I'm trying to build an application on top of monero-wallet-rpc using the Python library, but i found that RPC is not connectable (local RPC server port doesn't open) until it syncs with remote node, which can take minutes.
How does the GUI wallet solve this? Because it has a progress bar of sync status

You,
In the last year I've spent a lot of time trying to make sense of us and our inexplicable connection. Sifting through fragments of blurry footage in my mind, trying to piece together the facts of us from a million lifetimes ago. The physical memory is there, you know that. How many summers have passed since ours and yet I can still perfectly recall the feeling of your mouth on my neck.
We know we're in love. We know it because we both feel it, though we don't dare say it. It's there, hanging in the air like heavy fog whenever one of us asks "man, what is it with us?!"
Our love isn't practical, or like any other I've experienced. It's just, there. It's always been there. I'm a jaded skeptic of a person, firmly atheist in my beliefs and yet the only word I can find to describe the way I love you is... spiritual. It feels bigger than me, bigger than us. It's everything.
But we don't talk about it. We've never talked about it. Or so I thought.
I was looking through old chats in Messenger to find a photo I'd sent someone I went to college with. That friend was a confidant and trusted advisor during our summer and when I opened up that chat and scrolled back, I found our history.
In a series of messages to an old friend, I found real-time reactions and play-by-plays of our most sacred moments. From the first kiss, to our wildest night — when you said the unsaid.
How could I forget? Rolling around with you on the ground in the wee hours of the morning, all dirt and passion and dew and sweat. You told me you loved me. You actually said it. And I didn't say it back, not because I didn't feel it but because I thought there was no possible way you could actually love me — in a split second I convinced myself you regretted saying it, and so I pretended not to hear it to save you the embarrassment. And we carried on like nothing happened.
Now I know why it feels like I'm gaslighting myself when I downplay what we were. And why blaming you for not being open with your feelings never felt right. I made this mess. I hated myself so much that I believed no one could love me and that belief destroyed the only thing I've ever wanted with every atom of my existence.
I don't know where this letter is going. I honestly was just finally starting to make peace with the whole thing and move forward. I was feeling grateful for the incredible intensity we shared that we'll never forget, never surpass, and never return to. For the first time in years I felt truly fine with it all.
This changes everything and nothing all at once, and now I have to figure out how to be fine with that.
I'm sorry. I love you. I love you so much.
- Me

Initial feelings are critical concerning meeting another person, particularly persevering through it's somebody you're amped up for. Spreading out a decent first relationship with a girl can spread out the energy until the end of your relationship, so it's imperative to promise you put forward your absolute maximum effort. In this article, we'll look at a couple of signs on the most gifted method to spread out a decent first relationship with a Nashik call girl and Raipur call girl.
Act routinely
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Dress to astound
Initial feelings are other than impacted by how you introduce yourself, so ensure you're dressed fittingly for the event. Dressing mind blowing doesn't be guaranteed to mean wearing over the top pieces of clothing, yet it recommends wearing amazing, well-fitting garments that show you put some work into your appearance. This will show Visakhapatnam call girls and Andheri call girls that you care about how you introduce yourself, and that you respect the event and her time.
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Utilize positive non-verbal correspondence
Your non-verbal correspondence can say a remarkable strategy concerning you, so ensure you're passing on the right messages. Grin, obviously attract, and utilize open, welcoming non-verbal correspondence. This will show her that you're charming and amazing. Avoid falling your arms or peering down at your telephone, as this can make you show up, evidently, to be shut not absolutely alright and fair. This is the love of Bhopal call girls and Nagpur call girls.
Show authentic interest
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Get it going of uprightness
Strength might be old, however it's truly regarded by different ladies. Propose to open ways for her, take out her seat, or propose to pay for her dinner. This will show her that you're obliging and careful. Obviously, getting through she demands paying for herself or opening her own entry, regard her longings and don't push the issue.
Stay away from perilous subjects
While you're getting to know somebody, it's ideal to stay away from perilous subjects like power issues, religion, or whatever else that could incite a debate. Considering everything, base on picking something that would legitimize picking and shared interests. This will make the discussion more beguiling for both of you, and will assist you with building a relationship contemplating sure encounters.

The greatest tragedy of war is that for some people the war never ends.

• Nebojsa Knezevic, head of psychiatry for Pallas Medical Institute, 2142

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Prev/First
Silijima hopped into the truck, next to Sargen. The massive Gojid's head nearly reached the roof of the vehicle forcing him to crouch ever so slightly. He was an even more imposing figure up close, his muscles bulging and his scars held taut against his skin. He seemed preoccupied, as if her presence made him uncomfortable when they were close. His claws gripped the steering wheel, lightly scraping the carbon material. He seemed to be in his late thirties to early forties, and a distinguished Gojid at that save for the eye and the prosthetic arm. Most would consider him quite handsome if it wasn't for the damage he had received, and even then she was sure some women would find a prosthetic like that doubly enticing.
Senek sat in the back, leaning his head back and yawning. He seemed exhausted, most likely from being on duty for the last good knows how many weeks. He kept an eye on Sargen, but it wasn't a distrustful one, more like he was concerned for Sargen's wellbeing. It was hilarious to Silijima, to think that Sargen warranted concern, but she didn't know him or his past so she wouldn't judge; sometimes the strongest people held the greatest burdens.
"So, where to next? Do we have any other stops to make?" Silijima asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"No, not unless you want to stop," replied Sargen.
Behind them, Senek grumbled. "We need to head back to the Collective and finish for the day; I'm fucking exhausted."
Sargen started the truck and turned around. "Then go home, Senek; you've done your work for the day. I'll show Silijima a bit of the station before I deliver the goods and introduce Silijima to the captains."
Senek didn't seem convinced. "They won't be happy that Sujek and I bailed halfway through the delivery."
Sargen snorted. "Ayaz and Igor won't give a damn as long as the delivery gets delivered. Take a tram and go home and see your mate and kids; you looked harrowed."
Silijima was inclined to agree. Before today, she didn't know if it was possible for a reptile to have bags under its eyes, but Senek surely did. He looked like shit, although Silijima would never voice that out loud.
Senek hissed but didn't argue, opening the door and leaving the back of the truck with a grunt. Silijima saw him walk down the street towards a tram stop in the distance, where one was unloading all sorts of people heading to shop at Zapadnyy tsentral'nyy rynok, as well as those ready finished with their shopping trips. Eventually, Senek disappeared into the crowd of humans, arxur, and the occasional venlil, harchin and gojid.
"So," Sargen started with an apprehensive sigh, "My name's Sargen, as you've probably been told. I'm sure Senek and Sujek have already told you all about me."
Silijima chuckled nervously. "Not much, actually. I've been wondering where you got that arm from; it seems very high tech. I've only seen prosthetics like that on high ranking military personnel in the federation."
The question only seemed to make Sargen even more tense. "I lost my real arm in battle. They replaced it with this." He flexed the arm, the prosthetic was agile and precise in its movements. "It's near identical to the real thing utility-wise, although the look of it took some time to get used to."
Silijima nodded absentmindedly, admiring both the arm and his physical build. Sargen must've been through hell and back to be so torn up.
"Are you ex-military? You have the hardware to be."
Sargen frowned lightly. "You could say that. But that's enough about me." Then Sargen put a soft smile on his face, a fake one, as if he was trying to hide his true feelings. "I was told you served in the navy; what was that like?"
Silijima didn't push for more information. "I was a Master Technical Coordinator for the Unwavering Credence. I kept the Guns and the hull functioning along with crews of grunt welders, and I pieced the ship back together after battles.
Sargen whistled, impressed by her rank. "You were pretty high up on the totem pole on that ship. Why'd you leave?"
Silijima scoffed. "The lies, the brutality, and the stress. I came to Skhamar looking for answers after losing faith in the state I defended for over a decade. Now that I know the truth, I realize that I hated every second of it, although I do miss it in a way. Once you get out, well, nothing seems right. For the first few months, I couldn't stand being off duty. I still miss that safety of knowing I was on a military vessel; at least we could defend ourselves. Back on Nishtal, I felt so… exposed, since I wasn't allowed to carry a firearm on my person anymore."
Sargen chuckled. "I know how you feel. I couldn't sleep right after I… left: I kept expecting an attack at all hours. Sometimes I'd wake up in a panic, clutching my ion pistol and ready to kill, only to realize it was just the sound of some puny asteroid bouncing off the outer shell of the station or a ship taking off."
Silijima snorted. "I remember nearly having a heart attack from the fireworks they set off for unification day. My parents didn't understand, or maybe they couldn't, but I don't celebrate that day anymore. It sounds too similar to Arxur hybrid charges slamming against the hull of a ship."
Silijima chuckled at first, but the laughter quickly died as reality set in. Her service in the navy had messed her up in more ways than one, but she couldn't imagine not living that life; she wouldn't know what to do with herself otherwise. She hated it, but she was better for it.
"So… What is there to do on this station? I'm pretty new to all of this freedom. What is there to do?"
"That's the good thing about this job; you get a good week or so in between missions to relax," Sargen smiled bitterly, but it was still a happy smile, "Me and the rest of the crew have so much to show you."
Silijima's heart skipped a beat at his statement. "Senek didn't seem too excited to show me anything."
"Senek's just tired; in fact he's always tired. He worked two missions in a row, same as Sujek, and they're probably going to push for another one," Sargen stated, "although I bet both Ayaz and Igor will send them both home and tell them to spend some time just relaxing for once since those two practically kill themselves working." He chuckled before continuing, "But as for things to do, well, there's a lot: Theaters, Restaurants, Museums, a full-sized futbol stadium, and even a few more exotic things the humans brought over. Humans are kind of the cultural heart of the entire Commonwealth; The big Arxur houses might be the dominant economic forces besides the coalitions, but the Humans really brought a heart and soul to what would otherwise be a pretty dull and barren place."
Silijima thought about that for a moment. She had seen sporting events before; Nishtal had plenty of ballastier stadiums to choose from, where Krakotl would work as a flock to move a floating ball from one end to the other. There were also games of airborne agility and such, so she wasn't too interested in sports.
But the idea of a theater intrigued her. Nishtal didn't have many theaters: the Krakotl didn't like being cooped up in a dark place for too long, since their instincts were to nest under the open sky instead of burrow underground. Mix that with a lack of any big theater culture and you git a species that vastly preferred doing over watching. Sports and music were far more popular with the Krakotl, their ability to fly and vast vocal ranges helping them flourish in alternative mediums of entertainment.
"How are the theaters here? I've never really gone to one before."
Sargen eyed her with disbelief. "Neither did I before I came here. They're pretty great, with lots of cheap snacks and reclining seats. There aren't any 'new' movies yet since there's no real movie industry here on Skhamar yet, but they play a lot of older human movies. A few months ago I went with Timothy, Sarah, and their daughter Maggie to go see The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. The art style was pretty mind-blowing, to say the least."
"The art style?"
"Animation. It's considered a proper medium of theater in human culture. There are a plethora of what humans call 'the animated classics': movies that have achieved universal human acclaim due to their outstanding quality. If I'm not mistaken, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is one of them."
Human art seemed so fascinating to her; the Federation was so cut and dry with what they considered art that anything that pushed the envelope was ridiculed and even reviled, often only gaining traction in underground groups that appreciated the bizarre and the condemned. To hear of artistic styles having entire mediums dedicated to them was astounding to her.
"That sounds incredible! What other movies have you seen?"
"Well, I've been itching to see Star Wars, but it's a long trilogy that's best watched at home. There's also a relatively new western by comparison called The Cursed that's being shown this week, so we can go see that. I've heard nothing but good things about it."
Silijima didn't know what a 'western' was, but if it was anything like how Sargen describes their animated movies, she was sure a human western couldn't be bad.
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Silijima casually read the synopsis for the movie they would be watching on her holophone.
The year is 1886: Aging civil war veteran turned outlaw Thomas 'Death-Singer' Lawrence ekes out a humble living amongst the Ojibwa Indians of what is now modern-day Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, hoping to live out his final years of his life with his beloved wife, son and adopted tribe in peace. But when a bitter ex-Confederate, Klan member, and son of a wealthy plantation owner Shaw Cunningham and his gang of killers massacre the tribe for supporting the Union during the war, his entire world is torn from him. Now, all that's left after the carnage is himself and a teenager named Nanabush, the fatherless black sheep of the tribe.
Now, with nothing but vengeance burning in his heart, Thomas once again takes up the mantle of 'Death-Singer', and along with his newly adopted ward Nanabush, he travels south to reform his old gang of thieves and outlaws, 'The Cursed', in a last-ditch effort to gain the ultimate revenge and both kill Shaw Cunningham and ruin his family fortune. The curse must be passed on, and there couldn't be a more worthy recipient…
Now that sounded interesting. Silijima didn't understand much of the context, but a revenge plot wasn't a common theme in Federation media, or federation art at all for that matter, so it seemed like a great place to start. Besides, it wasn't like it was real, so if it was overly violent then she could just finish the movie and never watch it again.
But first, there were snacks to buy. Silijima didn't know why Sargen insisted on buying snacks, but he stated that they 'improved the movie experience', or whatever that meant. Either way, he practically dragged Silijima up to a counter operated by a bored human, preparing to order a whole slew of snacks for the both of them.
"I'll get two medium boxes of Çäkçäk style popcorn, a large bag of Korivka, and two large bottles of… Give me a moment." Sargen turned to her. "What do you want to drink?"
Silinima browsed the menu nervously, not knowing what to choose. "Uhhh, I guess I'll try some Baikal? Is it good?"
Sargen shrugged. "It's pretty good, a bit different than most colas." Then he turned back to the snack vendor. "And two large bottles of Baikal."
The bored human sighed, obviously just ready for his shift to end, and prepared the food for the two of them. Sargen prepared his credit chip and handed it to the worker when he returned, paying for everything.
"You don't have to, Sargen, I can pay for myself."
Sargen chuckled. "Maybe, but I'm the one who's taking you out. Just let me take care of it."
The human returned with the popcorn, which was two buckets of strange yellow… things that had a slight glowing orange sheen, along with a large bag of candies and two massive bottles of soda, which were also huge. Sargen somehow deftly balanced all the snacks in their arms as they made their way to the movie room they were assigned to without even a grunt and gave her a soft grin. Despite his obvious optimism, he seemed tense, as if she reminded him of something.
Sargen hurried down the hall, his large stride making it difficult for Silijima to keep up with him, but she managed. He avoided her gaze, his eyes focusing on absolutely anything else. There it was again, the strange behavior. It was as if she was some kind of phantom to him, but he couldn't point out her existence without seeming crazy.
They made their way into a door on the side that led down a dark hall with dim lights lining the floor. It opened up to a massive screen showing adverts for products before the movie began.
"Where would you like to sit? I'm partial to the back; you get better seats and a better view."
Silijima shrugged her feathered shoulders. "Wherever you think is best; I have no clue."
Sargen chuckled, but led her up toe stairs to the upper row of seats. They made it there, sitting down near the center, and Sargen handed Silijima her popcorn and baikal. Silijime pecked at the popcorn hesitantly, but found that she loved it! The sweet, nutty and floral flavors of the coating reminded her of the Vagra nectar from Nishtal when peddlers would sell organic jars of it during the summer months, and it paired wonderfully with the salty-sweet crunch of the 'corn' itself. The baikal was another thing entirely; the sweet-spicy and pine flavors of the cola tasted like nothing she had ever experienced like fruit and spices boiled in bitter tree sap and carbonated, but palatable. By the time the movie had started, a third of her popcorn was gone, causing Sargen to chuckle.
The lights dimmed, causing Silijima to panic for a bit, but Sargen's hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder, calming her. He was there, and he was big; nothing could hurt such a giant, right?
Then, the movie began to play. The sound of some kind of delicate stringed instrument being strummed softly alongside the croaking and chirping of amphibians and insects on a warm summer night. The sounds of the wildlife stopped suddenly for a moment, as did the instrument when a small gang of about a dozen humans riding strange, four-legged creatures reminiscent of suleans without horns advanced towards a gathering of flickering lights in the distance; probably a village. Their gallops were thunderous and destructive, nothing like the sound of a stampede. It was the sound of unwavering strength.
The men wore sackcloth hoods with holes cut out for their eyes and ropes around their necks. In their hands were primitive revolving handguns. They wore a myriad of different clothes; some wore gray army uniforms, while others wore khakis, union shirts and suspenders. They laughed and bickered as they spurred their steeds onward, obviously ready to commit some unspeakable atrocity…
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Silijima has two panic attacks during the movie. Sargen was there, able to quell them by offering his support. He seemed to know what it was like to have one because he reached out and held her when she began to hyperventilate and raise her hackles. He didn't speak, but he made himself known. He was there, and that was enough.
At least the movie ended with a triumph: Thomas Lawrence got his revenge, even if he died in the end. His adopted ward, Nanabush, took up the mantle of Death-Singer, using it to defend the weak. It was a tightly wrapped story that should've been happy, but the memories of war still scarred Silijima; the sounds of the gunshots reminded her of the blasts of flechette cannons, and the blood on Lawrence's knife…
She still felt the phantom pain in her wing and body from being run through by an Arxur skimming blade. She had survived, of course, but the near-death experience had permanently changed her. She couldn't stand being around knives too long unless she was actually on the battlefield, and even then it caused her distress. Luckily, she never needed to be around too many sharp objects, being an engineer, but she had her… moments. She was able to quell her attacks, her panic and anxiety being quelled by the far more substantial fear of what she would be subjected to if her true state of mind were to be found out.
If the Federation found out you acted out of the norm, they'd spend weeks forcing you through the most agonizing 'therapies' before stuffing you full of pills and sending you home, never to be the same person again. She had seen the effects of these treatments; her former colleagues practically turned into zombies, their brains melted from the drugs. They lived off of government stipends, unable to truly contribute to the workforce, but the Federation seemed to consider this an acceptable tradeoff, the politicians being praised for lowering the rate of self-termination by any means necessary. In reality, it just created a state-funded drug epidemic.
Part of Silijima did want answers, but she realized her true motive for coming to Skhamar was to escape; she was so scared of staying home on Nishtal because every little thing could set her off. And if she were to have a serious enough outburst…
No, she wouldn't become what many of her former prey-in-arms had; a babbling mess of drugs and trauma. She was strong; she could do this. She wouldn't let her trauma overcome her.
"Are you okay, Silijima?" Sargent asked her, shaking her shoulder lightly. They were in the truck, riding to the Corsair collective where Ayaz and Igor had docked their cruiser. He seemed far more tired than before like she was exhausting to be around. She didn't doubt it; having predator disease was already exhausting enough for Silijima alone.
"I shouldn't have recommended that movie, it was too violent. Maybe something animated would've been better," said Sargent. "I was hoping that your experiences as a navy engineer would've been less traumatic than the average foot soldier, and I was wrong."
Silijima turned to him, emboldened. "It wasn't your fault, Sagren; I agreed to watch it. Besides, it might've opened up a few wounds, but it was still an excellent movie. And the popcorn and baikal were wonderful as well. And besides, it was a good movie, triggers notwithstanding."
Sargen smiled a little, although he was still feeling guilty. "I'm glad you liked it. But we should get to the collective; Ayaz and Igor will be happy to become acquainted with you."
Silijima nodded before turning back to the window, watching as the city raced by. The spires of the station-city rose hundreds of stories into the air, hover-tram systems connecting entire levels of platforms that connected to the taller towers. It made sense that the station would focus on the height of buildings; the width was a rare commodity on space stations due to the cost of adding extra floor-level infrastructure, so extremely tall spires interconnected by platforms and hover-tram systems that stretched for kilometers made sense. Everything was brightly lit: massive glowing LED signs depicting everything from clinics and dispensaries to shops and eateries were plastered across the buildings, along with almost lifelike and three-dimensional digital billboards depicting a wide array of advertisements and entertainment. It was the very definition of an urban jungle, sprawl and all, with tens of millions of individuals living their daily lives unimpeded.
"The station's pretty cool, huh? It's technically one of the larger cities in the galaxy, with a population of around twenty-five million inhabitants of all races."
That number was impressive for a city, but not for a nation. "But how many planets does Skhamar control? Fifty-five million is nothing compared to the five hundred billion sentients in the Federation alone."
Sargen nodded. "Yeah, that's true. Antheia and Calaïs are pretty sparsely populated at the moment, maybe a few million each, and the planet of Skhamar itself has about ten million. That means this place doesn't really have the manpower to keep up with the Federation or the Dominion in terms of fleet size. We still beat them in engagements though."
Silijima didn't believe that. "But how? The Federation outnumbers you guys a hundred to one!"
Sargen snorted, eyes focused on the road as he pulled into the parking lot of a ginormous building. "If there's one thing that I learned after only two years of living on Skhamar is that the Federation's school of naval doctrine is laughably bad. They solely rely on the force of numbers and firepower to overwhelm their enemies before they can strike back. This would normally work on smaller fleet engagements against lesser foes, but the humans don't play fair. They hide in gas clouds, and in asteroid fields. They launch silent torpedoes, drone strikes, and shells filled with toxic gas before initiating boarding actions to cause widespread panic in enemy fleets. Skhamar's newly minted traditions of piracy have led to a whole new level of Naval military thinking, one where the entire sector is an ever-changing battlefield and anything's fair game."
"But wouldn't they get discovered? How hasn't the Federation just listed down Skhamar's tactics for admirals to memorize and quantify in fleet engagements?"
"You're demanding too much from a Federation full of scared herbivores, and you're forgetting who runs that Federation. The Kolshians and the Farsul vehemently believe that thinking like a predator makes you a predator and that anything that resembles predatory behavior should be scrubbed away. To them, the 'herd' is the entire reason for their existence, and to stray from that is to become food." Sargen shook his head, obviously bemused by their rigid mindset. "In reality, predators have been chipping away at herds for thousands of years. To think that any herd is impervious is just stupid."
Silijima knew the former, and she had suspected the latter for a long time. "But herds need to adapt to survive, right? I bet you that was the reasoning behind the gene-modding and culture erasure at the hands of the Kolshians and the Farsul."
Sargen rolled his eyes like he had heard it all before. "It shocks me that you weren't thrown into an institution, with how perceptive you are. I'm telling you, the Kolshians and the Farsul couldn't care less about the other species in the Federation. All they care about is controlling and leading that herd they've stitched together with lies. To them, adaptability is only good when it benefits their narratives and power structures."
It made a sickening sort of sense, and it was completely believable now that the treachery of the Kolshians and the Farsul had come to light. The Kolshians and the Farsul being afraid of any change that challenged their ideals was a cancer on the Federation, and one that Silijima was sure would eat away at it until it was nothing more than a corpse. "I'm glad I left, you know, not being afraid of being locked up for having predator disease. I just hope that isn't a thing here."
"It isn't, believe me, or I would've been incarcerated a long time ago." Sargen replied, "Now let's go; I think we've wasted enough of Ayaz and Igor's time."
With that, Sargen stepped out of the truck, slamming the door and taking a deep breath of the blatantly recycled air. Silijima followed, leaving the truck and stepping out into a small, empty parking lot, which seemed strange for such a large and important building. The building itself was less of a spire and more short and squat but also very wide, with glass walls similar to those of the urban business centers on Nishtal. There was an entrance of glass doors in the front of the building, along with a massive sigil above them made out of what seemed to be platinum. There was a sword with wings skillfully engraved on it, along with the words Qui militat præter me, frater meus erit surrounding the edges. Her translator struggled to translate it due to the age of the language and her translator's lack of exposure to the esoteric language, but it came out as something similar to He who fights beside me shall be my brother. An interesting term, but certainly more unique than the Federation Navy's slogan, Defend the Herd.
Sargen grabbed her feathered shoulder and steered her away from the truck just as something hovered down and clamped its magnetic claws onto it. A massive, black-colored hover-drone the size of an eighteen-wheeler buzzed as it deftly floated around the two of them, one giant crimson eye with an LED dot acting as an almost animated pupil darting between the two of them. Then it lifted away, making beeping noises as it carried the truck in tow towards a large tower several hundred stories tall in the distance made from a monotonous gray material. "What in sweet Ina's name?" Silijima said under her breath, causing Sargen to chuckle.
"Moth Drones; they’re very useful things. There's not enough space on the station to have traditional parking lots, so Sarn Robotics found a pretty neat solution: massive drones come and pick up vehicles and transport them to large parking towers like the one it's flying to right now. Then, when we come back, I can just call back for my car, maybe wait a minute or so, and have my car returned to me. It's pretty awesome, and something you wouldn't find in a million years in the Federation."
That was true; the citizens would be spooked by so many flying objects. She could just imagine the number of stampedes such a creation would cause.
"Wait, what about the food and ammo?" She asked, curious as to why he'd leave it there."
"Oh, don't worry about that: that tower specifically has an automated storage system. All of our goods will be sent to our ship in the next few hours sorted, packed up, and sealed up in space-grade storage containers"
"Huh, that's pretty incredible," she replied.
"Yeah, it is. Like them or not, these predators seem to think of everything. I guess their minds just work differently; nothing wrong with that."
They walked through the doors as they conversed, and a massive lobby greeted them. Over two dozen secretaries of multiple races greeted countless individuals, many of them armed. Most of them were humans and Arxur, although she spotted a few Harchens and Gojids in the mix. The sound of phones ringing and computer keyboards being typed on resonated through the building with an echo. The entire lobby was beautifully decorated, with corners filled with fine gold-trimmed mahogany furniture and intricately woven carpets covering the marble floor. Sargen guided her up to the lobby and towards a young human wan with blonde hair. He greeted her with a smile, causing her to smile back. The snarl made Silijima's blood rush, but it was far less noticeable now, more like the feeling of adrenaline than pure fear.
"Hey, Csilla, how are you?"
The woman, apparently named Csilla, seemed to brighten up in Sargen's presence. "Oh, you know, just swamped as usual. Igor is waiting for you at dock thirteen, just take the tram down." Then her eyes swiveled in there sockets towards Silijima, causing her to flinch slightly. "And who is this? I didn't know a Krakotl was joining your crew."
"I'm Silijima," Silijima croaked, "I'm the new Engineer."
"Aww, isn't she just precious? It's been a pleasure to see you both, but I have to get back to work; we've got too many customers even with two dozen secretaries."
And with that, they were off. Sargen led her up multiple flights of stairs, passing different office levels before reaching floor seven, which was the connection to the Dok-stantsiya Vest-Enda. There were at least two dozen fully sized trans on multiple levels, with signs detailing over a hundred docks available to travel to. It was truly ginormous, more insane than any public transit system she had seen all packed into one place, but also a testament to the engineering of the station.
They boarded a packed train filled mainly with humans, although there were Arxur, Gojids and Harchen there sprinkled throughout. They rode for a few minutes, before reaching an open-space area sealed with active magnetic field shielding, keeping gravity and a working atmosphere within its borders while simultaneously allowing ships to pass through. There were hundreds of ships, both big and small, docked within the Corsair Coalition's docks, and some of them were exceptionally huge. They ranged from gigantic, rust-red lengths of bulbous metal covered in cannons to sleek, flat warships packed with rocket pods and covered with graffiti of snarling, gaping maws and bloodied talons. Eventually, they reached a point where their tram stopped, and they descended. Just a few dozen meters away was a younger human, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties, an old human woman who couldn't have been younger than seventy, and an Arxur practically made out of cybernetics, his body glowing with energy. The latter seemed to be organizing and directing a small number of droids, which were loading sealed containers into the fuselage of the large, rust-red battle cruiser with the word Iconoclast printed in bold letters on the side. The man saw us and approached, a wide smile on his face.
He was huge for a human, about six and a half feet, and had a long, bushy beard with a handlebar mustache, a short military buzz cut with a bit of hair left a little taller near the middle like a short mohawk, and a pair of black camo pants and a white t-shirt that showed the outline of his muscles underneath. He was practically a bear of a human, with arms the size of bridge cables and a neck thicker than your average gas pipe.
Despite all of that, he was obviously friendly, a wide snarl on his face. "Sargen! Dobriy den, how are you?" Even through the translator, his accent was thick and exotic.
Sargen scratched his head with his claws, obviously a little nervous. "I'm doing great, Igor, listen, this is-"
"Ah, yes, Silijima! Senek called me on his way home to explain their situation. It is a pleasure to meet you, my dear!"
Igor took her wing and shook it vigorously, having to bend down to do so. Having and snarling predator lean down on her in such a way, regardless of their intentions, sent shivers down her spine, but she kept it together. She would not break down in front of her new boss.
"T-the pleasure is all mine, Sir."
Igor didn't seem to notice how intimidating he was, but luckily a distraction appeared. Tarlim arrived just in time, carrying several crates of birch water and plums on his shoulders like they were nothing. The old woman seemed to spot him, because she hobbled over to help, only for Tarlim to prevent her from doing so. "No, Babushka, I can handle it."
"Nonsense," she said sternly, her accent even thicker than Igor's, "I can carry some, boy; your Babushka is not helpless."
Tarlim simply ignored her, carrying the crates over to the droids, with both Tarlim and the Arxur snickering at Babushka's pestering.
"Tarlim, what do you bring? Did I order something and forget again?"
Tarlim chuckled merely at that. "No, Babushka, Sujek ordered some Birch Water and Plums for you."
Babushka softened up at that, placing a hand over her heart like the delivery of birch water was an emotional matter. "Oh Tarlim, I thank you." She hobbled over and practically buried herself in his fur, hugging him as hard as an old woman could.
"Thank Sujek, I'm just the delivery boy."
Babushka snorted. "Hah, I know better. You probably dared him to do something for it."
Tarlim blushed at that. "Well maybe, but he demanded the plums as extra, so make sure you give him a big hug and plenty of food as well."
Babushka seemed to brighten up at that. "Come in, Tarlim; we are having a feast, to celebrate a great victory! No meat in the borscht, just for you!"
"Tarlim seemed very apprehensive towards the idea of eating anything that was even near the meat, but apparently he couldn't resist the old woman. "For you, Babushka, anything for you."
Igor snickered. "They are like a circus, no? Come, we are having a feast, and you shall partake."
Silijima wanted to leave, as the whole situation had escalated very quickly, but Sargen placed a hand on her shoulder. "There is no denying an invitation to a feast; it is a grave insult to do so."
Silijima just sighed and prepared herself for the horrors that awaited her.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's finally here; THE NEXT CHAPTER OF INTERLOPER! Somebody pop open a bottle of champaign.
I want to thank u/Acceptable_Egg5560 for the support and u/Bushbacon69 for the wonderful fanart.
If you want an AI generated picture, just let me know. That's become my new method of conveying what I'm creating to the world since I can't draw for shit.
The Next chapters for Chains made from Hope and The Apostate should be out this week, along with a new short called The Life Shaper.

​
I was looking at the bungalow that would be our home for the next 3 months. My wife Marci found this property on AirBnB and took a real liking to it.
Even with the recent renovations, the bungalow had this old-world charm to it. It was probably built many years ago and far removed from the buzz of city life.
This beautiful home was on a secure strip of vacant land adjacent to a small lake.
The closest neighbors were at least a mile away. If not for the constant chirping of birds, the eerie quietness of the pace would have gone unchallenged.
And yet, the thick canopy of trees and the scent of earthy soil immediately appealed to my senses.
Perhaps, this will be the perfect antidote to my writer's block. The local ambiance could actually help me in my work as a horror story writer.
The house had a large backyard packed with different kinds of trees. My 7-year-old daughter Stella shrieked excitedly when she saw an old swing and started running toward it.
Stella is the light of my life. Marcy and I had been childless even after 10 years of matrimony, and that was beginning to put stress on our marriage.
Marci grew up an orphan, and her unhappy childhood saw her run from one foster home to the next. She always felt she had so much love to give and wanted to have a large family.
So when Stella arrived, my little girl not only saved my marriage - but also helped us develop a deep bond as a family.
As I saw her going back and forth on the swing, my eyes kept returning to an old well in the far-end corner of the property. I began to walk towards it.
When I got there, I placed my hand on the wall of the well and slowly leaned forward to take a peak. It was dark, deep, and emanating some kind of odor.
A weird sensation began to run through me, and I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I could feel some inexplicable force working its way toward me. I felt drawn inwards as I stared into a dark abyss.
Suddenly I heard a ' Thud' sound and snapped back to my senses. I turned back to see what the commotion was.
My daughter had fallen from the swing and began to cry. Her cries pierced through the air, which made the birds scatter.
Marci and I went running toward Stella and helped her get back up. She had scraped both her knees from the fall and was bleeding. We patched up the wound as best as possible with some first aid.
Stella was still sobbing, gulping small breaths of air, even as the bleeding had finally stopped. Then Marci quickly put her moon-shaped locket around her daughter's neck. It seemed to do the trick. The crying stopped, and she began to fidget with it.
The locket was the only remaining link to Marci's past. She would clutch at it in times of stress, happiness, or grief. And then rock back and forth, holding onto it while getting lost in her thoughts.
We decided to take Stella to a doctor as a precautionary measure. As I turned around, my heart skipped a beat when I saw an old man standing in front of us.
He was in his overalls and had a look of shock on his face as he stared at Stella transfixed. He kept looking at the locket around her neck.
Going by his appearance, I assumed he was the caretaker.
I walked up to him, quickly introduced ourselves, and asked if a medical facility was nearby.
"There is a local clinic two miles east of here. They should be able to help you," he said.
I thanked him, and we quickly got into the car. The caretaker still in shock kept staring at Stella until we were out of sight.
Once we got her treated at the hospital, we stopped by a driveway for dinner.
There were a lot of things that were going on in my mind -
A suspicious-looking caretaker.
A water well that gives weird vibes,
And a large house located in the middle of nowhere that is now beginning to look ominous! Something was really off!
Anyways, by the time we returned to the house, it was already late, and Stella had fallen asleep.
The caretaker was standing by the entrance. I could see he wanted to speak with me.
Well, I had some questions to ask him myself!
But we were all exhausted, and I just wanted to turn in for the night. I told him that we could talk tomorrow, and he reluctantly nodded.
I carried my girl inside and gently put her to bed.
Marci and I got to our room, and I finally lay down on the bed. I fell asleep immediately.
When I woke up, it was still dark, but I could hear a muffled sound coming from outside the room. I closed my eyes and hoped the noise would go away.
But it kept ringing in my ears and refused to die down.
I got off the bed, opened the door, and walked toward the living room. As I got closer, I could see a pale white figure near the foot of a staircase, hunched over, back turned toward me.
Fear began to grip me.
I realized the muffled sounds were actually from a woman sobbing. She then turned to face me, and I froze in my tracks. I was looking at a ghost.
Pearly white tears ran down her face as she sat there cradling the lifeless body of my little girl in her arms!!!
My eyes suddenly opened, and I sat up straight in my bed. Huge beads of sweat were running down my fac322e.
"Was I dreaming?"
I stumbled across the room to get to Stella. I ran through the corridor and opened the door to her room.
And there she was.
Safe and sound, sleeping peacefully - just like I had remembered the previous night.
I leaned against the door and heaved a huge sigh of relief.
And then, once again, the images from the dream ran through my head, this time in more vivid detail.
The pale white ghost sat by the steps; my dead daughter's head was resting on her knees, and she was rocking back and forth, weeping softly.
Her face though ashen white, looked vaguely familiar. And in her right hand, she was clutching a moon-shaped locket!
'Oh my God, Marci…'
In all that panic, I had completely forgotten to check in on her. I doubled back to our room, half hoping this was again a dream.
When I entered, my heart sank.
Marci was missing. I went to check in the bathroom; she wasn't there either.
Just as I was about to exit the room, I looked across the window and froze in complete fear. Marci was there out in the backyard, slowly walking towards the well.
And standing next to her was the ghost who had appeared in my dream!
The ghost gestured frantically at Marci, looking to gain her attention somehow. So that she could stop her in her tracks.
But Marci looked like she was in some sort of trance; she was utterly oblivious to her surroundings and continued to march forward.
I could not believe what was happening. My mind and body were completely paralyzed with shock and fear.
Then the ghost stood right before her to stop her from moving forward. She waved her arms desperately, signaling Marci to stop.
But Marci just passed through her like a mist of air. She let out a wail of desperation.
It was at this point our eyes locked into each other. The ghost was looking at me while I was still standing by the bedroom window - transfixed.
She was Marci's dead mother. I had no doubt. She pointed her finger at me and signaled me to come and save her daughter.
Marci had already reached the edge of the well.
I ran as fast as my legs could carry. By the time I got to the backyard, Marci had already climbed the well’s wall.
I debated whether to call out her name and forcefully yank her off the ledge.
Instead, I slowed down carefully as I got closer to the well. I didn't want to startle her, which could cause her to lose her footing.
When I got within earshot of her, I caught a glimpse of Marci's face. She looked like she was possessed.
I slowly whispered her name. "Marci….."
She could not hear me or feel my presence even though I was just a few feet away.
Her gaze was fixated downwards at the depths of whatever lay beneath that evil well.
I haven't yet had time to process my own experiences on what happened to me the previous day.
I could only imagine the hypnotic effect it would weave on Marci. She defintely has some familial connection to this place.
And then, to my horror, I saw her step forward when she moved her leg. I lunged at her, wrapped my arms around her waist, and quickly dragged her off that ledge with all my might.
We landed on the grassy floor with a loud thud. I had managed to intervene in just the nick of time. I hugged my wife tightly out of gratitude.
"Alex, where are we?"
My wife had come back to her senses.
"What are we doing here in the middle of the night?" she asked.
I suddenly remembered about the ghost and looked around for her. She was standing 5 feet away, looking at the two of us. I could sense the look of relief on her face as well.
"Are you related to Marci?" I asked her. She nodded her head.
"Whom are you talking to? What is going on?" asked Marci, bewildered and in a state of shock.
I pointed to her mother.
"What? I can only see a well. Can't see anything else?"
I realized I was the only one who could see the ghost. The ghost seemed to sense this too and looked crestfallen.
I took Marci back to our room and waited until she fell asleep. I had a tough time convincing her that all this was due to fatigue and sleeplessness.
When I got out of the room, I saw the ghost standing by the door.
"Are you her mother?" I asked directly. She nodded back, teary-eyed. It must be killing her that her own daughter is unable to see her. No pun intended.
She then gestured for me to follow her. She glided through the corridor to reach a bookshelf in the living room. She pointed towards a large brown-colored book. I found an old newspaper clipping in between one of the pages.
When I read through its contents, I felt sick to my stomach.
The clipping had a photo of the Givens family. I immediately recognized Marci, who was around 4 years old in the picture. She was sitting on her mom's lap, wearing the moon-shaped locket. Behind them was a burly-looking man with a thick mustache
Marci's mother's name was Emily, and she was married to Robert Givens. Robert was a wealthy banker but also an alcoholic. He used to regularly beat his wife.
Emily, trapped in an abusive loveless marriage, found solace in another man. And Marci was
born out of that affair. Emily kept this secret hidden, but Robert found out when Marci turned 6.
Just to spite Emily, he decided to throw Marci into the well. The ensuing altercation resulted in the deaths of both Robert and Emily.
The police, the next day, found both bodies in the well while Marci was lying unconscious on the floor nearby.
Marci was later admitted to an orphanage, where she slowly lost all memory of her family. Her only remaining link to her past was the locket.
I looked up at the ghost of Emily, myself feeling a choke full of emotion. She smiled back at me.
A thought then struck me.
I asked, "Who is Marci's real father?"
She pointed to a small building across the window. It was the caretaker's quarters!
I later learned that the caretaker first worked as a teacher in a nearby school during the time of the affair. When he learned of their deaths, he looked everywhere for Marci, hoping to be a part of her life.
But the trail had gone cold. I guess that is why he eventually worked as a caretaker in the same bungalow as some form of atonement.
The question in front of me is, what do I do with all this new information about Marci's old life?
Marci has finally found happiness after a long time. She lovingly embraced motherhood, and our little family could not be happier.
So how do I introduce her dead mother to her, who is now living as a ghost?
Whom Marci can't see, but I can!
Or, how do I explain to her about her father, who is why she grew up an orphan in the first place because he TRIED TO KILL HER!!
And when is it ok for me to reveal the caretaker - whom she met only yesterday - is the person who is actually her Real Dad?
Will all this help her heal?
Or will it unearth hidden traumas tucked away in the deepest, most remote parts of her brain?
So the question that is still going through my mind is …
"What…. do I…. do?!"

You can chat +44 759 388 2116 (Telegram/WhatsApp) if you want The System By Todd.
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To get The System By Todd contact me on:
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Email: silverlakestore/@/yandex.com (remove the brackets)

Note: I’ve read as many theories and factoids as I could find in the subreddit before hand, I haven’t found any that truly coincide with mine. That being said I do acknowledge that a lot of images in the “From Me to You” website are not cannon and if some of the images I referenced have been proven so, then consider this but a stepping stone on a path to a greater theory in the future, please go east on me.
Theory: it’s a roll reversal, the puppeteers are being played by the puppets.
I know it’s a bit outlandish with where we have been lead but as proven with this arg and many before it, not everything is what it seems.
There are plenty of photos that show human hands or workers within or behind the images if brightened, or out right in the open [“I made a dog” “Frank’s Letter” “Wally’s spotlight” ect (I made up names for the images but you get the idea)] But one of the main themes we see is “as above, so below”. It’s on the main site behind home’s image and is accessible on the mobile site, something many have addressed. The saying was originally Latin, “Quod est superius est sicut quod inferius, et quod inferius est sicut quod est superius,” and is in reference to the same thing happening on each primordial plane (what happens in heaven is equal to hell). I think it means that even though the puppets have people controlling them, and the people are controlled by the puppets. I know, I know, you are skeptical. “Wally is the only one we have seen so far with sentience,” “all the rest of them seem clueless.” Yes, I know, but hear me out. The show always ends before night. The puppets aren’t given life after that, not only is it time for them to “turn in” to bed, but it’s also time for them to be turned in to whatever prop master or handler is on set. There is extreme emphasis on the fact that the puppets don’t like the night, possibly because it’s the equivalent of dying over, and over, and over again. How else would you stop this cycle? Find a way to keep your puppeteers here forever. In comes Home. What many assume to be is a demon Wally keeps satisfied/at bay. What if home has possessed the puppeteers, and given the power to the puppets to stay with them? Home is never strictly identified as a puppet. It’s just “Home”. A demon is something you must “welcome” into your space. Maybe Wally took the title of his little show too seriously and Welcomed Home in, which would be the reason Wally is the first we know of that is aware. I heard a theory on tik tok about the red letter Frank has in his hands in one of the images on the Welcome Home BTS page is a cancellation letter and I think they are right, why else would he be so worried? I think the puppets did not take the news well, and started violently taking back their air time. I think in the image of Julie in the grass and the woman behind her with a bloody hammer, it’s the true-blue duality of what’s going on. As the show keeps running, below the surface the puppets are killing, and this is the reality of their contract with Home. Home wasn’t just in it to give power back to the puppets… he was here to get them killing, and possibly feeding it.
… “Well how do you explain all of the eye imagery?” I think they want YOU to keep watching! Wally is aware of the other side, we have established that based on his responses to the guest book entries, but specifically “Why do you like eye contact?” To wich he responds with “So you know I am talking to you”. His whole thing with eye contact is for him to get to YOU! To make a personal connection so you keep watching! You are “Wally’s best friend” after all, why would he not want to keep this going just for you. It’s ALL for you. He may not be able to hear or see you but he knows his fate if you stop watching.
We may not have a lot of information on the project for now and may not for a bit, but I love what Clown is doing with Welcome Home and I think he is brilliant. I can’t wait for what will unfold in the future, and am excited for his work. I am actually extremely uncomfortable with prolonged eye contact and it scares me more than death itself, but for some reason, I love this series because of it, it’s forcing me to pull through it, and as I scan and observe these images more I’m getting used to it, and I’m getting better at handling it :)
Works Cited https://www.clownillustration.com/ourguestbookpage6 https://www.clownillustration.com/from-me-to-you https://www.tiktok.com/@mumrix?_t=8b6fLRteqmk&_r=1
I’d also like to shout out the Welcome Home fan community for pointing out finds within the website, and u/Nyxx35 and his theory on home being a villain, because it did spur on some thought for me to make this theory

Hello all, sorry for the dumb title - but to be frank, the rent prices here are out of control. Any decent apartment with no pests, good/safe area, doesn't look like a dump and isn't shady starts at 2000 dollars a month. I am shooting for 1500 dollars a month (+100 dollar max). I have no clue how in the world ATL is suddenly this expensive when people barely make ends meet, but that's a different discussion. Wish I had an option to live out of state but can't.
If I were to work remote though, that opens up a lot of areas to explore. Can anyone advise what places to look at in Atlanta and its surrounding communities for apartments that are decent priced and not a complete dump? Which areas should I focus on? Even Duluth is quiet expensive.
I have given up living near metro Atlanta because of the cost. I can't afford it

Let's get the pictures out of the way immediately so you know if I'm your type or not right? And to treat you with my adorable kitty.
I'm not as serious as I look, I swear: https://imgur.com/a/CBLxCCx
Nothing like a cat butt on your head while trying to sleep: https://imgur.com/kA3iiVV
Face sniffer extraordinaire: https://imgur.com/AClSOtd
Just a pic of the cute kitty: https://imgur.com/a/TDQvhYz
ANYWAY. I'm Michael. I'm a single guy looking for love or at least someone that will play games with me(PC). I'd ideally like someone that's empathetic, is into gaming(Not a must), animals, and voice chatting. I've noticed over the years that it's difficult to find people that put effort into communication so hopefully you're up for that task.
To describe myself? I'd say I'm empathetic, easy going, talkative, competitive, and direct. I say how I feel and focus on communicating with my partner the best I can. As a partner; I'm nurturing, considerate, and affectionate. My love languages would be all of them. I don't know how people can pick just a few. I like to do everything for the person I'm with.
When I'm not gaming; I like to exercise, play tag with my cat, watch horror movies, sing to myself (hopefully not too terribly), and practice doing voices cus that's fun for me.
Anywho, The games I'm currently playing (I'm open to most games tbh, so if you don't play these, that's okay!):

• Overwatch 2
  
• Path of Exile
  
• League of Legends
  
• Fortnite (No build only)
  
• Teamfight Tactics
  

But yeah if you're looking for someone that's emotionally available, can cook, won't ghost you, and will spam you with pics of a very cute orange cat, I'm your guy. So, if my face appeals to you, send a message (if it isn't buggy) and tell me a bit about yourself!
Thanks for reading 🙂

Since they changed the Raid medals to only be used for a purchase once a week this created a problem for our clan. We have about 45 members total. All participate in Raid weekends. We used to leave the clan open and 5 randoms would join and leave after completing Raid attacks. They would take their capital gold with them but this is the trade off of having 5 more attacks completed since it gives us more Raid medals.
Now that we do not use all our Raid medals since there are buy limits, the 5 randoms joined today, attacked and left without contributing the gold. The trade off of the extra Raid medals is basically useless since we won't get through all the medals in a week anyways.
We are discussing with other clan mates how much of the Raid medals they use and whether to lock the clan Thursday nights and re open Monday mornings or to let it be.
Supercell should find a way to stop people from contributing clan gold to another clan if they attacked in our clan. The 150k in gold we miss out on is frustrating. If they have fixed this please let me know. As of right now I'm under the assumption the randoms get the benefits of a big clan Raid medals and the opportunity to just put gold on their own clan capital.

I’m not a good guy and I’ll never claim to be. I’ve done things I’m not proud of for a shit ton of money. But that’s not what this is about; at least not directly.
Something happened to me recently and I want to get out of this line of work for good. Unfortunately that’s easier said than done. No one gets out of this line of work without digging their own grave. That’s not a metaphor; I’ve seen it happen. But I think I’ll take my chances and run.
It was a simple enough job, one that had gone down countless times:
Drive to a secluded area of the desert, meet shady guys, swap packages, bring said package back to Jules; the big boss.
Alexi was my partner that evening. He was my kind of guy; didn’t say too much but always had your back. I drove us into the Sonoran and Alexi directed me to the exact location. I parked up and we waited.
The skies over the desert are always striking. It was a stunning swirl of purple and red that you only get to see at twilight. I admired it silently.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” said Alexi. He almost made me jump. "Look at the saguaro against those colors. Just beautiful.”
I smiled to myself as I nodded. "Agreed. That's a backdrop to die for."
“Well, hopefully it won’t come to that,” he said, taking out two 9mms from the glove box. He handed one to me and I checked the ammunition before tucking it into the waistband of my pants. We continued to watch over the desert in silence.
“It’s gonna happen someday,” I said.
“Well, yeah,” he said. “That’s life unfortunately.”
“You know what I mean. Prematurely, like an execution or…”
“Come on man!” he said. “Don’t spoil the moment.”
I laughed. “Here’s to dying of old age in Cancún.”
“Cuba for me, but I’d drink to that.”
Before long another car pulled up some hundred or so yards away, the headlights dipping. I took a deep breath and climbed out of my car, taking the holdall we’d been given from the trunk. Three guys stepped out of the other car.
“Fuck,” I said quietly. “Didn’t Jules say there’d be two guys?”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Alexi, his hand in his waistband.
We stopped about 20 ft away as they lined up in a row. I looked at Alexi and gave him a quick nod before I walked to the halfway point. I put the holdall down and stepped back. The guy in the middle motioned to a guy with a briefcase, who proceeded to make the exchange. Alexi retrieved the briefcase and checked the contents, then nodded to me. The other guys looked satisfied too.
“Gentleman,” said one of the guys, then they returned to their car. I let out a breath as Alexi and I began our walk back.
“Easiest grand we’ll ever make,” said Alexi with a grin.
“It’s almost criminal how easy,” I laughed.
A loud bang pierced the air and Alexi was on the ground. I turned to see flashes in the distance as shots were fired.
“Alexi!” I shouted as I pulled out my handgun, ducking down. He rolled over groaning, pulling out his gun too.
“My leg,” he groaned. “Fuckers!”
Despite his injury he got to his feet and started firing.
“Jesus Alexi, take cover!” I yelled, running to a nearby rock. I took a few shots when I could. Alexi managed to hit one guy who I saw fall down. He came to his senses and limped to another rock for cover. I could make out the silhouettes of the two remaining guys. One of them made a beeline for Alexi and one came towards me.
I took a shot and ran for another rock, taking a moment to breathe. I heard a hissing noise from nearby. My first thought was a rattler, but it was followed by a whoosh and I felt a blow of cool air over me, like something big had quickly passed by. I turned with my gun outstretched. I could only see the outlines of the tall cacti.
A bullet hit the ground too close for comfort. I leaned over the rock and took a couple more shots, kicking myself at how off I was. I heard the guy skid on the ground as he reached my rock, taking cover on the other side.
“You’ll pay for Seymour!” he snarled.
“You took the first shot, asshole!” I yelled.
“And I’ll take the last!”
Another bullet hit nearby as I flinched. We were both taken off guard as two deep screams filled the air. One of them was definitely from Alexi. Looking over in that general direction I could see several tall, dark shapes moving across the desert.
“What the…” I said as the shapes left a cloud of dust. I heard another loud hiss on my other side and turned to see a saguaro, or at least what looked like a saguaro looming over me.
I screamed and fired directly at it, the flash revealing rows of deadly spines that retracted like wasp stingers. The cactus let out a high pitched squeal and swung an arm out, meeting my left bicep. I screamed in pain as the spines punctured my skin.
It started to suckle. The muscles in my arm pulsed as the cactus attached like the tentacles of an octopus. It was feeding from me!
I fired my remaining shots and screamed until I was out of breath. The cactus squealed as bullets penetrated its green flesh, but it didn't let me go. It appeared to breathe as it suckled. When I tried to pull away it felt like my arm was going to tear away from my shoulder!
“You fucking freak!” the guy yelled as I heard more shots. The cactus squealed as it let me go. I took the opportunity to run, starting on all fours before getting to my feet. The guy was close behind me firing into the night. The saguaro gave chase, its roots still firmly in the ground as if it was being dragged beneath the earth.
“What the fuck is it?” I shouted, clinging to my bloody arm.
“Are you blind?” he yelled. “It’s a fucking giant-assed cactus!”
I made it to another rock, this one larger than the others. I started to climb it, my arm stinging like a son-of-a-bitch! I grimaced through the pain and made it to the top some 10 ft from the ground. The guy took another shot behind him and started to climb. I reached down with my good arm.
“Give me your hand!”
It’s amazing how a scenario like that can change your stance. I genuinely wanted to help him, but that wasn’t to be. The saguaro caught up and two of its several arms closed around him. He screamed out as his arm was pulled away from me, and two more shots were fired into the ground before he dropped the gun.
“Oh God!” he screamed. “Help me!”
I could only watch in terror as his body began to convulse and shrivel. His skin rippled as if his insides were being sucked into the cactus. He made several gargled attempts at crying for help before giving up, or he simply couldn't anymore.
I ran. I jumped from the back of the rock and fucking ran. The whole time I could hear a terrifying symphony of hisses behind me. The ground vibrated under my feet as clouds of dust shot across the desert. But I made it. My chest burned like I’d run a marathon but I made it to my car, starting the engine as cacti hurled themselves into it.
As I sped away I prayed that Alexi had somehow escaped. I felt truly awful for leaving him like that, but I had no choice.
◈
I sat in Jules’ office as my arm was bandaged up by his right-hand man, Nails. Looking at it in the light it was covered in rows of circular puncture wounds.
“Where’s the briefcase?” said Jules with a smirk.
“Boss, come on,” I pleaded. “Look at me.”
“Where. Is. The. Brief. Case?”
I shook my head. “Something’s out there, boss. In the Sonoran. Something that isn't… natural.”
“Where’s the fucking briefcase?" He cocked a gun at me as Nails squeezed my arm, patches of blood seeping through the bandages.
“It’s in the fucking desert!” I screamed.
He smiled. “Then I suggest you go get it from the fucking desert.”
I shook my head, trying to hold back tears. “Please boss. Don’t make me go back there. The cacti… They’re not right. They feed on…”
He started laughing hysterically. “Did I ever tell you why we call him Nails?”
Jules held up a pair of pointed pliers, then handed them to Nails. He grabbed my hand and stretched out one of my fingers, nipping the end of my nail with the tool.
“Okay!” I yelled, my heart thumping. “Okay, I’ll go back!”
“Good boy,” said Jules. “Nails, why don’t go with him. Hold the baby’s hand.”
Nails didn’t speak, just nodded.
“Oh. And if the briefcase isn’t there, put a bullet in this motherfucker’s head.”
◈
We drove in silence, Nails pointing the gun at me the whole journey. He didn’t convey any emotion. In fact, thinking about it I don’t think I’d heard him mutter a single word. Ever. He had this gift of appearing super intense while looking like he couldn’t give the slightest fuck.
I pulled up in the same area I’d parked the previous evening, the sun now starting to rise. The car belonging to the other guys was still parked up in the distance with the doors open. I cautiously stepped out of my car. There were several tall cacti dotted around.
“It must be in this area somewhere,” I said. “Will you help me look?”
Nails just stared at me with the gun by his side.
“Okay… Well, I’m gonna look over here. But seriously Nails, watch your back. These things are alive.”
He continued to stare deadpan as I started searching for the briefcase, trying to find the area where Alexi had been shot. That was likely where I'd find it as he’d been holding it at the time. But there was still a chance he’d made it out of there with it. That didn’t put me in a good position though as my life currently depended on finding it.
After looking for a few minutes I found some spots of blood on the ground. I got a shiver down my spine as I was reminded of the evening’s events. As I searched I looked over my shoulder and listened out for hissing. But none of the saguaro looked particularly alive. They just looked like ordinary cacti.
My heart jumped when I saw the briefcase.
“Oh, thank God!” I yelled. It was leaning against a rock. I assumed it must have been the rock that Alexi had taken shelter behind, the last place I saw him. He was nowhere to be seen though.
I picked up the briefcase and held it to my chest, closing my eyes to appreciate the moment.
It was disturbed by laughter.
I looked around to see Nails standing in front of a saguaro, and he was laughing his head off. I had to do a double take. This man had never even smiled in my presence, let alone laughed!
With the briefcase secured I made my way towards him.
“I got it!” I yelled, holding it up.
He kept laughing as he looked up at that darn cactus. When I reached him he was doubled over! Something had tickled him. He was human after all.
“Alright Nails, what’s so funny?”
When I looked up I almost fell back in horror.
It was Alexi, or at least part of Alexi. His face was pinned to the top of the cactus.
dd

​
I have been noticing, especially in the last few weeks, many people here are asking about dealing with procrastination or having a hard time with motivation in and of itself. So I thought about putting together some info/experience I've found working that may help.
​

What is procrastination and how was it considered before?

​
The word “procrastinate” comes from the Latin “procrastinare”, which means to delay until tomorrow. This becomes a problem when that decision comes with short and long-term negative consequences.
Procrastination has usually been seen as a time-management problem: we can't get organized enough or disciplined enough to create and carry out plans for whatever it is we want to accomplish. However, this misses the mark in many aspects because many people have reported that getting better at creating detailed plans has helped very little with their problem. That's because it's most likely an emotional issue not a cognitive/rational one.
Here is an article that explain this idea in more detail. Pychyl doesn't see it as a time-management issue, but as an incapacity in handling our emotions and impulses to avoid a plethora of negative feelings like boredom, anxiety, guilt, resentment and anguish.
And so procrastination becomes an attempt at bettering our emotional state, even by the slightest margin. That's why much spend that time not doing something that's "productive" but watching YouTube videos, reels, mobile games, TV shows, etc. Activities that give a quick but usually shallow fix. And so this can generally turn chronic if obligations get pushed more and more and more.
Procrastination can show up in different aspects in our lives: work, school, house chores, healthy routines, etc. From putting off an assignment to starting the gym later.
It's not about what we choose to do with our time; it's about the emotions we choose to avoid.
​

Procrastination, an escaping mechanism for emotions or a lack of "fuel" by an impoverished emotional system?

​
My patients usually had at least one of these two issues as the main reason for their procrastination:
​

1. Escaping as a defense mechanism

​
Somewhere in their life, the person learned that escaping helps them survive situations and avoid bothersome emotions and situations, and that has stuck until now. Maybe they had a traumatic episode happen earlier or were discouraged about being emotional or just felt that they didn't have the emotional tools and mastery necessary for facing whatever they needed.
​
And so, they escape in different ways: dissociating from emotions and emotional situations (which also impacts memory and makes them forgetful), taking up vices that force their attention somewhere else (from videogames to sex to substances), or hyper-controlling everything around them and disappearing from places and relationships where they don't feel like they have complete control over what's happening. Here is a study talking about the supression of emotions and procrastination
​
2) Lack of motivation by an impoverished emotional system
​
Others report feeling no motivation to do stuff or not having a strong enough drive to go through what they consider somewhat tricky tasks. This means that even if they are very good at organizing their schedule and setting time for obligations, they don't have the necessary pull to go through. This is usually an expression of an untrained emotional system.
​
In this study, there's talk about two areas of the brain that relate to each other and take part in task setting: the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex or ACC. The first (located in the limbic system, the brain area dealing with emotionality) sends signals to the second one (located in the newer, rational part of the brain), which regulates what to do with that information. If we see procrastination as a time-optimization issue, we should only focus on the ACC, as problems here will funnel the energy received in time-wasteful activities.
However, if people report a lack of motivation, it usually doesn't have to do with the ACC. No matter how good it is in regulating activities, the person won't feel the drive to do so if it barely gets any energy to regulate. The problem usually lies in an underdeveloped amygdala and surrounding areas. Because that part of the brain hasn't received much use throughout someone's life, their neural connections are very poor and superficial leading to low amounts of motivation. By exercising these areas like you would when learning any other skill (playing an instrument, dancing, math problems, etc.), the connections will get stronger and eventually lead to larger amounts of motivational energy.
​
And so, if someone were to have one of these issues, what could be helpful?
​

How to reduce procrastination via emotional training and management.

​
Now that we know the possible causes, I'll share some exercises that have been useful with my patients and the idea behind each of them.
​

• Mindfulness

Many probably have already heard or tried some variant of these exercises. Still, the specific point here is to focus on breathing and the sensations going around the body instead of putting more energy into thoughts. If someone doesn't have a significantly developed emotional system, it's likely they are overusing their thinking part to the point of not being able to stop (when wanting to sleep, when wanting to focus on an activity, ruminating possible conflicts, etc.). This exercise allows putting brakes in our thinking.
​

• Re-living previous emotional situations

To start signaling the brain that creating better neural connections in our emotional areas is good, we need to use them. Daily if possible. So sit comfortably in a quiet place and recall with your eyes closed a situation that made you a bit emotional (not a very moving or extreme scenario), like ranking up in a videogame or having had to search for your keys for 15 minutes straight. Focus on how much that situation sucked/was great/etc. and see what shows up in your body. Every emotion affects our body, and learning what each one does to you and learning to recognize those sensations, is extremely effective.
​

• Body, a segue into emotions

Whenever you feel difficulty feeling a particular emotion, pay attention to whatever it's doing to your body. If you feel your legs restless, your hand getting tighter, your teeth clenching. And then try to exaggerate that sensation: move your legs harder than they were moving already, clench your hands with more strength for a few seconds, and try to feel as if you were connecting to your emotions by letting your body really express that. This is often the extra step that is needed for the floodgates to open and the emotion to surge through. If it doesn't, it's good training as it keeps signaling our brain that this is very important.
​
​
To conclude, these exercises don't have to be technical or perfect, as emotions don't follow the same logic that our thoughts do. So if they don't make logical sense or don't feel super concrete, that's the point; we are learning something that requires being abstract (I have seen overly rational people have trouble with them in the beginning because of this very same thing so don't worry).
​
Hopefully, it's clear enough that it helps if someone is having this issue, and I'm looking forward to any experiences or information you came across that may complement this post. Cheers.

Clippers have been doing fine without Paul George but PG has been such an integral part of the team.
At the same time, there’s been more ball movement without PG. PG has turned his game into the worst where he tries to do much where he overdribbles losing the ball & turning it over & he takes bad contested shots.
PG’s game is better when he’s off the ball & even in PG’s 2019 season where he averaged 29, PG was successful being an offball threat wit Russ driving & kicking it to him to so many open C&S 3s.
After PG complained about Doc in 2020 using him like a Ray Allen & Klay coming off pindowns, PG try to change his game a lot. I respect PG expanding his game but sometimes he tries to do too much.
I feel the Clips can beat the Suns without PG. My only thing wit PG when he comes back is if Ty Lue uses PG more like an offball threat than a ball handler then I feel the Clippers will be more effective.
Just want to know how the fans feel about this. I feel the Clippers need PG in order to win a chip but PG has to change & sacrifice a little bit & not hurt the continuity of the team who’s establishing a rhythm without him

So the first thing that most people including myself thought when we saw triggerbots is its potential with CoC, Cwdt, etc. While it is undoubtedly going to be very strong on those triggers, there is far more to this than what meets the eye.
There are quite a few spells, typically unique ones granted from certain uniques, that reads "This Spell is Triggered when Gained". There are a few other special conditional triggers on other uniques as well. Lets look at a few such spells and how they might interact with triggerbots:

Manifest Dancing Dervishes

"100% chance to Trigger this Spell when you Rampage" means that each triggerbot would spawn two Dervishes each, for a total of 4. Unless there is an unspecified limit of 2 Dervishes per player (unlike say, Reflection from The Savior which explicitly specifies a max of 2), I assume this would work. Could open the door for some Intuitive Link shenanigans.

Abberath's Fury

"This Spell is Triggered when Gained" means that it is triggered at the triggerbots, but in practice it could work in one of two ways. One, the fire bursts will trigger at the triggerbots based on their walking speed. Or two, it is still based on our walk speed but the bursts still trigger at the triggerbots.

Death's Oath

Also a spell that is triggered when gained, which makes our triggerbots into walking Death Auras. This might not be as crazy as it seems since if it is like Infernal Legion or Righteous Fire, only one of the auras from the two triggerbots will count.
Slight tangent, but I wonder how a Cwdt RF setup would work. We only need to hit ourselves strong enough once to trigger it. Will RF still scale off our life/ES, or the triggerbots? Do they even have life (and do they count as minions)?

Corpse Walk

Like Abberath's Hooves, I'm not sure if it will trigger based on our movement or the triggerbots movement. Either way, this should simply double our corpse generation. Death Walk from Bubonic Trail is a similar case.

Fire Burst

Not technically from a unique but you can craft it onto weapons with Essences of Hysteria. The bursts will be from the triggerbots. The CDR nodes will also greatly help it.

Glimpse of Eternity

Glimpse of Eternity from Eternity Shroud is going to make your triggerbots into walking temporal bubbles, which could be a solid defensive layer.

Spirit Burst

Spirit Burst from the newly buffed Lightpoacher will also trigger from the triggerbots. Might potentially be a viable primary skill.

Twister

Twister from Saqawal's Flock seems super interesting to me. We'll basically double our tornados which makes me think poison could be a good option. I think we can make a very powerful Saqawal Twister autobomber, regular Twister is already a niche but playable build.

Storm Cascade

Storm Cascade from Surging Thoughts (basically lightning Glacial Cascade) would also trigger at your triggerbots when you attack. Pair it with a fast moving skill like Whirling Blades it could be solid.

All Glove Enchants (Commandment/Edict/etc.)

They will also spawn at the triggerbots.
Of note, I wanted to point out an interesting interaction with Mjolner and Commandment of Ire. Ire creates a spinning copy of your weapon when hit. Hits with this spinning weapon triggers spells in Mjolner. With the triggerbots, we'll end up having two spinning copies of your weapons both of which can trigger your Mjolner spells, also from the triggerbots.
Commandment of Inferno from Unyielding Flame might also be cool.

Feast of Flesh

Feast of Flesh from Devouring Diadem might actually be an anti-synergy with triggerbots based on how it ends up working. I'm not sure that the recovered life/ES will come back to you or go to the triggerbots.

All Aegis skills

Anti-synergistic. Your triggerbots will take them, so you can't benefit from them. Technically you could get around this by first equipping the shield that gives you the aegis before you take the triggerbots node, but not worth it imo.

Other potentially interesting skills/uniques

• Mark of the Shaper
• Lightning Bolt
• Spectral Spirits
• Shield Shatter

There are still more skills that interact with triggerbots that I haven't mentioned here, not even going into the more established CoC/Cwdt/Spellslingeetc. This opens up a whole new avenue for delivering skills and potentially automating certain interactions.
I genuinely think that the triggerbots are perhaps the most build defining node that has ever been added to the skill tree.

For all our sakes XD, either imagine Sonic Characters like Faunus, or RWBY characters like Mobians.
Later I will continue Cinder Month with a satire.

Scenario One: Hammer Senpai

Nora: I could take her in a fight!
Knuckles: No...
Nora: But...
Knuckles: Look you're strong kid. But Amy is a different monster.
Amy: Hiya!
Nora: How strong is she?
She asks as Amy takes her by the hand, and guides her away. Nora finally feeling fear even when Amy is smiling cutely.
Knuckles: May the Ancient Walkers have mercy on her...
---
Nora: Sooooo we're a lot alike?
Amy: Oh? Yeah!
Nora: We both love Pink, we got awesome hammers!
Amy: And we're adorable yet badass!
Nora: And we both like broody bois!
Amy: What....? No....?
Nora: I mean.... You and Shadow aren't a thing?
Amy: Mouth opens and closes then opens again then closes again, as her brain tries to process that. Then a massive blush starts to spread through her whole body. As she finally realizes... Oh shit he's hot!
Ren: Huh... So you do respect her.
Shadow: Hnn. Yes why?
Ren: Just saying.
Shadow: Like you don't tell yours the same?
Ren: I... well...
Shadow: Take it from me. You won't always have her around. Cherish it while you still can. He says thinking of Maria Robotnik.

Scenario Two: Future Warning!

Ruby: And we've thought of everything?
Time Portal opens up and Silver shows up.
Silver: I'M FROM THE FUTURE! AND CINDER!
Vanishes, off to go deal with other problems in the past.
Ruby: Oh yeah... I forgot about Cinder.
Emerald: Phew that was a close one.
Penny: For real. One of us might have died.
---
Cinder: NOOOO MY NEFARIOUS PLAN FOILED!!!! WHYYYYYYY?!!!!!

Scenario Three: Joke Villains.

Cinder: Well I don't belong here.
Infinite: I thought so too once...
Cinder:....
Neo Metal Sonic: I was so fucking cool and then they just... dumbed me down and don't even let me speak anymore.
Eggman: Oh puh lease you're all whiners. The key is to be entertaining and fucking terrifying at the same time!
Everyone: SHUT IT EGGMAN!
Eggman: Later Haters!
Struts out like he owns the room. Then punts Salem and Adam in there.

Scenario Four: Robo Meet Up

Penny: Woah you have a physical body but made of data? Fascinating!
Nicole: Thanks I also used to control a badass city made of Nanites, had a cool chinese dress at one point, would've liked to keep that.
Shard: You still rock the current look.
Nicole Blushes at Shard's compliment, who then shyly looks away.
Penny: Huh... Tries to process what's going on there. So you have... Eyes biink as she web searchs. Are romantically involved?
Shard and Nicole: WOAH WOAH WOAH I UH IT'S UH!!!
Omega: Yes. I find it sickening. I prefer it when things are on fire.
Belle: Please no... I don't like fire.
Omega: Because you're made of inferior material.
Gemerl: Take. That. Back.
Omega: Make. Me.
Penny: And they're fighting! She sounds cheerful as the big brawl begins.
Nicole: They do this every week. Yet still good friends.
Belle: What about you Penny? is there anyone you're really close to?
Penny: Well... Thinks of a girl in a red cloak.

Scenario Five: Family Reunion

Cardin: Hey...
Velvet: Cardin not right now.
She says exasperated not wanting to deal with the bully right now.
Velvet: I'm meeting my family in a few seconds, cousins mostly. And I don't have time for whatever stunt you want to pull.
Cardin: Look I just-
He was cut off by a cold metallic hand squeezing his shoulder tightly.
Bunnie: Now Sugah, she told ya that she dun wan to deal with ya right now.
Vailla: Oh my... Bunnie, don't get so violent in public. I am sure he is a nice young man.
Cream: Maybe he could help out with setting up tea?
Cardin: I uh...
Gulps surrounded by the rabbits.
Cardin: Would be happy to!
---
Smash cut to Cardin dressed in a pink dress, and playing tea time with Cream, wondering what choices in his life led up to this moment and then turns around nearly jumping out of his skin as he sees Shadow there, looking the same as ever, Edgy, dark and terrifying save for a pink bow in his hair.
Shadow: Pass the sugar. If you would. Please and Thank you.
He still says super seriously.
Shadow: And mind your manners, she will use a gun on you if you don't.
Cardin: Nods shakily.

Final Scenario: Princess Time.

Sally: So let's see what I am dealing with here.
She takes out her reading classes and clipboard. Sonic idly blushes seeing how cute she looks as a business type.
Sally: From what I can see. You're a spoiled brat.
Weiss: HEY!
Sally: You're not officially a princess but you still ran away.
Blake: That's not fai-
Blaze: Shuts her up with a singular glare and crossed arms.
Sally: Listen. It's not about fairness, the kind of positions that you two are in, you're going to have to step up.
Blaze: I will train you both to be stronger. Especially you. She says with a pointed look at Blake.
Blake: I am not wea-
Blaze flicks her with a single fiery finger, shattering Blake's aura.
Blaze: We have a long way to go.
She picks up Blake like a kitten and flies away with fire bursting from her feet like rockets.
Sally: As for you. You said you wanted to do right by your family, but your family has a business. And you can't just be some fighter and nothing else... SO!
Slams a big book on the table, breaking it just a bit.
Sally: Time for some studying, I would ask Nicole for help, but it's her vacation time.
Weiss:.... Ughhhh....Sinks down into the chair.

And that's all folks.

Hi,
I’ll be going to Greece in a couple weeks and wanted to get advice on how to plan around the Easter holidays. What will be open on Easter Sunday in Thessaloniki? Would it be better to try to take a day trip out of town that day? Or will there still be plenty to do and see in the city?

These are not my thoughts, this is a copied text from the article:
Italy has become the first Western country to block advanced chatbot ChatGPT.
The Italian data-protection authority said there were privacy concerns relating to the model, which was created by US start-up OpenAI and is backed by Microsoft.
The regulator said it would ban and investigate OpenAI "with immediate effect".
Millions of people have used ChatGPT since it launched in November 2022.
It can answer questions using natural, human-like language and it can also mimic other writing styles, using the internet as it was in 2021 as its database.
Microsoft has spent billions of dollars on it and it was added to Bing last month.
It has also said that it will embed a version of the technology in its Office apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
There have been concerns over the potential risks of artificial intelligence (AI), including its threat to jobs and the spreading of misinformation and bias.
Earlier this week key figures in tech, including Elon Musk, called for these types of AI systems to be suspended amid fears the race to develop them was out of control.
The Italian watchdog said that not only would it block OpenAI's chatbot but it would also investigate whether it complied with General Data Protection Regulation.
GDPR governs the way in which we can use, process and store personal data.
The watchdog said on 20 March that the app had experienced a data breach involving user conversations and payment information.
It said there was no legal basis to justify "the mass collection and storage of personal data for the purpose of 'training' the algorithms underlying the operation of the platform".
It also said that since there was no way to verify the age of users, the app "exposes minors to absolutely unsuitable answers compared to their degree of development and awareness".
Bard, Google's rival artificial-intelligence chatbot, is now available, but only to specific users over the age of 18 - because of those same concerns.
The Italian data-protection authority said OpenAI had 20 days to say how it would address the watchdog's concerns, under penalty of a fine of €20 million ($21.7m) or up to 4% of annual revenues.
Dan Morgan, from cybersecurity ratings provider Security Scorecard said the ban shows the importance of regulatory compliance for companies operating in Europe.
"Businesses must prioritise the protection of personal data and comply with the stringent data protection regulations set by the EU - compliance with regulations is not an optional extra."
'Not sufficiently regulated'
Consumer advocacy group BEUC also called on EU and national authorities - including data-protection watchdogs - to investigate ChatGPT and similar chatbots, following the filing of a complaint in the US.
Although the EU is currently working on the world's first legislation on AI, BEUC's concern is that it would take years before the AI Act could take effect, leaving consumers at risk of harm from a technology that is not sufficiently regulated.
Ursula Pachl, deputy director general of BEUC, warned that society was "currently not protected enough from the harm" that AI can cause.
"There are serious concerns growing about how ChatGPT and similar chatbots might deceive and manipulate people. These AI systems need greater public scrutiny, and public authorities must reassert control over them," she said.
ChatGPT is already blocked in a number of countries, including China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.
OpenAI has not yet responded to the BBC's request for comment.

So the first thing that most people including myself thought when we saw triggerbots is its potential with CoC, Cwdt, etc. While it is undoubtedly going to be very strong on those triggers, there is far more to this than what meets the eye.
There are quite a few spells, typically unique ones granted from certain uniques, that reads "This Spell is Triggered when Gained". There are a few other special conditional triggers on other uniques as well. Lets look at a few such spells and how they might interact with triggerbots:

Manifest Dancing Dervishes

"100% chance to Trigger this Spell when you Rampage" means that each triggerbot would spawn two Dervishes each, for a total of 4. Unless there is an unspecified limit of 2 Dervishes per player (unlike say, Reflection from The Savior which explicitly specifies a max of 2), I assume this would work. Could open the door for some Intuitive Link shenanigans.

Abberath's Fury

"This Spell is Triggered when Gained" means that it is triggered at the triggerbots, but in practice it could work in one of two ways. One, the fire bursts will trigger at the triggerbots based on their walking speed. Or two, it is still based on our walk speed but the bursts still trigger at the triggerbots.

Death's Oath

Also a spell that is triggered when gained, which makes our triggerbots into walking Death Auras. This might not be as crazy as it seems since if it is like Infernal Legion or Righteous Fire, only one of the auras from the two triggerbots will count.
Slight tangent, but I wonder how a Cwdt RF setup would work. We only need to hit ourselves strong enough once to trigger it. Will RF still scale off our life/ES, or the triggerbots? Do they even have life (and do they count as minions)?

Corpse Walk

Like Abberath's Hooves, I'm not sure if it will trigger based on our movement or the triggerbots movement. Either way, this should simply double our corpse generation. Death Walk from Bubonic Trail is a similar case.

Fire Burst

Not technically from a unique but you can craft it onto weapons with Essences of Hysteria. The bursts will be from the triggerbots. The CDR nodes will also greatly help it.

Glimpse of Eternity

Glimpse of Eternity from Eternity Shroud is going to make your triggerbots into walking temporal bubbles, which could be a solid defensive layer.

Spirit Burst

Spirit Burst from the newly buffed Lightpoacher will also trigger from the triggerbots. Might potentially be a viable primary skill.

Twister

Twister from Saqawal's Flock seems super interesting to me. We'll basically double our tornados which makes me think poison could be a good option. I think we can make a very powerful Saqawal Twister autobomber, regular Twister is already a niche but playable build.

Storm Cascade

Storm Cascade from Surging Thoughts (basically lightning Glacial Cascade) would also trigger at your triggerbots when you attack. Pair it with a fast moving skill like Whirling Blades it could be solid.

All Glove Enchants (Commandment/Edict/etc.)

They will also spawn at the triggerbots.
Of note, I wanted to point out an interesting interaction with Mjolner and Commandment of Ire. Ire creates a spinning copy of your weapon when hit. Hits with this spinning weapon triggers spells in Mjolner. With the triggerbots, we'll end up having two spinning copies of your weapons both of which can trigger your Mjolner spells, also from the triggerbots.
Commandment of Inferno from Unyielding Flame might also be cool.

Feast of Flesh

Feast of Flesh from Devouring Diadem might actually be an anti-synergy with triggerbots based on how it ends up working. I'm not sure that the recovered life/ES will come back to you or go to the triggerbots.

All Aegis skills

Anti-synergistic. Your triggerbots will take them, so you can't benefit from them. Technically you could get around this by first equipping the shield that gives you the aegis before you take the triggerbots node, but not worth it imo.

Other potentially interesting skills/uniques

• Mark of the Shaper
• Lightning Bolt
• Spectral Spirits
• Shield Shatter

There are still more skills that interact with triggerbots that I haven't mentioned here, not even going into the more established CoC/Cwdt/Spellslingeetc. This opens up a whole new avenue for delivering skills and potentially automating certain interactions.
I genuinely think that the triggerbots are perhaps the most build defining node that has ever been added to the skill tree.

This song sneaks up on you. It didn't stand out to me on first listen, I thought it was fun and catchy, but once you really pay attention to the lyrics it hits so hard. I really think it's one of if not the most vulnerable and personal songs Pete has ever written. I can't think of a time where he's written about his struggles with addiction in a way that was so open. Usually he uses more metaphoric writing with more room for interpretation, but:
"I spent ten years in a bit of chemical haze"
"roll the highlights, the got too high life"
"stop me if you have heard this all before, too many times after too much alcohol, but you don't know me anymore"
the last one hits especially hard to me because it's like he's saying people haven't taken him seriously before because he was high/drunk but he isn't that person anymore, and realizes some people will never look at him for who he is now and how he's grown.
I think Marvel (Pete's daughter) at the end of the song ties it all together and makes me wanna cry even more, because it represents the life he has now as a dad and how his family is what's most important to him now. Also there's just something about the sweetness and naivety of it that contrasts with the heaviness of the song and perfectly rips me to shreds every time. Fuck.

My wife and I currently have a 2006 Sienna 260k miles on it with some rust that is past what is reasonable to stop in its tracks 😭(mostly due to my inexperience and procrastination). We know we are going to need another vehicle in the next year. Woohoooo cause the market is trash. If our budget is around 17k does it make more sense to get a used car that is older and riskier than what that budget would have got 5 years ago or a brand new but kinda crappy car like a mirage or a versa? Has anyone made this decision one way or the other and how did it go?
Edit: It will be mostly a commuter vehicle so fuel efficiency is important but super tiny cars aren't really what we are aiming for. Other than that we are open to anything with an eye toward reliability and more affordable maintenance down the road.

Voice Note
Here is a little bit about me if you can’t listen in!
How I look: I’d say I’m decent looking, a solid 7 tbh. I’m mixed, I have (black) curly hair, I’d say my best feature are definitely my (brown) eyes and hair.
I am quite a busy person lately with work, taking care of family etc. I studied computer science at university and graduated a couple years ago. I tend to have quite a lot of life responsibilities, taking care of my family lately, working out etc but I’m always willing to make time to talk to people, especially if you’re sweet and lovely to talk to!
Id say I’m quite the confident guy, very chatty and open, to a fault sometimes. I used to read/write poems occasionally but lately have stopped but wanting to get back onto them. I’m quite the movie buff, I love being analytical with film and probably watch a movie once every couple days. Favourite movies are 12 angry men, the good the bad and the ugly, godfather 1 and 2 I play video games also but mainly into RPG single players. KOTOR being my favourite. Quite into sports, I watch football, basketball and UFC. Actually used to play football (soccer) back in the day. I workout / gym whenever I have the free time to There’s a lot more too but tbh I’d rather you just find out than me writing it up tbh.
I’m up for voice calls also whenever you feel comfortable too, I’m happy to exchange photos of each other too.
If you’re interested, don’t hesitate to slide😌 but please make a wee bit of effort that’s better than “hi” or “what’s up”