Can recommend me kapcai motorcycles with this spec:

led headlamp, brake, signal come original from factory (dont want diy scared jpj inspection will got saman change to diy led bulb)
brake disc (optional abs)
manual gear change -not a scooter
liquid cooled (air cooled also ok)
got kickstarter
fuel injection system -electric starter

Hey there everyone;
The demo has been out now for a few weeks and so far the response has been fantastic. A lot of players have checked out the game and the feedback, suggestions, and bug fixes have been rolling in. This patch addresses many issues as well as adds some quality-of-life changes, tweaks, and additional guidance for new players.
Fixes
There has been a variety of fixes made to the game. A huge shoutout to TrabTrab on Steam for their amazing bug-finding reports. This individual has played very hard and come back with some great findings to improve the game.
Rocket Issues There were some issues with rockets, particularly related to multiple rockets using the same landing pad. This has been tracked down and fixed as well as other improvements were made to this rather complex system. It is working much better now, but I will continue to test this aspect as it working correctly is very critical.
Stat Reset Didn't Work The stat reset in the pilgrim quarters was not bringing up the correct HUD, this has been fixed and it now works great.
I Can See Your Feet There was an issue when leaving the stasis pod that would show the hidden mannequin used as the player's body. This rather jarring effect won't occur anymore.
Tier 2 Exports Under Valued Tier 2 exports were set at $5m per export same as the Tier 1 export. This has been raised to $20m to ensure making this complexity leap will be worth your effort as we move to the mid-game and increase research costs.
Over Valued Drill The copper drill was exporting at $5m this was not intended it has been set down to $1m as intended. I want the focus to stay on manufactured exports in the later game, but I do want some goods to have value. We will continue to monitor and change any values that make sense as we continue to develop.
I Can't Eat That Some high-end foods were set as drinks by mistake. And trying to drink food didn't work out too well causing them to be useless. This has been fixed. Higher-end food will play a more vital role later in the game with colonists' mood, but right now most people just eat potatoes.
Exploit Detected There was an exploit that could trigger using manually entered amounts for crafting. This has been removed.
That Ain't Air Tight There was an issue that if you moved in and out from the door quickly you could trigger the door to not fully close and stay cracked open. I have added a final check on this where if something is off it will auto-fix itself. There should be no way to leave a door open moving forward.
Mission Objective Bug There was an issue with the mission objective to send an export back to Earth. It was only looking at rocket 2, not rocket 1, it now correctly looks at both rockets and will fire correctly.
Changes
There have been a variety of tweaks and changes based on player feedback as well as my experimentation. The shout-out list would be pretty large for this category, but I will highlight Garret one of my discord moderators for their excellent feedback in this category.
You Want How Much The foods you can purchase for supplies were far too overpriced. $8m for an M.R.E.? All of the foods have been reduced to be more worthwhile as early supplies if you wish. I was worried about how much you can get with the starting $30m that I overvalued some items that won't hurt your progress.
Tighter Drills I have tightened the copper, ice, and iron deposit grouping to be closer together so it is less of a walk for the player. This might be too good, but I am open to feedback.
Large Plants I have added the ability to look at and collect larger plants such as corn and tomatoes. I was using the base of the plant to collect, but now the entire plant can be used.
Equip And Use Buttons I have removed these buttons from the HUD as I like the idea of drag and drop and using items from the quick bar. Those buttons were more so for console players in the future, but we are so far from that possibility that I would rather just focus on Steam players for now
What Did I Research I have changed the messaging on the research HUD to show the category of research you just unlocked while it is cooling down. I might change this to be the specific unlock but that is quite complex due to the structuring of blueprints. For now, I have implemented showing the category and hope that helps you remember.
Possible Failure I want to make sure the core of what you need is reachable even if you make some mistakes. To this effect, I have made landing pads start unlocked. The keys to survival are food, air, and water. But the key to progress is exporting, manufacturing, and rocket fuel production. Hopefully, this helps stop players from burning up all their funding without having the ability to export.
Drilling Reduction The drills were adding resources very quickly at 1 ore per second. I have changed this to 1 ore per 1.5 seconds. I tried 2 seconds but felt it was too slow. Hopefully, 1.5 is the sweet spot, let me know your thoughts.
Additions
There have been some great additions to the game to make it flow with players even better than it already has been. Shout out to DigitalFrost for some great ideas in this category as well as other contributors.
Give Me A Tip I have added tooltips to each player's stat to give a breakdown of each stats use. I also changed FORTITUDE to RESISTANCE and it will now be used to reduce damage taken.
Message System I have created a new message system that shows up in the bottom right of your screen and stays persistent until you are out of the danger zones. These are for low air, low water, low food, and overweight. I have removed them using the large full-screen warning. I felt it was a bit much with full-screen messages, but we will still use those for some critical messages such as your base going offline or a large attack incoming.
Data Pads I have added a system for datapads to the game. Currently, you start with one datapad titled mission objective. This is a multi-page document about your mission and covers a variety of basics for the player. It is an opt-in readable tutorial in many ways. This system will also be used for future datapads we can place in the world to reveal events from previous missions on Ceres or other story-building points.
Non Stop Crafting You can now continue to use a machine while it is crafting. This was a big change to get in the game, but it honestly feels great. Now you can take part orders off a machine as they are crafting and we display a nice timer inside the HUD for progress. Now if you queue up 25 bars and then realize you need 5, you can just go grab them. Over all this feature feels great.
Straight To The Slot It is now possible to quick slot items from machines right into the player's quick slots. If you drag and drop a quick slotable item it will now auto transfer to the player and quick slot itself where you placed it. Many players tried to do this and then manually moved it to their inventory to quick slot. It seemed like a great idea to help the crafting flow better with players.
More Ice Even though I want players to get to the drilling and hit deposits manually for infinite resources but no exp. Players keep trying to manually farm. So, I added a few more ice resource nodes down below for players spending more time in that area than I meant for them to. I can't control players, but I will do my best to cater to whatever style I see players leaning into, and adding a few more nodes will help with that style of early gameplay.
What's Next
Now that the core early-game loop is functioning well the next focus will be on refining and expanding on that loop before we move on to the mid-game. There are many ideas on the table but you can expect to see some additional open caves to add more value to exploration as well as precursor elements to the narrative of the mission, and some additional life forms to the planet to add some life to the game as well as atmosphere.
There is still a very long way to go before we reach early access, but I am so thankful to have you along for the journey. I can't wait to show you what I have in store for the game.

10 practical tips for designing a motivating Hero Image that always works

The Hero Image is the first thing people see when they open your page. It’s your unique chance to win them over — or lose them forever.
It takes mere seconds for the user to process the first screen. But behind the scenes, there’s a lot of painstaking work by marketers, designers, and developers. How can you quickly find the right solution and pick the perfect image?
I have compiled the best practices for creating an effective Hero Image to share with you. Let us learn from the best.

1. Don’t lose sight of Hero Section goals

The goal of a Hero Section is to make the user want to learn more and perform the next action. It serves as an introduction and invites further communicat

2. Don’t lose sight of user goals

In an attempt to surprise and keep the viewer on the first screen, some designers unwittingly replace the user’s goal with their own: to make an awesome design. But the user’s goal is not design.
The user’s goal is to get something he or she needs: a thing, a service, or particular information. The design should facilitate this task rather than hamper it.
Smart design doesn’t draw attention to itself, or distract users from their goals, or make them gape in amazement, forgetting why they came. This is especially true for the hero section.
Here’s a typical case. The key points presented to the user are:

what the company is offering;
advantages of this offer;
reasons to trust the company;
actions to be performed by the user.

The message is obvious: our company is great and the user should hurry up and press that button. Alas, that’s not how it works.
User goals have nothing to do with the goals of website owners, marketers, or designers.
Any info that has no immediate value for the user must be held back. Messages like “We Are the Best,” “Celebrating Ten Years of Success,” “Why People Trust Us,” etc. belong at the bottom of the visual hierarchy.

Hero Section visuals must prioritize user goals.

Show the users what they want to see, and make it look really good. That’s your number one priority. All the rest — reliability, trust, guarantees — only serves to cement the user’s conviction that they’ve come to the right place.ion.
At first glance, what users want to see are benefits and problem solutions, not how great the company is or how cool the design looks. :) That stuff stays in the background!
A Hero Image is a visual stimulus. It promises benefits, improvements, and positive changes.
The user will be willing to take a step forward if:

they intuitively and immediately like the visuals;
they see a solution to their problem;
they’re motivated by the image;
they’re motivated by the heading;
they understand what to do next.

3. Remember: no clutter

The home screen must be crystal clear and easily navigable for the user. This is where you showcase the very essence of your offer. Do your utmost to maximize readability. This includes:

clean, uncluttered design;
clear page structure;
plenty of “air”;
no distractions;
hierarchy of highlights;
motivating, concise heading and subheading;
hero image that matches the message and copy;
understandable and predictable navigation panel.

Keep it simple and concise!

4. Turn the user’s goal into a visual magnet

The designer’s task is to visualize the user’s goal, making it look attractive, lively, and catchy. Do a comprehensive study and analysis of your users, product, and competitor sites. This will help you find inspiring images and motivating messages for your audience.
Customers often arrive at the page with a specific image of their goal in mind. It’s important to take this into account and meet their expectations. Predictability is what people expect from you. This applies to both visuals and user experience.
Follow the “one idea, one image” rule. Let your heading resonate with, reinforce, and enhance the image. The image and text must stimulate the user’s desire and willingness to take a step toward gratification.

5. Look for specific triggers

As you work on a Hero Image from concept to final design, remember: you are creating a motivational trigger. Feel free to use any and all marketing, design, and psychology tricks to influence user perception.
Every audience has its own motivation. Get to know your users and find the best way to engage them, both emotionally and rationally. (An emotional reaction is followed by a rational assessment of the information.)

User emotions need to be designed and incorporated into the project at the concept stage.

Specific triggers, such as images and/or text, are especially good for engaging emotions.
To find the best trigger, ask yourself:

What should the user feel when he/she sees your offer?
What memories should it evoke?
What associations should it create?

Finding an emotional trigger often requires a good brainstorming session. Make a list of emotions and their possible visualizations, such as engaging images, illustrations, or videos. Test the best ideas.
This is the key to your future conversions and audience love.
The emotions don’t necessarily have to be positive. Apple once successfully exploited fear by designing a blood-red AIDS awareness website with an invitation to become a blood donor. It looked impressive. I don’t know about donations, but a lot of people bought red iPhones. :)

6. Show explicit or implicit benefits

An effective trigger is always associated with user benefits. The trigger pushes users to perform actions that will let them reap these benefits.
Popular Hero Images are focused on:

the product;
action;
advantages;
the context;
the process (behind the scenes);
the company’s owner.

Any type of the Hero Image must convey benefits.

Explicit benefits: highlighting the apparent advantages of using the product or service.
Implicit benefits: visually and psychologically highlighting the user’s improved status, importance, success, skills, and opportunities.
User analysis will help you decide what should be made explicit or kept implicit on a case-by-case basis. Showcasing an implicit benefit is always a win-win. A website that sells nails, for example, will fare much better if its hero section features an image of a thrifty, smart, and neat worker than if it simply has a photo of a house or a bunch of nails. Customers will enjoy feeling like handy homeowners.

7. Manage the user’s attention

Be clear about where you want the viewer’s eyes to go. What will they see first? What next? Where should their gaze linger? Everything depends on the goals of your website and product. The hierarchy of highlights needs to be planned in advance and then tested to make sure it looks like you need it to.
The user’s gaze is controlled by dominance and focal points. Dominant elements are the largest and most attractive ones. Focal points are icons, buttons, and other elements that the user sees after the dominant element. They are responsible for the user’s interest zones and hold his or her attention. They’re typically located at the edges of the screen.
Lifehack #1: Blur your design layout and show it to an average person (not a designer). What’s the first thing they see? What merits more or less attention? It’s a good way to rectify failed ideas before it’s too late.
Lifehack #2: Use eye-tracking software. Even a simple freeware app will help you check if the highlights are in the right places.
If you find that the user’s gaze doesn’t linger long enough on any given element, get to work. Perhaps it’s worth highlighting this element further by making it larger or brighter, adding animation, increasing the font size, and so on. (Test everything!)
Note: Place the main highlight on the emotional trigger, not the CTA button.
All visual composition tricks and instruments must be hierarchically ordered. Shape, color, shade, contrast, size, balance, movement, typography — everything must follow the principle of priority.
Note: Remove distractions. Everything that’s not a first impression priority must have reduced visibility, hidden, or moved elsewhere.

8. Use relevant images

Images are relevant when they match the website’s purpose, idea, and content. Any mismatch between the idea and its visual representation leads to misunderstanding and mistrust. It’s not just out-of-context imagery. A website dedicated to innovation using outdated designs is also an example of irrelevance. Unnecessary wow effects that distract from the message are likewise irrelevant.

The Hero Image must visually convey the essence of the content.

9. Use a short, powerful tagline

Use a short, powerful tagline to engage the user. Coming up with it isn’t as easy as it seems. It’s a creative process. Again, I recommend brainstorming. You have limited character space, yet you need to succinctly convey your values, explain some benefit or problem solution, or ask a related question that will pique the user’s interest. Brainstorming is a great way to find an original idea.

10. Be subtle with your СТА

You may have a great hero image with a good conversion potential, but it will be worthless without a CTA. However, CTA should be approached with caution.

Never use CTA to exert pressure.

Design your CTA to be friendly and non-aggressive rather than demanding. Do not pressure the user into learning everything at once, making purchases, or subscribing. CTA is a logical step on the user’s path toward their goal. If you failed to pique their interest with your tagline and visualization, no CTA button or text will work.
CTA is an organic continuation of your design and business idea. Your visitors are welcome. That’s the point of a CTA button or message: it invites the user to join the action.

Focus your UI and UX on making the user’s goal attractive.

Only then will your CTA be effective. A button motivates no one. People are motivated by ideas and images of the future.
Thanks for reading. Don't forget to follow analyzeoptimize for more such insightful content to grow your online busines.

I have the opportunity to purchase a car off a family member and I believe it’s a great deal but I need to confirm with some more intelligent people aka you guys
R230 SL500, 56,xxx miles, Black on black, Ugly 17inch rims but who cares lol, I’m pretty sure it’s a base model with no cooled seats or massaging or anything
Only two issues are:
Sound does not work, amps are fine I believe but something’s wrong, either way gonna just put speakers in for now
Central locking from key doesn’t work. Works inside the car but you need to use the manual key to lock or unlock the car from the outside. Key works perfectly fine as I see the pulse being sent and it works to start the car so I believe it might be the infrared sensor near the doorhandle which shouldn’t be too expensive
Otherwise mechanically it is perfect two owner clean car. No service records for the abc system but oh well.
All of this for 7,000 USD, good deal?

Can recommend me kapcai motorcycles with this spec:

led headlamp, brake, signal come original from factory (dont want diy scared jpj inspection will got saman change to diy led bulb)
brake disc (optional abs)
manual gear change -not a scooter
liquid cooled (air cooled also ok)
got kickstarter
fuel injection system -electric starter

Can recommend me kapcai motorcycles with this spec:

led headlamp, brake, signal come original from factory (dont want diy scared jpj inspection will got saman change to diy led bulb)
brake disc (optional abs)
manual gear change -not a scooter
liquid cooled (air cooled also ok)
got kickstarter
fuel injection system -electric starter

In our modern quest for sustainability, composting has emerged as one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce waste and nourish the earth. Among the various composting methods, natural composting stands out for its simplicity, affordability, and environmental friendliness. Let’s explore the world of natural composting, its benefits, how to get started, and why it’s an essential practice for anyone looking to make a positive impact on the planet.
What is Natural Composting?
Natural composting with natural composter , also known as traditional or manual composting, involves the decomposition of organic waste materials using natural processes. It relies on microorganisms, insects, and earthworms to break down waste into nutrient-rich compost. Unlike advanced composting systems that require mechanical or electrical aids, natural composting harnesses the power of nature to recycle organic matter.
Benefits of Natural Composting

Environmental Sustainability:

By diverting organic waste from landfills, natural composting reduces methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. It also lowers the overall carbon footprint by recycling waste into valuable compost.

Soil Health:

Compost improves soil structure, enhances its water-holding capacity, and provides essential nutrients. It promotes healthy plant growth and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.

Cost-Effective:

Natural composting requires minimal investment. You can start with a simple compost pile or bin, making it accessible for anyone.

Waste Reduction:

Composting significantly reduces the volume of household waste, leading to fewer trash pickups and lower disposal costs.

Educational Value:

It’s an excellent way to teach children and communities about the cycles of nature and the importance of sustainability.
Getting Started with Natural Composting

Choose a Composting Method:

Compost Piles: Ideal for large yards, simply pile your organic waste in a designated area.
Compost Bins: Suitable for smaller spaces, bins can be made from wood, plastic, or metal.
Trench or Pit Composting: Dig a trench or pit, fill it with waste, and cover it with soil.

Select a Location:

Choose a well-drained spot with good air circulation and partial sunlight. Ensure it’s easily accessible but not too close to living areas to avoid potential odors.

Collect Organic Waste:

Gather kitchen scraps (vegetable peels, fruit cores, coffee grounds) and yard waste (leaves, grass clippings, plant trimmings).

Layering:

Alternate layers of greens (nitrogen-rich materials like kitchen scraps) and browns (carbon-rich materials like leaves and cardboard). Aim for a 2-3 parts brown to 1 part green ratio.

Maintain Moisture:

Water it occasionally if it becomes too dry, especially in hot weather.
Turn the Pile:
Regularly turning the pile aerates it, promoting faster decomposition and preventing odors. Turn every 1-2 weeks.

Harvest the Compost:

This typically takes several months to a year, depending on conditions.
Tips for Successful Natural Composting

Balance Materials:

Ensure a good mix of greens and browns to maintain the right carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, which is crucial for effective decomposition.

Shred Larger Items:

Breaking down large items like branches and cardboard speeds up the composting process.

Avoid Pests:

Bury food scraps in the pile and cover them with browns.

Monitor Temperature:

A healthy compost pile will heat up due to microbial activity. If it cools down, turning it can reactivate the process.

Compost Activators:

Adding garden soil or finished compost introduces beneficial microorganisms to jumpstart the process.
Real-World Applications

Home Gardens:

Enrich your garden soil with homemade compost, promoting healthy plants and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.

Community Gardens:

Engage your community in composting efforts, turning local organic waste into valuable compost for shared green spaces.

Schools:

Incorporate composting into environmental education programs, teaching students about sustainability and natural cycles.

Small Farms:

Utilize compost to improve soil health, enhance crop yields, and promote sustainable farming practices.
Conclusion:
Natural composting is a powerful tool in our sustainability toolkit. It turns everyday organic waste into a valuable resource, enriching our soil and reducing our environmental impact. Whether you’re a homeowner, a teacher, a farmer, or a community leader, embracing natural composting can make a significant difference. Start your composting journey today and join the movement towards a greener, more sustainable future.

CHAPTER 9 – ENTROPY
DATE: MARCH 10th, 7 A.U. (AFTER UNIFICATION) LOCATION: SOL SYSTEM, ABOARD UTRN INDOMITABLE WILL
CAPTAIN HENRY O’TOOLE
"Ah, there you are Commander. Your message said there was something you wanted to talk with me about?" Henry asked as his executive officer approached the system map.
“Aye Captain, now's a good a time as any. As you know, the rate of disciplinary incidents has more than tripled in the last two weeks. We've had six fistfights, one near strangling, a few dozen counts of sexual harassment amongst different parties, and a few more incidents of a nature that I would rather not get into for fear of derailing the point of this conversation. I need additional resources to allocate towards ship internal security. With your permission, I'd like to borrow some of our more trusted marines to help the MA's out on their off shifts.” Commander Alvarez asked.
“Yeah, of course, take what you need to nip this in the bud. I can't say I'm entirely surprised; we expected a certain amount of this with the stresses of FTL travel. With everyone cooped up like this, maybe we should brainstorm some new outlets for the crew. Were there any specific incidents I need to get involved with?” Henry replied as he looked up from the list of updates and reports on his own console.
“No, I have it covered. It's just the regs state I need to ask permission to use marines for internal security matters.” The Commander waved it off.
“Excellent, continue to keep me in the loop then. Can I ask you a question?” Henry took the opportunity to ask something that had been bothering him.
“You just did. Hah! Just kidding, put the axe away boy! Now what would you like to know?” He said with a twinkle in his eye.
“I've seen your file, well, the parts that weren’t redacted anyway. If anything, I should be taking your orders! I mean, you're the Space Wolf! Nobody came even close to the number of ships captured or destroyed than you in the early days of the battle for the belt. Why would they want me to be captain when they had someone like you coming along the whole time? Why aren't you a captain anymore? By all right this should be your command, not mine.” Henry asked, after taking one last look around to verify they were still alone around the system map.
Commander Alvarez seemed stunned for a moment before he settled into a more pensive look.
“Listen, son, you're all full of the vigor and high passions of youth. By that I mean you've got a certain fire and aggression in you, yet I've seen you generally keep it balanced by wit and wisdom. You are a perfect match for the job, even if you could use some more real world experience. With some guidance, you'll do just fine, if you can keep strict standards for yourself and crew and a cool head when things get tough."
"I appreciate that, and I will definitely lean on your experience whenever possible. However, you didn't really answer my question... Why aren't you a captain anymore?"
"I... got a lot of damn good men and women killed in an impossible situation when we lost the Michigan-II, and I never truly got over it. No amount of medals, captured enemy ships, or the fact that I've saved many more lives than I lost can make up for that. I finally found peace with that, but that peace required that I relieve myself of any chance of future command. My legacy, for better or worse, is set in stone. Joining this expedition gives me another chance at adjusting the scales without breaking my former vows, even if the only people who will ever know it are here on the voyage with us.”
“So, you claim you have no aims or desires for leadership, but here you are a mere heartbeat away from it.” Henry said, carefully studying his executive officer's every reaction.
“My time for glory is mostly gone, yours is at your feet before you. To the world, I am retired in comfort and isolation. In reality you have me here to help make your will law. You can relax. I already turned down command of this expedition. I was plan A, why do you think they had to scramble to find you? I will take command of this mission only if you are incapable of doing so yourself, Sir. In the meantime, let my experience and whatever wisdom I can offer guide you.”
An emergency alert snapped both of their attention out of their conversation. "There's a fire in one of the officer's cabins?!" Henry’s pulse quickened as he referenced the map to find which one.
“Fuck, it started in Chantal’s room!” Henry said, horrified.
“I've got the CIC under control. Go on and get her out of there, I'll send the cavalry."
“Thank you, Commander.” Henry called back over his shoulder as he rushed for the quick lift.
The officer cabins were the in the very next deck overhead, so he was able to arrive quickly and break into a sprint. The ship shifted as it dodged some antimatter, causing Henry to slip and scramble back to his feet. As he rounded the corner he saw her door was closed and the keypad powered was off. He could hear thumps and muffled screaming from within the room.
"HANG ON CHANTAL, I'M COMING!" Henry shouted in the hope that she could hear him as he pried at the manual override panel.
Two modified Paladin exo-combat armor suits rounded the corner seconds later with a hospitalman trailing behind pushing a medical cart.
"WE'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE, SIR." A speaker-amplified voice spoke from behind him.
One of the Paladin suits accessed the manual control override and forced the door open enough for the other suit to reach in and pry it the rest of the way open as smoke plumed into the corridor. The second suit charged into the room with its flood lights on as a water cannon mounted on the right wrist sprayed flame retardant from a pack on its back. The first suit abandoned the door control and entered, emerging moments later with Chantal awake and coughing from inside the darkened door frame. She was quickly ushered into cleaner air, set gently down, wrapped in a blanket, and was quickly attended to by a hospitalman who began to check her vitals.
Relief flooded Henry’s mind as his adrenaline surge broke against the wall of worry he had built up during his mad dash from the CIC.
“Baby you came for me! I thought I was going to die in there." She pulled him into a tight embrace as she wept in cathartic release.
"Of course I did! I couldn't stand to lose you, especially not over something like this. So, what the hell happened in there?"
"Well you know me, I was all burning the midnight oil and then I smelled smoke! Then there were some sparks, the outlet pops then whoosh! My computer station and my desk are all ablaze along with half my notes, then the damned door wouldn't work! I had to drop to the floor under the smoke and pound on the door in hopes that someone would hear me. God, it was horrible... I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life." She replied with a deep shudder.
"You're safe now, it's going to be alright."
"I know, but what about my work?" She replied with a forlorn look back at her smoke damaged room.
"What about your work?"
"As you know, I lost a ton of it just now, but what’s worse is I don't even have the ability to recover them! Remember how I lost my backup drive last week? Like, I know I packed it and it is not here anywhere! It’s like some sick cosmic joke on me or something. Sorry! Gotta keep it positive, girl! I get to rethink my last few weeks’ worth of work from scratch... that was almost positive! I probably have most of this recoverable from email sent box backups. Fuck, what do you do if there's no good silver lining?” Chantal bemoaned.
Henry couldn’t help himself but laugh for a second, while his girlfriend stared at him, waiting for a response.
“I’m sorry, is this funny to you or something?”
“No, no of course not. This might be one of those times where the only silver lining is that you're alive. Plus, if anyone can remember and rebuild their notes, you can." Henry smiled down at her.
“Fine, fine, at least I am alive. I was only breathing smoke for a few seconds after all.” She said, rolling her eyes. “Thank you for rushing down here right away anyway, it means a lot. You're amazing, you know.”
Henry smiled, slightly uncomfortable for a moment, so he changed the subject.
“I do my best... Anyway, it seems like these electrical issues seem to be getting worse instead of better. Whatever patch these clowns have slapped on my ship to get her to pass inspection is clearly coming undone. What do you think is going on here?” Henry asked in mild exasperation.
“Honestly, I can’t tell you without digging into the systems myself, which I would rather avoid. My plate is full enough as it is right now, especially having to reproduce so much of my own work now. This ship has kilometers of power cables running throughout it, after all, and you have an entire loyal, capable team down there in electrical, so it should only be a matter of time before they sort it out for you. Let them do their jobs without harassing them too much, please?”
Henry felt a little irked at her for not giving him credit to know not to go overboard, but he stowed it, seeing as she ultimately was right.
“The crew has been under a lot of stress, too, between the technical issues with the lights going out, losing power to workstations, or the constant antimatter threat. More than a few people have tried to convince me to turn us around and return to S33 for a more in-depth refit and repair cycle before we try the mission again. So far, everyone has accepted the fact that we are continuing the mission without much argument, but I fear what may happen if these issues are seen as getting worse. Our orders are clear, though, we must continue the journey.” Henry said, uncomfortable with the implications, even if he didn't dare voice it.
“You should get on the Q-Comm to report the fire to S33. Maybe they will order us back to base after this.” She offered, looking for a solution to an impossible problem.
“Good idea, at least the Q-Comm is still working. It’s incredible to me those particles maintained their entanglement once we passed through the baryonic barrier. That alone has been a huge morale boost, being able to contact home base with no time lag.” Henry replied.
“It’s incredible to you because you only have a basic grasp of the science, hon. But that’s alright, very few people truly understand it. That’s in part what you have me here for anyway. Einstein called the effect spooky action from a distance; I always liked that line.”
Henry ran his fingers through his hair and looked at Chantal, with a shake of his head and a smile.
“Listen, Henry, I just had a crazy stressful experience and I need to unwind. Plus, I haven’t slept in almost a day, so I am bone tired. Let’s go to bed, huh? What do you say doc, am I clear to go?” Chantal asked.
The hospitalman closed her eyes and shook her head before responding. "Yes, you are cleared to rest, and only to rest, do you understand me?"
Chantal mouthed a thank you before she took Henry by the hand and led him off to the captain’s quarters. Henry felt no desire to fight it, nor flaw with her reasoning. Sleep sounded good, really good. Plus, he was about an hour from the start of his sleep shift anyway, and Alvarez had the CIC well covered. The lights flickered again, but Henry very purposefully ignored it.
“Hey, since we have a little time and we are both a little wound up, Why don’t we take a shower together real quick?” She said with genuine enthusiasm and a wink.
“Madam, I like the way you think.” The couple raced just a bit faster than regulations would have liked, and arrived at his door in record speed.
Inside the room they fell upon each other in great passion and need, stripping each other out of their BDU’s and underclothes. Henry tossed a giggling Chantal onto the bed, and proceeded to kiss her neck and nibble on her ear causing her to purr in anticipation before he moved down her chest, past her navel, and then eagerly began to move his kisses in between her thighs.
“Hah…. I haven’t showered. Are you sure? Oooookay! I think…. Hah…. Okay.” She said breathlessly as Henry began to work his tongue until she began to shiver and squirm before she cried out as she melted in his mouth.
“Enough, please, I can’t take it anymore! Just fuck me already!” Chantal pulled herself together enough to beg for it. Henry stood rigid and ready and set himself to granting her request, first slowly, and then with a growing intensity. She once more began to squirm as he paid close attention to her hip’s cues, knowing very well by now what she liked.
As she climaxed again, Henry lifted her from the bed and pushed her up against the wall, and then bent her over his desk for a bit before he could take it no longer and they finished together.
“Holy shit… my legs aren’t gonna work for a bit after that one. Help me up?” Chantal said in between shallow breaths.
“Yes, ma’am. It would be my pleasure.” Henry said as he helped her to her feet and into the shower, staying in longer than was strictly necessary.
Henry left the steam first, once more thankful that his cabin included its own small bathroom, rather than a communal one. Being captain had its perks, after all. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, then handed another to Chantal who gratefully accepted it before it dropped to the ground as she stared straight past him.
“Henry!" She squeaked as she pointed past him.
"What?" Henry asked, confused.
"Henry, someone was in here!”
On their bathroom mirror, wiped from the steam were the words TURN BACK.
Henry's blood ran cold and his adrenaline spiked him into overdrive. He waved Chantal back into the shower and put his finger to his lips. She nodded then wrapped herself in her retrieved towel and dropped to the shower floor with her arms wrapped around her knees, whimpering slightly. Henry moved silently along the wall, watching the visible half of his room for any movement. He then burst round the door frame, only to find everything perfectly, precisely as they had left it. The shock of finding nothing collided with the spike of his adrenaline surge, which only fed his growing unease.
“There’s nobody here!” Henry called out after checking the closet, the only other place someone could have hidden.
“Did you lock the door?” Chantal asked, her mind already working on the mystery.
“I set the security protocol to auto lock every time it closes.”
“Paul. We need to talk to Paul.” Chantal said, squeezing her BDU’s up over her hips with a few hops. Henry pulled on his undershirt before tossing over her bra.
“Why would we want to bring that weasel into this?” Henry asked, incredulous at to how he could possibly help.
“Because he has access to the surveillance tapes, why else?”
Henry stared at Chantal, brimming with rage, trying his hardest to keep it isolated to Paul over the invasion of his privacy.
“Did you just say surveillance tapes!?!” Henry asked in an icy tone. “That does it, I’m going to strangle him.” Henry said, moving with a purpose toward the door.
“Stop. Turn around and give me a kiss. I already disabled the video cameras, at least all the ones I could find. He has audio at best, even that I doubt. What he does have that I want is the data from the motion sensor that he had installed just in case you found the more obvious bugs. Unfortunately, I sabotaged its effectiveness by blocking the sensor with dense foam, but there might be enough of something to give us a clue."
“How in the hell do you know about all of this anyway, and why the hell didn’t you tell me?!” Henry roared.
“This entire enterprise is run by an intelligence agency; how can you not have seen that one coming a mile away? I have gotten very good at catching bugs over the years. Just because I expect the invasion of privacy to be happening, doesn’t mean I have to make it easy on them. Just be happy I already took care of the issue, alright?” She replied firmly while staring him in the eyes with raised eyebrows.
“You’re incredible, I love you.” Henry blurted out before he could catch himself. Chantal beamed and tackled him to the bed sitting on his lap.
“What took you so long? Never mind, don’t answer that. I love you too, man have I wanted to say that one for a while now.”
“You know these things aren’t easy for me. I had to be sure, I also didn’t want to mess anything up. We need to be able to work together even if we had turned out to be a bad couple.” Henry admitted, Chantal made an show as she thought it over, but she then smiled and helped Henry to his feet.
“Alright, my captain. You speak great wisdom. While I have certainly felt, and thoroughly enjoyed, the depths of your passion, it is really nice to hear about it too. I do think it makes it all the better that you rule said passion with reason. It’s just one of the many things I love about you.” She said, laying her hand over his heart.
Henry took her other hand and kissed it before replying. “I think above all, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t take you for granted, nor suffer the same in reverse. A wise woman once gave me some great advice there that I have taken to heart.”
“Okay, Romeo, maybe you have a better handle on these things than you think. Now… Let’s go interrogate Paul.” Chantal had a fire in her eyes that Henry was loving very much at that moment.
“I have wanted to turn the screws on that spook for a while now.” Henry smiled as he spoke, and he opened up the connection to the ship’s intranet through his neural implant to send a message.
MEET ME IN YOUR QUARTERS IN 5 MINUTES FOR A DISCUSSION OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE – CPT. O'TOOLE
“That ought to get him there and alone.” Henry smirked. “Let’s go.”
Together, they made their way to Paul’s equivalent-sized quarters, which he had somehow secured for himself in the ship design to help facilitate his role as the official thorn in Henry’s paw. I guess being the captain’s handler has its perks as well. Henry’s eye twitched at the corner.
After making them wait far too long, Paul opened the door and gesturing them inside. The door closed and Paul turned towards them, narrowing his eyes, studying them both.
“Is this about the fire?” Paul asked before Henry punched the weasel right in the diaphragm, forcing him to gasp for air. The look of shock on his face as he bent forwards was priceless.
“What the fuck, Henry!?” Paul managed to choke out after a minute between gasps.
“Relax, I didn’t do any permanent damage, yet.” Henry said, Paul for just a second showed actual fear in his eyes before he sneered in defiance. “Oh? That got your attention, did it? Why were you spying on me?” Henry growled.
Paul closed his eyes, dropped his head, and began to laugh before Henry grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall. Foolishly, Paul even then kept laughing amidst the gasping. So Henry squeezed until Paul started slapping his arm, looking genuine fear once more growing across his face.
“Orders… I was following orders!” Paul managed to say amidst gasps and coughs.
“I thought it might be something like that. You're going to open up those files, now, and you're going to show me everything.” Henry said, dropping him to his feet at last.
“Fucking hell, Henry, I thought you of all people would have anticipated this was going to be the case. Do you think the people who made this all possible would simply let you fly around the most dangerous, advanced warship in human history without some insurance?”
“Don’t try and weasel out of your own personal culpability here. You may also want to think back to other people who were “only following orders” while performing acts they knew were wrong before you wave that line around like some get out of jail free card.” The fact that he had nothing to say spoke volumes.
“You should have told me, Paul.” Henry growled.
“That defeats the purpose! Plus, your girlfriend sabotaged them all before we ever left S33 anyway, and once more after! That type of tech doesn’t just grow on trees you know, and I don’t have an unlimited supply. You should be thanking me for covering for her and reporting back like things are normal!” Paul shouted in indignation.
“This is pointless, show me the files from around fifteen minutes ago, motion trackers, thermals, anything you have that's not blocked or sabotaged.” Henry commanded. Paul’s eyes narrowed, but after a long moment he huffed and closed his eyes.
Paul then sat down at his station and fired it up.
“Like I said, I've got practically nothing. No video, muffled audio and readings from what I assume to be a faulty motion sensor, that’s it. What are we looking for?”
“Chantal and I were, well, together. After we got out of the shower we saw that someone had written turn back in the condensation on the bathroom mirror. Only problem? My door auto locks when closed and only opens for my biometrics. That is why all of this even came up in the first place.”
“Motherfucker. That's a whole heap of bad news.” Paul said. Henry merely nodded, paying rather more attention to the screen to see if he could catch Paul in a lie about the extent of the spying.
“There’s nothing. No disturbances in the air that would even remotely resemble human movement between you two getting in the shower and you charging into your bedroom. With the noise of the shower and the distance to the microphone, there is nothing I can discern that is anomalous. You can see it all right here for yourself.”
Henry found himself even more confused and alarmed than before.
“How is that possible? Look again, run through some filters or something. There must be some evidence somewhere!”
“Alright, relax, I will get to work on this and get you a report by the end of C shift. In the meantime, you look like a mess. Get some sleep man! I can take care of it from here. Oh, and I want you to remember that I forgave you quite magnanimously for that little episode back there where you attacked me.” Henry and Chantal gave each other a look as Paul spoke.
“Wasn’t gonna apologize anyway, you had it coming. I’m going to hit the rack. I expect that report to be detailed and ready when I get up.” Henry took Chantal by the hand, and they left together, not waiting for a response.
“What a snake. Did you see him in there? Zero guilt or recognition whatsoever about spying like that. It just makes my skin crawl. Gives me bad memories.” Chantal said, turning pensive and quiet.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Henry asked, seeing that there was something clearly bothering her.
“I… had an uncle that lived with us from time to time and he would spy on me when I was dressing, try and sneak looks in the shower, stuff like that. Never touched me or anyone else that I know of, thank god, but man did it screw me up a bit still. Played havoc with my sense of security and even my sanity, never being quite sure it was real or all in my head. I wish I had said something, but I was afraid everyone would think I was overreacting or imagining it. I saw it in his eyes though, that look of... predatory lust. At least I didn't see anything like that in Paul's eyes. To this day it makes my skin crawl.”
“Good God, I can see how alone you must have felt in the middle of all that.” He squeezed her hand, she smiled up at him.
“Yeah, that was one of the hardest parts. I don’t think Paul is some raging pervert or anything, but it concerns me how normalized it was to him. Even if he isn’t being a creep with it, as if we can take his claims to be covering for me at face value. There is still no way I am going to let him have easy access to intimate videos of us, if I can possibly help it.” Chantal said before adding, “I’ll be all right, don’t worry about me. Let’s just get some sleep.”
Henry put his palm against the biometric scanner outside his room and the door slid open for them. They definitely needed some sleep after the emotional roller coaster of the past few hours, and the irresistible warm embrace of his bed called for him. The Q-Comm report could wait until he woke, he decided.
Better to have the electrical inspection ordered up, too.
I WANT A FULL REPORT AND INSPECTION PERFORMED ON THE ELECTRICAL FIRE IN CHANTAL’S ROOM BY THE START OF A SHIFT. – CAPT. O'TOOLE
Good enough. Henry thought as he sent the message. Now he could sleep. The chief could handle it from there.
MEANWHILE…
DATE : MARCH 10th, 7 A.U. LOCATION: SOL SYSTEM, ABOARD UTRN INDOMITABLE WILL
FIREMAN APPRENTICE SARAH CALLAHAN
It'll be back again tonight...
Sarah’s haunted thoughts repeated like a mantra. She had to be ready, but how? Her skin crawled and itched, the long sleeves of her BDU’s prevented her from being able to do anything about the painful sensation from the inflamed scratches they hid. She blearily rubbed at her sunken eyes, and she drained the rest of her coffee. All the numbers on the screen had started bleeding in together and her eyes hurt horribly, with the throbbing pain in her abdomen only compounding her misery.
“My god, Sarah, you look a wreck, hon. How have you been sleeping?” Yvonne, her shift partner asked, with concern in her voice.
“I have a monster tension headache, I just hope the meds kick in soon. Can you check my math? I need to get out of these white lights for a few minutes. Close my eyes for a bit, something, anything. I've been having nightmares again.” Sarah felt good, being able to admit it, and Yvonne had long since proven her friendship, so it was easier to actually speak.
“Yeah, no prob. As soon as I am done here I will check your readings and we can get out of here. Do you mean nightmares from the invasion?” Yvonne asked, carefully picking her words and tone.
“Kind of the same general themes, but different. Everything is going wrong, like the worst possible outcomes of my worst nightmares are all combining together. Like, it feels actively malicious, I don't know, its hard to explain...” Sarah said, bleakly.
“That’s hard, I am sorry. You need a shower, and an uninterrupted nap. Sleep deprivation plays all kinds of hell on the body and mind. I had a friend who went through an insomniac phase so extreme he would go days without sleeping. Wound up in the hospital after trying to drive to work while hallucinating his dead fiancée was sitting in the passenger seat screaming at him to watch out. Wound up rear-ending the car in front of him. Thank God he lived to tell the tale, but that is why it worries me to see you like this.” Yvonne planted her hand on Sarah’s shoulder as she told the story.
“Yikes, I think I slept like two hours into my sleep shift before I started having the nightmares again, woke up, and passed in and out of some restless sleep. It got really bad around oh three hundred. There were sounds... noises like scratching and a loud bang, and the shadows were moving. I just kept feeling like I was being watched, but everyone else seemed to be having disturbed sleep in their bunks. God, it was a creepy feeling.” Sarah took a moment to compose herself.
“I know how crazy this will sound, maybe that I am sleep deprived and likely hallucinating like your friend, but just hear me out. There was something there Yvonne, in the dark at the edge of perception, I could feel it. I also know I wasn’t the only one tossing and turning either. I could also hear scratchy whispering, too. I just hid, strapped in under the weighted blanket. At some point I slept some more, I must have, but not for what felt like a few stressful and draining hours. I'm just making a total mess of explaining this, aren’t I?”
“No, you're fine, girl! I am sorry that happened, my dorm has been pretty quiet, but I have always slept like a rock. Is there anything I can do?”
“I could use a hug.” Sarah said, which caused Yvonne to laugh, breaking some of the tension. They embraced warmly for a good minute, which did wonders for relieving some of the headache and her black mood.
“Thanks, Yvonne, I know it’s all in my head and it’s a vicious feedback cycle due to lack of quality sleep. Thanks for listening without calling me crazy.“ Sarah said, shying away from the last thing she hadn’t the courage to say.
She didn’t dare mention how she had hidden under the covers as she felt it get near. How she had felt something pushing on the mattress. How as her fear peaked, she herself peeked over the covers to find nothing there just to have the oppressive feeling evaporate along with the sensation of pressure by her feet. Her dorm mates all seemed to stop stirring after that, and only then did the nightmares stop for her that night. By then she was left with barely enough time for one last short sleep cycle before the start of A shift that very morning. This was a secret she would have to keep to herself, nobody would believe her anyway.
“I think I'll ask the Chief for a break from my duties today to rest and to visit med bay. Maybe they can give me something to help catch back up on my sleep.” Sarah said.
“Good idea, can I come with? I’ll back you up.” Yvonne said. Sarah smiled at her friend before she nodded at her before they checked off the last of their duties on site and headed away to find the Chief.

Your refrigerator is the unsung hero of your kitchen, tirelessly working day and night to keep your food fresh and your drinks chilled. However, like any other appliance, it can encounter issues from time to time. From mysterious noises to insufficient cooling, fridge problems can be frustrating. But fear not! With a bit of troubleshooting, many common fridge issues can be resolved easily, saving you time and money. Let's delve into some of these common problems and their solutions.

Faulty Temperature Regulation

Problem: Your fridge is either too cold or not cold enough, leading to food spoilage or freezing.
Solution: Start by checking the temperature settings. Adjust them gradually and wait for a few hours to see if the temperature stabilizes. If the problem persists, it could be due to a faulty thermostat or damaged door seals. Consider replacing the thermostat or sealing any gaps in the door gaskets to maintain consistent temperatures.

Unusual Noises:

Problem: Your fridge is making strange noises like buzzing, rattling, or clicking.
Solution: Noises can indicate various issues such as a malfunctioning compressor, a faulty fan, or loose components. Clean the condenser coils to remove dust and debris, which can cause the compressor to work harder and produce noises. If the noise persists, it might be best to call a technician to diagnose and repair the problem.

Water Leaks:

Problem: You notice water pooling under or around your fridge.
Solution: Check the water supply lines and the defrost drain for any leaks or clogs. Clear any blockages in the drain using a mixture of hot water and mild detergent. Inspect the water inlet valve for signs of damage or corrosion and replace if necessary. Additionally, ensure that the fridge is level to prevent water from pooling.

Frost Build-Up in Freezer:

Problem: Your freezer is accumulating excessive frost, affecting its efficiency.
Solution: Frost build-up can occur due to several reasons, including a faulty defrost timer, defective defrost heater, or damaged door seals. Start by manually defrosting the freezer and then check the defrost components for any issues. Replace any faulty parts and ensure that the door seals are intact to prevent warm air from entering the freezer.

Fridge Not Running:

Problem: Your fridge is not running at all, and the interior remains warm.
Solution: Begin by checking the power supply and ensuring that the fridge is plugged in properly. Inspect the electrical cord for any damage and replace if necessary. If the fridge still doesn't turn on, it could indicate a problem with the compressor, start relay, or overload protector. Contact a professional technician for further diagnosis and repair.

Ice Maker Malfunctions:

Problem: Your ice maker is not producing ice or is producing malformed ice cubes.
Solution: Check the water supply line to ensure it's not kinked or blocked. Clean the ice maker and the ice bin thoroughly to remove any built-up debris or mold. Inspect the water inlet valve and the ice maker assembly for any faults and replace if needed. Additionally, adjust the ice maker settings according to the manufacturer's recommendations for optimal performance.

Conclusion

A malfunctioning fridge can disrupt your daily routine and potentially lead to food spoilage and waste. However, many common fridge problems can be resolved with simple troubleshooting steps. By identifying the issue and implementing the appropriate solution, you can extend the lifespan of your fridge and ensure its efficient operation. Remember, if you encounter any major issues or are unsure about performing repairs, it's always best to seek professional assistance. With a little care and attention, your fridge will continue to serve you well for years to come. Get best fridge repair in Dubai call for more information: +97145864033

Hey! I have been through it for the last couple of weeks trying to figure this out like many others. I reached out to xfinity tech support multiple times on all ends and was always given incorrect information. They couldn't seem to understand that the bands need to be on their own individual isolated channels, not supported up thru 2.4-6 G. On their end, they're not seeing that the bands are not individual like we see it in our Xfinity app. I think some of the confusion is that on the consumer side we don't know that band steering is being used, and we would like to have control over our own functionality rather than xfinity automating everything so we cannot change our settings. Or the devices should just be compatible. There is *no longer* a separate "NETWORK NAME - 2.4G / NETWORK NAME - 5G" different login setting. It's all the same network name and password you setup. Anyway, most of the advice I have seen in all the forums asking the same question was also not helpful to solve the issue. But! I figured out how to fix this finally and everything is up and running. I also had trouble during my initial gateway setup after starting service where the app was not working at all and the connection setup always failed. It was ultimately because the error notification kept saying "must use WPA3 password." I told the customer service specialist multiple times but they were going to send someone out because it wasn't working. The problem was that the security mode for the password type was not set correctly in the settings. I had to select WPA3 Personal Only, then I could proceed to change my password and continue with the setup to finally allow me to login and connect to the internet service/network and not just the router. If you're having issues during setup with your new service where your gateway modem is working and connected but you can't connect to the internet -- go into your app settings and make sure that the security mode you selected for login to your network is the one your device requires you to use (WPA2 or WPA3). I think this is because my devices are newer 2019+ apple and require the newer protocols. I'm going to try to make a video to explain it at some point to show. The problem with the smart devices that require the 2.4G band is a similar issue. (The problem isn't unique to Google Nest devices. It can be any 2.4G WPA2 device, like a Dyson smart device, a Ring door cam, Smart TV, etc). There are a few different steps you have to take:

go to your xfinity app and do the following: wifi > wifi details > edit wifi settings > security mode: WPA3 - Personal Transition (NOT PERSONAL ONLY). This is necessary because the older smart devices that require the 2.4G IPv6 protocol will also require a WPA2 security protocol and cannot "see" or find WPA3 networks. When you select transition mode you allow the network and device to automatically communicate with one another based on which one they use, either WPA2 or WPA3. If it is set to WPA3 Only, then the WPA2 devices will not connect, and if set to WPA2 only, the WPA3 devices will not connect. Note that there is a toggle function that says "split bands" -- THIS DOES NOT WORK. It will automatically undo itself no matter how many times you toggle it on and select save. Don't worry about it.
login to a web browser and type in 10.0.0.1 (from your home network. not remotely)
under username and password type: username:admin / password: password. This is universal at first. Next you will change your password to whatever you want it to be. The username will always remain "admin." Note: the login is NOT your xfinity login info or your network login info.
Select: connection > wifi . You will now see a page with the individual bands: 2.4G, 5G, and 6G. Select "edit" next to the 5G band and toggle "disable" > save settings. Do the same to disable the 6G band.
Next go to: connection > status. You will notice that your 2.4 G band is now the only one "active" and the other two are disabled. You will also see that your security mode was changed to "WPA3 Personal transition" mode. You will notice an indicator count for what devices are connected to what band.
Select the "firewall" dropdown from the lefthand menu. Select "IPv4" and change this security setting to "minimum security low." Save settings. Now select "IPv6" and change this setting to "custom." Make sure that no additional "Block _" boxes are checked. Save settings.

Now you should be able to find your network on your device and connect the device to wifi to finish your setup process! For me, I had to reset the Google Nest Smoke Detector following the reset settings. I also uninstalled the Google Nest app. I turned my phone off and back on. I reinstalled the Nest app. I did not have to uninstall and reinstall the Dyson app. My iPhone and Macbook automatically still joined the network no problem because the login info is the same due to the band steering. I just got a notification on my Macbook saying that the WPA3 protocol was changed and said ok. For my Dyson hot and cool air filter I was able to pair the device and the network finally showed up. I followed the settings in the app and now that the network knows the "MAC address of the device" it is stored in the network's memory and they can find and communicate with each other now. Same with the Google Nest. If it doesn't work right away just try another time and it should work.

Important: the reason they automatically merge the bands and steer them is because the 2.4G is more unstable. This is true. You might notice that the connectivity will drop out occasionally for the devices which could explain why it might take another try to finish your setup. Don't worry about it. It will reconnect on it's own.

Now that your smart devices are connected and setup is finished, and your network knows their MAC addresses, you can revert all the changes you made to your network settings to go back to full functionality (2.4G-6 and increase your firewall security standards back up to your desired level. You just follow the reverse order of what you just did. Keep the 2.4G as is of course, but select: "5G > edit" and toggle enable on. Do the same for 6G. Now all your bands are turned back on and you have full access again. Go back to "firewall" and change the IPV4 and IPV6 settings. You will see on the top menu bar in the right that your security is back to "medium."

Go back to "connection > status." You will notice that all your bands are now active. You can see the device count for how many devices are connected and to which band they are connected. This may drop in and out so don't worry if you don't see the correct total. Sometimes the nest will drop out but it will reconnect itself on it's own in a few minutes. You can verify this on your phone by: Going to the Nest app and seeing that your "Protect" or whatever device you setup is good. You can go to the Dyson app and see that it is connected and get your status updates. You can also go to the xfinity app and see what devices are connected to your network as you usually would. Again, this might drop in and out with the Google nest. But! all your settings are restored and all your devices are now fully functioning and connected to your network :) You also might get notifications from xfinity on your iPhone once the devices are finally successfully paired to your network. Cool!

Important note: you can also use the 10.0.0.1 admin tool to manually add a device's MAC address if, for some reason, you still can't get things to work. I thankfully didn't have to do this because I figured out the solution, but it was going to be my next attempt. Thankfully, the Dyson has the MAC address for the device printed on the inside of the device. However, Google Nest unfortunately does not do this and you have to already be connected in to the app to view the system info. However, you could do a workaround for that by taking your device someplace else and using their wifi (as long as it is 2.4 WPA2 IPV6) to connect and setup the device in the app in order to find the MAC address for the device in the settings in the Nest app. Then you can take the device back home to your network, reset, and try to manually add the MAC address now that you found it (hopefully you took a screenshot or something :) ) Thankfully I didn't have to do this either, but it also would have been my next attempt.

Also, make sure you keep your password settings that you changed in your xfinity app to WPA3 Transition Mode. It'll stay that way for both 2.4G and 5G. This is important because the devices still need to be able to communicate and can only use WPA2. Also if in the future you have this problem again with another product, like perhaps an older Smart TV, you will already have the WPA2 functionality enabled.

I hope this was helpful! It's 3am but I'm so glad I eventually figured it out on my own!

Hey! I have been through it for the last couple of weeks trying to figure this out like many others. I reached out to xfinity tech support multiple times on all ends and was always given incorrect information. They couldn't seem to understand that the bands need to be on their own individual isolated channels, not supported up thru 2.4-6 G. On their end, they're not seeing that the bands are not individual like we see it in our Xfinity app. I think some of the confusion is that on the consumer side we don't know that band steering is being used, and we would like to have control over our own functionality rather than xfinity automating everything so we cannot change our settings. Or the devices should just be compatible. There is *no longer* a separate "NETWORK NAME - 2.4G / NETWORK NAME - 5G" different login setting. It's all the same network name and password you setup. Anyway, most of the advice I have seen in all the forums asking the same question was also not helpful to solve the issue. But! I figured out how to fix this finally and everything is up and running. I also had trouble during my initial gateway setup after starting service where the app was not working at all and the connection setup always failed. It was ultimately because the error notification kept saying "must use WPA3 password." I told the customer service specialist multiple times but they were going to send someone out because it wasn't working. The problem was that the security mode for the password type was not set correctly in the settings. I had to select WPA3 Personal Only, then I could proceed to change my password and continue with the setup to finally allow me to login and connect to the internet service/network and not just the router. If you're having issues during setup with your new service where your gateway modem is working and connected but you can't connect to the internet -- go into your app settings and make sure that the security mode you selected for login to your network is the one your device requires you to use (WPA2 or WPA3). I think this is because my devices are newer 2019+ apple and require the newer protocols. I'm going to try to make a video to explain it at some point to show. The problem with the smart devices that require the 2.4G band is a similar issue. (The problem isn't unique to Google Nest devices. It can be any 2.4G WPA2 device, like a Dyson smart device, a Ring door cam, Smart TV, etc). There are a few different steps you have to take:

go to your xfinity app and do the following: wifi > wifi details > edit wifi settings > security mode: WPA3 - Personal Transition (NOT PERSONAL ONLY). This is necessary because the older smart devices that require the 2.4G IPv6 protocol will also require a WPA2 security protocol and cannot "see" or find WPA3 networks. When you select transition mode you allow the network and device to automatically communicate with one another based on which one they use, either WPA2 or WPA3. If it is set to WPA3 Only, then the WPA2 devices will not connect, and if set to WPA2 only, the WPA3 devices will not connect. Note that there is a toggle function that says "split bands" -- THIS DOES NOT WORK. It will automatically undo itself no matter how many times you toggle it on and select save. Don't worry about it.
login to a web browser and type in 10.0.0.1 (from your home network. not remotely)
under username and password type: username:admin / password: password. This is universal at first. Next you will change your password to whatever you want it to be. The username will always remain "admin." Note: the login is NOT your xfinity login info or your network login info.
Select: connection > wifi . You will now see a page with the individual bands: 2.4G, 5G, and 6G. Select "edit" next to the 5G band and toggle "disable" > save settings. Do the same to disable the 6G band.
Next go to: connection > status. You will notice that your 2.4 G band is now the only one "active" and the other two are disabled. You will also see that your security mode was changed to "WPA3 Personal transition" mode. You will notice an indicator count for what devices are connected to what band.
Select the "firewall" dropdown from the lefthand menu. Select "IPv4" and change this security setting to "minimum security low." Save settings. Now select "IPv6" and change this setting to "custom." Make sure that no additional "Block _" boxes are checked. Save settings.

Now you should be able to find your network on your device and connect the device to wifi to finish your setup process! For me, I had to reset the Google Nest Smoke Detector following the reset settings. I also uninstalled the Google Nest app. I turned my phone off and back on. I reinstalled the Nest app. I did not have to uninstall and reinstall the Dyson app. My iPhone and Macbook automatically still joined the network no problem because the login info is the same due to the band steering. I just got a notification on my Macbook saying that the WPA3 protocol was changed and said ok. For my Dyson hot and cool air filter I was able to pair the device and the network finally showed up. I followed the settings in the app and now that the network knows the "MAC address of the device" it is stored in the network's memory and they can find and communicate with each other now. Same with the Google Nest. If it doesn't work right away just try another time and it should work.

Important: the reason they automatically merge the bands and steer them is because the 2.4G is more unstable. This is true. You might notice that the connectivity will drop out occasionally for the devices which could explain why it might take another try to finish your setup. Don't worry about it. It will reconnect on it's own.

Now that your smart devices are connected and setup is finished, and your network knows their MAC addresses, you can revert all the changes you made to your network settings to go back to full functionality (2.4G-6 and increase your firewall security standards back up to your desired level. You just follow the reverse order of what you just did. Keep the 2.4G as is of course, but select: "5G > edit" and toggle enable on. Do the same for 6G. Now all your bands are turned back on and you have full access again. Go back to "firewall" and change the IPV4 and IPV6 settings. You will see on the top menu bar in the right that your security is back to "medium."

Go back to "connection > status." You will notice that all your bands are now active. You can see the device count for how many devices are connected and to which band they are connected. This may drop in and out so don't worry if you don't see the correct total. Sometimes the nest will drop out but it will reconnect itself on it's own in a few minutes. You can verify this on your phone by: Going to the Nest app and seeing that your "Protect" or whatever device you setup is good. You can go to the Dyson app and see that it is connected and get your status updates. You can also go to the xfinity app and see what devices are connected to your network as you usually would. Again, this might drop in and out with the Google nest. But! all your settings are restored and all your devices are now fully functioning and connected to your network :) You also might get notifications from xfinity on your iPhone once the devices are finally successfully paired to your network. Cool!

Important note: you can also use the 10.0.0.1 admin tool to manually add a device's MAC address if, for some reason, you still can't get things to work. I thankfully didn't have to do this because I figured out the solution, but it was going to be my next attempt. Thankfully, the Dyson has the MAC address for the device printed on the inside of the device. However, Google Nest unfortunately does not do this and you have to already be connected in to the app to view the system info. However, you could do a workaround for that by taking your device someplace else and using their wifi (as long as it is 2.4 WPA2 IPV6) to connect and setup the device in the app in order to find the MAC address for the device in the settings in the Nest app. Then you can take the device back home to your network, reset, and try to manually add the MAC address now that you found it (hopefully you took a screenshot or something :) ) Thankfully I didn't have to do this either, but it also would have been my next attempt.

Also, make sure you keep your password settings that you changed in your xfinity app to WPA3 Transition Mode. It'll stay that way for both 2.4G and 5G. This is important because the devices still need to be able to communicate and can only use WPA2. Also if in the future you have this problem again with another product, like perhaps an older Smart TV, you will already have the WPA2 functionality enabled.

I hope this was helpful! It's 3am but I'm so glad I eventually figured it out on my own!

Hi all! I’ve been searching for a Celica GT-S 7th gen for awhile. About 7 years ago I owned an 2004 WRX. Test drove a 2011 WRX last year and it was okay, but not as fun as I hoped. Now, a clean Celica GT-S popped up a few hour drive away.
1) Hoping to get some feedback and price and the car. I’ve tried to research as best as I can. I’ll be looking at this next Tueaday and paid the owners a small fee to hold it for me till then. Seem like really nice people.
2) I just want a good reliable car to drive that is nice to look at and fun. How will it compare to a WRX? For the $10k asking price I wonder if I should consider a WRX or Miata. Though clean WRXs are also hard to find, and perhaps the Celica will be more unique and fun.
Asking price: 10k (talked on the phone and they seem firm)
Specs - Clean title - 2002 GT-S - Manual 6 speed - 95k miles - No accidents (Clean VIN report) - Factory action package - Factory Silver - Stock except short ram intake - 2 owners (current owners are older folks, original owner put 35k miles on, current owners 60k miles since 2017) - Garage kept - Paint looks good (will determine paint and rust in person) - Leather seats w/ side airbags (side airbags are important to me) - Interior is in good condition w/ original stereo - Two interesting features I haven’t seen elsewhere: 2 sets of fog lights and 1 rear bumper light right under the lift gate, looks clean) - Comes with original wheels (poor condition) and new set of wheels
The car also comes with different Lotus badges and random Lotus flare. I’ve done extensive research to figure out if it was ever a thing that Lotus tuned a Celica, apparently the dealership 7 years ago told the current owners that Lotus made 50 of them. Sounds kinda hokey. I’ve found all the badges online for sale. Interestingly ChatGPT did say something about Lotus doing a special edition Celica, but my research seems inconclusive other than that. I don’t care much about the Lotus badges, I think someone just paid tribute to the Elise, doesn’t add or detract for me. Would be cool if it was tuned.
I may plan to do the ECU swap if I get it. Overall I really want a clean GT-S. I’m willing to pay for one, but does it seem a little high? Most GT-S I find are either trashed, or they’re still asking $8k and they’ve got $120k miles and not as clean as this one.

Hello just joined the group hopefully a certified tech here or perhaps a mobile mechanic could lend me a hand for a min. Have an 08 gsxr 750 I'm the sole owner, so i know exactly what has and hasn't been done to the bike. Issue a few years back 1 of my 3 headlights blew I forget what side exactly, I replaced the left an right bulbs didn't touch them at all during installation so no greasy finger stuff on them. Not to long after this while riding going roughly 90-150 or so the radiator blew, local dealership wanted an crazy price of 600 for a radiator so I went with an aftermarket one. After installing it and running the bike I noticed the bike still ran hotter then normal or hotter then when before the radiator blew to begin with. Normal was the bike would get to 220 degrees the fan would kick on an almost cool the water back down to 208 or 209 even though the fan already turned off at 210. My next 3 assumptions were exactly that without any change, I figured maybe the thermostat went bad so replaced it, ran the bike same issue still ran hot. Next round was is it possible the water pump impeller or bearing went bad, replaced an still same bike ran hot. I said maybe the fan somehow got moved away from the radiator or maybe wasn't as snug as the factory radiator after the swap so bent the brackets to move it as close as possible to suck as much air as possible through the radiator to better cool the liquid ice that's already in the system. An yes that was kinda my 4th attempt swapping from reg alum safe antifreeze to engine ice cause it was supposed to lower the temp instantly. Well none of that worked. Also with all that being said after each time, I did said repair an exposed the open system to the element I did rock the bike back an fourth an low as I possibly could without dropping it to burp the system as well as run the bike an open the purge screw on the side of the case to bleed any excess air out. Again no change an the bike still runs hott rpughly in the 230 mark, I'm sorry this is a bit of a read. To get to the question since I now think I discovered the problem which is, I noticed one day while my bike was warming up that I had the headlight switch on the high beam position. Although the lights were working as should soon as I flipped the switch from high to low I heard the rpm's of the fan ramp up an the bike start to cool off better. So I guess really the question is, has anyone here ever had a similar issue? If so or not opinions if you think it's the headlight bulbs I replaced or the switch it's self to turn the lights from high to low or the pass button.

Hello, my HVAC system has an HRV (CarrieBryant model HRVXXLHB1250). I have a few questions that I hope to find answers for.
From looking at previous threads, my understanding is that HRVs are primarily for heat recovery and thus used in cold climates during the winter while ERVs are for heating and cooling recovery.
The description of our unit includes:

Designed to minimize heating energy loss while bringing fresh air into home and exiting stale air year round
Uses the outgoing air's heat energy to pre-condition air
Best used in climates where the winter is cold with less humid summers

We are in a region with cold winters and hot, dry summers. We have a heat pump that also serves as an A/C unit.
Questions:
- should we actually be running the HRV during the summer when A/C is on? Will it cool the hot fresh air, or will it only bring in filtered outside air?
- is it reasonable to turn off the HRV during wildfire smoke events to avoid having smoky air being brought into the home? I know the unit has a filter, but based on some testing last year it seems that temporarily turning it off does help with the air quality.
- we don't have a remote control unit for the HRV; per the manual it's an optional add-on. Any idea what it would cost to retrofit? The unit itself has a button to select one of three modes (off, low speed, high speed)
- if turning the unit off during smoke events is reasonable, can we just use a remote-controllable smart plug to turn off the power? Alternatively I have been thinking of using a remote-controllable button pusher gadget (similar to this one) to either just manually control it without climbing on a ladder or even integrate it into a smart home solution (automatically turn it off if AQ outside or in the house passes a threshold).
Thanks for any advice you may have.

I bought a 22' pontoon with a 2012 90hp Merc 4S and I went to service it recently. There is a broken bolt by the previous owner, bottom right of the T stat housing. The boat ran fine and I never noticed it. Not sure if it leaked or not as I didnt check... I just ran the motor with muffs for a few mins before I bought it. Fires on first crank and purrs like a kitten.
https://imgur.com/YgcySsG
The one on the upper left had blue loctite. I think the lower one must have had red + thread damage, or something.
No service history so I ordered the 300 hour rebuild kit and changed the impeller + all the gaskets, plugs, etc. It included a new T stat which I went to install, and then I noticed this.
The T stat does not have a gasket, but instead a rubber ring on the inside of it where it pops into the block.
Looks like this https://d3365vf2odvlwg.cloudfront.net/Bildeassets/REC892864T06.jpg
This broken bolt is right behind the starter and it would be a bear to try to extract... I welded a few nuts on it but that did not work either. Even had a buddy who is welding certified try with his 208V machine and no go. Tried heating it with a torch also. Liquid wrench. Nope. That bolt is STUCK. The only option would be to remove the starter, drill it out, and tap/helicoil.
I have no experience with outboards. I would think the water cooling system is pretty low pressure. What do you think the odds are it will seal with "Right Stuff" gasket maker (cleaned beforehand, for good measure) and just relying on the upper left bolt to secure the T stat? I ran the motor for about 5 mins with a hose + muffs and the tell-tail output looks great. No apparent leaks at all.
https://imgur.com/gDpISyY
But I've read you should only run them that way for 5 mins or so, so no long term testing until she is on the water.
Thoughts? I dont want to get stranded but I dont want to spend $1k on a boat mechanic if its a non issue.
It will only be in fresh water if that makes a difference.

Last week, General Motors announced that it would end production of the Chevrolet Malibu, which the company first introduced in 1964. Although not exactly a head turner (the Malibu was “so uncool, it was cool,” declared the New York Times), the sedan has become an American fixture, even an icon, appearing in classic films like Say Anything and Pulp Fiction. Over the past 60 years, GM produced some 10 million of them.
With a price starting at a (relatively) affordable $25,100, Malibu sales exceeded 130,000 vehicles last year, a 13% annual increase and enough to rank as the #3 Chevy model, behind only the Silverado and the Equinox. Still, that wasn’t enough to keep the car off GM’s chopping block. The company says that the last Malibu will roll out of its Kansas City, KS, factory this November; the plant will then be retooled to produce the new Chevy Bolt, an electric crossover SUV.
With the Malibu’s demise, GM will no longer sell any sedans in the U.S. In that regard, it will have plenty of company. Ford stopped producing sedans for the U.S. market in 2018. And it was Sergio Marchionne, the former head of Stellantis, who triggered the headlong retreat in 2016 when he declared that Dodge and Chrysler would stop making sedans. (Tesla, meanwhile, offers two sedans: the Model 3 and Model S.)
As recently as 2009, U.S. passenger cars (including sedans and a plunging number of station wagons) outsold light trucks (SUVs, pickups, and minivans), but today they’re less then 20% of new car purchases. The death of the Malibu is confirmation, if anyone still needs it, that the Big Three are done building sedans. That decision is bad news for road users, the environment, and budget-conscious consumers—and it may ultimately come around to bite Detroit.
When asked, automakers are quick to blame the sedan’s decline on shifting consumer preferences. Americans simply want bigger cars, the story goes, and there’s some truth to it. Compared to sedans, many SUV and pickup models provide extra cargo space and give the driver more visibility on the highway. In a crash, those inside a heavier car have a better chance of escaping without injury—although the same can’t be said for pedestrians or those in other vehicles. (That discrepancy inspired a headline in The Onion: “Conscientious SUV Shopper Just Wants Something That Will Kill Family In Other Car In Case Of Accident.”)
This narrative of the market’s dispassionate invisible hand tossing the sedan aside holds intuitive appeal, but it leaves gaping holes. For one thing, federal policy has, in many ways, ]distorted the car market to favor larger vehicles](https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/24139147/suvs-trucks-popularity-federal-policy-pollution). Fuel economy regulations, for instance, are more lenient for SUVs and pickups than they are for smaller cars, nudging automakers to produce more of the former and fewer of the latter. Another egregious example: Small business owners such as real estate agents can save thousands of dollars by writing off the cost of their vehicle—but only if it weighs more than 6,000 pounds, a stipulation that effectively excludes sedans entirely.
Carmakers, for their part, powerfully influence consumer demand through billions of dollars spent on advertising. Because SUVs and pickups are more expensive and profitable than sedans, manufacturers have a clear incentive to tilt buying decisions away from small cars and toward larger ones (which helps explain ad campaigns designed to confer an undeserved green halo on SUVs).
Even those who don’t want a big car may feel pressure to upsize, if only to avoid being at a disadvantage in a crash or when trying to see what lies ahead on the road. Such people find themselves trapped in a prisoner’s dilemma, preferring that everyone had smaller cars, but resigning themselves to buying an SUV or pickup since others already have them.
For all these reasons, modest-size sedans like the Malibu are disappearing from American streets, supplanted by SUVs and pickups that seem to grow bulkier with every model refresh. (The Chevy Bolts produced at GM’s Kansas plant will be bigger than the previous Bolt model, which was retired last year.) This pattern of ongoing vehicle expansion, a trend I call car bloat, is especially advanced in North America, but it’s visible worldwide. In 2022, SUVs alone comprised 46% of global car sales, up from 20% a decade earlier.
From a societal perspective, the decline of the sedan is a disaster. Consider road safety, an area where the U.S. underperforms compared to the rest of the rich world, especially for pedestrians and cyclists (deaths for both recently hit 40-year highs). Larger cars have bigger blind spots, convey more force in a collision, and tend to strike a person’s torso rather than their legs. They’re also heavier, with propulsion systems that guzzle more gasoline (or electrons) to move, producing more pollution in the process. Their weight also catalyzes the erosion of tires and roads, spewing microscopic particles that can damage human health as well as aquatic ecosystems.
Despite the myriad problems of car bloat, the federal government has taken no steps to restrain it. In the absence of regulations or taxes, carmakers have ample reason to abandon their sedan models in favor of SUVs and trucks. The higher margins of larger cars is especially precious now, as the Big Three scrabble for money to invest in electrification and autonomous technology, as well as to pay for the rising costs of wages and benefits that they agreed to last fall during negotiations with the United Auto Workers.
Realistically, it would be a Herculean task to pivot back toward selling small cars, even if American automakers wanted to. Although adept at selling high-priced, feature-laden SUVs and trucks, they’re far less experienced at the low-margin, high volume business of producing cheaper small cars. That is one reason (though hardly the only one) that China’s booming market for EVs, including many modest-size and affordable models, is sowing fear throughout Detroit—and in Washington, too.
Where does the shift from sedans toward SUVs and trucks leave everyday Americans? With a strained wallet, for one thing. With its MSRP starting at $25,100 the Malibu has been one of the most affordable U.S.-produced cars, costing barely half as much as the average new vehicle, which exceeded $47,000 in February (the Malibu is also at least a few thousand dollars cheaper than the Bolt that will replace it at the Kansas factory).
Especially when factoring in higher interest rates and spiking insurance premiums, cars are becoming a financial strain for many Americans. According to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the average annual, inflation-adjusted cost of owning a vehicle and driving it 15,000 miles hit $12,182 in 2023, an increase of over 30% in just six years.
Over time, the elimination of sedans leaves the Big Three vulnerable if consumer preferences shift away from enormity. “Legacy car companies haven’t done a great job of thinking long term,” said Alex Roy, a cohost of the Autonocast podcast. “Gutting lineups is probably good for manufacturing efficiency, but not having one vehicle in a given product segment is short-sighted.”
Due to sprawled development patterns and woefully underfunded transit, many American families will still want a car even as they become more expensive. But, as I argued previously in Fast Company, a surge in vehicle prices could compel some households to swap a second or third car for a minicar or e-cargo bike that offers limited range, but costs only a fraction as much. Already, golf carts are popping up in places far removed from the retirement and beach communities where they have been a mainstay: In New Orleans, they’ve become so popular that the city is adopting new ordinances.
With the Malibu’s death, is clearer than ever that Detroit has abandoned the affordable sedan. They may yet live to regret it.

Just a few words to start off with: this will be a pretty long post since I want to be up front with as much detail as possible to avoid vagueness, but I'll try and break it into sections, and put a quick TL;DR at the end, as well as my best guesses for what's going on. I'll also state now that I'm originally a car guy that's worked solely on newer, fuel-injected car engines, so this whole experience of working on an old carbureted motorcycle has presented a lot of new things to me. My apologies if I get anything wrong here or have proceeded with anything under an incorrect assumption. Anyway, a major thank you to anyone that reads this!
- - - - - - Context - - - - - -
In the past month, I took on a restoration and road-legal-ification of my dad's old '88 FZR400 he raced back in the 90s. During its heyday, my dad had done some mods to the engine, of which I can't really remember exactly what off the top of my head; they had at least included intake or exhaust porting, though, and maybe a stroke or bore (? again not sure). Needless to say, upon dyno tuning it back then, it apparently made around the stock brake horsepower, but at the wheel.
After my dad retired due to injuries, picking up car racing, and starting a family, the bike sat for many years, until he fixed it up a bit to be sold in the early 2010s. However, after he found no takers due to many other things going on for us as a family at the time, he eventually let it sit for the past decade. Unfortunately, he didn't run it dry before letting it sit, which according to him, was likely because he assumed he'd continue trying to sell it, so I've spent most of the past 30 days un-gunking the carbs and fuel tank of degraded ethanol and whatnot.
While I can say I've made fairly consistent progress, I've continually hit roadblocks with it, from starting one day to dying off idle the next and such. But, just the other day, I had a massive breakthrough where I got it to start, idle, hit redline, and ride around the lawn up to 2nd gear. Later that same day, though, it began to refuse to idle and consistently died a short few seconds after every start.
- - - - - - A/F Fiddling - - - - - -
I've been a bit confused with the powertrain on this thing since it's seemingly sentient and has a vengeance, as whenever I get it to do something I want it to do, it quickly protests by doing something else undesirable, or even the opposite of what's expected. For example, after cleaning the carbs four times (I'll get to those in a bit), I eventually deduced that the hesitation and sensitivity to rev off idle, as well as its behavior on closed throttle (rev drops) could be due to an A/F mixture issue; so, I messed around with the air screws on each carb:

This is where I became even more confused, though, as the stock (or at least how it was when I received it) 2-turn setting was acting very lean (hanging revs, hesitation to rev, overheated really easily).
Tightening the screws to make a richer mixture seemed to have no effect, even making it act as if it was leaner (revs hanging even more, refuses to start or idle at times).
Backing out the screws to around 2.5 turns out, however, seemed to not even really change the behavior from the "rich" screw setting.
Going back to the original 2-turn setting, the bike began to run great and is the setting that allowed me to take it for a ride on the lawn. Thus, I deduced that despite a cleaning and visual inspection, maybe the screws were just holding some gunk or something in the perfect, hidden place.

Problem solved, then, right? Wrong. Like I said, it refuses to stay running now. Regardless of that fact, though, even when it was able to run, the hesitation to rev off idle was so bad that I could intentionally stall the bike whenever I felt like it just by giving it too much throttle too quickly at idle. It was as if the engine was a glass cannon, working amazingly under the right circumstances, but would fall apart at the blink of an eye if something changed.
At this point, I'm just kind of confused since the various things I've tried have seemed to have no impact or positive change most times, and when I do end up doing something right, it seemingly makes the bike run for a totally different reason or behave in an unintuitive manner. To close, I'll just list some of the things I've tried in an effort to make it work properly.
- - - - - - Carb related changes - - - - - -

1st carb cleaning (at this point I didn't fully understand how carbs worked, so understandably the bike didn't run after this): bowl de-gunking and cleaning, also changed out the totally blocked 88 main jets for some 87.5s that were lying around.
2nd carb cleaning: full passageway cleaning of both air and fuel sides, as well as diaphragm and needle cleaning. Bike started after this, albeit not very easily, but didn't really run.
3rd carb cleaning: essentially a full carb rebuild to totally eliminate the possibility of blocked passageways (still, not 100% sure it's totally perfect, but it was good enough to get it to run, idle, and rev nearly properly for a bit).
4th carb opening: changed the 87.5 mains back to the 88s after a good cleaning in an aim to sort out the lean behavior. The day after this is when I was able to get it out on the lawn.
Messing around with the idle position screw, I've been able to keep it at the right idle speed on certain days, but it feels very inconsistent and like I have to keep changing it every other time I start the bike.

- - - - - - Carb unrelated changes - - - - - -

Changed out the spark plugs that were in the bike (can't remember the brand/model off the top of my head, but they're not NGKs) for what I believe to be the stock plugs that came with the bike when new, the NGKs (CR8E according to the manual).
- As a sidenote, the electrodes are noticeably smaller in design than the ones that my dad was running, but seemed a little less roughed-up, so I'm not sure if that's contributed to any of the issues or not. I don't think it would, since they're listed as the stock plugs, but due to the engine modifications, I can't say for sure.
I've tried running the bike with and without the airbox/filter while changing other variables, and haven't really noticed any differences; I will note that the lawn test included the airbox/filter.
Plugging, routing to airbox, or letting the transfer case vent to atmosphere hasn't seemed to do anything. Not totally sure what other vacuum leaks people online could be referring to since the carbs sit directly on top of the engine block and have no tubing in or out of them, and the diaphragms are in great shape, able to hold vacuum on their own.
I fit the radiator fan back on the radiator so I could run the bike without a fan or having to let it cool intermittently. Funny enough, I'm pretty sure this is when the bike started to refuse to start, but I'm not sure why. The load on everything shouldn't be that high nor even present when it's off, and the only things I touched were a single tube and clamp on one side of the radiator to access its back for the fan.
I've kept the like-OEM lead-acid battery topped up the whole time, as well as letting the bike idle for a while sometimes to keep it charged on its own.

- - - - - - TL;DR (and possible solutions) - - - - - -
Restoration of an old '88 FZR400 set up for track racing that sat with gas in it for a decade or more, but I've run into weird and inconsistent engine behavior surrounding what I believe to be fueling. Sometimes it'll start, sometimes it won't, I've taken it for a ride on the lawn, but it stopped starting later that same day.
Here are some of my thoughts/guesses as to what could be going on:

I suck at cleaning carburetor passageways: the possibility of me taking apart a carb four times and still missing certain things is very real, since it's the first carb I've ever touched. But, from the various successes I've had with it, I can't see why it would somehow randomly get much worse out of nowhere.
Imperfect jet needles: I only used some fine steel wool on the needles in my 2nd carb cleaning in order to not damage or scratch them up too bad. Because of this, they're still, ever so slightly (seriously, barely noticeable), sticky when fully seated. My hope was that they'd polish themselves up as time went on and since a lot of my problems are idle related, I don't think this is the main issue, but could be doing something undesirable, not sure.
Bad-good fuel: I've been using 87 octane in the tank for all my testing purposes up until the lawn test day, where after I noticed the bike starting to want to not start, I went and got some 93 in my can simply because I felt like it. Still refuses to start. I doubt this is the issue, since why would a higher octane perform worse in any situation? However, this makes me think that maybe the fuel filter has just coincidentally gave up at the worst time.
Bad spark plugs: not sure this is really the cause, but just an option since I keep forgetting to buy brand new plugs. But, I have inspected and gapped both sets I have and they seem to be in order.
Valves out of spec: I will be honest, I have intentionally avoided this since I really don't want this to be the problem, but I'm beginning to suspect that maybe the bikes rude awakening after a decade of sleep may have shocked some things out of whack.
Vacuum leak: a lot of people online keep mentioning this on different forums for other bikes, but I can't see where there could actually be one on this specific bike. Still a possibility, though, I just can't see where it might show up.
Desynched carbs: this is definitely something I will be doing just as a maintenance thing soon down the line, but perhaps the idle issues are mainly because of this. Don't know why it's sometimes pretty difficult to rev, though.
Something I haven't thought of: I think there are probably a few things I've left out of here since I've just forgotten them at the current moment, so if any of you can offer any advice or thoughts, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thanks!

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Faulty Temperature Regulation

Unusual Noises:

Water Leaks:

Frost Build-Up in Freezer:

Fridge Not Running:

Ice Maker Malfunctions:

Conclusion