Hi! I hope you're having a lovely day.
I graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy in my home country (Arab country) a few years ago and last year I was lucky enough to win a green card 😁 I arrived in the US late last year.
As soon as arrived I picked up a simple warehouse job and later a second simple but physical job. I needed to start somewhere and quick because I didn't have much to support myself.
Now, I'm a little more comfortable financially and I think it's time I figured out how to proceed from here.
I tried to become a tech at CVS. I didn't quite finish my training. But I knew for sure retail isn't my cup of tea.
I'm interested in working in the industry. Preferably a lab setting where there are some interesting apparatuses to work with, problems to solve and not much human interaction going on.
Should I toss the FPGEE/NAPLEX/MPJE exams out the window with retail? And are there alternative exams/certifications/paths that will help me get to do what I like?
Thanks for reading and thanks in advance if you choose to leave a comment :)

Maybe it wasn't a big deal, but as a non-Apple guy given an old MacBook Pro to goof around on, I was happy to get it working.
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I thought I'd share the howTo here so if might help some future me.
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1. Apple MacBooks with Intel processors CAN run Windows 10.
2. Apple supported this with a tool/technology/feature named BootCamp.
3. Apple developed the drivers you need, but they didn't really make it easy to do this outside of the MacOS. Getting the drivers for your particular MacBook Pro can be challenging!
4. Luckily, Tim Sutton made Brigadier, a program that runs on Windows and which will automatically locate and unzip/download the drivers/programs/etc that you need for your particular MacBook Pro model. Amazing work!
5. https://github.com/timsutton/brigadier
6. You'll need to run brigadier from the command line and tell it the model of MacBook Pro that you want the BootCamp drivers/etc for.brigadier.exe --model MacBookPro14,1
7. Brigadier will do its magic and output your necessary drivers/etc to a folder named "BootCamp--"
8. You'll need to install a few prerequisites to get brigadier working. I had everything it needed already installed, so I didn't have to fight any battles there. YMMV.
9. Once you've build your BootCamp folder full of drivers and programs, you can just add it to your "Windows 10 Installation Media" (usually a flash drive).
10. You can build your Windows 10 installation flash drive using the tool on this page: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10
11. When the Windows installed says it can't find your hard drive to install on, load the "AppleSSD64" driver from the "$WinPEDriver$/AppleSSD64" folder on your Windows Installation flash drive (where you copied it in step 8)
12. I then blew away all the partitions on my SSD, and let the Windows Installer do it's stuff. I didn't need to keep any of the partitions to get things working.
13. Once Windows was up and running, Run the "BootCamp/Setup.exe" installer in your BootCamp folder that Brigadier created for you.
14. Magic happens. For extra fun, load up the Device Manager and get that thrill of watching unknown devices disappear as they become known devices.
15. Three tips for using Windows10 on a MacBook Pro.a. The delete key will not "delete" files/folders. I think, by default, it's really a backspace key. To actually "delete" when you press the "delete" key, also hold the option key.b. The right-click on the trackpad doesn't work out of the box. To right-click, do a two-finger click.c. To setup the bottom right corner of your trackpad as a regular right-click, use the BootCamp settings that are hiding in your Notification Area at the bottom right of the menu bar. There are other nice features in there (like tap to click).

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My MacBookPro is now booting Windows happily, resuming from suspend without problems, and generally working fine. Camera works, speakers work, everything seems to work well.

This is the 4th post in a series going over the bowl seasons from 1974-1997. Each year I'm examining the bowls with national title implications and the teams competing for the #1 ranking. If you want to catch up on prior seasons, check out the link to the master post to view previous writeups.
https://www.reddit.com/CFB/comments/13rssrf/bowls_and_the_race_for_the_mythical_national/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
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Setting the Stage

Team	record	AP	Coaches
Texas (SWC champ)	11-0	1	1
Oklahoma (Big 8)	10-1	2	2
Alabama (SEC)	10-1	3	3
Michigan (B1G)	10-1	4	4
Notre Dame (IND)	10-1	5	5
Arkansas (SWC)	10-1	6	6
Kentucky*	10-1	7	Unranked
Penn St	10-1	8	7

*Kentucky and Alabama didn't play in the regular season and both went unbeaten in SEC play, however the SEC title and Sugar Bowl bid went to Alabama as Kentucky was facing NCAA probation and prohibited from playing in a bowl.
Important games

• September 17th: Alabama lost at Nebraska, 24-31
• September 17th: Notre Dame lost vs Ole Miss, 13-20. Alabama beat Ole Miss the prior week, 34-13
• September 17th: Kentucky lost at Baylor, 6-21.
• October 8: Texas won the Red River Rivalry over Oklahoma, 13-6
• October 15: Texas gave Arkansas its lone loss, 13-9
• October 22: Minnesota blanked Michigan, 16-0

Buckle up buckaroos! Thanks to bowl tie ins, the top 4 teams in each poll went to a separate bowl game! SWC champ Texas to the Cotton, Big 8 Champ OU to the Orange, SEC champ Alabama to the Sugar, and Big 10 champ Michigan to the Rose. Texas held all the cards though. They were the nations lone unbeaten and had wins over #2 Oklahoma and #6 Arkansas. A Cotton Bowl win would leave no doubt as to who was number one when the dust settled, but lose and a slew of 1 loss teams were waiting in the wings to fight for the voters' affections. The insanity that we're about to dive into truly makes this season one of my favorite in this series.
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Cotton Bowl: #1 Texas vs #5 Notre Dame (January 1st, 2PM EST)
I mean, why play the bowls right? Texas was already the last unbeaten standing. Just give them #1 and call it a day right? Besides, Texas was too good to let some silly Notre Dame team led by some schmuck name Joe Montana knock them off, right? Right? Well, unfortunately for Texas, the pollsters looking for a clear cut champ, and protestant football fans everywhere, you'd be wrong. The Irish came in and absolutely mollywhopped them. After a 3-3 first quarter, they Irish exploded for 21 in the 2nd to jump to a 24-10 lead. They would shut out the horns in the 2nd half for a 38-10 route. The national title race was now wide open.
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Sugar Bowl #3 Alabama vs #9/8 Ohio St (January 1st, 2PM EST)
The Sugar Bowl kicked off about the same time as the Cotton, so Alabama didn't have the luxury to see how that game played out. A lot of pieces needed to fall into place to claim #1. In addition to a win and a Texas loss, they would also likely need Oklahoma to lose the Orange bowl the next day. That would leave them and Notre Dame in a beauty contest for the voters, and the Tide were already 2 spots ahead in each poll. They made the most of their opportunity and thrashed Ohio St. The led 13-0 at half and cruised to a 35-6 victory. Now they would have to anxiously wait for the Orange Bowl result.
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Rose Bowl #4 Michigan vs #13/14 Washington (January 2nd, 5pm
Going into the new year, Michigan would need a lot of help to jump to #1. Losses by #1 Texas, #2 Oklahoma, and #3 would be required, and even then, they would need to win the voters affections over #5 Notre Dame and #6 Arkansas who would both have better bowls wins than them in that scenario. By kickoff they knew those title hopes were on life support as #3 Alabama dominated rival Ohio St the day before. Perhaps this affected their play, or maybe Washington was just that good. Either way, the Huskies jumped to a 17-0 halftime lead and held off a 2nd half rally to upset the Wolverines, 27-20.
Orange Bowl #2 Oklahoma vs #6 Arkansas
The college football season would finish with the Orange Bowl and fans across the country watched with baited breath. Alabama, Notre Dame, and of course the Sooners, all had a potential championship on the line based on this game's result. With Texas' loss, #2 ,Oklahoma was in the best position to claim #1 with a win. If they lose, then Alabama would likely take the crown instead (I mean no way Notre Dame would jump them right?) 1st year head coach Lou Holtz and the Razorbacks had their slim title chances dashed by Alabama's earlier win, and came into this game hoping to play spoiler, and boy did they. Arkansas opened a can of pig suuuuii, and rolled Oklahoma, 31-6. The Sooners didn't even manage a TD til the 4th quarter. Fans in Tuscaloosa cheered as the national title appeared to be theirs for the taking.
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Post Bowl Rankings

Teams	record	AP	Coaches
Notre Dame	11-1	1 (37 ⅓)	1 (23)
Alabama	11-1	2 (19 1/3)	2 (13)
Arkansas	11-1	3 (5 1/3)	3 (2)
Texas	11-1	4 (2)	5 (1)

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Chaos reigned as the top 2 teams and 3 of the top 4 lost their bowl. In a surprise turn of events, Notre Dame leapfrogged Alabama in both polls to be declared a unanimous national champion. Despite the Tide's route of Ohio St, the voters were more impressed with The Irish's win over #1 Texas. Notre Dame had a strong argument to be #1. They just beat the number #1 Horns, which also gave them transitive wins over Oklahoma and Arkansas. The tide had a strong case too. Their lone loss was to a top 10 Nebraska team, whereas the Irish lost to a 5-6 Ole Miss team, who the Tide beat a week prior. I almost feel bad for Alabama here . . . almost. I can imagine there were a lot of frustrations over this season, since the top 4 teams played in separate game, but would be remiss if I didn't say that the absolute chaos it brought wasn't entertaining.
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Sources and recommended reading:
https://tiptop25.com/champ1977.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_NCAA_Division_I_football_rankings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_NCAA_Division_I_football_season

Shiv’s decision was based on multiple factors, but the biggest one was this: it finally came down to her. Shiv finally had the ultimate power in a company where she’s been promised power multiple times and been backstabbed every time.
Her father promised her the company (like everyone else) and dangled it in front of her until the last moment. Her brothers offered her fake power while they tried to take the company for themselves. Shiv single handedly led Mattson through the nuances and social networks of the deal, and he of course betrays her, too. And even Tom, the most honest relationship she has, essentially threw her under the bus again (although a bit more nuanced because he told her he was the CEO pick to maintain their relationship).
Now yes, Shiv has thrown Tom under the bus many times. She would have betrayed anyone except maybe her father to get herself a better position. But for the first time, Shiv had the power to decide it all. Any choice she made gave power to people that had betrayed her, so it didn’t come down to that.
Narratively, seeing Kendall in power upset her enough to be petty about it and keep it from him. Still, this vote also partially decided the fate of her husband and child. If the vote was purely a question of status, then she would have just voted Tom in and betrayed Ken, but it wasn’t. Shiv’s core was shaken because she didn’t know what she wanted.
Now thematically, Shiv does keep Kendall from his dark transformation of becoming Logan. He now has an opportunity to actually have a fulfilling life and develop a relationship with his family. The company was an addiction and he’s free of it. Roman was given an opportunity to stand up for himself and not be completely pitiful, which is the current best case scenario for him. He has finally accepted that they will not win Logan’s approval and can move on.
Shiv debatably is the only one still “trapped in the cycle”, but if she actually gives her kids two mostly stable parents, she will already be breaking the cycle of her parents.

Layout:
— Individual Team News + Stone’s Cold Takes
— Miscellaneous/Other NFL News
— Restaurant of the Week - Washington D.C.
Arizona Cardinals:

• Released WR DeAndre Hopkins and he listed out info about what he wants in his next team:
  
  • Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert
  • He wants stable management and a great defense
• Some folks in AZ were upset with Hopkins because he sat out the last couple of games
  
• S Budda Baker says he will be at camp when its time for him to be there
  

After some decent news the last couple weeks for this organization there wasn’t really anything great from this week besides maybe the fact that if WR DeAndre Hopkins was a distraction to the team he now no longer is one. It will be interesting to see how things play out this year.
Atlanta Falcons:

• FB Keith Smith was arrested on traffic charges
  
  • Driving with a suspended license he claims was a misunderstanding
• K Younghoe Koo didn’t ask for money from RB Bijan Robinson to give him his number but asked him to pick a charity at some point down the road to donate to
  
• Will have joint practices with the Dolphins
  
• Signed:
  
  • WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside

It sounds like the situation with Keith Smith should get resolved rather quickly and was more of a misunderstanding than anything else. It will be fun for this young team to have joint practices with Miami and it will be a good way for their defense to get an initial test from an elite offense. I am sure the Dolphins won’t reveal all of their tricks but either way they will have to worry about guarding an elite offense with elite playmakers.
Baltimore Ravens:

• QB Lamar Jackson expects a more pass-heavy offense under new OC Todd Monken
• WR Michael Thomas separate his shoulder and could require labrum surgery
• WR Rashod Bateman who just played just 6 games was on the field for OTAs on Monday
• Waived Daelin Hayes
• S Kyle Hamilton excited for expanded role with the team
• Tony Jefferson is retiring and joining the team as a scout
• Signed:
  
  • DL Angelo Blackson
  • QB Josh Johnson

It is crazy to think about how just about a month ago the news around the Ravens was all negative and that it seemed like the relationship with Lamar was fractured. Now here we are and Lamar seems about as happy as can be and is excited about the offense that is being installed under new OC Todd Monken. It will be exciting for him as well to have WR Rashod Bateman back who I still think can be a key playmaker on the team. It appears the Ravens could be set for big things even in a tough division.
Buffalo Bills:

• No surprise, QB Josh Allen is hyper-focused and wants to win a Super Bowl
• S Damar Hamlin is back out working out on the field
• WR Stefon Diggs did not attend OTAs
• EDGE Von Miller guarantees he will play by week 6 but is not rushing anything
• Signed:
  
  • S Dean Marlowe
  • Joel Wilson

Great to see the that S Damar Hamlin was back out practicing. I know it has been some time since his collapse on the field but it still feels like yesterday that I was watching that game in complete shock at what I had witnessed and worry for him and his family. WR Stefon Diggs being absent at OTAs is not a big deal to me. QB Josh Allen has a lot of other guys he needs to get familiar and work in with anyways and a lot of star players don’t attend OTAs to either get rest/recovery or to do their own workouts with their private coaches. I imagine he and Kincaid will be deadly this year and who knows they may even have WR DeAndre Hopkins joining them as the Bills were one of two teams that inquired and had talks about a trade for him.
Carolina Panthers:

• TE Hayden Hurst is recovering from sports hernia surgery
• QB Bryce Young is taking most of the first team reps

Not too much news here other than what we saw and heard from OTAs about Bryce Young getting to take most of the 1st team reps. It appears that he looked good and his teammates were saying great things about him. It is tough to judge any quarterback though in the offseason because no matter what folks always say their young or new quarterback is looking amazing and things are progressing nicely. I will say though I have heard the most good things coming out from camps about him and Anthony Richardson of the Colts.
Chicago Bears:

• QB Justin Fields excited about the growth WR Chase Claypool had over offseason
• Got permission to begin demolition of Arlington Park racetrack

Good news for Chicago fans who are excited for their move. It seems that things are proceeding nicely with the process of moving to a new stadium. Also, great to hear that Chase Claypool may be able to make more of a difference this year. It would be hard to be less effective than what he was last year for this team. I still believe he can be a major impact player like many expected him to be when he entered the league. It will be key for him to become Fields’ go to receiver over some of the other talent they have on the team.
Cincinnati Bengals:

• Want to sign WR Tee Higgins and LB Logan Wilson to long term extensions
• Have made their initial push for QB Joe Burrow

This team has a lot to do in terms of contracts that they need to get figured out. The team view Tee Higgins in very high regard and so does Joe Burrow as they should. They also really want to get Logan Wilson signed. However, what will come out to being the biggest of the contracts they do this offseason is that of Joe Burrow. What will continue to make things tough here is the longer it takes for Justin Hebert to get his deal done because Burrow will likely be the last of the 4 quarterbacks to sign his because it is presumed he will get the most money and has an agent who like to wait til the last minute.
Cleveland Browns:

• WR Elijah Moore feels good now that he feels wanted with his new team
• EDGE Za’Darius Smith is excited to be facing the Ravens this year

All good news for Browns fans so far. The team is looking good and their appears to be a lot of good vibes coming out of practice. WR DeAndre Hopkins is even considering coming to Cleveland for the chance to play with his old QB. Also, WR Elijah Moore is looking crisp and at least for the moment it appears he is much happier. It will all depend on if he actually gets the ball thrown to him during the season though.
Dallas Cowboys:

• HC Mike McCarthy is keeping offense in Dak’s language despite the changeup in play callers

Not too much news here which is good for this franchise because they are almost always the center of attention. The main thing I took away from this week was just that things seems to be going well with McCarthy and Dak working together on the offense but that there have been some growing pains at least initially getting used to new systems as expected.
Denver Broncos:

• Waived Hunter Thedford with injury settlement
• Released K Brandon McManus
• K Brett Maher worked out for the team
• QB Russell Wilson has lost a lot of weight this offseason
• HC Sean Payton excited about what S Kareem Jackson can do to help team
• RB Javonte Williams was limited in OTAs starting on Thursday
• Signed:
  
  • T Cam Fleming to a 1-year $4m deal
  • DT Tyler Lancaster

It appeared to shock just about everyone when the news broke about K Brandon McManus getting released because he had become a fan favorite over the years in Denver. QB Russell Wilson has lost a lot of weight and it is evident just from seeing him this offseason. I didn’t think his weight was the issue hindering him last year but hopefully he can feel he is playing at a healthier weight. What I think most Denver fans were excited to see was RB Javonte Williams back on the practice field. He is going to end up being the real difference maker this year and whether this team competes with the top of the AFC or not will largely depend on him making the rest of the offense’s life easy or not.
Detroit Lions:

• Former WR Calvin Johnson was at OTAs this week after having been away from the organization following a rough falling out post-retirement
• RB David Montgomery said that losing with the Bears “sucked the fun out of the game”
• WR Jameson Williams says that he didn’t know about the gambling policy; HC Dan Campbell feels he is miles ahead in terms of his talent already
• Traded an undisclosed draft pick for K Riley Patterson
  
  • Signed a 1-year $2.35m deal
• RB David Montgomery and LB Malcolm Rodriguez left practice due to injury
  
• Team has done their homework on free agent WR DeAndre Hopkins
  
• NFL is investigation another Lions player about league gambling rules violations
  
• Signed:
  
  • OL Germain Ifedi
  • Max Pircher through international player pathway program

A lot of news here. Let’s start with the bad news. It appears that they may be having more penalties come down on their team/players due to the league’s gambling policy as their is an ongoing investigation into a 5th player from the team. Also, David Montgomery and Malcolm Rodriguez left the field with injuries. It is still early though and they appear to be minor injuries so hopefully it won’t affect them in the long term. Now some good news. It sounds like WR Jameson Williams is progressing nicely and the team got a new kicker in Riley Patterson from the Jaguars who should help the improve there. Lastly and maybe the biggest news is that Calvin “Megatron” Johnson was at OTAs hanging out with coaches and players. Many are hoping those good vibes carry over into the season.
Green Bay Packers:

• Signed:
  
  • WR Jadakis Bonds
• Cut TE Nick Guggemos
  
• Will host the 2025 NFL Draft
  
• HC Matt LaFleur is please with Jordan Love but still need to work on a lot of things
  

Exciting news that Green Bay will get the draft in 2025! I was thinking they would try and stick to more southern states but they clearly are willing to go North with Detroit and now Green Bay being the hosts of the next two. HC Matt LaFleur appears to be being honest with everything and trying to temper expectations a bit with Jordan Love taking over. This could be to help take pressure off of Love and also just be the flat out truth that with any young quarterback it is going to take some time.
Houston Texans:

• Appears DeMeco Ryans may not be too sure about pursuing Jadeveon Clowney
• HC DeMeco Ryans expects the o-line to be a strength for this team
• Currently it is a QB competition between Davis Mills and CJ Stroud
  
  • Other teams have been inquiring about QB Davis Mills

I am not surprised about DeMeco Ryans hesitancy about pursuing Jadeveon Clowney. First of all he just may not want to reveal his cards to others in the league about what he is thinking. The other thing is that he is one that likes for his defense to have an identity and a really good work ethic. I am not saying that Clowney can’t fit that mold but it just makes the selection process for what Ryans wants on defense that much more thorough. The other news that surprised some but something I mentioned a couple of weeks ago is that QB Davis Mills will compete with Stroud for the starting job and is viewed as a desirable QB to other teams around the league. I know his stats haven’t been the best but I am not sure any of the young quarterbacks would have done well with what the Texans organization has been the last couple years. At the end of the day CJ Stroud will end up being the team’s starter due to draft status and probably will be the more talented, better option.
Indianapolis Colts:

• No timetable for Shaquille Leonard to resume practicing
• QB Anthony Richardson was running a similar offense to what Jalen Hurts has run in Philly and was very impressive (splitting 1st team reps)
• Signed:
  
  • TE Kaden Smith

Overall things seems to be good for the organization. The main thing we are all waiting on is when Shaq Leonard will be able to get back out there and start practicing. It makes sense not to have him practicing now since things are optional anyways. The hype has been there for QB Anthony Richardson thus far and it appears he may be closer to starting right away than a lot of people thought.
Jacksonville Jaguars:

• Traded K Riley Patterson to the Lions for an undisclosed draft pick
• RB Travis Etienne looking forward to doing some fine-tuning this year
• Signed Brandon McManus

Not too much news out of Jacksonville other than the change at the kicker position. Things got busy and they were able to trade K Riley Patterson to the Lions rather than release like the reports had said prior. Then they went out and got a proven veteran in K Brandon McManus who had just been released from the Broncos squad. This team is going to be interesting this year and will go as far QB Trevor Lawrence can take them. Does not hurt to have the veteran kicker for the big moments that could be coming for this organization.
Kansas City Chiefs:

• HC Andy Reid is not a fan of the kickoff rule change hinting at the NFL getting closer to being flag football
  
  • TE Travis Kelce is not happy about it either
• QB Patrick Mahomes addressed contract saying he cares more about Super Bowls
  
• LB Nick Bolton doesn’t think the defense gets enough credit
  
• QB Patrick Mahomes says that it has been a smooth transition to new OC Matt Nagy
  
• HC Andy Reid feels fullbacks have been phased out of the NFL and that the Chiefs will not be using one
  

HC Andy Reid who normally is pretty quiet and doesn’t get too involved was in front of the media a lot this week it felt like. First, he is not a fan of the new kickoff rule and it appears most coaches are not. Second, he talked about how the team will not be using a FB because they are being phased out of the NFL and he feels that the TEs they have on the team can play the role when needed. Overall it seems things are going well for the Chiefs and things could be a going a lot better here soon as they appear to be a top option for WR DeAndre Hopkins and one the few teams that had trade talks before he was released.
Las Vegas Raiders:

• Former QB Tom Brady reached an agreement to be a minority owner of the team
• QB Jimmy Garoppolo had to have foot surgery after signing with the team and there is not timetable for his return - believe he should return before the season
  
  • Things could get interesting depending on how situation with Jimmy G works out
• WR Davante Adams is not happy about the current QB situation with the Raiders
  
  • Adams and team have been sued by the photographer he shoved last year
• Will have joint practices with the 49ers
  

It appears there is never a dull week with the Raiders. The news this week about Jimmy seem to add context potentially to what Davante Adams’ comments were about recently. With Tom Brady recently joining the ownership group here it makes us all wonder if the injury is not cleared up is there a way for him to un-retire once again…only time will tell.
Los Angeles Chargers:

• Signed:
  
  • RB Austin Ekeler to a new deal for this final year that added on up to $2m in incentives

Big news here getting the deal done with Austin Ekeler even if it still only keeps him around for 1 year. Thankfully now he should be semi-happy for that one year before he can go out and chase a big contract if he wants to.
Los Angeles Rams:
Not much news here really. Sounds like Matthew Stafford has taken Stetson Bennett under his wing and started to work with him and help him learn more about the transition to the NFL compared to college.
Miami Dolphins:

• WR DK Metcalf challenged WR Tyreek Hill
• Will have joint practices with the Falcons
• QB Tua Tagavailoa is wearing a camera on his helmet to help HC Mike McDaniel see what he sees on the field

I loved seeing Tua wearing the helmet cam. I had not thought about it before but it should be great for him to be able to show McDaniel exactly what he is/was seeing out on the field to add context and allow McDaniel to better coach him and understand what is going on. I think this should be something all quarterbacks do and especially the top ones because it could gives coaches that much more information and a better understanding of how to help young quarterbacks in the future.
Minnesota Vikings:

• Signed:
  
  • WR from the XFL Lucky Jackson
• DC Brian Flores wants defense to develop an aggressive identity but not reckless
  
• RB Dalvin Cook could be a June 1st cut
  

All signs appear to be pointing towards RB Dalvin Cook getting released. In other news it will be good for the defense to develop the aggressive mindset that Brian Flores wants and should bring in the attitude from Miami that wad established during his time there that was so effective and led to them winning games.
New England Patriots:

• Got docked 2 days of OTA workouts for violating offseason rules and HC Bill Belichick was fined $50,000 dollars
• Placed LB Raekwon McMillan on injured reserve due to partially torn ACL

The Patriots seems to always be up to something. It sounds like they were penalized the 2 days of OTAs and fined because of a meeting that Joe Judge held that lasted more than the permitted amount of time. Other tough news came when Raekwon McMillan got injured.
New Orleans Saints:

• TE Foster Moreau is participating in OTAs
• Being in New Orleans has given QB Derek Carr a breath of fresh air
• Former HC Jon Gruden is working with the team and Derek Carr

What a story. TE Foster Moreau finds out he has cancer in a physical with the team a couple months and gets ahead of things and is now practicing with them at OTAs. Interesting story here about former HC Jon Gruden working with the team because during his time with the Raiders many said that he and Carr did not get along. This team has a big opportunity to take over the NFC South and is probably the bet setup to do it with the team they have.
New York Giants:

• Rookie WR Jalin Hyatt wants to get to 190lbs as his playing weight
• TE Darren Waller is happy to somewhere where his opinions are valued
  
  • QB Daniel Jones is enjoying working with TE Darren Waller
• HC Brian Daboll will not speak on contract situations despite currently Barkley situation
  

It seems that everything is going great except the Saquon Barkley situation. There isn’t much new insight into it either after HC Daboll refused to speak on anything contract related. In good news it seems like TE Darren Waller is really enjoying being with the team and working with QB Daniel Jones. This is a team to me that is going to play inspired football like they did last year no matter what is going on because their HC.
New York Jets:

• QB Aaron Rodgers had minor calf strain
• WR Allen Lazard went down during OTAs but supposedly was just a shot to the groin
• Worked out P Matt Araiza
• Chuck Clark was happy to be traded because felt disrespected by the Ravens
• HC Robert Saleh is confident a deal will get done with Quinnen Williams
• Will have joint practices with the Buccaneers

I imagine Jets fans held their breath when they saw Aaron Rodgers get injured as well as Allen Lazard. The good news is that those are not going to be issues in the long run. However, it reminded us all that QB Aaron Rodgers is not a young guy anymore and there is always the possibility that he like any other player in the NFL can get hurt. Hopefully the deal with Quinnen Williams can get done sooner rather than later. I am looking forward to the joint practices with the Bucs because they have a solid defense and it will be fun to hear how they fare in the early phases of implementing a lot of things from both Nathaniel Hackett and Aaron Rodgers.
Philadelphia Eagles:

• OL D.J. Fluker worked out for the Eagles
• DL Jordan Davis has made major strides this offseason will take on a larger role

Jordan Davis is going to be a key piece for the team this year in my opinion so it is great to hear he has made major strides. He is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to his sheer size and the more he can be weaponized the better.
Pittsburgh Steelers:

• Signed:
  
  • EDGE Markus Golden to 1-year deal
  • LB Toby Ndukwe
• Easy decision for QB Mitch Trubisky to sign extension
  
• Started contract talks with OLB Alex Highsmith
  
• Released Tae Crowder
  
• Want to play a regular season game in Ireland
  
• WR Allen Robinson has been very impressed so far by QB Kenny Pickett
  
• QB Kenny Pickett had his car stolen with his playbook inside of it
  

Great move to get Markus Golden. He can be dangerous in this defense and is only one season removed from a double digit sack year. Also, good to see that Robinson and Pickett appear to be getting along. I am curious to see who shakes out to be the #1 receiver on this team but have a feeling it will end up being Pickens because of how good he was last year and the chemistry he and Pickett already have. A QB likes it when his receiver makes life easier and bails him out. Pickens has already done that on multiple occasions for him.
San Francisco 49ers:

• QB Trey Lance just wants a chance to compete and never considered being traded
  
  • Raved about this time working with QB Patrick Mahomes
• QB Brock Purdy expected to start throwing next week, be able to go from gripping a towel to an actual football
  
• QB Sam Darnold will push to start come week 1
  
• Levi’s will officially get the Super Bowl in 2026
  
• LB Dre Greenlaw has a thumb procedure and will miss most of the OTAs this offseason
  
• Will have joint practices with the Raiders
  

It is official the 49ers will host the 2026 Super Bowl! After speculations and rumors it finally became official this past week. Also, there was a lot of good QB news this week with all 3 of the QBs on the roster. Sounds like Brock Purdy is healing properly and as expected, Trey Lance is looking really good in OTAs along with Sam Darnold. Once again this offseason no one is sure who will be starting for the team come week 1.
Seattle Seahawks:

• WR DK Metcalf challenged WR Tyreek Hill
• CB Tariq Woolen had arthroscopic knee surgery and it out til training camp
• Signed:
  
  • CB Artie Burns

Good news for Seahawks fan that Tariq Woolen will be back around training camp time after his procedure. Other than that there was not much news here. They got a solid rotational/depth player in Artie Burns though.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

• Video of QB Baker Mayfield making an overthrow went viral on social media
• Will have joint practices with the Jets
• WR Chris Godwin feels like he has a lot of his explosion back
• Team wants to see more consistency out of LB Devin White before offering him the contract he wants

Great to see that Tampa has joint practices with the Jets. They have a tough defense and it will be good for Baker and the offense to get some work against that defense early on. The Bucs have some great weapons on the offensive side of the ball to really compete with those top defenses and if they can all stay healthy this team could be a dark horse team to watch. Overall this should be a good all around team.
Tennessee Titans:

• QB Will Levis is putting pressure on Tannehil and Willis in OTAs this far
• S Kevin Byard is skipping OTAs

Interesting to see that S Kevin Byard was not at OTAs after earlier this offseason it was rumored he was asked to take a pay cut. Definitely a situation to watch. The main news that came from OTAs is that QB Will Levis appears to be looking good and some folks think he could be putting pressure on Tannehill early on and moving himself up the depth chart.
Washington Commanders:

• HC Ron Rivera said that DE Chase Young understands them not picking up his 5th year option
• New OC Eric Bieniemy has been getting on young QB Sam Howell holding him accountable
• Trademark application was denied due to someone else already having pending applications for the name but the team is confident this issue will get resolved
• It has been good for QB Sam Howell that QB Jacoby Brissett has been in the building
• TE Amani Rodgers tore his ACL and is out indefinitely
• Released Nathan Gerry
• Jamin Davis limited in OTAs after knee procedure
• Financing needs to be adjusted in order for the Josh Harris bid to be accepted
• Signed:
  
  • XFL LB Ferrod Gardner

Feels like a lot happened with the Commanders. First off, I think QB Sam Howell is in a great spot to learn and develop this year with mentors like Jacoby Brissett and then his OC Eric Bieniemy. They will hold him accountable like has already been happening and help bring out the best in him. Now it definitely is an organization surrounded by distractions. First off the trademark application for the team’s name was denied and they hope to get something figured out but could lead to another name change. Also, the team is still working through the Josh Harris bid and there need to be some adjustments in order for it to get accepted by the other NFL Owners and the league. These distractions even though they may not always be good for the team they probably do help a young quarterback because he is not the only thing to talk about at this point in the offseason.
Miscellaneous/Other NFL News:

• Many believe that Thursday Night Flexing is to cater to Amazon but really could be the future of how deals get done
  
  • Teams have to have 28 days notice and this is currently just a 1 year move
• RB Jeremy Hill who has not played for the past 5 seasons officially retired siting injury issues leading to his retirement
  
• NFL injury data shows that turf fields are significantly worse for players than grass fields
  
• The Pat McAfee Show will be taking over Max Kellerman’s the time slot on ESPN
  
• Commissioner Roger Goodell’s lobbying convinced teams to vote in favor of the new kickoff rules
  
• Dr. Timoth Kremchek, the Cincinnati Reds' physician since 1996, says he sees an "epidemic" of youth injuries on artificial turf
  
• RB Adrian Peterson will be hanging it up if he’s not back in the NFL this season
  
• After Goodell’s retirement the NFL could change the structure of management for the NFL combining a traditional CEO with a Commissioner of Football
  
• Possible a team will play 3 back to back games in Europe in the future
  
• Devin McCourty will be joining NBC’s Sunday Night Football crew as an analyst
  
• Officially approved emergency 3rd QB rule
  
• Investigating further violations potentially of league gambling policy
  
• DirecTV will still distribute Sunday Ticket to bars and restaurants
  
• S Tony Jefferson announced his retirement
  
• Announced growth of global market program
  

​
Restaurant of the Week: (Washington D.C. - TACOS 5 DE MAYO)
Don’t really have a great picture of this place but that may be a good thing. Often times I find that the places least advertised and that are holes in the wall is typically where you get the best Mexican food. This place is about a 10 minute drive from the stadium and probably closer to 15-20 minutes on game days depending on the time you go. Personally I recommend the Tacos Al Pastor. Those are basically a marinated pork taco that is slightly spicy with some sweet pineapple flavor in it. You cannot go wrong with Tacos Al Pastor and are by far my favorite. The other thing to keep an eye on is the Pupusas. While Pupusas are from El Salvador this place actually does a pretty dang good job of making them. For those that don’t know what Pupusas are they kind of resemble a stuffed pancake but are made of corn in most cases stuffed with either just cheese, cheese and beans, or cheese and pork. My order here would be 3 tacos al pastor and a cheese and bean pupusa. Enjoy!

Let's see? It all started when I was working for something like 7 months in the city of Coquimbo in Chile. Specifically, I was working as a journalist for a local newspaper and a small news channel, it was not the best job in the world but it was not so terrible if we consider that my dream was to be a writer. One day I was being required travel outside the city, particularly to Salamanca and do a report of those that you find at the very end of the newspaper or when you can't sleep and you're lying down watching TV in the middle of the night just to give visibility to small towns and communities, filled with some random ads and stuff, again, it was not the best job in the world, but I guess everyone else started with something like this.
I needed to be there in the morning so I mentally prepared myself with a good cup of coffee and some cigarettes, threw only what was necessary for the luggage rack and managed to say goodbye to my relatives, may sound like a dumb tradition but you never know ... on the road shit happens and for me, that isn't something new, I lived day by day in the office writing columns and sending reports where the number of deaths, the causes of the crashes and the photos, makes you wonder it could have been you or someone you know. But, despite that I preferred to go in my own car, I have never been able to fall asleep inside a bus on the road and moreover, it seems that almost all accidents occurred on these buses, in a certain way, my job was making me go all paranoid.
the car's engine started at 9:00 p.m. and there was a little drizzle but nothing serious, folk music on the radio was a good accompaniment while the city nightlife looked at me with his blinding lights in my attempt to escape the "fish smell" of Coquimbo. I drove for a while until I was entering the sister city of La Serena, and I stopped to eat some fast food, I tried to get in fast to avoid getting wet, I ordered another coffee and french fries to eat.
-Hey young man, where are you going at this hour with this rain, everyone else is at their homes sleeping and resting, do you want to catch a cold? I haven't noticed that an elderly woman was attending me. -I'm going to Salamanca. -And what do you intend to do in Salamanca? that's no place for nosy people or city dwellers The lady left me intrigued and I didn't even have to ask her to answer me. -some people there don't like to be disturbed you know, you can get an evil glance there, some "evil eye" stuff you know. - No, ma'am, I'm going to report a news story, I'm a journalist and besides that, I'm a little skeptical about that kind of thing.
The old-lady ended the conversation with a crooked smile and continued with his own things but deep down myself, the answer he gave me left me with chills, I was not a superstitious person but the seriousness of his face unsettled me. I took the last sips of coffee to wake up and said goodbye to my french fries trying to awkwardly get into the car. The conversation haunted me for a couple more miles, for some reason I was left with a feeling of latent nervousness and with the last lights of the city fading in the rear-view mirror, I began to remember the stories that my grandparents told me as a child... The witches of Salamanca, the cave of Manquehua, and other stories that were part of the folklore began to settle in my head. It was interesting to me to imagine these characters, covered in their black cloaks, walking hidden paths through the forests to celebrate within their covens in Manquehua in the middle of the night. Occasionally I was assaulted by the idea of ​​running into a "Tue Tue *" bird of bad omen on the way to Salamanca, or that a "chupacabra" jumped from the bushes onto the road, it is curious how "ghastly" this can be yet so interesting at the same time despite causing us fear.
The electrifying sound of white noise coming from the radio interrupted my thoughts, I was reaching the famous dead zones of the road. From time to time I noticed that there were abandoned houses, fenced lands, among other things but nothing out of the ordinary; It is very common for people to live in these rural areas for a while and then leave to look for jobs in the big cities, especially considering that the urbanization and modernization of our country had only happened a couple of decades ago, more precisely in the year 1970.
I look at the time and it is already 11:30 p.m. This trip is getting too slow for me, to make things worse the rain got stronger, the hours go by and I pass through a couple of towns, so I decided to park my car to smoke a cigarette before reporting to my family by phone, it's funny how people automatically have an infinite amount of topics for conversation when you're away, but they hardly even speak when you are close, later than ever I cut the call and the lights where extinguishing behind the vehicle again and disappeared in the middle of the dark, again it's just me and the road. The headlights of my car were fighting to illuminate against the darkness. The clock arrives at 02:42 A.M and The yawns start to escape from my mouth, there is no radio or telephone signal anymore, at this time you only occasionally see buses passing by on the road, a couple of cars if you are lucky enough but most of the time the road is abandoned. The rain gives me an unpleasant sensation now that there is so little light. Again I picked up the wrongest moment to remember the conversation I had with that old lady...
-you can get an evil glance there, some "evil eye" stuff you know.
A shriek on the side of the road scared the shit out of me, I saw a shadow rushing against my car and I stepped on the brake with all my strength next thing I know was the sound of the car window crashing and everything went black... pitch black.
It felt like time has stopped and I could only hear the rain, I don't know how much time passed by but it felt like a dream or perhaps, maybe a nightmare? I woke up with a terrible headache but apparently my body was intact, the glass was shattered all around the car and the clock said that it was 03:00 A.M. drops are falling inside the car, I try to sit up still scared to look outside but I notice that the lights were destroyed, I see nothing but shadows. I feel a stabbing pain in my face and it seems that I cut part of my face in the accident. I get out of the car nervous and listen as the glass chips on the pavement creak, maybe I could have driven over a horse or maybe some farmer. I try to illuminate a little with the cell phone flashlight and I notice part of the front glass scattered on the asphalt, a slight dent but there are no traces of blood, I try to calm down and take a couple of steps through the rain to see further and between the rain and the nothingness I could see with my eyes a body in the middle of the road.
I thought I must help, maybe I broke one of his legs or worse. walking a little bit faster I managed to get close enough, I was shouting at the body expecting some reply or at least some whining but no one answered and I feared the worst. My heart stopped for a second, I took a step forward to see the face of this body and everything seemed so surreal, it was a mannequin with hollow eyes.
I didn't know what where happening, a mannequin dressed in an old poncho in the middle of the road away from everything, a fucking mannequin. Fear seized me, I looked in all directions searching and searching but I couldn't see anything, what the hell was a mannequin doing in the middle of the nowhere? My head was spinning, and the sound of the rain wasn't helping. until I realized something. The question was not, what was the mannequin doing on the road? But who brought it? For a moment I gazed at the mannequin's empty sockets and then I heard a breath close to me, I wasn't alone.
My heart was racing, maybe they wanted to rob me or some crazy shit, I tried to take a glass from the floor and use the phone light to see around me to get back into the car, the seconds seemed like hours as I slowly walked, I thought about running but I felt that it could be worse, I felt stalked and when my legs began to tremble It was not very helpful either. A little before I got to the car I noticed several footsteps moving around me, they were watching me closely. I heard a sound behind me and the mannequin had disappeared, I was definitely not understanding a shit and I couldn't overcome the anguish anymore so I ran desperately towards the car but someone pushed me. I hit my face with the cold ground and tried to get up as I could throwing punches into the air trying to hit whoever was there, but it was in vain. The radio of the car started emitting white noise again with some random mumbling, I was not seeing damn shit and while I was trying to place the cell phone shining directly in front of me something had gripped me by my hand. I felt another blow and this time my cell phone hit the wet asphalt, lighting someone's shoes, with one stomp they broke the phone. I could only notice my car thanks to the taillights and I was completely blind now.
The rain seemed to be falling in slow motion and every second seemed eternal to me. My hands trembled trying to prepare a decent punch, a decent cut, or anything to whatever it was out here to defend myself. My head was spinning and my heart was racing and then someone took me by the shoulder, I could not see anything but I threw punches and kicks that got everywhere, they tried to grab my feet and I tried to get free the fastest I could until I finally managed to nail that fucking piece of glass and I was released, I fell my back to the floor. A murmur began to sound louder and I could feel someone breathing and gasping around me; I ran as I could towards the car again with my heart beating a thousand times per hour. I almost plunged into the vehicle and without thinking I start the car. A groan of pain was heard along with a loud buzzing and I closed all the doors and I shit you not the damned car didn't want to start, the rain only became even worse and my nerves were about to explode when a hand smashed against the car windows, then two hands and seconds later all the windows were covered, they were trying to break into the vehicle, I could no longer bear the fear, I started screaming like a crazy, I jumped on the seat and I screamed until my mouth hurts; With a kind of tantrum I started to force the car to start with kicks and blows, the vehicle roared and I hit the accelerator. When I looked straight ahead I saw a figure that shouldn't have been there and my throat felt tight; wrapped in a black cloak, just where the damn mannequin was, someone was holding his shoulder where perhaps I had nailed the piece of broken glass. The lack of front light and the rain did not allow me to distinguish his face.
I accelerated as fast as I could, flailing inside the car from side to side, I didn't care about anything anymore, I rolled everything that was ahead. I heard a couple of crunches, a gasp, and the car started to jump until a dead silence was present, I turned to look back and all sense of logic disappeared while a death-cold chill was traveling my spine. The yellowish taillights dimly illuminated a highway full of motionless bodies that shouldn't be there, couldn't be there; They were a bunch of mannequins totally still, lined up in my direction. I put my head down and hid it between my shoulders so I couldn't look anywhere, I felt like a little boy, I felt tiny inside the car in the middle of the blackness of the road knowing that the mannequins were behind me, I kept like this several minutes trying to focus on anything else while the car kept accelerating, my back felt cold, the truth is that I was sweating cold, I did not understand anything and the stabbing pain in my forehead returned to me; It was a superficial but fairly long cut, it was a miracle I didn't pass out and was able to drive straight with all this shit happening.
The rain insisted on reminding me of the conversation with the old woman at the fast food place, maybe she was right. -Why the hell did I have to come to Salamanca, maybe the witches had something to do with it !? Lots of ideas pounded my head as the car lost into the blackness, now I was alone again. I thought about reviewing what had happened and recovering my composure, I tried to play dumb and ignore everything until I noticed little orange lights on the black horizon; I had arrived into Salamanca and I went straight to the 1st town police station to report what had happened. I Poorly parked the car and launched myself into the station to seek some help.
It was already 07:00 A.M and the sun was about to rise, I lost track of time completely, I don't know how long I was on the road or how much time I spent at the police station. I nervously told the officers everything that had happened, they looked at each other and took me to the local hospital to verify injuries; Throughout the process, I noticed that they were looking at me strangely but there was a certain secret look in them, those kinds of looks that as a journalist you can notice. The day was cloudy and the sun did not appear, the rain was losing strength and I tried to assert my right to report until they ended opening an investigation by sending a patrol. With 3 points on my eyebrow and bruised face I tried to find somewhere to rest and eat something to close my trip, there was a middle-aged gentleman who, while eating, took the opportunity to ask me what had happened to me, I told him almost everything, at least I could Let me vent more openly without looking like a drunk or crazy inside a police station.
After a while where the man listened attentively to me, he sighed and took out a pack of cigarettes, finished lighting him and said: -Maybe they wanted to rob you. Maybe he was right, but his face changed completely when I insisted on the mannequin again. He took a glance over my shoulder and then fixed his eyes with mines. -Son, look. These things are not discussed here, do what you have to do and leave later, lest you end up traveling in a box to Manquehua. Again a chill settled on the back of my neck, and I decided not to ask any more questions. I didn't want to make my situation even worse. –Hey, and don't you know where I can rest? He finished smoking my cigar and this time he offered one to me.
Standing still in a town in the middle of nowhere smoking a cigarette a fucked up car? at least things can't get worse, I could watch the smoke and forget everything for a moment.
I arrived at the hostel that the man with the cigarettes recommended to me and slept for a while but I was still nervous so I took advantage and realized that there was a mechanic nearby, got a deal with him and I left my car for a few weeks under repair, took everything I was carrying in the luggage rack and I went straight to the earliest bus back to Coquimbo, I was no longer interested in the news or the job, I just wanted to get away from this place as soon as possible and whatever the fuck the Salamanca people hides, I don't care if they were witches or someone wanting to assault me, I know what I saw.
The local police called me later that day because the investigation did not show anything more than the possibility of an attempted assault on the road, they dismissed everything for lack of imputable candidates, but the truth is that at this point I don't give a damn; I am cornered to the window of this bus trying to forget and the orange light that glimpses within the clouds that remain, reassures me a little and helps me not to think about what my bosses would tell me for not attending the report and arriving empty-handed. I lost myself looking at the landscape while it stops raining and I found a moment of peace but, for some reason, among all the things that can be seen on the road, my eyes fell directly on a small scruffy cabin in the middle of this vast nothingness and in its windows I got to see a lot of mannequins looking towards the highway, right to where I was now. There were a lot of hollow eyes waiting for me somewhere on the road of Salamanca.

Do you feel the TV volume should always be an even number?
Were you fascinated by Sesame Street’s Count-Count as a child?
Do you find yourself grinning when the clock reads 11:11?
And does the numbers game even translate to your EDH deckbuilding?
Well, then you’re like me.
Upon seeing [[Queen Kayla bin-Kroog]], many would notice a cool ability to cheat out cheap cards.
What I saw was an ability that costs 4, to cheat out mana values 3, 2 and 1, adding up to a total of 10. What a nice and round number.
So just for my own satisfaction, I decided to build a deck around her consisting of:
40 lands, 30 creatures (including Kayla) 20 artifacts and 10 other spells, divided by 4 enchantments, 3 instants, 2 sorceries and 1 plainswalker. Total of 100 (duh) cards. There’s no CMC above 4 and it has a light stax theme.
Decklist: https://www.moxfield.com/decks/Rk\_BJM7Ev0KQvx20Cn9YvQ
Fun to pilot? Maybe. Here to win? Nah. Does the satisfaction of knowing the numbers add up makes me feel good? Yes, yes it does.
Any tips are welcome. FYI: the expensive cards like Dockside and Grand Abolisher all cards I own. Any changes are supposed to be budget friendly.

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How sick would an Alone N&A season be? It’d be hard to pick just 10. Gotta go Matt, Laura, Jeff, Steven, not an Amber fan but she deserves a spot. Who are some other n&a legends that would be worthy? Oh my gosh I almost forgot the biggest star on N&A, the bare handed killer, Bulent. He’s definitely in lol. Also, I’m surprised Alone hasn’t cast anyone from N&A yet, if just one of the favorites were cast the entire N&A community would likely watch, seems like an easy ratings boost, but they just do randomers every season. Anyway, I would just love to watch Matt vs Jeff on Alone (an actual last one standing), they’d both die out there before they let the other win lol

The Value of a Stable Game Capture Device
Do you regularly record and upload gaming videos? Maybe you're hoping to get into the video gaming scene by means of streaming or animation. Whatever your motivation, a dependable Gameplay Recorder is essential for capturing and sharing those unforgettable moments. In this article, we'll discuss why it's helpful to have a reliable gameplay recorder, how that recorder can improve your gaming experience, and what to look for in a good recorder. Read on to learn why a solid gameplay recorder should be at the top of your wish list, whether you're interested in mobile gaming trends or Call of Duty footage.
Exactly what does it mean when someone says "game recording"?
Any time you want to capture video and audio from your gaming experiences, you can utilize a gameplay recorder. Everything from the game's visuals and audio to the keyboard and mouse inputs are recorded.
A gameplay recorder's principal use is to facilitate player-to-player communication and knowledge sharing. Whether you're making videos for YouTube or Twitch, a solid recording tool will ensure that you don't miss a single thrilling moment.
Gameplay can be captured with a number of different devices. Games like Roblox have some of these functions built in, while others require hardware like a capture card or software like OBS Studio.
Make sure the one you pick has good recording quality and won't slow you down too much while playing. This will make it easy and painless to highlight your qualifications and accomplishments.
The Benefits of Using a Game Capture Device
A game recorder's useful features extend to players of all skill levels. The primary benefit is that gamers may record and publish their gameplay on sites like Twitch and YouTube. Those that play competitive games like Call of Duty need to know this inside and out.
In addition, gamers can evaluate their own performance and pinpoint their weak spots by watching recorded gameplay footage. The recordings can be used as proof of gameplay issues when reported.
Any player who wants to hone their abilities, show off their talents, or make entertaining material for the gaming community should invest in a high-quality gameplay recorder.
Finding the Best Game Replay Recorder
There are a few factors to think about while settling on a gameplay recorder. Make sure the recorder works with your computer or other gadget before buying it. You should check compatibility requirements with your operating system before purchasing a recorder.
The caliber of the final video is also crucial. For fluid playback, seek recorders that can capture HD video at 60 frames per second (fps). You should also check the sound to make sure it is of a high enough quality to enjoy while gaming.
When choosing a recorder, it's also important to think about how simple it is to operate. Select one with a user-friendly layout and straightforward controls so you can give your whole attention to the game. Think about the perks that various recorders provide, including built-in editing software or the ability to stream in real time. These supplementary features can improve your overall experience and make it simpler to share your material with others.
By keeping these considerations in mind, you'll be able to pick the ideal gameplay recorder for your needs and produce professional-quality footage of all your favorite games.
Features You Should Look for in a Game Capture Device
Selecting a reliable gameplay recorder is essential if you want to record professional-looking gameplay footage. What makes a good gameplay recorder? We break it down for you. First and foremost, think about how well the gadget records. Try to find a recorder that can take footage at 30 frames per second at 1080p or higher. This will prevent any stuttering or blurring during recording.
Second, make sure you can clip and divide videos using the device's in-built editing features. Not having to move footage from the gaming console to the computer before editing is a huge time saver. The game recorder should work across numerous devices and platforms, thus it's important that it supports popular games and platforms like Roblox Video Animation, Mobile Gaming Trends, and Call of Duty Videos.
Recording Your Game Sessions
For the technically inept, using a gameplay recorder might be a daunting task. However, anyone can use it to record their gaming experiences with some instruction and practice.
Before you begin playing, check that your gameplay recorder is fully installed and functioning. When you're ready to begin recording, fire up your favorite gameplay capture tool and tweak the settings until they're just right for you.
If you don't want the recording indicator to get in the way of your gameplay, move it to a discreet part of the screen.
Don't mess with the settings during gameplay if you want the best possible footage at the end of the session. Long recordings can take up a lot of space, so be mindful of your storage capacity.
When you're done with the game and the recording has stopped, check it over for mistakes before uploading it or saving it locally.With these guidelines in mind, recording gaming to share with friends and family should be second nature.
Conclusion
If you're a gamer who wants to share your experiences with the gaming community, a high-quality gameplay recorder is a must. Whether you're into mobile gaming, Roblox Video Animation, or making Call of Duty films, a solid gameplay recorder may improve your experience dramatically. Choose a gaming recorder that can capture high-quality recordings and is easy to use. When selecting a choice, remember to think about things like editing possibilities, customer support, and device compatibility.

Whom does everyone like at RB in this range? Some of the guys below arguably have similar points upside to the elite RBs going in the first round but I know this sub has some strong opinions so I’m interested if there’s a favorite. The candidates:
Pollard: elite advanced stats and always produced huge numbers without Zeke, but coming off a surgery.
Najee: hampered by injury last year, is he a post-hype breakout guy? Lots of competition for targets in Steelers offense.
Chubb: old reliable, not a sexy pick but was still the best pure runner in the league last year. Fell off down the stretch.
Rhamondre: if you take the games where he got the bulk of the snaps, it projects to like a 300 point season. But it’s the Pats.
Derrick Henry: might rise in the rankings this summer but feels like a breakdown is inevitable at some point
Anyone people like better than these guys? Etienne, Breece, Ken Walker?

Welcome back! Today we are leaving the GBA era and entering a new one with Fire Emblem 9, Path of Radiance. How will we see this power shift axes have had in the past 2 games exist in this game, and what aspects will change and stay the same in a game that seems to blend old and new?
​
Starting off with general gameplay changes, the Weapon Triangle worked the same way, but reverted back to a -+10 Hit penalty/bonus like it was in FE6, rather than the 15 we saw in the previous two games, but the -+1 damage stayed the same. A big change was the mechanics of weapon weight. Constitution was still in the game, but weapon weight was now mitigated with the Strength stat. Each point of Strength would negate one weapon weight. While this was a bit of an annoyance for magic users as they still had to have a bit of Strength to use magic tomes with no penalties, it was very convenient for physical damage dealers since the higher Strength meant lower Speed penalties and higher damage, making it a "win-win" situation. Finally, the 2RN hit system stayed the same, so hit rates were higher than displayed if >51%, or lower if hit rates were displayed <50%.
​
Returning from its absence after its last appearance in Thracia, units now have both Strength and Magic stats and grow independently of each other, and for the first time, the Magic stat can actually matter for axe users! Strength + (Weapon Might x Effectiveness), with the Effectiveness coefficient going back to 2 like it was in FE7 (aka, doubling Might) instead of 3. Defense was still used for defensive calculations. Strength and Defense could permanently be raised via the Energy Drop and Dracoshield Stat boosters. Certain classes could conditionally boost their Defense via the Knight Ward item. Finally there were the held Band items that would boost certain growths, but they could only be attained on a second playthrough if you have a first playthrough finished and saved.
​
We didn't really see any new weapons in the axe arsenal in FE9, as there are actually only 3 new axes that were added. On top of that, unlike every other weapon type, there is no S-Rank Axe that is available to the player, as the only one is the Urvan, which we only see in a cutscene once in Chapter 7. Also Axes generally had lower Hit rates like they did in FE6, ranging around the 50-65s on average. The list of axes in FE9 are...

• Iron-Steel-Silver Axe
• Hand Axe
• Devil Axe (Unused)
• Venin Axe
• Hammer
• Poleax
• Short Axe
• Killer Axe
• Laguz Axe
• Bolt Axe
• Brave Axe
• Tomahawk

The Iron-Steel-Silver progression is the same; Iron being the weakest but lightest, Steel being heavy but stronger, and Silver being lighter AND stronger than Steel. Based purely on stats, the Silver Axe is actually the best axe in the game due to it having the highest Might of all axes at 16, the second highest Hit at 70%, and a very manageable Weight of 14, which many of the axe wielding units in this game can mitigate w/ virtually no problem. Hand Axes retained their high status even though their stats didn't seem stellar on paper, and that was because of a new mechanic; the Forging system. The Forge allowed for I-S-S and Hand Axes to be forged, allowing you to raise or lower any of its stats in exchange for Gold. Putting a bit of Gold into a Hand Axe to increase just its Hit could make it much more deadly, especially in the hands of someone like Boyd or Titania. This is the first time the Devil Axe is completely unattainable by the player, but is still in the games code. If forced into the game, the backfire effect doesn't work properly and can even cause your character to glitch and be stuck, but only if you have animations on. The Venin Axe retains its trash status as before since it is just a worse Iron Axe with Poison built into it, which isn't a status effect players should worry about. The Hammer is in a bit of a tricky spot since they weigh a lot, are inaccurate, and only have 20 Might when fighting armors, which on higher difficulties where the enemy defenses are higher, can nullify the usefulness the Hammer provides. Same situation with the Poleax but slightly less so since it has a smidge more accuracy, weighs a bit less, and you won't be dealing with as much bulk with mounted units like you will with armors. The Short Axe was a brand new weapon and is meant to be an in-between the Hand Axe and Tomahawk. It is a straight upgrade from the Hand Axe stat wise, but it has less uses and doesn't have the advantage of being Forgeable. The Killer Axe remains as a simple but powerful weapon with its relatively reliable Hit, Weight, and Might, as well as its bonus 30% Crit. The Laguz Axe is a new weapon that deals effective damage against all Laguz enemies. Unless you're dealing with bulky Tigers or are playing on Maniac, it can do some solid work against every type of Laguz enemy you fight. The Bolt Axe is also a brand new weapon and is special since it is the very first magical axe to exist in the entire series. It used the users Magic stat, which wasn't great since most axe units don't have high Magic, but it had 1-2 range and dealt Thunder damage, making it effective against Dragon Laguz. The Brave Axe was still great due to its double-attack effect, even though it is still quite heavy like it was in the GBA games. Finally there is the Tomahawk, the strongest but heaviest ranged axe options. It's a great option for 1-2 range if you have it, but like the Short Axe it suffers from lower uses and non-Forgeability.
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Due to the lack of branched promotions and reworks to some classes, the number of axe-wielding classes in FE9 were significantly lower than before. But the aforementioned reworks gave some new strengths to these classes, including something that was present in FE7 but lost in FE8; axe-wielding Paladins. Also every T2 class had a brand new ultimate skill called Occult Skills that can be unlocked if they use an Occult Scroll. The list of axe-wielding classes in FE9 are...

• Fighter Warrior
• Axe Knight and any Cavalier Paladin
• Wyvern Rider Wyvern Lord
• Berserker
• Bandit (Enemy Only)
• King Daein (E)

Fighters were like their past incarnations, emphasizing Strength and a bit on Speed and Skill. Warriors took from the latter two stats to emphasize even more on Strength, gained access to Bows (making them arguably the strongest Archers), and got Colossus as an Occult Skill. It was an okay skill, but with a lot of setup required; if the users Con exceeds the enemy's Con, it has a Skill% chance to multiply the user's Strength by 1.25 or 25%. FE9 brought back the FE4/5 trend of having individual cavalier classes for each of the physical weapon types, but instead of having individual promotions, they all promote to Paladin. Paladins have a unique quirk in this game where instead of having preset weapons, you can actually choose their secondary weapon, so it is possible for all of your non-pre-promote Paladins to wield all Axes or Swords, whatever the player prefers. Cavaliers and Paladins are still just as good, if not better, than their FE counterparts. They are good all-rounders, can provide mounted utility such as rescuing, and can move fast. I forgot to mention this in previous entries, but most mounted and/or flying units have an ability called Canto, which allows them to use up their remaining movement after taking an action (what action that is depends on the game), and is a big asset as to why they are so useful. The Paladins Occult Skill is Sol, which just restores HP equal to damage dealt on activation. Wyvern Riders continued to use Lances and had their same boons in Strength and Defense like in the GBA era, but their promotion to Wyvern Lord got a new change; instead of getting Swords, they could now use Axes. This change was actually very beneficial since it allowed them to use 1-2 range axes in addition to their 1-2 range spears, and the high Might of axes complemented their high Strength. And with Forging, being inaccurate is no longer really an issue (to a degree). Their Occult Skill is Stun, which when procced on a (Skill/2)% chance, locked up the enemy's movement (but not their other actions) for 2 turns. This wasn't really a good skill, had far too niche of a use. The final axe class was the Berserker, and they worked the same way as they did before, as they were high Strength glass cannons that can crit a lot due to their innate Crit bonuses. Their Occult Skill was also Colossus.
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Onto the enemy-exclusive classes, there is only one that actually uses axes. The Bandit is the classic ruffian/thug axe-wielding class and worked/appeared the same way they have for the past 8 games. Finally there is the King Daein class, which is the class exclusive to the final boss Ashnard, and is sort of like a beefed up version of the Wyvern Lord class, but uses Swords and Axes instead of Lances and Axes. The funny thing is that in the boss fight, he only uses his signature sword Gurgurant and doesn't use axes at all. But if you use Ashnard in the Trial Maps, you can equip him with an axe there. The King Daein class also doesn't come with any Occult Skill.
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The axe user roster in FE9, while it is smaller than recent games (excluding Trial characters), more than makes up for it in quality as many of the characters in this list are either considered to be good, really good, or lauded to be some of the best characters in the game. The other good thing is that the player will get a lot of these good units in the early-to-midgame, allowing them to use these units more and get more out of them. The axe users in FE9 are...

• Titania (Paladin)
  • Your Jeigan for this game, arguably the best unit in the entire game, and you get her in the very first chapter of the game. She is a Paladin with A-Rank in Axes, great bases, and really good growths in almost everything. She can use the Knight Ward to increase her defensive stats and Speed growth to make her double everything, she can get Sol via the Occult Scroll to be self-sufficient (not groundbreaking, but a good bonus), and is just overall going to be useful throughout the whole game. Her only bad parts are her lower EXP gains in the earlygame (will become a non-issue) and her base skill Counter, which reflects non-lethal physical damage dealt to her (isn't a great skill, but you can take it off and replace it with a better one). Overall, Titania is a very valuable unit to have in any FE9 run.
• Oscar (Lance Cavalier)
  • While Oscar isn't immediately as good as Titania is, he still is a Cavalier and has amazing potential with a ton of room to grow since he joins in Chapter 1 as well. He has access to a good weapon type in Lances, good bases for a beginning Cav, and good all-round growths similar to Franz from FE8. The only drawback of him is that his growths can be too balanced, as it is possible to get a bit screwed over by RNG and not get the stats you need. But Bonus EXP and stat boosters can patch that up easily, the former of which is plentiful in non-Maniac game difficulties. Oscar is definitely worth raising to a Paladin for mounted utility and generally being able to tackle any situation the game throws at you, and can be a pretty good one at that.
• Boyd (Fighter)
  • Boyd is your first and only Fighter you will get in FE9, but you get him in the first chapter alongside Oscar and Titania, and he's a pretty damn good Fighter to boot. He has some shaky bases that make him struggle a bit as an axe user in the early game, since his Strength isn't high enough to mitigate Weapon Weight, and his Speed isn't enough to double yet. But due to his offense-based growths being good, he will eventually be able to hit hard and use any axe with little penalties, can hit reliably with his good Skill, and can even double if he has good Speed. He is also arguably the one of the best bow users you will get since Rolf is really bad, and he can deal some really good ranged damage with something like a Killer or Brave Bow (though you also have Hand Axes for ranged options, which is something you'll probably use in more situations). He will struggle a bit earlygame, but with an easy amount of investment he can be a very good combat unit in your party
• Kieran (Axe Cavalier)
  • Kieran is your second Cavalier you will get after Oscar, and just like Oscar, is a damn good unit to have. He is a Lv 12 Axe Cavalier with C-Rank Axes, giving him a good selection of weapons he can use off the bat. He starts off with okay bases in Str, Spd, and Def, but with good growths in all those stats too. Promoting him to Paladin will essentially a give you a mini Titania that can provide mounted utility, damage, weapon triangle control depending on your weapons, and can use the Knight Ward for more tankiness and potential speediness. He is very much worth using if you want another Cavalier on your team
• Jill (Wyvern Rider)
  • Another great unit that the player can utilize for a great chunk of the game and is worth every investment. Her growths and bases may seem average, but with enough investment she can easily be one of the best units in your army. She uses every tool given to her very well; high Strength and Defense, flying utility, Bonus EXP, stat boosters, forged weapons, all of these things are very good to have/use on Jill. In the end, you'll get a very good Wyvern Lord that can also use forged Hand Axes, facetank her only weakness of Bows since this game only has 2x effective-damage Might and her Defense will be so high, she can use any skill you desire to put on her. If you want a great flier alongside or in lieu of Marcia, Jill is a great option.
• Astrid (Bow Cavalier)
  • At first glance, Astrid seems like a very poor unit; A Lv 1 Cavalier with poor bases and locked to Bows, and with only D-Rank at that. But she has one skill that makes up for all of that, that being Paragon. Paragon will double any EXP she gains, whether via combat or BEXP, so she can grow levels really fast, especially in her joining chapter where she can 2-shot the ravens. On top of that she is still a mounted unit, so her high movement, utility, being able to do shoot-and-run attacks with Canto, ability to use the Knight Ward, it's all in her favor. Her growths aren't too bad either as she will gain a good amount of Speed and Skill (and a ton of Speed if you have the Knight Ward), and semi-decent Attack (which can be made up with Forges and stat boosters). And then when you promote her into a Paladin and give her Axes, she can use Steel Axes and Hand Axes for higher damage and 1-2 range options respectively. She has a bit of a rocky start, but once you get her going, she will be a great addition to your team.
• Makalov (Sword Cavalier)
  • Your fourth and final Cavalier, but is arguably the weakest out of the four. He joins as a Lv 10 Sword Cavalier at the halfway point of the game with middling bases and is stuck with Swords, which isn't the best weapon type in FE9. He also doesn't really have any standout benefits like the others; Oscar with his early jointime, Kieran coming with Axes out the gate, and Astrid having Paragon. Makalov's only benefits are his pretty decent growths in all areas aside from Luck and Resistance, and then also Tempest which can double Biorhythm effects which will increase his Hit and Avoid if the Biorhythm is high (but it will hurt him more if it is low, so it's a double edged sword). Of course he is a mounted unit, so all the aforementioned benefits apply to him. If you want to have another Paladin on your team, he can turn out relatively decent with some investment, but know that the other 3 options for Cavs are going to be much better and/or easier to raise than Makalov.
• Haar (Wyvern Lord)
  • FE9 Haar doesn't have the same coveted status of "best unit" like he will in the next game, but he is a damn good unit that shouldn't be overlooked. He joins as a pre-promoted Wyvern Lord pretty late into the game, but his high stats, decent weapon ranks, and high StSkl/Def growths make up for that. He can use almost any axe or lance at base (minus Silver weapons and the Wishblade lance) with no speed penalties, is very strong and tanky so he can deal with virtually any situation, and while he doesn't have the best Speed, he comes with the Brave Axe which mitigates that a bit. And of course, he has all the perks of being a flier as mentioned with Jill. An invested-into Jill will probably be on par or surpass Haar, but he can be slotted into your team anytime and he will do great work.
• Largo (Berserker)
  • Largo is your only playable Berserker in FE9 and joins very late, but he's still pretty decent in non-Maniac playthroughs. He is very much a typical Berserker, lot of HP/StSkl/Spd, but poor Defense and very poor Resistance. He growths all focus on his current strengths, especially a monstrous 70% Strength growth and then a slightly more modest Skill and Speed growths. With his A-Rank in Axes and his 21 Strength, he can use any axe in the game without any speed penalties, so against frail enemies he will be easily able to pick them off. And just like other mono-weapon classes, he has an innate 15% Crit bonus so he can crit a lot more (only on non-Maniac playthroughs since he won't get the crit bonus on Maniac). If you use him he can be very effective as a filler unit, but be mindful since he can pop very easily.

​

• Shiharam (Wyvern Lord) (Trial Maps Only)
  • Shiharam can be used in Trial Maps if you beat the game 5 times, and joins with his Normal Mode stats. He is pretty comparable to Haar with some slight deviations in stats, but nothing too crazy. A flier that is strong and tanky, can do a lot of stuff on the map, use any Axe at base with no penalties. He is a good unit to have, not the best, but a good one
• Petrine (Paladin) (TM)
  • Petrine can be used in Trial Maps if you beat the game 7 times, and joins with her Hard Mode stats. Petrine is a very very good Paladin with good stats in everything, including Magic as her "signature weapon" is the Flame Lance in her boss fight. She is probably the best candidate for the Bolt Axe as well, and with all of her perks of being mounted, her great bases, weapon ranks, Knight Ward usability, she is a very very worthwhile unit to have in the Trials. Is she worth playing the game from start to end 7 times if you're not a huge FE9 fanboy? Probably not. But if you're willing to speedrun, grind, or hack the game, she is worth it.
• Ashnard (King Daein) (TM)
  • Ashnard can be used in Trial Maps if you beat the game a whopping 15 times, and comes with his Normal Mode stats and equipment. He is a beefed up Wyvern Lord that uses Swords and Axes, and has a monstrous amount of HP, Strength, Defense, and very good stats in all other departments. His signature weapon, the Gurgurant, has 20 Might, 90 Hit, negates non-Wrath criticals, and has the biggest strength that many swords don't have, it has 1-2 range. He can do a lot for the player with very little effort because he is so strong and he is a flier. His only drawback is that you have to beat the game 15 times, which is an absolute stupid amount even for a FE9 fanboy. But again, if you're willing to speedrun, grind, or hack, then you will get the best unit in the game, but only for Trials.

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To round things off, there are 9 items that affect axe users in FE9. There are the permanent stat boosters of the Energy Drop and Dracoshield, which boost Strength and Defense by +2 respectively. The Arms Scroll is a special stat booster that raises weapon rank by one level. All classes in this game use Master Seals to promote, so no more individual promo items. Then there are the held accessories; the famous Knight Ward and all of the second-playthrough Bands that affect growths. The ones that affect Strength and/or Defense growths are the Soldier, Fighter, Knight, and Wyvern Bands.
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FE9 was a great continuation of the axe being such a good weapon type, especially with the forge mechanic, the changes to weapon weight mitigation, and the unit quality of all potential axe users being so good. There isn't really much else to say besides that FE9 was very kind to axe users, arguably almost to the same degree that Thracia was. But will we see this great reign continue as we venture into the later years of Tellius?
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Thank you so much for reading this! I think I'm going to be taking my time with these so that I can get you guys some good content, I've been going through a lot but I don't want my work to suffer because of it. Comments and critiques are always welcome, and have an amazing day!

Hey. Guy 20. Chat or message if you are keen to play this game. Basically we take turns at picking a number and the other person answers the corresponding question. Message me with your asl (https://imgur.com/a/I4nZc2j)

Tokyo-Lake Kawaguchiko-Kyoto-Osaka

The trip was my wife and I (upper 20s/lower 30s) for 10 days (not including 2 flight days) in May just after the end of Golden Week. It was our first trip to Japan and we had an amazing time! We did a lot of the standard tourist activities, but our perspective as kosher-observant travelers is a bit more unique so I figured I'd start the post with it. Feel free to skip past that section if it doesn't interest you.
Keeping Kosher and Sabbath Observance in Japan

• While there are a decent number of vegetarian/vegan (which some kosher-observant people would be comfortable eating at, though we were not) and a small number of Halal restaurants in Japan, kosher-certified establishments are basically non-existent. The Tokyo Chabad in Minato does run a kosher-certified restaurant called Chana's Place (they deliver as well) and some of the other local Jewish communities also have prepared meals you can pick up or have delivered to you. We didn't really take advantage of any of these so I can't personally vouch for them though.
• Every hotel and ryokan we stayed in had mini fridges as well as electric water kettles, which we relied on heavily to prepare food. We usually mixed some couscous or other easily cooked grain we brought with us along with some locally bought produce in a food thermos for hot meals (the daikon are so big, just half of one lasted us for days). Seasoned kosher travelers will likely have their own strategies, though if you can, staying somewhere with a kitchen will definitely expand your meal options. We had a pretty action-packed schedule, so we didn't opt for this this time, but if we ever go back to Japan, we'll likely make sure we're staying places with kitchens if possible.
• Though we couldn't eat almost any of it, the food in Japan all looks and smells amazing (with the possible exception of some of the more exotic seafood). The smells wafting from the bakeries were absolutely heavenly. If you're kosher observant and traveling in Japan: be prepared for some major food FOMO. Salmon sashimi was one of the only local foods that fit our kosher diets, and the sashimi I got from one of the stands in Nishiki market was absolutely delicious.
• We were only in Japan for one Saturday and spent Shabbat (Sabbath) near the Tokyo Chabad in Minato. Prayers and meals at the Chabad were a really wonderful experience, with a lively and jovial atmosphere and lots of different Jewish people who were visiting (or living in) Tokyo for a variety of reasons. We stayed in a very nice Airbnb close to the Chabad. If you are visiting Japan and want a place close to the Chabad to stay, feel free to DM me (I'd rather not post more info about a family-run Aribnb to a public forum).

Tourist Tips and Cultural Observations

• The discount bus between Narita airport and Tokyo station is really great. We took the NEX from the airport but lost our paper return tickets during the trip so ended up taking the bus back. It was about as comfortable, much cheaper, and only a little bit slower.
• Though most of the COVID restrictions have been lifted, masking is still very common in Japan, especially in busy Urban areas. I'd estimate about 80% of the locals were wearing masks on public transit in Tokyo. In less crowded areas, fewer people are wearing masks, though a notable minority definitely still are.
• Public transit in in Japan is a real wonder to behold. It is extremely efficient, was almost never late, with a very different etiquette from in the West. Very orderly lines form at the marked spots where the train doors will be when the train stops. On the train itself, people are very quiet, with the only exception being some soft conversation between friends and the occasional group of rowdy foreigners.
• Google Maps worked great for us in terms of navigating public transit, though moreso in Tokyo than in Osaka, which seems to have a slightly more confusing train system.
• Navigating Kyoto is a bit harder since the train system isn't quite as extensive there. IC cards will work on the buses, though we were a bit thrown off by the fact that everyone enters through the back door of the bus and exits through the front door. You pay the bus fare as you leave the bus and not as you get on. Friends of ours recommended renting bikes in Kyoto if the weather is nice, and while we didn't end up doing it, it's probably not a bad suggestion.
• Were were told that the Arashiyama bamboo forest would be packed if we got there too late, but this wasn't the case for us. We got there around 10:00-10:30 and while there were plenty of people, it didn't feel overly crowded. Could be a different story during busier times, but this was our experience.
• We took the Tokaido Shinkansen and it's a very cool and comfortable way to travel. We ordered our tickets online and were able to link them to our IC cards. There seemed to still be enough of seats available when we booked, though if you're looking for a specific seat (such as the ones with the extra baggage area) you should probably book as much in advance as in practical since a lot of the seats were taken even a few days in advance.
• A lot of people on this forum emphasize how few Japanese people speak fluent English and it's definitely true! I expected as least the staff at hotels to speak some English, but very many did not. I was also surprised that when interfacing with a member of the hotel staff who didn't speak English, they never called over a colleague to translate or take over. I know a handful of Japanese words and phrases, and combining those with gestures and Google Translate generally worked well enough. On the rare occasion I tried to say anything a little more complex, people seemed really pleased and encouraging, even though I’m pretty sure I was butchering the language.
• Although most people in Japan don't speak English, signage and automated announcements on public transit and the like generally do have English translations.
• The public bathrooms in Japan are very common and almost always super clean (even the less clean ones are still cleaner than the average public bathroom in the U.S.). Not sure if this is due to COVID or not, but paper towels are virtually nonexistent and hand dryers are rare. Luckily, small hand towels are sold all over and the themed ones make great souvenirs.
• Pretty much every Western-style toilet is equipped with a bidet. The Japanese-style toilets didn't seem to exist much in Tokyo. We saw a few in Kyoto in Osaka, but neither of us were brave enough to actually try using one...
• The fruits and vegetables sold in Japanese grocery stores are all beautiful, pristine and usually taste pretty good too. Some of the more “exotic” fruit can be pretty expensive though (I saw a single mango being sold for nearly 3,000 yen!). The individual wrapping of everything definitely didn’t seem too environmentally friendly, but it did keep all the produce super clean.
• I loved seeing the Gachopon machines everywhere and got quite a few souvenirs from them. There are some stores dedicated to the machines, but you can also find them in train stations and just about everywhere else.

Hotel Reviews

• Hotel Monterey Akasaka: Friendly staff, clean and nice rooms. Location is just fine, but in return it's cheaper than similar quality hotels in more popular neighborhoods while still being fairly central and accessible.
• Kasuitei Ooya (Kawaguchiko): Out first ryokan of the trip and really nice. Great views and excellent onsen.
• Hilton Tokyo Bay: Cheaper than all of the "official" Disney hotels, but just as close to the parks as many of them. The rooms are nice and spacious. Can definitely recommend.
• Yuno Yado Shoei (Kyoto): Our second ryokan and not quite as nice as the first, but still really enjoyable. The onsen were great here too.
• Liber Hotel at USJ: Far fancier than we thought it would be based on the price tag and the fact that it's a theme park hotel. The rooms are smaller than the Tokyo Bay Hilton's were, but the facilities were quite nice. Enjoyed my last onsen of the trip in this hotel.

Trip Highlights

• Harajuku: We went to Harajuku more for my wife who is into fashion, but I really enjoyed it too! Lots of really cute stores and it's also fun seeing people dressed up in some really bold and unique outfits.
• Lake Kawaguchiko and the Shibazakura Festival: We were fortunate to have amazing weather while we were in Lake Kawaguchiko and the views of both the lake and Fuji-san were spectacular. The Shibazakura festival specifically provided some really breathtaking views. This was probably our favorite part of the whole trip.
• Tokyo Disney (Disneysea): As a huge Disney fan, I loved seeing the Japanese take on Disney parks. Lots of familiar rides, but lots of unique ones as well. The evening show on the water at DisneySea ("Believe: Sea of Dreams") was particularly fantastic.
• Higashiyama and Gion: The most amazing area in Kyoto. I regret that the we didn't budget more time to spend here. You could definitely spend at least a full day wandering around soaking in the atmosphere and unique architecture.
• Universal Studios Japan: As a theme park fan, USJ was a real treat. Super Nintendo World was definitely the highlight, but the entire park was fantastic. I might make a post just dedicated to giving some tips for the theme parks at some point.

Slight Disappointments
We enjoyed everything we did in Japan, but I'll just point out two things that didn't quite live up to expectations.

• Akihabara: I'm an anime and video game nerd, so I thought Akihabara would be my heaven, but it was just okay. The arcades were really amazing to walk through and it was fun browsing the video game and figurine stores too, but something about it didn't quite live up to what I had imagined. Maybe just blame it on high expectations?
• Teamlab Planets: This was definitely a cool and unique experience, but it didn't quite live up to the hype. It felt like the most touristy thing we did in Japan (even moreso than the Tokyo Disney somehow). The exhibits themselves are very cool, but the all the amateur Instagram models posing everywhere kind of ruined the vibe. Really enjoyable, but can definitely be skipped if you're on the fence.

I struggled to list any disappointments whatsoever. We had a really amazing time overall. Not sure when we’ll have a chance to go back, but I hope we get to one day!

There's a saying in investing: "The time to buy is when there's blood in the streets." And at this point, you'd be excused for mistaking the red in Michael Harris's Braves jersey for blood.
He was a 3rd round pick in real life in 2019 and took the league by storm last season. He went 75/19/64/20/.297 in just 441 plate appearances, which is a 600-plate appearance pace of 102/26/87/27/.297. Only Adolis, Tucker, Semien and Julio went 25/25 last season (Julio did it in just 560 PAs!). Adolis, Tucker and Semien all hit .257 or less while Harris hit close to .300 and he regularly batted around that average in the minors so he appears to a plus in batting average where other 25/25 players fall short.
This led to Harris having an ADP of 31. That's expensive. He was viewed as a potential bust during drafts by many given that they didn't believe in his power with a 22.9% HFB. That's Kyle ScwarbeAustin Riley power. People were also concerned about his relatively high K rate (24.3%) compared to his low BB rate (4.8%)
And Harris doubters have been claiming victory given that he has been BAD this season. His 600-plate appearance pace is just 64/11/42/27/.180 (this is his "Blood In The Street" rate of "BITS" rate). If you go into the Daily Threads here, you'll see the blood in the streets.
But that's exactly why we should finally buy. You can buy him for almost anything.
First, let's talk about mindset. Part of the reason people are so upset with Harris was his ADP but that's not his fault. It's not his fault managers drafted him too highly. If his ADP was 100, the hatred would be much less. The truth is that his ADP is a sunk cost and irrelevant to his ROS production. Whether his ADP was #1 or #1,000, it doesn't change his ROS of production. Just forget that because it's irrelevant to his production.
One of the biggest complaints about Harris was his plate discipline and it was fair. A BB/K of .20 last season leaves a lot to be desired. You need to be extremely fast or extremely powerful or a strong combination of both to be successful with such a low rate (think a Mondesi/Witt/ Adolis kind of guy). But Harris has the speed for it. Even now, his BITS pace for 27 SB's. That would have been 7th most last year (tied with Trea). And he's not a zero in power (which we'll discuss later). But he's actually addressed this BB and K issue. His walk rate is up to 8.0% from 4.8% and his strikeout rate is down to 22.1% from 24.3%. His BB/K ratio is now .36... not bad at all. That BB% is actually average and his K% is only below average, not poor or awful. These rates can certainly be overcome for a player with Harris's talent. And remember, we’re seeing this improvement despite the BITS situation. Improvement to your BB and K rates isn't the sign of a lost cause.
Is his improvement shocking? No. He regularly averaged above 8% BB% ratio and a reasonable K rate in the minors. He's also just 22 now. His best work is likely ahead of him. And it's not shocking to see a player improve in the second major league season.
So one of the two complaints has been mostly resolved. That just leaves his power.
I'm not here to say he's going to regain his 26-HR power. He could develop more power since again, he's just 22, but he's currently not a 26 HR guy. But his current 7.4% HFB is pretty low.
He has mid-teens power based on the following:

• His BITS rate is 11 so even no improvement puts him in double digits.
  
• If ~45% of barrels are HR's, his pace last season was 19. Just because he overachieved by hitting 26 doesn't mean he should regression to zero.
  
• If ~45% of barrels are HR's, his BITS pace based on barrels is 17.
  
• In 2021, in 101 games, he hit 7 in AA at age 20.
  

He's not nothing in power. But who cares, right? He still sucks, right? Well, not for long.
The first thing that jumps out at you is his .216 BABIP. His career norm is around .330. And with his speed, a higher than average BABIP is to be expected. We should see a ton of gains here.
People complain he bats 9th but he batted 9th last season. Batting 9th might cost him an PA sometimes but he plays for the 4th highest scoring team in baseball, something that will get you more PA than playing for CLE or OAK and make those PAs more valuable. Batting 9th also allows him to bat in front of the best hitter in the entire sport. I'll take that batting spot over anywhere a guy like Vinnie P, for example.
Despite his struggles, he's still maintained his speed. His BITS stolen base pace is still 27. That's a plus category even if he never improves.
So why buy him right now? He hit a HR and stole base this weekend going 4/1/2/1/.333/.500 in three games. And he made this great defense play. People underrate how much the field impacts hitting. I mean, just look at Jazz's production this season while struggling to learn a new position. Harris is building momentum. Don't forget he was hurt early in the season. Sometimes it takes time to get going early in the season and sometimes it takes time to get going coming off an injury - he's doing both at once at age 22.
In summary:

• He's a 22 year old, high end prospect who has produced in the majors before.
  
• His season is just starting and he's coming off of injury so it's not impossible that it takes time to get going. Also, while it's not quite early in the season, today is still only Memorial Day. There's plenty of time left in the season. He hasn't even had a bad half of season yet.
  
• He had a good weekend, including a defensive play to give him momentum
  
• His BABIP also tells us he's going to get going eventually.
  
• He's been a plus in SB while being horrible. He should steal even more when he gets on base more.
  
• He's improved his BB and K rates - a key argument against him coming into the season and a sign he's not a lost cause right now. He’s going to be plus in average as he has always been.
  
• He's in a plus batting spot despite people thinking it's a minus. He plays for a high scoring offense. He should be a plus in runs like he was last season. Take advantage of this disconnection.
  
• His ADP doesn't matter ROS even though it impacts people's view of him
  
• If I'm right, he should have a hot streak to balance things out. You'll be getting the best parts of his 2023 season without having to had eaten this BITS part.
  

He's going to be a plus in runs, SB and AVG while being average in HR and RBI. And you can get him for basically nothing. The risk/reward here is blatantly obvious!
As outlined above, there's real reasons to buy, not feelings. But if you ask me my feelings, my feelings are simple: Buying Harris now is a league winning move.