Thanks to John Key Banker, NZ bank deposits are uninsured.

NZ remains the only member of the OECD NOT to have complied with the post GFC OECD directive to provision bank deposit insurance to protect citizens and businesses from bank failures.
John Key then PM refused to comply and instead imposed a regime whereby bank customers will pay for the losses should any NZ fail.
The Labour government has been working (very slowly) to fix this and against resistance from the bankers cartel that Key now leads as Chairman of the ANZ, but as of today your bank deposits remain exposed to the risk of seizure and confiscation.
Bitcoin is a safe haven against the parasitic bankers usury and rentseeking.

At first I had an error 404 when trying to download the repack, people on the site said to uncheck vc ++ (redists) and direct x.
Now it's saying that I am missing a file when I launch the download of the actual game. (I think it's related to the redists missing but I really don't know since I unchecked them per reccomendation of a moderator) (Copied the pop-ups at the end of the post)
Thank you for your help c:. (Also could anyone tell me how to disable certain packs from the game? thanks a lot)
An error occured while unpacking: Does not match checksum!
Unarc.dill returned an error code: -12
Error:file Sims 3/temp/01.pack failed CRC check
​
then this popped up:
Sims 3/_Redist/QuickSFV.exe CreateProcess failed; code 2. File not found
Sims 3/_Redist/NDP451-KB2858728=x86-s64-AllOS-ENU.exe CreateProcess failed; code 2. File not found

Kagagaling ko lang sa iyak. Not because nasaktan ako, but because sobrang naooverwhelm ako sa love and happiness na dulot ng bf ko. Ang saya saya ko naiyak nalang talagq ako sa tuwa HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Mahaba to. Sobra. So buckle up.
Back story on how we started: My Bf and I (both are 23) have been friends for a long time, we met nung 2015 thru my best friend tapos naging super close nung 2019? 2020?. All our interactions were thru chat kasi I'm not the type of person na lalabas para makipagkwentuhan. Actually, on off yung interactions namin nun kasi madalas ako maubusan ng social battery. Pero sobrang nag kick off talaga yung friendship namin nung 2019-2020. I'm extremely introverted, bilang lang sa isang kamay yung mga close friends ko. Plus, I'm socially anxious din kaya lahat ng maging kaclose ko, pinapahalagahan ko talaga. We bonded over shared interests. Youtube, anime, art, music, at marami lang iba. We also think alike and reaaally get along well.
What happened is it turns out, matagal na pala siyang may gusto sakin. He's been giving out obvious signals na he likes me pero I was EXTREMELY dense. Hanggang ngayon, pag naaalala niya, nafru-frustrate parin siya. "TANGINA. ANG HIRAP MO SOBRA. DI KO NA ALAM PANO GAGAWIN SAYO. BAKIT HINDI MO NAGEGETS.".
In my defense naman, NBSB ako, I haven't been romantically involved with anyone. I'd rather hole up in my room, magpakalunod sa hobbies ko than to make social interactions. Resulta neto is wala akong exposure sa ligawan or love signals or romantic social cues. (Kaya socially anxious rin ako kasi wala ako masyadong naging exposure. Di na nga ako marunong makipagkaibigan eh.)
Next reason why I didn't notice or suspect is because akala ko friendly lang talaga siya HAHHAAHAHAHAH. Dito siya pinaka badtrip. Eh kasi naman napaka extrovert niya. Ang ingay niya sa social media tapos laging ang daming kausap. Ang daming kaibigan. Ang daming kabiruan. Parang lahat yata ng tao kinakausap niya? So I thought, super friendly lang talaga siya. Nung naging kami at pinakita niya sakin at inexplain yung mga hints niya, I told him akala ko ganun talaga makipagsocialize mga tao. Lalo na siya. Akala ko talaga mga biro. Malay ko, I don't know how popular people socialize nor interact with each other. Nanghuhula lang talaga ako. I'm not the type na mag-assume din naman kasi who am I to assume na sa dami ng friends niya, ako magugustuhan niya. Btw, hindi ako maganda ha? Hindi ako drop-dead-gorgeous-very-mahal-ni-lord-type-wattpad-main-character. I'm actually very average looking.
Last reason, (yata?) Is coz he was publicly honest na he used to be in love with a girl and he wrote one of his songs, thinking about her (Musician siya btw) Shini-ship pa sila ng mga tao. Muling ibalik daw. Funny things is, isa rin ako sa mga shipper HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA. GANDA NUNG KANTA EH. TAPOS BASED FROM TRUE LOVE STORY? SHEEESH. Pero wala na talaga silang special relationship. He was hung up for a long time pero he moved on na daw. As in zero feelings na daw. Friends nalang talaga. Yan sabi niya sakin nung sinasabihan ko siya na why hindi nalang sila magbalikan. Hindi pala naging sila, hanggang MU lang. (Ako talaga naging first gf) Edi kung hindi naging sila edi ituloy, ganun, sabi ko. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA
Ay may isa rin pala siya naging ka MU ulit. 2020 to nung naging close kami. Gumive up siya sakin kasi wala daw talagang sign of budging galing sakin. Para daw akong mataas na bundok na kailangan akyatin. Sa totoo lang, nagtampo ako nung nakahanap siya ng bebe nun eh. Kasi nung kinongratulate ko siya na may bebe na siya nung miny-day niya, hindi manlang siya nagreply. Hineart lang message ko amputa. I was expecting na k-kwento niya pano nagkakilala, ganun, blah blah. NOTHING. Akala ko pamandin, I was one of his close friends na pagk-kwentuhan ng mga ganung bagay. Apparently, I wasn't close enough pala. Nalungkot ako sobra. I FELT SO BETRAAAAYED. Yung tipong akala mo best friend mo tapos ikaw pala hindi bestfriend HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA. Hindi na rin kami masyadong nag-uusap nun. Hinayaan ko na rin kasi syempre busy siya sa ka MU niya. APPARENTLY, kaya ganun naging treatment niya sakin is because masama loob niya kasi ako naman daw talaga gusto niya pero para akong bato. Syempre he tried to not talk to me kasi he was already entertaining another girl. Unfair yun para sa girl, and I agree. Well, that relationship DID NOT last. SOBRANG TOXIC PALA NI ATE GUUURL. BF knew better and noped out of that situation real fast. With respect of course. Kaya ayun, more interaction ulit kami.
So you may think, "kung hirap na hirap na siya, bakit hindi nalang siya directly umamin sayo?" Answer is, natatakot daw siya sobra HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA kasi daw nagk-kwento ako sakanya about sa mga guys na nagtangkang lumapit but were brutally rejected. I was firm kasi na ayoko pa pumasok sa relasyon. And them dudes were not worth changing my mind. College to eh, ewan ko, bigla siguro akong nagbloom kaya may mga lumalapit na. Pero ayun na nga. Natakot sa rejection. He didn't wanna try risking the friendship din daw. Sabi ko grabe naman, if he confessed, at nireject ko siya, I won't stop being friends with him naman no. Sabi niya, kahit na. Kasi daw pag narejct, wala na daw talagang pag-asa. Kaya he kept on making hints nalang kahit hindi gumagana.
One day (beginning ng pandemic), he uploaded a demo song and sobrang nagandahan ako. He said na wala lang daw yun, demo lang na natripan niya gawin. I begged him to continue the song kasi oh my gosh yung melody, yung composition, ang ganda. And so he did. Inuupdate nyako sa process at sobrang manghang mangha ako. Lagi kami magka call nun sa discord. (Nagstart mag discord kasi sabi ko dun nalang. Mas maganda kaysa messenger.) He even told me that the song is now based sa artist name ko and sa comic ko noon. Nah, he lied. Based talaga sakin. Pero ako namang si tanga, tuwang tuwa, naniwala na doon niya binase. Matagal nakong fan ng music niya. Aware ako na super talented siya. Di man siya kasing sikat ng mainstream artists like JK or Zack Tabudlo, his songs are still as good para sakin. Now, being involved in the process of him writing that song, (hindi naman invloved, more like updated) I started admiring him even more. Kinilig rin yata ako sa lyrics ng song.
Then I started to feel like he has a thing for me. Kasi sobrang bait, sobrang supportive, sobrang attentive na niya sakin. Super ready tumulong pag may need ako, like andiyan siya agad. To the point na napaisip nalang ako, pang friends lang ba talaga yung ganitong treatment? Hinayaan ko nalang. And then out of nowhere, I just asked him "may balak ka bang ipursue ako?" Wala na siya nagawa at umamin nalang. He said yes, he really really likes me. And so I made an impulsive decision of asking of starting a relationship with him. Walang ligaw ligaw. Walang kahit ano. Kami na. I really like him as a person din naman. He's like a walking green flag HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I trusted my character judgement and our long-time friendship and sailed with it.
Fast forward po sa ngayon na nag-iiyak nga ako sa tuwa HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Kanina kasi, Sobrang nalulungkot lang ako sa life situation ko kaya sobrang namiss ko siya kasi he was my comfort talaga. Nagkita kami the day before pero nagcrave talaga ako ng presence niya bigla. I was even grumbling like a kid kanina. It was already 12 am pero I asked him to come. Di naman ganun kalayo bahay nila pero far enuff na need ng vehicle. He was planning on riding his bike kaso ang dami daw aso sa kalsada kaya nag angkas nalang siya. Kaso lang din, walang tumatanggap tapos it was already 2am. (Night owl kami ha.) Sabi ko wag nalang, izokay. Pero he insisted, may tumanggap, then he came. Tumambay lang kami sa labas ng bahay, kwentuhan, and then he gave me that tight hug and lambing na hinihingi ko sa kanya. Umuwi siya around 3:30am. Tapos he chatted me nung nakauwi na siya. I thanked him sa pagpunta niya just to satisfy my whim. He said he'll do everything. Everytime. For me. GAGSTI, TANGGAL ANGAS KO. IYAK TALAGA AKO EH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Btw lagi niyang ginagawa to ha. Legit yung anytime (except pag tulog). Naiyak lang siguro ako talaga ngayon kasi I was going thru something.
I remember one time, I didn't eat dinner pa and it was late and I didn't feel like cooking kasi I was really really down. 2 am, nagluto siya, then biked to deliver that lunchbox contaning what he cooked, then left. I ate that food while bawling like a child. I ate every single bit of rice and ate that salty ass egg deliciously. Pati yung sunog na bawang sa fried rice, kinain ko HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
AS IN LAHAT NG GOOD QUALITIES IN A JOWA, NASAKANYA NA. I'M TELLING YOU, WALKING GREEN FLAG. YANG 5 LOVE LANGUAGES NA YAN? LAHAT YAN MERON YAN.
He would happily, genuinely, and wholeheartedly do whatever I request from him. No thinking, no questions asked. Stay up. Watch a movie. Tell a story. Blow dry my hair. Help me write a story. Kahit ano.
Wala siyang bisyo like smoking or drinking. I, on the otherhand, occassionally drink. Kaya nung sobrang nalasing ako at nagsusuka, at nag-iiiyak kasi nandun yung friend namin na ex rin ng best friend ko na nakipaghiwalay sa kanya kasi daw hahanapin sarili tapos pinagsisigawan ko ng "HAHANAPIN SARILI?!?!?! BOBO KA BA?!?! AMBOBO?!?!?!?! MIDTERMS NIYA NUN TAPOS GAGANYANIN MO?!?!?! GAGO KA BA?!??!?!" (I regretted this and said sorry many times. First time kong malasing ng ganun at nadala ng emosyon. Naka move on na rin naman na kasi lahat. Bigla lang bumalik HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA). So ayun na nga, todo bantay at asikaso siya sakin nun and also stayed up to clean up all the mess kasi siya lang talaga di umiinom. Tapos mapapagalitan talaga ako sa kalat namin kasi samin kami uminom. He didn't want that kaya naglinis talaga siya. And he went home, may araw na, with no sleep. Kasi binantayan din niya ako sa kwarto dahil humihikbi parin ako at ang daldal ko.
So ayun na nga, I FUCKING LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS MAN. AND I CAN CLEARLY FEEL AND SEE NA HE LOVES EVERY INCH OF ME TOO. SOBRANG SWERTE KO SA JOWA. TAPOS FIRST TRY????? SHEEEEESH. NAG OOVERCOMPENSATE YATA SI LORD PARA SA MGA TAGILID NA ASPECT NG BUHAY KO HAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAGAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA. MAG 2 YEARS NA DIN KAMI NEXT MONTH HEHE.
He knows I have an anonymous reddit account pero ayaw niyang alamin anong user id ko. Gusto daw niya na maging 100% anonymous ako para I can say or share whatever I want. If may gusto naman daw ako ishare sa kanya, magsasabi ako. STILL, IF U HAPPEN TO READ THIS, MALALAMAN MO AGAD NA AKO TO KAYA HEMLO, AWABYU AND I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH ULIT 🩵🩵🩵

Trigger warning for suicidal thoughts and ideation, as well as self-harm.
I (M 16) have been very close friends with this person (Non-binary 17) since we were 8 and 9 years old. Let's call them Jade. A few years ago, Jade moved to a different state and we've been talking less since then, but I still care a lot about them and would do anything to help them. I even saw them recently for New Years as we went to a concert in Philadelphia together.
I know that Jade has been self-harming for years and has been struggling with suicidal thoughts for a similar amount of time. Recently, Jade has been expressing thoughts of hurting themself and even wishing that they would be killed. I know that it isn't attention seeking, because 1) that shouldn't be something you assume about someone struggling like this anyway, and 2) they have said these things on social media rather than to people directly, because they don't really have a real outlet or anyone to talk to. I have tried telling them that I will always be there for them and that I'm a safe person for them to talk to, but they haven't opened up to me yet. I've also tried getting them to think about going to therapy themself rather than telling them directly because I know that when people tried to convince me, it made me feel helpless and like something was wrong with me. I didn't end up going until I was able to make the decision myself. This hasn't worked either.
The other option is to tell Jade's mom. I have her phone number, so I can text her, but I'm very hesitant. From what I've heard from Jade, and from what I've witnessed, Jade's mom would not react well and I don't want to make things worse. I know that it can't be worse than Jade killing themself, but I want to try to convince them to ask for help before I tell their mom.
I just don't know what to do. I care about my friend but I don't want to make things worse than they already are. I guess specifically what I'm asking is how can I get Jade to open up to me so I can better understand what they are thinking? Then, how do I go about getting them to consider seeing a therapist without making them feel the way I did?
I appreciate any advice you could give me.

It looks like Mizzou/ the Mizzou instagram page is really heating up this spring. We’re bringing in lots of big talent and im really liking the involvement and hype we’re seeing with the players of the day posts and new content. It seems like they are really trying to build a culture around the Zou which is something we haven’t had in a while… I think it’s just what we need to get to that next level of recruitment and bond that this team could have. Now we just have to leave it in Drinks hands and hope we can take that next step this year. With a new offensive coordinator and A LOT more talent at QB this time around, it’s hard to think we wont at least take a big step in the right direction. Thoughts ?

I have him on Engine, love the card with his outside the foot trait and 5* WF. He rarely misses one-on-one with the gk. However, so far for me he has one annoying flaw. Anytime I make a direct pass or through pass to him, he struggles with immediately accelerating away from my opponent's defense line once he received the ball. At times, the opponent's defense quickly tackles him. It is a 50-50 success rate for me at the moment in this regard. My POTM Sorloth has a higher goal per game average in comparison as a result of this problem. I have looked at WC Eto's stats all through and I don't understand what I am missing. His body type is good at Lean, so what is it? I had a similar problem adapting to prime Eusebio and Cruyff as a result of this same issue. Can anyone who is an expert at understanding the player cards design and most effective way to utilize a card, for this game please advise? Thanks.

• Mk 3 Battle Light - uses crane connection or fire button and has lots of modes, please note I took the picture with the light on when demonstrating the IR, this thing is a beast, a tiny bit less than a D2 illuminator but it also has a white light! $400 shipped. (heres an older FS post that shows it working, for gee whiz https://imgur.com/a/VTAPDHP )
  
• Folder mount for Draco, mini draco micro draco. Bought this brand new direct from US Machinegun, installed it, sat in my safe, and decided to go a different much more expensive route. This is "like new" in that is literally has never been fired or anything, however it has been installed and sat in the safe. The lockup on this thing is nice and tight, just as good as my Galil Ace or Bonesteel stocks. Outstanding piece of hardware! All metal construction and the beefiest/strongest folder on the market that doesn't require permanently modifying your gun. My loss is your gain, $150 shipped (I will include my original receipt which shows I paid $170+) Includes absolutely everything I got when I received it direct from manufacturer!
  
• A3 Tactical picatinny mount, this came in a trade, and I never used it, $100 shipped
  
• brand new farrowtech mp5k picatinny end cap with qd cup, never even mounted, taking pictures is first time it was removed from plastic bag, I went a much more expensive route. $50 shipped? this most likely 99% is for a MP5K but I'm not an HK nerd
  

https://imgur.com/a/SxPMHxM pictures of everything
STANDARD RULES APPLY, YOU DIBS YOU PAY PROMPTLY, low/no flares must pay G&S at your own cost +3% I may pass over low/no flares for high flares if you seem sketch

Hey guys, I’m not very good at the car stuff but I’ve learned a lot from my dad so I want to stop completely leaning on him to help me fix up my beater. I ran into this problem where it turns over kind of pitifully but won’t actually start. When I’m turning the key I’m able to rev the gas but that doesn’t really do much at all. I know this is pretty vague, but I was just wondering if somebody might be able to point me in the right direction. For reference the car in question is a 98 Buick lesabre with the 3.8 in it. Any advice is appreciated!

You can chat +447593882116 (Telegram/WhatsApp) if you want The System By Todd.
I have The System By Todd.
Todd Valentine - The System is a revolutionary course, created by the famous pickup instructor - Todd Valentine.
The System by Todd covers everything you need to know to play the game. This program is applicable for beginners, as well as intermediate students.
In The System by Todd you will learn how to OPEN (Open, Premise, Establish, Narrative) as well as much more on how to lead proper interaction with girls, and how to close them (infields included)!
Todd Valentine's The System is one of the best and most effective courses ever created on dating, and one of the best choices you will make if you have decided to improve your game.
To get The System By Todd contact me on:
Reddit Direct Message to u/RequestCourseAccess
WhatsApp/Telegram: +447593882116 (@multistorecourses)
Email: silverlakestore/@/yandex.com (remove the brackets)

I work a very physical, high stress job. Seven weeks ago I fell down the stairs in my house and sustained a full thickness tear of my MCL.
Like most industries, my field is in trouble. People are leaving constantly due to burn out or leaving due to physical limitations as we age out because it is not sustainable.
When I initially fell the first words out of my mouth were “I’d rather be dead than not able to physically function at work.”
We have been so short staffed, busy and overworked. I had been coming in a hour earlier than the start of my shift on our busiest day while my coworkers had child care issues and came in an hour late (I’m not upset about this, I understand having children). These days were particularly horrible combined with my coworkers telling me all the things I should be doing differently.
I already have a lot of anxiety around work, and my physical abilities: in 2021 I found out I have 3 herniated discs one in each section of my spine, either caused by work or exacerbated by it. I was about at 90% when I tore my MCL.
I have never missed this much work, I’ve been employed since I was 16, I am now 37. Initially my coworkers seemed supportive. After the first six weeks (I’d been out for 5 because I worked with crutches and a leg immobilizer until I got my MRI) I thought I would return. After my visit with the doctor and talking with my supervisor we agreed to an additional two weeks until I could come back for sedentary duty because my foot is still swollen on and off that I cannot consistently wear close toes shoes which is a safety hazard.
Last week a direct coworker called to find out why I wasn’t back yet. I explained to her why and about how it was the smartest decision for me as I’m not sure I can come to work consistently and I have no PTO. She told me she understood and then proceeded to tell me that they were all frustrated and upset that I’m not back yet and that I’m “making myself look bad on social media”.
Now I am by no means a TikTok star. I have been posting story telling and makeup videos these past weeks because I’m super bored with a lot of time on my hands. It was already a mild hobby before I was injured. You know what I’m not doing in any of those videos? Anything physical, just me talking to a camera.
I asked if she would have liked for me to be miserable, and to not find any joy while being injured and unable to do anything physical. She claimed I was defensive and putting words in her mouth. The conversation went spectacularly bad and I lost my whole mind.
She ultimately said that she was just trying to convey how stretched thin and overworked they are and wanted to know if there was anyway I could come back sooner.
So I quit.
I start my new job the day I was supposed to return to my old job.
(I did talk to my supervisor and manager who agreed I’d done nothing wrong or inappropriate. This phone call was unsolicited and off the clock. They tried for a mediated conversation but the damage was done.)

Hi folks. Has anyone visited Galapagos? I'm planning my trip across South America and probably I'll land on Quito. Is it possible to arrange a trip to Galapagos on my own? I can see only offers for $5000 organized by travel agencies. Ideally I would like to take a plane for 500$ and go there for 2-4 days and sleep at the cheapest place there. Are there agencies which organise some tours? Has anyone visited Galapagos and can share their experience?

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Cover
There, beyond the mighty door, another world opened before their eyes. It was a world of cog and wheels, of halogen lights and of steam, where pistons and brass pipes were a part of the architecture just as much as stone or brick, if not more. The floors were uneven plates of rusted, corrugated metal worn down by the centuries and corroded by humidity, and the lights embedded in the walls were faint and strained to keep shining, their light also a hum that filled the spaces with noise. There was a gash in the ceiling, a wide aperture from where a ray of white moonlight shone in an inner garden that was overgrown and overrun by nature, reclaiming that space and other spaces with its green growths. For in fact, moss and lichen spread from there like an advancing tide, following the trail of humidity and feeding off the light and heat of the incandescent lights.
“It doesn’t lead to the surface.” Ishrin observed, looking at the ceiling and through the hole.
“Perhaps there is a hidden passage.” Lisette offered her explanation.
“Or maybe it’s just weird and strange like the rest of this place. Am I the only one?” Melina asked.
“You are not.” Lisette stated.
At times the lights flickered, the power that kept them running surging and then stabilizing again, and their hum was a scream, and the scream was agony of a place that was dying a slow death through the centuries. The door far behind them, ajar one second ago, slammed itself shut and the sound echoed.
“This place gives me the creeps,” Melina said. “It feels like everything is moving, beneath the surface.”
“I do have the same sensation.” Lisette said. “But we need to press on.”
Ishrin cocked his head. “Her bracers are on the line. Come on!”
Melina groaned. “Fine. Still creepy tho.”
Indeed, little sounds, groans and hisses of the pipes, strains of metal and mechanism seemed to come from all around. While what they could see was all perfectly still, the noises betrayed that somewhere below the apparent peaceful façade, things were alive and moving, and perhaps watching them with unknown means. Sir Westys’ and his team were walking cautiously now, their pride long forgotten, squeezed between Melina at the front and Lisette at the rear for more protection. They listened to the stronger adventurers’ conversations with a mixture of irritation – this was the case for Sir Westys – and envy at the much more relaxed attitude that only being a seasoned veteran could ever give them. This wasn’t to say that Ishrin and his team were being careless.
There were many things that could hurt them in the world. In fact, even though his coming to Noctis was relatively smooth, Ishrin learned very quickly on his adventures that the world was much more dangerous than it seemed. The mountain realm, for instance. That completely erased his sense of power he gained when he slew the Sycoraptor in the forest where he also met Lisette. And while encounters like that of Lucius in Obscuria still told the tale of a world where the true powerful people were rare in cities and whatnot, places like this revealed the other side of the coin: that dangers and powers beyond reckoning still dwelled beneath the surface, and one needed only look for them in the right places. Very much like his old world of Eternia. Except that here, he theorized, there was the guild. And what the guild did was maintain order and the apparent status quo in the cities and in the countryside around them, or more in general it kept order where order was needed for business to flourish, while confining danger to be only outside its sphere of protection.
Melina too was suddenly thrust in what seemed like a whole different world than what she was used to live in, where danger was everywhere and even her Tier 15 – that once she thought as being powerful with a power unobtainable by any but the luckiest – was just average.
The rooms were many. Ishrin led the way, at times stopping to check with his teammates, at other times to take in his surroundings. He had made another water compass and was holding it himself, letting it float next to him with a bit of effort using his telekinetic powers.
There was no magic here. The air was not devoid of it, but its presence in the air was no more than the usual suffused glow of ambient magic, and none of the walls or things that cluttered the corridor and rooms had any magic inside of them. This made Ishrin feel blind, in a different way than he did in the mountain realm where he was blinded by too much magic, more like he was in the absolute dark, with only a faint glow that was light, yes, but didn’t reveal anything, not even shapes. Of course, he still had his normal vision, but used as he was to having both senses at the same time, he felt extremely uncomfortable.
Not all was bad. The reactive armor, surrounding him but invisible, was charging and this made him feel like he was finally investing his overflowing mana into something for a later use. Beside him Liù was having a great time exploring the place, touching the little brass chandeliers with small halogen candles, examining the many copper and iron cogs on the floor, fallen from damaged pipes on the ceiling, and sometimes she even snuck into said pipes where they were large enough, only to then have to be cut free when she got stuck.
Everything was covered in grime. The greasy, dark fatty substance used to lubricate mechanisms and that was now mixed with dust, and plant matter. Footsteps echoed wetly.
From the distance, faint at the beginning but ever more present in the consciousness of the seven adventurers, a rhythmic clang of metal against metal reverberated through the corridors. Nobody could pinpoint where it was coming from, beyond the feeling that it was coming from deeper in the underground complex, for the sound traveled through the pipes and the hidden hatches in the walls, the service tunnels and the air vents, coming to them as a cloud of slightly delayed sounds from all directions.
An open space. The ceiling rose immediately after they crossed the threshold of a great gate that stood ajar, as if blasted out of its hinges, until it reached so high up that vapor and cooled down steam began to hide some of its features. Inside the fog were, like little searchlights, points of brightness that spread and diffused through the thick air until an orange hue was ever present up there. Below, the floor was uneven stone, cracked and wet, with moss and small ferns poking out of the cracks. Sometimes metal plates that were bolted to the stone were still visible under the vegetation, reflecting the cyan light that came from the far end of the room. There, three circular openings were faintly visible through the mists, and there was a strong light coming from behind them, and in that light the silhouette of three great machines could be seen. Great automata they were, with circular bodies and long, prehensile arms, and their heads were large squares that were dull and dark.
Until, suddenly, they weren’t. Deep, red and foreboding lights came to life like sinister eyes as a screech of grinding metal and awakening old mechanical pieces pierced the air and deafened the adventurers. Everyone almost jumped to their feet, not even having had enough time to take three steps into the room before they were shaken out of their contemplation by the sudden sound. Not everyone reacted the same. Ishrin took in the room he was in, immediately spotting the three now moving figures who were dragging themselves free from the alcoves they were in. The shadows they projected through the misty air were deep chasms of darkness, and the three circles where they once stood immobile revealed a path beyond, that was unreachable.
Melina and Lisette both panicked. In the commotion they lost sight of Sir Westys and his party, the four boys having seemingly vanished into the fog. There were shapes and shadows moving in the distance, but they were faint, and far, and it was impossible to tell if it was them or just the many reflections of the shiny and wet, greasy metal that played with their senses, with their perception. Their panic didn’t last long however, and they both showed their competence and experience, their focus homing in laser-like on the enemies ahead.
The central automaton was closest. Its size was the smallest of the three, but even then it stood at more than four times as tall as Ishrin, and with only the sound of the metal groaning and the hiss of pneumatics, it raised one of its many limbs of welded plates up in the air and slammed down. Immediately the limb hit a field of invisible telekinetic force and was pushed to the side, but it didn’t happen with the ease that everyone was expecting it to happen. In fact, Ishrin had to kneel on the ground and his knee had dug deep into the rock, cracking it and leaving a deep dent when he, slowly, pushed himself back to his feet. He strained.
“Battle formation!” Ishrin yelled, immediately jumping to the side to dodge another incoming arm. The other two automata were each converging towards one of the two girls, and they were bigger, although slower and with less appendages.
Two grunts of strain and effort told him all that he needed to know. In a matter of milliseconds, the battle was on. Sparks raged from his right side, where Lisette dashed towards the metal construct with her blades unsheathed, and was slashing at it while dancing around its body, climbing on it, dodging the prehensile limbs that uselessly slammed into the ground and broke unseen pipes that began to spew gases in the air. She searched for gaps, weak spots where she could plunge her blades and sever vital parts of the grand machine of animated metal.
On his right, the bright flashes of magical green, tinted with a little hint of white and slight blue he had never seen before, were the sign that Melina too was engaging with her enemy.
This made him relax enough to allow him to focus on his own opponent. Liù was also orbiting him like a small sentry, deploying small faint lasers that mapped the structure of the automaton, until they focused on a particular point at the end of one of its limbs.
Danger :o
Ishrin jumped to the side, slightly diverting the giant arm, and firing a Magic Pebble with his sword at it. The projectile hit the metal and dug into it, melting it and leaving behind a circular hole roughly the size of a fist, red with heat and hissing. But the damage was minimal, for it only hit plate and not vital moving parts. As he dodged, he tried to see what Liù was highlighting for him, and he noticed the multicolored scattering of the light, the hue of a crystal he recognized. He had seen it last in Obscuria, tipping an arrowhead that was capable of penetrating Tier 13 defenses with ease.
“Careful—” he tried to warn his teammates but had to dash again and ended his sentence with a grunt.
From the other side of the room, through the clang of metal, he saw a glimpse of Lisette weaving around a similar crystal, coating a long flexible sword at the end of one of her automaton’s limb. From behind instead came the wild rush of wind of Melina’s magic, and a strained yell.
“Noticed! They have crystal blades!” she yelled when she had a small window of rest, before disappearing again in a flash of verdant energy to dash at her opponent.
Ishrin’s automaton was different than theirs. It shifted, and its limbs reorganized and changed until they morphed into different weapons: hammers, flexible swords, whips. And all these weapons were coated with the same crystal, the same dangerous substance that could hurt him somehow.
Suddenly a bright red light was in front of his eyes. He had gotten distracted, but Liù was ever watchful and had highlighted the vector of impact of the automaton’s flexible sword as it descended upon him with a red hologram, and there were ghostly images of him dodging and reposting to the attack, simulating what he could do to counter it. He grinned, taking a stance and exploding out with the full strength of his Tier 11 power, and he used telekinesis to push himself against the ground and change course mid-air until he landed right where one of the thing’s limbs were attached to its body. Before the automaton could react, he blasted the joint with Pebble after Pebble and then jumped away. With the joint weakened, he pulled at it from afar and yanked it free, and it came loose in a shower of black ooze that sizzled and smoked where it hit the ground.
The recoil sent him sprawling on his back. Even though Liù was there to catch him, he still ended up on the ground, feeling the wet of the stone and the odd warmth of a gas leak on his back. His pupils widened, and his mind raced. A giant crystal-coated hammer was descending upon him. His heart sped up. This was a slip-up. And almost fatal one. He could not get out in time.
The hammer hit, and for a moment there was silence. It was like even the other fights were momentarily suspended, as if both the automata and the girls were watching with their breath stuck in their throat was had happened to Ishrin. There was a small cloud of dust that had risen where the hammer had pulverized the stone, and sent Ishrin’s body several layers of pipes and service tunnels below the surface.
The hammer slowly came loose. The crystal on its surface was cracked.
A blue light. The small holographic body of Liù, surrounding her real indestructible body that was the SPAWN AI cube, flew out and up to the ceiling as if running away from something.
The dust slowly settled around the crater. There was only the sound of hissing vapor and dripping water.
Everything was still.
Lisette and Melina held their breath. Time ticked and ticked. Nothing was coming out of the hole.
The girls could see that Ishrin’s opponent was now turning against them, to team up with the other automata and finally tip the scales of the battle.
A single thought on their mind.
“We will fight until the end. Even if we die.”
Resolve in their eyes, they prepared for their last battle.
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Royal Road is where you can help me the most! Luca DR's Fictions Royal Road
My Stories
Everywhere at the end of Time
My Series
Earth's chosen
Isekai of the Ultimate Ritualist
Immense Space

I hate saying this because the show used to be very good. I remember not being able to turn it off. But now, I’m frustrated because I can’t seem to stay interested while watching the most recent episodes.
With Jordan and Layla getting together, I feel like that plot line is kinda done. Coop’s plot line plateaued in a big way. Preach’s “relapse” with gang activity felt forced and also, if he just faked out his old gang friends, it’s not like they’re gonna let him turn down a job HE asked for without consequences. Asher and Jamie being pregnant is exciting but honestly, as someone who has chronically ill people in my life it’s kinda triggering that he’s always worrying about her, so it’s hard to enjoy. Liv’s relapse stuff is also weird because she got praise for calling on her “village,” they all pledged to be there for her, but then each of them had trouble committing to watching her because they are prioritizing other things.
The bonds that they all shared seem to just be stagnant with not a ton of progress. I know the Billy thing was controversial but I was hopeful it would be helpful for changing the show’s direction.
Let’s discuss? Did anyone enjoy episode 13?

I have a strange issue and wondering if anybody else out there has this. When I set the Dolby Audio Processing to OFF, most of my apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube TV (specifically NBA on TNT w/ 5.1 audio set to on) as well as videos I try to cast to the built-in chromecast, have either micro judders when playing, or in the case of chromecast, errors out and doesn’t play at all. However when I turn Dolby Audio Processing ON, all of the issues go away, and chromecast is now able to play every video I cast (including the awful NBA league pass app). Anybody know why that would be the case? Ideally I’d like to turn DAP off to get the true pass through experience, however it renders my device unwatchable when I have it set as off.
Current Build - Shield Tube (2019 - audio out set as HDMI and manually selected all of the supported codecs) —> Onkyo SR-373 5.1 Receiver (HDMI-in and set to Direct Sound) —> TV Samsung KU6290 (all post image processing is turned off).

Ugh just have to rant. My daughter was having blood and mucus in her stool around 2 months old and so we took her into the pediatrician and she told me she suspected a CMPI and to completely cut out dairy, then reintroduce a few weeks later to definitively determine if that was the issue. We did as directed and confirmed. A couple months later now we are getting her daycare forms ready and I requested they list this so the daycare can accommodate her allergy and they tell me they have no idea what I’m talking about and are concerned about listing it 🙃 I just can’t. I had to reiterate the above and direct them to the past appointment notes for them to even believe me.

This is a throwaway account.
I have fairly recently moved to the United States and I'm new to pretty much everything when it comes to the retirement system, savings, and all that. A lot of it is extremely confusing to me, because where I grew up in most of this stuff was pretty much automatic. I was individually saving to ETFs back then too, but the system is very different.
I feel like I would rather self-study and understand how things work than pay someone else to figure out where I should be putting my money, but I think I need some help figuring out how everything works.
Some background information:

• Been in the US for a few years, permanent residency in progress right now
• Annual income about 165k, this means about 8k net pay per month
• Some prior savings
  • Roughly 30k in 401k I started a couple of years ago, in a Vanguard target retirement fund
  • About 70k in vanguard stocks, mostly really cheap broadly distributed ETFs (MSCI world etc.)
  • About 40k elsewhere
  • About 25k in checkings/savings account as a buffeemergency fund
• No credit card debt, no loans
• Started building credit after moving here, credit score in good order (790+)
• Zero deductible healthcare plan, so no HSA
• Monthly rent about 2k, hard to estimate what goes to food and entertainment but let's say it's another 2k

I am aware of the personal finance flowchart and I *assume* what I should be doing is increasing my 401k contributions to the annual maximum ($22.5k) and then consider opening an IRA account.
Could you help me figure out what the next steps should be and point me to the right direction with them?
What am I not taking into account here? Is there something I should be doing differently?
Potential goals:

• Make sure I'll be able to retire some day. I think this is fairly important to me.
• Thinking about buying an apartment or a house at some point, but not sure what the price point for that would be. I could also just continue renting.

So I was looking over an email I got previously on outlook however, it looks like the email subject has changed, is that possible?!? I didn't do the change at all...The subject was like a welcome note with my name on it, now it says someone else's name in the subject line.
I think the Sender might have changed the subject line, but if so why am I able to see that new subject line change but with the same email sent out to me in the first place??? No recall or no new messages, just a change in the subject line..
It was either that or I just didn't notice the subject line had someone else's name in it in the first place haha but the contents of the email are directed for me so kinda lost.

Please add a reply to this post before proceeding with a transaction. Also please use a direct message to contact me--I don't check instant chat. Preference for people who want to buy multiple items at once, in particular with the inks and the packs of paper. Shipping cost not included, CONUS preferred.
Pens capped 1 , Pens capped 2
Pens uncapped
I got a set of these Opus 88 Fantasia pens a while ago and intended to swap in some custom nibs, such as Franklin Christoph #5 SIG, but then I got a bunch more pens, and these are sitting unused. Inked them up once to see how they write, as I had not had Japanese style eyedroppers before. Very pretty, but I don't like keeping pens without use. I'm keeping the black color model and selling these 3. Standard JoWo #5 nib units screw out easily and can be replaced with an array of other options. Cleaning these pens is a breeze. Discontinued model.

OPUS 88 Fantasia - Red F [A2]

I don't have the original box with the correct red pen label anymore, but will include one from a black color model instead (paper label on the side shows a black color pen).
$100

OPUS 88 Fantasia - Blue F [A2]

Comes with original box and parts.
$100
----

Pilot Capless Decimo - Light Purple - M [B]

Great workhorse of a pen, perfectly operational. I'm downsizing a bit, because I have a bunch of LE Decimos now. The lavender color lacquer is in excellent condition. Very fine microscratches on the chromed parts. Nib unit included is 18K rhodium-plated Medium -- smooth and juicy. Con-40 converter also included. Will come with a Pilot box.
$100
​

Pelikan M600 Red Tortoiseshell - Fine [A2]

I wanted to love this pen, but unfortunately it's too warm red/orange leaning for me, and I prefer cold reds in general. Only inked a couple of times, otherwise it's been sitting in a pen storage box on my desk. Smooth piston movement, looks mint, no issues. Comes with original gift box.
$375
​

Original production 52g Tomoe River loose leaf paper lot:

https://i.imgur.com/uQjF7vc.jpg, https://i.imgur.com/qu1UtBK.jpg
- 4 sets of Cream color A5, 100 sheets each, $15 per pack
-1 set of Cream color B5, 98 sheets (I think I took out 1-2 sheets when I first got this pack, for an ink testing binder.) $17
​

Rubber Stamps by SniggleSloth - All A1, unused, in original packaging:

https://i.imgur.com/1A6OUWI.jpg
I can't use stamps in my journals, because the ink dyes I've tried so far penetrate to the other side and also affect water brush drawing over affected areas. I bought a bunch of these mounted rubber stamps, but sadly can't use them now. Very well made, easy to use. I am keeping the ones I've already used and selling the unused remainder:
- 3/4" Dutch Bunny Loaf circular stamp
- 1.75" Samurai Cat Under Sakura Cherry Blossom square stamp
- 1.25" Phoebe Bird on a Branch square stamp
- 1.25" Dream Catcher with Moon and Stars square stamp
- 1.25" Squirrel with Oak Leaves square stamp
$36 for the set. I can split the set, but only if you buy a stamp(s) with a few other things, because I just don't have enough small boxes to ship everything separately; plus it's not cost effective.

Inks:

https://i.imgur.com/CIH99WZ.jpg , https://i.imgur.com/UeLrOCx.jpg
Colorverse "Vortex Motion" 65ml + 15ml, 99%. With Optional Shimmer! New formula without strong green sheen. Dark purple-gray-leaning brown. With original box. \I can add your choice of Wearingeul Shimmer Potion to the 15ml bottle -- I've got most of the shimmer colors available** $25
Colorverse "Dust Storm + Valles Marineris" set 65ml + 15ml, 99%. $27
Colorverse Project Constellations "Alpha Scorpii Glistening", 65ml. 99%. With original box. Warm peachy pink with light blue shimmer. $20
Colorverse Project Kingdom "Kuyjang-Gak" 30ml, 99%. Muted terracotta-red. With original box. $14
Colorverse Project Kingdom "Nalasmalssami" 30ml, 99%. Green-teal-black with black-red sheen. With original box. $14
Colorverse "Methuselah Tree" 65ml (50% left), "Methuselah Grove" 15ml (few ml left, "Golden Leaves" 15ml (couple ml left) -- used for ink sample decants. $18 for the three.
Wearingeul "White Rabbit" 30ml, 99%. Light pink-beige. $15.50
Birmingham Pen Company "Barley", 65ml, 99%. Comes with original box. $13.50

I work in a smaller neighborhood bar thats super cute and has been owned by the same owner since '96. They want to update a few things and be more in with the times. One of those things is a digital draft board. Slightly overwhelming when I started looking into it so any help or direction would be great. Untapped is just way more than what we need and pricey in my opinion. We just want a simple screen that lists the beer, type , where its from and ABV. Something that's also super easy and quick to edit on a slammed Friday night. Any help is much appreciated 🙏

so for the past 2 months or so my cat has been relentlessly meowing super loudly at my front door. as i've been home a lot more and taking online classes she has gotten so much worse, literally crying if i'm not letting her in my lap and constantly petting her. i've gotten her interactive toys (including the puzzle toys with treats inside), a new tower which gives her direct access to a window that's right next to the front door, and a harness for going outside but nothing has lessoned it. it's to the point now that she just automatically goes to the door just to meow, even if i'm just sitting on the couch which is right next to the door she doesn't just come on the couch normally anymore, i have to tell her to come and if i'm not giving her my full attention and constantly petting her she'll go back to the door and meows again. i have to basically show her how to play with aforementioned toys even after she's played with them before (though she did destroy one of them lol), and even if i just go into another room she starts crying like she's being tortured until i say something. i basically have to tell her what to do or where to go or else she'll just meow at the door. there are some moments where she'll just chill out and lay down somewhere, but they're starting to be fewer in between her just yowling nonstop, sometimes for more than 20 minutes, and the more i ignore her the louder it gets. not only has it been driving me up the wall, but it's effecting my productivity and focus on hw, art, and she's even started doing it during my zoom classes or in the middle of the night while i'm going to sleep. i love her to death but at same time i don't really know what to do anymore. :-/ any advice would be greatly appreciated