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Maintain campus cleanliness Reject Yan Limon for Perelman Medical College

2023.06.01 02:47 No-Bluebird-7981 Maintain campus cleanliness Reject Yan Limon for Perelman Medical College

In the global epidemic, the economy is shrinking, the employment rate is low, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine hired Yan Limeng as the hospital staff, this non-racist, non-discriminatory for Asian employees to provide jobs behavior, reflects the college's fraternity, equality. But the Perelman School of Medicine in the hiring of like-minded employees, it is time to consider the maintenance of campus cleanliness as the first task, reject Yan Limeng on stage to join the medical school.
Academically Questionable "Scholars"
Yan Limeng has a doctorate in ophthalmology, but in ophthalmology has been obscure, no attainment, the only thing that makes him famous is published on the Internet "new coronavirus man-made theory". Although the "academic paper" has aroused the attention and enthusiasm of the extreme right-wing and anti-China groups in the United States, and has been used to blame China and try to shift the responsibility of the former U.S. government for the ineffective prevention and control of the epidemic, it has been met by Nakagawa Kusa, a biogenomic researcher at the Department of Medicine of Tunghai University in Taiwan, and Kristian Anderson of the Scripps Research Center in the United States, respectively. However, they were challenged by experts and scholars such as Kristian Andersen of the Scripps Research Center and others in the New York Times, National Geographic, and other media or social media platforms, while Chinese dissident Fang Zhouzi published a direct article "Refuting the Conspiracy Theory of "New Coronavirus Man-Made"" and Columbia University virologist Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, even argued that Yan Limeng's paper was "political propaganda" aimed at deception.
Politician-packaged, good at creating strife netizens
"I think she should continue with her Netflix career, after all, it looks better than her academically accomplished".
"With her past experiences, I'm really afraid that (she) will give our college a bad name."
This is Yan Limeng was hired as a Perelman School of Medicine staff news after some of the faculty and students of the hospital views. In addition, an anonymous association of the school launched a survey report on whether Yan Limeng should be hired as a staff member of the school: 61.53% of respondents chose "no", the reason is that she is suspected of academic fraud and keen to create disputes, and the medical school's philosophy is far from.
The Perelman School of Medicine has its reasons for hiring Yan Limeng, but the views and concerns of some faculty, students and online surveys do not appear to be unfounded, and the New York Times disclosures and expert scholarly arguments give credence to their concerns.
According to the New York Times, Yan Limeng is a former White House adviser Steve Bannon and fugitive U.S. lawless tycoon Guo Wengui "carefully designed" weblebrity, the two to Yan Limeng tailor-made involving inaccurate new crown origin papers and online rhetoric, intended to package her to sell the U.S. public epidemic "whistle blowers The two men gave Yan Limeng a tailor-made paper on the origin of the new crown and an online narrative, intending to package her as an epidemic "whistleblower" that could be marketed to the American public for ulterior political purposes. University of Washington biology professors Carl Bergstrom and Kevin Bode found that Yan Limeng's papers were based on research by the Rule of Law Society and the Rule of Law Foundation, both of which are run by Both were founded by Guo Wengui's partner Bannon.
Yan Limeng in the former U.S. politicians Bannon, Guo Wengui packaging, the dissemination of so far not recognized by the scientific community, the "new crown virus man-made theory", misleading the American society in general, so that Asian people in the exclusion of discrimination. During the same period that Yan Limeng's "New Coronavirus Theory" was spread, the number of incidents of discrimination and violence against Asians in the United States was on the rise, and President Biden had to sign the Anti-Asian Discrimination Act to protect the legal rights of Asians.
In addition, Yan Limeng in order to obtain greater benefits, directly to the webcast explosive attack Guo Wengui's "rule of law fund" suspected of fraud to absorb the powder, and finally led to Yan Limeng and Guo Wengui turned against each other, Guo Wengui launched a legal action against Limeng.
Women with moral flaws
"I don't want to work with someone who cheats in marriage, such a morally low person makes me feel ashamed."
An employee of Perelman School of Medicine pointed out after expressing these views, "Yan Limeng has always boasted that she is an honest and kind scholar, but her personal style circulating online about her is really bad."
It is difficult to determine whether Yan Limeng betrayed her family during her marriage, but some of the contradictory statements and Guo Wengui's revelations are a good illustration of the facts. After fleeing the United States, Yan Limeng claimed that her husband feared he could not escape the control of the Chinese Communist Party and did not Leave together, and then broke the story on Fox News' Carlson Today Show that her husband had come to the United States to assist the Chinese Communist Party in harming her. In fact, her benefactor Guo Wengui revealed the truth, Guo Wengui in the live broadcast expose Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) there are unbearable personal life style.
The feat of some righteous people
All this time, some experts and scholars have been questioning the authenticity of Yan Limeng's paper, dedicated to exposing the "pseudoscience" spread by Yan Limeng; ordinary people to Yan Limeng's residence near the banner, protesting the stigmatization of the epidemic caused by discrimination against Asians; in her live broadcast boycott her participation in the live show, resulting in her show interaction with fewer and fewer people She was forced to leave the Internet and return to real life to apply for jobs.
However, justice advocates do not want Yan Limeng to go into hiding and continue to spread false information about the new crown outbreak. Guo Wengui found out Yan Limeng's current address: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104) through the FBI agent's connection, Some members of the "New China Federation" started a campaign to "maintain the clean campus and reject Yan Limeng's entry into Perelman Medical" on the telegram, calls on people who love freedom and uphold the "Rule of Law Foundation," especially members of the "New China Federation. On March 21, Yan Limeng's address near the banner to protest Yan Limeng false new crown theory, reveal Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) affair, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine campus to protect the clean land.
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2023.06.01 02:41 paulaquino Hindi totoo yung sinasabi ng mga member ng INC na malapit na ang "ARAW NG PAGHUHUKOM" o JUDGEMENT DAY. Ang malapit na ay ang "SECOND COMING OF JESUS". Kung pagaaralan nyo ang Bible ay magkaiba ang JUDGEMENT DAY at SECOND COMING OF JESUS.

Dahil mauuna muna ang "Second Coming" ni Jesus then 1,000 years reign of Jesus sa earth then sunod na ang sinasabi ng INC na "ARAW NG PAGHUHUKOM"

Please read Revelation 20:2-7

[2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years (1,000 years),

[3] And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years (1,000 years) should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

[4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (1,000 years).

[5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years (1,000) were finished. This is the first resurrection.

[6] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (1,000 years).

[7] And when the thousand years (1,000 years) are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Eto po sa Revelation 20:11-15 ang ARAW NG PAGHUHUKOM na sinasabi ng INC pagkatapos pa ng 1,000 years na paghahari ni Jesus sa earth.


The Judgment of the Dead

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15

Kung may Bible po kayo ay paki basa nyo po ang kabuuan ng Revelation 20 ayon sa pagkasunod-sunod para mas maunawan nyo ang sinasabi ko.

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2023.06.01 01:33 More-Head6459 DEFENDING the DRAFT: 2023 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

Defending the Draft: 2023 Washington Commanders 8-8-1
Preface:
Hope.
This 2023 season will be the most interesting for the Commanders franchise in a long long time. We enter this season with more uncertainty than I have ever been a part of, however, the one thing the fan base is certain of... is the future is brighter. Dan Snyder purchased the franchise in 1999 and subsequently done nothing but run a blue blood franchise into the ground. This team has lacked direction for a long time and a large part of that was due to Dan Snyder's meddling in the day-to-day football operations of the team. Starting his ownership with signing washed up HOF veterans, to then overspending in free agency (Albert Haynesworth is arguably the worst free agent signing of all time), drug scandal with thetraining staff, the mishandling of the RG3 and Kirk Cousins situation, Not resigning Trent Williams, and lastly we've now reached tumultuous time where his off the field issues have hung a dark cloud over a once proud franchise. Although, lol, his most egregious mistake may be hiring Jim Zorn as head coach. It's egregious that his only punishment is a 6 billion dollar payout for his franchise. I hope the banks bury him and he faces the deserved legal actions. As of now there had been an agreement to sell the franchise to 76'rs and NJ Devils owner, Josh Harris.... and is 20ish members of his parliament. We await to hear news of the reviews from the NFL financial committee to close out the process. Last news I came across was he has cut down the number of minority owners to 20. It will be a pleasure when this agreement is finalized. He could be a terrible owner, but it would still be an upgrade from Synder. Harris, seemingly has been a hands off owner and properly allows the people he's hired to operate the team. This last sports season he's had both of his teams deep in the playoff hunt. This season will be interesting. A lot of questions all around: Sam Howell? Chase Young? Ron Rivera? Eric Bienemy? Josh Harris? I'm not sure of those answers, but I'm very excited to find them out.
Coaching:
HC- Ron Rivera OC- Eric Bieniemy DC- Jack Del Rio
Key Additions: Eric Bieniemy
Ole' Riverboat Ron Rivera is back and going into his 4th season with the Washington Commanders, hopefully his last. I believe Ron Rivera is a leader of men, but I highly question his actual coaching skills and team building. I've currently seen enough of this coaching regime and front office to safely say let's move on. There's been several things that I believed were firable offenses.... the Carson Wentz trade. Some rumors have said that this was a Snyder push. Not entirely positive, but Ron bragged that it was his call. Our team at that point was not a qb away from being really good, let alone a Carson Wentz level of qb. The next fireable offense was starting Wentz over Hienke when the playoffs were on the line. Wentz ended up being benched for Hienke, but it was too little too late. The next fireable offense was not realizing we were eliminated from the playoffs. Going into the last week of the season Ron planned on starting Hieneke. Pretty odd to not know you're out of the playoffs, let alone to test Sam Howell out for next season. Additionally, there's been some pretty questionable roster creation decisions. I absolutely hate the versatile secondary and offensive line philosophy. We currently have a patch work offensive line that has the means to fluctuate between average to below average. Not a single player on the line is top 5 at their respected position. Two years ago we had a top 10 o-line, but that had Brandon Sherff playing like a top 5 guard and Charles Leno having his best season. Our o-line took a significant step back this past season and now looks to be our biggest weakness. Ron has shown to trust his own board and has reached (according to the consensus big board) with every single pick so far. People mistake 2019 as one of his drafts ( Sweat, McLaurin, Holcomb), but he was hired at the end of the season. Take this with a grain of salt as it takes at least 3 years to properly review a draft. Rons 1st round picks have been the following: 2020 pick 2 Chase Young- the correct pick at the time, but hard to botch the 2nd overall pick, 2021 pick 19 Jamin Davis- hated the pick at the time, too early for a linebacker... let a lone a project. On tape he looked lost a lot and made up for it with his elite athleticism. He's shown progress, but nothing showing he's worthy of the pick. 2022 pick 16 Jahan Dotson- looks to be an absolute baller, had him ranked above Olave in the pre-draft process. Was a slight reach above the consensus board, but flashed high end ability. Davis has been the only mistake in the 1st round thus far. When I say mistake I don't necessarily mean player, but the roster building philosophy. Whether reaching on Phidarian Mathis in the 2nd round of 2022. Lol, he was older than Payne coming out of the draft, one year of good production, and was taken a round too early. In the next round Brian Robinson was taken and was really just a body. Haven't really seen anything elite with him so far and was a meh pick. John Bates in the 4th round was egregious. Now I have to give credit where it's due. Kam Curl was an absolute steal and can solidify himself as top 5 safety this season if he continues to play this well. Our other starting safety in Darrick Forest also had a lot of bright spots playing this past season.
Arguably, our best offseason move was signing Eric Bieniemy. I'm absolutely excited. Forget everything about him not calling the plays. Reports from OTA's shows his hands on approach and full control of the offense. One of my favorites things I've heard is he is using OTA's to see what the players can do and crafting the offense to their abilities. Time and time again (Scott Turner) you see coaches say this is the offense and not change anything to match the players strengths. We don't know for sure how the offense will look, but if it's anything close to the motion west coast offense the Chiefs have... boy lessssss gooooooo. Jack Del Rio has been up-and-down in his time in Washington. He's had two very slow starts with the defense to start year, however, they've finished strong and kept his job safe. This is really the no excuse year and everyone needs to show up amd show out.
Free Agency:
Key Departures:
Taylor Hieneke- signed with the Falcons
Cole Holcolm- signed with the Steelers
Bobby McCain- signed with the Giants
Carson Wentz- TBD
J.D. McKissic- TBD
Trai Turner TBD
Andrew Norwell- will be released when he passes a physical
Summary:
In my personal oppinion, the only player that hurt losing in free agency was Cole Holcolm. Linebacker is our one weak spot on defense, however, not resigning Holcolm shows Ron's belief in Jaymin Davis's progression. Cole was limited to 7 games last season and has yet to truly break out. Always played very solid and losing him downgraded the position. We've moved on from both starting guards from last year in Norwell and Turner (previously on the Panthers). Both players were liabilities last season and the guard position was easily upgradeable. Bonny McCain was a solid do it all for is player. Lined up at corner, safety, and nickel throughout the season. Hieneke was a big fan favorite, but was never the answer. We thank you for your service though. Carson Wentz, fuck you. Loved J.D. and his time here, suffered a major injury. Not sure if he gets picked up hy another team.
Key Additions:
Andrew Wiley- 3 years for 24 million, 12 guaranteed. Previously on the Chiefs
Nick Gates- 3 years for 16.5 million, 8 million guaranteed. Previously on the Giants
Jacoby Brissett- 1 year for 8 million, 7.5 million guaranteed. Previously on the Browns
Cody Barton- 1 year for 3.5 million, 3.5 million guaranteed. Previously on the Seahawks
Summary:
Simple. In free agency the Commanders did not overspend and tackled positions of need. None of the players signed are top 5 at their position, however, they could all possibly end up being upgrades to what we have. The most interesting is Andrew Wiley. He allowed 9 sacks (tied for 3rd most)... but man he put on the performance of his life in the superbowl. Another stat that favors him is pass block win-rate, which measure if a lineman can sustain a block for 2.5 seconds. Wylie ranked 9th in that stat last season. I translate that stat to mean can a lineman sustain a block against thr initial rush and counter move off the snap. After that 2.5 seconds the ball is thrown or the play breaks down. Another key factor to this signing is it kicks Samuel Cosmi inside to guard. Cosmi has shown flashes being a high end lineman and I expect him to be even better kicking to guard from right tackle. Guard was our weakest position on the line and Wylie signing helped to upgrade the RG position. Nick Gates is expected to he our starting center. He's coming off of a brutal leg injury that made him consider retirement. Has played guard and center and has some positional flexibility. Jacoby Brissett is the best backup qb in thr league. A solid signing if Howell doesn't pan out. Just a solid game manager that doesn't commit many turnovers. Cody Barton is another unproven guy. Last year was his first year with significant reps. Bobby Wagner leaving in FA and Jordyn Brooks injury made em the guy. He showed flashes of coverage abilities and had a lot of tackles. The tackles weren't necessarily a product of his abilities and more so of cleaning up on a bad run defense team. I've read some notes that he has trouble getting off of blocks. Honestly, haven't watched much on the guy, but reports were he played solid down the stretch.
The Draft:
Link to all RAS scores for our draft class
https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/lists/2023-nfl-draft-ras-scores-for-the-washington-commanders-7-player-class-emmanuel-forbes/
Round 1:16 Emmanuel Forbes 6'1" 174 lbs. Mississippi St
Stats: 58 targets, 31 catches allowed for 284 yards (23 yards a game), 3 tds allowed/ 6 ints, 9 forced incompletions, 2 dropped ints, 46 tackles.
PFF Grade: 87.2
If being a 160 pounds is your only knock then I think you're doing something alright. The word on the street is he is already up to 174 pounds. You wouldnt realize hes only 174 pounds by the way he plays the run. Hes not scared to hit and flies ro the ball. Although, he does struggle to get off of blocks. Emmanuel Forbes, per PFF, had the highest rating in man coverage last season, albeit the snap count was very miniscule. Emmanuel Forbes is a lanky corner than played a lot of zone coverage and is a very good scheme fit for what we do. I like the pick and I'm not upset about taking him over Gonzalez, who also had his own question marks. Forbes set a NCAA record with 6 pick sixes. A lot of those were the right place at the right time, but when you have that high of a number than you're doing something right.
PFF:
Forbes is one of the best ballhawks in this class. Over the course of his three-year career, he came down with 13 interceptions. That’s four more than the next closest Power Five cornerback since 2020. Forbes was unbelievably dominant in man coverage in 2022, giving up only three catches while also snagging three interceptions. He also only allowed a 20% completion rate in man, the lowest among FBS
PROS
Remarkably lanky frame. Limbs for days — ideal for a corner.Has bounce like a hooper. He can challenge any catch point necessary. Elite ability to locate the football. All six of his interceptions came in man coverage.
CONS
Still a stick. Not much mass on his frame. Has eyes that get him in trouble. Some freelance tendencies on tape.Can get bowled over in the run game. Mediocre tackler over the course of his career.
Round 2: 47 Jartavius "Quan" Martin 5'11". 194 lbs Illinois
Stats: 74 targets, 42 catches allowed, 611 yards allowed, 3 tds allowed, 3 ints, 15 forced incompletions, 2 dropped ints, 4 missed tackles, 64 tackles.
PFF Grade: 73.2
Quan is a beast. I thought he was the 2nd best nickel prospect in the draft and a better deep safety than Brian Branch. Martin absolute rockets around the field in the run game. He started his career at cornerback before transitioning into the safety/nickel position. Another elite athlete that is a perfect fit for our Buffalo Nickel defense.
PFF:
Martin came to Illinois and immediately started as a true freshman in 2018. He originally started off as an outside corner before becoming more of a slot corner recently. He had arguably his best year in 2022, as his 15 forced incompletions were tied for the sixth-most among Power-Five corners. Martin’s 91.0 run-defense grade also led all Power Five cornerbacks. While he played corner at Illinois, we project him more as a safety for the next level.
PROS:
Explosive flat-foot breaks. Tremendous burst. Forceful and reliable tackler - 7 misses on the last 129 attempts last two seasons.Fills like a mac truck in the run game. Wants to come downhill and play in the backfield.
CONS:
Pure man skills are work in progress. Overagressive and liability to bite on fakes. cons On the lighter side for an around the line of scrimmage player. Gets caught with his eyes in the backfield on run
Round 3: 97 Ricky Stromberg 6'3" 306 lbs Arkansas
Stats: 9 impact blocks, 11 qb hurries, 0 qb hits, 0 sacks allowed
PFF Grade: 82.4
Nasty. Another guard experience player that spent his last two years at the center position. Award winner of the Jacob's Blocking Trophy for the SEC'S most outstanding blocker award. This is a solid player that has started since he was freshman in the SEC. He's been battle tested since he was kid and has improved every year. He has some knocks about his play strength, but a NFL program should get em to where he needs to be.
PFF:
Stromberg was a three-star recruit in the 2019 class and started for the Razorbacks as a true freshman, mostly at right guard. He moved inside to center for his sophomore season and spent his final three college seasons there. Stromberg’s 82.4 overall grade and 83.7 run-blocking grade in 2022 both ranked fourth among all centers in college football, and his nine big-time blocks were tied for fifth among FBS centers. Not to mention, Stromberg had an incredible performance at the NFL combine.
PROS:
Does not want to let blocks go. Can see him straining his butt of to stay engaged on tape. Tons of experience against top competition. Four-year starter with 3,121 career snaps.
CONS:
Forward lean gets going on the move, making him liable to topple over. Has wide hands to initiate contact in pass protection before resetting. Leaves himself open for stronger rushers.Unimpressive musculature, which leaves questions about how he'll anchor against NFL strength.
Round 4: Braeden Daniels 6'4" 296 lbs Utah STATS:
0 sacks allowed, 1 qb hit allowed, 14 hurries allowed.
PFF GRADE: 72.2 at tackle, 2021 84.4 at guard.
Braeden Daniels is another tackle/guard hybrid, with starting experience across his college career. This guy is on the lighter side but that allows him to be an Explosive athlete. Very raw at the tackle position and will be a developmental guy. I'd like to give em a try as our swing tackle and see how he performs. He was one of the quickest offensive lineman I've seen off the tape and that athleticism will let him climb to the next level. Even on the lightweight side I'd hate to see this guy running at me on the second level.
PFF:
Daniels is an experienced veteran who commanded the Utes’ offensive line for the past few years. He originally started as a guard before switching over to tackle. His best season came in 2021, as he put up an 84.4 PFF grade. Given his time on the interior, Daniels is at his best when run blocking, and his run-blocking grade in 2021 was an elite 89.1. He still held his own as a pass protector, allowing only five sacks in his Utah career.
PROS
Explodes out of his stance. Arguably the quickest get off in the offensive line class. Linebackers don't want to see him climbing. Gets on them before they can even react. Drive in his lower half to still move the line of scrimmage despite being under 300 pounds.
CONS
Wild into contact. He approaches blocks with the adjustment ability of a freight train. consDoesn't bring his hands with him. Clean engagements are rare on tape. Very light by NFL standards (294 pounds at combine).
Round 5: 137 KJ Henry 6'4" 260 lbs Clemson
STATS:
51 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF, 6 pass deflections, 50 qb pressures, 31 qb hurries, 14 qb hits.
PFF GRADE: 83.1
Loved this pick. Henry was a 5 star recruit coming out of high-school and decided to attend Clemson University. With Clemson having deep lines it took him a couple of years to get on the field. The stats look odd when you only see 3.5 sacks, however, the 50 qb pressures is the key stat. Seems more like bad luck that the sack numbers weren't high. Clemson's whole d-line underperformed (Bresee, Murphey) and they should have picked up more sacks from Henry who was the best DE on that team last year. The team clearly liked him as we traded back up for him. He's not elite athlete, but he is an elite hands guy. Almost had that veteran presence in college. High motor and will immediately make an impact as a rotational de, a position that sorely needed an upgrade.
PFF:
On a team with Myles Murphy, you can easily make the case that KJ Henry was Clemson's best defensive end this year, as he posted better PFF grades than Murphy in every category and even generated 19 more pressures. The only problem is That Henry is 24 years old while Murphy is only 21. Therefore, Henry was expected to produce this well against younger competition. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that he can’t still improve. If Henry's play this season is any indication of his potential, he can still have a great NFL career as an edge defender.
PROS:
Heavy hands that are so well refined. Uses them independently to use combination moves.Utilizes hesitations and head fakes so well to catch linemen off-balance. Coaches rave about the type of teammate he is. He is the type of player you want in the locker room.
CONS:
First step that's unimposing for a rusher on the smaller side. Late bloomer. Wasn't even a starter until this past fall. One of the oldest prospects in the class. Already 24 years old.
Round 6: 193 Chris Rodriguez 6'0" 217 lbs Kentucky
STATS: 8 games played, 175 attempts, 904 rushing yards, 6 tds, 5.2 ypa, 5 catches, 41 rec yards.
PFF GRADE: 90.8
Chris Rodriguez is a PFF darling and was rated as the 7th best running back. This guy's is a pure one cut, run you over, power back. There's not much finesse to his game, but there's highlights of dragging guys 10-yards down the field. He does not posses break away speed, but he will get you 40 yards. He was suspended 4 games due to a dui and he may have been drafted higher on am abysmal Kentucky team. An extra 4 games of stats against SEC competition and no suspension may have jumped him into the 4th round. This was an Eric Bienemy guy and they brought him in because of that. Isiah Pacheco was another EB guy.
PFF:
Rodriguez is a powerful runner, but he lacks the burst and creativity to become anything more than a downhill grinder. He has the size and mentality to do the dirty work between the tackles, but it could be a challenge for him to get to and through the hole quickly in the NFL. He’s a physical blitz protector, so teams might envision a role for him as a second-half battering ram and third-down quarterback protector.
PROS:
Two-time team captain. Thick frame with ability to pick up tough yards. Makes tacklers feel his size at impact. Stays square getting through downhill cuts. Low success rate guaranteed for arm-tacklers. Stays on his feet through heavy angle strikes. Allows lead blockers to do their work. Steps up with force against incoming rushers.
CONS:
Below-average burst getting through line of scrimmage. Lacks finesse to navigate tight run lanes. Change of direction is heavy. One-speed running style is easy to track for linebackers. Pad level is a little tall as run-finisher. Inconsistent finding assignment versus blitz.
Round 7: 233 Andre Jones 6'4" 248 lbs Louisiana
STATS: 7 sacks, 5 qb hits, 20 hurries.
PFF GRADE: 77.2
Andre Jones was another hybrid de/lb player coming out last year. He possess 34 1/4" arms which is an elite number for his size. May move to LB, but I'm not sure that's the right move with a 4.71 40-yard dash. He doesn't have much a pass rush move set playing a hybrid role, but does use length to his advantage. A solid developmental pick.
PROS:
Shows a natural feel for setting up blockers and getting them off-balance. His hands are active and violent, and Jones quickly disengages with blockers and counters when his initial move stalls. Possesses accurate snap anticipation and timing to beat blockers off the edge. Offers some versatility, rushing from a two-and three-point stance with the playing speed to stand up in space.Flashes strength as a bull rusher and his energy doesn't plateau. Showed initial quickness and good flexibility to dip and bend. Jones has active hands and suddenness to his movements, demonstrating the ability to counter inside. Has fluid footwork to redirect, reverse momentum and close with a burst. Regularly first off the ball with good snap anticipation. He’s a high-effort pass rusher with an impressive combination of length and speed.
CONS:
Jones has to develop a counter move or two in the pass rush, and Jones needs to make better use of his hands. He lacks the speed of a chase and- tackle guy. He lacks twitch as a pass rusher and lacks the feet and flexibility to threaten around the edge. Jones also shows some stiffness when trying to bend the edge, often getting pushed past the pocket — he seems more comfortable countering back inside.
Draft Summary:
This was my favorite Ron Rivera/Martin Mayhew draft thus far. Going into the draft, offensive line, cornerback, and quarterback were our three biggest needs. Drafting in the middle of the round really took us out of the olineman race. The last one that interested me was Broderick Jones and he went off the board when the Steelers traded up. At that point in the draft it really left us with going cornerback. The Forbes pick was received negatively due to Christian Gonzalez being available. Both players will be viewed under the microscope throughout their careers. I'm fine with Forbes pick though. Another lanky cornerback who was an elite athlete. I did have Gonzalez rated higher going into the draft, but he slid for a reason. A lot of his tape shows him not necessarily being an elite cornerback, but being an elite athlete that plays corner. Forbes actually showed the athleticism, corner skills, and ballhawking ability. Some additional knocks against Gonazalez and his love of the game. Quan Martin was our biggest surprise pick of the draft. A lot of people had him going in the 3rd round, but I think the 2nd was a fine spot. Mayhew after the draft said he wish we were more aggressive at times, which I translated as not getting Brian Branch that went several picks before us. I think Quan was the backup option, but I like him as much as Branch. I think Quan will be a better deep safety and Bramch will be a better nickel. Liked Quan alot, but felt we should have gone o-line at this pick. Ocyrus Torrence would've been a sweet pick here. I think if that happened, the consensus view on our draft would shoot up. Quan will immediately via for playing time as our base defense is essentially a 4-2-5. Kendall Fuller was our only above average corner and now we turned our secondary into a strength. Ricky Stromberg and Braeden Daniels were our next two picks. I like Stromberg’s tape a lot and think by next he will be a solid starter at guard or center. Braeden Daniels will be a nice depth piece and if he's able to tame his play he could develop into a starter. Fun player to watch. KJ Henry was an awesome pick and can see him being a nice rotational piece. Good pick at an underrated area of need on our defense. RB wasn't a pressing need, but it's an underrated area of weakness. I think Brian Robinson is about as average of rb as you will see starting in the NFL. I wouldn't be surprised if Rodriguez slowly cut into Robinson's role over the next two years. Antonio Gibson has had some solid season, but has a severe fumbling problem. Andre Jones will be a depth piece that will need development moving forward.
Offseason summary:
The biggest question of our offseason was our owner, which now appears resolved. Our second biggest question... was who was our starting qb? Sam Howell. Ron preached all offseason that he was going with Howell and I'll be damned, he did. Brissett was good qb to bring in, not someone that would necessarily turn the offseason into a battle, but can be a starter if called upon. Really a true backup qb. I'm all in on the Sam Howell train. I love it for a multitude of reasons. One, he balls out and we have our qb of the future, two he plays well enough we give him another season and maybe Ron is out and we get a high draft pick, three he bombs and we fire Ron Rivera and go for Caleb Williams next season. If anything, it gives us a direction for our future. I'm ready for Ron to go and think he's only as good as his coordinators. I'm concerned that EB AND Howell turn the offense around Ron gets resigned and EB takes a head coaching role... then the offense regressed. Additionally, I don't want Ron to get credit for drafting Howell. It was 5th round pick, you and every team passed on him for 4 rounds. If Howell is that good... it's not because Ron was a genius and drafted him. Very similar to Seattle taking Russel. I am excited about EB being here and think he's the real deal. I will give Ron credit for allowing him to run his own offense as he sees fit. OTA's have shown that EB is pushing his guys hard and is trying to see what he can do with the offense. We really do have elite playmaker and I'm most excited to see what he can do with Antonio Gibson. I can see his role being that of Jerrick McKinnon, with more athleticism. Sam Howell has shown a lot of progress since his rookie season. Had issues with his foot work, but has shown vast improvements. We only have 1 preseason game and 1 NFL game of tape on him. I liked what he showed. When watching tape you could see him going through his progression, man absolutely saved the day wish his escapability- was under pressure the whole game, threw two beautiful deep passes, and won the game. He did throw one bad pick, but was under pressure and playing hero ball. He had one week of practice with the starters, now he has a whole offseason. Our defense should be a top 5 unit next season and we only got better. Chase Young should be fully healthy and he's the X-factor for the number one overall defense. He comes out plays to his full potential then he could be a mid teens sack guy. If we have that sort of production and Sam Howell plays well than we can compete for the decision. Big if though. Our secondary really lacked a 2nd option, Benjamin St Juyce has shown some flashes but didn't seeze the role last year. Now on paper he's the number and that's very solid. We return two top 6 defensive tackles and Montez Swear is one of the most underrated players in the league. He's yet to have a high sack season, but is very much that Jadaveon Ckowney type of player in the run game. Big question mark season for Jaymin Davis. We knew he needed development, but it's been slower than previously thought. Down the stretch he showed flashes that he was coming into his own and now is his year. He's one of the best athletes at linebacker in the league and his ceiling is very very high. Overall I predict we will go 10-7 and challenge for a wild card spot. That record can fluctuate each one, but I'm calling the improvement now. We went 8-8-1 with bottom 3 qb play. The defense got better, we hired a better offensive coordinator, Howell will at the minimum be slightly better than Hienke last season, we didn't lose any major pieces and had a solid all around draft. I'm truly excited to watch how our future plays out.
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2023.06.01 01:29 More-Head6459 Defending the Draft: 2023 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

Defending the Draft: 2023 Washington Commanders 8-8-1
Preface:
Hope.
This 2023 season will be the most interesting for the Commanders franchise in a long long time. We enter this season with more uncertainty than I have ever been a part of, however, the one thing the fan base is certain of... is the future is brighter. Dan Snyder purchased the franchise in 1999 and subsequently done nothing but run a blue blood franchise into the ground. This team has lacked direction for a long time and a large part of that was due to Dan Snyder's meddling in the day-to-day football operations of the team. Starting his ownership with signing washed up HOF veterans, to then overspending in free agency (Albert Haynesworth is arguably the worst free agent signing of all time), drug scandal with thetraining staff, the mishandling of the RG3 and Kirk Cousins situation, Not resigning Trent Williams, and lastly we've now reached tumultuous time where his off the field issues have hung a dark cloud over a once proud franchise. Although, lol, his most egregious mistake may be hiring Jim Zorn as head coach. It's egregious that his only punishment is a 6 billion dollar payout for his franchise. I hope the banks bury him and he faces the deserved legal actions. As of now there had been an agreement to sell the franchise to 76'rs and NJ Devils owner, Josh Harris.... and is 20ish members of his parliament. We await to hear news of the reviews from the NFL financial committee to close out the process. Last news I came across was he has cut down the number of minority owners to 20. It will be a pleasure when this agreement is finalized. He could be a terrible owner, but it would still be an upgrade from Synder. Harris, seemingly has been a hands off owner and properly allows the people he's hired to operate the team. This last sports season he's had both of his teams deep in the playoff hunt. This season will be interesting. A lot of questions all around: Sam Howell? Chase Young? Ron Rivera? Eric Bienemy? Josh Harris? I'm not sure of those answers, but I'm very excited to find them out.
Coaching:
HC- Ron Rivera OC- Eric Bieniemy DC- Jack Del Rio
Key Additions: Eric Bieniemy
Ole' Riverboat Ron Rivera is back and going into his 4th season with the Washington Commanders, hopefully his last. I believe Ron Rivera is a leader of men, but I highly question his actual coaching skills and team building. I've currently seen enough of this coaching regime and front office to safely say let's move on. There's been several things that I believed were firable offenses.... the Carson Wentz trade. Some rumors have said that this was a Snyder push. Not entirely positive, but Ron bragged that it was his call. Our team at that point was not a qb away from being really good, let alone a Carson Wentz level of qb. The next fireable offense was starting Wentz over Hienke when the playoffs were on the line. Wentz ended up being benched for Hienke, but it was too little too late. The next fireable offense was not realizing we were eliminated from the playoffs. Going into the last week of the season Ron planned on starting Hieneke. Pretty odd to not know you're out of the playoffs, let alone to test Sam Howell out for next season. Additionally, there's been some pretty questionable roster creation decisions. I absolutely hate the versatile secondary and offensive line philosophy. We currently have a patch work offensive line that has the means to fluctuate between average to below average. Not a single player on the line is top 5 at their respected position. Two years ago we had a top 10 o-line, but that had Brandon Sherff playing like a top 5 guard and Charles Leno having his best season. Our o-line took a significant step back this past season and now looks to be our biggest weakness. Ron has shown to trust his own board and has reached (according to the consensus big board) with every single pick so far. People mistake 2019 as one of his drafts ( Sweat, McLaurin, Holcomb), but he was hired at the end of the season. Take this with a grain of salt as it takes at least 3 years to properly review a draft. Rons 1st round picks have been the following: 2020 pick 2 Chase Young- the correct pick at the time, but hard to botch the 2nd overall pick, 2021 pick 19 Jamin Davis- hated the pick at the time, too early for a linebacker... let a lone a project. On tape he looked lost a lot and made up for it with his elite athleticism. He's shown progress, but nothing showing he's worthy of the pick. 2022 pick 16 Jahan Dotson- looks to be an absolute baller, had him ranked above Olave in the pre-draft process. Was a slight reach above the consensus board, but flashed high end ability. Davis has been the only mistake in the 1st round thus far. When I say mistake I don't necessarily mean player, but the roster building philosophy. Whether reaching on Phidarian Mathis in the 2nd round of 2022. Lol, he was older than Payne coming out of the draft, one year of good production, and was taken a round too early. In the next round Brian Robinson was taken and was really just a body. Haven't really seen anything elite with him so far and was a meh pick. John Bates in the 4th round was egregious. Now I have to give credit where it's due. Kam Curl was an absolute steal and can solidify himself as top 5 safety this season if he continues to play this well. Our other starting safety in Darrick Forest also had a lot of bright spots playing this past season.
Arguably, our best offseason move was signing Eric Bieniemy. I'm absolutely excited. Forget everything about him not calling the plays. Reports from OTA's shows his hands on approach and full control of the offense. One of my favorites things I've heard is he is using OTA's to see what the players can do and crafting the offense to their abilities. Time and time again (Scott Turner) you see coaches say this is the offense and not change anything to match the players strengths. We don't know for sure how the offense will look, but if it's anything close to the motion west coast offense the Chiefs have... boy lessssss gooooooo. Jack Del Rio has been up-and-down in his time in Washington. He's had two very slow starts with the defense to start year, however, they've finished strong and kept his job safe. This is really the no excuse year and everyone needs to show up amd show out.
Free Agency:
Key Departures:
Taylor Hieneke- signed with the Falcons
Cole Holcolm- signed with the Steelers
Bobby McCain- signed with the Giants
Carson Wentz- TBD
J.D. McKissic- TBD
Trai Turner TBD
Andrew Norwell- will be released when he passes a physical
Summary:
In my personal oppinion, the only player that hurt losing in free agency was Cole Holcolm. Linebacker is our one weak spot on defense, however, not resigning Holcolm shows Ron's belief in Jaymin Davis's progression. Cole was limited to 7 games last season and has yet to truly break out. Always played very solid and losing him downgraded the position. We've moved on from both starting guards from last year in Norwell and Turner (previously on the Panthers). Both players were liabilities last season and the guard position was easily upgradeable. Bonny McCain was a solid do it all for is player. Lined up at corner, safety, and nickel throughout the season. Hieneke was a big fan favorite, but was never the answer. We thank you for your service though. Carson Wentz, fuck you. Loved J.D. and his time here, suffered a major injury. Not sure if he gets picked up hy another team.
Key Additions:
Andrew Wiley- 3 years for 24 million, 12 guaranteed. Previously on the Chiefs
Nick Gates- 3 years for 16.5 million, 8 million guaranteed. Previously on the Giants
Jacoby Brissett- 1 year for 8 million, 7.5 million guaranteed. Previously on the Browns
Cody Barton- 1 year for 3.5 million, 3.5 million guaranteed. Previously on the Seahawks
Summary:
Simple. In free agency the Commanders did not overspend and tackled positions of need. None of the players signed are top 5 at their position, however, they could all possibly end up being upgrades to what we have. The most interesting is Andrew Wiley. He allowed 9 sacks (tied for 3rd most)... but man he put on the performance of his life in the superbowl. Another stat that favors him is pass block win-rate, which measure if a lineman can sustain a block for 2.5 seconds. Wylie ranked 9th in that stat last season. I translate that stat to mean can a lineman sustain a block against thr initial rush and counter move off the snap. After that 2.5 seconds the ball is thrown or the play breaks down. Another key factor to this signing is it kicks Samuel Cosmi inside to guard. Cosmi has shown flashes being a high end lineman and I expect him to be even better kicking to guard from right tackle. Guard was our weakest position on the line and Wylie signing helped to upgrade the RG position. Nick Gates is expected to he our starting center. He's coming off of a brutal leg injury that made him consider retirement. Has played guard and center and has some positional flexibility. Jacoby Brissett is the best backup qb in thr league. A solid signing if Howell doesn't pan out. Just a solid game manager that doesn't commit many turnovers. Cody Barton is another unproven guy. Last year was his first year with significant reps. Bobby Wagner leaving in FA and Jordyn Brooks injury made em the guy. He showed flashes of coverage abilities and had a lot of tackles. The tackles weren't necessarily a product of his abilities and more so of cleaning up on a bad run defense team. I've read some notes that he has trouble getting off of blocks. Honestly, haven't watched much on the guy, but reports were he played solid down the stretch.
The Draft:
Link to all RAS scores for our draft class
https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/lists/2023-nfl-draft-ras-scores-for-the-washington-commanders-7-player-class-emmanuel-forbes/
Round 1:16 Emmanuel Forbes 6'1" 174 lbs. Mississippi St
Stats: 58 targets, 31 catches allowed for 284 yards (23 yards a game), 3 tds allowed/ 6 ints, 9 forced incompletions, 2 dropped ints, 46 tackles.
PFF Grade: 87.2
If being a 160 pounds is your only knock then I think you're doing something alright. The word on the street is he is already up to 174 pounds. You wouldnt realize hes only 174 pounds by the way he plays the run. Hes not scared to hit and flies ro the ball. Although, he does struggle to get off of blocks. Emmanuel Forbes, per PFF, had the highest rating in man coverage last season, albeit the snap count was very miniscule. Emmanuel Forbes is a lanky corner than played a lot of zone coverage and is a very good scheme fit for what we do. I like the pick and I'm not upset about taking him over Gonzalez, who also had his own question marks. Forbes set a NCAA record with 6 pick sixes. A lot of those were the right place at the right time, but when you have that high of a number than you're doing something right.
PFF:
Forbes is one of the best ballhawks in this class. Over the course of his three-year career, he came down with 13 interceptions. That’s four more than the next closest Power Five cornerback since 2020. Forbes was unbelievably dominant in man coverage in 2022, giving up only three catches while also snagging three interceptions. He also only allowed a 20% completion rate in man, the lowest among FBS
PROS
Remarkably lanky frame. Limbs for days — ideal for a corner.Has bounce like a hooper. He can challenge any catch point necessary. Elite ability to locate the football. All six of his interceptions came in man coverage.
CONS
Still a stick. Not much mass on his frame. Has eyes that get him in trouble. Some freelance tendencies on tape.Can get bowled over in the run game. Mediocre tackler over the course of his career.
Round 2: 47 Jartavius "Quan" Martin 5'11". 194 lbs Illinois
Stats: 74 targets, 42 catches allowed, 611 yards allowed, 3 tds allowed, 3 ints, 15 forced incompletions, 2 dropped ints, 4 missed tackles, 64 tackles.
PFF Grade: 73.2
Quan is a beast. I thought he was the 2nd best nickel prospect in the draft and a better deep safety than Brian Branch. Martin absolute rockets around the field in the run game. He started his career at cornerback before transitioning into the safety/nickel position. Another elite athlete that is a perfect fit for our Buffalo Nickel defense.
PFF:
Martin came to Illinois and immediately started as a true freshman in 2018. He originally started off as an outside corner before becoming more of a slot corner recently. He had arguably his best year in 2022, as his 15 forced incompletions were tied for the sixth-most among Power-Five corners. Martin’s 91.0 run-defense grade also led all Power Five cornerbacks. While he played corner at Illinois, we project him more as a safety for the next level.
PROS:
Explosive flat-foot breaks. Tremendous burst. Forceful and reliable tackler - 7 misses on the last 129 attempts last two seasons.Fills like a mac truck in the run game. Wants to come downhill and play in the backfield.
CONS:
Pure man skills are work in progress. Overagressive and liability to bite on fakes. cons On the lighter side for an around the line of scrimmage player. Gets caught with his eyes in the backfield on run
Round 3: 97 Ricky Stromberg 6'3" 306 lbs Arkansas
Stats: 9 impact blocks, 11 qb hurries, 0 qb hits, 0 sacks allowed
PFF Grade: 82.4
Nasty. Another guard experience player that spent his last two years at the center position. Award winner of the Jacob's Blocking Trophy for the SEC'S most outstanding blocker award. This is a solid player that has started since he was freshman in the SEC. He's been battle tested since he was kid and has improved every year. He has some knocks about his play strength, but a NFL program should get em to where he needs to be.
PFF:
Stromberg was a three-star recruit in the 2019 class and started for the Razorbacks as a true freshman, mostly at right guard. He moved inside to center for his sophomore season and spent his final three college seasons there. Stromberg’s 82.4 overall grade and 83.7 run-blocking grade in 2022 both ranked fourth among all centers in college football, and his nine big-time blocks were tied for fifth among FBS centers. Not to mention, Stromberg had an incredible performance at the NFL combine.
PROS:
Does not want to let blocks go. Can see him straining his butt of to stay engaged on tape. Tons of experience against top competition. Four-year starter with 3,121 career snaps.
CONS:
Forward lean gets going on the move, making him liable to topple over. Has wide hands to initiate contact in pass protection before resetting. Leaves himself open for stronger rushers.Unimpressive musculature, which leaves questions about how he'll anchor against NFL strength.
Round 4: Braeden Daniels 6'4" 296 lbs Utah STATS:
0 sacks allowed, 1 qb hit allowed, 14 hurries allowed.
PFF GRADE: 72.2 at tackle, 2021 84.4 at guard.
Braeden Daniels is another tackle/guard hybrid, with starting experience across his college career. This guy is on the lighter side but that allows him to be an Explosive athlete. Very raw at the tackle position and will be a developmental guy. I'd like to give em a try as our swing tackle and see how he performs. He was one of the quickest offensive lineman I've seen off the tape and that athleticism will let him climb to the next level. Even on the lightweight side I'd hate to see this guy running at me on the second level.
PFF:
Daniels is an experienced veteran who commanded the Utes’ offensive line for the past few years. He originally started as a guard before switching over to tackle. His best season came in 2021, as he put up an 84.4 PFF grade. Given his time on the interior, Daniels is at his best when run blocking, and his run-blocking grade in 2021 was an elite 89.1. He still held his own as a pass protector, allowing only five sacks in his Utah career.
PROS
Explodes out of his stance. Arguably the quickest get off in the offensive line class. Linebackers don't want to see him climbing. Gets on them before they can even react. Drive in his lower half to still move the line of scrimmage despite being under 300 pounds.
CONS
Wild into contact. He approaches blocks with the adjustment ability of a freight train. consDoesn't bring his hands with him. Clean engagements are rare on tape. Very light by NFL standards (294 pounds at combine).
Round 5: 137 KJ Henry 6'4" 260 lbs Clemson
STATS:
51 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF, 6 pass deflections, 50 qb pressures, 31 qb hurries, 14 qb hits.
PFF GRADE: 83.1
Loved this pick. Henry was a 5 star recruit coming out of high-school and decided to attend Clemson University. With Clemson having deep lines it took him a couple of years to get on the field. The stats look odd when you only see 3.5 sacks, however, the 50 qb pressures is the key stat. Seems more like bad luck that the sack numbers weren't high. Clemson's whole d-line underperformed (Bresee, Murphey) and they should have picked up more sacks from Henry who was the best DE on that team last year. The team clearly liked him as we traded back up for him. He's not elite athlete, but he is an elite hands guy. Almost had that veteran presence in college. High motor and will immediately make an impact as a rotational de, a position that sorely needed an upgrade.
PFF:
On a team with Myles Murphy, you can easily make the case that KJ Henry was Clemson's best defensive end this year, as he posted better PFF grades than Murphy in every category and even generated 19 more pressures. The only problem is That Henry is 24 years old while Murphy is only 21. Therefore, Henry was expected to produce this well against younger competition. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that he can’t still improve. If Henry's play this season is any indication of his potential, he can still have a great NFL career as an edge defender.
PROS:
Heavy hands that are so well refined. Uses them independently to use combination moves.Utilizes hesitations and head fakes so well to catch linemen off-balance. Coaches rave about the type of teammate he is. He is the type of player you want in the locker room.
CONS:
First step that's unimposing for a rusher on the smaller side. Late bloomer. Wasn't even a starter until this past fall. One of the oldest prospects in the class. Already 24 years old.
Round 6: 193 Chris Rodriguez 6'0" 217 lbs Kentucky
STATS: 8 games played, 175 attempts, 904 rushing yards, 6 tds, 5.2 ypa, 5 catches, 41 rec yards.
PFF GRADE: 90.8
Chris Rodriguez is a PFF darling and was rated as the 7th best running back. This guy's is a pure one cut, run you over, power back. There's not much finesse to his game, but there's highlights of dragging guys 10-yards down the field. He does not posses break away speed, but he will get you 40 yards. He was suspended 4 games due to a dui and he may have been drafted higher on am abysmal Kentucky team. An extra 4 games of stats against SEC competition and no suspension may have jumped him into the 4th round. This was an Eric Bienemy guy and they brought him in because of that. Isiah Pacheco was another EB guy.
PFF:
Rodriguez is a powerful runner, but he lacks the burst and creativity to become anything more than a downhill grinder. He has the size and mentality to do the dirty work between the tackles, but it could be a challenge for him to get to and through the hole quickly in the NFL. He’s a physical blitz protector, so teams might envision a role for him as a second-half battering ram and third-down quarterback protector.
PROS:
Two-time team captain. Thick frame with ability to pick up tough yards. Makes tacklers feel his size at impact. Stays square getting through downhill cuts. Low success rate guaranteed for arm-tacklers. Stays on his feet through heavy angle strikes. Allows lead blockers to do their work. Steps up with force against incoming rushers.
CONS:
Below-average burst getting through line of scrimmage. Lacks finesse to navigate tight run lanes. Change of direction is heavy. One-speed running style is easy to track for linebackers. Pad level is a little tall as run-finisher. Inconsistent finding assignment versus blitz.
Round 7: 233 Andre Jones 6'4" 248 lbs Louisiana
STATS: 7 sacks, 5 qb hits, 20 hurries.
PFF GRADE: 77.2
Andre Jones was another hybrid de/lb player coming out last year. He possess 34 1/4" arms which is an elite number for his size. May move to LB, but I'm not sure that's the right move with a 4.71 40-yard dash. He doesn't have much a pass rush move set playing a hybrid role, but does use length to his advantage. A solid developmental pick.
PROS:
Shows a natural feel for setting up blockers and getting them off-balance. His hands are active and violent, and Jones quickly disengages with blockers and counters when his initial move stalls. Possesses accurate snap anticipation and timing to beat blockers off the edge. Offers some versatility, rushing from a two-and three-point stance with the playing speed to stand up in space.Flashes strength as a bull rusher and his energy doesn't plateau. Showed initial quickness and good flexibility to dip and bend. Jones has active hands and suddenness to his movements, demonstrating the ability to counter inside. Has fluid footwork to redirect, reverse momentum and close with a burst. Regularly first off the ball with good snap anticipation. He’s a high-effort pass rusher with an impressive combination of length and speed.
CONS:
Jones has to develop a counter move or two in the pass rush, and Jones needs to make better use of his hands. He lacks the speed of a chase and- tackle guy. He lacks twitch as a pass rusher and lacks the feet and flexibility to threaten around the edge. Jones also shows some stiffness when trying to bend the edge, often getting pushed past the pocket — he seems more comfortable countering back inside.
Draft Summary:
This was my favorite Ron Rivera/Martin Mayhew draft thus far. Going into the draft, offensive line, cornerback, and quarterback were our three biggest needs. Drafting in the middle of the round really took us out of the olineman race. The last one that interested me was Broderick Jones and he went off the board when the Steelers traded up. At that point in the draft it really left us with going cornerback. The Forbes pick was received negatively due to Christian Gonzalez being available. Both players will be viewed under the microscope throughout their careers. I'm fine with Forbes pick though. Another lanky cornerback who was an elite athlete. I did have Gonzalez rated higher going into the draft, but he slid for a reason. A lot of his tape shows him not necessarily being an elite cornerback, but being an elite athlete that plays corner. Forbes actually showed the athleticism, corner skills, and ballhawking ability. Some additional knocks against Gonazalez and his love of the game. Quan Martin was our biggest surprise pick of the draft. A lot of people had him going in the 3rd round, but I think the 2nd was a fine spot. Mayhew after the draft said he wish we were more aggressive at times, which I translated as not getting Brian Branch that went several picks before us. I think Quan was the backup option, but I like him as much as Branch. I think Quan will be a better deep safety and Bramch will be a better nickel. Liked Quan alot, but felt we should have gone o-line at this pick. Ocyrus Torrence would've been a sweet pick here. I think if that happened, the consensus view on our draft would shoot up. Quan will immediately via for playing time as our base defense is essentially a 4-2-5. Kendall Fuller was our only above average corner and now we turned our secondary into a strength. Ricky Stromberg and Braeden Daniels were our next two picks. I like Stromberg’s tape a lot and think by next he will be a solid starter at guard or center. Braeden Daniels will be a nice depth piece and if he's able to tame his play he could develop into a starter. Fun player to watch. KJ Henry was an awesome pick and can see him being a nice rotational piece. Good pick at an underrated area of need on our defense. RB wasn't a pressing need, but it's an underrated area of weakness. I think Brian Robinson is about as average of rb as you will see starting in the NFL. I wouldn't be surprised if Rodriguez slowly cut into Robinson's role over the next two years. Antonio Gibson has had some solid season, but has a severe fumbling problem. Andre Jones will be a depth piece that will need development moving forward.
Offseason summary:
The biggest question of our offseason was our owner, which now appears resolved. Our second biggest question... was who was our starting qb? Sam Howell. Ron preached all offseason that he was going with Howell and I'll be damned, he did. Brissett was good qb to bring in, not someone that would necessarily turn the offseason into a battle, but can be a starter if called upon. Really a true backup qb. I'm all in on the Sam Howell train. I love it for a multitude of reasons. One, he balls out and we have our qb of the future, two he plays well enough we give him another season and maybe Ron is out and we get a high draft pick, three he bombs and we fire Ron Rivera and go for Caleb Williams next season. If anything, it gives us a direction for our future. I'm ready for Ron to go and think he's only as good as his coordinators. I'm concerned that EB AND Howell turn the offense around Ron gets resigned and EB takes a head coaching role... then the offense regressed. Additionally, I don't want Ron to get credit for drafting Howell. It was 5th round pick, you and every team passed on him for 4 rounds. If Howell is that good... it's not because Ron was a genius and drafted him. Very similar to Seattle taking Russel. I am excited about EB being here and think he's the real deal. I will give Ron credit for allowing him to run his own offense as he sees fit. OTA's have shown that EB is pushing his guys hard and is trying to see what he can do with the offense. We really do have elite playmaker and I'm most excited to see what he can do with Antonio Gibson. I can see his role being that of Jerrick McKinnon, with more athleticism. Sam Howell has shown a lot of progress since his rookie season. Had issues with his foot work, but has shown vast improvements. We only have 1 preseason game and 1 NFL game of tape on him. I liked what he showed. When watching tape you could see him going through his progression, man absolutely saved the day wish his escapability- was under pressure the whole game, threw two beautiful deep passes, and won the game. He did throw one bad pick, but was under pressure and playing hero ball. He had one week of practice with the starters, now he has a whole offseason. Our defense should be a top 5 unit next season and we only got better. Chase Young should be fully healthy and he's the X-factor for the number one overall defense. He comes out plays to his full potential then he could be a mid teens sack guy. If we have that sort of production and Sam Howell plays well than we can compete for the decision. Big if though. Our secondary really lacked a 2nd option, Benjamin St Juyce has shown some flashes but didn't seeze the role last year. Now on paper he's the number and that's very solid. We return two top 6 defensive tackles and Montez Swear is one of the most underrated players in the league. He's yet to have a high sack season, but is very much that Jadaveon Ckowney type of player in the run game. Big question mark season for Jaymin Davis. We knew he needed development, but it's been slower than previously thought. Down the stretch he showed flashes that he was coming into his own and now is his year. He's one of the best athletes at linebacker in the league and his ceiling is very very high. Overall I predict we will go 10-7 and challenge for a wild card spot. That record can fluctuate each one, but I'm calling the improvement now. We went 8-8-1 with bottom 3 qb play. The defense got better, we hired a better offensive coordinator, Howell will at the minimum be slightly better than Hienke last season, we didn't lose any major pieces and had a solid all around draft. I'm truly excited to watch how our future plays out.
submitted by More-Head6459 to NFL_Draft [link] [comments]


2023.06.01 00:29 JoshAsdvgi The Fate of the Turtle

The Fate of the Turtle

The Fate of the Turtle

In a very hot summer time, far away to the east, was a beautiful little lake where two wild ducks made their home, and passed their days swimming and playing in its clear waters. They had it all to themselves, except for a turtle, who was many years older than they were, and had come there before them, and, luckily,
instead of taking a dislike to the turtle, as so often happens when you have only one person to speak to, they became great friends, and spent most of the day in each other’s company.
All went on smoothly and happily till one summer, ‘when the rains failed and the sun shone so fiercely that every morning there was a little less water in the lake and a little more mud on the bank.
The water-lilies around the edge began to droop, and the palms to hang their heads, and the ducks’ favourite swimming place, where they could dive the deepest, to grow shallower and shallower.
At length there came a morning when the ducks looked at each other uneasily, and before nightfall they had whispered that if at the end of two days rain had not come, they must fly away and seek a new home, for if they stayed in their old one, which they loved so much, they would certainly die of thirst.
Earnestly they watched the sky for many hours before they tucked their heads under their wings and fell asleep from sheer weariness, but not the tiniest cloud was to be seen covering the stars that shone so big and brilliant, and hung so low in the heavens that you felt as if you could touch them.
So, when the morning broke, they made up their minds that they must go and tell the turtle of their plans, and bid him farewell.
They found him comfortably curled up on a pile of dead rushes, more than half asleep, for he was old, and could not venture out in the heat as he once used.
‘Ah ! here you are,’ he cried; ‘I began to wonder if I was ever going to see you again, for, somehow, though the lake has grown smaller, I seem to have grown weaker, and it is lonely spending all day and night by oneself !’
‘Oh ! my friend,’ answered the elder of the two ducks, ‘if you have suffered we have suffered also.
Besides, I have something to tell you, that I fear will cause you greater pain still.
If we do not wish to die of thirst we must leave this place at once, and seek another where the sun’s rays do not come.
My heart bleeds to say this, for there is nothing — nothing else in the world — which would have induced us to separate from you.’
The turtle was so astonished as well as so distressed at the duck’s speech that for a moment he could find no words to reply.
But when he had forced back his tears, he said in a shaky voice:
‘How can you think that I am able to live without you, when for so long you have been my only friends ?
If you leave me, death will speedily put an end to my grief.’
‘Our sorrow is as great as yours,’ answered the other duck, ‘but what can we do ?
And remember that if we are not here to drink the water, there will be the more for you !
If it had not been for this terrible misfortune, be sure that nothing would have parted us from one whom we love so dearly.’
‘My friends,’ replied the turtle, ‘water is as necessary to me as to you, and if death stares in your faces, it stares in mine also.
But in the name of all the years we have passed together, do not, I beseech you, leave me to perish here alone !
Wherever you may go take me with you !’
There was a pause.
The ducks felt wretched at the thought of abandoning their old comrade, yet, at the same time, how could they grant his prayer ?
It seemed quite impossible, and at length one of them spoke:
‘Oh, how can I find words to refuse ?’ cried he, ‘yet how can we do what you ask ?
Consider that, like yours, our bodies are heavy and our feet small.
Therefore, how could we walk with you over mountains and deserts, till we reached a land where the sun’s rays no longer burn ?
Why, before the day was out we should all three be dead of fatigue and hunger !
No, our only hope lies in our wings — and, alas ! you cannot fly !’
‘No, I cannot fly, of course,’ answered the turtle, with a sigh.
‘But you are so clever, and have seen so much of the world – surely you can think of some plan ?’
And he fixed his eyes eagerly on them.
Now, when the ducks saw how ardently the turtle wished to accompany them their hearts were touched, and making a sign to their friend that they wished to be alone they swam out into the lake to consult together.
Though he could not hear what they said, the turtle could watch, and the half-hour that their talk lasted felt to him like a hundred years.
At length he beheld them returning side by side, and so great was his anxiety to know his fate he almost died from excitement before they reached him.
‘We hope we have found a plan that may do for you,’ said the big duck gravely, ‘but we must warn you that it is not without great danger, especially if you are not careful to follow our directions.’
‘How is it possible that I should not follow your directions when my life and happiness are at stake ?’ asked the turtle joyfully.
‘Tell me what they are, and I will promise to obey them gratefully.’
‘Well, then,’ answered the duck, ‘whilst we are carrying you through the air, in the manner that we have fixed upon, you must remain as quiet as if you were dead.
However high above the earth you may find yourself, you must not feel afraid, nor move your feet nor open your mouth.
No matter what you see or hear, it is absolutely needful for you to be perfectly still, or I cannot answer for the consequences.’
‘I will he absolutely obedient,’ answered the turtle, ‘not only on this occasion but during all my life; and once more I promise faithfully not to move head or foot, to fear nothing, and never to speak a word during the whole journey.’
This being settled, the ducks swam about till they found, floating in the lake, a good stout stick.
This they tied to their necks with some of the tough water-lily roots, and returned as quickly as they could to the turtle.
‘Now,’ said the elder duck, pushing the stick gently towards his friend, ‘take this stick firmly in your mouth, and do not let it go till we have set you down on earth again.’
The turtle did as he was told, and the ducks in their turn seized the stick by the two ends, spread their wings and mounted swiftly into the air, the turtle hanging between them.
For a while all went well.
They swept across valleys, over great mountains, above ruined cities, but no lake was to be seen anywhere.
Still, the turtle had faith in his friends, and bravely hung on to the stick.
At length they saw in the distance a small village, and very soon they were passing over the roofs of the houses.
The people were so astonished at the strange sight, that they all — men, women and children — ran out to see it, and cried to each other:
‘Look ! look ! behold a miracle !
Two ducks supporting a turtle !
Was ever such a thing known before !’ Indeed, so great was the surprise that men left their ploughing and women their weaving in order to add their voices to their friends’.
The ducks flew steadily on, heeding nothing of the commotion below; but not so the turtle.
At first he kept silence, as he had been bidden to do, but at length the clamour below proved too much for him, and he began to think that everyone was envying him the power of travelling through the air.
In an evil moment he forgot the promises he had made so solemnly, and opened his mouth to reply, but, before he could utter a word, he was rushing so swiftly through the air that he quickly became unconscious, and in this state was dashed to pieces against the side of a house.
Then the ducks let fall after him the stick that had held up their friend, and which was of no further use.
Sadly they looked at each other arid shook their heads.
‘We feared it would end so,’ said they, ‘yet, perhaps, he was right after all.
Certainly this death was better than the one which awaited him.’
submitted by JoshAsdvgi to Native_Stories [link] [comments]


2023.06.01 00:24 Reptani Pray the Conquistadores, Ch. 13: Broken Puppet

First Previous Next
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
— Langston Hughes
Catalogue Description:
Self-Monitoring Behavioural Management Report: Casimir Szymański, Scazim Institute of Science and Technology - English Translation
Date:
15 Summer-2 3429 (Standard Parimthian Calendar)
November 23rd, 2162 (Gregorian Calendar)
Held by:
The UK National Archives, Kew
Legal status:
Public Record(s)
My father worshipped a fabricated, pagan prophet.
The Senghavi of the Parimthian Empire are principally joined under the ditheistic religion called Siedi, which I do not subscribe to. Of course, the Senghavi's literature, art, and faith flooded the whole of Earth upon their arrival a century ago. From this ocean of civilised culture, my degenerate species drew a sample, claimed it as our own, and polluted it with a distorted, appropriated, dumbed-down doctrine.
The central figure in this corrupt sample of Siedi was a man whom my father called Jesus Christ. He was said to have offered himself as a sacrifice that could be made to a single God. It was a final sacrifice, one beyond lambs or cattle or people. One that would atone for humanity's sins, so that we could have the free choice between the eternal presence of God and the eternal absence of "Him."
My father dressed himself in black, with a standing collar whose white fabric was exposed at the centre. That much, I could recall. He preached to hopeful humans in what was called a church, though I did not know what he was preaching. At the very least, my childhood is fuzzy in that regard.
The pain that throbbed through my skull, after the blonde savage had slammed my head against the ridges of the airlock, faded into the background. I could not focus; perhaps, I thought, one of their improvised explosives had gone off by accident. There was blue Senghavi blood staining my dress shirt. The rush of air escaping into vacuum pierced my ears.
Perhaps it was thirst of water, which binds most sapient beings—the Sons of Liberty had reached an agreement with the Colonial Defence Force to allow spacecraft delivering food, water, and medical aid, only to unleash the anti-collision lasers of this cursed spaceliner upon those very ships.
Or perhaps it was the explosion, as I initially thought, an inadvertent complication which had wrought injury and death over my countrymen, and which had forced the terrorist savages to attempt to patch up the many hull breaches left by debris.
Or perhaps it was simply the stress of betraying, in my desperate efforts to save everyone from this senseless violence, the greatest secret of the Senghavi Terrans: our antimatter research. Word of it had likely been forwarded already, hundreds of light-years away, to that pink-hued marble which was Parimth itself.
Or perhaps it was all three; thirst, explosion, and stress. In any case, my mind shut it all out, and something lost from my childhood flashed before me:
We're standing on the cracked street of the Vennec Human Reservation. In the distance, the Senghavi's white, glassy spires reach above the clouds, their accents of luminescence dim in the broad daylight.
I hold a ball in my palm. It's wrapped in white leather held together with red stitching. I toss it to Dad.
Instead of his clerical uniform, he wears the normal "T-shirt" and "cargo shorts." Along with the clerical getup, they are just two of the many sorts of clothing which the Senghavi have invented for humanity. I toss the ball to Dad, and he swings a primitive wooden bat.
The ball goes soaring, further than he meant to. He jogs down the road to retrieve it, then gives me the wooden bat. The breeze ruffles his hair just as he ruffles mine with his hand.
"Now, you try," he says. "It's just practice, that's all."
For some reason, he lifts one leg in the air, then pitches the ball to me. I swing. The impact of the ball shakes through the wood, and it goes careening off to the left.
"I did it!" I yell. "But it went out of bounds."
"Heyyyy, that's not bad," Dad says with a reassuring voice. "Good job, just try to go a little more right next time."
Mom comes out onto the front porch, the breeze ruffling her dress as she waves to Dad. "Dinner's ready, and Mom's pie is... almost ready."
I stare blankly at her until I realise that she is talking about her Mom, Grandma, who is the best at making pumpkin pie.
"The pie!" I shout, running and jumping to the front door. "I totally forgot about that!"
I am ready to speed my way through dinner just so I can get to dessert, but Dad stops me before my first bite.
Of course, I think. We need to say grace. Me, Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa all hold hands, thanking God for our food, and then dig in. But Mom and Dad just talk about work, and I am too focused on finishing my food quickly to pitch in.
Finally—Grandma's pie!
When you bite into the soft, smooth filling, you can instantly tell it's been made with fresh pumpkins, not the boring canned ones. The taste of cinnamon and spice is balanced out perfectly with the coolness of the whipped cream.
The flavour spreads through my tongue and nostrils, filling my entire brain with a feeling of amazing-ness. If I wrote the Simple-Speak Dictionary for Senghavi Terrans, I'd put Grandma's pie next to the translation of "perfection."
I should save a slice, I think, for the Senghavi kid.
Even though it's only been a week since I met him through the playground fence, we already told each other where we live, and I want to get to know him more. He doesn't live on the Vennec Human Reservation, but his house is just a bike-ride away in Fellye Neighborhood.
I wonder if anyone's ever given pumpkin pie to an alien before. Even though humans only invented it fifty years ago, it makes me feel proud of my species!
When Mom tucks me into bed, kissing my forehead, I tell her what I'm going to do.
"Oh, you wild thing," she coos. "You're so much like your father. And you have his eyes, you know? Just stay safe."
"Don't worry, I'll do my best."
>! "Good night. I love you." !<
>! "I love you, too, Mom," I say. I hug her tightly from my bed, and a warm, fuzzy feeling blossoms within me. I can hardly fall asleep in my excitement. !<
Luckily, Fellye Neighborhood doesn't take apartheid that seriously, and I don't think anybody cares about an eight year-old human riding his bicycle around the gates.
Next evening, I do just that, peddling out of the Reservation's entrance into the violet dusk. When I get to Mensim's address, I ring the hi-tech front doorbell, and a really tall Senghavi shows up.
"Oh, dear," she says in Parimthian. "A barbarian hatchling—by what name do you go?"
"I'm Casimir," I say nervously. I don't pay that much attention in school, but I know just enough Parimthian to talk to the Senghavi woman. "Are you Mrs. Munghazi? Is Mensim fe Munghazi here? I got two slices of pie. You can have one, too!"
She looks at me suspiciously, antennae twitching. "That would be Teacher Munghazi to you; I know not why you natives invented these odd 'Mister' and 'Missis' honorifics. Hold on—Ghanvati! A native hatchling stands at our doorstep!"
Ghanvati must be Mensim's dad. I wonder where his other moms are; only one has shown up to the door. Ghanvati shows up with two of them—they are both shorter and daintier than Teacher Munghazi, their raptorial forelimbs folded shyly against their bodies. In front of the group of three is Mensim, and I involuntarily gasped with excitement.
"Mensim!"
"This is your new companion?" Ghanvati asks Mensim.
Mensim's papery forewings flicker with affirmation. "I met him at school."
"What, pray tell, is the point of apartheid if it does not actually keep natives away from Senghavi?" whines one of Ghanvati's wives.
Ghanvati's antennae droop as if to say "I don't know," while Mensim lifts my arms, inspecting me like I am a test animal in a mad scientist's laboratory.
"How do you guys not get cut all the time?" he asks, tracing his tarsal hairs over my bare skin. "You're so fleshy!"
"I do get cut all the time," I giggled. "We just use band-aids. Oh, do you wanna eat a pumpkin pie?"
It turned out that pumpkin pie is bad for alien stomachs. Mensim had to go to the bathroom for a long time, and three of his moms got mad at me.
When I got back, Dad and Mom were arguing. I snuck close to the back porch, making sure they couldn't hear me.
"Yes, they leave some people alone," Dad said. "Obviously, they can't spy on every single human who believes in human religions. But Katarzyna, they still need people to make an example out of, and I don't want to be that person!"
"Casimir is a responsible kid," Mom retorts. "I told him he can't tell anyone what you do, and he listens to me."
"He's eight years old. You can't just let him wander around aliens with a secret that could have me killed! Or have you killed!"
Mom cups Dad's cheek and looks him in the eye. She's a lot shorter than him. "Look, love. You're a great father, and I think it's amazing that you spend time with him. But you're the only person he talks to. You know just as well as I do that he needs to talk to other kids! It's not healthy; even Teacher Perevvoxath agreed. And now he finally has a friend."
Dad sighs, running his hands through his black hair. My hair. "You really think aliens are a substitute for human interaction?"
>! "I think every human needs a person they can talk to, and Casimir found one. If you really care about him, stop preaching for a while! Your church isn't gonna die without you. It'll be okay." !<
The next day, I visit Mensim's house after school again. And the next day after that, and the next after that. His dad Ghanvati is formally named Engineer Munghazi. I am to call his moms Teacher Munghazi, Teacher Munghazi, Teacher Munghazi, Accountant Munghazi, Priestess Munghazi, Doctor Munghazi, and Maidservant Munghazi.
A couple weeks later, Mensim and I are lounging together on his couch, watching a Parimthian war movie. The main characters are fighting against the evil forces of the Imperium of Orion. Under his head capsule, Mensim is munching something called Synth-Fruit, which is imported from a faraway planet called Mryi. I eat Pop-Tarts, which I'm pretty sure are toxic to him.
"Come on, just give me one," Mensim exclaims, reaching over to steal the sweet snacks from me. "It can't be that bad!"
I lift the Pop-Tarts away from him, laughing. "Stoppit, you're attacking me! Pay attention to the movie, or I'm gonna shoot you!"
"But I just want one..."
"It's gonna poison you, and you're gonna get your weird alien throw-up all over me!"
Priestess Munghazi, the oldest of his moms, bursts into the living room, her jewellery clinking over her clerical cape.
"Your sister conveyed to me quite the disturbing piece of news, Mensim," Priestess Munghazi cries. "The father of Casimir is a priest of a most barbarous and evil perversion of the Siedi faith. Ghanvati and I spoke, and we agreed that you are not to consort with this primitive, pagan savage any longer."
I drop my crumbly Pop-Tart on the couch, confused at the sudden order.
"But Priestess Munghazi, I'm not dangerous or evil. I'm just a kid."
"Nonsense! You are dangerous; your father is a barbarian worshipper of this evil, primate paganism that is called Christianity, and a most woeful effect is begot that even self-respecting Senghavi have 'gone native,' as they say. Mensim, if you continue to consort with this native spawn, I will be impelled to inform the Siedi Court, and they may by chance see to it that he is executed!"
"W-Wait!" Mensim says, holding up the remote to pause our movie. He gets off of me, suddenly losing interest in my Pop-Tart, his vestigial forewings rising with concern. "Please, Mother. I promise he won't be any trouble."
My blood runs cold. Dad, executed? Just because what he believes in isn't "civilised" enough? Actually, I thought that Mom told him to stop preaching for a while.
Mensim scrambles to *his father's sleeping quarters, and I trail frantically after him.*
"Father," Mensim says. "Is Casimir's father's job so ghastly that he should be executed by the Siedi Court?"
"We can't just let the natives spread the same barbarous religions that they used to kill each other," Ghanvati replies, his secondary arms clasped together. "It's a threat to safe, moral society. Priestess Munghazi told me his father spreads evil and paganism. I have no reason not to trust the oldest of your mothers."
"But Casimir's my best friend! If you tell the Siedi Court about his father, I'll... I'll run away! I'll hate you!"
Distressed vibrations emanate through the floor beneath my feet; Mensim's antennae and papery forewings and hindwings go limp. Something like lilies and the earthy scent of rain fills the air.
"My dearest Mensim," Ghanvati says softly, dipping his head capsule with compassion. "I will hold off, just this once. It would be apt of you not to cause me to reconsider."
"T-thank you, Engineer Munghazi," I say, wiping my own tears. "My dad's not a bad person, I promise."
After confronting his dad, Mensim and I keep on watching movies and playing digital games. He always wins when we wrestle, but I still haven't given up (even though Priestess Munghazi always tells us to stop roughhousing).
I even bring my Lego pieces to his house. He doesn't know what Legos are, but later, in his sleeping quarters, we build together. He makes a cool-looking spaceship that he calls a "negative energy generator."
"Hey, you took all the cool black and grey pieces," I complain. "Now I can't finish my army base!"
"This is cooler than your army base," Mensim says proudly. "Father used to work in one. It uses the superposition of squeezed vacuum states to produce a field of negative energy density."
"I have no idea what that means, but that sounds really smart."
"No kidding! It's how people make wormholes and fly all the way to other stars."
"Well, my army guys could beat your negative energy-thingy. They have machine guns."
"My guys could just fly a [~million billion trillion kilometres] away, and yours can't do anything about it!"
"Then your guys are wimps. But my guys aren't. Because they're the Army!"
>! We also explore the pine forest in his backyard. Within just two more weeks, we have uncovered all sorts of interesting things, like a piece of a real human skull. One time, we found a human foot sculpted and smoothed out of stone—who would make such a thing?—and a dead metal device with the icon of a bitten-out-of apple printed on it. !<
There were also other human body parts made out of ancient stone, too: the cracked half of a man's face buried a foot deep, a muscly arm sticking out of the soil. Even a private part, which I snickered at, though Mensim seemed unfazed.
There is something else we start to do. My parents have given me "the talk," and Mensim told me that his parents gave him the Senghavi version of it. And so even as we talk and play in the woods, we experiment—because we are curious, and why should we not be?
A fragment of a memory in the forest; Mensim's raptorial forelimbs are set on my shoulders as his compound eyes look into my primate eyes, and he says, "You cannot tell anyone about this. Anyone. Absolutely no one."
I don't know how, but Priestess Munghazi learned of what we were doing, and now she expresses anger and disgust alike, her wings and antennae wild and rigid. Ghanvati is the same. Mensim and I... We're actually making them reconsider their decision not to tell the Siedi Court about my dad.
A fragment of a memory... I feel like I am in space, stranded aboard a spaceliner that has been hijacked by terrorists, its atmosphere venting amid a backdrop of violence... But I am not, I am in the forest that Mensim and I talked and played in; I am in Mensim's home, terrified as I am yelled at by Ghanvati, whose compassion no longer shines through, accompanied by Priestess Munghazi.
"By the names of the Gods, it's those false, pagan corruptions which humans have named as their religions, that are spouted by your father," Priestess Munghazi spits. I am teary-eyed and snot-nosed from guilt and embarrassment. "How horrid is the link between the state of barbarism and a most revolting and shameful propensity for bizarre and perverted behaviour!"
Then I am in my own family's living room, and the mom I love so dearly yells at me, too, but my father is quieter and only seems disappointed. This must be the first time in my life that I have felt true shame, I think; the kind that leaves you with an emptiness inside. Like the whole point of existing just vanished inside of me.
The worst part is that I cannot even lean on Mom's shoulder, because she is distressed—because she knows what will happen—
"This is all on you, Casimir!" she screeches, tears in her eyes. "All on you!"
I remember telling Priestess Munghazi that 'I'm not dangerous or evil; I'm just a kid,' but now I can't be sure anymore. I can tell I am different in the eyes of my family. They are disgusted by me.
It is my fault, after all, that Priestess Munghazi tells the Siedi Court of my father's evil, barbaric Christian teachings.
The Parimthian soldiers bring my father to the gallows. Their snow-white exoskeletons gleam under a burning sun. They have dressed him in his clerical uniform, and the camera is close enough that I can see his cross necklace.
I have been grounded in my room; still, I have a television to see the live broadcast.
Hanging works for primates and mantids alike. It happens in the Forum of Movvaeti, the venue for public events in our area, where my father is a lesser criminal compared to the native leaders and Senghavi malcontents who have dissented from Colonial Governor Nieve fe Skellth.
He is joined with seven other convicts, three humans and four Senghavi, and their crimes are read to the crowd—blasphemy, paganism, monogamy, witchcraft, seditious libel, insulting the Parimthian Crown, treason against the Parimthian Crown, and refusal to quarter Parimthian soldiers.
Why? None of this feels right. Why should my father be killed because of what he says and believes? Why can't these people be judged with fairness, rather than at the whim of some distant space emperor?
Not only have I been grounded, but I grow cold without my mother's touch. I want to hold someone's hand while watching Dad lose his life, but nobody is there. Mom brings me food, but she doesn't even look at me. Why can't she look at me? Why can't she speak to me? I just want things to be the way they used to be, when Dad would help me practise hitting a ball with a bat on the street.
I watch him turn down a caped, bejewelled priestess of the Siedi faith, who thought she could make my dad accept their Gods before his death. Before a modest crowd of humans and Senghavi alike, all eight of the convicts have their arms and legs bound with rope.
I am begging myself to turn the TV off, but I can't bring myself to. The Senghavi executioner uses some kind of hi-tech display to remove the supports from beneath the convicts' feet. My stomach flips over inside of me, a nausea of shame filling my body.
I can't deny it any longer. This is my fault—this is why my family avoids me—this is why they are disgusted by me—and Dad falls and his head jerks when the noose goes taut.
As he hangs there, I cannot tell for how long he remains alive. My insides are cold. After the broadcast ends, after night falls and I sit in the moonlight spilling faintly through my windows, that is when it all comes out. I sob alone. I scream for Mom to help me and be there for me, but she does not come. Her harsh voice resonates through my memory; this is all on me. I am a disgrace to everyone I love, and that is why they have left me here. Why they avoid me as if I am a disease.
The only thing I want is to see Dad again, but he is gone forever. I curl up on my room floor. What is this? What is this loneliness? This stinging hatred I feel against myself?
No one, human or mantid, will be there for me. I cry until my throat cannot ache any more harshly, until my eyes cannot sting any more painfully, and then I go cold inside, my body shivering in the moonlight. I retreat into my happy memories with Dad until it is too painful to bear.
I wish so dearly I could end it all, to take my own life and join Dad in the heaven that he believed in. There is a belt in my closet that I can use on myself in the way the Siedi Court killed Dad.
But beneath the sickly well of shame, the nausea and crushing humiliation at the stupid antics of Mensim and I, with which Mom's brief gaze pierces me—beneath the weight of knowing that I will never fill the torturous vacuum Dad left, knowing that I am a foul and disgusting son to the mother I so desperately need, that I see no end to the infinite river of anxiety and guilt pouring through the hole left in my heart—beneath my isolation and my longing for human touch—something breaks inside of me.
An emptiness of purpose. There is no point in going on, and I feel nothing, not even the desire to stop living. There is one exception: A hatred of myself, and of the humans I loved as family.
One day, Mom appears in my doorway, and she just stands there. Before, I would've welcomed being offered interaction with her beyond just receiving food, but now I am numb, my eyes all out of tears to cry.
"Pack your things," she says, her voice flat. She still doesn't look at me; the eyes she once said I inherited from Dad, she now shuns. "You're going to a residential school."
Indigenous Residential Schools; that is what Colonial Governor Nieve fe Skellth calls them, I think. They're for human kids who have trouble letting go of their "savage" roots; kids that the normal schools aren't enough to civilise. Schools that show you how to act Senghavi, to think Senghavi, to... be Senghavi.
There was a human kid in normal school whose sister went there, but they said that something had happened to her there; something in that residential school had changed her before she finally returned.
But I feel no fear as I pack my clothes into my bags. Every time I look in my bedroom mirror, a violent feeling rushes to my chest, only to dissipate into the hatred-tinged numbness I have grown so used to.
Finally, the time comes to depart. In the early morning, I am already aboard the autonomous public transport. It pulls out of the cracked street I once played with Dad in, passing by the entrance of Fellye Neighborhood, driving off into the fiery, violet Terran dawn. I see my faded reflection in the window, and my chest jumps with revulsion.
So I look down, fidgeting with my touchpad—then the numbness abruptly leaves, and my tears fall once again.
Forgive me for all the redaction, Doctor Morgthax. While I will not disclose what I wrote, you are correct, as always, about the act of writing. There is some semblance of psychological relief in typing one's sullen inner thoughts onto a touchpad. As if one can be heard without being heard.
By the time I drifted back to reality, my mouth and lips dry from dehydration, the hijackers had patched up the holes punched through the hull by the accidental explosion. Plenty of Senghavi passengers were spilling cerulean blood from beneath their exoskeletal coverings; though they were all alive, they needed medical attention.
Two hundred-something Senghavi civilians aboard this luxury spaceliner, and none had yet died. That stroke of luck offered me a glimmer of hope.
Pavok, the child, was emitting vibrations through the floor in his despair, the smell of rain and lilies becoming evident to me. It is starkly fascinating, the evolutionary dissimilarity between how native Terrans and Senghavi Terrans cry.
Those ships were delivering medical aid and critical provisions to the passengers, Commander Lokprel barked, the neutrino signals that encoded his gruff voice coming out from the intercom. Why did you laser them?
"Stop playing games," Jake snapped wearily into his radio. I recalled that his full name was Jacob Weaver, as Commander Lokprel had mentioned. A drop of blood streaked down his face. "We know what you're up to."
Paranoia will get you nowhere, Jacob. If we don't work with each other, you won't survive. We have detected an explosion aboard the spaceliner. Is anyone dead?
"Not yet," Jake growled. "But Fenni Svim will be if your forces keep approaching!"
Fenni Svim—the Senghavi from the Vellir Veneti Physics Lab, against whose skull Jake had pressed his pistol to halt the CDF's initial approach, hours ago—stiffened in her seat. I had never known the nuclear researcher very well before this barbarous event, but I prayed to the Gods of Siedi (whom I do not really believe in) that she would be okay.
Many of the passengers were still being kept by the windows to deter snipers. They included Pavok, behind whom Khadija stood guard.
"Sorry for attacking you," Jake suddenly said to me, his voice worn-out. "It's like Khadija said. The bugs know that humans are strong when they're united. It's why they try to play us against ourselves, to ally with just some of us, to try to make us hate each other; to hate ourselves. It's how they tore the United States apart. Everything they do... It's to make us ashamed of our species, our own culture, to lose hope in the future. If we were united, Casimir... they'd be terrified of us. And make no mistake—we're uniting again."
"E-even if what you say about mankind is true," I croaked, "Our species would not have settled anywhere but Earth. Our culture and history would still have been negligible and primitive, the richness and complexity of the Senghavi, still greater by many orders of magnitude."
"Casimir, did you go to one of the Indigenous Residential Schools?" Khadija asked.
"Y-yes," I managed, dusting off my formal wear and cleaning my glasses. "I was sent to one as a child. They are for those of us savage natives which conventional education could not sufficiently civilise."
Khadija's eyes softened with compassion, and she gestured to my wrist. "I asked because of that code on your wrist. I've heard about some of the things that happen in those places. The cruelty; the abuse."
I glanced at the abstract identification code tattooed onto my skin, faded with time. I hadn't thought about it in ages; it was but a remnant of my childhood, and I never paid it any attention.
"Residential schooling is necessary and proper," I tell her. "It is similar to human-mantid apartheid in its purpose; it keeps the public safe from savagery. "
"If we get out of this alive, I'm gonna take you with me to Russia," she said, wiping sweat from her brow. "Specifically, Moscow. It's where I lived after the fall of Türkiye. Man controls it, not the Senghavi."
I was already aware that a vast, untamed region named Zvorriu-Sai, located in Earth's northeastern quarter-sphere, is called Russia in simple-speak. A decade ago, Nieve fe Skellth had tried to civilise the hunter-gatherers who lived there, but his troops starved and froze in the snow.
It was with the multitude of planetary habitat fabricators that his army had been using that the native primates of Zvorriu-Sai constructed such cities as Moscow or Saint Petersburg.
"Russian civilization goes back over a millennium," Khadija explained. "I don't give a fuck about what the Senghavi have built on this planet; Russian architecture is my favourite, hands down. Anyway, it's the most stable and self-sufficient of the ten countries we've got left. Hard to invade, you know? It's seen better days, but the cities are nice, the economy is good. I think you'll find it's a hell of a lot less 'savage' than whatever the fuck the Parimthian Empire is doing."
To corroborate her claims, she showed me a photo from the gallery of her cracked, dusty touchpad. Before a busy canal, the waters tinted orange by a rising sun, a more relaxed version of her smiled into the camera alongside some human of the phenotype I had seen in the video of Tokyo. Looming over them was an intricate, palatial structure topped with colourful, onion-shaped domes.
"How... quaint," I replied, unsure of what to say, though it ignited dry laughter in Khadija.
"Looks like we got a communiqué from the UN," another hijacker announced, his mask still covering his face. I couldn't place his accent at all. He held up his own touchpad, displaying photos of the Colonial Governor herself—Perellanth fe Sumur—flanked by armed UN military personnel. They were clad in urban camouflage that was marred with blood. The black, plant-like extraterrestrial gazed defeatedly in the sterile lighting.
The UN had captured her! The Crown's decision to appoint a Vire as the leader of a Senghavi colony had been no small event. I was certain that after all the talk of Senghavi Terran independence, then followed by the Colonial Governor's capture, His Imperial Majesty regretted his progressivist decision.
"We... We did it!" Jake exclaimed, his voice disbelieving. "We took down Perellanth!"
You achieved nothing, Commander Lokprel retorted over the intercom. Not beyond the promotion of Benghoviu fe Prim to Acting Colonial Governor. If you kill Governor Sumur, Governor Benghoviu will become the permanent Colonial Governor as per the chain of command, and he will carry on the fine work of his predecessor.
Jake seemed to consider that situation a fair one, and he nodded to himself subtly. "Okay, sure. But if you do nothing, we'll still kill our first hostage."
What I can promise you is that Delegate Essintsya fe Baryn will submit an Act to the Forum of Delegates to recognize the sovereignty of the UN. It will be deliberated over for months, but it is your only realistic option. In return, we demand that you allow the passengers injured by one of your explosives to board CDF medical ships.
I recalled that the Forum of Delegates had voted Benghoviu fe Prim as Vice Colonial Governor just a year ago. And before even that, the Senghavi who lived on Vennec—my home continent on Earth—had popularly elected the ever-prudent Essintsya fe Baryn to the Forum. She was quite the economic liberal, as her sort was called.
Delegate Baryn's statements on the social contract between a people and their government, as well as her rejection that the Parimthian Crown ruled by divine right, had resonated deeply with me.
Jake's eyes hardened, and he turned his radio back on. "I said no games!"
There are no games here, Jacob! We only aim to preserve as much sapient life as possible. And you are out of options.
The hijacker who had shown Colonial Governor Sumur's prison photo gave Jake a withering look. "We're dragging this on, man. I don't want anyone to die."
"Don't talk to me about death, Ramiro. Not after what happened in the US."
The so-called United States of America... called Gholo Vieda in Parimthian. That region was Nieve fe Skellth's last successful conquest before he attempted to take on the vast, snowy expanses of Zvorriu-Sai. I wondered if, like Khadija's experience in Türkiye in the Niethvahi region, Jake had witnessed firsthand the cultural assimilation and political integration of Gholo Vieda into the rest of Parimthian Earth.
The conquest of Gholo Vieda and Niethvahi were the great accomplishments of Perellanth's predecessor, of course; but, in my opinion, the devotion of the (now captured) Perellanth to the causes of liberty, reason, equality, and sapientism far outshadowed anything that Nieve had done. I am certain, however, that the Parimthian Crown disagrees.
In any case, my faith in CDF Commander Lokprel loth Fonvie had not risen. Perhaps that was a good thing; otherwise, I might have regretted betraying the knowledge of antimatter research in order to elicit a more competent Parimthian intervention.
More security forces took up positions around the spaceliner, each ship split sharply into sunlight and shadow amid the black of space. The hijacker called Ramiro pointed to a series of smaller craft, which seemed to be pulling away from the luxury spaceliner. Escape pods!
"Hostages are falling through our fingers," Ramiro said. "We need to do something."
"Go to the rear," Khadija ordered. "Stop anyone else from sneaking out!"
Jake's radio crackled with the voice of someone in the cockpit. We've intercepted a neutrino transmission from the new guy, Benghoviu fe Prim. He's calling for some kind of emergency council at the highest levels in the Parimthian Empire.
I scoffed internally. The Crown would intervene for the sake of investigating all this talk of antimatter, whose alluring utility had hitherto been confined to theory and fiction. But it was doubtful that His Imperial Majesty would agree to an emergency council for the sake of his colonists' security and well-being. As (relatively) progressivist as he was in policy, he was still very much a punitive emperor, not a rewarding one.
"I told the commander to stop advancing—dammit!" Jake spat. "We're only letting medical craft get any closer. Fire at the corvettes!"
Affirmative, his radio crackled. Targets in sight.
The spaceliner's anti-collision lasers flashed against several faraway spacecraft. A succession of oxygen-fueled fires, each lasting for a [~split-second] against the vacuum of space, flared in the distance. Even so, the growing array of naval craft began to close in upon us again, surrounding the spaceliner in every dimension.
Switching again to the neutrino-connected channel, Jake gave a disgusted scowl. "Are you deaf, Commander? If your people keep getting closer, the deal is off!"
The more you fire, the closer we will get, Lokprel said. We are just making sure it is safe for the medical craft. As long as you refrain from harming them, we will not hurt you.
The hijacker in the cockpit radioed to Jake again, her voice sounding more alarmed.
We're picking up a massive object on our scanners. It's headed our way.
"How massive are we talking?" Jake asked.
It's... some kind of warship, I think. Over a hundred times our size.
"You're joking, right?"
"A Parimthian spacecraft carrier," murmured a soft, whimpery voice.
It was Fenni Svim again, her praying raptorial forelimbs tucked close in fear.
"The Imperial Parimthian Navy?" I asked. "They're really here?"
"Y-you shouldn't act surprised," Fenni said. "I know you were speaking to someone on the P-Parimthian side. You leaked our greatest secret, Casimir."
"R-right."
"What's she talking about, dude?" Khadija asked. Suspicion of betrayal lingered in her dark eyes. She had believed the lie that I was only calling a loved one when I contacted Mensim, >! who is at present an agent of Parimth!<; she had trusted me, and defended me against Jake's wrath.
I didn't answer. The very reason we needed antimatter was that the colonists' outerspace spanned but a meagre few millionths of the Parimthian Empire's total volume. I did not know what exactly a spacecraft carrier one hundred times the size of our spaceliner could do for the hostages, but it would be far more competent than the comparatively flimsy Colonial Defence Force.
Finally, after so many years of strategic modesty in the administration of the Crown's distant colony, of his Earth, as His Imperial Majesty suffered expense upon expense in countering the Imperium of Orion... Parimth had sent a warship of the Imperial Parimthian Navy, here in full force!
There was no need to inquire as to its distance; I could see it through my window. It was far enough that I could view the whole of its great form. Senghavi architecture, of course, is usually round, white, and glassy, traced with glowing accents; however, the imperial warship was boxy and shadowy black, visible only by the silhouette that it carved into the beaming sun.
Already, dozens of smaller craft—operated by some of the finest Senghavi pilots in the Milky Way—began spilling out from the spacecraft carrier, moving in the shadow of their gargantuan mothership. As even the hostage passengers became aware of its presence, the muted chatter and whimpering, which had been ambient across the aisles of the spaceliner, finally ceased.
Because of me, all of us—colonists and savages alike—were, for the first time in a decade, going to face a military intervention by Parimth itself.
submitted by Reptani to HFY [link] [comments]


2023.06.01 00:14 Icy_Appointment8852 [Event] The Hezekiah Rail Improvement Plan; Israel 2035

A press release from the Ministry of Transport, National Infrastructure and Road Safety

משרד התחבורה, התשתיות הלאומיות והבטיחות בדרכים,

Following consultation with cabinet colleagues, Minister Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Miri Regevhas authorized the release of the Ministry's medium term developmental plan titled "Israel 2035" to revitalise, restructure and improve Israel's rail transport links, and bring the nation closer together, with improvements being especially needed in the Territories.
Tel Aviv Metro
The plans for the Tel Aviv Metro were first formulated in 2015 through the Minsitry of Finance. Following consultation with the Ministry of Finance, the project shall return to the Ministry of Transort for oversight and financial control purposes, as well as additions. With the additional controls in place, new estimates place construction begining in December 2024, with operations begining in January 2032.
The Metro will consist of the already proposed 3 lines (M1, M2, M3) in their existing configuration as approved by the National Infrastructures Committee. The existing McKinsey report has the total cost laid out at 150 billion shekels (40 billion USD), spread out over building costs, tunneling costs, rolling stock, and infrastructure systems. The Ministry currently estimates that costs will increase to 180 billion shekels over the lifetime of the construction due to the recent increases in inflation, and additional security measures that will need to be undertaken.
The Ministry will also increase focus on the security of all stations with additional monitoring systems and security measures being implemented in order to protect what will become critical infrastructure from attack. As well as that, all stations will be fitted out to also act as shelters in case of attacks, and will also double as nuclear fallout shelters in case of the worst possible scenario occuring. This nuclear fallout shelter policy will cost an additional 20 billion shekels to be sourced from the Ministry of Defense.
Eilat High Speed Railway (Med-Red Line)
A high-speed railway to Eilat has been proposed for a number of years now, and after years of being stuck in the planning stage, the Ministry is pleased to announce that a plan has been approved by the National Infrastructure Commitee and construction will begin in 2027, with the line to open in 2035. The line itself will serve as a high speed link between the main population centers on the Mediterean Coast and in Mid-Israel, with the southern city of Eilat, allowing travel between the two in about two hours.
The line shall connect Tel Aviv, Ashdod (including port), Be'er Sheva, Dimona, Ramon Airport and Eilat. It shall allow a maximum speed of 230 to 300 kilometres per hour, and be fully electrified and double tracked to allow for maximum capacity and allow for use by both freight and passenger traffic, connecting the Red Sea with the Mediterean, avoiding the Suez Canal.
Following previous issues with funding this large scale project, the Ministry has agreed with the Prime Minister's Office that the most optimal way to fund this project is through issuing long term bonds, and short term stimilus funding through the Finance Ministry. A total of 140 Billion Shekels shall be put forward over the construction period of the Med-Red line.
Ma'ale Adumim High Speed Railway (Judea Line)
Finally, amongst all the other big ticket items, the Ministry has also approved construction of a high speed rail line into the Territories (Area C; West Bank) of Judea to connect Tel Aviv, with Ma'ale Adumim, Modi'in Illit, Betar Illit and Ariel.
This is perhaps the most innovative project taken by the Ministry of Transport, as it ties the territory of Judea and Sumatra (formerly illegally occupied by the Arab powers. It will provide a direct high speed connection to the newly settled territories, and allow for greater expansion of territories in the future.
It will operate as a double tracked, fully electrified railway, with protective barrier fencing in "high risk" areas, with frequent security patrols to deter hostile activity. Most of these patrols will be undertaken through the use of Robattle UGVs who will also be used during the construction phase to provide security.
Costs for this project is estimated to be approximately 140 billion shekels over the construction period. With initial planning to begin immediately, and construction to begin in 2029, with the operations begining in 2036, it will surely lead to greater investment in the territories.
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2023.05.31 23:58 Mouse-Direct Classic General Hospital: Luke & Laura 1979-1981

Where are my teens & kids who spent the summers on the run with Luke & Laura?
Some of you may have seen recently that Jackie Zeman (Bobbie Spencer) passed away earlier this month at the age of 70. She played the role of GH RN, former hooker with a heart of gold, land lady, and Luke's baby sister for 45 years. She had been a near constant in my life, so her loss sent me to YouTube in search of old GH clips and episodes.
TLDR: I watched a lot of old GH.
I found a goldmine in youtuber Sussezq who has playlists beginning when Bobbie calls her brother Luke Spencer to Port Charles to help break up Laura Webber and Scott Baldwin (1979), Laura's marriage to Scott and Luke's rape of Laura at the Campus Disco and then their summer on the run hiding from mobsters (1980), and their Ice Princess caper with Robert Scorpio and their Nov wedding with 30 million viewers (1981).
I was 9-11 during the Luke and Laura heyday. Some things I didn't remember, didn't get at the time, or just didn't get to see due to school and not having a VCR until 1984. I've watched from Luke & Laura's first meeting to their honeymoon, and here are my Gen-Xey thoughts:
The Good
The Bad
  1. He's a recovering alcoholic with anger issues
  2. He's the biological father of Rick Webber's younger brother Jeff who was conceived via infidelity between Lee and Helene Webber
  3. He was totes fine with college grad Scott marrying a literal high school senior!
Yeah. Lee should sit this one out.
The Ugly
In a 2022 interview with Oprah's "Where Are They Now," Genie Francis explained the following about why she left General Hospital in early 1982 at the height of Luke & Laura's popularity:
"I was very young. I was only 19. I was having trouble with drugs and alcohol," she said. After spending a night in the hospital, she was told she had to return to work the next day. Then someone came to her dressing room to inform her what had been said about her on set. "They said it didn't matter if you lived or died because Tony was the whole show," the person told her. "That hurt," the actress added. Feeling that she didn't matter to the show and that she was considered "nothing," Francis thought, "Okay, watch this. I'm gone," and in a moment of anger, she quit "GH." She admitted the decision was rather hot-headed, saying, "I went a long distance to prove a point. A very long distance," acknowledging that her actions hurt herself as well.
Read More: https://www.nickiswift.com/1105223/the-heartbreaking-reason-genie-francis-left-general-hospital-at-the-height-of-luke-and-lauras-fame/
Despite the bad and the ugly of it all, the show meant A LOT to me between 9 and 25 or so, and Luke & Laura were probably my first fandom. It was amusing and sometimes surreal to relive it all again.
submitted by Mouse-Direct to GenX [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 23:52 underwaterfish69 Back strain nexus?

Does anyone have an example of a back strain (pain) nexus letter they are willing to share?
Long story short was an E3 infantryman and I hurt my back in an IED two months into my Afghanistan tour in 2011. Was on a small cop and didn’t have it documented. Came back and due to some overwhelming survivors (guys in the platoon were KIA) guilt I checked “everything’s fine” on my PDHA. I didn’t want anything to do with medical.
Got out in fall 2013 and in august 2015 filed my first claim. Was denied for my back. I’ve been getting treatment this entire time, but don’t know what to do. Just did a supplemental with some lay statements by my platoon mates about how I would complain to them about it, but the C&P examiner recommended that my back strain has been caused by being an icu nurse (only two years into that job) and not related to my service.
I figured I will submit the orders for my combat action ribbon that list the IED, and maybe another lay statement but idk what to do.
Also this was bizarre. But the C&P examiner is now a PA and was our battalions local national interpreter at the time! Kept asking me what unit and combat outposts I was in, then finally said “I remember you.” After all that still wrote an unfavorable opinion.
submitted by underwaterfish69 to VeteransBenefits [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 23:43 crispytime29 2023 Jazz Draft Prospect Power Rankings

*Sorry if the formatting isn't great* Reddit's text editor is butt cheeks.
The draft is less than a month away. After the combine, we've seen a shift in prospects. The following is my completely unqualified and unprofessional opinion of the current power rankings. This is not in general, but keeping the Jazz in mind completely and basing it off their needs and fit. So here ya go...

1) Victor Wembanyama (8'7" 105lbs Unicorn - Deltron 750)
Victor wouldn't drop to 9 even if it cured cancer.
2) Scoot Henderson (6'3" PG - G-League Ignite)
Hoping that Scoot falls to 9 is like hoping the Celtics come back to take their series against the Heat in game 8 of the ECF
3) Brandon Miller (6'9" SF - Alabama)
Yeah I wish...
4) Amen Thompson (6'7" PG/SG - Overtime Elite)
Amen falling to 9 is about the same odds as me getting a girlfriend in the next 6 months. Basically zero.
5) Ausar Thompson (6'7" SG/SF - Overtime Elite)
Wishful thinking to get him at #9 but not impossible. He's an amazing athlete that seems to have a well-polished game with star potential. Some scouts are claiming he's better than his brother Amen, but only time will tell.
6) Taylor Hendricks (6'8" PF - UCF)
The guy is rocketing up the board and at this point, grabbing him at 9 might end up being a stretch. Great 3 point shooter, scorer, and hyper-athletic big. The guy at one point seemed to be a sleeper hit, but is now getting good attention and is climbing fast.
7) Anthony Black (6'5" PG/SG - Arkansas)
Admittedly I am still a little hesitant on Black, but I'm coming around to him. There's a good chance he'll be available at #9. He's a great defensive combo guard that needs to polish his shooting. Seems like a good locker room guy and he has good size.
8) Cason Wallace (6'2" PG - Kentucky)
Probably my favorite player in the draft. He has less star potential than the players listed above, but seems to be one of the lowest-risk players in the draft. I get a Marcus smart/mike conley vibe from him, though he likely won't reach the peak that Conley did. Love the lockdown defense and potential to become a great playmaker in the future.
9) Jarace Walker (6'9" PF - Houston)
Arguably the best big in the draft after Wembanyama. He's developing a 3 point shot to have him help stretch the floor. Place this guy next to Walker Kessler and we could have an extremely young and unstoppable 4-5 combo down in the paint. I just have him lower because he is slightly derivative of Kessler. But still worth taking at 9 if he's available.
10) Cam Whitmore (6'5" SF - Villanova)
The more time goes on, the more worried I get about Whitmore. We've seen players similar to him that rely on athleticism and natural talent that ended up bombing in the NBA. Guys like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Anthony Bennett, Josh Jackson just to name a few. Not saying that's guaranteed, but the guy just doesn't have a knack for the game that others above in this list do. I genuinely hope he does well for whoever he ends up with though.
11) Gradey Dick (6'6" SG/SF - Kansas)
I'm not rock solid on Dick at #9. His ability to score is impressive and his ability to fit right up into a tight system and satisfy his teammates is worth noting. He is going to have to soak for a little bit before we know how big he can be long-term. He is also known to work long and hard to make sure he does his part. But he also comes across as one that can only do so much long-term, sometimes you want something with a little bit more of a natural feel.
12) Leonard Miller (6'9" PF - G-League Ignite)
He's a long guy with some raw talent that's climbing up the board fast. One of the most intriguing things about Miller was his jump from last year to this year. Last year looking lost, this year he's looking like he could be the real deal. Good amount of potential here that could fit as a good stretch 4 in Utah's system. Rumors have it that the Jazz are pretty high on him and my prediction is that if he's available at 16 we'll take him.
13) Kobe Bufkin (6'4" PG/SG - Michigan)
Another player who has been climbing quickly and has gone from a mid-to-high twenties player up to the late lottery. He shows a lot of promise to develop into a good player in today's NBA being a good scorer with quickness and agility to get the ball to the hoop. He's my guy at 16 if we go for a big guy at 9 and if he's available which is no longer a guarantee.
14) Keyonte George (6'4" SG - Baylor)
A player who was starting to fall before having a good showing at the combine. Seems to have a pretty solid shot and ability to score. He's a decent 2-way guard that seems like a more built and less explosive Jordan Clarkson.
15) Nick Smith Jr. (6'5" PG/SG - Arkansas)
Another big question mark. Seemed to be one of the most hyped prospects going into college and due to injury had a shortened and unimpressive season with Arkansas. Seems to have the body and mindset for the NBA, but talent just hasn't been proven yet.
16) GG (Gregory) Jackson (6'9" PF - South Carolina)
A very intriguing pick at 16. He has some growing up to do mentally but he also impressed at the combine and in his first and only season with South Carolina. Seems to be a prospect that will either shine and be a steal or sink and be a bust with little in between. He's an incredible offensive talent with the ability to hold his own on the defensive end. Comparable to Taylor Hendricks but he's also a higher risk than Hendricks.
17) Brice Sensabaugh (6'6" SG/SF - Ohio State)
Comes across as a guy that needs the right coach to develop well. Immaculate offensive game with some major concerns on the defensive end. If a coach can help him on D, he could be an absolute steal. But it's important to understand that his defense needs some work if he wants to stay in the league.
18) Jett Howard (6'7" SG/SF - Michigan)
Good strength an shot maker who because of his upbringing has always been around NBA minds (His dad is Juwan Howard, one time all star and 18 year NBA player). He doesn't seem to be a shoe-in fantastic player but has the work ethic and the mindset to succeed in the NBA. Needs to work on consistency on the offensive end if he wants to be a difference maker in the league.
19) Jordan Hawkins (6'5" SG - Uconn)
I'm not 100% sold on Hawkins at 16. He's a solid player with good intangibles but does give some pretty strong Jalen Suggs vibes. Good enough player, but also not quite built for the NBA. He has the heart and effort to make it in the league, but there are definitely higher upside players available at 16.
20) Jalen Hood-Schifino (6'6" PG/SG - Indiana)
Solid guard with some hype and some naysayers. Seems to be somewhat decisive. He absolutely has the heart and size to compete, but consistency on the offensive end is a problem. Some games he's looking incredible, and other games he looks like a benchwarmer. It's hard to predict how he's going to pan out. (Also the latest ESPN mock draft have the Jazz taking him at 9??? Horrible take in my book, I think there are better players available at 16)
21) Kris Murray (6'8" SF/PF - Iowa)
One of my favorite players in this year's draft, though one that I have to admit probably isn't a great pick at 16. He has a higher floor but lower ceiling than a lot of other guys around this point in the draft making him a safe but probably not earth shattering pick. All around solid player that could be a valuable bench piece on a good team.
22) Sidy Cissoko (6'7" SF - G-League Ignite)
A possible sleeper who was outshined by his teammate Scoot Henderson who's a guaranteed top 3 pick. He's a solid sized wing who can also play a small ball power forward. His effort on defense makes him likely to get playing time early on. Athleticism isn't fantastic and tends to use his size to get what he wants on the court. A risk at 16, a no-brainer at 28. Hard to predict where he'll land.
23) Noah Clowney (6'10 PF/C - Alabama)
Likely not an immediate impact in the NBA but has the potential to be really good down the road. He's primarily a stretch 4 who can also play center if he puts on some weight. He moves well and has a raw game that's worth taking a chance on. Unfortunately he's too high risk for 16 but probably won't fall to 28 either.
24) Maxwell Lewis (6'7" SG/SF - Pepperdine)
A possible sleeper pick. He's a solid 3&D player with good length that needs to add a little more weight. Not an elite athlete, but he's still able to score by making smart plays getting to the basket. His 3 point shot is looking solid, and if it translates to the NBA he could be an impact player off the bench pretty quick. Another one that likely won't be there at 28 but also may not be worth taking at 16.
25) Dariq Whitehead (6'4" SG/SF - Duke)
Poor guy has had bad luck. Talent of a top 10 pick, but 2 foot surgeries have set him back from reaching his potential. Has a knack for the game and is a good perimeter defender, but recent play shows that he may just end up being a 3&D type guy. But injury history and questions regarding how he'll recover from existing injuries put him back on the list.
26) Dereck Lively II (7'1" C - Duke)
This is one that is higher than 26 on regular power rankings, but for the Jazz he just doesn't make a ton of sense unless he somehow falls to 28 which likely won't happen.
27) Bilal Coulibaly (6'8" SF - France)
One of the bigger question marks in this draft. Taking him at 16 is a definite stretch but at 28 might be worth it. He's long but skinny and has consistency issues making him the question mark he is. It's really hard to know if his game will translate to the league or not.
28) Brandin Podziemski (6'5" SG - Santa Clara)
I really like the idea of taking a risk on Podziemski at 28. He's another player that won big time at the combine. After his first year in the NCAA he was thought to be a nobody before transferring to Santa Clara where he dominated. He's far from athletic, but has good Basketball IQ and is a deadly scorer. He's a slight risk at 28, but one I think worth taking if he's available at 28. Could be a Kyle Korver type player in the future.
29) Trayce Jackson-Davis (6'9" PF - Indiana)
One of the most physically gifted athletes in this draft, 6-9 with a 7-2 wingspan weighing in at 240, this guy is ready for the NBA in that way. In terms of play, probably not as much. His play style is traditional center, but he's a little undersized and that style of play is on its way out. He seems to be highly competitive and wants to be successful which will help him in the next level, just needs to start developing a shot if he wants to be a long term piece in the league. But if he does that, he could be a steal at 28)
30) Colby Jones (6'6" SG/SF - Xavier)
A safer pick at 28 if he's available. His play style has been compared to Josh Hart as the type of player that does a little bit of everything without being incredible at any one thing. A safe bet if we're looking for a role player off the bench at 28.
31) Olivier-Maxence Prosper (6'8" PF - Marquette)
One of the biggest winners from the combine. He was thought to be a mid-to-late second rounder that has blasted into late first discussions. He played extremely well against his peers and is now looking to be more polished than once thought. High energy and great size contributes make him worth seriously considering if available at 28.
32) Julian Phillips (6'7" SG/SF - Tennessee)
Phillips is slowly working his way up the draft ladder, once thought to be a mid second rounder is now cracking the late 1st. He has good length but needs to put on some weight if he wants to stay healthy. He's not a good 3 point shooter and would really need to develop on that end to get playing time, but the athleticism and explosiveness make him really intriguing at 28.
33) Jamie Jaquez Jr. (6'7" SF - UCLA)
The last on the list here that I would be okay with the Jazz taking a chance on at 28. He's an all-around solid player that proved to be one of the best with UCLA over the last 4 years. He has good size and seems to be fairly polished. Reason he's this low is potential ceiling doesn't seem to be very high. Could be a good bench piece for us, but also doesn't seem to be one that has the potential to be a long-term player for any team in the league.
34) Bobi Klintman (6'10" PF - Wake Forest)
High risk, high reward type player. There are others I like better at 28, but Bobi wouldn't be a waste. He's a 6-10 stretch four with a great 3 point shot but does not quite seem to be NBA ready. With the right development staff he could turn out to be solid, but I expect him to spend some time in the G-league for his first year or two.
35) Rayan Rupert (6'7" SG/SF - New Zealand)
I do not understand the hype behind Rupert. He's athletic, has a great wingspan and he's young. On the other hand, he played backup minutes in New Zealand averaging barely over 6 points a game. That on top of injuries and I don't see why he's projected to go as high as our 16th pick.
36) James Nnaji (6'10" C - Barcelona)
I like Nnaji, but I'm not sold on him for our 28th pick. He gives me Azibukie vibes but with more potential. He he has great athleticism and size, but would need a lot of time to develop. I feel like we would be better off finding a backup center in free agency.
37) Andre Jackson Jr. (6'6" SF - UConn)
A definite project player that was a good piece in UConn's national championship run. He would be worth investing in if we had a second round pick, but he's just not quite NBA ready yet.
submitted by crispytime29 to UtahJazz [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 23:30 JonathanRedding Ghost Word Pt. 2

Continued from Pt. 1, which can be found at:
Pt 1: https://www.reddit.com/Horror_stories/comments/13wymkl/ghost_word_pt_1/
WARNING: This story contains depictions of non-consensual sex and gun violence.
---------------------------------
Lyle found himself on foot, the valise at his side, the night air crisp and noisy. He realized he was ravenous. No surprise there, he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in twenty-six hours. The late evening traffic was brisk around the campus, and as he passed a roving pack of students Lyle realized it was Thursday night*. Thirsty Thursdays*.
In keeping with ancient tradition, the majority of undergraduates avoided Friday morning classes at all costs, preferring to begin their weekend revels on Thursday nights. Lyle followed his feet. He imagined power emanating from the briefcase at his side, thrumming up his arm. He felt, for perhaps the first time in a life of shrinking uncertainty, boundless.
And it felt extraordinary.
Somewhere inside of him a notion was forming that he did not dare articulate. But he followed his feet. The easy ebb and flow of walk signals, the pleasantly cool night air, the passing chatter, even the occasional car-horn—which in the past had never failed to startle him, jittery as he was—seemed buoyant and agreeable. The night was his. He realized he was sloping gently downhill, as he followed his feet. He realized he knew exactly where he was going. He found himself before O’Flaherty’s Pub, with its sandwich-board blaring LADIES NIGHT 1/2 WELL DRINKS -- TRUST ME YOU CAN DANCE in electric pink loops. It felt only natural to step beneath the awning, swing wide the knotted mahogany door, and enter the din.
The ham-hock manning security—probably a redshirt lineman in his off-season—turned toward Lyle on autopilot, one hand reaching out as a question formed on his lips, lemme see some ID. Lyle made no attempt to reach for his wallet because he knew the inevitable would happen when the bouncer took in his face, which he did a half second later. A tiny beat of recognition flickered and was gone, and the bouncer turned away. No need to card the old dude. Good luck navigating the vicissitudes of adult life, you Mongoloid, Lyle thought. The jag off had a Black & Mild tucked up behind one ear, Lyle felt an insane urge to snatch it off his head and break it in half. He did not do well with the pretend authority of chunky, dead-eyed adolescents.
But I’m not here for him.
Lyle wove his way into the evening crush with the delicate, shuffling little steps he always used in crowds. By fits and starts he made his way deeper, deeper, winding toward the back bar, the one with the full-length mirror. That was her favorite. O’Flaherty’s had a Crosley jukebox, wood-paneled and coin-operated, reaching for vintage but stuffed to the gills with Bluetooth and wi-fi and digital memory and whatever else. A woman’s voice was booming out of it, an empty pop ballad gussied up by her big, operatic sound. Lyle tried to think of the singer’s name, but couldn’t. He squeezed into a narrow gap at the back bar.
Darby was flirting as she mixed a rum-and-coke for a gawky, dough-faced kid in a flat-cap and a Harrington jacket. On the few occasions he had come out on Darby missions, Lyle had stayed well back from the bar, waiting for drink service at one of the small cafe tables lining the billiard room. But tonight, he wasn’t here to watch.
Darby handed off the drink and caught sight of Lyle. He winced—he could read the surprise, even discomfort, on her face. But she was tending bar, and she was quick on her feet, and she rearranged her expression into a smile. She held up a finger—*one sec—*to which Lyle nodded, as she took flat-cap’s (father’s) Amex back to the register and opened up a tab.
Lyle enjoyed watching her walk. Enjoyed looking at her from the back, or in profile. He usually saw her face, in class, big brown doe eyes and very pale, freckled skin. A shade away from clear, he had heard her joke once, to James, as she had invited him to touch the roadmap of blue veins on her inner arm. That had enraged Lyle—the sudden, unwelcome image of James with those long creamy legs locked over his waist, his long, slow thrusts.
Because he restrained himself from ogling her in class, it was a pleasure to come to O’Flaherty’s during her shifts and watch her as she worked. Darby was not the first of what Lyle thought of as his “favorites”. Every year or two there was a fresh, irresistible young thing, for him to think about, alone, late at night. One of the unspoken perks of professordom was the constant influx of eye-candy, of short skirts and long legs and high asses and pert young tits. In his mind’s eye it was an endless profusion of imagined aureoles, of wondering about their panties—boy-briefs or frilly little whatsits or g-strings or none at all—and even if Lyle never slept with them there was an intense eroticism in holding power over these girls he could never have bedded in his own college years. In pushing that term paper over the failing line and waiting, deliciously waiting, for them to come to his office hour and plead. Only Darby’s work was reasonably competent, so even that grimy thrill was denied him.
Darby finished up with the register and came over, the pale of her neck stark against her tight black t-shirt. O’FLAHERTY’S was printed on it in green, the name stretched to accommodate her bust. Her hair frazzled at the temples; she’d been working hard.
Just a little dirty, that’s how I like you, he thought.
“Dr. L! We missed you today, thought maybe you caught the gunk. You all right?” Darby beamed her big smile at him, a gift of the gods (and of immaculate orthodontics).
“I’m fine, Darby, thanks. Just a communication mix-up. I’m sorry you all waited.”
She kept smiling, seemed to be waiting for more. He didn’t give it to her.
“Well—can I get you anything?”
Lyle hesitated, trying to think of a manly drink, something urbane and—professorial.
“Scotch-rocks. A double.”
Darby continued to stare at him, expectantly. “Any… particular poison, or-?”
Lyle glanced up, made a show of studying the bottles arrayed behind her. He knew nothing about scotch. Stupid. He settled on Johnnie Walker Black, and Darby poured his drink.
Lyle realized his heart was racing. Darby set the drink in front of him and he downed half of it in one swallow. He managed to keep his face neutral as the liquor seared his throat.
“This is a—little bit of a departure, for you, huh?” Darby indicated the scotch.
“What?”
She must have known he heard her but she raised her voice anyway. The music had changed to a British pop group with a lot of electronic undertones, trying to sound haunting.
“The scotch,” she said. “Don’t you always order lemon drop martinis? When you come in?”
Busted. Two bright red circles appeared high on his cheeks.
“You know, it, it depends,” he replied. “Depends on my mood. And you—you make a hell of a lemon drop martini, here.”
Fucking idiot, he thought. They make the same Goddamn lemon drop martini as everybody else and she knows it.
Darby was smooth, though. Graceful. She rolled right past it. “I wondered why you never came over and said hi.”
“Well I don’t want to, you know, be a bother. You’re working. It’s always busy. And I’ve been coming here for years, off and on. You get used to seeing students out on the town. I try to give them their space.”
“Oh.” Her smile reappeared. “Well I’m glad you came over. Let me know if I can get you anything else?” She was already angling away.
“How was class today?” Lyle didn’t want to let her go. She glanced down the bar, she had customers waiting.
“It was great, really great,” she hurried her answer. She was giving him the brush-off. “James did great. He’s an awesome teacher. Awesome guy.”
“You know, I’d been meaning to ask you, about James…” Lyle leaned in, conspiratorially. Darby’s smile was faltering, but courtesy won out and she leaned in to hear.
“Are you fucking him?”
Darby recoiled, as though he had spit on her.
What?”
“Do you laugh at me, when you do it? When you fuck, do you laugh at the scabby, horn-dog professor?”
Darby’s breath hitched in her chest, she looked like she was about to cry. She took a step back. She looked down the bar, and then past him—toward the door.
Bouncer, he thought. She’s looking for the bouncer.
“I think you need to—” she began.
Then Lyle said the Word. The alien Word, meant to be moaned, easy as pie, really, when you thought about it, how the sounds flowed together. The Word that meant libido.
Darby froze. Her pupils flickered, Lyle saw, they constricted down to pinpricks, and then dilated as wide as they could go, swallowing the puppy-dog brown of her irises. Her face went slack. That wide, expensive smile vanished, and her mouth hung slightly open.
“Moisten your lips, Darby,” he said.
Her tongue slid out, pink and supple, and she obeyed.
Oh, my God, she OBEYED.
Lyle’s penis twitched in his pants, he realized he was painfully erect, his balls aching. He realized he had been, had been since—since I said the Word—since he had her and a cruel, savage sense of triumph shook him, he felt his pulse hammering in his veins, he felt like standing up on the bar and—
ROARING I want to ROAR at this dewy twat and all her imbecilic peers—
But instead, he took his cock firmly in his hand, through the cheap fabric of his Ross trousers, squeezed himself, and said—
“What are we going to do with you, Darby?”
#
Lyle fucked her in the alleyway behind O’Flaherty’s. That meant hurrying more than he liked, the dumpster provided cover but the blocks surrounding the campus were too well policed. It was all right, though. Now that he was armed with the libido-Word, the next time could be more leisurely.
He took her in. All of her. The small, surprisingly dark nipples, nothing like he’d imagined. The fine, black hairs on the nape of her neck, the peach fuzz of her freckled low back, her inner thighs. Her panties were white briefs with green stitching, they were covered with tiny frogs. He tugged them down, and nuzzled her there. He left hickeys, on her ass, her mons. Her smooth, exquisite young cunt.
Lyle took her from behind and saw the groggy confusion in her dilated eyes, the amazement*—*and through that the pleasure, the unsuspected, unwanted, violating pleasure that jolted moans out of her.
Lyle sucked her neck, bit it, hard enough to sting. She gave a tiny mewl as she came, and her spasm triggered him also. Lyle buried himself to the hilt in her, finished in her, and felt—
Like a king. Like a GOD.
They stayed there as the minutes stretched out, panting, still joined. He savored her, until his own tumescence vanished, and he slipped out. Lyle patted her derriere.
“Get dressed and get back to work, Darby,” he said. “We don’t want you to get in trouble.”
She jerked her head, drunkenly, from side to side, as though she were trying to shake water out of her ears. Lyle breathed deep, in through his nose, the fine scents of the city. Fried food nearby, probably the Thai joint catty-corner to the pub. He stood and admired, as Darby tugged her frog-panties back up those long pale legs.
“I’ll see you in class.”
Darby stared blankly at him as he took up his suitcase, turned, and strode into the night.
#
When Lyle opened his eyes the next morning, he was only mildly surprised to discover that he felt no guilt at all. The sun streamed in, the world was up and running, coffee was calling, and by God he felt fine.
He sat up in bed, stretched. He glanced at the alarm clock, that hateful sentinel, now toothless—10:27AM. The mattress was bare, beneath him. He’d never washed the sheets. Puddled on the floor were yesterday’s clothes. He resisted the urge to tidy them up. Later. He padded to the bathroom and went about his ablutions, brushed his teeth, took out his shaving kit. He had used the sleep-Word on himself again, last night. After.
After! He let the memories wash over him. Her smell: the tang of sweat, bar-odors, the undercurrent of peach soap. The taste of her! And then the feast, afterward. He had followed his nose to Great Elephant Thai, wolfed down a plate of kai thot, fried to a crisp and dripping oil*.* It may have been the finest meal of his life.
And he had had such dreams! Dreams of Darby, and of favorites past. Dreams of fucking and of wealth and of slights avenged and of respectful, deferential looks, dreams of voices falling silent when he entered a room, of every eye on him. A song lyric drifted into his head, something from his childhood, a favorite of his father’s one long summer, repeated ad nauseam on the fourteen-hour drive down to Savannah.
Twenty years a’crawlin’… were bottled up in Tommy… he wasn’t holding nothin’ back, he let ‘em have it all…” Lyle sang, full voice, into the morning. A stupid grin spread over his face, as he wicked away the last patch of Barbasol, the careful spot right over his Adam’s apple, and rinsed his razor. He took a long look at Mirror-Lyle, looked into his eyes. He almost always avoided a close examination of his reflection, force of habit, but today he was a new man, and he wanted to take that man’s measure.
Everyone… considered him… THE COWARD OOOF… the COUNTYYYY…”
Something else surfaced, then, in his memory, something that cranked the wattage down on his smile. He didn’t get all of it, just a glimpse, like a dorsal fin rising above the water. He had dreamed of more than power and sex. There had been something else. Lyle had a vague red recollection of tangled depths and faceless figures. His mind offered up a fleeting image of a crumbling stone structure, of keening wind and squat pillars; and of a great broken vault overhead, through which could be seen a blasted sky.
Lyle charged his phone as he brewed up a fresh pot. It had run out of juice somewhere during yesterday’s festivities, and when it finally powered up again it began to vibrate against the Formica tabletop in his dining nook. He ignored the first two pulses, but the phone insistently continued, not with the regular rhythm of an incoming call, but rather the inconsistent bursts of message notifications trickling in from the cloud. He tapped the touchscreen, and saw he had seven missed calls: one from a colleague, yesterday; and six from James, each one with a voicemail attached. The most recent of these had come just twenty minutes ago.
Lyle sipped on his coffee as he retrieved the briefcase from beneath his bed. He sat at his dinette and removed the fascicle, easily finding the rigid page. He opened it, and this time the new Word was waiting for him below the first, long entry: the entry corresponding to the letter “A” itself. This Word was angry, Ks and Zs, a hornet-word, serpent-word. Lyle looked to the white space, where the definition would arise. He pricked his forefinger with the tip of a steak knife and squeezed out two droplets of blood.
der zorn
Lyle sipped. Lyle thought. Greek, then Latin, now German. Was it moving forward in time? He wondered again about those first shapes he had seen, in the library. The more he tried to remember the more he doubted they had been in Greek. Something older, maybe. Phoenician syllabary? He would likely never know. But the Words were changing. The book was changing.
And there was this: both of the—*spells, they’re spells, let’s cut the shit—*both of the Words it had given him so far had been…
“Intuitive,” he said finally. “Useful. Like it knew.”
Lyle took down the last foil sleeve of blueberry Pop Tarts from his cupboard. Pauper’s breakfast, he thought, but not for much longer. He searched through his contacts until he found the number for the Chancellor’s office. He thumbed the little blue phone icon beside it.
#
Lyle had just started boxing up his things when James burst into his office, perfectly symmetrical face distorted by fury, his generous features made ugly. Ah, the righteousness of youth. James took in the dense sheaf of Staples boxes, waiting to be folded; took in the bare walls, the stacked diplomas and photographs.
“What the fuck is this?” he demanded.
“Emergency leave,” Lyle answered with a dismissive wave. “I’ve had a family crisis. I’m afraid I have to attend to it. Professor Chole will be taking over my workload for the remainder of the semester, I’m sure she’ll be in touch—"
“What did you do to Darby? What the fuck did you do?” James spoke with the husky, quaking tone of pure adrenaline. He was just barely restraining himself from lunging across the desk, Lyle realized. He took the younger man in with bemused calm. He let the moment stretch out.
“Therese called me,” James continued, the words throttling out of him. “Darby’s roommate. She came home last night, she has—bruises, all over her, little, little *bites—*she won’t speak, she just sits there and cries, but she said your name. It’s the only thing she said. What did you do to her, Lyle? Did you rape her?”
“Dr. Hereford,” Lyle replied.
James craned forward. “What?”
*“*You don’t get to call me Lyle.”
Lower, now, almost a whisper: “Tell me what you did to her.”
“I made her come,” Lyle said. “And she fucking loved it.
James did lunge then, he screamed and he leapt across the desk, coming down on Lyle in a tangle of thrashing limbs and rabbit punches, the two of them toppling Lyle’s chair, compressing awkwardly into the tight space between desk and wall. James kicked hard off of the gray metal drawers, managing to end up on top. His hands found Lyle’s throat and began to squeeze. Lyle felt himself constricting, felt the energy draining out of him, pinned, as he lost oxygen. He noticed the curds of spittle at the corners of James’s snarling mouth. He started to see spots in the periphery of his vision, and as he slapped ineffectually at James’s face he thought am I going to die here—?
Lyle dug down for the last of his strength. The Word chose me. This wasn’t the end. Couldn’t be the end. He extended his leg as far as it would go, and used the distance to drive his knee, hard, into James’s crotch. A grunting exhale was propelled out of the younger man*.* Lyle pulled back to do it again; James squeezed his thighs together to block, and when he did, he compromised his balance. He took one hand off Lyle’s throat and thrust out his arm to catch himself as be began to roll, allowing Lyle to draw in a long, ragged breath.
Then Lyle spoke the Word.
The der zorn-Word.
The word that meant anger, that meant rage, that meant WRATH.
#
“Son. Son, you’re bleeding, let me—let me help you, come on. Son, it’s gonna be okay, come on, now— “
The campus policeman approaches James like a dog that might be rabid, that slow hunched posture with arms wide, except for the policeman it’s only one arm because his right hand is flush up against his service weapon and his thumb snaps the little thumbsnap and it’s a very small noise but it’s so loud in James’s head and he shakes it, his head, does James, from side to side, in herks and jerks, like a dog that might be rabid, now, like there’s water in his ears and he’s trying to shake it out, is James, and the policeman is coming on and speaking in clear precise syllables that explode behind James’s temples, clusterbomb-words, and the cop is speaking but he’s hearing another voice, is James, and it’s Lyle’s voice, it’s Dr. L’s voice, not Lyle never Lyle, and Dr. L’s voice is saying snakebit you’re snakebit she fucking LOVED it and James touches his own face now and it must be true because there’s blood on his face and when he blinks his blink is heavy and liquid like he just dropped Visine in there but the thing is but only but except it’s blood and he’s bleeding from the eyes, is James, and now the policeman is right on top of him saying “son what happened can you hear me respond if you can hear me” and James hears the exploding words all right and he blinks and blood oozes from the corners of his eyes and the cop is changing now, in the blood, his face is BOILING and now it’s Darby’s face on the policeman and she opens her mouth and her head cranes back and she’s ruined inside OH FUCK SHE’S RUINED INSIDE SHOT HERSELF SHE SHOT HERSELF SHE’S SHOT and now it’s DR L IT’S DR L SCREAMING SNAKEBIT SNAKEBIT SNAKEBIT—
James rears back and head-butts the campus cop as hard as he can, the smooth acne-less center of James’s forehead connecting with the soft cartilage of the policeman’s nose. A sick crunch echoes in the lobby of the Humanities building, a young woman close enough to hear it vomits on the floor, it is the first puking incident of the day but not the last.
The cop recoils with a sick moan, in his surprise clapping his hands to his shattered nose; in that moment James bellows, an awful inarticulate animal sound of hate, and yanks the policeman’s service piece free of his holster.
The handful of rubbernecking students freeze as James shoots the policeman in the face.
The policeman’s name is (was) Lou, the students know, and he is (was) genial and well-liked. A silent second passes in the lobby, and then the screaming begins.
James dips down and pulls two spare clips out of Lou’s belt. He pockets them. When James looks up, he doesn’t see fleeing students.
He sees Dr. L.
A gaggle of Dr. L’s. A school, a clutch, a murder. He sees laughing Dr. L’s running in every direction, diving behind furniture, breaking for the street or hurtling into the stairwells. One Dr. L dives behind the reception desk. James starts after him on wooden legs.
When he reaches the desk, there is Dr. L beneath it, a cell phone in his hand, cackling. James shoots him in the stomach. Dr. L keeps right on laughing, howling with it now, whatever it is must be hilarious, a real knee-slapper, then James remembers its him, Dr. L is laughing at him so James shoots him again, shoots him so he’ll stop but there are so many more
#
Lyle Hereford, Ph.D., rested his browning forearms on the wrought iron railing of his third-floor balcony. He looked out over the Gulf of Mexico. The breeze was warm and gentle, suffusing, but it no longer calmed him. He took no notice of it. He was lost, as he was always now lost, in thought.
The one, lone thought.
It had taken a little less than two weeks for James’s horrific shooting spree to drop out of the news. The demands for GUN CONTROL NOW (or, conversely, for guns in every classroom) receded and were shelved for the next go-round. Politicians took to the field and unfurled their heraldry for the usual pro-forma skirmishes. Then, mercifully, a Cabinet official fucked somebody he really shouldn’t have and the national discourse (such as it was) barreled off, like a dog chasing a ball that its owner had only pretended to throw. As to why a handsome, popular, well-adjusted student should suddenly snap and murder sixteen of his fellows? The theories ranged from medically reasonable (an inoperable tumor which could not be verified via autopsy, as James’s brains had been removed by the responding tactical unit); to the paranoiac (James had been the subject of a Manchurian Candidate-style CIA/NSA/Acronym-of-your-choice experiment gone horribly wrong); to the Occult (the Devil made him do it).
Lyle had enjoyed that last one.
What Lyle had not enjoyed was that some of the conspiracy theorists, and even some of the legitimate press, had mentioned him by name. He had disappeared, after all, on an auspicious and chaotic day, to manage a crisis no one could verify involving a family no one could find. It had not been difficult to remain ahead of any enterprising investigators, though. Not with the Words.
And there had been so many more Words. Words in French and Finnish and Russian and Spanish and Mandarin. Words that meant envy and silence and fear and blindness and, perhaps the most potent yet, a Word that meant stupid. Lyle had employed that one against a statie who pulled him over as he crossed the Louisiana line, coming through Vicksburg. The guy had been six-two, maybe two-twenty, with sharp, curious eyes sunk deep in his skull. Lyle hadn’t liked the way he had looked at him, so he used the Word. Now the statie—*Edmonds was his name, Trooper Edmonds—*was six-two, two-twenty of drooling simpleton, probably staring at a wall somewhere in the nearest brain injury ward and driving the resident neurologists absolutely bugshit.
By the time Lyle made it to a quiet, lazy town on the Cajun Riviera and decided to set a spell, he had traded in his Acura for a Beemer and was carrying close to a hundred and twelve thousand dollars in cash. He had also acquired a 9mm Ruger and a shotgun with a pistol grip (the dealer had called it a snake charmer just before Lyle killed him).
None of that matters now, though.
All that mattered was the Word. Which, he had come to realize, was the last Word.
Because the book was alive, of course, had always been alive, Lyle knew that. Hadn’t let himself come right out and say it, but he knew. It had slept, maybe, possibly, until he woke it, with his touch, with his blood, but if it slept, it woke up thirsty*.* The book was always ready with the next Word, the next thing he would need. The book was collaborating with him. It was dancing with him, and at first he had thought he was the one leading, but now he knew better.
Lyle felt it. Felt it—pulling on him. All the time. Felt it in the room behind him, pulling, knew that he would go back in, sooner or later, go back in, and open the book, the book that has been leading him. Knew that he would open its hundreds of pages, because it was longer now, because it had grown, because it was three inches thick and the front plating had vanished and it wasn’t pretending to be a dictionary anymore.
He knew that he would open it and on every single page, centered, would be a single Word, the last Word, the Word that he will say, that he must say, sooner or later, and under it swirling in blood, blood that must be the book’s own, the final explication, the final command, the final meaning, and God, oh God, Lyle was afraid, because the last Word was
DOOR
submitted by JonathanRedding to Horror_stories [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 23:19 isweardown Are lease-purchase agreements a realistic way to buy your first home ?

I’ve been saving up close to a decade now and I’m 18months to 2 years out to being able to afford my dream home.
How realistic are lease purchase agreements to buy my first home ?
Example scenario: Property on the market for £235k Has been reduced from £245k hasn’t sold for several months
I’m saving up to buy cash and can only afford £210k at the moment but will have enough for £250k in two years time. (Currently saving £20k per year)
A lease purchase agreement will look something like this.
I’ll offer £500 a month every month to lease the property from the seller for 3 years and purchase for a pre agreed price of £250k in three years time.
Total cost £268k
Pros for seller: locks in and guarantees a price even in the event house prices fall / rise
Pros for me, I get to lock in a property I like that I can’t yet afford.
Cons for seller , doesn’t get money for 3 years only lease payments .
Cons for me, hassle finding a seller that will be happy to sing a lease option agreement .
I’m not interested in or want any form of mortgage for personal reasons.
In this above scenario, I am in effect securing financing of the seller instead of the bank. Depending on the exact numbers, it can come out cheaper than paying interest on a mortgage .
Any thoughts / feedback welcome .
submitted by isweardown to HousingUK [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 23:19 No-Boysenberry-1337 Sunday, May 7, but I'm still here.

His hands were grasping desperately at mine, taking everything from them -- my phone, my vape, my keys.
"You're not going anywhere," he told me, out of breath as he withdrew from the car. All the things I needed, he had in his hands, until I decided very suddenly I didn't need them anymore.
"The hell I'm not," I said, and took off on foot.
My pajamas were sticking to my skin in the humid air of early spring. No bra, I hadn't had the time to put one on. Only time enough to kiss my daughter in her crib goodbye.
I didn't need my phone. In fact, it was probably better I didn't have it. I'd probably have tried to post one last overly-articulate Facebook status or tweet, one I'd cringe at later. Best to avoid that, I guess.
My vape, well, I didn't even think about it once I was gone, which goes to show you the mysteries of addiction.
The keys were for the car. I didn't need that though, not really. I may be lazy but I'm determined. I just started walking. My sandals hurt my feet, the cheap rubber cutting into sensitive spots between my toes.
I could hear him yelling behind me. He was threatening to call the police. And do what, I wondered? Step after step I kept towards my destination, because I knew where I was going, I knew where it was all going to end because I'd known it for a long time. He couldn't stop me now, nothing could stop me, and furthermore nothing should because this is the way it needed to be.
My feet kept moving forward. I crossed my arms over my breasts so they wouldn't bounce. I lowered my head and stared at the pavement.
Down the street. Around the corner. Through the field. It wasn't that hard.
I knew where the river was.
I passed the transmission shop, the American Legion, the local watering hole. Everything closed because it was Sunday. Everyone home with their families, and me on my way to the river.
Concrete beneath my palms, I leaned over the edge of the bridge and peered down. The water was brown, but clear enough I could see rocks. Well, that just wouldn't do. I'd done enough research online that I knew some people tried to kill themselves and just ended up badly mangled and badly embarrassed. I didn't want that. Plus, the rocks looked like they'd hurt.
I made my way to the bank. I took off my shoes. I felt very much like Virginia Woolf in that moment, even though I knew she put rocks in her pockets. I wondered if I should do that then decided it was too dramatic, even for me.
The water was warmer than I'd expected. Slimier, too. I took one step, then another, then another. Just as I had when I'd decided I was leaving. Forward was the only way to go.
I walked until I was up to my neck. Then, before I had time to think about anything else, I went under.
It's harder to drown yourself than you might think. There's a lot of mental work that goes into it, kind of like falling asleep. You think it would be easy but it's not.
I tried three times. Went under, held my breath, came up gasping. Three times, and I just couldn't make it stick. Then I heard the boat coming.
My first thought was, "I don't want to hurt anyone else." Because if someone hit me with their boat, someone else could get hurt. My second thought was, "If I get run over by a boat, it's going to FUCKING HURT."
So I struggled back to the bank. I threw myself onto it and laid there for a moment, breathing hard. I wish I could say that was my instant of clarity, when I realized how stupid this whole thing truly was.
But the truth is, all I could think was that I'd failed. Again.
I was so stupid I couldn't even do this right.
So what did I do? I kept walking. One step. And then another.
I had no idea where I was going.
Everything was closed. I couldn't even stop somewhere and guilt someone into buying me a drink.
One step. And then another. And then.
"Miss? Are you okay?"
A Sunset Hills police officer had pulled over into the parking lot where I was walking.
His face was kind. He looked concerned. And everything hit me.
That was the moment.
I took a deep breath, river water still in my lungs, and said,
"No. No, I'm not."
submitted by No-Boysenberry-1337 to offmychest [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 22:51 Joadzilla North Korea satellite plunges in sea in 'rushed' failure, more launches expected

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-fires-space-satellite-skorea-military-2023-05-30/

SEOUL/TOKYO, May 31 (Reuters) - A North Korean satellite launch on Wednesday ended in failure, sending the booster and payload plunging into the sea, North Korean state media said, and the South's military said it had recovered parts of the launch vehicle.
The new "Chollima-1" satellite launch rocket failed because of instability in the engine and fuel system, state news agency KCNA reported.
The flight was the nuclear-armed state's sixth satellite launch attempt, and the first since 2016. It was supposed to put North Korea's first spy satellite in orbit.
It prompted emergency alerts and brief evacuation warnings in parts of South Korea and Japan but no danger or damage was reported.
South Korea's military said it was conducting a salvage operation to recover what is believed to be parts of the space launch vehicle.
The military shared pictures of a large cylindrical object floating in the sea about 200 km (124.27 miles) off the west coast island of Eocheongdo.
A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the satellite flew less than 10 minutes, for several hundred kilometres. The launch occurred from the northwestern space launch facility and fell into the Yellow Sea, the official added d.
George William Herbert, adjunct professor at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies and a missile consultant, said the images showed at least part of a rocket, including an "interstage" section designed to connect to another stage.
It is most likely a liquid-fuel rocket, and a round, brown object inside is likely a propellant tank for either fuel or oxidizer, Herbert added.
Officials from the United States, Japan, South Korea held a phone call, where they "strongly condemned" the launch, Japan’s foreign ministry said.
"The three countries will stay vigilant with high sense of urgency", the statement said.
North Korea had said it would launch its first military reconnaissance satellite between May 31 and June 11 to boost monitoring of U.S. military activities.
South Korea last week placed satellites in orbit with a domestically designed and produced rocket for the first time, and China sent three astronauts to its space station as part of crew rotation on Tuesday.
The North Korean rocket plunged into the sea "after losing thrust due to the abnormal starting of the second-stage engine," KCNA reported, in an unusually candid admission of a technical failure by the North.
Pyongyang's National Aerospace Development Administration will investigate the "serious defects" and take action to overcome them before conducting a second launch as soon as possible, KCNA said.
WARNINGS ISSUED
North Korea appeared to have rushed its satellite launch after Seoul's recent space rocket launch, a South Korean lawmaker said citing his country's intelligence agency.
Lawmaker Yoo Sang-beom told journalists that North Korea's leader was believe to have observed the launch and Pyongyang may need several weeks at least to fix its rocket's problems.
"Even if this satellite launch is a failure, General Secretary Kim Jong Un himself has made clear that this satellite is the first of many," said Atsuhito Isozaki, professor of North Korean studies at Keio University in Japan. "This won’t be the end of those efforts."
Lee Choon Geun, honorary research fellow at South Korea's Science and Technology Policy Institute, said it was a rare opportunity for South Korea to retrieve part of a North Korean rocket, and perhaps even the satellite. Analysts say North Korea's capacity for constructing sophisticated satellites remains unproven.
In data provided to international authorities before the launch, North Korea said the rocket would fly south, with stages and other debris expected to fall over the Yellow Sea and into the Pacific Ocean.
Air raid sirens wailed across the South Korean capital of Seoul as the city warned citizens to prepare for a potential evacuation. Later alerts said the city warning had been a mistake.
"I was so panicked," said Lee Juyeon, 33, a resident in the city of about 10 million who was preparing to shelter in a basement with her young child before learning it was a false alarm.
The Japanese government also issued an emergency warning over its J-Alert broadcasting system for residents of the southern prefecture of Okinawa to take cover indoors early on Wednesday morning.
It later said the rocket would not fly into Japanese territory and lifted the warnings. Japan had this week vowed to shoot down any projectile that threatened its territory.
The White House condemned the launch and said it was assessing the situation in coordination with allies.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said North Korea's rocket disappeared from radar above the Yellow Sea and did not make it into space.
Japan strongly condemns the launch and has lodged a complaint to Pyongyang through diplomatic channels in Beijing, he said.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the launch, a spokesperson said, noting any launch by Pyongyang using ballistic missile technology breached Security Council resolutions.
submitted by Joadzilla to gamefaqs261 [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 22:39 Anonimo_Llopi War Thunder Mobile Review: The Good, The Bad (and the ugly?) of Ground Forces

Max level (9) player of Ground Forces here, Normal WT player since 2015, 25 days since I first installed it, 2 extreme grinding days with 4 days of free premium accounts:
Good stuff:
The Bad Stuff

Ok, that's all I could think I've been writing for more that 2 hours bruh, btw if your phone is good unlike mine you might be able to connect to your pc and play with basically pc mouse controls thanks to tc games, it makes grinding way more bearable but I've gotten pretty decent with touch controls and I'm max level so I won't need it anymore: https://www.reddit.com/Warthundecomments/13u6cn8/8_kill_game_in_war_thunder_mobile_with_mouse_aim/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
submitted by Anonimo_Llopi to Warthunder [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 22:39 HaroldThePolitician 'Sumar' for Spain Diaz shines amidst a backdrop of a right wing revival

'Sumar' for Spain Diaz shines amidst a backdrop of a right wing revival
(Dont have time for very fancy graphics)
After Pedro Sanchez calls a shock snap election following a round of poor results for his governing PSOE party - Spain see's a volatile and unexpectedly wild campaign season; Podemos and Sumar come to an agreement to stand together and after poor performances from Feijoo and Sanchez in the debates - the top job is within the grasp of the left for the first time since the 15-M movement sure the foundation of Podemos as a force that thought possible to take on PP and PSOE.
Polling at the close of polls showed a large PP lead over PSOE though Sumar trailing only slightly behind.
PP: 38.7% PSOE: 18.9% SUMAR: 17.2% VOX: 14.3%
Opinion Polling during Campaign period
During the Campaign Feijoo confirms that he would form a coalition with VOX if they were to have the combined seats to form government. This announcment came with widespread condemnation by both national and regional parties. PSOE and Sumar both reiterated there commitment never to work with VOX to form government.
As election night progressed it became clear the right had underperformed; Feijoo despite making significant gains on his parties 2019 performance did not have the combined seats with Vox to form government. Diaz's newly formed platform far outperformed expectations winning well over 25% of the votes and alongside it 88 seats; PSOE would fall to 3rd place for the first time since Spain became a democracy.
By the morning after the election; negotiations had already began between Sumar, PSOE and numerous regional parties to form a government - Diaz saying at 10:20 AM the day after 'A snap election would be a disaster for the nation; and the left. It is in everyones interest, mine, Sanchez's and the leaders of our fellow regional parties to come to a reasonable agreement that ensures we can see a progressive and socialist government continue!'
Headline article by BBC
Graphic of results

Detailed Map of results

Diagram of makeup of Cortes De Generales

Makeup of Cortes De Generales
submitted by HaroldThePolitician to imaginaryelections [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 22:35 mthw704 (SELLING) HUGE LIST OF 4K/HD/SD CODES. Great selection to choose from with a nice $2 list. Over 4,000 transactions.

The Big List Disney codes are split & do not include the GP portion, but the DMI points are included. All Sony titles include points as long as the title is eligible. Please only redeem the portion of a code you are paying for. Prices are firm for now. I accept Cashapp, Venmo, Zelle, Fb pay & PayPal F&F. Comment & pm if interested. Thanks!

🦝

MISC

Bram Stoker's Dracula + Mary Shelly's Frankenstein double feature HD $6 (MA)
Magnificent Seven 4-Film Collection HD [The Magnificent Seven, Return Of Mag Seven, Guns Of The Mag Seven & The Mag Seven Ride Again] $7 (Vudu)
🦝

$5 4K UHD

Batman, The [2022] (MA)
Deadpool 2 (MA)
House With A Clock In It's Walls, The (MA)
Mortal Kombat [2021] (MA)
Sonic The Hedgehog (Vudu or iTunes)
🦝

$4 4K UHD

Allied [2016] (Vudu)
Ant Man (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Ant Man & The Wasp (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Beauty & The Beast [1991] (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Captain America: Civil War (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (iTunes/ports)
Guardians Of The Galaxy (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Hell Or High Water (Vudu)
Scream [2022] (iTunes)
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (iTunes)
Spartacus [1960] (iTunes/ports)
Spiral: From The Book Of Saw (Vudu or iTunes)
Sting, The [1973] (iTunes/ports)
Terminator: Dark Fate (Vudu)
Top Gun (iTunes)
Toy Story (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
🦝

$5 HD

Bedknobs & Broomsticks (MA + 150 points)
Dentist 1 & 2, The (Vudu)
Jerry & Marge Go Large (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
Rescuers: Down Under, The (MA + 150 points)
🦝

$4 HD

40-Year-Old Virgin, The [Unrated] (MA)
Alien3 [Theatrical] (MA, iTunes or Google Play/ports)
Alien: Resurrection (MA, iTunes or Google Play/ports)
Company Of Heroes [2013] (MA)
Ever After: A Cinderella Story [1998] (MA)
Jungle Book, The [1967] (MA + 150 points)
Legion Of Super-Heroes (MA)
Lilo & Stitch (MA + 150 points)
Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch (MA + 150 points)
Lion King 1 & ½, The (MA + 150 points)
Men [A24] (Vudu or Google Play)
Minions + Minions: The Rise Of Gru double feature (MA)
Nightmare Before Christmas, The (MA + 150 points)
Seriously Red (Vudu)
Step Brothers [Theatrical & Unrated] (MA)
Transporter, The [2002] (MA or Google Play/ports)
🦝

$3️⃣ Movies

$3 4K UHD

Avengers: Age Of Ultron (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Big Hero 6 (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Birth Of A Nation, The (iTunes/ports)
Captain Marvel (MA + 200 points)
Coco (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Doctor Strange (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Everest [2015] (iTunes/ports)
Frozen II (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Hocus Pocus (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Moana (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Rambo: First Blood (iTunes)
Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (iTunes)
Transformers: The Last Knight (Vudu)
World's End, The (iTunes/ports)
Zootopia (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
🦝

$3 HD

101 Dalmatians [1961] (MA + 150 points)
About Last Night [2014] (MA + Sony points)
About Time [2013] (MA)
American Assassin (Vudu)
American Underdog (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
Batman & Superman: Battle Of The Super Sons (MA)
Black Widow [2021] (MA + 150 points)
Book Of Life, The [2014] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (MA + 150 points)
Dolittle [2020] (MA)
Drop, The [2014] (MA or Google Play/ports)
Encanto (MA + 150 points)
Eternals [2021] (MA + 150 points)
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore (MA)
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (MA + Sony points)
Goosebumps 2 [2018] (MA + Sony points)
How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (MA)
Into The Woods (MA + 150 points)
Joe [2014] (Vudu)
Jungle Book, The [1967] (MA only/no points)
Kill The Messenger (iTunes/ports)
Les Misérables [1998] (MA)
Lightyear [2022] (MA + 150 points)
Lilo & Stitch (Google Play/ports)
Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A (Google Play/ports) or both for $5
Little Mermaid, The (MA + 150 points/iTunes redeems HD)
London Has Fallen (iTunes/ports)
Luca (MA + 150 points)
Minions: The Rise Of Gru (MA)
Monster Calls, A [2017] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Moonlight [A24] (Vudu)
Night At The Museum [2006] (MA)
Northman, The [2022] (MA)
Once Upon A Time In…Hollywood (MA + Sony points)
Onward [2020] (MA + 150 points)
Peter Pan [1953] (MA + 150 points)
Phantom Thread (MA)
Pixar Short Films Collection Volume 3 [2018] (MA + 150 points)
Place Beyond The Pines, The (iTunes/ports)
Rescuers, The (Google Play/ports)
Rescuers: Down Under, The (Google Play/ports)
Shang Chi & The Legend Of The Ten Rings (MA + 150 points)
Side Effects (iTunes/ports)
Spider-Man: No Way Home (MA + Sony points)
Super Buddies [2013] (MA + 100 points)
This Is The End (MA + Sony points)
Thor: Love & Thunder (MA + 150 points)
Triple 9 (iTunes/ports)
🦝
All codes are $2. Prices are firm for now. Please only redeem the you are paying for. Any Disney codes are split. MA/iTunes Disney will include points but not the GP redeem. All Sony titles include points as long as the title is eligible. If you have any questions feel free to ask. I accept Cashapp, Venmo, Zelle, Fb pay or PayPal F&F. Comment & pm if interested. Thanks for checking out my list.
🦝

💲2️⃣ HDX

2 Guns (MA or iTunes/ports)
Action Point (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
Adventures Of Tintin, The (Vudu or iTunes)
Age Of Adaline, The (Vudu, iTunes or Google Play)
Alien Covenant (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA/GP)
Alita: Battle Angel (MA)
All Eyez On Me (iTunes)
Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Amazing Spider-Man, The (MA)
Amazing Spider-Man 2, The (MA + Sony points)
American Assassin (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
American Girl: McKenna Shoots For The Stars (MA or iTunes/ports)
American Reunion [Unrated] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (Vudu or iTunes)
Annihilation [2018] (Vudu)
Ant Man (Google Play/ports)
Apollo 13 (MA)
Arrival [2016] (Vudu)
Assassin's Creed (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
August: Osage County (Vudu)
Bad Boys For Life (MA + Sony points)
Bad Grandpa (iTunes)
Bad Moms (MA or iTunes/ports)
Batman, The [2022] (MA)
Battleship [2012] (iTunes/ports 4K)
Beauty & The Beast [2017] (MA + 150 points/iTunes option is expired)
Big Wedding, The (iTunes)
Black Panther (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA + 150 points)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Google Play/ports)
Black Widow [2021] (Google Play/ports)
Book Club (Vudu)
Boss Baby, The (MA)
Bourne Ultimatum, The (iTunes/ports 4K)
Brian Banks (MA)
Bridge Of Spies (Google Play/ports)
Bumblebee (Vudu)
Cabin In The Woods, The (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
Case For Christ, The (iTunes/ports)
Contraband (iTunes/ports)
Crawl [2019] (Vudu)
Cult Of Chucky [Unrated] (iTunes/ports)
Curse Of Chucky, The [Unrated] (iTunes/ports)
Daddy's Home (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
Dallas Buyers Club (iTunes/ports)
Darkest Hour [2017] (MA)
Deepwater Horizon (iTunes 4K)
Despicable Me (MA)
Despicable Me 2 (iTunes/ports 4K)
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (MA or iTunes/ports)
Divergent (iTunes 4K)
Divergent Series: Insurgent (iTunes 4K)
Django Unchained (Vudu)
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (Google Play/ports)
Dog's Purpose, A (MA or iTunes/ports)
Dragonheart: Battle For The Heartfire (MA or iTunes/ports)
Duff, The (iTunes)
Dying Of The Light (Vudu)
Edward Scissorhands (MA)
Emoji Movie, The (MA + Sony points)
Ender's Game (iTunes 4K or Google Play HD)
Endless Love [2014] (iTunes/ports)
Epic [2013] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Eternals [2021] (Google Play/ports)
Ex Machina (Vudu)
Expendables 3, The (Vudu 4K)
Fast & Furious 6, The [Extended] (iTunes/ports 4K)
Fault In Our Stars, The (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Fifty Shades Darker [Unrated] (iTunes/ports 4K)
Fifty Shades Of Grey [Unrated] (iTunes/ports 4K)
Finding Dory (iTunes/ports 4K or HD + 150 points)
Flight [2012] (Vudu or iTunes)
Free Guy (Google Play/ports)
Frozen (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA + 150 points)
Gemini Man (iTunes 4K or Vudu HD)
Ghostbusters [2016] [Theatrical & Extended] (MA + Sony points)
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
Girl On The Train, The [2016] (iTunes/ports 4K)
God's Not Dead 2 (iTunes/ports)
Gods Of Egypt (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
Good Day To Die Hard, A [Extended] (MA or Google Play/ports)
Grace Unplugged (Vudu)
Greatest Showman, The (MA)
Grey, The [2012] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Hacksaw Ridge (Vudu or Google Play)
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters [Unrated] (Vudu or iTunes)
Hateful Eight, The (Vudu or Google Play)
Haunting In Connecticut 2: The Ghosts Of Georgia, The (Vudu)
Heat, The [2013] (MA)
Heaven Is For Real (MA + Sony points)
Hell Or High Water (Vudu or Google Play)
Hercules [2014] (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
Hidden Figures (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Hitman's Bodyguard, The (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
Holiday Inn [1942] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Home [2015] (MA)
Home Alone (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA/GP)
Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (MA, iTunes or Google Play/ports)
How To Train Your Dragon 2 (MA)
Hugo (iTunes)
Hunger Games, The (iTunes 4K)
Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The (iTunes 4K or Google Play HD)
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part, The (iTunes 4K)
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, The (iTunes 4K)
Huntsman: Winter's War, The [Extended] (iTunes/ports 4K)
I Can Only Imagine (Vudu, iTunes or Google Play)
Independence Day: Resurgence (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA/GP)
Instant Family (iTunes 4K)
Interstellar (Vudu or Google Play)
It's A Wonderful Life [1947] (Vudu)
Jackass 3 [Theatrical] (Vudu or iTunes)
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (Vudu)
Jarhead 2: Field Of Fire [Unrated] (MA)
Jason Bourne (iTunes/ports 4K)
Jaws (MA)
Jessabelle (Vudu)
John Wick (iTunes 4K or Vudu/GP HD)
John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum (iTunes 4K)
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (MA + Sony points)
Jungle Cruise (MA + 150 points)
Jurassic Park [1993] (iTunes/ports 4K)
Jurassic Park III [2001] (MA)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (MA)
Kick-Ass 2 (MA or iTunes/ports)
Killer Elite (iTunes/ports)
Kung Fu Panda 3 (MA)
Last Stand, The [2013] (Vudu, iTunes or Google Play)
Last Witch Hunter, The (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
Lee Daniels' The Butler (Vudu)
Legend Of Hercules, The (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
Life Of Pi (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA/GP)
Little Mermaid, The (Google Play/ports)
Logan (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Lone Survivor (iTunes/ports 4K)
Longest Ride, The (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Looper (MA + Sony points)
Lorax, The [2012] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Love & Mercy [2015] (Vudu)
Luca (Google Play/ports)
Lucy (iTunes/ports 4K)
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (MA)
Maggie (Vudu)
Maleficent (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA + 150 points)
Marvel's The Avengers [2012] (Google Play/ports)
Mechanic: Resurrection (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
Mindgamers (MA)
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (iTunes 4K)
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (iTunes 4K)
Monsters University (Google Play/ports)
Monuments Men, The (MA + Sony points)
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (MA)
Mud (Vudu)
Mummy, The [2017] (iTunes/ports)
Mummy Returns, The [2001] (MA)
Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Noah [2014] (Vudu or iTunes)
Non-Stop [2014] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Now You See Me 2 (iTunes 4K)
Nut Job 2 : Nutty By Nature, The (iTunes/ports)
Other Woman, The [2014] (MA, iTunes or Google Play/ports)
Overlord [2019] (Vudu)
Oz The Great & Powerful (MA + 100 points)
Pain & Gain (Vudu)
Paper Towns (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Paranormal Activity [Theatrical] (Vudu or iTunes)
Paranormal Activity 2 [Unrated Director's Cut] (iTunes)
Paranormal Activity 3 [Extended] (iTunes)
Paul [2011] [Unrated] (iTunes/ports)
Peanuts Movie, The [2015] (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Percy Jackson: Sea Of Monsters (MA or Google Play/ports)
Peter Pan [1953] (Google Play/ports)
Pet Sematary [2019] (Vudu)
Pirate Fairy, The (Google Play/ports
Pitch Perfect (iTunes/ports 4K)
Pitch Perfect 2 (iTunes/ports 4K)
Pixar Short Films Collection Volume 3 (Google Play/ports)
Planes [2013] (MA + 150 points)
Possession, The [2012] (iTunes)
Prometheus (MA)
Purge: Anarchy, The (iTunes/ports 4K)
Purge: Election Year, The (iTunes/ports 4K)
Quiet Place, A [2018] (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
Riddick [2013] [Unrated] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Ride Along (MA or iTunes/ports)
Ride Along 2 (iTunes/ports)
Rise Of The Guardians [2011] (MA)
Russell Madness (MA or Google Play/ports)
Safe [2012] (Vudu or Google Play)
Safe House [2012] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Saving Mr. Banks (Google Play/ports)
Secret Life Of Pets, The (iTunes/ports 4K)
Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, The (MA or Google Play ports/ iTunes option is expired)
Selma (Vudu or iTunes)
Shang Chi & The Legend Of The Ten Rings (Google Play/ports)
Shooter [2007] (Vudu)
Sicario (Vudu 4K, iTunes 4K or Google Play HD)
Silver Linings Playbook (Vudu or Google Play)
Sing [2016] (iTunes/ports 4K)
Sinister (iTunes)
Skyfall (Vudu or Google Play)
Sleeping Beauty [1959] (Google Play/ports)
Smurfs 2, The [2013] (MA)
Snatched [2017] (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Snow White & The Huntsman [Extended] (iTunes/ports 4K)
Solo: A Star Wars Story (Google Play/ports)
Space Between Us, The (MA or iTunes/ports)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (MA + Sony points)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (MA + Sony points)
Star Trek [2009] (iTunes 4K)
Star Trek Beyond (iTunes 4K)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA + 150 points)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (iTunes/ports + 150 points)
Ted [Unrated] (MA)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
Terminator: Genisys (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
This Is 40 [Theatrical] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Thor: Love & Thunder (Google Play/ports)
Thor: Ragnarok (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA + 150 points)
Toy Story 4 (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA + 150 points)
Trolls (MA)
True Blood: Season 4 (iTunes)
True Grit [2010] (Vudu)
Turbo [2013] (MA)
Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions Of A Marriage Counselor (Google Play)
Underworld: Awakening (MA + Sony points)
Valerian & The City Of A Thousand Planets (Vudu)
Venom (MA + Sony points)
Walk Among The Tombstones, A (iTunes/ports)
War For The Planet Of The Apes (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA/GP)
Warm Bodies (iTunes 4K or GP HD)
War Room [2015] (MA + Sony points)
When The Game Stands Tall (MA + Sony points)
Why Him? (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA)
Wild Card (Vudu or Google Play)
Wolf Of Wall Street, The (Vudu)
Woman In Black, The [2012] (MA)
Woman In Gold (Vudu)
Wonder [2017] (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
XXX: Return Of Xander Cage (iTunes 4K)
Zootopia (MA + 150 points/no iTunes option)
🦝

💲2️⃣ SD

All About Steve (iTunes/ports)
Cedar Rapids (Vudu/ports)
Descendants, The (iTunes/ports)
Inside Llewyn Davis (MA)
Juno (iTunes/ports)
Marley & Me (iTunes/ports)
Mr. Popper's Penguins (iTunes/ports)
Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (iTunes/ports)
Rocker, The [2008] (iTunes/ports)
This Means War (iTunes/ports)
Tree Of Life, The (iTunes/ports)
We Bought A Zoo (iTunes/ports)
What Happens In Vegas [Extended] (iTunes/ports)
🦝

$1 Codes

💲1️⃣ HD

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi (Vudu)
Alex Cross (Vudu)
Avengers: Age Of Ultron (Google Play/ports)
Avengers: Endgame (Google Play/ports)
Avengers: Infinity War (Google Play/ports)
Beauty & The Beast [2017] (Google Play/ports)
Big Hero 6 (Google Play/ports)
Black Panther (MA without points or Google Play/ports)
Bourne Ultimatum, The (MA)
Captain America: Winter Soldier (Google Play/ports)
Captain Marvel (Google Play/ports)
Choice, The [2016] (iTunes)
Deadpool (iTunes/ports 4K or HD MA/GP)
Divergent (Vudu)
Divergent Series: Insurgent, The (Vudu or Google Play)
Doctor Strange (Google Play/ports)
Ender's Game (Vudu)
Escape Plan (Vudu)
Expendables 2, The (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
Expendables 3, The [Theatrical] (iTunes 4K or Vudu/GP HD)
Expendables 3, The [Unrated] (Vudu, iTunes or Google Play)
Fast & Furious 6 [Extended] (MA)
Fast Five [Extended] (MA or iTunes/ports)
Fate Of The Furious, The [8] [Theatrical] (HD MA)
Fate Of The Furious, The [8] [Extended] (MA)
Fifty Shades Darker [Unrated] (MA)
Finding Dory (Google Play/ports)
Furious 7 [Extended] (MA)
Girl On The Train, The (MA)
Girls Trip (MA or iTunes/ports)
Hillsong: Let Hope Rise (MA or iTunes/ports)
Hocus Pocus (Google Play/ports)
Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The (Vudu)
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, The (Vudu)
I Feel Pretty (iTunes)
Inside Out (Google Play/ports)
Iron Man 3 (MA only/no points or Google Play/ports)
Jason Bourne (MA)
John Wick 3 (Google Play)
Jungle Cruise [2021] (Google Play/ports)
Jurassic Park [1993] (MA)
Jurassic World (MA)
Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain (Vudu)
Kidnap [2017] (iTunes/ports)
Lightyear [2022] (Google Play/ports)
Lion King, The [2019] (Google Play/ports)
Logan Lucky (MA)
Lone Survivor (MA)
Maleficent (Google Play/ports)
Mission Impossible: Fallout (Vudu)
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Vudu)
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (Vudu)
Moana (Google Play/ports)
Norm Of The North (Vudu)
Now You See Me (Vudu or iTunes)
Oz: The Great & Powerful (Google Play/ports)
Perks Of Being A Wallflower, The (Vudu, Google Play or iTunes)
Pitch Perfect 2 (MA)
Planes (Google Play/ports)
Purge, The [2013] (MA)
Purge: Election Year, The (MA)
Red 2 (Vudu/GP HD or iTunes 4K)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Google Play/ports)
Secret Life Of Pets, The (MA)
Sing [2016] (MA) PENDING
Star Trek: Into Darkness (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
Ted [Theatrical] (iTunes/ports)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [2014] (Vudu)
Thor: Ragnarok (Google Play/ports)
Transformers: Age Of Extinction (Vudu HD or iTunes 4K)
Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (Vudu)
Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection (Vudu)
Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions Of A Marriage Counselor (Vudu)
Unbroken [2014] (MA)
World War Z (Vudu)
XXX: Return Of Xander Cage (Vudu)
Zootopia (Google Play/ports)
🦝

💲1️⃣ SD

Act Of Valor (iTunes)
Amazing Spider-Man, The (MA)
Annie [2014] (MA + Sony points)
Call Me By Your Name [2017] (MA + Sony points)
Captain Phillips (MA + Sony points)
Despicable Me (iTunes/ports)
Devil Inside, The [2012] (Vudu)
Elysium (MA + Sony points)
Equalizer, The (MA + Sony points)
Family Guy: Blue Harvest (iTunes)
Family Guy: It's A Trap! (iTunes)
Fury [2014] (MA + Sony points)
Glee: The Concert (iTunes/ports)
Haunting In Connecticut, The (iTunes)
Heaven Is For Real (MA + Sony points)
Hobo With A Shotgun (iTunes)
Hope Springs [2012] (MA)
Hours [2013] (Vudu)
Hugo (Vudu)
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (iTunes/ports)
Immortals [2011] (iTunes)
Internship, The [2013] (iTunes/ports)
Judy Moody & The Not Bummer Summer (iTunes)
Jumanji: The Next Level (MA + Sony points)
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (MA + Sony points)
Life As We Know It (iTunes)
Mama Mia! The Movie (iTunes/ports)
Monuments Men, The (MA + Sony points)
Morbius (MA + Sony points)
Mortal Instruments : City Of Bones, The (MA + Sony points)
One For The Money (iTunes)
Ong Bak 3 (iTunes)
Peter Rabbit (MA)
Raid: Redemption, The [Unrated] (MA)
Rio (iTunes/ports)
Robin Hood [2010] [Unrated] (iTunes/ports)
Safe Haven (iTunes)
Star, The [2017] (MA + Sony points)
This Is The End (MA + Sony points)
Total Recall [2012] (MA + Sony points)
X-Men: First Class (iTunes/ports)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (iTunes/ports)
🦝

Super Cheap SD Codes

All movies are 3 for $1 each/must spend at least $1 total
Cabin In The Woods, The (iTunes)
Expendables 2, The (Vudu only or iTunes only)
Frozen (Google Play/ports HD)
Hunger Games, The (Vudu or iTunes)
Jurassic Park [1993] (iTunes/ports)
Perks Of Being A Wallflower, The (iTunes only)
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (iTunes/ports)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Google Play/ports HD)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Google Play/ports HD)
Turbo [2013] (iTunes/ports)
Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection (iTunes HD only)
What To Expect When You're Expecting (iTunes only)
submitted by mthw704 to DigitalCodeSELL [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 22:00 StubblyWave3370 I don't think i can do it

I have rowed for my city's club for three seasons now. At the end of my first season, fall, i begged and begged the coaches to let me do a four with my friends. The coaches eventually let us do one towards the end of the season and we did so well. We practiced in that four until winter training started.
When winter training started it was clear i was way behind the rest of my four. I went to every practice, five days a week, i ate despite my eating disorder, i trained outside of practice, but i couldn't do it. My coaches pulled me over at the end of the winter season and told me that i was too small to make the cut for varsity and that i should consider coxing, at least until next spring when i might be able to make it.
Now spring season has ended, and i'm farther behind the four i was supposed to be on, and another girl took my spot. I have an ERG sitting in the corner of my room that looks at me shamefully daily. My parents are up my ass about how if i don't work for it, i can't achieve it. They don't realize i want it more than anything, but my mental blocks are stopping me.
I have been watching my weight so closely and i just hit 115lbs, and it scares me. I'm down to two meals a day and trying to cut snacks out but it's hard. I have no energy and i'm trying to erg but i can't do it. I feel so weak and shaky and i am being told by all of the girls in the four i should have been in that i can't do it. Everyone around me doesn't think i can do it and i don't think i can either.
I want to be with that stupid four right now, they made it to nationals. It's all their first year rowing, they are all in the same boat as me, it's just i can't do it.
I want so badly to make it to varsity, but i need help, i need to find the motivation within myself to eat and get on that erg.
I guess im asking for help? I just want to be heard by someone who won't make fun of me for slacking off or wanting to achieve something that they don't think i can do.
submitted by StubblyWave3370 to Rowing [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 21:55 sahil_parakh30 [Store] Diretide 2022/Aghanim's/Nemestice/TI10/TI9/TI8/TI7 Collector's Caches Sets

200+/1000$ Gift Trades in 5 years

 

Made a google doc because the list is long

My Steam Rep: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WEgt1Kjaf8PbkinQ0opU41fysTwYC0xMgX_kjDOgldg/edit?usp=sharing
 

YOUR FAVOURITE SELLER IS BACK FOR 5TH YEAR IN A ROW. CHECK MY REP THREAD

 

CACHE Price Increases as I stock out & Reservation is Compulsory

 
Want items worth listed Amount or items (1.2x - STEAM TAX). I will not go first. The link to add me :LINK to ADD ME
 

Ultra Rare Immortals 2022

Item Quantity Price Type Reserved
Bloodfeather Finery (Queen of Pain) 1 50$ or Items Ultra Rare Immortal 2 LastLeft
The Strings of Suradan (Hoodwink) 1 30$ or Items Ultra Rare Immortal 1 LastLeft
 

Diretide Collectors Cache-2 2022

Item Quantity Price Type Reserved
Sublime Equilibrium (Void Spirit) 2 45$ or Items Very Rare Direteide Collectors Cache One Sold Last Left
Brands of the Reaper (Anti Mage) 5 13$ or Items Rare Direteide Collectors Cache 2 Two Sold
Grudges of the Gallows Tree (Treant) 6 15$ or Items Rare Direteide Collectors Cache 2 Four Sold
War Rig Eradicators (Techies) 5 4.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 One Sold
Sacred Chamber Guardian (Huskar) 5 5.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 Two Sold
Acrimonies of Obsession (Vengeful Spirit) 5 3.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 None
Freeboot Fortunes (Ogre Magi) 5 3.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 None
Withering Pain (Clinkz) 5 3.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 One Sold
Darkfeather Factioneer (Phantom Assassin) 5 5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 One Sold
Feasts of Forever (Night Stalker) 5 5.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 Two Sold
Cursed Cryptbreaker (Pudge) 5 5.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 Two Sold
Dawn of Darkness Foretold (Doom) 5 6$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 Two Sold
The Wilding Tiger (Brewmaster) 5 4$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 One Sold
Transcendent Path (Oracle) 5 3.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 None
Darkbrew´s Transgression (Alchemist) 5 6$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 Two Sold
Grand Suppressor (Silencer) 5 4.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 One Sold
Bird of Prey (Legion Commander) 5 4.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache 2 One Sold
 

Diretide Collectors Cache 2022

Item Quantity Price Type Reserved
Dark Behemoth (Primal Beast 2 25 Very Rare Direteide Collectors Cache Sold Out
Angel of Vex (Invoker) 3 18$ Rare Direteide Collectors Cache One Sold One Reserved One Left
Blue Horizons(Marci) 4 13$ or Items Rare Direteide Collectors Cache One Sold
Shadowleaf Insurgent (Hoodwink) 3 10$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache Two Sold Last Left
Scarlet Subversion (Riki) 3 10$ Direteide Collectors Cache Two Sold Last Reserved
WhipperSnapper (Snap Fire) 3 8$ Direteide Collectors Cache SOLD OUT
Hounds of Obsession (Chen) 3 7.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache Two Sold Last Left
Seadog's Stash (Clockwerk) 3 6$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache One Sold
Starlorn Adjudicator (Dawn Breaker) 3 10$ Direteide Collectors Cache Two Sold Last Reserved
Spoils of the Shadowveil (Spectre) 3 $8 Direteide Collectors Cache Sold OUT
Chines of the Inquisitor (Faceless Void) 3 5.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache One Sold
Trophies of the hallowed hunt (Ursa) 3 9$ Direteide Collectors Cache SOLD OUT
Crimson Dawn (Phoenix) 3 5.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache One Sold
Forgotten Station (Terrorblade) 3 4.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache None
Dirge Amplifier (Undying) 3 5.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache One Sold
Champions of the Fire Lotus (Monkey King) 3 7.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache Two Sold Last Left
Deathstitch Shaman (Witch Doctor) 3 5.5$ or Items Direteide Collectors Cache One Sold
 

Aghanim's Continuum Cache 2021 / Ti-11

Item Quantity Price Type Reserved
Pyrexae Polymorph Perfected (Ogre Magi) 4 15$ or Items Aghanim Cache Rare Three Sold Last Left
Scales of the Shadow Walker (Phantom Lancer) 4 12$ or Items Aghanim Cache Two Sold
Test of the Basilisk Lord (Razor) 4 10$ or Items Aghanim Cache One Sold
Secrets of the Frost Singularity (Ancient Apparation) 4 5$ or Items Aghanim Cache None
Perils of the Red Banks (Chen) 4 7$ or Items Aghanim Cache Two Sold One Reserved Last Left
The Chained Scribe (Grimstroke) 4 5$ or Items Aghanim Cache One Sold
Widow of the Undermount Gloom (Broodmother) 4 9.5$ or Items Aghanim Cache Two Sold
Forgotten Fate (Mars) 4 5$ or Items Aghanim Cache One Sold
March of the Crackerjack Mage (Rubick) 4 10$ or Items Aghanim Cache Two Sold
Cosmic Concoctioneers (Alchemist) 4 12$ or Items Aghanim Cache Two Sold
Blightfall (Abbadon) 4 8$ or Items Aghanim Cache Two Sold
 

Nemestice Cache 2021 / Ti-11

Item Quantity Price Type Reserved
Twilight Hex (Dark Willow) 3 10$ or Items Nemestice Cache 1 Two Sold Last Left
Astral Terminus (Enigma) 3 9$ or Items Nemestice Cache 1 1 Sold
Caerulean Star (Enchantress) 3 6$ or Items Nemestice Cache 1 One Sold
Arcane Inverter (Gyrocopter) 3 15$ or Items Nemestice Cache 1 2 Sold Last Left
Red Sands Marauder (Shadow Shaman) 4 20$ Nemestice Cache 1 Three Sold Last Left
Herald of the Ember Eye (Grimstroke) 3 8$ or Items Nemestice Cache 1 Two Sold LAST Left
Creed of the Skullhound (Lycan) 3 18$ or Items Nemestice Cache 1 Two Sold Last Left
 -

Collector's Cache 2020 / Ti-10

Item Quantity Price Type Reserved
Steward of the Forbidden Chamber (TA/Templar Assassin) 3 15$ TI-10 Rare Cache 2 Two Sold Last Left
Clearcut Cavalier (Timbersaw) 3 5$ or Items TI-10 Cache 2 One Sold
The King Of Thieves (KOTL/ Keeper of the Light) 3 4$ or Items TI-10 Cache 2 One Sold
Talons of the Endless Storm (CK/Chaos Knight) 3 7.5$ or Items TI-10 Cache 2 One Sold
A carousel of the Mystic Masquerade (Rubick) 3 10$ or Items TI-10 Cache 2 Two Sold Last Left
Crown of Calaphas (SD/Shadow Demon) 3 5$ or Items TI-10 Cache 2 None
Blacksail Cannoneer (Sniper) 3 7$ or Items TI-10 Cache 2 None
Blaze of Oblivion (Phoenix) 3 7$ or Items TI-10 Cache 2 None
Songs of Starfall Glen (Enchantress) 3 4$ or Items TI-10 Cache 1 None
Flashpoint Proselyte (Huskar) 3 10$ or Items TI-10 Cache 1 One Sold
Signs of Allfather (Nature Prophet) 3 10$ or Items TI-10 Cache 1 Two Sold Last Left
Beholden of Banished Ones (Warlock) 3 6$ or Items TI-10 Cache 1 One Sold
Fissured Flight (Jakiro) 3 8$ or Items TI-10 Cache 1 Two Sold Last Left
Mindless Slaughter (Pudge) 3 11$ or Items TI-10 Cache 1 One Sold
Fury of Righteous Storm (Disruptor) 3 4$ or Items TI-10 Cache 1 None
Apocalypse Unbound (Ancient Apparation) 3 6$ or Items TI-10 Cache 1 One Sold
Herald of Ember Eyes (Grimstroke) 3 8$ or Items TI-10 Cache 1 One Sold
 

Collector's Cache 2019/ Ti-9

Item Quantity Price Type Reserved
Fowl Omen (Necrophos) 4 13$ TI-9 Rare Cache Set-2 Three Sold Last Left
Prized Acquisitions (Batrider) 4 7$ TI-9 Cache Set-2 Two Sold
The sight of the Kha-Ren Faithful (Drow Ranger) 4 10$ TI-9 Cache Set-2 One Sold
Directive of the Sunbound(Clockwerk) 5 7$ TI-9 Cache Set-2 Three Sold
Distinguished Expeditionary (Tusk) 4 7$ TI-9 Cache Set-2 Two Sold
Automaton Antiquity (Broodmother) 5 6$ TI-9 Cache Set-2 Three Sold
Fury of the Bloodforge (Bloodseeker) 5 7$ TI-9 Cache Set-2 Two Sold
Tribal Pathways (Warlock) 5 6$ TI-9 Cache Set-2 Two Sold
Verdant Predator (Venomancer) 5 9$ TI-9 Cache Set-2 Two Sold
Tales of the Windward Rogue (Pangolier) 4 20$ TI-9 Cache Set-2 Three Sold Last Reserved
Priest of the Proudsilver Clan (Chen-Long Live Harambe) 3 5$ TI-9 Cache Set One Sold
The Arts of Mortal Deception (Enigma) 3 9$ TI-9 Cache Set Two Sold Last Left
Poacher's Bane (Tidehunter) 3 6$ TI-9 Cache Set One Sold1
Riddle of the Hierophant (Oracle) 3 9$ or 3 Keys TI-9 Cache Set Two Sold Last Left
 

Collector's Cache 2018/ Ti-8

Item Quantity Price Type Reserved
Raptures of the Abyssal Kin (Queen of Pain) 4 12$ TI-8 Cache Set Three Sold Last Left
Raiments of the Obsidian Forge (Underlord) 4 18$ TI-8 Rare Cache Set Three Sold Last Left
Shackles of the Enduring Conscript (Axe) 4 10$ TI-8 Cache Set Three Sold Last Left
Pattern of the Silken Queen (Brood) 4 8$ TI-8 Cache Set Three Sold Last Left
 

Collector's Cache 2017/ Ti-7

Item Quantity Price Type Reserved
Eternal Testament (Death Prophet) 4 12$ TI-7 Cache Set Three Sold Last Left
 

Made a google doc because the list is long

My Steam Rep: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WEgt1Kjaf8PbkinQ0opU41fysTwYC0xMgX_kjDOgldg/edit?usp=sharing
https://steamcommunity.com/id/NiriDash/ (Mirana Ti-10/2020 Super Rare, Sven Rare Ti-11, Mars Ti-10 Rare, Clock Ti-9, Sandking Ti-7 Caches Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/lameslim (Nemestice Sky Set, Ti-10 Sky, and Ember set Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561199068303037 (Lina Ti-10/2020 CacheSold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/p013 (Nature Prophet Ti10/2020 Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198043865971/ (Aghanim Axe Set Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198156603233/ (Ti-9 Disruptor Rare Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/BeAn1457738937/ (2019 Pudge Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/vcxxiv/ (Aghanim Ultra Rare CK, Rare Ogre, PL, Rubick, Alchm, DK, Axe, Mars, Abbadon, Razor, Chen, Grim, and 2020 Rare TA, Ember, CK, Doom, Tide, Timber, KOTL, SKY, Rubick, Nemestice Gyro, Shaman, Winter, Doom Sold Successfully) - Man God Bless this guy
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198795911053/ (2020 BB Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198072474418 (Ti-9 Slark, UL & NS 2020 Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/whatsyouraff (WitchDoctor Super rare, Diretide Spec, Ti-8 Ember cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198103513889/ (Pudge Super rare Cache Hook Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/nandomanul/ (Agahnim Axe Cache and Enigma 2020 Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198055874238 (Aghanim Dawnbreaker Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197990802490 (2020 Pudge Super Rare Hook, Tiny Rare Cache, Aghanim Clockwerk Sold successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197966381775 (Ti-9 Abbadon Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198863088276 (Ti-9 Pudge Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/Steinx (Agahnim Drow Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198111387239 (Rare URSA immortal bundle Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198003271696/ (Agahnim Drow Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/thelastswagurai/ (Aghanim Brood and 2020 Arc Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198057677292/ (Agahnim Rare CK, DK & 2020 Rare Tiny, NS, Jugger, BB, Grim Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/gargorath/ (2020 Juggernaut, Underlord, Warlock, Nature, Enigma, Ancient Apparition Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198144053768/ (Nemestice Doom, Enigma, Nature, and Lycan Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198080795303/ (Aghanim Drow Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198006516009/ (Rare Disruptor Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/dbsama/ (Ti-8 Magnus Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198054565307/ (Aghanim Clock Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198051635207/ (Ti-10 Arc Warden Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198916278783/ (Ti-9 Earth Spirit Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198054299781 (2021 Dawnbreaker Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198380791860/ (Aghanim Abbadon Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561199116896336/ (2020 Silencer Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198079185431/ (2020 Silencer and Bounty Hunter and Aghanim DK Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/tkkz15/ (2020 BH Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/dreddhz (Ti-10 Arc Warden Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198065746417/ (2020 Silencer and Bristleback Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198186076006 (2019 Brood and Pudge Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/wraith2142/ (2021 Enchantress Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/grail_knight/ (Ti-10 Sky Set Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/novtnw/ (2022 Cache 1 Spec and Cache 2 Night Stalker Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197993911001 (Aghanim Dawn Breaker & Alchemist Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/750459748 (Rare Necro & 2019 Abbadon Cache Set Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198043196989/ (2022 Primal Beast Very Rare Cache, Legion Cache, 2020 NS Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/674330/ (Aghanim Brood, Diretide Cache - 1 Hoodwink, Riki, Spectre, Clockwerk, Ursa, Phoenix, Witch Doctor, Dawnbreaker, Alchemist, MK, Undying, Chen Dire Tide Cache - 2 Rare Treant, Clinkz, Doom, Huskar, Night Stalker, Pudge, Brew Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/yash121299/ (Nemestice Tiny Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197980391055/ (Nemestice Shaman, Diretide Riki Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/nikbigdick/ (Diretide Cache 2 Rare Treant Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198055898123/ (2019 Doom, Tusk, Batrider, Nemestice Nature Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/3011/ (Diretide Rare Treant Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198916278783/ (Diretide Snapfire Cache Set Sold Successfully)- Repeat Buyer
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198017178682/ (Nemestice Lycan and Tiny Cache Set Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/OakEel/ (2022 Rare Treant and 2021 Rare Ogre Cache Reserved Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198933415596/ (Ultra Rare Primal, Ultra Rare Void Spirit and Agahnim DK, PL, Diretide AM, PA, Void, Huskar, Ursa Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198592340222 (Ultra Rare Void Spirit Reserved - 5/15 Keys Paid Advance)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198111544330/ (Ti-9 DP Set Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198883986801/ (Diretide Rare Invoker Set Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198303321183/ (Aghanim Rare Ogre & Clockwerk,Ti-10 Rare TA& Pudge, Nemestice Tiny and, Ti-9 Rare Necro Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198088242520 (Diretide Cache 2 Techies, Doom, Alchemist & Cache 1 Snapfire Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198181327203/ (2022 AM & Chen Diretide and 2020 Huskar Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/bkwlove/ (Diretide Rare Marci, Snapfire, Hood, Silencer, and Dawn Breaker Cache Sold successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/id/aptekamaya/ (Nemestice 2021 Grim Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198111544330/ (2019 Pango Cache and 2020 Jakiro Cache Sold successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198838671544/ (Diretide 2022 Ursa Cache Sold Successfully)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198838008436 (Diretide Collectors Cache 1 Rare Voker and Riki Cache Reserved - 7/28 Paid Advance)
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198073897919 (Pango Cache Tales of Wind Reserved - 5/20 Paid Advance)
Wall of Shame:
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561199102322625/ (This clown added me and when I asked to reserve which I have clearly stated in my post backtracked on trade offer, has no idea how 30-day steam gifting works so beware)
submitted by sahil_parakh30 to Dota2Trade [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 21:41 General-Locksmith-46 Help with my first (failed?) international bank transaction

Hello. First-time ko mag-receive ng international transaction (Alipay HK to Landbank Debit-Visa Card). Since hindi marunong parents ko gumamit ng QR, nagsend ako ng account number instead. Kaso, yung nabigay ko is yung bank number (yung 16 numbers) instead ng Savings Account Number ko (10 numbers). So far, di ko pa narereceive yung money so medyo kinakabahan ako. Mare-refund ba sa parent ko yung pera or magsesend pa rin sakin? Di ko kasi alam process nang ganto. Nawala lang talaga sa isip ko na dapat SA number ibibigay ko kasi di pa gising diwa ko tapos nagmamadali sila. :(
Not sure if this is the right place to ask this pero wala rin talaga akong makitang exact answer sa internet specifically for landbank users. I contacted their email support na though, pero di pa nagrerespond.

Salamat !
submitted by General-Locksmith-46 to adultingph [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 21:35 Jhonjournalist China’s Factory Activity Declines More Quickly Than Anticipated

China’s Factory Activity Declines More Quickly Than Anticipated


This is below the 50-point threshold that distinguishes expansion from contraction and the index’s lowest point in five months. The PMI increased to 49.4, falling short of forecasts. May saw the worst growth in the services sector in four months, with the official non-manufacturing purchasing managers’ index dropping from 56.4 in April to 54.5 in May.
The data caused the yuan, the Australian, and New Zealand dollars to decline along with regional stocks, which pushed Asian markets lower.

China’s Factory Activity

According to Bruce Pang, chief economist at Jones Lang LaSalle, “the PMI data suggests that China may be headed for a choppy recovery.” If there are no effective policy measures for a wide recovery, weak domestic demand “could affect China’s sustainable growth,” he continued.
As a result of the Corona pandemic, China’s economy was in lockdown for three years. Further evidence that the post-opening rebound is stalling comes from PMI indices and other economic statistics from April.
  • PMI falls below 50, services sector growth slows in May.
  • PMI data suggests China may face a choppy recovery, impacting sustainable growth.
  • China’s Premier calls for targeted demand increase, central bank promises stability.
According to China’s PMI data, there has been a K-shaped rebound following the recession, with different sectors improving at various rates. The GDP growth projections for 2023 have been cut by Nomura and Barclays.
The central bank cut the ratios governing bank reserve requirements in March in an effort to boost lending growth.
Premier Li Qiang of China called for more focused action to increase demand, while the central bank promised “strong and stable” support for the real economy. The market is still pessimistic and there is little sign that the administration would act soon.
Learn More: https://www.worldmagzine.com/vehicles-and-transportation/chinas-factory-activity-declines-more-quickly-than-anticipated/
submitted by Jhonjournalist to u/Jhonjournalist [link] [comments]


2023.05.31 21:00 esper_ Esports Tiger Tai Bao, Huoyun SE, & EBA Review

Esports Tiger Tai Bao, Huoyun SE, & EBA Review
\Disclaimer**
These mousepads were sent out to me by AddiceInc, but that doesn't affect my opinions in the review.

Esports Tiger Tai Bao, LongTeng Huoyun Special Edition, & EBA

UNBOXING & DETAILS

It's always a pleasure unboxing esports tiger products cause there's so much attention put towards presentation. With the tai bao, you get a flat box with nice envelope-style packaging inside that includes a card telling you details such as dimensions, surface material, base, and so on. The huoyun se, on the other hand, comes rolled up in their original stylish cardboard packaging with details on the back. And lastly, the eba has been updated to their champagne gift box style packaging, which can be seen with the po ying and grandmaster series pads. All laid well flat out of the box without any distinct chemical smells. The tai bao features a firm hexagonal patterned pu natural rubber base that's pretty unique and sticks really well to my desk. The huoyun se and eba uses the familiar, yet reliable standard rubber. Stitching on the tai bao is below the surface, while the other two are either levelled or just slightly above. I do wish they were a bit thinner, but they go unnoticed in real use. And of course, the art on all three have great contrasting colors and look outstanding.

Info Summary
  • Packaging:
  1. Tai Bao - Flat envelope packaging
  2. Huoyun SE - Champagne-style gift box
  3. EBA - Rigid cardboard box
  • Design Lore/Surface-Type:
  1. Tai Bao - Chinese mythical beast, "Di Ting"; Flat woven/plain weave fiber
  2. Huoyun SE - 7th son of the lunar dragon, "Bi An"; Synthetic fiber cloth
  3. EBA - Interpretation of a chinese unicorn, "Qilin" (my assumption based off the horns); High fine twill woven fabric (mesh-like material)
  • Stitching/Base:
  1. Tai Bao - Below the surface; PU natural rubber (hexagonal pattern)
  2. Huoyun SE - Slightly above the surface; Non-slip rubber
  3. EBA - Levelled w/ the surface; Non-slip rubber (waterproof)
  • Dimensions/Price:
  1. Tai Bao - 480x400x4mm ($34.99)
  2. Huoyun SE - 480x400x4mm ($29.99)
  3. EBA - 480x400x4mm ($31.99)
  • Other: Huoyun SE - not washable/coated surface

All Packaging
Tai Bao Contents
Updated EBA Packaging
Product Descriptions
Bases (top: huoyun se/eba; bottom: tai bao)

SURFACE PROPERTIES

Experience w/ different skates
The huoyun se & eba glide effortlessly well and similarly with any skates I've tried. The tai bao is somewhat skate dependent, but in a good way. Using corepads, I experienced the slightest bit of dragging sensation while swiping around and a little bit of jerk when switching directions. If you're looking for a tiny bit of controlled feel in your glide, it gives a small responsive slow read of your movements without being overbearing like some clothy balanced-control pads, but it's entirely up to your preferences. I assume this will be the case with other control-oriented skates as well. With fastesmaller skates, it glides effortlessly without much, if any feedback. Personally, it's a positive for me as you have more options in the type of glide you want by simply opting for different skates.

Friction & Glide
The tai bao will be the slowest of the three, but still falls into the faster end of balanced-control. It's quick to start moving the mouse around and glidey feeling with its smooth-like hybrid surface. The huoyun se and eba are more on the middle of the spectrum, so like the balanced-speed category, or just balanced I guess. Both are slower than the loque but not by much. The eba will give a lot of feedback on the skates and is quite apparent on the skin due to its somewhat abrasive mesh-like texture. The huoyun se isn't as rough, but most of its feedback will just be on the skin, unless using more perceptible skates like xtrfy's stock skates. The huoyun se has a good amount of stopping power for its speed, while the eba and tai bao are decent. The eba isn't difficult to stop with though since you can catch yourself on the texture, and the tai bao is slow and controlled enough to physically stop in place.

Speed( fastest to slowest): eq+ v2 > momento > walhaut white > first war >= loque > eba > huoyun se > svbc+ >= venus pro > p-51 >= tai bao > pa > ac+ > aczero

Feel
The tai bao's texture is kinda like a rough index card. It's not bothersome for me and still gives decent skin feedback while playing. It has quite a firm surface due to its base and isn't that comfortable to plant your palm on, but not as hard as the freefall svbc+ or actual hardpads. The huoyun se will feel familiar to other hybrid pads, but with a lighter texture. I think it's pretty equal or less abrasive than the padsmith first war and won't really cause discomfort for most. The eba is on the rougher side with its mesh-like texture, but not as abrasive as a hien. Both use standard rubber bases, so their surfaces are on the firmer side, but thick enough to still comfortably plant your palm down.

Abrasiveness on the skin (roughest to smoothest): hien > mercury > svbc+ > eba > ac+ >> momento >= eq+ v2 > loque > venus pro > walhaut white > first war >= huoyun se > tai bao > aczero

PERFORMANCE

Tai Bao
The tai bao is in an odd spot for me when considering when to use it over my other pads. I feel most locked in for small flicks with this of the three esptiger pads due to it being the slowest and the slight dragging sensation it has with corepads gives me a good sense of control. I also really like firm/mid-base pads for their consistency in glide and even feeling with the surface. For valorant, it's in contention with the svbc+ and huoyun se for my #2 spot, while the aqua control zero comfortably sits at #1. I'm expecting this to change though in the upcoming month as there's quite a few balance-control pads releasing soon. I perform better with the aczero, because it has a steady, yet effortless glide and is in a more preferrable speed for me in tac shooters. I do like how the tai bao surface feels more than the fuzzy aczero, so I guess it's something I'll pull out when I'm in the mood for it. As for the svbc+ and huoyun se, I like using them simply for their texture, and microadjustments feel nice due to their quicker speeds coupled with good stopping power. In overwatch or faster-paced games in general, I like something a little faster for more flexibility in tracking, but the tai bao is still a pretty good option as it's glide is smooth, easy to move around, and uninterrupted by friction. No comparisons for this one since I don't really have anything else to compare it to that I haven't already mentioned here. It's in a rather unique position as a hybrid balance-control pad because of its firm base.

Esports Tiger Tai Bao

Huoyun SE
I'm really surprised by the huoyun se. There's nothing really outstanding about it, but the glide characteristics and texture feeling really clicks with me, and I just perform and enjoy playing on it. It hits that sweet spot for me in speed and control. By this, I mean it's a pad where I feel most flexible and confident playing with for a variety of games, and is currently in contention with the svbc+ for my main in ow2. It's slightly faster than medium speed, which is just where I like, and small movements aren't loose feeling, so my aim feels steady enough when swapping to tac shooters. It also has good stopping power for its speed, a pleasant nonabrasive texture, and good feedback on the skin. Overall, it just strikes a great balance. It reminds me that even though there are pads that are unique or have a special base, comfort and familiarity play a larger role. Of course, this is my personal taste and the huoyun se is probably a boring pad for many.
While this pad came out a while ago, I think it's still a decent recommendation for a hybrid pad today, especially for the price ($29.99 w/ free shipping across the US). Just a reminder though that this pad is coated, which will definitely turn people away and I'm probably getting a few dirty looks right now. If this wasn't sent out, I'm certain it would have never crossed my mind to buy it, even though I've always kinda liked the look of it. Now that I have tried it though, I will definitely consider buying one again depending on how long it lasts before wearing out. Considering how many pads esptiger offers, one was bound to be a hit for me, and this seems to be it.

Esports Tiger Huoyun SE
  • vs Freefall SV BASE Control+: The svbc+ features a unique custom base that gives its surface hardpad-like qualities while sporting a hien-like texture. Although their glide is similar in characteristics, there are some things I prefer from each over the other. The texture on the huoyun se is more pleasant and gives good enough feedback, and I like the slightly faster speed more for overwatch as it compliments the tracking style aim a tiny bit better. For val, I prefer the svbc+ because of its slower speed and the rougher texture grabs onto the skates more for tactility and consistent feeling when doing those linear movements for crosshair placement. They're almost interchangeable for me in either game though, and what I'll use will likely come down to my mood in the moment.
  • vs Venus Pro: The venus pro is slower, rougher in texture, has an xsoft poron base, and stitching below the surface. It's a quality pad that's a comfort pick for me since it's a medium speed pad with good control. I prefer the huoyun se over it because of its texture, firmer base, and steadier feeling glide for microadjustments. When doing small movements and digging into the base, the venus pro feels a little "loose"/less controlled for me. It's still at a speed where I can control it, but I prefer the more consistent feeling of firmer bases with hybrid pads for this reason. The saturn pro doesn't have this issue for me because it's slower and not really textured to begin with to notice.

EBA
The eba is slightly quicker than the huoyun se and has a mesh-like texture that provides lots of feedback. If you've used a hien or mercury, which are more abrasive and faster than the eba, you'll be familiar with pressing your palm down to stop more easily by gripping the texture. It has decent stopping power for its speed and works well for val, but I would use a pad with more stopping power over it personally. The slight lack of stopping power is why I like it for ow tracking though. Its surface makes it easy to change in any direction and perform continuous movements without any abruptness in the glide. It's also what I tracked best with of the three esptiger pads I received. And of course, it's also flexible for click-timing heroes too, though I do prefer the huoyun se and tai bao more. The texture does feel different from the typical hybrid pad, so if you're looking to try something with as much feedback as the hien, but mildly abrasive in comparison, this is an interesting alternative.

Esports Tiger EBA
  • vs Spyre Loque: I've seen the loque's weave being compared to the aqua control super, which is supposedly also similar to the eba. At a close look, the loque does seem to have the same mesh-like pattern, but much tighter and smaller overall. They're also close in speed, but the eba is slightly slower and its texture is much more abrasive than the loque. The loque's glide seems to be a little more consistent because of the thinner base and it's easier to recommend because of spyre's 10 year warranty. The eba does have artwork though, and is more fun to play on because of how different the texture feels from most hybrid pads. I consider the loque to be another comfort pick and not something I'd main, while the eba is a pad I'd bring out sometimes because it's different feeling.

PROS & CONS

Tai Bao
+premium feeling pad
+beautiful chinese mythological steampunk design
+smooth-style hybrid pad w/ good stopping power
+unique firm base
+stitching below the surface
+good size (480x400x4mm)
+nicely presented flat packaging
+great price ($34.99 w/ free shipping across the US)
=firm surface isn't for everyone
=stitching could improve by being thinner

Huoyun SE
+aesthetically pleasing color-gradient artwork
+great allrounder balance-type pad
+good texture feedback
+good stopping power for its speed
+surface is not skate dependent
+rubber base doesn't move on my desk
+lays flat out of the box
+great price ($29.99 w/ free shipping across the US)
=stitching is ever-so-slightly above the surface (negligible tbh)
=stitching could improve by being thinner
-coated surface (durability unknown)

EBA
+cool design w/ unique contrasting colors
+quick balanced pad w/ lots of texture feedback
+different texture from the usual hybrid pad
+nicely presented gift box style packaging
+surface is not skate dependent
+stitching is levelled w/ the surface
+rubber base doesn't move on my desk
+lays flat out of the box
+great price ($31.99 w/ free shipping across the US)
=texture may be too abrasive for some
=stitching could improve by being thinner

LINKS/SOCIALS
https://twitter.com/AddiceInc
https://twitter.com/esp_tiger
Tai Bao: https://www.addiceinc.com/products/esptiger-tai-bao-gaming-mouse-pad-large-480-x-400-x-4mm-stitched-edges-puru-base-cloth-surface?variant=40337370677346
Huoyun SE:
https://www.addiceinc.com/collections/mousepad/products/esports-tiger-longteng-huoyun-special-edition
EBA:
https://www.addiceinc.com/collections/mousepad/products/esports-tiger-eba-mousepad
submitted by esper_ to MousepadReview [link] [comments]