My league is adding IDP this year. This will be my first time playing IDP. I was hoping for some advice. We are doing 2 LB, 1 DB, 1 DL, 1 IDP Flex. We are doing this via auction draft.

1. Are some positions more valuable than others? Should I target DB or DL first.
   
2. What is the least valuable position?
   
3. What position should I plan to use for my IDP Flex. For example, we are a super flex league so everyone uses a QB in that spot.
   
4. Any good IDP resources?
   
5. How do IDP rookies usually do?
   

Thanks for any and all help. If there are other tips you have, I will gladly take them.

Should it be asked whether or not you want to be a taxi driver? Definitely, you want to be. Otherwise, you may not have chosen this article. A reader might certainly have other purposes to click on this article and read this post.
When we think of the idea of starting our career as a taxi driver, we make a good choice. Of course, we must be more careful on the roads with this profession. However, it also adds to the adventurous part of the work, which we crave.
Do I Need Funds to Become a Taxi Driver?
This, however, is a question that has different values for different people.
For example, you’ll need more funds if you want to be a driver or a cabbie, but you have no driving expertise. You need to invest money to learn it. On the other hand, you might be an expert driver, but you lack the funds to own a car.
You see that an investment of some form or the other is required to be a taxi driver. There are options to start from scratch. In fact, you may not have to ask for money from your family or others. You may also get financial aid in tough conditions, such as a bad credit situation. Look for instant car finance for bad credit online from a private lender. You may get affordable deals from these lenders too.
In some amount or the other, funds may be required to get yourself into this business. But the funds are easily manageable when you know how much you have to spend depending on your professional traits. Let us learn about that in detail.
Before the Money: What Are the Eligibility Criteria for becoming a Taxi Driver?
Well, it is sure that the cab services you are going to work in can tell you better. In this article, we can tell you a few things about the eligibility criteria, which you might find below:
· You must have an authentic and valid driver’s license to become a taxi driver.
· You are to take part in a ‘Cabology’ test, also known as a ‘Knowledge’ test for taxi drivers. This is to ensure you have the right set of skills to be the driver.
· You may have to display Maths and English skills.
· A medical exam will be taken.
Manage Costs for Driving Lessons
Of course, if you already have a license and are an expert driver, you may not need formal training. If you’re not, but you want to be a cabbie, your first duty is to find a reputed driving school and, of course, a reliable driving instructor.
Even if you are not a beginner and have a driver’s license, you can still take an advanced course to test your skills and determine if they are okay for the taxi industry. After all, the safety of your passengers and yourself matters the most, right?
You’ll Need to Get Taxi Insurance
Taxi insurance makes your car officially approved for a taxi business. Of course, when you are using your own car, you’ll need to show some insurance papers to the company. If you haven’t bought insurance for your vehicle, it is time you make some payments for it. Taxi insurance costs might depend on the following:
· The size of your vehicle
· The age of your vehicle
· The mileage covered
· Driving History
Buying a Car
This may become the highest cost of being a taxi driver. Of course, being a taxi driver in the most independent sense requires the car to be your own. You can take care of its needs yourself. You don’t have to worry about small damages or similar problems.
If you use your own car to be a taxi driver, then you are going in the entrepreneurial direction. You can definitely explore your profession in a free manner than usual.
However, buying a car is a lot of money. The average cost of a car in the UK is £12,000 to £30,000. Added to it comes the other costs you have just known, ranging from around £500 to £600. If, in case, you find it difficult to manage all these costs, then go for self-employed car finance options from direct lenders. As mentioned earlier, they can lend you in a poor credit situation too. You can return the money later using your income.
To Conclude
The taxi driver has a few costs to take care of after being a professional. Costs such as maintenance or repair expenses are natural in this sort of work. The good news is they are not that large compared to the cost of a new car. Even if they are or you find them uncomfortable, you can think of advanced car finance deals. Direct lenders may come in help too.

TL; DR Have dual US and other country citizenship. Fled to third country using other country's passport because of certain issues. Been some time since my US passport expired. Don't have enough funds exactly. Will other unexpired passport + expired US passport + US birth certificate and my situation help me get an emergency passport?
I am going to have to be vague because of safety reasons. I have dual citizenship of US and another country. The other country is not so nice to people like me so I fled (being vague here). I am currently in an third country, which is a nicer, safer country, but not completely safe. But I only have funds to last me another 10-15 days including for hotel and meals plus extra for a flight to America. So far, I haven't even attempted to stay in a hotel because I'm afraid they won't let me stay considering my young age. If I hand them the money for the hotel room upfront, is it more likely?
Because of this situation, it is my goal to get an emergency passport. I'm not sure if my conditions are that dire that they would issue me an emergency passport. I have an US passport that expired almost 6 years ago. The picture on that passport is from 11 years ago. Although, you can still recognize me, it is bit harder to match me up with that photo because I have obviously grown. The new passport I would get would be my first adult passport. I have the unexpired passport of the other country with a more recent photograph and I also have my US birth certificate.
I am unsure of how to approach the US Embassy/Consulate. I don't want to book an appointment because the dates are too far out. What should I do?

Online sports betting is being considered as a potential new revenue stream by additional states in the United States, where sports betting is gaining traction. In the mean time, enthusiastic games bettors are partaking in the products of this uncontrolled extension.
Regardless of its initial (and far reaching) accomplishment since the 2018 cancelation of the Expert and Novice Sports Security Act, sports wagering still isn't lawful all over the place. Many states jumped at the chance given that the repeal gave them control of the situation. Despite the fact that more states are on the verge of joining the sports betting industry, others continue to lag behind due to regulatory hurdles, voter approval, and/or political battles.
Sports bettors can now place wagers using their mobile devices in many states that have legalized sports betting. Online sports betting apps are very popular, but each one has its own set of rules and regulations, betting options, and features.
Are you looking for a breakdown of betting apps from the most well-known sportsbooks in the United States? Peruse on.
In the United States, are sports betting apps legal?
Quick response: It all depends on where you are. Only 21 of the 32 states and Washington, D.C., where sports betting is legal allow online wagering. Furthermore, four of those 21 areas have restricted versatile wagering (more on that underneath).
Why do things piecemeal? In 2018, the US High Court struck down the Expert and Novice Sports Assurance Demonstration of 1992, which had successfully prohibited sports wagering in the U.S. beyond Nevada. In any case, the High Court's decision didn't approve sports wagering no matter how you look at it. Instead, the repeal of PASPA allowed states to decide whether or not to legalize sports betting.
For more>> https://mostplays.in/
Those wards that decided to pass sports wagering regulation likewise got to conclude how bettors could put their bets: in-person just at a blocks and concrete sportsbook; online through desktop and mobile computers; or a mixture of the two.

Ok, so I'm sure I'm gonna sound brain damaged here but I don't come from a mechanically inclined family and I'm not exactly well off enough that I can afford to pay a shop to do everything.
Are there any manuals for cars/trucks that breakdown the steps to do whatever needs doing?
I was doing a break pads and rotor job Sunday and my caliper was seized, the piston broke while I was trying to compress it... I was overwhelmed, I had no clue what I needed to do beside get a new one.... I got it figured out via YouTube and added a new skill to my set but it has me thinking.
Ive got no real clue what I'm doing, no one to ask and I find myself in over my head... I'm a fast learner and have a basic undergrad of how a car works. I can do oil changes, transmission pan drops/replacement, disc breaks (including a caliper now), alternator replacement...
I need to be more self reliant, where do I turn?

I decided I’m gonna try and get as many daredevil writers and artists [or just anyone who worked on him before] signatures on a book and want to know if there’s a certain book to get for them to sign, I’m thinking either Daredevil 1 [1998] or Daredevil 1 Blank Variant but would like to know what you guys do with books like these, do you just get a blank and get as many people to sign it or do you get a key and have people sign it? I have every single key issue as well from 1964 to now. Suggestions?

There was something that struck me on my most recent trilogy binge. How is it that Gimli has no idea that shit had went down in Moria? I know that no one escaped the goblins or Balrog, but you would think that a major Mithril mine suddenly losing contact would at least raise some alarm bells with the other Dwarven kingdoms and that news would get to Gimli. Mind you, it has been a bit since my last read through of the books, so if this is discussed there, I apologize. I'm just curious

i want to take artifacts and team building a bit more seriously, and need some guidance!!
i started playing genshin 2 months after release and i play every now and then. i play for the storyline and would miss banners here and there, but recently, i’ve wanted to pay more attention to combat and learn about building. i barely have any characters properly built besides diluc and barbara (my dps and sub dps?), and somehow i’m at world lvl 8, ar 55
my general teams are:
diluc- barbara-yae- layla
diluc- barbara-yae- xiao
diluc- barbara-yae- collei(super weak, not built)
i want to structure more teams and want advice, so i rly wanna pull for either kazuha or alhaitham, but don’t know who to choose. who should i go for with my team duo of diluc and barbara (im rly bad at building so they are my only two strong characters that never leave my team)?
i was thinking alhaitham because of dendro and i can’t play well with bows which is why collei is weak, but i also like kazuha and i like anemo. i also have one 5* sword, the aquila favonia. who would benefit more?
i also have considered building my traveler, hutao, zhongli, bennet, yanfei, or keqing, but don’t know who or how.

I have a Wakefit Orthopaedic Memory Foam mattress for the past 4 years, which I've realised is a scam because I've come across many reviews mentioning how it causes body aches a year or two into its usage.
Right now, my sleep quality is bad. I wake up tired, and I have body ache. It is most likely because I need a firmer mattress.
Is there any way to fix this? Say, with a topper? Or should I just change my mattress?

I'm not even taking the test this time, but a bunch of my friends are, and they have been sitting in front of their computers since 7 AM with no luck at securing a spot. This has literally happened every single time there is an exam signup without fail for YEARS, and the fact that NIIED continues to do nothing about it is honestly baffling and infuriating.
TOPIK scores are mandatory for many people that live in Korea to maintain their visas, and NIIED's refusal to invest in adequate servers makes it borderline impossible for people to register in a reasonable time frame. Test-takers have to sit there in front of their browsers for an entire day, sometimes multiple days, just to get a spot at all, and many people I know have to travel 2+ hours or pay for a hotel to get to their test site on time because it's basically impossible to get a seat in Seoul without winning the TOPIK lottery. Some people wait all day and then are unable to register at all!
I've taken the HSK, multiple ALTA exams, OPIs, OPIcs, etc (all of which have FAR more test-takers and are also more resource-intensive in terms of computing power), and nothing comes even remotely close to how terrible the experience of signing up for the TOPIK is. For a country that is allegedly so technologically evolved, it's honestly shocking and infuriating that the experience is so bad.
My other qualms with the test:

• It can take up to FOUR MONTHS to register, take the test, and get your scores back (registration for the October TOPIK opens on August 1, and results come out 121 days (more than 17 weeks) later on November 30!! That is ridiculous!!
• They won't let us use a pencil (or heaven forbid, a keyboard!!!) to fill out answer sheets and do the essay section despite the fact that the writing section is already ridiculously short time-wise and that writing or reading marker over white-out is horrible for everyone involved
• Half the exam is a waste of time for anyone aiming for a level 3 or 6 (For level 3ers, the last half of the test is not even worth studying for, and for level 6ers, the first half is just boring and distractingly slow to the point that people make careless errors because it's hard to follow something that is so slow compared to real conversation).
• After several years, question 54 is a black box that no one including Korean language teachers, seems to understand the grading rubric of. We get no feedback and we can't access copies of our essays after the test is over so there is no way to know what we did wrong.
• The TOPIK exam is simply not good at measuring what it is supposed to measure - practical Korean language proficiency for life, school, and work. I know people with a level 6 who can barely have a proper conversation and people with a level 4 that are far more functional than the former. It's not a good test.
• If you're relatively new to Korea (like 99% of language students) and don't have a Korean bank account yet (or if online payments haven't been authorized), you can get all the way to the front of the line just to find that your foreign card will not be accepted.
• Outside of Korea, the signup process is even more disorganized. There seems to be no uniform system at all for administering signups or the test itself, and the process is going to be completely different at every site and even from test to test. When I tried to take the TOPIK in NYC a few years back, I had to post my personal information on a public forum, get them to email me an address, and then mail them a physical envelope of cash just to sign up.,.. When I decided not to take it after all (because of this ridiculous sign up process) the person I was corresponding with got mad at me for "wasting her time" when this whole thing should have been automated in the first place.

Is there any way we could start a campaign to get NIIED to get their shit together so we can give them our money and take this exam they force us to take? I am dead serious lol

India's aviation industry has experienced tremendous growth. Only after being stopped for two and a half years has it begun to grow. In an attempt to stop the virus from spreading, many nations locked their borders, canceling all flights and other transportation options. There were many restrictions on travel. But now that all the limitations have been lifted, the world is gradually returning to normal. People are returning to the field after missing out on the trip. Airports are once more busy as a result of the opening of borders. Statistics from airports across the country reveal that there has been a marked increase in the number of people who travel from one location to another. Domestic travelers increased by 33% to 8.4 Crore in 2023 from the previous year. The increase in air travelers across the country necessitates the need for more flights and airports to handle both the passengers and the additional aircraft. Along with this, the expansion of the aviation sector necessitates hiring additional personnel and new aviation recruits to fill a variety of positions, including those for cabin crew and aircraft maintenance engineers. Consequently, now is the ideal time for someone to enter the aviation sector. In order for that to happen, one must complete aviation training courses at the Best Aviation Academy in India.
Sha-Shib Aviation Academy offers complete and useful training in three major areas of aviation.
Aircraft Maintenance Engineering
Cabin Crew
Aviation, Hospitality & Travel Management

Trigger warning: Mentions of abuse
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POV: Milko

I didn't know how Mateo did it. Forgave so easily. I was not that good; not that benevolent.
The way I saw it, the galaxy was a cruel thing tenanted mostly by uncaring inhabitants who willfully caused pain and suffering to other beings, or at least felt no concern for the hurt they dealt or tolerated.
Whenever I thought about my father - the begetter of children he never saw as people but merely expendable commodities - I started to seethe and sulfuric, slender ringlets of smoke drifted menacingly from my nostrils.
It's not like I didn't try to be better, I really did. Those hours trying to get help from him to my mother bleeding to death in front of me spawned a darker me. The hours sitting in my mother's and siblings' blood with the quiet of their deaths screaming in my mind, those hours depleted something vital in me.
I am able to forgive if not forget. I forgave the commander when he intentionally hurt me with the gravity change. I forgave the IASO for her antics in our initial interview. But my sire? I didn't think so. Other Coltavalke? I didn't feel like being a member of that particular gang.
So how is Mateo ok with Ouer, the Eoan teenager?!? Her entire species was guilty of the most horrible acts against sentients and sapients. I understood not blaming the kid but how did he stay in the same room without being overwhelmed with disgust and fury?
Well, Mateo was befriending the monster lookalike and I was there to support him.
We were behind the door of the youth habitation unit belonging to Saša, Ouer's guardian for the moment. An almost breathtakingly handsome, young Deblom male opened the door.
Deblom male: Yes? Who're you here for?
Milko (after shaking his head slightly to clear her thoughts): I'm Milko, a Coltavalke, and this is Mateo, a human. We're here for Ouer.
Deblom male: Who?
Mateo: It's ok, we're on the list of approved visitors.
Deblom: Great for you.
His handsomeness was waning in my eyes. There's no beauty in the galaxy to make up for these manners. Still, I tried again, politely. I tried to keep smoke from escaping but keeping it in was making my eyes water.
Milko: This is Saša's habitation unit, isn't it?
Deblom: Maybe.
Mateo: Is Saša here?
Deblom: ^Don'tknow.
Or care, it seemed. He was leaning to the doorframe at an increasingly alarming angle. His eyes were half closed in a way he probably thought was sexy but came across as exhausted and dull. Suddenly I saw Ouer in the room behind the obtuse Deblom.
Ouer: Are you here to see me?
At the sudden sound of the low gurgling Eoan nightmare fuel of a voice, the Deblum guy exceeded his maximum lean angle and unceremoniously plonked on the floor. It was very satisfying to see him blinking several times like a confused Huuq.
I held Mateo's hand and we curtly stepped over him to our new friend.
Milko: Good...
Mateo: ...morning,...
Milko: ...Ouer!
Ouer: You came! You actually came! That guy kept telling me you didn't mean it as a promise. He said nobody would think twice betraying the likes of me!
Saša (stepping into the room from some smaller room in the back): Who said that?
It took him about half a human second to find the Deblom guy on the floor wearing an obnoxious smirk. He was lying in a weird pose on the floor, one leg bend up, opening his crotch area in a way that would be obscene if it weren't so utterly ridiculous. Saša sighed.
Mateo: Saša, we came to take Ouer to play in the private shore area. One of our friends is already there. If Ouer wants to come, of course.
Saša: This is just having some good-natured fun together, kids only?
Milko: "Young people", please, not "kids"! Sir.
Saša: Of course. It was just a slip of the tongue.
Mateo: Then yes, sir, just us. If we happen to start discussing some legal stuff, we'll inform everyone. It's not the idea, though.
Saša: Ouer, do you wish to go?
Ouer: Oh, yes, yes, please!
Saša: Use the lift at the end of the corridor. Tierpe, c'mon, let's go discuss this in my office. Up, up, up: other people need to use that threshold. It's not there purely as a background for your pin-up poses!
Mateo: We have a friend, Caleo. Please, be very careful with him. He very nearly died a few days ago. He is aquatic, small, and cute.
Milko: He used to be enslaved, his entire life until now. And his slavers directly caused his condition. He had never seen a bath, not to mention a beach. He wasn't taught anything. He didn't even have a name until Mateo gave him one.
Mateo: We were there when he woke up, and feel very protective towards him. He doesn't know how the real world works.
Milko: He has known no kindness.
Mateo: He has never had anything, not even the basics.
Milko: They didn't give the enslaved children even a glass or a mug to drink from. A bowl on the floor if they were really lucky, mostly just some used water was splashed on the floor for them to lick.
Mateo: I took a bath with him on our spaceship. He - an aquatic child - had never before been immersed in water!
Milko: Sorry to rant on you. It's not like you did anything to him.
Mateo: The injustice of it, the sheer agony these kids endured...
Milko: ...it just gets us very riled up.
Mateo: Partly because of our own trauma and enslavement. Which was not that bad.
Ouer: Not as bad?! You almost died. Your sister did die. You were tortured and eaten for months until you rescued yourself!
Milko: Not to mention the slave work we were forced to do at the space station, Mateo.
Ouer: Aren't you still having physical problems you are here to fix? And the degree of enslavement and torture is not some competition! What one person might not even remember might be extremely traumatic to another. And it doesn't mean they're weaker or anything.
Mateo: Wow, Ouer! That was well put! Race you to the elevator!
Milko: No fair! My legs are short!
Ouer (whisking by Milko): Well I don't have legs at all, just one muscular foot!
Really wouldn't have thought it possible but despite Mateo's head start the legless mollusk won the race. Soon we were at the private shore. It was - of course - an artificial beach with one-third sand and two-thirds water. The HOTCHI-station had several of these as well as other environments to help with rehabilitation after surgeries or hospital stays.
It was perfect for our purposes. Ouer wasn't guilty in any way of the previous attack on the HOTCHI station. But his physical form would trigger horrendous memories in several patients and many of the staff here. We decided public areas were to be avoided, for now.

POV: Ouer

I couldn't believe it. All my life I had been hiding, knowing exposure to others would only bring suffering and death. Our species was hated for good reason and our form was disgusting.
And here I was, on the very station our hated warriors had desecrated in acts more vile than anywhere else. But I was allowed to move around and meet people! And now someone - two someones - wanted to do something incredibly nice to me!
Their friend had never been immersed in water in his life. Mateo and Milko seemed to find this especially condemning since the child was of an aquatic species. Like me.
I didn't know if I should tell them that I hadn't even ever seen enough water to submerge in. I wondered if it would make me look too pitiful.
"Shore." I knew what the word meant. I had seen a low-resolution picture of one. I almost hyperventilated thinking I'd get to see one in real life. It was artificial, I knew that. But most things in space are.
We stepped in the omnidirectional hover-lift. The lift had minimal friction as it hovered magnetically in the shaft. The ride was smooth, as were the transitions from vertical to horizontal.
But the best part was the interior of the lift. Even though the travel only took some minutes there was ample room and an abundance of seating options. This was a hospital and the convalescents were given every opportunity to do things and not just forlornly lie on a bed.
One side was for mammals with seats that conformed to different kinds of people. On the opposing side were perches and nests for avians. That section also had branches and caverns for insectoids.
And the back wall, directly where you looked when you entered, was the section for aquatic and amphibious species. With a push of a button, you could get either freshwater or saline water in different concentrations.
You could get totally underwater, sit in a seat partially underwater, or get water osmotically just by holding onto a bar with a partially permeable membrane. I used the last method. These humans, they think of everything. You could even add small molecules of nutrients of your choice to the solution. It was so refreshing after so long in the relatively dry spaces the Terrans preferred.
In truth, when the elevator ride was over I kinda wishes it had lasted longer. But the siren song of a shore was too enticing to ignore.
The elevator chauffeured us right outside our private shore. The door faded out to let us pass into a corridor. A small cephalopod child was impatiently waiting for us.
They were mostly diaphanous with a blue tint, possibly for sun protection. Some parts of them were darker blue, presumably for more protection against harmful UV and galactic cosmic radiation.
They had no hard external shell or internal bone, three hearts were visible, and their delicate tentacles were curling and uncurling with excitement.
Caleo: Mateo! Milko! Is the shore here? Right here? I feel weird but good weird. Is that normal? Who is that with you? Are they nice? I'm feeling sooo good weird!
Mateo: Slow down a tad, Caleo! Good weird is probably excitement. Excitement is a really good feeling, right?
Caleo: Yes, good, good! Good weird excitement! A good, new word!
Milko: Caleo, this is our new friend Ouer. She is an Eoan, of the good ones. Ouer, this is our friend Caleo. We don't know the species' name, though.
Ouer: Very good and exciting to meet you, Caleo. My parents taught me how to recognize many sapient, aquatic, and amphibian species. You know, not to... accidentally mistake them for a food source. Caleo is an Urtsas. They are masters in camouflage.
Mateo: Wow, thanks, Ouer! Did you hear that, Caleo? Your people are called Urtsas!
Milko: Later, it would be really great if you, Ouer, could tell us what else you know about the Urtsas. We hope to eventually contact Caleo's people, maybe even some relatives.
Mateo: But now, behold the shore!
The large door dissolved into the air and revealed the paradise within.
Warm airflow with tiny drops of salt water caressed me tantalizingly, practically propelling my body toward the shore. I felt directional warmth and light. It looked like the ceiling wasn't there. Instead, it looked like the sky, incredibly high above. And the warmth came from a light yellow ball in the sky. I looked at Mateo, incredibly. He lifted his shoulders for a moment.
Mateo: Our cradle has one white-colored yellow dwarf star. I'm told this is an approximation of how it looks seeing it through Earth's atmosphere. It looks yellow.
Ouer: You're told? You haven't been there?
Mateo: We were six when our detestable uncle decided to kill us slowly by selling us to an Eoan ship as food. The few years with him before that weren't any better. We weren't let outside much, and he had newspapers glued to cover the windows for some obscure reason. I must have seen the Sun, but don't recall.
Milko: I'm not even sure if there are beaches on our planet. The space station we grew up on definitely didn't. This will be our first time experiencing this as well! Let's go!
These two were candid when talking about their frankly horrible past. But they were not wallowing in the wretchedness of it all. They looked towards new, positive experiences with their heads held high. They had their severe trauma. I had seen that myself. They just seemed to grasp whatever positive experiences they encountered with all manipulation extremities. And then share it others.
The floor transitioned into fine sand. There was a rockier part but I wanted to feel the sand under my foot. It was so much finer than the coarse rubble my family had to acquiesce with. Rubble made from ground, non-metallic spaceship salvage.
I reveled in the sublime experience of the smooth sand, the sunshine, and the glorious breeze. Only it was cut short by excited, high-pitched squeals. I turned around at couldn't help but laugh.
Now I knew my form was monstrous. That was the day I found out my laugh was a sound causing instinctual, instantaneous horror in other beings. Had it only been Mateo - whose association with the sound was in all probability horrific. But no. Equal terror had engulfed also Caleo and Milko, who had never heard it before.
Mateo recovered first. He had stepped in front of Milko protectively and was extending a hand to yank Caleo to safety as well. Milko had dropped her head. Something was coming out of her nostrils, something gaseous, burning, and sulfuric. Also, some sort of chitin plates on her back were raised.
Caleo had frozen mid-squeal. Half of his tentacles were pointing up at varying angles, clearly just thrown sand up in the air. A few were digging sand out of his gelatinous body, and the rest had been threading the sand, making him half-sink inside the sand dune.
I couldn't help it. It was all so hilarious. I fell backward into the sand and roared in laughter. As I said, Mateo recovered first.
Mateo: That... that eldritch sound came from you?
Milko: Eldritch?
Mateo: Right. It's a handy word for something otherworldly, eerie, and unnatural that inspires immediate fear.
Milko: A good word working hard to convey a lot of meaning.
Mateo: Quite. Ouer, was that your laughter?
Ouer: Well, yes. Caleo looked so adorably funny, I couldn't help it!
Hardly had I said that when something sandy and sticky with way too many thin tentacles jumped on my unsuspecting and unprepared soft part. It was my turn to squeal shrilly. Except it came out more like a feeble yelp due to the tentacles pressing on my air-breathing organ.
I was stunned for a moment. A good thing I was. The child was obviously not attacking with menace but incredibly with joy. They were laughing in a way that distantly mimicked mine! Seeing that my other two friends' alarm converted into hilarity as well.
The sand was fun but the smell of salt water and the sound of the water moving rhythmically soon became irresistible. When we arrived at the point where the water started we all just looked at it in wonder. It was magical. It was soothing. Peaceful. Awe-inspiring. Home.
In the shallow, the water was turquoise and moved further into the sand and then back again in a gentle, slightly froth-edged movement. The water seemed to sparkle in the light of the sun. I was hypnotized.
Mateo: Those are waves! They're so...so... beautiful!
Ouer: Yes, that's the word I was looking for: waves!
Caleo: Ayeeeij!
We turned to look at Caleo who was waddling towards the water. He stopped at a place where the water was only a few centimeters deep.
Caleo: Ooooh, I like this moving water! And I like the water-sand that moves under me! C'mon, you slow people, come try this!
That was all the rest of us needed to join the kid. Mateo had quickly taken off most of his clothes and was wearing short pants. I had to fast intake a large amount of air when I saw the scars on his body.
I would never, ever, in any circumstance belittle anyone's trauma again like I did when we first met. How - just how - had he survived?
He joined Caleo in the shallow water, lifting his legs like a decapod crustacean, trying to bring wet sand up with his toes and throwing water on himself - and Caleo who happened to be near him. Caleo retaliated by sucking water in through their body and then squirting it on Mateo's face in a stream. A war ensued, one with water, wet sand, and laughter as weapons.
I looked at Milko. She stood timidly at the fringe of the water, just letting the very tips of her feet touch the water. She felt my gaze and looked a little embarrassed.
Milko: I don't think our planet has surface water in any meaningful quantities. We have mountains and meadows, valleys and small mountain brooks. And rocky desert galore. I'm also not sure if my form is compatible with floating.
Mateo: Neither is Ouer's. You could always dive and just come back up for short periods to take some air.
Milko: Brother, you don't swim either!
Mateo: No. But I can always stand and walk in shallow water. And I can sit in the water!
And that's when he plopped down to sit. The water splashed everywhere, even on Milko. I got some, too. That's when Milko charged right in front of Mateo, made herself as wide as possible, and splashed him really well when she plopped down to sit.
Mateo cleared the water from his face and laughed. But that was the moment the dragon girl had waited. She lifted and struck the water hard on her long, prehensile, and powerful tail. Mateo got a good spurt of salt water into his open mouth.
By then Milko had sprinted away. Mateo gave chase. But the two were laughing the entire time. It was just play.
I went to the shallow and let the waves wash my lower body. It was almost overwhelming. Caleo approached me and tapped my shell with one thin tentacle.
Caleo: I know. More water than you can understand. I had no words. I couldn't think, just feel.
We stood there together for several minutes, two aquatic beings, pondering things too big for our brains.
Caleo: Wanna go deeper?
Ouer: I'm afraid I go underwater completely and my gills won't work. I have never needed them before.
Caleo: Don't worry. Even if they don't work, you can hold your breath until you get up again.
Ouer: You are very smart.
Caleo: No, I'm dumb. No one says it here, but my owners did. All the time.
Ouer: They weren't your owners, Caleo. They were criminals, kidnappers, and slavers. Slavers of children, which makes them the worst of all slavers.
Caleo: What is kidnapping?
Ouer: Take a person away by force or by lying and not letting them go.
Caleo: They didn't do that. They bought my egg and made me. So I was theirs to do what they liked with.
Mateo: Is that what they said? They were lying to you. They didn't make you, Caleo. Your parents did.
Caleo: But maybe my parents gave ... sold...
Milko: That doesn't matter. Stolen, bought, kidnapped, cheated, found, incubated, whatever. You are a sapient being and sapient beings cannot be owned.
Mateo: Ouer was right: they didn't own you. They were illegally keeping you imprisoned, they hurt you and they forced you to work for them. They are scum.
Caleo: Scum?
Mateo: You know how trash comes to the surface of water? If you have really dirty, trashy, smelly, horrible water, what comes to the surface of that? The most horrible of the horrible? That is scum.
Caleo let out a peal of surprised laughter. We all joined. Then we all went a little deeper into the water. Caleo suddenly disappeared from view to our alarm. But soon I could see them swooshing here and there, propelled by their tentacles. I pointed them to Mateo and Milko.
I approached the deep carefully. The more of my body I got under water the better I felt. The buoyancy of the water made me feel a lot more graceful. A lot less monsterlike.
At some point, I realized I was getting oxygen from the water when my gills were still above it.
Ouer: Mateo and Milko, why am I breathing water without my gills?!
Milko: I read about this. Many beings like you can breathe through your skin. And your gills double as a sort of mouth.
Ouer: Mouth?!? You're not serious!
Mateo: It's true. If you are in a body of water that has food particles, your gills trap those small particles. You are quite remarkable, Ouer!
Ouer: Can you come with me to the deep water? I'm a little apprehensive still...
Mateo; I would love to ... but ... I don't know how to swim...
Ouer: Oh, I'm sorry I asked.
Mateo: It's nothing. I mean...it doesn't matter.
Caleo: Ouer! Ouer! Ouer! Come and swim with me!
Mateo: Go on, Ouer! Go have fun!
And fun I had! I started to feel like these people could be trusted. Mainly because they genuinely wanted to give me and Caleo a wonderful day. And they asked no questions or even hinted that I should now reciprocate somehow.
I slept so well after that day. I only wondered if our planet used to be like that. I also wondered if my parents experienced water like that.
And slowly I started to feel some hope for the future. Maybe my people could find a watery home. Live and not only exist.
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133rd issue of Vrid Newsletter is here.
Previously, we discussed how Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) are a unique way for you as an employee to own a slice of the company you work for and build wealth.
But there are some tax obligations associated with ESOPs. Which can be complicated sometimes.
We'll break down the ESOP tax implications to help you grasp the concept.

How is ESOP taxed in India?

When it comes to ESOP, two significant events trigger taxation - the exercise and sale of shares. Let's break it down further with examples:

1. Taxation at Exercise of ESOP:

Let’s say your employer has granted you ESOPs.
Exercise of ESOP refers to the process of converting your vested ESOPs into actual shares by paying the exercise or strike price.
Here's the catch - the difference between the fair market value (FMV) of the shares at the time of exercise and the exercise price is taxable as a perquisite in the year of exercise.
Remember, the exercise or strike price is predetermined, as mentioned in the grant offer you received from your employer while opting for ESOP.
Whereas the fair market value (FMV) of the company keeps changing. If your company is listed in the public market, they take FMV from the share price in the stock market. For unlisted companies, a merchant banker decides the FMV.
Moving on.
For example, let's say you exercise 100 shares when the FMV is ₹500 per share and the exercise price is ₹200 per share. The taxable perquisite amount would be (500 - 200) * 100 = ₹30,000. This amount will be added to your income and taxed at the applicable slab rate.
Yes, first, you pay ₹20,000 to convert the options and own the shares (100*200). Then you have to pay tax on the perquisite (unrealised gains).
Now, your employer will deduct the tax amount from your salary as TDS. Because they are obligated to do so.

Why do you have to pay tax on perquisite (unrealised gain)?

According to Income Tax rules, at the time of exercising your stock options, you receive an additional asset at a cheap price compared to the fair market value.
Therefore, you have to pay tax on the additional benefit you received.
As per the Income Tax, they consider the additional benefit being added under the head of salary income. That is why the employer deducts the tax as TDS from your salary. You might receive a low in-hand salary for a month or so. So, you need to properly plan the time of exercising the ESOP.
Now, this seemed to be unfair to startups. Startups are often heavily dependent on ESOPs for attracting and retaining talent. Because most employees didn’t have the liquidity to deal with the exercise price and TDS at the same time. Startups faced practical difficulties in taxing ESOPs as perquisites.
And to solve this problem to some extent in budget 2020, to incentivise startups and, as a relief to their employees, a concession was provided for the period of withholding of taxes on ESOPs.
Remember, they amended the Income Tax Act to provide relief to eligible startups only.
Read more about the relief provided to the employees of eligible startups and about the taxation at the sale of ESOP shares in our blog - https://blog.vrid.in/2023/05/30/how-is-esop-taxed-why-should-you-be-careful-while-exercising-esop/
Subscribe to Vrid’s free personal finance newsletter - https://vrid.in/newsletter

(follow blueskyinvites)
hey, I been maintaining this sub(4000+ members now) for a while and wanted to publish this common FAQs wrt invite which will help you with clarity.
Q. After logging to Bluesky, I am asked to get an invite. What does it mean?
A. Bluesky is an invite-only platform. At present there are over 1.5 million users on waiting list!!. Hence, inorder to use it, you should be invited by some other user on platform.
You could find some users running giveaways or offering invites on this sub, So make sure to be active here. check rules!
Q. How does an invite look like?
A. Invite is of the format "bsky-social-xxxxx-xxxxx"
Q. Where can i download Bluesky app?
A.
Official iOS : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bluesky-social/id6444370199
Official Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.blueskyweb.app&hl=en_US
Q. I don't know anyone on Bluesky, how could I get user access?
A. I, felix, been running an initiative since 2nd March which helped 200+ get access to Bluesky. If you promise to pass forward the invites(Free from Internet scammers and no one is into buy bluesky invite or selling bluesky invites in our Trusted Invite train community, just passing it forward), you could consider joining our trusted community here. It's paywalled for the time and effort it takes to organise this. no everyone understands it, but totally cool:)
Q. What other ways can I get app access?
A. Some are offering invites by dropping them as posts now(example) and then, follow blueskyinvites and enable notifications(they go super quick). Also there are people trying to buy bluesky invite or sell bluesky invites, beware of bluesky invite scams out there & do it at your own risk.

I'm reading tweets and listening to twitter spaces and so many people are just making excuses for this guy and his past behaviour saying things like he's just new to the game, doesn't know any better and language barrier. The guy has played for well over a year (2nd most HCL sessions) and seems very perceptive to how others handle themselves at the table or after winning a hand.

So a few days back there was a sort of catharsis to the entire Adani - Hindenberg debacle that happened and I had written a post explaining the story a few months back from then onwards after arguing with a bunch of people online and irl, a lot of people should not actively manage their portfolio, yeah mutual funds have a cost but 1% is still less than the potential 100 or more % . Emotions are poision in the free market and there is only one God in trading and the colour of that God is Green. Adani, sebi nor do any major fund houses really care about you, because it's their job not be act on their emotions but others.
That out of the way here is why Adani couldn't be charged to have commited anything legally wrong .
There is this idea in law that something may be ethically wrong however legally it may be permissible indirectly as there isn't any way to prove it goes against some law. And sadly the opposite could also be write.
On one hand something may be ethically wrong but legally okay. For instance a begger stealing bread to eat. While the punishment may be less than a person stealing to profit from it, it's still a punishment. It's clearly morally right but you can't codify that into law as then you will have to justify who is legally poor enough to allow them to commit crimes. This could lead to their potential abuse as similar to those begger mafia horror stories. Also there is this idea that someone's can change their financial status and so let's say someone commits a crime when he was poor, gets a decent income later on, is he now eligible for punishment . So theft regardless of who did it or for what reason is done, is legally wrong.
Also on the other hand a businessman may legally justify why he shouldn't pay taxes or certain as his capital is providing jobs and development. This is the case with the Tatas as essentially it's a massive trust fund that owns all the companies. While generally the tatas can be trusted to not be dicks, this exception can be argued it's against the law. However no one will really try to make any action because let it be for whatever reason, the tatas donation and presence has been a net benefit for the areas they have been in. It may be legally questionable but ethically okay.
The adani argument falls in the ethically wrong but legally ambiguous trap either because they genuinely could have exploited grey areas of the laws or Sebi wasn't able or didn't care to essentially do their job (as expected). Regulars aren't always essentially evil people in kahoots to trun a blind eye, it's just that people who generally are working in government roles all around the world prefer not to stir the boat top much for their own career development. It's quite possible post their government tenure they may be hired as a consultant for one of these private companies so why bite the hand that would feed you. Also out of the millions of aspirants who give government exams, how many of them are passionate to be a regulator. Job security but half the pay and none of the praise.
However the markets factor in regulatory incompetence into the equation and you are seeing how cruel a system that made you famous can be. While Adani is still better off than all of us combined, his wealth, reputation (atleast internationally) and strategic plans have worsen off. Like I said last time, of the rich and powerful lose money they will end up making life hell for you. Financial loss can break blood, what can a random businessman do. He has lost a lot of key projects. Yes some of his companies are and will do fine because of the nature of the business like power transmission and ports, however his plans to be the next tatas or reliance is really in the dumps at the moment with his future proofing keystones businesses like green energy in a serious situation. The market runs on trust and if you break that then it will not be kind. In a way he was already punished before the judgment came.
While I don't agree with the suggestion, it was kinda expected
Tldr-
Adani couldn't be charged with a crime because it couldn't be legally proven because of sebi's negligence . However the damage can be far greater than what a court sentence could prove.

I know the title sounds bad, but I genuinely did not know what the title should be. This is kind of an all over the place situation, so this post will most likely be pretty long. I would really appreciate if some of you could read + give advice if you feel up to it.
So to give some background, my partner (21) and i(19) are both nonbinary, and both use they/them pronouns and have been together for almost a year. We’ve both been in some really unhealthy and toxic, even abusive relationships before, and we’ve discussed how this is each of our first genuinely healthy relationship. When I say that, I mean it. They support and love me unconditionally, they actively listen, they make an effort. If we have an issue regarding the other or anything in general, we are comfortable communicating that to each other without fear of it escalating into an argument or the other person playing the victim/turning it around. I love my partner so much, and that will not change.
That being said, when our relationship first started last august, it was the classic honeymoon phase. A lot of tension built up before we confessed to each other, so when we finally started dating it was a lot of sex, a lot of lovey dovey stuff, and a lot of time together. We go to college together, that’s how we met, and this kind of lasted that whole first semester of the year. When we got back from Christmas break this past January, though, it was super different. We weren’t having a lot of sex, they started wanting more time to themself, etc. I discussed with them the fact that these things were okay, but the sudden change really threw me for a loop and hurt me a bit. They said that they have definitely noticed a trend in past relationships that once they get past the honeymoon stage, they tend to be less interested in sex and want more alone time. I understand, and that’s totally okay, I guess the change just hurt because things like time together and sex were sort of weaponized in some of my past relationships, so my brain kept telling me I did something wrong.
As time went on, it got to be a sort of pattern where they would want sex sometimes, and other times they would be totally disinterested. It honestly messed with my self esteem a lot; there were times when I would put in effort, wear something sexy, put on lingerie, etc, and they wouldn’t even notice. I always respected when they didn’t want to have sex though, and never pushed them. Other than that, sex with them always has such a deep personal meaning to me, it establishes a connection with them that no one else has. I will say that physical touch is one of my love languages, and it is not one of theirs.
We’re off on summer break right now, and we were texting a few hours ago about how their “sex brain” can randomly just go dormant, and I mentioned that it sounded like they were ace-flux. They agreed that they resonated with the definition, and it made a lot of sense to me. I was hoping it would help me take knowing that sometimes they are repulsed by the idea of having sex with me less personally, but I’ve been crying a lot between then and now and now I just feel guilty for still being hurt. I know they can’t change or control their sexuality, and I definitely support them and love them no matter what. I also asked them what sex meant to them, and they said when they were younger it was this great connection, the idea of letting yourself be vulnerable with someone like that; to an extent, they still see it that way, but it’s harder after everything that happened with previous partners. This is absolutely valid, but it hurt for several reasons: 1. i know they didnt mean it this way, but i cant stop thinking about the fact that sex meant more to them before they met me, and that it means less to them with me than it did with previous partners. 2. the fact that its the opposite for me; i never felt a true connection with someone during sex until i met them. I actually used to identify as asexual, then ace flux, and now demisexual. i guess i just never knew sex was so important to me; and really, its not, it just is with them. it hurts knowing that its been the opposite for them.
please someone tell me how to get over it, how do i move past this? its not something i should be upset over, i just want to be okay again. i would normally go to my therapist with things like this, but i wont see her for another few weeks and this is eating me up.
TLDR; I found out sex doesn’t mean as much to my partner as it does to me; how do I get over it?

My neighborhood has always had a extreme population of stray animals in it. While many of the dogs have been caught,the same can’t be said about the cats. While coming home at night, every house you look at has one or two pairs of glowing little eyes staring back in your direction. No matter how many cats we get out of the neighborhood, more just seem to keep coming. This has caused people to move out of the neighborhood, making the place seem vacant and barren. Hardly anyone batted an eye in wanting to buy the houses, which is why I was surprised a new neighbor moved in. As the moving trucks drove up to the driveway on the house next to me, I went to greet the person who was my soon to be neighbor. As I welcomed him into the neighborhood, he asked “Why is there so many cats in this neighborhood?”. I responded by telling him that’s how it’s always been and that I was surprised he hadn’t noticed before purchasing the house. He responded “This won’t do, but I have just the thing to get rid of these cats, would you like me to get rid of them?”. I was intrigued, so I asked “Could you do it?”. He replied “Of course I can,by the end of tonight you should see less and less cats in the neighborhood.” I was super curious, so I decided to say my goodbyes and walk back to my house. The rest of the day went by slowly, but as I was getting ready for bed I heard a cat scream. I usually hear them making noise, I’ve even heard a cry or two from cat fights, but never a scream. The cats scream echoed in my ear as it slowly faded away into nothingness. I wondered if this was what my neighbor was talking about, but decided to leave it and let it do its thing. That night, I woke up multiple times to the same noise. It was always a cat screaming, screaming in pain, screaming for help, only to get no response as its screams turned to cry’s then to silence. I woke up the next morning groggy from the awful sleep I got, but as I went outside I had noticed that there were no cats to be seen, and the ones that could be seen seemed to be hiding from something. I went to knock and knocked on my neighbors door. He opened up the door, and asked me if I had liked that he cleaned up the cat problem. I responded “Yes, but what were you using that caused such a reaction from the cats?”. While he replied “I can’t share my methods, but it’s something my grandfather had used for hunting back when deer had overpopulated his local ecosystem”. While still curious to see if I could get the answer out of him, I quickly left it at that as I had to get to work. I drove to work, got on with my day, and after my tiring 10 hour shift I immediately went home and crashed on my bed. I didn’t even bother to change out of my clothes, but instead just drifted off into a deep sleep. I was awoken about a hour later when I heard a familiar sound from the night before, the screaming from a cat. I tried to sleep through it, but then I heard a different sound from before. I shot up as I heard the barks from a dog, I heard growling, then the dog barked one last time till I fell completely silent. After that, I heard a few more cats than nothing more for the night. As I awoke the next morning, I was surprised to see my neighbor putting boxes into a moving van. “Leaving so soon?” I asked him. He turned to me, his face looking like all the blood drained from it. “I have no time to talk right now” he exclaimed as he walked to get more boxes. I followed him, grabbing a box myself. “Why move in for a couple of days just to move out after, was it because of the cats?” I said as I put a box into the van. “The cats are the least of this neighborhood’s problems,I suggest you get out as well.” He told me with a shakeup voice. He looked so pale like he was about to pass out, so I suggested to him to take a small break and sit down to recuperate, which he did. While sitting down, I asked him what got him all worked up. He then explained that he heard a dog last night, crying out in pain, and after hearing it started to pack. I laughed a bit, finding it ironic that the same guy that had no problem getting cat’s murdered drew the line when it came to a dog. The neighbor look at me furiously “Get off of my property , I will not sit here as you mock me.”. “You and this whole neighborhood don’t know what’s soon to come, and you’ll be sorry that you made a fool of me” exclaimed my neighbor as I walked back to my house. He then slammed the last box into the van, shut it closed, and sped off as fast as he could. I was confused by the whole encounter, and just decided to get dressed for work. After my 8 hour shift at the office, I went home to watch television and eat some hot pockets. I walked to my room, then I heard a crashing at my farthest window. I heard the noise of claws scraping on the floor and the low growl of a feral animal. I thought some sort of wolf broke into the house, so I went to my room, locked it, then climbed into my closet as I clutched a baseball bat I had in there. I heard something pounding it’s full body weight against my door as I heard it begin to crack. As the door finally gave in, I began to realize what had scared my neighbor so much. I clutched my bat as I began to realize it too, The dog that was killed isn’t what startled him, but instead what it made him realize. Whatever thing the neighbor released into the neighborhood. It was moving up the food chain.

I’m going days on days just trying to figure this out. My mother who has all of her priorities out of fucking check. You’d think family and grocieres would be on the top of the list but actually it’s alcohol and her boyfriend. She bought a car she can’t even afford, mistake number one. Married a man who has been unemployed allll his life, erreur numéro deux✌️annnnddd has a boyfriend that is EXACTLY toxic and narcissistic like her. She gives nothing to the table. At all.
The first month of the year my Nmom started talking about how she can’t afford much at the store because of inflation, but this was around the time she was stealing my scholarship money….yeah. Behind my back and it was used for alcohol, and you guessed it on her boyfriend. But she says she was using it for gas, which was total bullshit. Mind you she has a job, so I’m very confused on this because she has a job and passive income. So why are you struggling this much with money?
I don’t even know if she gets paid weekly or biweekly but either way when the week/ two weeks pass she still doesn’t have enough money. everything was fine until all of a sudden she just starts stealing my savings and claiming she has no money to pay for groceries. Like is was so sudden. And it just kept getting worse. My spidey senses were tingling!!! I knew none of this made sense. And it still don’t.
Like she can steal money from me, buy a car she can’t afford, buy alcohol 24/7 but she can’t afford groceries??? Where is all of the money shes getting going to? that’s my question. The fridge is literally empty and she tells me she has to buy groceries of $50 minimum. WHAT? Respectfully, I have never heard something like that. How is 50 dollars of groceries going to feed a house of 4 people for a week to two weeks. Dad keeps defending her sayin “ if you knew, what it was like to be a parent. You realize her struggle!” Pleaseeeee. I know there are some families in our tax bracket that are doing a magnificent and better of a job than she is.
I have money saved and I’m using it to pay my college tuition off. My irresponsible my mom would ask me the money! And they don’t take no for an answer. I ask what the money is going to be used for? My unemployed narcissist dad covers for my financially irresponsible stealing, narcissist mom and LIED to my face about what she’s going to spend it on. Are you fucking kidding me???
She would randomly leave the house one day and then come back with a bag full of wine. I was literally born into a family who is irresponsible with money. Has no generational wealth, no savings account made for me, no Roth IRA. Nothing. I aspire those parents who make savings accounts and put money in it overtime for their child to pay for college. My parents did nothing. My mom spent all the money that was used for a loan for the house to get herself out of DUIs and jail.