2006 corolla maintenance light reset
Gigabyte ga-ax370 gaming 3 Boots only with backup bios.
2023.05.30 13:29 razenxd Gigabyte ga-ax370 gaming 3 Boots only with backup bios.
Hello there, if something is wrong with the format of my post please let me know.
submitted by razenxd to gigabyte [link] [comments]
- System Spec (Full Model Names) (This is a test bench btw) Ryzen 5 2600X Asus RX560 2GB 2133Mhz SkHynix ram Corsair GS600
- No OS
- Not a driver related issue
- No RMA or Claim.
- Motherboard was not posting, and RGB lights was off. Red CPU LED always on, and randomly blinking RAM LED. I Kicked in the secondary bios by holding the power and the reset button for 10 seconds and then turned it on. I got into bios, changed date etc and shut down. I was able to boot again without kicking in the secondary bios. Left it overnight at the bench and this morning again it was not posting and was needed to boot to secondary bios again. I believe that when the secondary bios kicks in, it writes itself to the first bios chip . I didn't try a USB flash when on secondary bios, since I do not know if it's gonna apply it on the first or the second chip. Based on the thought that the secondary bios writes itself to the first bios chip,and I was to boot it again after saving the settings, I tend to believe that the first chip is toasted and corrupting itself, but that could just be a bad assumption. any Ideas would be highly appreciated. Thanks
2023.05.30 13:02 tomimendoza AEGIS - An OnK FanFiction
I know it's not exactly fan art, but it's the most fitting for this kind of thing. Another fanfiction has it as its flair when it was posted here. Anyway, this is my output for the OnK fanfic train. I hope you guys enjoy! The link to the fanfiction.net page will be at the bottom.
***
With the rise of violence against celebrities also comes the rise of elements that protect against them. A rookie agent finds himself assigned to a famous idol with a promise to defend. And what was supposed to be a training assignment would eventually grow to so much more.
***
The young man grumbled as he trudged the halls of his home towards his father’s office. His hand would rake through his black hair in his face in annoyance while his two emerald eyes with four-point star-shaped irises focused forward. He already knew what was gonna happen and he wished he could refuse. He had been hoping to devote his time to honing his gaming skills with the hope of maybe one day joining a pro-E-sports team. But, because his father was an old man with a small scope of the modern world, he laughed and told him to do something real with his life. And something real meant taking over the family business one day.
Kurosawa Security Services, or simply KSS, is a Japanese family-owned security company based in Kyoto although they have offices all over the country and even abroad. KSS provides everything from security guards for convenience stores to close protection agents for top government figures. They can also provide security consultation and training. The service is rated as the best Japan has to offer with highly trained agents. KSS agents regularly train with the police and military elements like the Security Police and Special Forces Group. And in rare occasions, they would even train with the US Secret Service abroad. KSS is also the best because of the long history of the organization which dates back to the feudal era when Kurosawa Saitō picked up the sword and protected the local Daimyo from an attack. In other words, they had a long time to hone their craft.
Now, what makes a security company like KSS so big in a country where crime is almost non-existent? Isn’t Japan a safe nation? Those would be your first mistakes if you thought of them. It doesn’t matter which part of the world you’re on, good and evil exist everywhere. And good must be protected from evil. That’s why KSS exists.
And soon enough, the company will be in Akio’s hands when it's his father’s time to retire. That’s how the system works, despite what he thinks of it. So, now his ultimate tests will begin. His first assignment.
After walking for what seemed like hours he reached a pair of large doors. He knocked on them and was asked to come in by a voice on the other side, so he complied. Entering, he was greeted with a fairly large office for only one man. And that man was currently seated behind a desk reading through some papers.
“Hey, Dad,” He greeted as he sat down on one of the chairs before across from him.
Kurosawa Tadao put the papers down and then looked at his son before smiling. He was an aging man with black hair that was already greying and blue eyes that had four-point star-shaped irises.
“Hey, Son! How’re ‘ya doing?” He asked.
“Just fine. I was finally getting my KDR up in Black Ops and I was planning on getting my skills up in CSGO later. But, here we are,” Akio answered.
“Staying inside is not good for your body you know.”
“I planned to play basketball tomorrow and I have band with the boys this weekend.”
“It’s still unhealthy because it’s exactly anything productive. You’re 17, Son, you need to start shaping up for your career,” Tadao said.
“I’ve been shaping it up since I was five,” Akio muttered.
“And that’s why we’re here right now. Your first assignment, son! It’s the moment of truth! Aren’t you excited?” Tadao asked with a wide grin as he picked up a folder from the side.
“No, not really,” Akio answered flatly.
“Well, maybe you’ll be excited once you find out who I’m assigning you to. Spoiler alert, she’s an idol,” He said with a grin, whispering that last part as he handed him the file.
“I’m not into idols, Dad,” He said flatly as he took the file.
“Your little brother a good chunk of this company’s personnel, and hell, a good chunk of the population are though,” He commented.
“That doesn’t make sense. Everyone can have different interests. And Goro, well, I guess being tied to a hospital bed for years does that to you,” He said sadly.
“You’re one weird kid, you know.”
“Well, I was raised by the likes of you, Dad,” Akio retorted with a sly grin which made his father laugh.
“Well, you got me there,” He chuckled and promptly silenced himself to let his son read.
“Hoshino Ai? Never heard of her. Although I admit she is pretty cute,” He mumbled as read through the file with her picture on it. He took in her personal information like date of birth, age, physical appearance, and all the usual things. And then he got to a part that listed her status— “What the fuck?! She’s pregnant?!”
“Language, Akio!” Tadao scolded. “Anyway, officially, she’ll be taking a break from showbiz for a while due to ill health. Actually, she’s pregnant and they’re trying to keep it under wraps. Bad for business, because a lot of fans are a bunch of lonely losers, they’ll drop her just because she has kids.”
“Language, Dad,” Akio retorted and shook his head. “Well, teen pregnancy is bad, but it’s unfair for her to be hated for that reason.”
“Yeah, the life of a celebrity is a lot shittier than most people would think. I know, your mother was a singer, she dealt with that too when we were found out,” Tadao said with a frown before smiling a bit. “She
“Please don’t tell me about your romances, Dad,” Akio cringed. “Anyway, Hoshino-sama will be my protectee, huh?”
“Yes. She’ll be heading here with her management agency soon to settle the contract. And then you’ll be heading to the countryside where she can lay low until she gives birth. That’s the basics of it.”
“Alright. Babysit a pregnant teenager and keep her from doing anything dumb. Should be easy enough,” He said.
“Do not underestimate the dangers tied to the entertainment world, Akio,” Tadao reminded. “As I’ve said, a lot of them are a bunch of lonely losers or generally just of questionable character. Some of them will go to great lengths just for attention. Fans can get really wacky after all. It’s already happened before. Not to mention, all the snakes in the industry. Someone might want to up their game so they think about eliminating the competition. You get the point.”
“I’m very aware, Dad, don’t worry,” He assured then sighed. “Just doing this and my studies at the same time? What am I gonna do?”
“That’s rich coming from someone who was planning on just lazing around all day. Besides, you’ve been homeschooling for more than a year already, right? I’m sure you can get a read in every day without compromising your job.”
“Well, it’s not impossible, but it’s gonna suck,” He said then sighed. “Alright, I’ve got this. Not much of a choice anyway. Anything else I should know?”
“Yeah. Remember this, you do not ever let your protectee out of your sight. Wherever she goes, you go. That being said, don’t be too overbearing, and make sure to give her room to breathe. She is a woman, she will want her space. Also, try not to set such a tight atmosphere. Try being her friend, and she’ll be easier to work with. Tomita will meet you tomorrow too to evaluate you. You’ll also be reporting to him your progress during your task.”
“Noted, Dad. In that case,” Akio stood then positioned himself directly in front of the table before bowing. “I shall see this task to the end.”
***
Idol music was not his cup of tea and Hoshino Ai was a complete stranger to him till that moment. He’d spend a whole week with the pre-preparations with one of the senior agents until it was time to meet the latest customers. Then he would meet Hoshino Ai for the first time and they’d make their first impressions of one another.
***
“Are you really sure about this?”
“We’re going to need a shield just in case. Lot’s of wackos around here. Besides, we’ve already agreed to meet.”
“It’s just, there’s a lot of shady dealings in the security world.”
“Are we any better? Besides, KSS is the best this country can offer. I also know the company head personally too, we went to high school together, and he owes me. We’ll be just fine.”
“Um, o-okay…”
“I didn’t understand any of that, but okay!”
“Never change, Ai…”
How do you keep a secret from the world? Simple: you lie. You lie a lot. But then you realize it’s not so simple and every day is spent with fear that everything might fall apart. Just trying to get anywhere was a massive undertaking. For example, right now. Two adults and a pregnant teen in a car. Aside from the teen pregnancy, there’s nothing strange at all about it. But if you knew who the car’s passengers were, then you’d immediately understand.
After a couple of hours of driving (making occasional turns to make sure they weren’t followed and consequently getting lost a couple of times) they finally reached their destination which was a large estate in the outskirts of Kyoto. A guard met them at the gate, and after the driver talked and showed some credentials, they were let in. It took another minute or two until they reached the house where a group was waiting for them. The car group got out of their vehicle with the house group greeting them shortly after. A man with short blonde hair and yellowish-brown eyes underneath some shades stepped forward and led the group.
“Ichigo-san, you’re still about as ugly as when I last saw you,” Tadao greeted with a cheeky grin as he approached.
“Tadao-san, you’re clearly the most repulsive one here. I see you still haven’t taken my advice to get your face fixed,” Ichigo greeted with a snarky expression as he also approached.
Once close enough, they locked hands for a shake before pulling each other in for a hug.
“It’s nice to see you again, friend! How’re you doin', man? No troubles getting here?” Tadao asked.
“I’m just fine. Getting here was a lot smoother than we thought. But we are exhausted,” Ichigo replied.
“I imagine. Remember that time in Second Year when we bought booze with fake IDs and we had to run for it?”
“Ha, how can I forget?! I was terrified the cops would get us!”
As the two men shared stories and laughed, everyone else present could not help but be astonished at how casual the two were being. It almost was like this wasn’t a business meeting.
“Yeah, those were the days,” Tadao laughed and turned to the other two people to address them. “Before we continue any further, allow me to introduce myself. I am Kurosawa Tadao, head of Kurosawa Security Services, and I welcome you all to my home. It’s nice to meet you!”
He then stepped toward the next person. She was a rather tall woman with long strawberry-blonde hair and pinkish-brown eyes.
“And you must be Miyako, his wife, yes?” He asked.
“Yes, I am,” She said with a polite smile as they shook hands.
“You know, I’ve always wondered how someone with a face like his could get married. But here we are,” He joked earning a laugh from her.
“I sometimes wonder why I decided to marry him too,” She commented and they both laughed.
“Huh? What?” Ichigo said but was ignored.
Then, Tadao moved to the last person. She was a short girl with long violet hair with matching eyes that have stars in them. But her most distinct feature was the bulge in her abdomen showing her pregnancy. Moreover, she looked like she wasn’t even 18. This observation made his gut wrench due to feeling pity for this poor girl’s bad decision. Regardless, he put on his best smile and took her hand.
“And you must be Hoshino Ai,” He greeted. “I’ve heard all about you, but since I’m the stereotypical old man, I’m not into your music. Regardless of that, and after listening to a couple of songs, I think you’re doing some very great work in your field.”
Her lips curved into a smile that cured souls as her eyes seemed to shimmer. Tadao kept himself from reacting, but at that moment he knew why she was so popular.
“Thank you so much, Tadao-san! You know, I don’t think I’m that popular to begin with but I’m always so happy to hear that someone like what I do!” She said happily.
He chuckled a bit. “I used to be in a band in middle school and high school, so I still try to stay up to date with the latest musical trends these days. Although, I still don’t know much. I mostly get my info on that from my own agents.”
He glanced to the side followed by Ai shortly after to see three younger agents standing stiffly as they tried to ignore them. They knew exactly who she was. All three of them have her as their phone’s lock screen wallpaper. And it’s clear that they wanted to talk to her, but they couldn’t. And even if they could, they didn’t know how. Ai giggled in amusement while Tadao just stared.
“Anyway, now that introductions have been made, let’s go inside where it’s more comfortable. I know you’re here for business, so let’s dive right in. We’ve also prepared snacks and refreshments inside in case you want some. Ichigo, my valet will take care of your car, so give him the keys please,” Tadao said as he gestured for them to follow.
“Do you have ice cream?” Ai asked.
“We sure do!”
“Yay! Let’s go!”
After Ichigo handed over the keys to a valet, Tadao began leading them into his home with the trio following shortly after. But before that, a mischievous thought entered Ai’s mind and she acted quickly. She suddenly turned to look at the trio of agents who tensed up even more under her gaze. Worse, they realized that she was up to no good just from her grin. But before they could even speculate what she was up to, she suddenly did her signature love heart hand pose with a smile. In a flash, the three agents felt their knees go weak in the presence of such moe cuteness that they struggled to stay upright as they covered their mouths to silence their ecstatic screams. Satisfied with her handiwork, Ai giggled as she left the scene of the crime.
“Um, are they gonna be alright?” Ichigo asked nervously as he saw one of them falling over.
“They’ll be fine.”
They entered the huge house and led them through a series of hallways that were decorated with all sorts of interesting stuff. One of them was some sort of cannon on a towed carriage, except, aside from one big barrel, it’s got multiple little ones arranged in a circle with a crank.
“Kurosawa-san, what’s that?” Ai asked.
“Oh, this? This is a Model 1874 Gatling Gun. It fires a .45-70 caliber round from top-loaded 20-round box magazines with a rate of fire of about a thousand rounds per minute, although, it really depends on how fast you can crank it. It was one of the most revolutionary weapons ever designed and it changed the battlefield forever. This specific weapon here was used by the Imperial Army against revolting samurai during their last stand in the Battle of Mount Shiroyama, the last action of the Satsuma Rebellion,” He explained. “Sometimes I wonder what the samurai were thinking in their last moments just before they were all gunned down.”
“Wow,” Ai whispered in awe.
“Indeed. I don’t even know where my father dug up this gun,” He said before tracing across the black-painted barrels of the old weapon.
“That’s so cool!” She exclaimed happily then fished out her phone from her hoodie pocket. “Can I take a picture with it?”
“Ai, we’re here in business and the man’s likely very busy, so let’s not take anymore—” Ichigo said but was cut off.
“Sure thing! Our meeting is the only thing I have on my schedule today, so I’m basically free to do anything!” Tadao interjected with a wide smile as she took her phone.
What followed next was a comedic scene which was basically an old man doting on his granddaughter while he took pictures of her doing cute things. Meanwhile, everyone else present just stared with blank expressions.
“So much for not being into idols,” Ichigo muttered.
“These are so good! Thank you so much, Kurosawa-san!” She thanked him with a wide smile after going over the pictures.
“You’re very welcome! And you know, we’ve got a lot of goodies in this house, maybe you’d like to take some pictures with them too?” He offered.
“I’d love to!” She squealed.
“Mhmm!” Someone cleared their throat.
Looking in that direction, they saw a young man dressed in a nice business suit who was basically a younger version of Tadao. He approached them with his hands in his pockets and regarded them with a straight expression.
“You’re getting off track here, Dad. We’re still conducting a business,” He said as a matter of factly. “And what happened to ‘no touching of the expensive decor’?”
“Oh come on, son, do you honestly believe I can refuse that?” Tadao complained as he gestured to Ai who maintained a happy expression as she looked at the photos.
“Don’t enable her, Dad. Ma’am, please stop touching the gun, it’s very old and very expensive,” He said.
“Ai, get off of it,” Ichigo ordered.
“Aw, okay,” She said sadly as she backed off.
“Sorry for the trouble, but this stuff is crazy expensive. And oh, I’m Kurosawa Akio, by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” He greeted with a polite smile.
“This is my son. He’ll be taking care of the business one day, so I’m bringing him along more now,” Tadao said.
Another round of handshakes was exchanged as the group introduced themselves to Akio. Ai expected the tone and body language of a fan holding himself back, the same kind she’s gotten used to seeing, but was rather surprised when he shook her hands normally with nothing but politeness in his eyes. Strange, now she’s curious. Akio on his part thought that she was a rather normal-looking girl, except for the bulging stomach, and didn’t find anything very special from just looking at her.
“Sorry for messing around. It’s just a really cool-looking thing!” Ai said.
“It sure is, ‘can’t argue with that. They don’t make weapons like these anymore these days. It’s all just big bombs now, which is boring,” Akio remarked.
“I don’t think death and destruction are supposed to be nice to see,” Miyako remarked.
“Exactly,” Tadao stated with a firm voice. “And that’s what we strive for in KSS. Every day must always be boring. Now come on, we’ve got business to attend to.” He said before turning and walking away.
“Is he always like this?” Miyako asked with a sweatdrop, noting the man’s sudden change of face.
“You’ll get used to it,” Both Ichigo and Akio replied in a flat tone.
They finished the walk toward their destination which was a conference room inside the house. The place was quite spacious and cozy looking, especially since it has a fireplace. They all immediately took their seats with KSS taking one side of the table and Ichigo Productions sitting opposite of them.
“Snacks will be brought in a little bit, so let’s get down to business to business shall we,” Tadao said as he placed a briefcase on the table and pulled out some papers. “By the way, everything we talk about will not leave this room, you can trust us. I think I also know the reason why you need an extra pair of hands. Your reason for getting a bodyguard is because you’re worried that you’ll be attacked like that idol that got stabbed recently, yes?”
They all nodded at that. It was already a month old, but the memory of it was still fresh on everyone’s minds, especially since it was covered on national news.
An idol named Hirose Keiko, who was pretty popular and only 16 like Ai, was recently murdered by a crazy fan in her own home. The autopsy report stated that the cause of death was cardiac arrest from severe bleeding after being stabbed three times and that she died in minutes.
The police captured the killer before he could jump off a bridge and took him in for questioning. He said that a Twitter post showing Keiko being all friendly with some guy somewhere made people think she had gotten a boyfriend. This enraged him because he felt betrayed by her actions, therefore he stalked her and plotted her murder for weeks. So, it was pretty awkward for him to find out that Keiko’s supposed boyfriend was actually her cousin and she was at a family get-together at that time.
The news shocked everyone in the country and many celebrities started taking their personal security more seriously. Ichigo was worried for Ai, and Ai was a bit scared herself. She knew Keiko, they did some collaborations together in the past, and she was upset she couldn’t attend her funeral. So, Ichigo Productions, though a bit cash-strapped, decided that it would be a good idea to have some form of security with them to help out in the long run. Especially now that Ai was pregnant… they couldn’t stomach the thought of some deranged lunatic stabbing her to death like what happened to Keiko.
“I don’t think I can forget that. I knew the girl and her agency, they were good people. I hope that bastard gets the chair,” Ichigo muttered.
“You and me both. And don’t worry, we’ll make sure nothing ever happens to you,” Tadao assured. “Alright, now, how do you want to be protected?”
“We just need someone with us to keep the creeps away, especially one that can lie low with us. Nothing flashy at all,” Ichigo answered.
“Hmm, I understand what you want. One or two agents on you at all times at least, covering your front and back. They’ll be in plain clothes too so as to not draw attention. Okay, I’ve got a lot of agents to spare for that kind of job,” Tadao said, as he wrote on a piece of paper.
“What else is there?” Ichigo asked.
“We’re gonna brief you on how we operate and how we intend to do this. None of them are hard to follow at all. The gist is that you need to tell us everything, your schedules, contacts, extra activities, etcetera.”
“So, I’ll basically be followed around everywhere?” Ai asked.
“Basically, yes. But the key difference is that it’ll be by people you can trust. However, that doesn’t mean we’ll be poking around your daily life and infringing on your space every day. We’ll create a system in which you’re safe but still comfortable. In fact, we even have methods to protect you without you or anyone seeing us, but that’s really expensive though,” Tadao explained. “We know our boundaries too, Hoshino-sama, you don’t have to worry.”
“Hmm,” Ai hummed as she considered his words before another thought occurred to her. “Will you kill people?”
“Only if they really force us to. Every agent has a loaded gun with him, but we’re also trained in ways to stop an attacker with non-lethal force. Besides, one of our tactics is that by simply being there, we can discourage anyone from trying anything funny. As I’ve said, the best days for us are the most boring ones.”
“I see.”
“What’s the price tag?” Miyako asked.
“Despite the low elements, you’re still looking at 500,000 yen per month. But…” He trailed off. “But… due to my debt to you, Ichigo, I’ve decided to give you half that price for six months. This is paid like a subscription service where you have to pay every month. Failure to pay means immediate termination of services.”
“Is there anything else?” Ichigo asked.
“There are a bunch more details that you need to know. Legality, protocols, company policy, and all that. But, there’s one detail that I threw in as a condition for this,” Tadao said then placed a hand on Akio’s shoulder who was sitting to his right. “My son will be the one to run point of your protection detail. This’ll also act as his first test, to prove his skill as a protection agent.”
“Although I’m inexperienced, I’m quick to learn and adapt, and I’m ready to take on whatever task is needed from me,” Akio said politely.
Ichigo and Miyako frowned at the prospect of being given someone who was inexperienced in the field. But if he was the son of the guy who runs the place, then he should be pretty good, right? Besides, this is possibly the best deal they’ll ever get, and they weren’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“Alright, that’s fine,” Ichigo said.
“I’m okay with it,” Ai said.
“Although, Akio will be running point so you’ll see him the most often, another rookie agent will also be there to learn too. He’ll be number two. A senior agent will also be dropping by occasionally to check on them and evaluate their performance, although you don’t need to pay him. And in case things get really bad, emergency services and other agents won’t be too far to assist,” Tadao added.
“Ah, alright,” Ichigo said.
“Now, for the rest of everything.”
They would spend the next thirty minutes getting into the details of how everything would be under their care. Snacks and refreshments were brought in at that time with Ai receiving a pint of ice cream, making her very happy. They got into some legal conditions that were implemented to protect both sides. They also got into how the protection detail would work and what to do under certain situations. And of course, company policy.
One such policy is that the client can sue the company for up to 30 million yen for disclosing any secrets entrusted to them without permission. And although KSS can definitely pay that amount, their reputation would be tarnished and they’d lose even more money. That was a fact that allowed Ichigo Productions to rest easier. Ai’s pregnancy needed to remain under wraps.
After a few more minutes and a couple more things were clarified, they finally moved on to the last piece of the puzzle. Tadao opened up his briefcase and pulled out one last set of papers.
“This is the contract. What’s is just a summary of everything we talked about, but I suggest you read it carefully so you’re not missing anything,” Tadao said.
Ichigo Productions took the document and carefully read through it to make sure they were not missing anything. It took another five minutes, but they confirmed that everything was in place.
“A service that tells you everything and makes you read the contract first? Finally!” Ichigo joked.
“We’re the guys that protect the Emperor, not some shady organization! We’ve got a reputation to uphold!” Tadao stated. “Anyway, if nothing is amiss, sign your name and seal on the space provided and we are officially under your employ.”
“Everything’s here. Let’s seal the deal,” Ichigo said.
He grabbed a pen that was provided to him and signed his name on the line at the bottom then stamped his seal on the side. Miyako did the same thing after him. And finally, Ai filled out the last line with her name and seal and even drew a little heart on it. Tadao took the document and looked through it before putting it down and giving them a smile.
“You are now under the protection of Kurosawa Security Services! With Hachiman, the divine protector of Japan, guiding our hands, you will not have to worry about anything as long as we are around! Rest assured that we will take care of you. And anyone that tries to harm you will die a horrible death!” He proclaimed.
“That’s… oddly specific,” Ichigo remarked.
“If you get hurt, we’ll cover the expenses of your medical bill. If you die under our watch, which you won’t, we’ll offer a full refund to your relatives, and we’ll even avenge you. That’s our policy, to treat our clientele as if they are our family,” He added.
“That’s very nice,” Miyako said.
“Only the best we provide our clients,” Tadao said. “And aside from giving you a copy of the documents, this concludes our business. Thank you for choosing our services. We promised not to disappoint.”
“We’ll be watching closely then.”
Both groups then stood up and gave each other one last bout of handshakes to truly seal the contract that was just signed.
“I’ll make sure your men get tickets to one of my concerts in the future!” Ai said and looked at Akio. “Especially you, Akio-san.”
“Oh, that’s very kind of you, Hoshino-sama. But, I’m not into idol music,” He replied politely.
“Huh?”
“Please excuse my son. We know he’s a weirdo,” Tadao jokingly said.
“I ain’t weird, Dad. I don’t hate idol music but I don’t exactly like it either. I just like other things,” Akio stated.
“It’s not impossible, but it’s a first for us. Everyone your age we’ve met is into idols,” Saitou said. “Looks like you’re the 10% we didn’t see coming.”
“Please just take it as less worry for you, since I won’t be prying for your attention all the time. I’ll always keep a respectful distance. I promise.”
“That’s all we can ever ask really. Thank you.”
“Now that business is concluded, we can all turn in for the night. But would you like something before you leave? Some more snacks or drinks perhaps? We’ve got a lot here,” Tadao offered but Ichigo shook his head.
“No, we’ve already been here too long, we don’t want to overstay our welcome. Besides, it’s late and we’re all tired. We should be getting back now,” he said.
“Alright. In that case, allow us to walk you out while I get the valet to get your car.”
“Alright then.”
Ichigo Productions prepared to leave while Tadao got on his phone. Ichigo and Miyako started discussing something with each other while Ai simply looked around the room. Her eyes would eventually land on Akio who was looking at his phone. He’d pocket it a moment later and his eyes would land on his protectee’s. She’d flashed him a wide smile, the kind that can captivate any man, while he returned with a simple smile and a nod. Ai began opening her mouth to speak before stopping short when there was a disturbance from Tadao.
“... Really? Alright, I’ll tell them,” He sighed before turning to the group.
“What’s wrong?” Ichigo asked.
Tadao smiled awkwardly. “A small problem just developed on your end.”
They’d find themselves outside again a moment later, watching a scene unfold before them. Ichigo Production’s car, a white rental Toyota Corolla, remained where Ichigo last left it although the hood was open and multiple guys were peering into the engine compartment with flashlights. One agent tried turning the key and starting the ignition, yet the engine remained quiet. A moment later, a middle-aged man with his sleeves rolled up walked up to Tadao while wiping his hands on a rag.
“I think it’s a broken sparkplug, Tadao-san. It just won’t start,” He reported.
“I told you it was broken!” Miyako scolded Ichigo in a hushed voice.
“Do we have spare parts, Hiro-san?” Tadao asked.
“No, we just ran out when our own rides needed maintenance and we haven’t resupplied yet,” He said with a shake of his head. “We can’t run to the shop too because it’s already closed at this time. This thing’s staying here till morning.”
Ichigo and Miyako groaned at their misfortune while the rest of them simply stared indifferently. Tadao then sighed and spoke again.
“Alright. In that case, Hiro-san, please get the van off the driveway and onto the side. We’ll deal with it tomorrow morning. Then please take one of the Land Cruisers and take them back to their hotel. The rest of you are free to leave for home too,” He ordered.
“Hai, Kurosawa-sama!” Everyone replied.
“Tadao-san, are you sure? This is probably too much—” Ichigo began but stopped when Tadoa raised a hand.
“It’s fine, I don’t mind at all. Just think of this as me helping a friend in need. And no, you don’t have to pay,” He replied.
Ichigo was unsure but ultimately allowed it and bowed a bit. “Alright, thank you.”
“No problem,” Tadao replied with a shallow nod.
While the adults addressed the issue of their ride, the two kids remained on the side and simply watched. Akio and Ai were still in their teens, so they were kids in the eyes of the adults present.
“So,” Ai began. “What kind of music do you listen to, Kurokawa-san?”
“Uh, I like rock music of all types from pop to death metal. I’ve been listening to them since I was five. And it’s Kurosawa, Hoshino-sama,” He replied, her sudden question and error of his name catching him off guard.
“Ah, really? Ahahaha, I’m so sorry! I'm not very good at memorizing people’s faces!” She laughed jovially.
“Ahaha, I can imagine. Since you probably see so many faces every day, it’s hard to keep track of them all, huh?” He laughed.
“Ah, yeah! It’s a bit of a problem for me, hehe. Sometimes, I even forget the President’s name too, haha!”
He laughed along with her but internally, he was cringing a bit.
Does every idol have such an airheaded personality? He wondered.
“It must be kinda hard for you too, having to work like this when you’re so young,” She remarked.
“Well, this is my first job ever, so it doesn’t seem hard at all right now. That’s definitely gonna change though,” He replied. “But, I don’t think my job will get anywhere as difficult as yours with you having to put up an act all the time. I don’t think I can handle that.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. I really like my job, but sometimes it gets pretty tiring. Taking a break like this is gonna help out a lot!” She said happily before taking a deep breath and looking around. “I think I’ve already said this, but your place is really nice.”
“Mhmm, and this is just our place here in Tokyo. We’re only here now because we need to be closer to some of our clients at the moment. Our main house in Kyoto is even bigger and cooler!” Akio replied.
“You guys are really loaded, huh?”
“For the past few decades, Kurosawa has been branching to other things that make money. We need the cash to pay for our stuff after all. Although, we’re still inferior to zaibatsus like Shinomiya and Shijo (who we provide services to, by the way) but also still better than most.”
“Wow.”
“Mhmm, but money still isn’t everything. We try to take a humble approach to things too. Dad doesn’t like spending money on anything that isn’t important and I don’t buy a lot of things myself,” He added and kept his mouth open to continue when he was interrupted.
“Don’t believe him! He eats yakiniku at least once a week!” One of the younger agents stated as he walked by with a bag over his shoulder, likely on his way home.
“Look who’s talking, idiot! You spend the most out of all of us!” He retorted angrily but only got a laugh in response. He turned back to Ai who was holding a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles, prompting him to sigh in annoyance. “Alright, I admit that part and also I spend a lot quite a lot on video games and band equipment, but only on special occasions. I’m not some pompous rich jerk that throws money around, I promise you.”
“Hmm, alright, I believe you,” She giggled and then thought of something. “You could’ve totally left that part out or outright lied. Why didn’t you?”
“Uh, it was already out, so there’s no point in trying to lie about it anymore. Besides, I don’t believe you deserve to be lied to, Hoshino-sama,” He answered.
Her smile wavered ever so slightly as she processed his answer. I don’t deserve to be… lied to?
“Um—”
“Ai, our ride’s here! Let’s head back to the hotel!” Ichigo called out as one of the company’s Land Cruisers had been brought out to take them.
“I guess we’ll just have to continue this conversation some other time, but it’s been a nice talk. I look forward to working with you, Hoshino-sama,” He said with a wide smile and an outstretched hand.
“Ai.”
“Sorry?”
Ai smiled widely too, her eyes seemingly shimmering brighter as she took his hand and shook it. “Since we’ll be sticking so closely together for a while, you can just call me Ai, Akio-san.”
He blinked. “U-Uh, sure thing, Ai-san.”
“Just Ai,” She clarified.
“Just Ai,” He nodded and smiled widely, happy that she remembered his first know, even if he didn’t know why.
“If that’s what you want, you’re the boss,” Akio remarked, earning another laugh from her. “You have a good night, Ai, and I’ll see you again tomorrow.”
“You too, Akio-san.”
She’d head back to her group a moment later and they were leaving the estate shortly. Akio waved at the car as it drove past him and he could just barely see a human figure waving back through the darkness. As he watched the SUV disappear, he put his hand down and looked up at the sky.
“Wow,” He breathed. “Her eyes are something else.”
He’d retire for the night shortly after without another thought. He’d sleep soundly not knowing that he had just stepped on the path that would define his life.
***
This is the link to the ff.net page. Thank you very much for taking the time to read it, and thank you even more if you decide to support it on ff.net! Please also tell me what you think and/or if you have any ideas you'd like to share here or there!
For now, have a great day, and peace out!
Veritas vos liberabit.
The Truth will set you Free.
submitted by tomimendoza to OshiNoKo [link] [comments]
***
With the rise of violence against celebrities also comes the rise of elements that protect against them. A rookie agent finds himself assigned to a famous idol with a promise to defend. And what was supposed to be a training assignment would eventually grow to so much more.
***
The young man grumbled as he trudged the halls of his home towards his father’s office. His hand would rake through his black hair in his face in annoyance while his two emerald eyes with four-point star-shaped irises focused forward. He already knew what was gonna happen and he wished he could refuse. He had been hoping to devote his time to honing his gaming skills with the hope of maybe one day joining a pro-E-sports team. But, because his father was an old man with a small scope of the modern world, he laughed and told him to do something real with his life. And something real meant taking over the family business one day.
Kurosawa Security Services, or simply KSS, is a Japanese family-owned security company based in Kyoto although they have offices all over the country and even abroad. KSS provides everything from security guards for convenience stores to close protection agents for top government figures. They can also provide security consultation and training. The service is rated as the best Japan has to offer with highly trained agents. KSS agents regularly train with the police and military elements like the Security Police and Special Forces Group. And in rare occasions, they would even train with the US Secret Service abroad. KSS is also the best because of the long history of the organization which dates back to the feudal era when Kurosawa Saitō picked up the sword and protected the local Daimyo from an attack. In other words, they had a long time to hone their craft.
Now, what makes a security company like KSS so big in a country where crime is almost non-existent? Isn’t Japan a safe nation? Those would be your first mistakes if you thought of them. It doesn’t matter which part of the world you’re on, good and evil exist everywhere. And good must be protected from evil. That’s why KSS exists.
And soon enough, the company will be in Akio’s hands when it's his father’s time to retire. That’s how the system works, despite what he thinks of it. So, now his ultimate tests will begin. His first assignment.
After walking for what seemed like hours he reached a pair of large doors. He knocked on them and was asked to come in by a voice on the other side, so he complied. Entering, he was greeted with a fairly large office for only one man. And that man was currently seated behind a desk reading through some papers.
“Hey, Dad,” He greeted as he sat down on one of the chairs before across from him.
Kurosawa Tadao put the papers down and then looked at his son before smiling. He was an aging man with black hair that was already greying and blue eyes that had four-point star-shaped irises.
“Hey, Son! How’re ‘ya doing?” He asked.
“Just fine. I was finally getting my KDR up in Black Ops and I was planning on getting my skills up in CSGO later. But, here we are,” Akio answered.
“Staying inside is not good for your body you know.”
“I planned to play basketball tomorrow and I have band with the boys this weekend.”
“It’s still unhealthy because it’s exactly anything productive. You’re 17, Son, you need to start shaping up for your career,” Tadao said.
“I’ve been shaping it up since I was five,” Akio muttered.
“And that’s why we’re here right now. Your first assignment, son! It’s the moment of truth! Aren’t you excited?” Tadao asked with a wide grin as he picked up a folder from the side.
“No, not really,” Akio answered flatly.
“Well, maybe you’ll be excited once you find out who I’m assigning you to. Spoiler alert, she’s an idol,” He said with a grin, whispering that last part as he handed him the file.
“I’m not into idols, Dad,” He said flatly as he took the file.
“Your little brother a good chunk of this company’s personnel, and hell, a good chunk of the population are though,” He commented.
“That doesn’t make sense. Everyone can have different interests. And Goro, well, I guess being tied to a hospital bed for years does that to you,” He said sadly.
“You’re one weird kid, you know.”
“Well, I was raised by the likes of you, Dad,” Akio retorted with a sly grin which made his father laugh.
“Well, you got me there,” He chuckled and promptly silenced himself to let his son read.
“Hoshino Ai? Never heard of her. Although I admit she is pretty cute,” He mumbled as read through the file with her picture on it. He took in her personal information like date of birth, age, physical appearance, and all the usual things. And then he got to a part that listed her status— “What the fuck?! She’s pregnant?!”
“Language, Akio!” Tadao scolded. “Anyway, officially, she’ll be taking a break from showbiz for a while due to ill health. Actually, she’s pregnant and they’re trying to keep it under wraps. Bad for business, because a lot of fans are a bunch of lonely losers, they’ll drop her just because she has kids.”
“Language, Dad,” Akio retorted and shook his head. “Well, teen pregnancy is bad, but it’s unfair for her to be hated for that reason.”
“Yeah, the life of a celebrity is a lot shittier than most people would think. I know, your mother was a singer, she dealt with that too when we were found out,” Tadao said with a frown before smiling a bit. “She
“Please don’t tell me about your romances, Dad,” Akio cringed. “Anyway, Hoshino-sama will be my protectee, huh?”
“Yes. She’ll be heading here with her management agency soon to settle the contract. And then you’ll be heading to the countryside where she can lay low until she gives birth. That’s the basics of it.”
“Alright. Babysit a pregnant teenager and keep her from doing anything dumb. Should be easy enough,” He said.
“Do not underestimate the dangers tied to the entertainment world, Akio,” Tadao reminded. “As I’ve said, a lot of them are a bunch of lonely losers or generally just of questionable character. Some of them will go to great lengths just for attention. Fans can get really wacky after all. It’s already happened before. Not to mention, all the snakes in the industry. Someone might want to up their game so they think about eliminating the competition. You get the point.”
“I’m very aware, Dad, don’t worry,” He assured then sighed. “Just doing this and my studies at the same time? What am I gonna do?”
“That’s rich coming from someone who was planning on just lazing around all day. Besides, you’ve been homeschooling for more than a year already, right? I’m sure you can get a read in every day without compromising your job.”
“Well, it’s not impossible, but it’s gonna suck,” He said then sighed. “Alright, I’ve got this. Not much of a choice anyway. Anything else I should know?”
“Yeah. Remember this, you do not ever let your protectee out of your sight. Wherever she goes, you go. That being said, don’t be too overbearing, and make sure to give her room to breathe. She is a woman, she will want her space. Also, try not to set such a tight atmosphere. Try being her friend, and she’ll be easier to work with. Tomita will meet you tomorrow too to evaluate you. You’ll also be reporting to him your progress during your task.”
“Noted, Dad. In that case,” Akio stood then positioned himself directly in front of the table before bowing. “I shall see this task to the end.”
***
Idol music was not his cup of tea and Hoshino Ai was a complete stranger to him till that moment. He’d spend a whole week with the pre-preparations with one of the senior agents until it was time to meet the latest customers. Then he would meet Hoshino Ai for the first time and they’d make their first impressions of one another.
***
“Are you really sure about this?”
“We’re going to need a shield just in case. Lot’s of wackos around here. Besides, we’ve already agreed to meet.”
“It’s just, there’s a lot of shady dealings in the security world.”
“Are we any better? Besides, KSS is the best this country can offer. I also know the company head personally too, we went to high school together, and he owes me. We’ll be just fine.”
“Um, o-okay…”
“I didn’t understand any of that, but okay!”
“Never change, Ai…”
How do you keep a secret from the world? Simple: you lie. You lie a lot. But then you realize it’s not so simple and every day is spent with fear that everything might fall apart. Just trying to get anywhere was a massive undertaking. For example, right now. Two adults and a pregnant teen in a car. Aside from the teen pregnancy, there’s nothing strange at all about it. But if you knew who the car’s passengers were, then you’d immediately understand.
After a couple of hours of driving (making occasional turns to make sure they weren’t followed and consequently getting lost a couple of times) they finally reached their destination which was a large estate in the outskirts of Kyoto. A guard met them at the gate, and after the driver talked and showed some credentials, they were let in. It took another minute or two until they reached the house where a group was waiting for them. The car group got out of their vehicle with the house group greeting them shortly after. A man with short blonde hair and yellowish-brown eyes underneath some shades stepped forward and led the group.
“Ichigo-san, you’re still about as ugly as when I last saw you,” Tadao greeted with a cheeky grin as he approached.
“Tadao-san, you’re clearly the most repulsive one here. I see you still haven’t taken my advice to get your face fixed,” Ichigo greeted with a snarky expression as he also approached.
Once close enough, they locked hands for a shake before pulling each other in for a hug.
“It’s nice to see you again, friend! How’re you doin', man? No troubles getting here?” Tadao asked.
“I’m just fine. Getting here was a lot smoother than we thought. But we are exhausted,” Ichigo replied.
“I imagine. Remember that time in Second Year when we bought booze with fake IDs and we had to run for it?”
“Ha, how can I forget?! I was terrified the cops would get us!”
As the two men shared stories and laughed, everyone else present could not help but be astonished at how casual the two were being. It almost was like this wasn’t a business meeting.
“Yeah, those were the days,” Tadao laughed and turned to the other two people to address them. “Before we continue any further, allow me to introduce myself. I am Kurosawa Tadao, head of Kurosawa Security Services, and I welcome you all to my home. It’s nice to meet you!”
He then stepped toward the next person. She was a rather tall woman with long strawberry-blonde hair and pinkish-brown eyes.
“And you must be Miyako, his wife, yes?” He asked.
“Yes, I am,” She said with a polite smile as they shook hands.
“You know, I’ve always wondered how someone with a face like his could get married. But here we are,” He joked earning a laugh from her.
“I sometimes wonder why I decided to marry him too,” She commented and they both laughed.
“Huh? What?” Ichigo said but was ignored.
Then, Tadao moved to the last person. She was a short girl with long violet hair with matching eyes that have stars in them. But her most distinct feature was the bulge in her abdomen showing her pregnancy. Moreover, she looked like she wasn’t even 18. This observation made his gut wrench due to feeling pity for this poor girl’s bad decision. Regardless, he put on his best smile and took her hand.
“And you must be Hoshino Ai,” He greeted. “I’ve heard all about you, but since I’m the stereotypical old man, I’m not into your music. Regardless of that, and after listening to a couple of songs, I think you’re doing some very great work in your field.”
Her lips curved into a smile that cured souls as her eyes seemed to shimmer. Tadao kept himself from reacting, but at that moment he knew why she was so popular.
“Thank you so much, Tadao-san! You know, I don’t think I’m that popular to begin with but I’m always so happy to hear that someone like what I do!” She said happily.
He chuckled a bit. “I used to be in a band in middle school and high school, so I still try to stay up to date with the latest musical trends these days. Although, I still don’t know much. I mostly get my info on that from my own agents.”
He glanced to the side followed by Ai shortly after to see three younger agents standing stiffly as they tried to ignore them. They knew exactly who she was. All three of them have her as their phone’s lock screen wallpaper. And it’s clear that they wanted to talk to her, but they couldn’t. And even if they could, they didn’t know how. Ai giggled in amusement while Tadao just stared.
“Anyway, now that introductions have been made, let’s go inside where it’s more comfortable. I know you’re here for business, so let’s dive right in. We’ve also prepared snacks and refreshments inside in case you want some. Ichigo, my valet will take care of your car, so give him the keys please,” Tadao said as he gestured for them to follow.
“Do you have ice cream?” Ai asked.
“We sure do!”
“Yay! Let’s go!”
After Ichigo handed over the keys to a valet, Tadao began leading them into his home with the trio following shortly after. But before that, a mischievous thought entered Ai’s mind and she acted quickly. She suddenly turned to look at the trio of agents who tensed up even more under her gaze. Worse, they realized that she was up to no good just from her grin. But before they could even speculate what she was up to, she suddenly did her signature love heart hand pose with a smile. In a flash, the three agents felt their knees go weak in the presence of such moe cuteness that they struggled to stay upright as they covered their mouths to silence their ecstatic screams. Satisfied with her handiwork, Ai giggled as she left the scene of the crime.
“Um, are they gonna be alright?” Ichigo asked nervously as he saw one of them falling over.
“They’ll be fine.”
They entered the huge house and led them through a series of hallways that were decorated with all sorts of interesting stuff. One of them was some sort of cannon on a towed carriage, except, aside from one big barrel, it’s got multiple little ones arranged in a circle with a crank.
“Kurosawa-san, what’s that?” Ai asked.
“Oh, this? This is a Model 1874 Gatling Gun. It fires a .45-70 caliber round from top-loaded 20-round box magazines with a rate of fire of about a thousand rounds per minute, although, it really depends on how fast you can crank it. It was one of the most revolutionary weapons ever designed and it changed the battlefield forever. This specific weapon here was used by the Imperial Army against revolting samurai during their last stand in the Battle of Mount Shiroyama, the last action of the Satsuma Rebellion,” He explained. “Sometimes I wonder what the samurai were thinking in their last moments just before they were all gunned down.”
“Wow,” Ai whispered in awe.
“Indeed. I don’t even know where my father dug up this gun,” He said before tracing across the black-painted barrels of the old weapon.
“That’s so cool!” She exclaimed happily then fished out her phone from her hoodie pocket. “Can I take a picture with it?”
“Ai, we’re here in business and the man’s likely very busy, so let’s not take anymore—” Ichigo said but was cut off.
“Sure thing! Our meeting is the only thing I have on my schedule today, so I’m basically free to do anything!” Tadao interjected with a wide smile as she took her phone.
What followed next was a comedic scene which was basically an old man doting on his granddaughter while he took pictures of her doing cute things. Meanwhile, everyone else present just stared with blank expressions.
“So much for not being into idols,” Ichigo muttered.
“These are so good! Thank you so much, Kurosawa-san!” She thanked him with a wide smile after going over the pictures.
“You’re very welcome! And you know, we’ve got a lot of goodies in this house, maybe you’d like to take some pictures with them too?” He offered.
“I’d love to!” She squealed.
“Mhmm!” Someone cleared their throat.
Looking in that direction, they saw a young man dressed in a nice business suit who was basically a younger version of Tadao. He approached them with his hands in his pockets and regarded them with a straight expression.
“You’re getting off track here, Dad. We’re still conducting a business,” He said as a matter of factly. “And what happened to ‘no touching of the expensive decor’?”
“Oh come on, son, do you honestly believe I can refuse that?” Tadao complained as he gestured to Ai who maintained a happy expression as she looked at the photos.
“Don’t enable her, Dad. Ma’am, please stop touching the gun, it’s very old and very expensive,” He said.
“Ai, get off of it,” Ichigo ordered.
“Aw, okay,” She said sadly as she backed off.
“Sorry for the trouble, but this stuff is crazy expensive. And oh, I’m Kurosawa Akio, by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” He greeted with a polite smile.
“This is my son. He’ll be taking care of the business one day, so I’m bringing him along more now,” Tadao said.
Another round of handshakes was exchanged as the group introduced themselves to Akio. Ai expected the tone and body language of a fan holding himself back, the same kind she’s gotten used to seeing, but was rather surprised when he shook her hands normally with nothing but politeness in his eyes. Strange, now she’s curious. Akio on his part thought that she was a rather normal-looking girl, except for the bulging stomach, and didn’t find anything very special from just looking at her.
“Sorry for messing around. It’s just a really cool-looking thing!” Ai said.
“It sure is, ‘can’t argue with that. They don’t make weapons like these anymore these days. It’s all just big bombs now, which is boring,” Akio remarked.
“I don’t think death and destruction are supposed to be nice to see,” Miyako remarked.
“Exactly,” Tadao stated with a firm voice. “And that’s what we strive for in KSS. Every day must always be boring. Now come on, we’ve got business to attend to.” He said before turning and walking away.
“Is he always like this?” Miyako asked with a sweatdrop, noting the man’s sudden change of face.
“You’ll get used to it,” Both Ichigo and Akio replied in a flat tone.
They finished the walk toward their destination which was a conference room inside the house. The place was quite spacious and cozy looking, especially since it has a fireplace. They all immediately took their seats with KSS taking one side of the table and Ichigo Productions sitting opposite of them.
“Snacks will be brought in a little bit, so let’s get down to business to business shall we,” Tadao said as he placed a briefcase on the table and pulled out some papers. “By the way, everything we talk about will not leave this room, you can trust us. I think I also know the reason why you need an extra pair of hands. Your reason for getting a bodyguard is because you’re worried that you’ll be attacked like that idol that got stabbed recently, yes?”
They all nodded at that. It was already a month old, but the memory of it was still fresh on everyone’s minds, especially since it was covered on national news.
An idol named Hirose Keiko, who was pretty popular and only 16 like Ai, was recently murdered by a crazy fan in her own home. The autopsy report stated that the cause of death was cardiac arrest from severe bleeding after being stabbed three times and that she died in minutes.
The police captured the killer before he could jump off a bridge and took him in for questioning. He said that a Twitter post showing Keiko being all friendly with some guy somewhere made people think she had gotten a boyfriend. This enraged him because he felt betrayed by her actions, therefore he stalked her and plotted her murder for weeks. So, it was pretty awkward for him to find out that Keiko’s supposed boyfriend was actually her cousin and she was at a family get-together at that time.
The news shocked everyone in the country and many celebrities started taking their personal security more seriously. Ichigo was worried for Ai, and Ai was a bit scared herself. She knew Keiko, they did some collaborations together in the past, and she was upset she couldn’t attend her funeral. So, Ichigo Productions, though a bit cash-strapped, decided that it would be a good idea to have some form of security with them to help out in the long run. Especially now that Ai was pregnant… they couldn’t stomach the thought of some deranged lunatic stabbing her to death like what happened to Keiko.
“I don’t think I can forget that. I knew the girl and her agency, they were good people. I hope that bastard gets the chair,” Ichigo muttered.
“You and me both. And don’t worry, we’ll make sure nothing ever happens to you,” Tadao assured. “Alright, now, how do you want to be protected?”
“We just need someone with us to keep the creeps away, especially one that can lie low with us. Nothing flashy at all,” Ichigo answered.
“Hmm, I understand what you want. One or two agents on you at all times at least, covering your front and back. They’ll be in plain clothes too so as to not draw attention. Okay, I’ve got a lot of agents to spare for that kind of job,” Tadao said, as he wrote on a piece of paper.
“What else is there?” Ichigo asked.
“We’re gonna brief you on how we operate and how we intend to do this. None of them are hard to follow at all. The gist is that you need to tell us everything, your schedules, contacts, extra activities, etcetera.”
“So, I’ll basically be followed around everywhere?” Ai asked.
“Basically, yes. But the key difference is that it’ll be by people you can trust. However, that doesn’t mean we’ll be poking around your daily life and infringing on your space every day. We’ll create a system in which you’re safe but still comfortable. In fact, we even have methods to protect you without you or anyone seeing us, but that’s really expensive though,” Tadao explained. “We know our boundaries too, Hoshino-sama, you don’t have to worry.”
“Hmm,” Ai hummed as she considered his words before another thought occurred to her. “Will you kill people?”
“Only if they really force us to. Every agent has a loaded gun with him, but we’re also trained in ways to stop an attacker with non-lethal force. Besides, one of our tactics is that by simply being there, we can discourage anyone from trying anything funny. As I’ve said, the best days for us are the most boring ones.”
“I see.”
“What’s the price tag?” Miyako asked.
“Despite the low elements, you’re still looking at 500,000 yen per month. But…” He trailed off. “But… due to my debt to you, Ichigo, I’ve decided to give you half that price for six months. This is paid like a subscription service where you have to pay every month. Failure to pay means immediate termination of services.”
“Is there anything else?” Ichigo asked.
“There are a bunch more details that you need to know. Legality, protocols, company policy, and all that. But, there’s one detail that I threw in as a condition for this,” Tadao said then placed a hand on Akio’s shoulder who was sitting to his right. “My son will be the one to run point of your protection detail. This’ll also act as his first test, to prove his skill as a protection agent.”
“Although I’m inexperienced, I’m quick to learn and adapt, and I’m ready to take on whatever task is needed from me,” Akio said politely.
Ichigo and Miyako frowned at the prospect of being given someone who was inexperienced in the field. But if he was the son of the guy who runs the place, then he should be pretty good, right? Besides, this is possibly the best deal they’ll ever get, and they weren’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“Alright, that’s fine,” Ichigo said.
“I’m okay with it,” Ai said.
“Although, Akio will be running point so you’ll see him the most often, another rookie agent will also be there to learn too. He’ll be number two. A senior agent will also be dropping by occasionally to check on them and evaluate their performance, although you don’t need to pay him. And in case things get really bad, emergency services and other agents won’t be too far to assist,” Tadao added.
“Ah, alright,” Ichigo said.
“Now, for the rest of everything.”
They would spend the next thirty minutes getting into the details of how everything would be under their care. Snacks and refreshments were brought in at that time with Ai receiving a pint of ice cream, making her very happy. They got into some legal conditions that were implemented to protect both sides. They also got into how the protection detail would work and what to do under certain situations. And of course, company policy.
One such policy is that the client can sue the company for up to 30 million yen for disclosing any secrets entrusted to them without permission. And although KSS can definitely pay that amount, their reputation would be tarnished and they’d lose even more money. That was a fact that allowed Ichigo Productions to rest easier. Ai’s pregnancy needed to remain under wraps.
After a few more minutes and a couple more things were clarified, they finally moved on to the last piece of the puzzle. Tadao opened up his briefcase and pulled out one last set of papers.
“This is the contract. What’s is just a summary of everything we talked about, but I suggest you read it carefully so you’re not missing anything,” Tadao said.
Ichigo Productions took the document and carefully read through it to make sure they were not missing anything. It took another five minutes, but they confirmed that everything was in place.
“A service that tells you everything and makes you read the contract first? Finally!” Ichigo joked.
“We’re the guys that protect the Emperor, not some shady organization! We’ve got a reputation to uphold!” Tadao stated. “Anyway, if nothing is amiss, sign your name and seal on the space provided and we are officially under your employ.”
“Everything’s here. Let’s seal the deal,” Ichigo said.
He grabbed a pen that was provided to him and signed his name on the line at the bottom then stamped his seal on the side. Miyako did the same thing after him. And finally, Ai filled out the last line with her name and seal and even drew a little heart on it. Tadao took the document and looked through it before putting it down and giving them a smile.
“You are now under the protection of Kurosawa Security Services! With Hachiman, the divine protector of Japan, guiding our hands, you will not have to worry about anything as long as we are around! Rest assured that we will take care of you. And anyone that tries to harm you will die a horrible death!” He proclaimed.
“That’s… oddly specific,” Ichigo remarked.
“If you get hurt, we’ll cover the expenses of your medical bill. If you die under our watch, which you won’t, we’ll offer a full refund to your relatives, and we’ll even avenge you. That’s our policy, to treat our clientele as if they are our family,” He added.
“That’s very nice,” Miyako said.
“Only the best we provide our clients,” Tadao said. “And aside from giving you a copy of the documents, this concludes our business. Thank you for choosing our services. We promised not to disappoint.”
“We’ll be watching closely then.”
Both groups then stood up and gave each other one last bout of handshakes to truly seal the contract that was just signed.
“I’ll make sure your men get tickets to one of my concerts in the future!” Ai said and looked at Akio. “Especially you, Akio-san.”
“Oh, that’s very kind of you, Hoshino-sama. But, I’m not into idol music,” He replied politely.
“Huh?”
“Please excuse my son. We know he’s a weirdo,” Tadao jokingly said.
“I ain’t weird, Dad. I don’t hate idol music but I don’t exactly like it either. I just like other things,” Akio stated.
“It’s not impossible, but it’s a first for us. Everyone your age we’ve met is into idols,” Saitou said. “Looks like you’re the 10% we didn’t see coming.”
“Please just take it as less worry for you, since I won’t be prying for your attention all the time. I’ll always keep a respectful distance. I promise.”
“That’s all we can ever ask really. Thank you.”
“Now that business is concluded, we can all turn in for the night. But would you like something before you leave? Some more snacks or drinks perhaps? We’ve got a lot here,” Tadao offered but Ichigo shook his head.
“No, we’ve already been here too long, we don’t want to overstay our welcome. Besides, it’s late and we’re all tired. We should be getting back now,” he said.
“Alright. In that case, allow us to walk you out while I get the valet to get your car.”
“Alright then.”
Ichigo Productions prepared to leave while Tadao got on his phone. Ichigo and Miyako started discussing something with each other while Ai simply looked around the room. Her eyes would eventually land on Akio who was looking at his phone. He’d pocket it a moment later and his eyes would land on his protectee’s. She’d flashed him a wide smile, the kind that can captivate any man, while he returned with a simple smile and a nod. Ai began opening her mouth to speak before stopping short when there was a disturbance from Tadao.
“... Really? Alright, I’ll tell them,” He sighed before turning to the group.
“What’s wrong?” Ichigo asked.
Tadao smiled awkwardly. “A small problem just developed on your end.”
They’d find themselves outside again a moment later, watching a scene unfold before them. Ichigo Production’s car, a white rental Toyota Corolla, remained where Ichigo last left it although the hood was open and multiple guys were peering into the engine compartment with flashlights. One agent tried turning the key and starting the ignition, yet the engine remained quiet. A moment later, a middle-aged man with his sleeves rolled up walked up to Tadao while wiping his hands on a rag.
“I think it’s a broken sparkplug, Tadao-san. It just won’t start,” He reported.
“I told you it was broken!” Miyako scolded Ichigo in a hushed voice.
“Do we have spare parts, Hiro-san?” Tadao asked.
“No, we just ran out when our own rides needed maintenance and we haven’t resupplied yet,” He said with a shake of his head. “We can’t run to the shop too because it’s already closed at this time. This thing’s staying here till morning.”
Ichigo and Miyako groaned at their misfortune while the rest of them simply stared indifferently. Tadao then sighed and spoke again.
“Alright. In that case, Hiro-san, please get the van off the driveway and onto the side. We’ll deal with it tomorrow morning. Then please take one of the Land Cruisers and take them back to their hotel. The rest of you are free to leave for home too,” He ordered.
“Hai, Kurosawa-sama!” Everyone replied.
“Tadao-san, are you sure? This is probably too much—” Ichigo began but stopped when Tadoa raised a hand.
“It’s fine, I don’t mind at all. Just think of this as me helping a friend in need. And no, you don’t have to pay,” He replied.
Ichigo was unsure but ultimately allowed it and bowed a bit. “Alright, thank you.”
“No problem,” Tadao replied with a shallow nod.
While the adults addressed the issue of their ride, the two kids remained on the side and simply watched. Akio and Ai were still in their teens, so they were kids in the eyes of the adults present.
“So,” Ai began. “What kind of music do you listen to, Kurokawa-san?”
“Uh, I like rock music of all types from pop to death metal. I’ve been listening to them since I was five. And it’s Kurosawa, Hoshino-sama,” He replied, her sudden question and error of his name catching him off guard.
“Ah, really? Ahahaha, I’m so sorry! I'm not very good at memorizing people’s faces!” She laughed jovially.
“Ahaha, I can imagine. Since you probably see so many faces every day, it’s hard to keep track of them all, huh?” He laughed.
“Ah, yeah! It’s a bit of a problem for me, hehe. Sometimes, I even forget the President’s name too, haha!”
He laughed along with her but internally, he was cringing a bit.
Does every idol have such an airheaded personality? He wondered.
“It must be kinda hard for you too, having to work like this when you’re so young,” She remarked.
“Well, this is my first job ever, so it doesn’t seem hard at all right now. That’s definitely gonna change though,” He replied. “But, I don’t think my job will get anywhere as difficult as yours with you having to put up an act all the time. I don’t think I can handle that.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. I really like my job, but sometimes it gets pretty tiring. Taking a break like this is gonna help out a lot!” She said happily before taking a deep breath and looking around. “I think I’ve already said this, but your place is really nice.”
“Mhmm, and this is just our place here in Tokyo. We’re only here now because we need to be closer to some of our clients at the moment. Our main house in Kyoto is even bigger and cooler!” Akio replied.
“You guys are really loaded, huh?”
“For the past few decades, Kurosawa has been branching to other things that make money. We need the cash to pay for our stuff after all. Although, we’re still inferior to zaibatsus like Shinomiya and Shijo (who we provide services to, by the way) but also still better than most.”
“Wow.”
“Mhmm, but money still isn’t everything. We try to take a humble approach to things too. Dad doesn’t like spending money on anything that isn’t important and I don’t buy a lot of things myself,” He added and kept his mouth open to continue when he was interrupted.
“Don’t believe him! He eats yakiniku at least once a week!” One of the younger agents stated as he walked by with a bag over his shoulder, likely on his way home.
“Look who’s talking, idiot! You spend the most out of all of us!” He retorted angrily but only got a laugh in response. He turned back to Ai who was holding a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles, prompting him to sigh in annoyance. “Alright, I admit that part and also I spend a lot quite a lot on video games and band equipment, but only on special occasions. I’m not some pompous rich jerk that throws money around, I promise you.”
“Hmm, alright, I believe you,” She giggled and then thought of something. “You could’ve totally left that part out or outright lied. Why didn’t you?”
“Uh, it was already out, so there’s no point in trying to lie about it anymore. Besides, I don’t believe you deserve to be lied to, Hoshino-sama,” He answered.
Her smile wavered ever so slightly as she processed his answer. I don’t deserve to be… lied to?
“Um—”
“Ai, our ride’s here! Let’s head back to the hotel!” Ichigo called out as one of the company’s Land Cruisers had been brought out to take them.
“I guess we’ll just have to continue this conversation some other time, but it’s been a nice talk. I look forward to working with you, Hoshino-sama,” He said with a wide smile and an outstretched hand.
“Ai.”
“Sorry?”
Ai smiled widely too, her eyes seemingly shimmering brighter as she took his hand and shook it. “Since we’ll be sticking so closely together for a while, you can just call me Ai, Akio-san.”
He blinked. “U-Uh, sure thing, Ai-san.”
“Just Ai,” She clarified.
“Just Ai,” He nodded and smiled widely, happy that she remembered his first know, even if he didn’t know why.
“If that’s what you want, you’re the boss,” Akio remarked, earning another laugh from her. “You have a good night, Ai, and I’ll see you again tomorrow.”
“You too, Akio-san.”
She’d head back to her group a moment later and they were leaving the estate shortly. Akio waved at the car as it drove past him and he could just barely see a human figure waving back through the darkness. As he watched the SUV disappear, he put his hand down and looked up at the sky.
“Wow,” He breathed. “Her eyes are something else.”
He’d retire for the night shortly after without another thought. He’d sleep soundly not knowing that he had just stepped on the path that would define his life.
***
This is the link to the ff.net page. Thank you very much for taking the time to read it, and thank you even more if you decide to support it on ff.net! Please also tell me what you think and/or if you have any ideas you'd like to share here or there!
For now, have a great day, and peace out!
Veritas vos liberabit.
The Truth will set you Free.
2023.05.30 13:01 gingersnuts 2006 F350 Lariat. Does anyone know how [ if it's even possible ] to turn off the interior cab lights while engine is off and doors are open ? Neither of the switches in the pictures seem do anything
submitted by gingersnuts to Diesel [link] [comments]
2023.05.30 13:00 xezene The 'Saga Journal' Archive A complete archive of the Star Wars fandom's landmark first fan-run online academic journal (2004-2010)
Hello, everyone. The following archive is my attempt to collect the incredible work of Saga Journal, the first online academic journal created by fans to illuminate and analyze the six films of the Star Wars saga in greater depth. It really was something incredible, and reading it again now, it still is. As such, I've decided to share it here, and hopefully preserve it on the internet for all to see once more.
Created in late 2004, Saga Journal consistently published academic essays over the course of the next 4 years, and then one final time, coming to a close in 2010. Drawing on works of literature, psychoanalysis, history, and comparative media, Saga Journal featured essays written by fans with a keen eye for the layers within the films, while keeping to a submission standard of quality and style, as each essay contained a bibliography of works cited. From historical analogues to Jungian analysis, the essays often offer worthwhile insights and observations, with pieces of brilliance appearing with some regularity. The incredible efforts put into creating and maintaining this journal, as well as the essays themselves, deserve to be preserved on the internet and read.
I encourage everyone to peruse the essays at your interest, and even to share or repost essays that bring you insight, here and elsewhere. I myself discovered Saga Journal through reading one fantastic essay (The Perils of Padmé by lazypadawan) and was richly rewarded by checking out the rest Saga Journal had to offer. The impressive effort of the journal was the combined work of men and women, but it should be noted it was largely the initiative of women within the Star Wars fandom to make Saga Journal a reality. In the course of Star Wars history, such a detail is worth highlighting, as the films have always resonated with a variety of audiences who themselves had much to contribute back to the saga. Without further ado, enjoy reading!
Reviews (documentaries, books, & more) Links of Note
Editorial Team Submission Guidelines/Call for Papers About Saga Journal
submitted by xezene to MawInstallation [link] [comments]
Created in late 2004, Saga Journal consistently published academic essays over the course of the next 4 years, and then one final time, coming to a close in 2010. Drawing on works of literature, psychoanalysis, history, and comparative media, Saga Journal featured essays written by fans with a keen eye for the layers within the films, while keeping to a submission standard of quality and style, as each essay contained a bibliography of works cited. From historical analogues to Jungian analysis, the essays often offer worthwhile insights and observations, with pieces of brilliance appearing with some regularity. The incredible efforts put into creating and maintaining this journal, as well as the essays themselves, deserve to be preserved on the internet and read.
I encourage everyone to peruse the essays at your interest, and even to share or repost essays that bring you insight, here and elsewhere. I myself discovered Saga Journal through reading one fantastic essay (The Perils of Padmé by lazypadawan) and was richly rewarded by checking out the rest Saga Journal had to offer. The impressive effort of the journal was the combined work of men and women, but it should be noted it was largely the initiative of women within the Star Wars fandom to make Saga Journal a reality. In the course of Star Wars history, such a detail is worth highlighting, as the films have always resonated with a variety of audiences who themselves had much to contribute back to the saga. Without further ado, enjoy reading!
Saga Journal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Volume 1
- Inaugural Issue December 2004
- I Don't Think the System Works: The Politics of Anakin Skywalker by ami-padme
- A look at the development of Anakin's political beliefs, and at how those beliefs impacted the character's journey throughout the saga.
- But It's A Whole Nother Year! Star Wars as A Seasonal Nature Myth by FernWithy
- Discussion of how the seasonal patterns of the saga reflect the condition of the galaxy and the characters at various points of the story.
- The Journey As Applied To The Adventures of Luke Skywalker: Special Edition by lazypadawan
- How the Campbellian hero's journey applies to Luke Skywalker throughout the original trilogy.
- The Way of the Jedi: a Comparison of the Jedi Order to the Japanese Samurai by Reihla
- Investigates the similarities and differences between the Jedi Order and the Samurai of the middle ages.
- I Don't Think the System Works: The Politics of Anakin Skywalker by ami-padme
- Issue #1 January 2005
- I Don't Want Things to Change: Anakin Skywalker as Trickster by Lady Aeryn
- Examines the ways that Anakin fulfills the classic archetype of the Trickster.
- The Two Sides of "I Killed Them" by Sarah
- Studies the moral issues of Anakin's Tusken massacre in Attack of the Clones.
- Midi-Chlorians and Mitochondria, a Comparison by Sgmsky
- A look at the scientific parallels between these critical cell organelles.
- I Don't Want Things to Change: Anakin Skywalker as Trickster by Lady Aeryn
- Issue #2 February 2005
- Triumph Over Technology by ami-padme
- An exploration of the Star Wars theme of humanity's struggle with technology.
- Angels and Demons: Love and the Hero in Star Wars Episodes I & II and Spider-Man & Spider-Man 2 by Scott J. Epstein
- Compares the approach to romance in the Star Wars prequels and the Spider-Man films.
- Triumph Over Technology by ami-padme
- Issue #3 March 2005
- Always Three There Are by Lady Aeryn
- Compares the dynamics of the classic Arthurian triangle to those found within the prequel trilogy trio.
- Counter-Insurgency and the Rise of the Empire by Sean Dineen
- A discussion of counter-revolutionary tactics in the real world vs. the Galaxy Far, Far Away.
- Always Three There Are by Lady Aeryn
- Issue #4 April 2005
- Princess Leia and the Woman Warrior by lazypadawan
- An exploration of the original trilogy's archetypal heroine.
- Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know, The Case for Anakin Skywalker as a Byronic Hero by Reihla
- Tracks the gradual development of Anakin Skywalker as a contemporary Byronic hero.
- Princess Leia and the Woman Warrior by lazypadawan
- Issue #5 May 2005
- What if Dreams Came True? by rhonderoo
- A look at the importance of dreams in Star Wars, particularly to the character of Anakin Skywalker.
- New Hopes: Mothers in the Star Wars Saga by Sarah
- Discusses the place that mothers hold in the Star Wars story.
- What if Dreams Came True? by rhonderoo
- Issue #6 June 2005
- Not Another Pathetic Life Form: Jar Jar as the Holy Fool by ami-padme
- A character study of Jar Jar Binks' role in The Phantom Menace.
- Chosen One: the Hero Myth of Anakin Skywalker by Lady Kenobi
- Explores how Anakin Skywalker fulfills the Hero's Journey, as described by Joseph Campbell.
- Not Another Pathetic Life Form: Jar Jar as the Holy Fool by ami-padme
- Issue #7 July 2005
- Brothers and Sons: Lack of Communication in the Relationship Between Anakin Skwalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi by FernWithy
- An in-depth look at traditional familial miscommunication between these two primary figures in the prequel trilogy.
- Brothers and Sons: Lack of Communication in the Relationship Between Anakin Skwalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi by FernWithy
- Issue #8 August 2005
- The Perils of Padmé: The Short Life and Fast Times of a Tragic Heroine by lazypadawan
- A study of Padmé's important and symbolic place in the prequel trilogy.
- Perinatal Imagery in the Star Wars Trilogy by Ron Newbold
- Explores how the original trilogy evokes the psychology of birth.
- The Perils of Padmé: The Short Life and Fast Times of a Tragic Heroine by lazypadawan
- Issue #9 September 2005
- The Making of a Galactic Prince: Palpatine as a student of Machiavelli by Reihla
- A discussion of Emperor Palpatine's rise to power, comparing and contrasting it with various aspects of Machiavelli's works and philosophies.
- The Making of a Galactic Prince: Palpatine as a student of Machiavelli by Reihla
- Issue #10 October 2005
- The Return of a Jedi: Christian Themes in Anakin Skywalker's Redemption by ami-padme
- Examines parallels between Christian teachings on forgiveness/salvation and Anakin's return to the Light in the last chapter of the Star Wars saga.
- The Names of Star Wars by Sarah
- A look at the meanings behind the characters' appellations.
- The Return of a Jedi: Christian Themes in Anakin Skywalker's Redemption by ami-padme
- Issue #11 November 2005
- Star Wars: A Myth for Our Time by Andrew Gordon
- A study of the Campbellian Hero's Journey myth, as presented in A New Hope.
- Anakin and the Sin of Despair by Krista M. Sprecher (jedi-scholar)
- Examines Anakin's melancholy nature and how his disbelief in his own salvation impacted him.
- Star Wars: A Myth for Our Time by Andrew Gordon
- Issue #12 December 2005
- Birth, Death, and Rebirth in Revenge of the Sith by lazypadawan
- A look at the cycles of life and death in the third chapter of the saga.
- Tall, Dark and Ruthless: the Allure of Darth Vader by Reihla
- Studies the unusual romantic appeal of the Dark Lord of the Sith.
- Birth, Death, and Rebirth in Revenge of the Sith by lazypadawan
Volume 2
- Issue #1 January 2006
- The Empire Strikes Back: Monsters from the Id by Andrew Gordon
- Studies the darker nature of the hero myth found in the fifth episode of the saga.
- Costumes in the Star Wars Saga by Sarah
- An examination of the way Star Wars costumes, particularly in the prequels, reflect the characters and settings of the films.
- The Empire Strikes Back: Monsters from the Id by Andrew Gordon
- Issue #2 February 2006
- The Romance of Anakin and Padmé by Krista M. Sprecher (jedi-scholar)
- Explores the connections between medieval romance and the relationship between Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala.
- The Romance of Anakin and Padmé by Krista M. Sprecher (jedi-scholar)
- Issue #3 March 2006
- The Queen of Naboo and The Lion of Judah: An Historical Parallel by lazypadawan
- A comparison between Queen Amidala's tactics in The Phantom Menace and Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie's actions during the 1930s and 1940s.
- The Queen of Naboo and The Lion of Judah: An Historical Parallel by lazypadawan
- Issue #4 April 2006
- “For what shall it profit a man?” -- The Conflict between the Physical and the Spiritual in Star Wars by Matril
- Studies the tension between the physical and spiritual life as it pertains to Anakin and Luke Skywalker.
- “For what shall it profit a man?” -- The Conflict between the Physical and the Spiritual in Star Wars by Matril
- Issue #5 May 2006
- Hamlet=Star Wars: Exploring the Amalgam-Protagonist by Frank Clarke
- An examination of the different interpretations Shakespeare's play and the Star Wars saga offer on the Campbellian hero.
- "Handbook? What Handbook?": Mentoring the Chosen One in Star Wars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Lady Aeryn
- A discussion and comparison of the relationships between mentors and their students in Star Wars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
- Hamlet=Star Wars: Exploring the Amalgam-Protagonist by Frank Clarke
- Issue #6 June 2006
- Following the Will of the Force: Qui-Gon Jinn as Maverick by ami-padme
- Examines Qui-Gon's role as a unique Jedi from the prequel era.
- “Help me take this mask off” -- Power and Redemption through Unmasking by Matril
- A look at the symbolism of masks as it applies to different characters throughout the saga.
- Following the Will of the Force: Qui-Gon Jinn as Maverick by ami-padme
- Issue #7 July 2006
- The Women in Anakin's Life by lazypadawan
- Examines the role that Anakin's mother and wife play in his journey.
- "That Boy Is Our Last Hope": Andrew, Star Wars and the Figure of the Jedi in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Sophia van Gameren
- Explores how falls and redemptions affect Star Wars and the Buffy television series.
- The Women in Anakin's Life by lazypadawan
- Issue #8 August 2006
- “The Chosen One”: Prophecy, Destiny and Free Will in Star Wars and Harry Potter by Matril
- A study of the meaning of prophecies in both fantasy series, and how they affect Anakin Skywalker and Harry Potter.
- “Sins of the Father": the Slaughter of Innocents theme in Star Wars by Reihla
- An analytical look at the slaughter of the Jedi children from a mythological and historical perspective.
- “The Chosen One”: Prophecy, Destiny and Free Will in Star Wars and Harry Potter by Matril
- Issue #9 September 2006
- The Tragedy of Star Wars by Christine Anderson
- The prequel trilogy is analyzed as a modern example of classical Greek Tragedy. Anakin Skywalker's role as a Tragic Hero is discussed.
- The Tragedy of Star Wars by Christine Anderson
- Issue #10 October 2006
- Sidious the Serpent by ami-padme
- Palpatine's character as the devil figure in the Star Wars saga.
- Thwarted by the Dark Side: Poor Leadership and Vader’s Legacy by Michelle Drumm
- A critique of Darth Vader's managerial and leadership styles, based on the original trilogy films.
- Sidious the Serpent by ami-padme
- Issue #11 November 2006
- Distressing Damsel: Padmé Amidala as Fairy Tale Heroine by Lady Aeryn
- Explores Padmé's character as an interpretation of the classic fairy tale heroine.
- Star Wars is a Fantasy: A Critical Review by Matthew Recker
- A look at the genre the saga falls under.
- Distressing Damsel: Padmé Amidala as Fairy Tale Heroine by Lady Aeryn
- Issue #12 December 2006
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Crazy Old Wizard by lazypadawan
- Explores how Obi-Wan fills the archetype of wizard during Episodes IV-VI.
- Buddhism and Star Wars by Eli Williamson-Jones
- Examines the connections between Star Wars and the tenets of Buddhist belief.
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Crazy Old Wizard by lazypadawan
Volume 3
- Issue #1 January 2007
- You'll Never Get Out of Bedford Falls: The Inescapable Family in American Science Fiction and Fantasy Films by Andrew Gordon
- A comparison of how home and family stay with the protagonists of The Wizard of Oz, It's a Wonderful Life, the Star Wars trilogy, and the Back to the Future trilogy.
- Dark Father: Masculinity and the Violent Cycle of Father-Son Abuse by Matril
- Explores the inheritance of masculinity through examining the duels between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.
- You'll Never Get Out of Bedford Falls: The Inescapable Family in American Science Fiction and Fantasy Films by Andrew Gordon
- Issue #2 February 2007
- Saving a Scoundrel: Han Solo and the Anti-hero's Journey by Reihla
- Discusses the way Han Solo fits the role of the anti-hero and the path he takes to redemption in the original trilogy.
- The Role of the Idealized Image in Anakin Skywalker’s Transition to the Dark Side by Scott Miller
- Explores the way Anakin Skywalker seeks to fulfill his own intense need for security and how this contributes to his gradual evolution into Darth Vader.
- Saving a Scoundrel: Han Solo and the Anti-hero's Journey by Reihla
- Issue #3 March 2007
- Star Wars, Lensman, and Superheroes by Keith Palmer
- A comparison of Star Wars with the "Lensman" series of E.E. "Doc" Smith, science fiction novels suggested as an inspiration for the saga.
- Star Wars, Lensman, and Superheroes by Keith Palmer
- Issue #4 April 2007
- Palpatine on Parliament Square: Francis Urquhart and the Star Wars Saga by Sean Dineen
- A comparison of the political skills of Palpatine and Francis Urquhart, a fictional British Prime Minister in Michael Dobbs' House of Cards novel trilogy.
- Palpatine on Parliament Square: Francis Urquhart and the Star Wars Saga by Sean Dineen
- Issue #5 May 2007
- Where Loyalties Lie by ami-padme
- Explores the nature of Anakin Skywalker's loyalty and how it affects his fall and redemption.
- Where Loyalties Lie by ami-padme
- Issue #6 June 2007
- It Takes Two: Luke, Leia and the Mythology of Twins by ami-padme
- A study of the significance of twins in ancient stories, and how that history is reflected in the Skywalker children.
- It Takes Two: Luke, Leia and the Mythology of Twins by ami-padme
- Issue #7 July 2007
- Kind Enough To Offer Us Shelter: Hospitality In The Star Wars Saga by lazypadawan
- An exploration of the symbolic significance of the various hospitality/meal-sharing scenes throughout the saga.
- Kind Enough To Offer Us Shelter: Hospitality In The Star Wars Saga by lazypadawan
- Issue #8 August 2007
- "A Failure to Listen:" Lucas's Fable of the Fall of Democracy by Matril
- This essay analyzes how a lack of communication in government can be destructive by discussing the ways in which it contributed to the downfall of the Galactic Republic.
- "A Failure to Listen:" Lucas's Fable of the Fall of Democracy by Matril
- Issue #9 September 2007
- Star Wars: A Cinematic Phenomenon by Rebecca Thomas
- The author explores many of the factors surrounding the production of Star Wars, from mythology to effects to music, that led to its transformation from a dark horse project into one of the most influential movies and memorable fairy tales of all-time.
- Star Wars: A Cinematic Phenomenon by Rebecca Thomas
- Issue #10 October 2007
- The Orphan Strikes Back: The Significance Of Luke Skywalker’s Origins by Reihla
- This paper offers a look at the mythological hero who begins life as an orphan and explores possible reasons for George Lucas's use of that plot device in relationship to Star Wars hero Luke Skywalker.
- The Orphan Strikes Back: The Significance Of Luke Skywalker’s Origins by Reihla
- Issue #11 November 2007
- From Traveler to Journeying Hero by Keith Palmer
- Some comparisons between the Campbellian hero's journey and travelling in the Star Wars saga.
- From Traveler to Journeying Hero by Keith Palmer
- Issue #12 December 2007
- The Heart of the Matter: Padmé, Luke, and the Role of Compassion in Star Wars by ami-padme
- Looks at the role Padmé and Luke's compassion for Anakin (and for others) plays in the films.
- The Heart of the Matter: Padmé, Luke, and the Role of Compassion in Star Wars by ami-padme
Volume 4
- Issue #1 January 2008
- "I Can't Live Without Her": The destruction and re-emergence of the sacred feminine in the Star Wars saga by Lady Aeryn
- Examines the symbolism of the feminine within the Star Wars saga, charting the imagery of its destruction and rebirth.
- "I Can't Live Without Her": The destruction and re-emergence of the sacred feminine in the Star Wars saga by Lady Aeryn
- Issue #2 February 2008
- Fire and Water: Anakin and Padmé by lazypadawan
- A look at the archetypes Anakin and Padmé fulfill as individuals and as a couple.
- Fire and Water: Anakin and Padmé by lazypadawan
- Issue #3 March 2008
- Caring Too Much: the Hero's Conundrum by Matril
- The author explores the challenge of what a hero should do when faced with the choice between saving people he loves or serving the greater good.
- Caring Too Much: the Hero's Conundrum by Matril
- Issue #4 April 2008
- The Shame of a Galaxy: One Perspective on Slavery in the Star Wars Saga by Reihla
- Examines slavery in the Star Wars universe, considering its purpose as a plot device and explores its crucial role in the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker.
- Between Reality and Mythos by Sean Dineen
- Compares many aspects of the Star Wars saga to the autobiographical journey of a disabled girl in The Broken Hoof.
- The Shame of a Galaxy: One Perspective on Slavery in the Star Wars Saga by Reihla
- Issue #5 May 2008
- THX 1138: The First Draft of Star Wars by Keith Palmer
- Explores the elements of Lucas' first film in terms of its similarities with, and influence upon, the Star Wars saga.
- THX 1138: The First Draft of Star Wars by Keith Palmer
Volume 5
- Issue #1 January 2010
- Once Upon a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Star Wars as Fairy Tale by Matril no link
- A look at the fairy tale elements of the saga.
- Once Upon a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Star Wars as Fairy Tale by Matril no link
Other Features
The Star Wars Saga Discovering Star Wars: Fan Stories Other Academic Star Wars EssaysReviews (documentaries, books, & more) Links of Note
Editorial Team Submission Guidelines/Call for Papers About Saga Journal
2023.05.30 12:59 Maximumspider Aiming (Read This)
How can I put this-
Fix your time frame for NA players, if you're going to claim this is an North American version of the game.
When People Delete Cache so you claim would fix the problems, we miss two whole days waiting for the Cache to delete an Old Event, Then it resets.
Current Event (Rainy Day) Meaning the Still PICTURE stays up even after the Cache Has Been Erased.
Then we have to wait either till 7 PM pasific day time or the next day to delete Cache. Why Not Reset like it used to at 12 AM? What happen? Who messed with your Clock time, Do you even know how to fix it, is your only option to Delete each time, it's getting Rather OLD.
I know this if you do not get it fixed. Trust me if you like money and I am pretty sure you do, you won't have that money if those three Games get Released and their Multiplayer.
Tower of fantasy
GranBlue Relink
Blue Protocal
You think you might be Okay, I don't because once people begin to play these games, their not going to Miss deleting your cache and waiting for your Events.
Then the constant Blue Screens even though you claimed you updated your Servers, who is running your company a bunch of kids? I read you have former employees of Sega and others and yet you cannot program a game to run without directing people to deleting Cache instead of fixing your problem, go into Maintenance Mode and figure it out.
Edit: I have stuff to add, wanna know how bad it is? How about I type it on each line starting with one.
It takes money but are you a bunch of penny pinching developers? where is that money going to other projects and what do you do during a maintence cycle? go on youtube and play cardboard knights and magic users.
While people were stuck on fisher NPC which took you a few months to correct while people had to figure out ways to unlock themselves.
You ignore a few problems and it grows into a huge pile of garbage and people are leaving by the way which I have noticed and cross overs aren't gonna be enough to keep them here.
submitted by Maximumspider to CaravanStories [link] [comments]
Fix your time frame for NA players, if you're going to claim this is an North American version of the game.
When People Delete Cache so you claim would fix the problems, we miss two whole days waiting for the Cache to delete an Old Event, Then it resets.
Current Event (Rainy Day) Meaning the Still PICTURE stays up even after the Cache Has Been Erased.
Then we have to wait either till 7 PM pasific day time or the next day to delete Cache. Why Not Reset like it used to at 12 AM? What happen? Who messed with your Clock time, Do you even know how to fix it, is your only option to Delete each time, it's getting Rather OLD.
I know this if you do not get it fixed. Trust me if you like money and I am pretty sure you do, you won't have that money if those three Games get Released and their Multiplayer.
Tower of fantasy
GranBlue Relink
Blue Protocal
You think you might be Okay, I don't because once people begin to play these games, their not going to Miss deleting your cache and waiting for your Events.
Then the constant Blue Screens even though you claimed you updated your Servers, who is running your company a bunch of kids? I read you have former employees of Sega and others and yet you cannot program a game to run without directing people to deleting Cache instead of fixing your problem, go into Maintenance Mode and figure it out.
Edit: I have stuff to add, wanna know how bad it is? How about I type it on each line starting with one.
- Delete Cache - Re-download game (BLUE SCREEN)
- Click Help for people (BLUE SCREEN)
- CLICK ON CHEST (BLUE SCREEN)
- CLICK ON STORE (BLUE SCREEN)
- TRY TO ENTER RAID (BLUE SCREEN)
- FIGHTING SOMEONE IN DUEL (BLUE SCREEN)
- CLICKING ON MENU FOR EVENT RAID BOX WONT CLOSE
- GUY RUNS IN FRONT OF YOU CLICKING A MENU GETS STUCK EXIT GAME
- OPENING A CHEST TOO QUICK (BLUE SCREEN)
- TRYING TO SELECT CHARACTERS FOR FORMING SCREEN LOCKS UP FREEZE LOGOUT
It takes money but are you a bunch of penny pinching developers? where is that money going to other projects and what do you do during a maintence cycle? go on youtube and play cardboard knights and magic users.
While people were stuck on fisher NPC which took you a few months to correct while people had to figure out ways to unlock themselves.
You ignore a few problems and it grows into a huge pile of garbage and people are leaving by the way which I have noticed and cross overs aren't gonna be enough to keep them here.
2023.05.30 12:53 gingersnuts 2006 F350 Lariat. Is there a way to stop the interior cab lights from coming on when engine is off and doors are open? I work out of my truck quite frequently and for the life of me I can't figure it out! Tried the dial down to the bottom but doesn't do anything !
submitted by gingersnuts to powerstroke [link] [comments]
2023.05.30 12:41 pLeThOrAx Is there any room to be a researcher for someone without a degree?
I'm interested in bleeding edge comp sci; deep reinforcement learning, latest computational advancements (eUV lithography, phototronics (optical gates and multiplexed light processing, quantum emulation and quantum computers).
I spent the better part of 3 years looking into novel solutions for the capacitated vehicle routing problem. NLP... I'm interested I'm these juicy concepts.
Work wise, I've gone the way of web dev, full stack functional, operations research, sys admin and devops but I'm looking for something really interesting. Perhaps an innovative technology or business idea to be a part of.
I'm willing and indeed happy to start at the bottom, even writing tests or doing QA. Ideally, I'd love a mentorship. The opportunity to grow by someone as passionate about code as I am.
As someone with no comp sci degree, electrical, or any degree for that matter (did 2/3 of a degree in human Physiology, genetics and psychology - had to quit for financial and health reasons) how can I look for opportunities? How could I go about finding and securing placement in a mentorship program? How can I prove myself and show my worth?
I'm a fast learner with an aptitude for systems thinking, lateral thinking, logic and reason, with propensities towards psychology and marketing. A creative as well.
In my previous role I was contracted for 3 months to assist in site migrations, server maintenance, and closed close to 80 hosting tickets with the company. I presented a new client, and with the help of my boss, we landed a tender for over 200k. I also assisted the team in their daily duties, managing deployments, databases, conflicts and bugs. During my time with them I also started constructing a solution for their non-existent CI/CD pipeline and conducted Disaster Recovery simulations.
They didn't have the funds to hire me full time, and its sad because I loved the ethos as well as the work I was doing. It was pretty sad to have to say goodbye.
In general I'm quite lost at the moment. I dont know what I'd like to do, who would take me in, and how or where I could look. I'm based in the Netherlands, and while this isn't a plea for any form of job or work, I'm hard-working, committed, I show up, and thoroughly enjoy a cooperative and "sharing"/learning/growing environment. I respect companies who invest resources into growing their staff.
If anyone has any ideas or information for me I'd really appreciate it.
Edit: sorry for typos, on mobile.
For what it's worth I've been considering pursuing companies of specific interest to me, approaching directly - rather than going broad and hapzardly trying "roles" in the job market. I guess beggers shouldn't be choosers but I feel I have the right to define my own path.
Thanks v. Much.
submitted by pLeThOrAx to cscareerquestionsEU [link] [comments]
I spent the better part of 3 years looking into novel solutions for the capacitated vehicle routing problem. NLP... I'm interested I'm these juicy concepts.
Work wise, I've gone the way of web dev, full stack functional, operations research, sys admin and devops but I'm looking for something really interesting. Perhaps an innovative technology or business idea to be a part of.
I'm willing and indeed happy to start at the bottom, even writing tests or doing QA. Ideally, I'd love a mentorship. The opportunity to grow by someone as passionate about code as I am.
As someone with no comp sci degree, electrical, or any degree for that matter (did 2/3 of a degree in human Physiology, genetics and psychology - had to quit for financial and health reasons) how can I look for opportunities? How could I go about finding and securing placement in a mentorship program? How can I prove myself and show my worth?
I'm a fast learner with an aptitude for systems thinking, lateral thinking, logic and reason, with propensities towards psychology and marketing. A creative as well.
In my previous role I was contracted for 3 months to assist in site migrations, server maintenance, and closed close to 80 hosting tickets with the company. I presented a new client, and with the help of my boss, we landed a tender for over 200k. I also assisted the team in their daily duties, managing deployments, databases, conflicts and bugs. During my time with them I also started constructing a solution for their non-existent CI/CD pipeline and conducted Disaster Recovery simulations.
They didn't have the funds to hire me full time, and its sad because I loved the ethos as well as the work I was doing. It was pretty sad to have to say goodbye.
In general I'm quite lost at the moment. I dont know what I'd like to do, who would take me in, and how or where I could look. I'm based in the Netherlands, and while this isn't a plea for any form of job or work, I'm hard-working, committed, I show up, and thoroughly enjoy a cooperative and "sharing"/learning/growing environment. I respect companies who invest resources into growing their staff.
If anyone has any ideas or information for me I'd really appreciate it.
Edit: sorry for typos, on mobile.
For what it's worth I've been considering pursuing companies of specific interest to me, approaching directly - rather than going broad and hapzardly trying "roles" in the job market. I guess beggers shouldn't be choosers but I feel I have the right to define my own path.
Thanks v. Much.
2023.05.30 12:37 Effective-Dog-8210 Fire Alarm Systems in Westchester, NY: Protecting Lives and Property
 | In the bustling region of Westchester, NY, the safety and security of its residents and businesses are paramount. One crucial aspect of maintaining safety is the installation and maintenance of effective fire alarm systems. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of fire alarm systems in Westchester, NY, and how they help protect lives and property from the devastating effects of fires. submitted by Effective-Dog-8210 to u/Effective-Dog-8210 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/50u5i24w5y2b1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=e164fc6ac421f3d634bf53a5b10fd5d152297f28
|
2023.05.30 12:20 diagsoftsolutions PACCAR Davie 4
Most of us think that diagnostic tests are only necessary when the check engine light is on. Regular diagnostic tests can identify problems with your vehicle before it leads to costly repairs and save you from being stranded on the road after a breakdown. Paccar Davie 4 is diagnostic software; It provides technical support that covers every Packer engine vehicle till the current model at no extra charge. It is used by every PACCAR dealer and garage. You can run tests for your engines and get repair assistance. In addition, you can access training simulations, quick checks, reset particulate trap codes after replacement, and all other technical support.
submitted by diagsoftsolutions to u/diagsoftsolutions [link] [comments]
2023.05.30 11:44 burritolover8 LED Lights
First is fanless more recommended? Why?
If fanless is Keon Sondra much better than Orion? Why?
If none of the above, what LED lights do you suggest for corolla cross?
Thanks!
submitted by burritolover8 to Gulong [link] [comments]
If fanless is Keon Sondra much better than Orion? Why?
If none of the above, what LED lights do you suggest for corolla cross?
Thanks!
2023.05.30 11:40 reistt793 Versys X 300 Cam tensioner
Hi Versys fellows
I have a 2017 Versys 300 with 34k km with all maintenance done on schedule. Now I am hearing a rattling sound when the engine is hot and I reach 8-10k rpm (mainly on accelerating) and sometimes while idling. My mechanic says it’s the cam tensioner that is not delivering the proper tension and needs to be replaced. I have search online and there’s some reset mode on this component. It’s normal to replace this part with this kind of mileage or can it be reset?
submitted by reistt793 to versys [link] [comments]
I have a 2017 Versys 300 with 34k km with all maintenance done on schedule. Now I am hearing a rattling sound when the engine is hot and I reach 8-10k rpm (mainly on accelerating) and sometimes while idling. My mechanic says it’s the cam tensioner that is not delivering the proper tension and needs to be replaced. I have search online and there’s some reset mode on this component. It’s normal to replace this part with this kind of mileage or can it be reset?
2023.05.30 11:39 MysankalpDreamNest Tips by MySankalp Smart Home Interior Solutions Bangalore
Maintaining a smart home involves regular upkeep and attention to ensure all automated systems and devices continue to function smoothly. MySankalp, a leading provider of smart home interior solutions Bangalore, offers valuable tips on how to maintain smart homes. Whether you're looking for smart home builders in Bangalore or a construction company in Bangalore, these tips will help you keep your smart home in optimal condition.
Regularly Update Software: One of the key aspects of maintaining a smart home is keeping the software up to date. Manufacturers often release software updates that include bug fixes, security patches, and new features. Regularly check for updates for all your smart devices, including the smart hub, security systems, thermostats, and lighting systems. These updates enhance performance, security, and compatibility.
Perform System Health Checks: Set aside time to perform regular system health checks on your smart home devices and automation systems. Ensure that all devices are connected to the network and functioning correctly. Test each device, including lights, security cameras, smart locks, and thermostats, to ensure they respond as expected. This proactive approach helps identify any issues or malfunctions before they become more significant problems.
Clean and Maintain Devices: Just like any other electronic device, smart home devices require regular cleaning and maintenance. Dust and debris can accumulate on sensors, cameras, and control panels, affecting their performance. Clean these devices regularly with a soft cloth or microfiber cloth to remove dust and smudges. Additionally, replace batteries in devices such as sensors and remote controls as needed.
Secure the Network: Protecting your smart home from cyber threats is vital. Change default passwords on all devices and ensure strong, unique passwords are used. Set up a secure Wi-Fi network with a strong password and enable network encryption. Regularly update your router's firmware to ensure it has the latest security patches. Consider implementing additional security measures, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, to enhance network security.
Monitor Energy Consumption: Smart homes often incorporate energy monitoring features that provide real-time data on energy usage. Utilize this data to identify any unusual patterns or spikes in energy consumption, which may indicate a malfunctioning device or wasteful usage. By monitoring energy consumption, you can identify potential issues and take corrective actions to optimize energy efficiency.
Backup Data and Configurations: It is essential to regularly back up the configurations and settings of your smart home devices. This ensures that in the event of a device failure or system reset, you can quickly restore your settings without starting from scratch. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to back up configurations or consider using cloud-based backup solutions for added convenience and security.
Partner with a Reliable Home Automation Company: To ensure the smooth operation and maintenance of your smart home, consider partnering with a reliable home automation company in Bangalore, such as MySankalp. They can provide expert guidance, support, and maintenance services for your smart home systems. Their expertise and experience in smart home interiors in bangalore price make them well-equipped to handle any issues that may arise.
Maintaining a smart home requires a proactive approach and attention to detail. By following these tips from MySankalp, a trusted provider of smart home interior solutions in Bangalore, you can ensure that your smart home continues to operate efficiently and securely. With regular maintenance and timely updates, your smart home will provide you with the convenience, comfort, and peace of mind that smart technology has to offer.
https://mysankalp.co/
15th Floor, Concord Tower, UB City, Cubbon, Vittal Mallya Rd,
KG Halli, D' Souza Layout, Ashok Nagar,
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001
Contact: + 91-806 759 0519
Mail: [email protected]
submitted by MysankalpDreamNest to u/MysankalpDreamNest [link] [comments]
Regularly Update Software: One of the key aspects of maintaining a smart home is keeping the software up to date. Manufacturers often release software updates that include bug fixes, security patches, and new features. Regularly check for updates for all your smart devices, including the smart hub, security systems, thermostats, and lighting systems. These updates enhance performance, security, and compatibility.
Perform System Health Checks: Set aside time to perform regular system health checks on your smart home devices and automation systems. Ensure that all devices are connected to the network and functioning correctly. Test each device, including lights, security cameras, smart locks, and thermostats, to ensure they respond as expected. This proactive approach helps identify any issues or malfunctions before they become more significant problems.
Clean and Maintain Devices: Just like any other electronic device, smart home devices require regular cleaning and maintenance. Dust and debris can accumulate on sensors, cameras, and control panels, affecting their performance. Clean these devices regularly with a soft cloth or microfiber cloth to remove dust and smudges. Additionally, replace batteries in devices such as sensors and remote controls as needed.
Secure the Network: Protecting your smart home from cyber threats is vital. Change default passwords on all devices and ensure strong, unique passwords are used. Set up a secure Wi-Fi network with a strong password and enable network encryption. Regularly update your router's firmware to ensure it has the latest security patches. Consider implementing additional security measures, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, to enhance network security.
Monitor Energy Consumption: Smart homes often incorporate energy monitoring features that provide real-time data on energy usage. Utilize this data to identify any unusual patterns or spikes in energy consumption, which may indicate a malfunctioning device or wasteful usage. By monitoring energy consumption, you can identify potential issues and take corrective actions to optimize energy efficiency.
Backup Data and Configurations: It is essential to regularly back up the configurations and settings of your smart home devices. This ensures that in the event of a device failure or system reset, you can quickly restore your settings without starting from scratch. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to back up configurations or consider using cloud-based backup solutions for added convenience and security.
Partner with a Reliable Home Automation Company: To ensure the smooth operation and maintenance of your smart home, consider partnering with a reliable home automation company in Bangalore, such as MySankalp. They can provide expert guidance, support, and maintenance services for your smart home systems. Their expertise and experience in smart home interiors in bangalore price make them well-equipped to handle any issues that may arise.
Maintaining a smart home requires a proactive approach and attention to detail. By following these tips from MySankalp, a trusted provider of smart home interior solutions in Bangalore, you can ensure that your smart home continues to operate efficiently and securely. With regular maintenance and timely updates, your smart home will provide you with the convenience, comfort, and peace of mind that smart technology has to offer.
https://mysankalp.co/
15th Floor, Concord Tower, UB City, Cubbon, Vittal Mallya Rd,
KG Halli, D' Souza Layout, Ashok Nagar,
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001
Contact: + 91-806 759 0519
Mail: [email protected]
2023.05.30 11:36 BluesCowboy DW-6640RE… the best 40th anniversary G-Shock yet?
 | submitted by BluesCowboy to gshock [link] [comments] |
2023.05.30 11:32 Alwaha_Hygiene Reliable Partner for Electrical Services in Abu Dhabi
 | Quality Electrical Services for Homes and BusinessesAt Al Waha Hygiene, we take pride in providing top-notch electrical services in Abu Dhabi. Our team of skilled electricians is dedicated to ensuring the safety and efficiency of electrical systems in both residential and commercial properties.https://preview.redd.it/mf5ldpreux2b1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5fed5a182b417d30d353fb62478b57ea6d9a25f8 Comprehensive Electrical Solutions:Whether you need electrical installations, repairs, or maintenance, Al Waha Hygiene has got you covered. We offer a wide range of services, including:
Professional and Reliable Service:At Al Waha Hygiene, we prioritize professionalism and reliability. Our team arrives on time, completes projects efficiently, and adheres to the highest industry standards. We use high-quality materials and equipment, ensuring long-lasting results and customer satisfaction.Customer Satisfaction is Our Priority:We understand the importance of customer satisfaction, which is why we strive to exceed expectations with every project we undertake. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is available to answer your queries and provide expert advice.Choose Al Waha Hygiene for all your electrical service needs in Abu Dhabi. Contact us today for a consultation and experience the difference between working with a trusted and reputable electrical service provider. https://preview.redd.it/2gikzl9dux2b1.png?width=940&format=png&auto=webp&s=1677ff49d2d155087d7ad39c15f9cfb6bfcaedb3 |
2023.05.30 11:31 pLeThOrAx Is there any room to be a researcher for someone without a degree?
I'm interested in bleeding edge comp sci; deep reinforcement learning, latest computational advancements (eUV lithography, phototronics (optical gates and multiplexed light processing, quantum emulation and quantum computers).
I spent the better part of 3 years looking into novel solutions for the capacitated vehicle routing problem. NLP... I'm interested I'm these juicy concepts.
Work wise, I've gone the way of web dev, full stack functional, operations research, sys admin and devops but I'm looking for something really interesting. Perhaps an innovative technology or business idea to be a part of.
I'm willing and indeed happy to start at the bottom, even writing tests or doing QA. Ideally, I'd love a mentorship. The opportunity to grow by someone as passionate about code as I am.
As someone with no comp sci degree, electrical, or any degree for that matter (did 2/3 of a degree in human Physiology, genetics and psychology - had to quit for financial and health reasons) how can I look for opportunities? How could I go about finding and securing placement in a mentorship program? How can I prove myself and show my worth?
I'm a fast learner with an aptitude for systems thinking, lateral thinking, logic and reason, with propensities towards psychology and marketing. A creative as well.
In my previous role I was contracted for 3 months to assist in site migrations, server maintenance, and closed close to 80 hosting tickets with the company. I presented a new client, and with the help of my boss, we landed a tender for over 200k. I also assisted the team in their daily duties, managing deployments, databases, conflicts and bugs. During my time with them I also started constructing a solution for their non-existent CI/CD pipeline and conducted Disaster Recovery simulations.
They didn't have the funds to hire me full time, and its sad because I loved the ethos as well as the work I was doing. It was pretty sad to have to say goodbye.
In general I'm quite lost at the moment. I dont know what I'd like to do, who would take me in, and how or where I could look. I'm based in the Netherlands, and while this isn't a plea for any form of job or work, I'm hard-working, committed, I show up, and thoroughly enjoy a cooperative and "sharing"/learning/growing environment. I respect companies who invest resources into growing their staff.
If anyone has any ideas or information for me I'd really appreciate it.
Edit: sorry for typos, on mobile.
For what it's worth I've been considering pursuing companies of specific interest to me, approaching directly - rather than going broad and hapzardly trying "roles" in the job market. I guess beggers shouldn't be choosers but I feel I have the right to define my own path.
Thanks v. Much.
submitted by pLeThOrAx to cscareerquestions [link] [comments]
I spent the better part of 3 years looking into novel solutions for the capacitated vehicle routing problem. NLP... I'm interested I'm these juicy concepts.
Work wise, I've gone the way of web dev, full stack functional, operations research, sys admin and devops but I'm looking for something really interesting. Perhaps an innovative technology or business idea to be a part of.
I'm willing and indeed happy to start at the bottom, even writing tests or doing QA. Ideally, I'd love a mentorship. The opportunity to grow by someone as passionate about code as I am.
As someone with no comp sci degree, electrical, or any degree for that matter (did 2/3 of a degree in human Physiology, genetics and psychology - had to quit for financial and health reasons) how can I look for opportunities? How could I go about finding and securing placement in a mentorship program? How can I prove myself and show my worth?
I'm a fast learner with an aptitude for systems thinking, lateral thinking, logic and reason, with propensities towards psychology and marketing. A creative as well.
In my previous role I was contracted for 3 months to assist in site migrations, server maintenance, and closed close to 80 hosting tickets with the company. I presented a new client, and with the help of my boss, we landed a tender for over 200k. I also assisted the team in their daily duties, managing deployments, databases, conflicts and bugs. During my time with them I also started constructing a solution for their non-existent CI/CD pipeline and conducted Disaster Recovery simulations.
They didn't have the funds to hire me full time, and its sad because I loved the ethos as well as the work I was doing. It was pretty sad to have to say goodbye.
In general I'm quite lost at the moment. I dont know what I'd like to do, who would take me in, and how or where I could look. I'm based in the Netherlands, and while this isn't a plea for any form of job or work, I'm hard-working, committed, I show up, and thoroughly enjoy a cooperative and "sharing"/learning/growing environment. I respect companies who invest resources into growing their staff.
If anyone has any ideas or information for me I'd really appreciate it.
Edit: sorry for typos, on mobile.
For what it's worth I've been considering pursuing companies of specific interest to me, approaching directly - rather than going broad and hapzardly trying "roles" in the job market. I guess beggers shouldn't be choosers but I feel I have the right to define my own path.
Thanks v. Much.
2023.05.30 11:26 RandomMagnet Some quality of life improvements...
Hey All,
None of these are wholly my own, in fact I think they are already known and have been discussed at length in various places, but I thought it would be nice to bring them together as I know the devs frequent this sub.
I would also like to say, I think a lot on this list is fairly trivial to implement, unlike the anti-cheat and game replay features that the devs are currently rewriting the entire netcode of Risk for...
I hope some or all of these get implemented.. :)
Thanks!!!
submitted by RandomMagnet to Risk [link] [comments]
None of these are wholly my own, in fact I think they are already known and have been discussed at length in various places, but I thought it would be nice to bring them together as I know the devs frequent this sub.
I would also like to say, I think a lot on this list is fairly trivial to implement, unlike the anti-cheat and game replay features that the devs are currently rewriting the entire netcode of Risk for...
- On the automated bots setting - show a resign flag IF a player has resigned. And perhaps show an icon for when the player has botted out (even though it is obvious from how the bots attack - lighting up territories).
- On the neutral bots setting - lower the 10 min return to play timer (ie 3-4 minutes OR 3 turns - which ever is less).
- Start counting bot-outs and returns and have them as reportable items on the ready-up screen (so that other players can see what sort of player they are) (ok... not so trivial... :))
- On the ready up screen, once the host hits "start game" don't move to the next, essentially blank, screen (the one with only a ready button). Keep the current screen so that players can see any changes that may have taken place before they hit "Ready".. This also allows players that join right before the host hits ready a chance to see what the other players are. It should cut down on the 1v1 with 2 bots, insta-start crap as well.
- When a player resigns still allow the player to see the ranks of other players (rather than dropping back to the game menu).
- In the battle log keep track of emotes... So many times have I missed an emote because the game changed state (ie fortify screen), it would be nice to be able to review these after. Rather than worrying you have missed a crucial piece of communications.
- Change the slider behaviour; either get rid of the _requirement_ to use the slider to minimise troop losses OR reset the slider back to the max value after each attack OR keep the slider at the same number... for example 3/12 -> 3/11 -> 3/10 -> 3/9, etc... At the moment its like 3/12 -> 3/11 -> 2/10 -> 2/9... etc... any of course those 2 dice rolls are low percentage, so you end up wasting troops.
- In the game filters please add minimum players (I rarely play with fewer than 5 players).
- In the game filters screen add a maximum timer (I rarely play on 120s or more games).
I hope some or all of these get implemented.. :)
Thanks!!!
2023.05.30 11:24 lostcheetos Got my First last week!!!
 | Sorry if the Image is bad but After a year long search for the best in my budget, i landed on the perfect Upgrade for my Trusty 12 years old Etios Liva, The Ciaz is not the best sedan out there in terms of Engine or Features or Aesthetics, but it definitely is a Simple, reliable - No nonsense , Rightfully equipped Modern machine, which pulls it all off in class, whilst being light on pocket for what it offers a - Classic , 4.5M long Mid sized sedan, with plenty of creature comforts and space and it comes with all the Required Equipments From Cruise control ,Defoggers , Ambient interior lighting , 4 star rating, Auto dimming IRVM , Parking sensors , Reverse camera Etc , is it a bit dated? - yes, but did it age like a fine wine? - Absolutely fricking yes for the Value it offers for the price, now with the recent Verna and city killing it in the top end sales, Ciaz definitely needs a second look, if you want a good second car or even a Primary car, that's not Polarizing to look at like the verna ( i love the looks though) , or is not every other sedan in the road like the City ( personally City is a much better Sedan IMO, but it's just that , Honda is struggling to capture new revenue streams both local and Global, which makes it a scary buy- but then again this is strictly my opinion, and that's because one of my friend is stuck with Eco sport which he brought during Fords life cycle, the car is fricking great to drive but the Re sale and after sale service had taken a hit) , or is not German in maintenance, The Ciaz fits the right pieces in it's current value form for anyone who is on the market without following a trend but are looking for a reliable 1.5, 4 Cyl vehicle, that needn't be a SUV or Crossover, but a simple No nonsense Sedan. definitely a face lift will go in a long way for the sales, hopefully MSIL Takes up the right call. And not call it a day on Ciaz. submitted by lostcheetos to CarsIndia [link] [comments] |
2023.05.30 11:19 MissionTroll404 Casio mode button doesn't work anymore
I got myself a antique digital Casio and I was enjoying it. Although it gets behind real time every day, few seconds or so. Because I don't like it being more inaccurate than my cheap swatch I was gonna set it again. I pressed mode button and it opened the alarm time but did not continue to other settings like it use to do. So I spammed it and it reset the watch. I put it aside since I was lazy to enter every thing again. Today I see that it still doesnt go past the 12:00 alarm screen when I press mode button and resets time if I spam it. The physical button works though I can see screen flash when I press it yet it only goes to alarm time screen. Is the battery low? I doubt a 30 year old watch decided to die after I used it for 1 month. Other buttons work fine. Light comes on normally.
a156w model name
submitted by MissionTroll404 to casio [link] [comments]
a156w model name
2023.05.30 11:14 OKishGuy Latitude 5531: Black screen on first (cold) bootup
Hi everyone,
A few months ago, I got my new Latitde 5531, and it worked quite well up until about a week ago.
I usually shutdown windows at the end of the day (so not only closing lid or hibernation etc.) and on the next morning boot it up again.
But now, I only get the Bitlocker screen (which still works!), but after that the screen turns black and nothing happens. The laptop is also connected to a Docking Station with 2 more external monitors, and those too are black. The background light of the display still seems to be on, but with a completely black screen.
I have to press the On-button for about 10 seconds or so to make a hard reset and after that it boots up again normally. (But a windows prompt will show up, because the last boot was unsuccessful and asks if I want to "Recover" or "Restart". I choose restart and everything works as expected)
It doesn't matter whether or not the Docking station is plugged in at the first bootup.
Specs:
i7-12800H
32 GB DDR5 4800 Mhz Crucial (initially got it with 8GB and manually upgraded to 32GB)
Windows 11 Pro
Windows and BIOS all up-to-date
submitted by OKishGuy to Dell [link] [comments]
A few months ago, I got my new Latitde 5531, and it worked quite well up until about a week ago.
I usually shutdown windows at the end of the day (so not only closing lid or hibernation etc.) and on the next morning boot it up again.
But now, I only get the Bitlocker screen (which still works!), but after that the screen turns black and nothing happens. The laptop is also connected to a Docking Station with 2 more external monitors, and those too are black. The background light of the display still seems to be on, but with a completely black screen.
I have to press the On-button for about 10 seconds or so to make a hard reset and after that it boots up again normally. (But a windows prompt will show up, because the last boot was unsuccessful and asks if I want to "Recover" or "Restart". I choose restart and everything works as expected)
It doesn't matter whether or not the Docking station is plugged in at the first bootup.
Specs:
i7-12800H
32 GB DDR5 4800 Mhz Crucial (initially got it with 8GB and manually upgraded to 32GB)
Windows 11 Pro
Windows and BIOS all up-to-date
2023.05.30 11:14 PUMAswaga Asus ROG Strix SCAR 18 G834JY USB problem
Hello friends! I have recently bought this new gaming laptop, and I have a wired one. Every time I insert a USB and then eject the USB, the screen turns off. The lights stay on, and there's no response. After a couple of minutes, it does a self reset. Any idea what could be the problem? Any solutions?
submitted by PUMAswaga to ASUSROG [link] [comments]
2023.05.30 11:03 secret_willy Will HMRC investigate the last several years of earnings if I start declaring now?
I’ve been doing a bit of general labour and maintenance work on the side of my regular job (completely different industry and PAYE) for around 8 years. At first it was just the odd job here and there when I needed some extra cash but I’m now pulling in around 8 grand a year. I want (well, not want!) to start declaring my earnings for the sake of doing the “right”/“legal” thing but also for the sake of getting a mortgage. I want to file my tax return for the first time at the end of this financial year but I’m just concerned that the HMRC might investigate the last 6/7 years. Could someone shed some light/advice on the situation please?
submitted by secret_willy to UKPersonalFinance [link] [comments]
2023.05.30 11:01 returnoftoilet Relying on memory: GMC's shaky ground
Recently, a GMC case had prioritised the statement from Patient A over documentation made by a doctor, which was used to find the doctor's fitness to practice impaired.
Without deliberating over details, I would like to elaborate about why this is shaky territory with reference to legal judgements.
A. The science of memory
The neuroscience and psychology of memory is complex; but a brief overview is as follows.
Memory, as it is understood in psychology, is not merely a direct translation of experience of phenomena. Instead, such experiences are encoded, which is dependent on an individual's own thoughts, experiences, needs, emotions, etc. In the case of long-term memory, memory will then be consolidated, which integrates the memory with pre-existing information, and then retrieved from the "long-term store" in recollection, which is not again a direct "data retrieval" but rather reconstructions of events based on the memory. There may be the insertion of new experiences into the reconstruction, things can be forgotten entirely, the reconstruction process will differ from context, etc.
To say that memory is unreliable is an understatement.
The danger of memory is not just in forgetting events, but also in altogether false memory, such as remembering things that did not happen (i.e in the form of the Mandela effect).
This article looks at 2 studies that examined false memory, particularly autobiographcal false memory, and found that participants would report that the false memory seemed real, and that observers would only be able to determine if it was true or false in about 50% of cases, which is akin to a coin toss.
B. The consequences of false memory
Because of how often legal cases utilise eyewitness statement and testimonies, if there is a lack of physical evidence this can result in false evidence believed to be true to be admitted and be taken into consideration in the judgement. A large project called the Innocence Project has numerous cases where this is the case, and seeks to overturn rulings where judgement was made on erronous evidence. Simply take a look on their website and see how many years many individuals have served imprisoned because of eyewitness misidentification. As an example, Rafael Ruiz served 24 years falsely imprisoned for rape, sodomy, robbery and sexual abuse, before being found that the eyewitness had misidentified him and was exonerated on the grounds of new DNA evidence.
C. Its role in judiciary decisions
Here I will quote ad-lib from a ruling made by Mr. Justice Leggatt in the case of Gestmin v. Credit Suisse (Royal Courts of Justice, Queen's Bench Division [(2013) EWHC 3560 (Comm); Case No. 2011 Folio 1267]).
In this case, Gestmin (a Portugese company) made investments on the advice of Credit Suisse, and invested in an investment company called QWIL which made their money largely via sub-prime mortgages in 2006-2007. After the financial crisis of 2008, QWIL shares fell, and Gestmin lost money. Gestmin later sued stating that Credit Suisse should not have recommended an investment into QWIL which was a high risk low liquidity whereas Gestmin wanted a low risk high liquidity investment.
In the case, the court deliberated on the use of human memory, and Justice Legatt commented:
With this understanding of how memory and witness evidence is used even in civil cases, it places greater questions in how a documented evidence was disregarded for memory, with no known or probable fact that the Doctor in question had falsified the evidence (with no prior record or any action done in the past to suggest that action), but yet the Patient A testimony, which is recalling an event 2+ years in the past, is taken as-is without question.
Particularly when actions such as suspension or even being struck off are in the hands of people who make shaky judgements and are instituitionally racist (was patient A white and hence "more trustworthy"?).
The GMC is indefensible in allowing this to happen and I fully support the BMA AGM proposal to call for a vote of no confidence in the GMC, of which I am confident it will be carried by an overwhelming majority.
submitted by returnoftoilet to JuniorDoctorsUK [link] [comments]
Without deliberating over details, I would like to elaborate about why this is shaky territory with reference to legal judgements.
A. The science of memory
The neuroscience and psychology of memory is complex; but a brief overview is as follows.
Memory, as it is understood in psychology, is not merely a direct translation of experience of phenomena. Instead, such experiences are encoded, which is dependent on an individual's own thoughts, experiences, needs, emotions, etc. In the case of long-term memory, memory will then be consolidated, which integrates the memory with pre-existing information, and then retrieved from the "long-term store" in recollection, which is not again a direct "data retrieval" but rather reconstructions of events based on the memory. There may be the insertion of new experiences into the reconstruction, things can be forgotten entirely, the reconstruction process will differ from context, etc.
To say that memory is unreliable is an understatement.
The danger of memory is not just in forgetting events, but also in altogether false memory, such as remembering things that did not happen (i.e in the form of the Mandela effect).
This article looks at 2 studies that examined false memory, particularly autobiographcal false memory, and found that participants would report that the false memory seemed real, and that observers would only be able to determine if it was true or false in about 50% of cases, which is akin to a coin toss.
B. The consequences of false memory
Because of how often legal cases utilise eyewitness statement and testimonies, if there is a lack of physical evidence this can result in false evidence believed to be true to be admitted and be taken into consideration in the judgement. A large project called the Innocence Project has numerous cases where this is the case, and seeks to overturn rulings where judgement was made on erronous evidence. Simply take a look on their website and see how many years many individuals have served imprisoned because of eyewitness misidentification. As an example, Rafael Ruiz served 24 years falsely imprisoned for rape, sodomy, robbery and sexual abuse, before being found that the eyewitness had misidentified him and was exonerated on the grounds of new DNA evidence.
C. Its role in judiciary decisions
Here I will quote ad-lib from a ruling made by Mr. Justice Leggatt in the case of Gestmin v. Credit Suisse (Royal Courts of Justice, Queen's Bench Division [(2013) EWHC 3560 (Comm); Case No. 2011 Folio 1267]).
In this case, Gestmin (a Portugese company) made investments on the advice of Credit Suisse, and invested in an investment company called QWIL which made their money largely via sub-prime mortgages in 2006-2007. After the financial crisis of 2008, QWIL shares fell, and Gestmin lost money. Gestmin later sued stating that Credit Suisse should not have recommended an investment into QWIL which was a high risk low liquidity whereas Gestmin wanted a low risk high liquidity investment.
In the case, the court deliberated on the use of human memory, and Justice Legatt commented:
"An obvious difficulty which affects allegations and oral evidence based on recollection of events which occurred several years ago is the unreliability of human memory.This ruling, in my view, contextualises the admission of memory as evidence that even beyond criminal cases, there is a great deal of uncertainty and unreliability placed upon eyewitness testimony, and to reiterate, that "to place little if any reliance at all on witnesses' recollections of what was said in meetings and conversations, and to base factual findings on inferences drawn from the documentary evidence and known or probable facts".
While everyone knows that memory is fallible, I do not believe that the legal system has sufficiently absorbed the lessons of a century of psychological research into the nature of memory and the unreliability of eyewitness testimony. One of the most important lessons of such research is that in everyday life we are not aware of the extent to which our own and other people's memories are unreliable and believe our memories to be more faithful than they are. Two common (and related) errors are to suppose: (1) that the stronger and more vivid is our feeling or experience of recollection, the more likely the recollection is to be accurate; and (2) that the more confident another person is in their recollection, the more likely their recollection is to be accurate.
Underlying both these errors is a faulty model of memory as a mental record which is fixed at the time of experience of an event and then fades (more or less slowly) over time. In fact, psychological research has demonstrated that memories are fluid and malleable, being constantly rewritten whenever they are retrieved. This is true even of so-called “flashbulb” memories, that is memories of experiencing or learning of a particularly shocking or traumatic event. (The very description “flashbulb” memory is in fact misleading, reflecting as it does the misconception that memory operates like a camera or other device that makes a fixed record of an experience.) External information can intrude into a witness's memory, as can his or her own thoughts and beliefs, and both can cause dramatic changes in recollection. Events can come to be recalled as memories which did not happen at all or which happened to someone else (referred to in the literature as a failure of source memory).
Memory is especially unreliable when it comes to recalling past beliefs. Our memories of past beliefs are revised to make them more consistent with our present beliefs. Studies have also shown that memory is particularly vulnerable to interference and alteration when a person is presented with new information or suggestions about an event in circumstances where his or her memory of it is already weak due to the passage of time.
The process of civil litigation itself subjects the memories of witnesses to powerful biases. The nature of litigation is such that witnesses often have a stake in a particular version of events. This is obvious where the witness is a party or has a tie of loyalty (such as an employment relationship) to a party to the proceedings. Other, more subtle influences include allegiances created by the process of preparing a witness statement and of coming to court to give evidence for one side in the dispute. A desire to assist, or at least not to prejudice, the party who has called the witness or that party's lawyers, as well as a natural desire to give a good impression in a public forum, can be significant motivating forces.
Considerable interference with memory is also introduced in civil litigation by the procedure of preparing for trial. A witness is asked to make a statement, often (as in the present case) when a long time has already elapsed since the relevant events. The statement is usually drafted for the witness by a lawyer who is inevitably conscious of the significance for the issues in the case of what the witness does nor does not say. The statement is made after the witness's memory has been “refreshed” by reading documents. The documents considered often include statements of case and other argumentative material as well as documents which the witness did not see at the time or which came into existence after the events which he or she is being asked to recall. The statement may go through several iterations before it is finalised. Then, usually months later, the witness will be asked to re-read his or her statement and review documents again before giving evidence in court. The effect of this process is to establish in the mind of the witness the matters recorded in his or her own statement and other written material, whether they be true or false, and to cause the witness's memory of events to be based increasingly on this material and later interpretations of it rather than on the original experience of the events.
It is not uncommon (and the present case was no exception) for witnesses to be asked in cross-examination if they understand the difference between recollection and reconstruction or whether their evidence is a genuine recollection or a reconstruction of events. Such questions are misguided in at least two ways. First, they erroneously presuppose that there is a clear distinction between recollection and reconstruction, when all remembering of distant events involves reconstructive processes. Second, such questions disregard the fact that such processes are largely unconscious and that the strength, vividness and apparent authenticity of memories is not a reliable measure of their truth.
In the light of these considerations, the best approach for a judge to adopt in the trial of a commercial case is, in my view, to place little if any reliance at all on witnesses' recollections of what was said in meetings and conversations, and to base factual findings on inferences drawn from the documentary evidence and known or probable facts. This does not mean that oral testimony serves no useful purpose—though its utility is often disproportionate to its length. But its value lies largely, as I see it, in the opportunity which cross-examination affords to subject the documentary record to critical scrutiny and to gauge the personality, motivations and working practices of a witness, rather than in testimony of what the witness recalls of particular conversations and events. Above all, it is important to avoid the fallacy of supposing that, because a witness has confidence in his or her recollection and is honest, evidence based on that recollection provides any reliable guide to the truth.
With this understanding of how memory and witness evidence is used even in civil cases, it places greater questions in how a documented evidence was disregarded for memory, with no known or probable fact that the Doctor in question had falsified the evidence (with no prior record or any action done in the past to suggest that action), but yet the Patient A testimony, which is recalling an event 2+ years in the past, is taken as-is without question.
Particularly when actions such as suspension or even being struck off are in the hands of people who make shaky judgements and are instituitionally racist (was patient A white and hence "more trustworthy"?).
The GMC is indefensible in allowing this to happen and I fully support the BMA AGM proposal to call for a vote of no confidence in the GMC, of which I am confident it will be carried by an overwhelming majority.