding issues, especially with a new aftermarket barrel. This technique is less known than I expected, but it was knowledge passed down from the older generation as a solution to help mitigate FTF & other feeding issues usually associated with hollow point ammo. Due to tolerance differences between factory and aftermarket parts and coating discrepancies on barrels (mainly focusing on the feed ramp), this tip may just help you achieve more desirable feeding consistencies and less failures. I have personally tried this on multiple weapon platforms and it has been very successful, especially for a subcompact Shadow Systems CR920 in which it was having trouble feeding hollow point ammunition. DISCLAIMER, you do NOT have to do this, this is simply something I have found to be helpful in mitigating my FTF issues and this is just a friendly suggestion. Also note that this is method requires you to actually perform routine maitenance to your weapon (as you should be doing anyways 😉) to avoid unwanted degradation to your barrels feed ramp due to rust, exposure, etc.
There are numbers associated with the pictures in this post. Below I will be using those numbers to associate the corresponding picture to the listed steps you can take to achieve what I am presenting to you all. In summary you will be removing the coating on your feed ramp, thus removing inconsistencies/imperfections within the coating/machining of the feed ramp. You will be smoothing and polishing the feed ramp, allowing more aggressively edged ammunition such as Federal HST etc. to feed in a more desirable and consistent manner. After removing the coating, smoothing, and polishing, you will add a light coating of CLP to the feed ramp to lubricate and protect. Here it is! ⬇️
Items needed: -1500-1800 grit waterproof sandpaper -Mother’s Mag & Aluminum Polish (My preference) -Q-Tips -CLP
Steps: (1) Grab your barrel & identify your feed ramp.
(2) Grab your 1500-1800 grit sandpaper.
(3) Utilizing light water and the sandpaper, slowly remove the coating on the feed ramp.
(4) Continue to sand until you begin to notice the inconsistencies/imperfections of the feed ramp coating. You may see machining marks/lines becoming visible on the feed ramp. Continue to sand the coating until the majority of the inconsistencies are removed or reduced.
(5) Grab the Mothers Mag Polish and a Q-Tip and begin applying a small amount of the polish to the feed ramp. Continue polishing to remove the micro inconsistencies leaving you with a smooth and mirror like finish on your feed ramp.
(6) Apply a small coating of CLP to your feed ramp to lubricate and protect.
(7) Inspect your feed ramp for a final time.
(8) Reassemble your weapon system.
You may now cycle snap caps through your weapon system to simulate the feeding process before heading to a range to test the effects with live ammunition.
Hopefully this method can be useful to someone currently looking for an easy way to help mitigate FTF & other feeding issues with their weapon system. Take this with a grain of salt, and only apply this method if it suits you. Remember, there is always more than one way to skin a cat. If anyone has their own tips that they think would benefit this community, please share those ideas with us as we would love to expand everyone’s knowledge base! Thanks everyone, and be safe. 👍🏼
submitted by WideSuccotash7494 to SigP320MUP_1s [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 03:21 ErinRF States of Being: Chapter 3

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Memory Transcript: Kinet, Venlil Surveyor Captain [Standardized Human Time July 5th, 2114]:
We had arrived in-system [four days] ago, and while I was expecting to see a world ravaged by nuclear exchange, the damage to the planet was beyond what I could have ever imagined. The surface was scorched, and the air filled with ash and soot from massive continent spanning fires that must have been burning for cycles. Despite all the destruction, our scans showed some signs of life trying to take hold on the surface, but not nearly as much as there should have been.
The humans had wiped themselves out over [150 years ] in the past; it shouldn’t look like it only happened only a herd of claws ago.
Fiir was of no use. When the first glimpses of the planet came in on the viewscreen, the scruffy researcher just stared with his jaw hanging loose before stammering about something being wrong. He stormed off to his quarters, and I haven’t seen him since then.
I sighed and walked onto the bridge with my waking claw cup of tea but was immediately assaulted by the chittering of an excited sivkit, our primary communications officer.
“Captain, captain, captain!”
“Hephy, yes, I’m right here. What is it?” I looked down towards her. She barely came up to my waist in her typical quadrupedal stance, and even doing her best to stand up, she wouldn’t be able to look me in the eye. Despite her stature, her excitement demanded attention as her eyes flicked between myself and whatever data she had scrolling across her display visor.
“Right Right. Anyway, Captain, I have to show you something, it’s big.” Most people don’t pay sivkits much mind, but Hephy was a prodigy. The excitable woman could look at a waterfall plot and pick out every signal present, and even read some of them without any computer assistance. I motioned for her to follow me to the ready room and started off toward it while sipping my tea. She trotted behind me on all fours, as sivkits are wont to do, and when I sat in my chair, she hopped side to side in excitement. “The signals, when we arrived from the jump, I saw something fascinating!” “Hephy, stop bouncing and sit.” I gestured to the chair in front of my desk. She looked at me for a moment as if I had grown a set of ears at the end of my snout. After a moment, her trance broke, and she hopped into the chair. She sat on her haunches and pulled out her tablet.
“Ok so, when we jumped in, we got a ping of the area, right? Send a signal out, listen for the reply, and we see what’s out there that our eyes can’t. Standard stuff, sure, but look.” She tapped at her tablet and expanded a multidimensional spectrum plot. “The bright spots are reports, and it’s all around. Debris right? That’s what I thought but look closer!” I leaned in and looked at the impressionistic splotches of color shown on the holographic display. The blues, yellows, and oranges spattered amongst the dark gray and black of night and other known objects was appealing to the eye, but ultimately gave me little idea what Hephy was trying to communicate with me. She must have picked up on my lack of insight, because she sighed and tapped the display again. “Normally, you see the pulse pattern return and that’s pretty distinct, but this is different. Odd. I thought it was just micro-debris but if you spread it out over time there’s a pattern to it, a structure in the phase relationships that doesn’t match reflections or our interrogation pulses.” “Hephy, you know I rarely ever understand you at this level.” “Right sorry right. Captain, this isn’t the return pulse, they’re data transmissions. Multiple data transmissions all at once.”
My ears perked up, and I tilted my head to the side a bit. “How can you be sure? What would even be out there to send them?”
“I wasn’t sure myself until I looked later on in the data buffers. Almost a claw later there was another longer burst. The automated systems ignored it due to interpreting it as just more micro-debris, but it had that structure-but-not-structure, perfectly shaped noise. I also had nav and sensors run another few active pings at different frequencies, trying to rule out silly patterns seeking brain nonsense. Nothing returned. The debris cloud doesn’t exist!”
“So what does this mean for us?”
“I don’t know, but it's fascinating! They must be satellites of some kind, either too small to reflect much or made to absorb radio waves.”
“That’s worrisome. There’s only one reason you’d build something like that.”
“Weaponry?” She chirped with surprising insight I had not expected to come from her. She had never been in the space force like I, and many others, had.
“Defense platforms, yes.” I took a sip of my rapidly cooling tea to try and soothe the anxious pit growing in my stomach.
“That’s…concerning.” Her excitement waned for a moment but quickly slipped back.
“Very, thank you for bringing this to my attention, Hephy.”
“As if I could keep quiet about something like this!” She snorted with a chittering laugh. “Oh! Wait there’s one more thing. There was another signal in a higher band that sounded off around the same time as the other burst, this time from a different orbit, way further out. I traced it to an artificial satellite.”
Suddenly, a thought hit me. These things were actively communicating with something. Was there something still left on the surface?
“Hephy, do you know where those signals were going?”
“Normally the antenna is too directional for anyone but the recipient to see it or it’s hard to get a read on directionality, but I know where everything is communicating to. The middle of the smaller main ocean.”
“Hephy, that’s an incredibly important bit of information!”
“It is? Oh yeah right, that makes sense!” She wiggles her tail in an amused flicking motion.
I stood up and patted her on the shoulder. “Get us close to that artificial satellite and see what it is. I’d like to get a better idea of what we’ve just stumbled into. Report back when you have some answers and we will go from there.”
Hephy bobbed her ears and hopped off the seat. “On it, sir. Where are you going?” “I’m going to talk to Fiir. This is beyond the original mission, and he needs to know.” “Ay captain. Good luck. Guy’s a weirdo.” I simply grunted and strolled down to the auxiliary quarters where I knew the researcher to be.
>Advance record: [10 Minutes]:
Fiir had brought an entire team of researchers with him. I was told they’re all colleagues of his from the research academy that are interested in this personal project of his. This many people on board with his project did explain how he was able to offer the exorbitant sum of credits to hire me and my crew. They had been allocated a section of the ship near the front, just past the shuttle bay and under the bridge area. This let them have their privacy and set up whatever gear they brought with them.
It also meant that there was a door between them and the rest of the ship. A door that they did not hesitate to keep closed after pre-launch inspections had concluded. The researchers didn’t have anything I didn’t expect from the manifest, but I still found it rather suspicious. Were they hiding something? Perhaps it had to do with that odd power hungry computer they insisted upon. Mara had her ears tied in a knot trying to accommodate it, and still they were coy about why exactly they needed it. It didn’t do me any good to speculate, though. What mattered most was the problem of the satellites.
I finally reached the door and, being the polite man I am, I scratched at the sounding plate before grabbing the handle and trying to open it. To my surprise, it didn’t budge. I could understand locking doors to the personal quarters, but this was a main corridor in my own ship! Just as I reached over to key in the unlock code, the door made a thunk as the latch disengaged and slid open part of the way. A familiar gray fringed brown muzzle stuck out from the gap. “This is a restrict- Oh. Captain.” Fiir opened the door a little more and stood up facing me. “What is it?”
I blinked at his rather blunt question. “I just came to inform you that we’ve discovered some worrying details about the nature of the-” “The artificial satellites are not of any concern to us.” He cut me off before I could finish.
“We think they might be-”
He glanced back behind the door for a moment, his tail thrashed in agitation. “It doesn’t matter. Have you prepared the landing party yet?” My jaw tightened as my frustration with his rudeness grew. I couldn’t get much of a word in, but I needed any answers. “They’re set to depart in two claws, but with those unknown satellites, I can’t be sure of their safety! I saw you on the bridge when we arrived, you were expecting something different. As the captain of this ship, I need to know if there’s a threat to-”
“Captain.” Fiir’s gaze grew intense as he leaned in. I may have had almost a head of height on the wizened farsul, but in that moment, he felt as if he was towering over me. “I suggest you stick to the responsibilities I hired you for, Captain Kinet. There are things that you are not privy to, nor will you be made privy to in the foreseeable future. Continue with the survey as per our agreement, and you’ll get your credits. Do not bother me until the away team is en route. Good paw, Captain.” He closed and locked the door without even waiting for my response.
I just stood at the door for a long while, a feeling of anger and indignation boiling in my chest. I had only ever had cordial contact with the researcher up until now; this abrupt shift in his demeanor was unsettling, to say the least. How dare he talk down to me like that on my own ship! I sighed and took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out. Slow and controlled. Letting the tension and anger flow out with my breath.
Inhale. Hold. Release.
Inhale. Hold. Release.
After a few cycles, the burning anger was reduced to a smoldering cinder. As much as I had wanted to headbutt Fiir, it wasn’t worth risking the contract for. I turned and walked back to the bridge to prepare for the away mission. Without Fiir’s info, I needed to make sure contingencies were in place for any possible threat to the away team. The lives of my crew are paramount, even if the contract was very, very lucrative. All that aside, the planning would keep my mind away from thoughts of my rude client.
>Advance record: [Standardized Human Time July 6th, 2114]:
I woke up after my rest paw feeling groggy and unrested. The confrontation with Fiir kept playing in my mind all night, despite the claws of planning for the away mission. To say his standoffish behavior left knots in my wool would be an understatement. I wiped my snout with my paws, flicking the crust from my eyes before getting up out of bed.
I grabbed my favorite mug and fixed myself my morning cup of tea. Pulling the dried leaves and stems from the canister, I could feel my mouth water in anticipation. I had been told by many who possessed the strange appendage called a nose that the tea leaves had a strong earthy and floral scent. I often wondered what that meant. Venlil didn’t have noses, but we did have a sense of taste, which is apparently quite similar. I often wondered what it might be like to smell. Do we really miss out on so much without being able to smell?
We had to soak our foods and tea in water before we could taste it with our tongues, and even then, it’s not nearly as sensitive, which is probably why other species consider venlil cuisine to be overseasoned and overpowering.
Another reason why the stereotype of venlil being weak is nonsense, in my opinion. How strong can you be if you can’t handle a little spice?
The timer went off, chirping to tell me my tea was ready. I sifted out the leaves and brought the invigorating elixir to my lips. The hot fluid warmed me to my core and burned away the waking lyasi silk from my groggy mind.
I needed to catch up with Hephy and Mara; they should have brought in that satellite-
My thoughts were interrupted by the chiming of my pad. I picked it up and answered the call to see Hephy’s face almost filling the screen, with Mara looking over her shoulder.
“Oh good you’re awake! Captain, you must see this! It’s amazing! The satellite, it’s full of brains!”
END TRANSCRIPTION
Been a hot minute, I hadn't forgotten about this. As always, comments are coveted and appreciated. What do you all think about Fiir's behavior? What do y'all think of Hephy?
Thanks to for creating this setting and fostering such a delightfully passionate community! Thanks again to , Novalux, and the Foxmates for editing and helping me get this done!
Soma belongs to Frictional Games.
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2024.05.29 03:20 UnmovableFeast Pitchforks

It happened. He didn't deny that. Not like he was a suspect or anything—not yet—but he never denied it to himself. At the same time, this all happened over a decade ago—twelve years to be exact.
He didn't think of it every day; in fact, sometimes an entire month would go by where it barely crossed his mind.
In a way, that whole experience—he thought of all the abductions and murders as a singular event—now felt as if it belonged to somebody else.
It was a time in his life when he was confused, mixed-up, searching; a dark time, you know, like a phase. Who didn't have one of those in their past?
Plus, he was married now. His wife, Dee, obviously didn't know about it and he felt no obligation to tell her. Did he ask about her former lovers?
Sometimes there are things in the past and you just let them be. Whether it was Dee losing her virginity to the quarterback of the football team in the backseat at a drive-in or him using multiple black garbage bags and masking tape on that thing he didn't have time to bury in rural Tennessee, everyone has things they would rather forget about. Sometimes you just leave things where they lie.
So that's what Ned Doyle did.
Until that Sunday morning, November 6th, 1988.
He was a having a glass of Dee's pulpy homemade orange juice, waiting for his coffee to percolate, when he opened his heavy weekend edition of the New York Times (probably Ned's greatest extravagance—he liked its heft; and how the Arts & Leisure section made him feel culturally superior to his Ohio townsfolk, “the Philistines of Findlay,” he called them) when he saw the article buried in the back.
The country was two days from heading to the polls for the General Election—Bush v. Dukakis—so most everything else that week had been relegated to the back.
He read the article twice before he could even begin to make sense of it. It seemed to be a story about something called "DNA fingerprinting" and a 27-year-old baker in Great Britain named Colin Pitchfork who had confessed to raping and murdering two 15-year-old girls, in separate incidents a few years apart, after a new scientific process had been used to extract information from semen which he, Colin Pitchfork, had left at the crime scenes (likely inside the victims) some five years earlier.
Now if they could do all that after five years, why not ten years—or maybe even… twelve?
"Interesting story here," he said to Dee. It wasn't uncommon for Ned to read a news story twice—once for himself and a second time aloud to Dee while she brewed his coffee and burnt her toast. But this was his third reading and Ned acted as if it were his first.
"What do you make of that?" he asked. It somehow got worse each time he read it. After the third time, he felt as if he had been sucker punched in the stomach.
"Science Fiction is what it sounds like," Dee said matter-of-factly, pouring Ned his coffee in a mug that bore the Marathon Oil insignia. Findlay, Ohio was Marathon’s headquarters although there had been rumors circulating about a move to Texas.
"And unconstitutional," he said. "Cops running a dragnet like that, taking blood samples from 5,000 townspeople. Thankfully, that would never pass the muster here."
"They did catch the killer so maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea," she said, buttering her burnt toast. "Otherwise, who knows? They could have convicted the wrong man.”
Ned had already gotten lucky once – astonishingly so. Griffin Gerald Jones, the famed “I-75 Corridor Child Killer,” had claimed responsibility for all but one of Ned’s victims before dying in Florida’s electric chair.
"You can't have police in this country running around, sticking everyone with needles, drawing blood for some sort of science experiment,” he said. “Nevermind the Constitution, what about AIDS?”
“What about it?” she asked.
“There's been hundreds, thousands of cases now where people have been infected by giving blood,” he said. “That's a medical fact. Get accused of a crime and AIDS too?"
"It doesn't sound like any of the townspeople there in England got AIDS, darling. Unless there's more to the story, besides what you read to me."
He watched her spread orange marmalade over her burnt toast and take a bite. She had a dead tooth and he saw it every time she opened her mouth. He loved Dee but had never been sexually attracted to her. Not in the way he had been attracted to others.
"It really is just a matter of time before that stuff makes it over here," she said with her mouth full. "To this side of the pond, as they say." She took a sip of his orange juice. "Isn’t that how it always works? Things start over there in England, or in California, and then phht, before you know it, it makes its way to Findlay."
He held his hand over his stomach. She saw him wince.
"Was it my orange juice again? Was it still pulpy? I squeezed it by hand and even strained it twice this time."
"It’s not your fault,” he said. “I think it’s me. Orange juice is getting too… acidic for me." He looked at the clock on the coffee maker. "I'm going to be late."
He turned the page.
He played the 8 o'clock Mass by rote as he had many a bleary-eyed Sunday morning. It was pure muscle memory at this point. He made a few mistakes here and there, missed a key or two, but it was nothing the organ's sustain pedal couldn't mask – not that anyone would complain (not at the 8 o'clock anyway).
On Sundays Ned had four Masses: the 8, the 9:30, the big one at 11, and the 12:30 for the dilettantes who couldn't get their acts together for the 11.
He turned the page.
Today he was using Glory and Praise, AKA "the blue hymnal" for songs he knew by heart.
Turning the pages of his sheet music, reading each note, he was able to keep his mind off it.
Ned abhorred cliches (especially those involving sports) but he made an exception for “Out of sight, out of mind.” For Ned, that wasn’t a cliché; it was a way of life. He was a man who preferred to be heard, not seen, which made St. Bartholomew (or St. Bart’s) the perfect home for him.
In a spectacular architectural oversight, the church's pipe organ was situated so the organist's back was to the altar and pews. The organist of course needs to see what's going on in the Mass to read certain non-verbal cues but the arrangement suited Ned just fine. The congregation was comprised of many young families who had many young children—boys in particular—and it wasn't so much that he couldn't control himself because he was now firmly in control of all that; it was more that he didn't need any reminders of that time when he couldn't.
Especially during church.
So to see the altar behind him, Ned had installed an actual rearview mirror, the type you'd find on an old Buick, and he used a special type of putty to affix it to the mantle of the pipe organ. Having been the church organist at St. Bart's for nine years, he seldom needed it anymore—he could do it in his sleep—but it came in handy today as he found his attention drifting and he nearly missed the oratory refrain at the 9:30 Mass.
His real problems didn't start until the 35-minute break between the 8 and 9:30.
He was reorganizing his sheet music after the first wave of churchgoers had cleared out, when he began thinking about Colin Pitchfork again. The article said he was a baker in England somewhere—did it say he baked cakes or was that Ned's invention?
Even though no picture was provided in the Times article, Ned spent the balance of the 9:30 service picturing the 27- year-old ex-rapist/murderer working in his small English bakery, quietly going about his business, baking his cakes, when the police (Bobbies?) came.
Was he expecting them?
He played the offertory hymn, "On Eagle's Wings," as the ushers began taking up the collections and a family of parishioners he’d never seen before brought the gifts up.
And what was going through Pitchfork's head when he saw the Bobbies there? When they began asking him about rapes and murders that happened almost five years ago? The article said that he had initially given investigators someone else's blood when “the enquiry” began. Had he somehow caught wind of this “DNA Fingerprinting?”
There was a new usher, Ned noticed, in his makeshift rearview mirror.
The Times article said that one of Pitchfork's co-workers at the bakery had taken the blood test masquerading as Pitchfork because Pitchfork had told the co-worker that ‘he could not give blood under his own name because he had already given blood while pretending to be a friend of his who had wanted to avoid being harassed by police because of a youthful conviction for burglary.’ This story was later overheard by a woman in a pub who immediately went to the police.
Ned realized he had missed the homily twice now. Not that it mattered. Heard one you've heard them all and Ned was pretty sure there would be no surprises. Plus, he'd have two more chances to catch it. He knew he would have to really focus for the 11 o'clock. That was always the main event. He was going to play "I Will Raise Him Up," a complex hymn, which required his full attention. He would scratch that one now if he hadn’t read that article and if the Sunday programs hadn't already been printed. People liked that one –it was a real barn burner, as they say—and if he skipped it, there might be questions.
The last thing Ned needed right now were fucking questions.
Who was this new usher, by the way?

By the start of the 11 o'clock Mass, Ned wondered whether anyone would even show for the 12:30, seeing that it was already standing room only. The 11 was always the most popular Mass, but today felt different; it was packed like Christmas Eve. What was the occasion? Was the predominantly conservative town that afraid of Dukakis winning the presidency? Ohio was a swing state after all and that image of the little Greek man in the tank was unnerving, sure, but was it enough to warrant this sort of turnout for the 11 AM Mass at St. Bart's in Findlay?
Or was something else going on?
Ned didn’t believe they had come to hear his rendition of "I Will Raise Him Up."
Or could there be another reason? Maybe they had all read the same Times article. Maybe there had long been simmering suspicion of Ned in the community and maybe the article finally prompted the townspeople to join together and take arms. With pitchforks.
On March 31, 1892, the only known lynching in the history of Hancock County occurred when a mob of 1,000 men, many "respectable citizens," broke into the county jail in Findlay. They lynched Mr. Lytle, a man who had killed his wife and two daughters with a hatchet the day before. The townsfolk hanged the man twice (first from the bridge, then a telegraph pole) and then, in a classic case of overkill, shot his body over a dozen times. The authorities had intended to transfer the prisoner out of town at 1 o'clock in secret, where a train was scheduled to transport him to Lima, but someone talked.
Ned had only confessed what he had done to one person – a priest eight years prior. The priest was set to retire as he was dying of pancreatic cancer and visiting from a nearby parish. For years Ned had heard this priest was “of the old school” – i.e., your word to God’s ear, and it went no further. He was as safe as they come. Still, even then, Ned used the screened side of the Confessional, lowered his voice a full octave, and spoke of what he had done obliquely and in generalities. They were mortal sins. His penance severe: to repent and refrain from repeating the act again. The priest was now long dead. There’s no way he could have tracked Ned down and told anyone. Was there?
The last one was named Derek. That was the only one left unsolved.
He would play "I Will Raise Him Up" during Communion. Because of the crowds, he knew the communion lines would be longer and would thus require him to stretch the already difficult song a few minutes longer. If he was going to supply the masses, he was going to need a bigger yield. In a way it was like baking a cake, wasn't it?
He met Derek at a Dairy Queen in Paducah, Kentucky. It was Labor Day 1976. It must have been 100 degrees out, but it felt even hotter with the humidity. It was a real scorcher.
Derek had a bicycle with an American flag banana seat. It was the summer of Bicentennial Fever. The Dairy Queen was in an area known as Noble Park. It had a tin canopy that kept cars cool in the shade.
Ned missed a note as he turned the page. He stepped on the sustain pedal and his mistake sounded deliberate and beautiful even.
It was early evening; fireflies were out in full force and Ned was blotto. He had been drinking beer—cans of Schlitz—all day at the picnic of a friend (technically, the friend of an acquaintance so basically a stranger). A born introvert who still lived alone (this was pre-Dee), Ned was very drunk and primed for small talk. You must also remember this was a very different time. This was back when you still opened cans with an opener; drunk driving was frowned upon but not the cardinal sin it is today; and a grown man could still park outside a Dairy Queen and strike up an innocent conversation with a prepubescent boy on a bike.
"What da ya' got there?" Ned asked.
"Butterscotch Sundae," the boy said. The boy was blonde with brown eyes.
"Butterscotch, eh?"
The boy licked his plastic spoon and stared somewhere beyond the pea-green 1974 Buick Riviera Ned had inherited from his old man after he had kicked the bucket.
"For the life of me, I can't remember if I like butterscotch or not," Ned said. "That probably sounds pretty screwy, I bet."
"Get a free sample at the window,” the kid said. “They're free."
"Looks awfully busy over there. Mind if I have a taste of yours? I don't have any cooties, I promise."
The kid dragged his spoon over his ice cream as he mulled it over. Maybe seeing that he was almost done with it anyway, he figured what's the harm. He handed Ned the Styrofoam cup.
Ned looked at the boy as he stirred it a little and then placed the curved side of the spoon on his tongue and kept it there.
"I do like butterscotch," Ned said, giving it back. "Thank you for sharing that with me, that was awfully kind of you—say, what is your name?"
"Derek," the boy said.
"Derek. What a nice boy you are. Do you like dogs, Derek?"
"Sure," Derek said.
"Do you have a dog?"
"Not anymore. Used to. We had a beagle named Eleanor but she went blind and then lame and then..."
"What kind of dog was she?" Ned asked.
"A beagle," the boy said.
"A beagle, yes you said that. You like Golden Retrievers?"
"Sure," the boy said.
"Cause I have a Golden Retriever. It's a girl too. A bitch."
Derek smiled.
"She's pregnant. I mean she was. But… she just gave birth."
"To puppies?"
"You betcha. It was just a few weeks ago. She had a whole litter of 'em. Boys, girls. Cutest little pups you've ever seen. The thing is, Derek, I don't know what to do with them all. You're a nice boy. You just shared your Butterscotch Sundae with me and I'd care to return the favor. Would you… like a puppy?"
"How much?"
"For nothing,” Ned said. “For free.”
"You'll give me a puppy for nothing? And I can pick the one I want?"
"Sure can. They're at my place just down the road. Thing is, it's probably too far to bike there. And you're going to need both hands to hold on to the puppy. Hop in, I’ll give you a lift."
"What about my bike?"
"We could put it in the trunk but we're not going to be long. We'll be right back. It'll be safe here. People don't take things that aren’t theirs around here – especially when there's a lot of people around."
He remembered waking up on the floor of his apartment disoriented. He was late for work. He was still working as a salesman at the piano store. There was a big Labor Day sale still going on. Labor Day was always a big day for retail. The owner was a nice man and Ned wanted to call him and apologize but he wasn't sure what to say yet.
He hadn't planned on sleeping in. Forgetting work on Labor Day. The irony.
He saw the boy's underwear on his floor. They were tighty-whities from Fruit of the Loom. He thought of that every time he saw an ad for that company afterward.
They weren’t bloody but they were torn.
He remembered the sound of the filter on the aquarium he used to keep in his apartment. It was noisy but sometimes that was a good thing. He was very into Japanese Fighting Fish for a while until it became too expensive as they always killed each other.
There were no puppies obviously.
His apartment did not allow dogs.
His sense of disorientation and the ensuing panic prevented him from experiencing any of the usual remorse he felt afterward.
There would be plenty of time for that later.
The boy's body was in the bathroom just off the bedroom and he needed to get rid of it. He needed to get out of town. Out of Paducah. Out of Kentucky.
He placed the boy in a hardshell Samsonite suitcase, carried it out of his apartment, walked down the one flight of steps. He saw no one and he was confident no one had seen him. The suitcase was lighter than it should have been—a detail he never forgot—and he walked out to the carport where he saw his Riviera parked sloppily between the lines. He felt a wave of nausea come over him but he suppressed it. He opened his trunk, placed the suitcase in the back, and then looked around the apartment complex before walking back inside. He cleaned up with bleach. Showered. Hit the road.
There were no police gathered outside the Dairy Queen. It wasn’t a crime scene. He didn't look to see if the boy’s bike was still there; he didn’t want to appear suspicious.
He needed to get out of Paducah so he headed toward the freeway.
For a moment he briefly considered the Shawnee National Forest, which was to the north, but he stuck to his gut and took the newly-constructed Interstate 24 East toward Tennessee. Aside from getting out of Kentucky, he didn't have a plan. The asphalt was brand new and at times he felt as though he were floating across the highway. It took about two hours to get to the state line and once he was over, he filled up at a 76 Station in Clarksville, Tennessee. Only when he was filling his tank and had a moment to reflect, did he think about what was in the trunk. He imagined he had Superman's X-Ray vision and pictured the suitcase in the back, the boy's tiny body folded like a pretzel inside.
He missed both the readings, the Gospel, and the homily again. Then came the Consecration which was over before he knew it. It was time. He began to play "I Will Raise Him Up." In his rearview, he saw the communion lines forming and he thought he caught a glimpse of the new usher staring at him, but he couldn't be sure. He needed to concentrate on the song. People knew this one; people wanted to hear it exactly as they remembered it, and it was a full house, so the sustain pedal wouldn't save him this time.
Once he made it through the chorus, he knew he could relax a little.
The "DNA fingerprinting" in Pitchfork's case came from semen that was left inside of the victims.
Ned had made it to the outskirts of Nashville faster than he expected. He still hadn't checked in with Mr. Cory, the owner of the piano store. He desperately needed an alibi. Old Mr. Cory could probably send Ned to the electric chair if he wasn't careful.
He got on Highway 386 and headed north. After 20 minutes, he exited in Gallatin and drove around until he found an area he thought was remote. There was a road called Cages Bend.
He liked the sound of that.
It sounded hopeful.
He took that until he came to a gravel road, which looked as if it led to an even more secluded wooded area.
In the rearview, he remembered the cloud of dust kicked up by the tires of the Riviera he had inherited from his father, the drunk, who had done to him what he had gone on to do to others.
In the rearview, the communion lines were still going strong. No sign of that new usher.
He came upon a bend in the road that looked totally secluded, as if no one had been there in years. He cut the engine and listened for a moment. The invisible cicadas high up in the trees made it sound as if a giant rattle snake was slithering around him, preparing to strike. He got out of the car.
He didn't know if it was the trees or the fields of tall grass, but something smelled like semen.
He opened the trunk with his keys and pulled out the hardshell suitcase. When he closed the trunk there was a rustling in the tall grass but when he looked, he saw only a herd of white tail deer scattering.
Initially he had planned on dumping the body and taking the suitcase home with him. He didn't think to bring a shovel. Then he heard the sound of a bush hog—a piece of farm equipment with spinning blades that cut vegetation and cleared the land. He couldn't tell which direction it was coming from. He checked to make sure his suitcase didn't have any labels on it or name tags. He then two black trash bags in his back seat and wrapped the suitcase – one bag around the top, the other on the bottom, and secured it with masking tape. Then he carried it into the woods and set it down in some brush. He began snapping tree branches off to make cover but as the bush hog got louder and closer he panicked, leaving it only partially covered.
The communion lines had dissipated. Everyone was sitting now, even the priest.
Everyone always knelt until the priest sat and Ned should never be playing if the priest was sitting but somehow, Ned had missed his cue.
He concluded "I Will Raise Him Up" softly, using the sustain to ease himself out.
He looked in the rearview and saw the priest staring at him.
As was the rest of the congregation.
They would all be coming for him soon enough.
Unless he could make it back down to Tennessee and get rid of that thing once and for all – assuming it hadn’t been found yet.
Somehow, deep down, Ned always knew it was going to happen.
He was raised up, alright.
Now it was just a matter of time.
submitted by UnmovableFeast to creepypasta [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 03:13 zpfgot Union Update and an idea of dues

Union Update and an idea of dues
Union Update
Hello everyone! It's been a couple weeks since my last update, so I thought it's time to summarize some of the discussions the union folk have had since then. I hope you've read and enjoyed the articles we've published on this subreddit about the reasoning for unionization and the demands we've stated. We have ideas for more articles in the coming weeks. so be on the lookout there.
We've been recruiting new members who would like to be involved to some degree with the inner workings of the union. As per usual, if you are interested in joining us and having direct input in the union committee, feel free to send a message to me (or anyone else in the union organizing committee). If you want a minimal degree of involvement by staying up to date and helping us brainstorm ideas, that's great! If you want a greater degree of involvement, including but not limited to, messaging tutors at some point in the future about the union, well, that's even better! Just let me know!
A couple members are going to reach out again to union organizations now that we have achieved the first step in the process - having a sufficient number of people in an organizing committee. This will be our main focus for this week. We're also having casual conversations to get to know one another a bit better. There was a nice pet discussion last week. We've been very friendly with one another, and the camaraderie has been wonderful.
Union Dues
The one topic which hasn't been previously mentioned in any of my posts is the idea of union dues - i.e. your personal cost for the union. I have been intentionally avoiding this topic, as it is not relevant until we actually are unionized. There are going to be costs associated with unionization. For instance, when we get to the eventual bargaining process, I believe it would be necessary to hire a lawyer or law firm to help us with that process. While we are all volunteering now, once we are a recognized union, it will be, at a minimum, a part time job for the people in the leadership roles. There may also be travel costs associated in dealing directly with TDC (though, I'd hope as much can be done remotely as possible). I'll link a short article on the costs of a union, and you're free to do further research as well.
https://guide.unitworkers.com/union-dues-explained/#:~:text=What%20are%20typical%20union%20dues,%241%20for%20every%20%24100%20earned
This article and others I've read over the past couple weeks have pegged union dues to be mostly in the 1-2% of your salary range. Some organizations have union dues which are higher, but I am hypothesizing that ours will be on the low end. I think the costs will be low since we're not seeking anything that would be particularly complex like a healthcare plan, retirement plan, or dental plan (Lisa needs braces!). Our work is remote, so we won't need office space. Our general goals have been on the simpler side - more money directly in our pockets and more autonomy over how we do our jobs. Some unions create a strike fund for the workers so that when a strike occurs, this fund can be tapped to provide an income to the workers while on strike. I'm not sure a strike fund will be necessary on our end, but that's a topic for future discussion. With all of that, let's assume our costs are on the low end. I think it would be helpful to show two examples of how a union can be financially beneficial for the tutors even with union dues of 1% (to keep the math simpler).
We start with the control - where we are now. We need to make some assumptions to create a baseline. Let's say that Anthony is a Master Tutor of Algebra 1 and Geometry in a low minimum wage IC state. He makes $15 per hour while in session, $7.25 per hour for waiting, and has an 80%-20% split between in session and wait time, respectfully. Anthony has a decent primary job, and tutors a couple hours a night, five days a week for some side income. With these parameters, Anthony earns about $578.35 in an average month during the school year ( ($15*8+$7.25*2)*4.3). Since Anthony is an IC, he will eventually need pay about $128.31 in total federal taxes (in the 12% marginal tax bracket, plus Self-Employment Taxes, and allowing 15% to be deducted) on that income, plus about $24.58 (5% after deductions) in state income taxes for a spendable amount of $425.47.
For our first exercise, let's say we are able to unionize, but the negotiations don't go quite as well as we hope. I'm going to call this the "bad case". We are only able to get a 5% raise for in-session time and we ensure that everyone is an employee. In this case, Anthony's new in-session rate is $15.75. Under the same workload, the monthly income increases to $604.15. Since Anthony is now considered an employee, he is subject to FICA taxes instead of Self-Employment taxes. Adding the FICA and income taxes, the federal tax burden will be around $118.72. We can include a state income tax of $30.21 and union dues of $6.04. After taxes, Anthony would have around $449.18 in extra spending money.
In a second exercise, let's say we're able to unionize, and all of our demands are met - i.e. the "good case". Anthony's wait time is increased to $15 per hour, and in session time is $22 per hour with the employee designation. Once again, Anthony works the same hours distribution. Under these parameters, Anthony's monthly pre-tax income would be about $885.80. After federal taxes($174.06), state taxes($44.29), and the 1% in union dues($8.86), Anthony would have $658.59 in extra spending money.
While Anthony is in a lower wage state, we should also consider a higher wage state. For this example, Beverly is also a Master tutor of Algebra 1 and Geometry, but lives in Washington state. She makes $18.28 per hour in session and $16.28 per hour while waiting. She works in a way that is essentially identical to Anthony. Her current monthly income would be approximately $768.84. After the federal tax deduction of $151.08 (WA has no state income tax), Beverly would have $617.76 of spendable money.
In the "bad case" scenario above, the only change would be an increase for the in-session rate to $19.19 per hour. Her monthly income would increase $800.14. After federal taxes and the 1% in union dues, her spendable income would be $634.91 per month.
In the "good case" scenario, the in-session rates increase to $22, while there would be no wait time increase, as it is already higher than $15 per hour. Her monthly pre-tax income would be roughly $896.81, and a post tax income of $711.62
To summarize and TL;DR the information in a table:
Summary of after tax income changes due to unionization
We see that in any case, we do better by unionizing, even with the union dues. My thought experiment is simple, but they should illustrate the point. I would imagine that someone could find a case where someone does worse with unionization. For instance, I couldn't find it at the 10 hr a week level, but my hypothesis is that there is a workload high enough where if the vast majority of your time is wait time, a 1% fee would make you slightly worse off from a direct financial standpoint in a "bad case" scenario.
Keep in mind that this is an example with a single raise. It's highly likely that with unionization, we can ensure annual raises. Considering that we currently seem to get small raises every other presidential term, imagine what annual raises would do to these numbers in year 4 or 5.
Now that we've had qualitative and quantitative articles on the benefits of unionization, are you ready to join us? Let me know! Do you have any questions? Again, let me know!
​
Note - For my federal taxes calculations, I'm using methods and assumptions similar to my post from a few months ago when I looked at the quantitative differences between IC and PTE income for what I believe is a typical person working for TDC. https://www.reddit.com/tutordotcom/comments/18x4s2t/update_12_ic_vs_pte_quantitative/
​
Poll (US Only, please!)
How many hours per week do you work during the regular school year?
View Poll
submitted by zpfgot to tutordotcom [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 03:01 Outrageous-Till8252 Paasche spray gun opinions?

I saw this cheaper option on the Cerakote site and was curious what people thought that have tried it? I searched and found a couple statements like moving up to an Iwata will make the Paasche look like a harbor freight gun. But since I don't do this for anything but personal fun, I am using harbor freight guns to pretty good result. So I'm curious if moving up to the Paasche is worth it. My main beefs with the hf guns are that they wear quickly which not only means they become trash but also that the setting change over their lifespan. Also that the settings are drastically different between each gun you buy. So I have to mark all my guns and keep notes of my general settings for each one.
submitted by Outrageous-Till8252 to Cerakote [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 03:00 Critical-Ad2084 Vincent Kompany tactical preview: A good fit for Bayern?

Vincent Kompany tactical preview: A good fit for Bayern?

Background

Kompany is influenced by Guardiola's philosophy. His system is built around possession and positional play principles, with tactical flexibility -within those principles. Key elements to his games are possession, a structured build-up, chance creation by playing short passes and using absolute width to open up the half-spaces. The CBs have to be decent on the ball and the CDM should be a ball playing distributor who can also carry the ball forward and resist the press. His striker moves around a lot, contributing to scoring as well as assisting. Position switching is normal in his system, and lopsided formations where a fullback plays as a winger, while the other fullback tucks in to form a back 3 or inverts into the midfield are not unusual.

Tactics

This is a small preview of Kompany's tactics; many of these formations were used by Tuchel (2-3-5, 3-2-5, 2-4-4), but the philosophy and intention behind these same structures is different. At the moment Kompany's tactics are not entirely unique, he is like a mini-Pep, similar to Arteta in his first season. In his system, the CDM is probably the most important player (good luck Pavlovic) in terms of dictating the tempo and being mostly in charge of the build up. Similarly to what we saw with Tuchel, it's likely he'll start matches with a nominal 4-2-3-1 formation that becomes a 4-4-2 in defense, and 3-2-5 / 2-3-5 variations in attack, but again, the philosophy behind these formations is what matters, not the formations per se.
We can expect a nominal 4-2-3-1, this formation is almost irrelevant because it will change in every phase of the game, with Kompany favoring a back 3 in the build up and attack, and a more conventional 4-4-2 in the defensive phase.
Kompany normally uses a situational back 3 in the build up, where the CDM drops between the CBs while the fullbacks go very wide. The build up formation will vary depending upon the opponents' pressing structures, and may be lopsided or asymmetrical. An attacking midfielder or striker may also drop deep like a false 9, while the wingers (or fullbacks) push high to play almost like inside forwards.
Lopsided 3-2-2-3 (3-2-5) formations are not unusual and the back 3 could also be formed with a fullback tucking in instead of a midfielder dropping to the back line. Fullbacks could also invert to create a box in the midfield, but it will al depend upon the circumstances. The main idea behind these structures is to create a numerical advantage in the build up, in order to carry the ball safely and prevent mistakes near the box.
After build up, and especially against low blocks, Bayern could play a 2-3-5, which the squad is already used to, where either the wingers or fullbacks provide absolute width to open up the half spaces where players like Musiala or Sané can thrive. Numerical advantages through the middle of the pitch could also help the team keep possession, but of course, these formations could expose the CB pair to counter attacks as there are huge gaps behind the back line which can easily be exploited when the ball is lost.
The 3-2-2-3 (or 3-2-5) may be a more balanced alternative to the 2-3-5, and has been Kompany's go to formation in the possession and attacking phase, which is very similar to Man City's main formation these past two seasons. Again, lopsidedness is not unusual but a more conventional approach (with wingers providing width) is also common in his system. If Davies and Kimmich continue to be the main fullbacks, this structure would not be surprising.
If Bayern uses two strikers or two false 9s in the attack, a 4-2-4 that inevitably becomes a 2-4-4 against low blocks is likely to be used this season. This formation is less intricate than the others, and may be useful as the team adapts to Kompany. While he is not expected to be a starter, Müller will surely get enough minutes on the pitch, and he could excel in this formation, playing next to Kane, or right behind him in a more traditional Raumdeuter role.
Bayern's most risky structure could be the 3-1-4-2 / 3-1-5-1 we saw this season in the second leg against Lazio. This formation could be used against weaker teams that are not particularly fast or good on the counter, or in situations where a goal is desperately needed, but naturally, attacking with 7 players comes with the risk of exposing the back line whenever the ball is lost.

Conclusion

His Anderlecht and Burnley sides played a possession based, attacking football, which the fans liked. His approach is attacking but balanced, something Bayern desperately needs. As a person he is reported to be very commanding, but also a trustworthy man manager, who works a lot on team cohesion.
At Burnley, when his side competed against teams of a similar level, he did quite well. In his relegation season, his team was expected to face bigger challenges. Kompany tried to play the same way in the Premier League as in the Championship, and when that failed, he didn't change his approach either. This could be interpreted as him being committed to a philosophy, which is admirable, or, as him having problems adapting or being too stubborn, which could be problematic, but either way, it's too soon to judge.
Regardless of Kompany's success or failure, this season will be refreshing for the fans. He should be able to implement his tactics without much risk, but he will have to adapt. Bundesliga teams are comfortable playing against Guardiola-style clubs, and know how to wait for the mistake that allows them to counterattack and score on the break, something that happened frequently this season, with Bayern rarely keeping a clean sheet. If Kompany manages to implement a football identity, but most importantly, to fix the issues in the build up, the defensive phase, and the midfield, he will be loved. The moment his tactics cause problems and he fails to adapt, well ... we already know how that plays out.
As fans all we can do is support him and be patient; these Guardiola-influenced tactics can take more than one season to really get going, and may be tedious to watch at times.
submitted by Critical-Ad2084 to BayernMunich [link] [comments]

2024.05.29 02:51 XenoLateralus On Sunday (yep, anotha one)

I wanted to make my own thread about my take on the Sunday situation because I have a God complex and I want to be done replying to every person that annoys me with their ignorance. A running thread I've seen is people grandstanding (mostly people who weren't there Sunday) saying that the people complaining about safety issues aren't used to sold-out festivals. Or that it's all inexperienced younguns who were just having panic attacks because they're not used to crowds.
Ya wrong.
For a quick resume check, I attended full weekends in 2017, 2018, and 2022. I got roped into Boston Calling when they booked Tool as a headliner for their first weekend at Harvard Athletic Center, and has become a fun way for me to discover other artists from outside the rock and metal world since then. As someone who mainly goes to heavy shows in the northeast I've seen sold-out shows at everything from the Worcester Palladium to Gillette. Hell, BTBAM performing Colors at Paradise Rock Club a month or two ago was definitely oversold and I was still happier than a pig in shit.
There's just a massive difference between a 2-3k capacity club getting bumped up a few hundred people vs. a field with many fixtures interspersed in it becoming flooded with several thousand more than it seemed to be able to contain. I've seen a lot of comments on the insta page from people who attended Metallica in 2022 mocking people complaining about this year. It wasn't the same.
Without even speaking to the crowd crush at the stages leading up to and during Hozier (which were the only ones I witnessed, I was chillin at the orange and blue stages before Stallion lady), what I saw yesterday at the porta potty village was insane. I knew there was going to be a huge mob there at that time in the afternoon, but was going to cut through to the orange stage ones. I looked over the crowd when we stopped moving and saw people sandwiched beyond belief, probably no longer giving a shit about finding a bathroom but just desperate to not be in a mosh pit a long ways away from where any music was playing.
Other than overselling, there is a pretty big issue with the layout they've created as the festival has grown in popularity. It seems that the VIP area at the two main stages has grown each year in order to be able to sell more high $$ tickets, creating far more of a bottleneck for the GA masses. Also, it seems far more square footage is being allocated to sponsor pop-ups than in the past. Yes, it's hard to take a bunch of people complaining about unsafe conditions at a corporatized festival that seems to cater to white college kids, but please do some research on how time and time again for decades, festival organizers are allowed to run wild with zero accountability until people die. And then even when people do die, usually still no accountability.
submitted by XenoLateralus to bostoncalling [link] [comments]

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