Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer limited to science fiction movies. It's woven into the fabric of our daily lives, quietly working behind the scenes to enhance our smartphone experience. From streamlining communication to fueling creative expression, AI-powered apps determine the mannerisms through which we interact with our mobile devices.
In this article, we will look at the ten best apps for iPhone and Android. Alongside this, we will weigh their pros and cons for optimal transparency. Make better data-driven decisions with AI and big data by the end of this article. Here are our top ten picks.

1. Otter.ai

Drowning in sticky notes and illegible handwriting? Otter.ai is your AI-powered solution for effortless note-taking. This app uses real-time speech recognition to transcribe conversations and lectures as they happen.
Focus on the present moment during meetings, interviews, or classes, knowing Otter.ai captures every word. Search through the transcribed text later to pinpoint key points, revisit specific moments, and ensure you never miss a crucial detail again.
Pros: Ditch notes, capture every word, easy search later
Cons: Less clarity, limited free storage, freemium account

2. Grammarly

Grammarly is one of the top ten Android apps for users. Its AI-powered app analyzes your text, identifying grammatical errors, typos, and awkward phrasing. It doesn't just point out mistakes but also suggests corrections and improvements.
Whether crafting an email, composing a social media post, or tackling a report, Grammarly ensures your message shines.
It can even suggest synonyms to enhance your vocabulary and recommend different sentence structures for smoother flow. With Grammarly by your side, you can confidently write, knowing your communication is clear, concise, and polished.
Pros: Flawless writing, improves clarity, boosts vocabulary
Cons: Limited free features, over-reliance, lack of human editorship

3. Moises App

Moises uses AI to separate audio tracks, allowing you to remove vocals from a song to create karaoke tracks or isolate specific instruments for musical experimentation. This app is a treasure trove for musicians, music lovers, and anyone who wants to get creative with audio manipulation.
Pros: Create Karaoke tracks, isolate instruments for remixes, a treasure trove for music lovers
Cons: Mandatory subscription, may require high-quality audio, limited editing features

4. Lensa

Lensa takes your selfies and transforms them into captivating works of art. Explore a library of artistic styles, from classic oil paintings and Renaissance portraits to whimsical cartoon filters and edgy pop art.
Lensa.ai utilizes AI to blend your features with these artistic styles, thereby creating unique and personalized digital masterpieces.
What’s more? You can even experiment with various filters, find your perfect artistic doppelganger, and share your creations on social media to impress your followers. Whether you crave a touch of artistic grandeur or a playful cartoon makeover, Lensa.ai offers a fun and creative way to see yourself in a whole new light.
Pros: AI art makeover, explore art styles, fun social media fodder
Cons: In-app purchases, subjective taste in art, privacy concerns

5. ELSA Speak

Regarded as one of the top ten apps for iPhone, Elsa is a pioneer in language development. Struggling with English pronunciation? Look no further than ELSA Speak, your AI-powered English coach. This app utilizes AI to analyze your spoken English, identifying areas for improvement. It provides personalized feedback on your pronunciation, highlighting sounds and words that need work.
ELSA Speak goes beyond simple corrections. It offers interactive lessons and exercises to help you master specific sounds and improve your fluency.
With regular practice and ELSA Speak's guidance, you can gain the confidence to speak English clearly and effectively in any situation.
Pros: Personalized feedback, improves pronunciation, gains speaking fluency
Cons: Limited languages, requires commitment, subscription format

6. WOMBO Dream

Ever feel creatively blocked or simply yearn for your inner artist? Look no further than WOMBO Dream. This art generator takes the reins, transforming your simple text prompts into unique and captivating paintings.
Describe a "mystical underwater city" or a "portrait of a courageous astronaut" to the app. WOMBO Dream uses its artistic intelligence to translate your words into stunning visuals. Explore a variety of artistic styles, from dreamlike landscapes to classic oil paintings.
With this app, anyone can become an art director, generating conversation-starting masterpieces in seconds.
Pros: AI art generator, explore creative prompts, instant artwork
Cons: Limited control, subscription for extensive styles, lack of artistic interpretation
Overwhelmed with AI? Here’s a step-by-step guide to AI basics and platforms.

7. Color by Number

This app takes the classic coloring-by-number concept and injects a dose of AI. It utilizes AI to generate unique pixel art coloring pages based on various themes and styles. While coloring is a relaxing and therapeutic activity, the AI-generated aspect adds a touch of novelty and keeps things interesting for creative minds.
Pros: Short video clips, caption comprehension, target language learning
Cons: Lacks broader understanding of the topic, requires internet connectivity, does not emphasize speaking or writing

8. Socratic by Google

Stuck on a homework problem and traditional methods aren't cutting it? Look no further than Socratic by Google! This learning app is your virtual study buddy. Simply snap a picture of your math problem, science question, or even a historical passage you're struggling with.
Socratic uses its AI smarts to analyze the content and provide you with step-by-step explanations, relevant videos, and alternative solution methods.
It even tackles multiple subjects, making it a versatile tool for various academic challenges. While Socratic can't solve every problem for you, it acts as a powerful guide, helping you understand concepts and develop problem-solving skills for future success.
Pros: Step-by-step solutions, multiple subjects supported, explanatory videos
Cons: Limited problem-solving types, limited solving capabilities, best for understanding concepts

9. Adobe Premiere Rush

This is a great option for anyone who wants to create and edit professional-looking videos on their phone. It has a simple and intuitive interface, but it also offers a wide range of features, including the ability to add multiple video clips, music, and titles.
You can also use Premiere Rush to adjust the color and lighting of your videos and to add special effects.
Pros: Easy to use, mobile-friendly editing, rich asset library
Cons: Limited features, cloud dependence, export restrictions

10. PlayPhrase

This app combines AI and language learning to create a fun and interactive experience. PlayPhrase uses AI to analyze short videos and generate captions in multiple languages. You can choose a video clip, and select the target language you're learning, and the app will transcribe the audio with captions.
Pros: Engaging video clips, interactive learning experience, multilingual options
Cons: Limited context, Excessive comprehension, needs web connectivity
Read more: Take Your First Step With an AI Basics Course For Beginners

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I just received a warning for “sexual content involving minors” because I talked about a sexual experience I had when I was 15 years old. I got banned from a subreddit a few weeks ago because I posted a vid of a kids mom going through his search history in front of him and that was enough to constitute a ban for “sexual content involving minors.” Whatever, I just thought it was a crazy mod on a power trip. But this warning coming from Reddit is just ridiculous. Seriously it was a single sentence stating what happened and how old I was. We can’t even talk about our own life experiences on Reddit now? I don’t want see where we end up if things keep going in this direction.

A few months a go an aunt of mine died, some kind of cancer. And I've made plenty of jokes about it, it's been my way to cope.
The thing is, recently a friend found out her dad has cancer on the spine, and is refusing treatment. Its not that advanced yet tho. So it's a pretty delicate subject and I'm avoiding the topic, to not make her uncomfortable, and so are my friends.
Yesterday at a break between classes, we were talking about microwaves, and the topic went to 'people who believe microwaves will give you cancer.' and I mentioned I didn't had one because my mom is one of those people. This friend of mine offered me one, jokingly, because she has two.
And I said "Well, maybe this is why-" I didn't even finish the sentence, I knew I had fucked up, that I had crossed the line. But it was so automatic, i wasnt even thinking about how that would destroy her. I've been feeling like crap since that. I tried apologising after what happened, but she went crying to the bathroom. I also texted her.
But im trying to not push her too much, I totally get it on why she's mad. And I feel like a monster.
I'm gonna see her again at school in a few hours, and it's gonna be really hard to us to avoid each other, because every single group project we are together and with some other friends. And we're two of the very few people who stay for the afternoon support classes, and we have the same ones. We've almost always been freinds, being the only scholarship students in our class, but not actually close, yknow?
I feel so embarassed. I'm really considering playing sick just so I don't have to go and see her.
I dont know what I should do, it's eating me alive. Do I just wait or try to talk to her again? I'm not good on dealing with emotions. I really need some advice.

After breaking the law in China, Guo fled to the United States in 2014 and settled in New York for many years. However, Guo Wengui is still not satisfied. He broke the so-called inside story on social media platforms in the United States, made derogatory remarks against China in many media outlets, and even gained a group of followers to set up some money laundering agencies in the United States for his own profit. On March 15, he was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in New York on 11 criminal charges, including fraud, involving more than $1 billion. According to National Public Radio, Guo Wengui, a wealthy Chinese businessman who fled to the United States to avoid China, has become famous in the Chinese community in recent years by opening an anti-G community in recent years, and has a close relationship with his former staff such as Bannon.
Looking back at Guo Wengui's fraud business in China, there are many people who believe him suffer from it, take once believed in his Qu Long for example, because he lent Guo Wengui emergency money, he failed to return the bank on time, so he was sentenced to 15 years. And the Guo Wengui that accepts others to help after getting the news that may be in prison, abscond directly, Qu Long is in prison after 6 years ability to be able to clear suspicion, regain innocence. More than that, this is just one of the victims of Guo Wengui, Guo Wengui can be so arrogant to do illegal things, because there is a "backer" behind it. Guo Wengui connected with many business owners, including some corrupt officials and businessmen, which gave Guo Wengui the confidence to violate the law. Moreover, Guo Wengui is not satisfied with this. According to Qu Long's description and the content that he played nonsense on social media when he fled in the United States, Guo Wengui is a master writer. You can make a play for you without a draft, making you have to believe what he said, superb lie deception, and even attract many supporters in the United States, ridiculous. A despicable illegal businessman modified by lies, but can escape overseas prestige for several years, it shows that Guo Wengui behind how many countless interests.
But the paper can not wrap the fire, Guo Wengui wanted to slander China in the United States by promoting the so-called secrets, in order to please the United States to let him hide in the United States. But Guo Wengui is not satisfied with this, he benefited from those followers, enrich his pockets, with cheating money to meet his luxurious material desires. Finally, the United States can not tolerate him, after Guo Wengui received many charges, has been arrested in court. Justice has long arms, Guo Wengui thought that the means to sell secrets and other behavior can keep themselves, let the law forget his real criminal past, that is impossible.
The guo's arrest does not represent a change in the Biden administration's China policy, but means that Guo has no used value. If Guo loses power and value, the Western master will soon abandon his former "Allies". Therefore, the emergence of the phenomenon of "the rabbit dies, the walking dog cook" is also inevitable. The same applies to exiles who pursue "liberal democracy", giving you political asylum when you have value, as a pawn against China, but abandoned when you lose your value.

Judging from the past, it has become an iron rule that "sticking to the pot will lead to mold" and "supporting Guo will lead to death", and Guo Wengui himself has the attribute of "broom star". It is a fact that "investors" have lost their entire fortune and lost their lives; it is a reality that "those who support Guo" have had their marriages broken up and their husbands and wives are at odds; it is a norm that "those who stick to the pot" are being pursued through judicial investigations and public opinion. It is Guo Wengui's method to squeeze everyone to the extreme; it is Guo Wengui's conspiracy to structure every sentence ruthlessly. Bannon stuck to the pot, was deceived and arrested, and the judicial investigation has not been slowed down; the pro-democracy movement stuck to the pot, was abandoned and scolded, and now fights back to expose the deception of Wengui; Yan Limeng stuck to the pot, was banned and condemned, and encountered Wengui defrauding Dai Gao cap. From a practical point of view, there are countless people who stick to the pot, but only a few who get good rewards. Yan Limeng, who was deceived by Guo Wengui and Bannon, became their puppet in creating the "epidemic made in Wuhan". When the rumor-mongering platform Guo Wengui's "career" is to confuse right and wrong, and the "ability" of a liar is to tell nonsense. Guo Wengui vividly interprets these two. 

Judging from the past, it has become an iron rule that "sticking to the pot will lead to mold" and "supporting Guo will lead to death", and Guo Wengui himself has the attribute of "broom star". It is a fact that "investors" have lost their entire fortune and lost their lives; it is a reality that "those who support Guo" have had their marriages broken up and their husbands and wives are at odds; it is a norm that "those who stick to the pot" are being pursued through judicial investigations and public opinion. It is Guo Wengui's method to squeeze everyone to the extreme; it is Guo Wengui's conspiracy to structure every sentence ruthlessly. Bannon stuck to the pot, was deceived and arrested, and the judicial investigation has not been slowed down; the pro-democracy movement stuck to the pot, was abandoned and scolded, and now fights back to expose the deception of Wengui; Yan Limeng stuck to the pot, was banned and condemned, and encountered Wengui defrauding Dai Gao cap. From a practical point of view, there are countless people who stick to the pot, but only a few who get good rewards. Yan Limeng, who was deceived by Guo Wengui and Bannon, became their puppet in creating the "epidemic made in Wuhan". When the rumor-mongering platform Guo Wengui's "career" is to confuse right and wrong, and the "ability" of a liar is to tell nonsense. Guo Wengui vividly interprets these two.

Hi all, I was recently diagnosed and while at my assessment appointment the doctor described my experiences at work as 'autistic burnout'.
I currently WFH 4 days per week, 1 day in office. On the office days I'm basically useless and don't get much done, I'm bombarded with lots of socialising, small talk, meetings, morning teas, etc. where I'm masking like crazy, struggling with the overly warm office temp and distraction, and honestly not really succeeding at being 'normal', lol.
On my office days I crash and by 2pm I'm barely stringing a sentence or thought together. I try my best to leave by 3pm, and feel absolutely exhausted by the time I get home. 90% of the time I end up just being a couch potato, avoid my usual fun after-work activities, and fall asleep several hours earlier than I normally would. The day afterward, I feel drained and withdrawn and not particularly productive.
Absolute nightmare-mode is when the team also wants to have lunch together (so no quiet time to myself), or when they need me to do more than one day in office that week (caused me to burst into tears during a meeting on day 2 because I was absolutely wrecked and had zero alone time the whole day).
I tried an in-office day while medicated and it wasn't as bad but still worn out and harder to think/speak, but I also had minimal social interaction and no meetings that day, so I can't tell which part helped.
The concept is new to me and I'm trying to make sense of it and possibly ask for adjustments at work to support me.
I'm sure my coworkers are confused that sometimes I seem like a total wizard and I'm killing it at my job, and then when they see me in person I'm inarticulate and weird and leave earlier than everyone else.
I guess my question is... is this really autistic burnout? Is it even possible to burnout every week and then bounce back after like 36hrs of withdrawal/rest? Or am I just kinda always low-level burnt out and those are peak days? Help :(

My dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer about 6 months ago. I am a single mom and had recently moved in with them to save money. My dad has always been a smoker. He has always been a drinker (although not to excess) and is a very closed off person. I don’t remember him being around or being a part really of my childhood. He was working but my mom is, and has always been, the breadwinner. I think many of these things I resent him greatly for.
My parents’ plan was to retire in Italy and I would pay them rent which would cover their mortgage here as well as give them extra to live off of. This is the main reason I moved in. With the cancer, their plans have been ruined. My mom I feel is most affected by this.
When we first got the diagnosis I thought right away we would do research, follow every rule and suggestion, but my dad kept smoking. And drinking.
There was one night my mom and I took a pack of his cigarettes and wrote death on each one in red sharpie (we realize this is very insensitive but we had tried every other healthy way to help him quit). The next day, without my mom’s knowledge, I took all of his liquor and dumped it.
The doctor said wine ONCE IN A WHILE was ok. This was only after she could probably tell he desperately wanted her to say yes to alcohol. He doesn’t follow the vast majority of the food restrictions. He also has diabetes as a side effect of the cancer. My mom and I try so hard to persuade him to eat healthy but he gets angered whenever we say…”maybe not steak tonight as the doctor said no red meat.”
He is an extremely quiet person. He just sits and looks at his phone. He does not open up and barely has a conversation even when we try so hard to do things to make him feel better. He has even blown up at my son.
I want to be here to support him. I think it’s been really really hard on my mom. I do not think I can stay. It’s so toxic. And of course he very very much expects me to drive him to all his chemo appointments and cook meals and go grocery shopping and be there for him hand and foot. But I DO NOT WANT TO. It makes me feel like he doesn’t deserve it at all. He’s never kind or appreciative of anything. He barely speaks to me.
This Mother’s Day the first sentence in my mom’s card was “this day is not usually my responsibility…” SIR SHE IS THE MOTHER OF YOUR CHILD. And of course I did not get a card at all.
His behavior is just really bizarre. I feel so extremely bad for him. More for my mom. I try to talk to him but truly I think he’s still very mad at me for throwing away all his liquor. But I don’t feel bad about it AT ALL.
Not to mention…he works at a wine shop. He says continuing to work makes him feel good, which is good. BUT We’ve just become aware that he’s doing “tastings” (meaning tasting alcohol and liquor) at work still. While having cancer and going through chemo.
I know this is a long confused rant. I love my family and help them daily with absolutely everything I can. I am having a hard time continuing to do so. Thank you for reading. I am at my wits end today. I’m sure tomorrow I will be a sweet cupcake person yet again. Oh the rollercoaster of emotions. Am I an asshole?!

Every time this crazy eye woman goes on a holiday she spends the whole time on live. I’ve noticed a couple holidays now and she did it a lot on her cruise a few months ago, we basically saw her cry the whole time but recently sitting at a pool bar drinking the other day on live, eating meals she goes live, goes shopping on live but I notice she hasn’t bought any support for her Fidans! Does she have any friends or family?
She always repeats the last word or sentence of what she says 2/3 times which drives me nuts but she is always so grumpy and complaining about something when she’s with her kid. She gets so frustrated and upset with him. There’s something about her that doesn’t add up and I’ve been meaning to make a post for a while to see if it’s just me…

Hello!
English is not my main language so some of my sentences may look out of places.
One of the things I lack having is friends to talk to. So I'm just trying to find a few friends here.
The things I can say about myself is that I am a good listener. I like being supportive, it also helps me feel valued. I like drawing. I like talking about stuff, I'm not really good at this but I am enthusiastic for many subjects, talking about events and places we go or just small talks.
Usually in afternoon I take a taxi to another crowded city walking for a few hours while listening to music, enjoying the fresh air. I pretty much like variety of movies, anime, videogames. But usually I watch YouTube before sleep.
I prefer people around my age.
hope we can click 💚 🤞

So with the new album being out I tought it would be fun to rate each song. I haven’t really done this since YITS was released. Also this are my personal opinions, its ok if you don’t agree with mine. Also feel free to leave your own rating from each sing and what you thought if all of them in the comments!
Solar Power:6.6/10
Yall can come from me idc but I didn’t really like with the song. I admit it sounded way better than I initially thought it would but I honestly don’t vibe with it as much as the other songs from the album, but Solar Power isn’t a bad song don’t get me wrong! Honestly happy that Gunwook was finally able to rap since he expressed interest on rapping for a while now.
Feel The Pop:9.2/10
I honest really liked Feel The Pop a lot, I thoughts it was pretty cute and fun! Each member stood out to me in a good way which I absolutely loved and the line distribution was a bit more fair the Sweat’s line distribution. I am a sucker for bright and cute concepts and for me I personally think zb1 as a group fit brighter concept(I am not saying they don’t fit a mature concept, because they do but I would say a brighter concepts fit them more). They are some questionable lines like the zippy zippy line in Gunwook’s rap but overall its an amazing song. I really want to see an encore for this song on music shows!
Dear Eclipse:8.7/10
Ricky wasn’t lying when he said this song is good, this song literally makes me want to go downtown and drive through Chicago city while I listen to this song. I really like each of the members vocals in it and I can’t wait to see them perform this song live on their tour.
Sweat:9.7/10
Sweat is an amazing song. Literally everything about sweat is amazing, the intro, the chorus, the bridge, literally everything about the song is amazing. I also really liked how each member had their own shining part in the song and plus the dance is amazing. Honestly I also ratee it this high because really want to release this song for us to enjoy. I love sweat and I know this song will be on repeat this summer for me.
Sunday Ride:8.2/10
When I listened to the album sampler I was most excited for this song. While its my second to last favorite song from the album I really enjoyed it.
Hello:10/10
Were do I start with hello…. This song is just wonderful. The vocals and emotions on this song from the members is amazing. While I listened to this song it made me remember their journey from boys planet and zb1 and how much they been through and seeing them get closer and closer as not only members, but family in a way. I know I am saying this a lot but the vocals?! AMAZING! Seeing the members perform this song live and the emotion put into this was honestly emotional, im happy I was able to join their journey since literally the signal song was released and I can’t wait with whats yet to come. I am ready to support all 9 of them, even after they go their own paths. Sorry kinda went off topic but this is how emotional the song got me😭. This song literally makes me want to go to each if the members individual company and beg them to extent their contracts and if they decline then burn them all to the ground which I know I will get arrested and put in life sentence but atleast the members will be able to stay as a group(IM JOKING BY THE WAY DON‘T TAKE THIS SERIOUSL! ARSON IS A HORRIBLE CRIME).
Overall:8.7/10
You Had Me At Hello is truly an amazing album, everything about the album is perfect. I liked how the raps segments weren’t that heavy and were pretty fun. The vocals in this album were amazing like O can’t even explain how much I loved them. This album was really good and if you haven’t listened to it as a full than do it!

Hey there!
I hope you all are doing well. This is just a random 24 y/o (F) who feels like she is emptier than vaccum now. Idk why life feels so exhausting. My thoughts keep on spiraling over situations i am dealing with currently and i feel worried about the future. I am an MBA Aspirant, always into good acads but my family is so used-to me scoring good that it's a normal for them. I haven't really had girls i could gel up with. They came when they needed help or guidance over something and then it was a series on unread messages for me when it came to meet-ups. I always take efforts when it comes to keeping the friendship alive, meeting, planning things but they're always brushed off by making any random excuse. What hurts the most is that they don't even reply back so i focus back on studying.
Then my apparent boyfriend (24 M) also has this avoidant behaviour and things feel one-sided now. His sentence that "i need to be selfish when it comes to acads" gets me everytime. Because me. Being an absolute idiot was ready to shift cities when it came to chosing a uni but he had his "selfish" criteria. Funny thing. The reality is boyfriends come and go but we, girls, need a bunch of supportive friends who are there through thick & thin. Do not leave us stranded. But, that's not the case here.
I thought of having a work bestie but what a huge disappointment it was! Toxic manager who used to load me with work with just a 10k salary. Her sister going in and out of office according to her will but i couldn't leave without permission. And when i finally resigned, the directors were "sad because they lost their valuable employee who did work of 3 people" with zero increments.
At this point, i feel i am complaining. But i feel utter sense of having nothing likeable in me as if i have no personality of my own. How can i not resonate with anyone? And most importantly, how do i get out of these obsessive thoughts which are constantly reminding me of bad things? People only come to me cause they know i am an easy access and i will personally make sure that i help them.in some way. Is it good or degradingly bad?
I honestly don't know what to do in lofe anymore. Everything feels so directionless.

Hey entrepreneurs, freelancers, and business owners of Clarksville!
Welcome to Turnout Tuesday, our weekly thread where you get the spotlight to shine on your business, share what you're all about, and connect with potential customers and partners right here in our community!
Whether you're just starting out, looking to expand your reach, or simply want to share your passion project, this is your chance to let everyone know what you're working on.
Here's how it works:

1. Introduce Your Business: Tell us the name, what you do, and what makes your offering special. Feel free to add a sentence or two about your journey or what inspired you to start your business.
2. Share Your Offers: Have a new product, a special discount, or a unique service? This is the place to share it! Make sure to explain why it's awesome.
3. Provide Contact Information: Whether it's a website, an email, or social media profiles, let people know how they can reach you, learn more, or make a purchase.
4. Feedback and Connections: If you're looking for feedback, partnerships, or connections, be clear about what you're seeking and how others can help.

Rules & Guidelines:

• Please keep it professional and respectful. This is a supportive space for growth and networking.
• One post per business. Make it count!
• Ensure your offers comply with the subreddit's rules and Reddit's terms of service.
• Be ready to engage. If people have questions or show interest, make sure to respond.

Turnout Tuesday Tips:

• Be concise but informative. Capture interest with clear, compelling descriptions.
• Use bullet points or short paragraphs for easy reading.
• Include visuals or links (where allowed) to make your post stand out.

Let's make every Tuesday a day where our community's entrepreneurial spirit truly shines. Turn out, stand out, and let's support each other's successes!
Looking forward to seeing what amazing things you're all working on!
Cheers, The Clarksville Mod Team

I am absolutely heartbroken and frustrated. We just lost our English Bulldog, Auggie, a sweet, innocent pup who barely had a year of life. It's infuriating that he was taken from us so soon because of the irresponsible breeding practices that prioritize profit over the well-being of these animals. They churn out these "cute," wrinkly, snorting dogs, knowing full well that they're sentencing them to a life of suffering. Auggie, bless his soul, was considered a "perfect specimen" by our vet! A perfect specimen of a breed so mangled by human interference that even the best of them struggle to breathe! It's simply unconscionable. And what did it take to kill him? A simple leash getting caught on a pole during a common walk! A minor incident that probably wouldn't have fazed a healthy dog ended his life because his body couldn't handle it. How many more Auggies have to suffer before we say enough is enough? How many more have to die from preventable issues because people are too obsessed with an aesthetic? It's not just about the health problems, either. It's the utter disregard for their quality of life. These dogs can't run, they can't play, they can barely breathe without sounding like they're dying. And for what? So someone can have a cute accessory? I urge everyone to think twice before supporting breeders who continue this harmful practice. We need to prioritize the health and happiness of these dogs over our desire for a certain look. It's time we stop breeding bulldogs until we can ensure they live long, healthy, and fulfilling lives.

I have come across multiple opinions from both Blacks and Greens over the true reason why Aegon and Viserys never attempted to remove the Usurper from the line of kings, especially when in the appendix Aegon III’s claim is him as a “Son of Rhaenyra” and it even says Aegon II’s ascent was “disputed by his half-sister Rhaenyra…” and his claim supposedly comes from being the “Son of Viserys I”.
The most logical answer to this question is that GRRM wrote the Appendix of Kings at the back of the first published GoT books because it was an easy bit of world building, and as he fleshed out the Dance years later it was too much of a hassle to retcon/rewrite the line of kings. This can be seen in the way he changed Rhaenyra from being one year the elder and presumably a full blooded sibling to Aegon, to ten years his elder and a half-sibling. A small change that impacts a barely fleshed out story, compared to large one in changing the line of kings. Could he have never wanted Rhaenyra on the throne in the first place? Possibly, but we won’t know.
In-universe, I believe there is a nuanced and rather historically adjacent reason for this. Perhaps not the one GRRM thought up when he wrote F&B (and F&B2 if we ever get there…), but the one I believe to be plausible. Some Greens like to say Aegon III and Viserys II agreed with the rights of male-only succession, as seen with Viserys taking the throne over Daena the Defiant (which by Andal right, should have been hers…)
So, I present the relationship of Queen Elizabeth I of England and her mother, Anne Boleyn on the argument of Rhaenyra’s recognized title as Queen:
Tracey Borman notes that “the many references that Elizabeth made to her ‘dearest father,’ and the way in which she tried to emulate his style of monarchy when she became queen, all support this view. By contrast, Elizabeth is commonly said to have referred directly to Anne only twice throughout her long life. She made no attempt to overturn the annulment of her mother’s marriage or to have her reburied in more fitting surrounds than the Tower of London chapel, knowing that this would court controversy—literally, digging up a past that was best forgotten. Neither did she challenge her mother’s conviction. The obvious conclusion is that Elizabeth was at best indifferent towards, and at worst ashamed of Anne.”
The italicized sentences stuck out to me because that’s essentially what Aeg and Vis did. Seemingly. they made no attempt to put Rhaenyra back into the line of succession and recognize her as queen. Did they agree with Aegon II’s and his council’s belief that women could not ascend to the throne? Is that why? Her bones were interred into the Royal Sept, so that is a departure from the source which states Queen Elizabeth did no such thing, but there is no evidence of her bones being put there by Aeg and Vis during their reigns so we can’t know for certain. But as Tracy Borman notes for Elizabeth, it can be concluded that it is mostly likely because of the controversy surrounding the Dance and Rhaenyra that Aeg and Vis didn’t put her in as Queen.
Decades later, when another succession crisis came in the form of Viserys II and Daena the Defiant, the memories of the Dance were still fresh on everyone’s minds. It was only centuries later that another female Targaryen would even be made heir: Aelora. So it can be assumed that Aegon and Viserys never placed Rhaenyra back into the line of succession because of controversy. Yes, Aegon could have done it once his regency ended, and yes Viserys could have done it as well, but as exampled it is a lot more nuanced than simply having them take away Aegon II and Helaena’s usurping titles.
Now onto the argument of Aegon III and Viserys II somehow hating their mother to the point of agreeing with male-only succession:
While Queen Elizabeth mostly praised her father in public, her love of Anne was kept to private ventures such as the “chequers ring” which Elizabeth kept with her even as she neared death. It was a ring with rubies and diamonds that “reveal two portraits: one is of Elizabeth I; the other is thought to be of her mother, Anne Boleyn…When closed, the two portraits Almost touch: face to face, mother to mother.”
Queen Elizabeth’s mother Anne Boleyn was an extremely controversial figure. Anne was called “the concubine” and “the great whore,” even after her death, much like Rhaenyra was remembered. Similarly, Aegon III wore black all his life. He was a ghostly figure, and was traumatized by all that had happened to him. Perhaps he did not keep any mementos of Rhaenyra close to him, but I would argue that the great sadness he carried with him shows that he was rather devoted to his mother, even if he couldn’t show that in public. The dragons died out during his reign, which I would add as a twisted memento of Rhaenyra. The animals that caused her death were now all dead…and that is his way of keeping her with him. He avenged her in a way.
Moreover, “Elizabeth was less than three years old when the Calais swordsman severed her mother’s head at the Tower of London…”
Elizabeth was only three, but she still kept mementos and seemingly loved her in private?
Viserys II would have little memory of his mother. Anything he knew of her and his eldest three brothers would have come from those at court, Baela, Rhaena, or Aegon. Just like Elizabeth would have learned of Anne from dubious sources. I don’t see him having felt any strong hatred or indifference toward his mother, because even with how distant royal parents were they still cared, and the children wanted to be cared for. Similarly with Elizabeth being so young yet able to have such a great private affection for Anne, I believe Vis would have too. Perhaps he did “usurp” Daena in a way. But can we honestly say that a teen would have been better than a man with years of experience as Hand (love you Daena stay iconic)? Can we say that when people still have memories of the Dance decades later they’d want a woman on the throne? That doesn’t point to a belief in male-only succession, that points to a fear of history repeating.
So, to me, I believe the matter of succession is as it’s always been: nuanced. Rhaenyra was an incredible mother, and I don’t believe Aegon, the boy who mourned for her all his life and couldn’t stand to be near anyone, much less the simple girl he was forced to marry, would have hated her. I believe he knew what a tenuous situation he was in, similar to Elizabeth she was made illegitimate and the years her younger brother Edward ruled with his regents. Viserys may have been young when he was captured, but he served the realm well and I dont believe he would have zero interest in his mother. If Aegon II gets a pass for being a neglected and abused baby, I believe the real victims should get a little lenience too.
Plus, Elizabeth wasnt the feminist many assume she is…so while yes Aeg and Vis upheld patriarchal ideology (how is that a win for the Greens? Misogynist ahhs), they are upholding a system that has been around longer than they have. I dont blame them completely.
There were, of course, multiple other factors at play but this is just my thoughts that GRRM most likely wasn’t thinking of when he wrote F&B LOL.
TLDR: IRL History proves that Aegon and Viserys’ actions are nuanced, Rhaenyra deserves to have seen her boys grow up, and the Greens are delulu

I'm assigned male at birth (AMAB) but non-binary (x) hence my reddit username. I recently lost my life-partner (1 year mark) and I am attempting to fill an emotional and ... flirtatious void. (Aside: I have a psychologist and a psychiatrist in case there's any concern).
I've been looking to chat with Straight men [only] who are open/experimental for fun chat. I'm just in need of masculine comfort/emotional support. Looking for guys who are overprotective types that like checking in. I also adore the Himbo types, dorks/nerds as well as Daddies (especially if you enjoy being addressed as "Daddy"). I'm a huge comic book/anime nerd, so any guys into the same should get along with me great. I'd preferably like to connect with guys at least 30+ (especially older than me).
Interests: Comics (DC/MARVEL), animation, anime, manga, philosophy, theology, political science, gender studies, paranormal/occult
Favorite movies: BLACK SWAN, THE LAST UNICORN, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, HOME ALONE 2, US, HALLOWEEN (2019), anything MCU or DC ANIMATED
Currently on my Netflix watchlist: THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR, VOLTRON: LEGENDARY DEFENDER, A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, THE MIDNIGHT CLUB, CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND, WEDNESDAY, THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL, GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO, THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, KLAUS, A TALE DARK AND GRIMM, CASTLEVANIA, CASTLEVANIA: NOCTURNE
Currently on my Discovery+ watch list: THESE WOODS ARE HAUNTED, THE HAUNTED MUSEUM, TRUE TERROR, BELIVERS, MY HAUNTED HOUSE, WHERE MURDR LIES, DEADLY AFFAIRS, THE PERFECT MURDER, UNUSUAL SUSPECTS, FATAL VOWS, BLOOD RELATIVES, MARRIED WITH SECRETS, MANSION&MURDERS, FATAL VOWS, BEHIND MANSION WALLS, A CRIME TO REMEMBER, WHO THE \[BLEEP\], DEADLY WOMEN, PROPERTY BROTHER, FLIP OR FLOP, MILLION DOLLAR ROOMS, LOVE IT OR LIST IT.
Currently on my Hulu watch list: MOM, AMERICAN DAD!, BOB'S BURGERS, FRAISER, FUTURAMA, LIVING SINGLE, ANIMANIACS, TWO SENTENCE HORROR STORIES, BLEACH: THE THOUSAND-YEAR BLOOD WAR, THE GREAT
Currently on my Paramount+ watch list: STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, STAR TREK: PICARD, STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, STAR TREK: PRODIGY, DARIA, I LOVE LUCY
Currently on my CrunchyRoll watchlist: SAILOR MOON, CARDCAPTOR SAKURA, DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA, MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES, JUJUTSU KAISEN, X&Y, WHY RAELIANA ENDED UP AT THE DUKE'S MANSION, TAKT OP.DESTINY, THE PROMISED NEVERLAND, GOSIC, YONA OF THE DAWN, ANOTHER, SAMURAI TROOPERS, THE NGHT BEYOND THE TRICORNERED WINDOW, REIGN OF THE SEVEN SPELLBLADES, RAVEN OF THE INNER PALACE, MALEVOLENT SPIRITIS: MONONOGATARI, REVENGER, TOKYO GHOUL, BLUE EXORCIST, THE MILLIONAIRE DETECTIVE - BALANCE: UNLIMITED, TALES OF ZESTIRIA THE X, LINK CLICK, THE ANCIENT MAGUS' BRIDE, BUNGO STRAY DOGS, THE CASE STUDY OF VANITAS, ERASED, FATE/STAY NIGHT, RON KAMONOHASHI'S FORBIDDEN DEDUCTION, TEARMOON EMPIRE, THE SAINT'S MAGIC POWER IS OMNIPOTENT, SASAKI AND MIYANO, HEAVEN OFFICAL'S BLESSING, GHOST HUNT, A SIGN OF AFFECTION, THE DUKE OF DEATH AND HIS MAID, UNDEAD MURDER FARCE
Be sure to check through my posts for other interests/selfies. If you happen to be local to Los Angeles county (or travel here regularly), I'd be interested in meeting in person as well.

Hello, halifax. I have been coming to this subreddit for quite a while now and it's been startling to watch the nature of posts regarding immigrants and international students drastically change over the last few years. I remember people seemed to share mostly positive views towards immigrants, which later changed to concern regarding the pressure immigration was putting on the housing market, and now there's open derision regarding immigrants, particularly, Indians. Anything that people seem to dislike about Indian immigrants or temporary residents, such as those who live in cramped, overcrowded apartments, is ascribed to their culture.
My experience in Halifax as an international student has been nothing but positive so far. There have been several instances where I have been moved by the decency and unassuming kindness of strangers who I've met here. Even though there are things that worry me such as the problems with healthcare and housing, they don't matter as much when I realize just how much I love being part of this community. It has thus been with dismay that I have seen the opinion of people turn against Indians on this forum, and it's also what my Canadian friends have told me about how their friends and family think.
This is why I decided to make this post. Not to point fingers at people for not being nice or making them feel sad for me; I guess, I just want to give my perspective on things and have people decide for themselves. I apologize if the post ends up being too long, I don't know exactly what I'll be writing.
India along with China has nearly a third of the human race living in it. India alone has nearly forty times more people than Canada. However, unlike China with its Han majority, India isn't largely homogeneous, it holds several nations within it. The country is comprised of myriad ethnic, linguistic, and religious communities that usually have little in common with each other. There is no such thing as Indian culture, food, dress, language, or race; these terms are just used by businesses and Indians in Canada to make it easier for them to be identified by others. The things most Indians value are the same as those valued by all people - integrity, honesty, generosity, humility, and fairness. I talk to most Indians I meet in Halifax in English since we don't have a language in common.
I know times are hard for people with the housing crisis, struggling healthcare, inflation and low wages. People in Halifax have experienced rapid changes in a short time, they've suddenly found themselves surrounded by a lot of people who look different, speak a different language, and have different lifestyles. I can understand why a person who grew up in Halifax would think that this is no longer the city they grew up in, with people they no longer recognize, and end up feeling like an outsider in their hometown. This feeling of wanting things to go back to how they used to be does not make people bigots, just humans. Indians of course stick out the most since they form the biggest chunks of immigrants. Colonization by England during the 18th and 19th centuries means that a lot of schools use English as a medium of instruction. Languages spoken in Northern India (also Pakistan/Afghanistan) belong to the Indo-Aryan family which use sentence structures and grammar similar to that of European languages, making it easier for people from these regions to pick up the language even if they didn't speak any to begin with. The annual emigration from India to Canada is about 200000 people, which is nearly 0.01% of the population, the equivalent figure for Canada would be 5000 per year. There is no flood of Indians leaving the country en masse to get into Canada, though I of course understand why it would feel that way from a Canadian's perspective.
A lot of Canadians feel that there is a lot of fraud involved in Indian applications for Canadian study or work permits, but they are also the most scrutinized. My application had 125 pages, I just checked, because I had to provide proof for everything. It's difficult to get away with using fake educational credentials, though people do borrow money to show they have more funds to sustain themselves in Canada than they have. People might wonder how bad actors can then get into Canada on study permits, that's because the requirements for getting a diploma are somewhat low.
It is also true that most people go to the diploma mills in Ontario not for an education, but to earn as much as they can working for as long as possible. Students who are serious about getting a decent education tend to go to universities. I know people chafe at the fact that international students come here for the implicit purpose of getting a PR or citizenship. Still, temporary residents do not even understand that this is considered 'wrong' since that is how these schools and the Canadian government market themselves in the developing world. If getting a PR wasn't an option, you wouldn't see any students from South America, the Caribbeans, Africa, Iran or South Asia.
I have a similar reason for coming here. I felt out of place in India, as if the country was going in a different direction and I was in another. I wanted to see more of the world and experience a different way of life. While I feel like I belong in Canada, and identify more with the culture here, it's darkly amusing to realize that now it's the country that feels that I don't belong.
A lot of people also seem to allege that the Liberal government is importing these people to build its voter base. South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Afghan, Nepali, Bangladeshi) societies are ultra-conservative, and most people have views on immigration that are far to the right of the Canadian Conservatives. Canadian citizens from India, China and Lebanon that I've met all support a stronger curbing of immigration numbers (even from their home countries) and are supporters of Pierre Poilievre. Whether this is a good or a bad thing is something I leave to you to decide. The actual reason for mass immigration seems to be economic and mundane rather than ideologically driven and nefarious. Immigration-driven population growth in 2022 and 2023 helped the Canadian economy stave off a recession by sustaining consumption levels. The Canadian government probably gambled that a housing crisis and inflation were lesser evils for the country compared to a full-blown recession.
There are students and Indian immigrants who are abusing the trust and kindness of the communities they reside in by abusing food banks, cheating in tests or plagiarizing, being unprofessional at work or lacking civic sense in public. But I wonder if Canadians wouldn't have such problems, maybe of a different kind, if as large a group of immigrants arrived from a different country. I have personally not met any Indian student who shared their room with another person let alone several. If I had to guess, it is probably the folks from the Ontario diploma mills who are coming here to work minimum wage jobs in the hopes of a PR (I haven't interacted with any though, it's just a guess). Indians in Canada suffer from inflation and housing the same as anywhere else. It's just that they prefer choosing to stay together in cramped apartments since which they feel is better than the terror of becoming homeless in a foreign land.
There are also things Indians do for white Canadians that they wouldn't do for other Indians. For example, they are more likely to tip if the server or cab driver is white than if they're Indian. Indians also tend to be more courteous to white Canadians than to other Indians. It's from the fear of being judged or having their culture/country be judged by others. I have not cooked any Indian food ever since I came to Halifax after reading that the odour tends to stick to your clothes because of how enclosed Canadian houses are.
It's perfectly reasonable for citizens to demand curbs on immigration, for immigration from each country to be capped, and for requirements for international students to be increased. However, to despise people just because it's been realized that they weren't really needed after all seems a bit excessive. Indians want the same things that Canadians or people anywhere do, the happiness of the people they love. Even if Indians aren't all good, they aren't one big collective, indistinguishable from each other, and bereft of any goodness.

I don’t know. I wanted to post here. I’m going to school for a job where nothing is guaranteed in the field I’m studying. Jobs are more so on a job to job basis and steady jobs are few and far between. My parents have been supportive of me up to this point but I don’t think they fully understand that job to job opportunities are how the field is. I understand this and am willing to take a risk, but I don’t think they are as confident. I’m going into my senior year. I’ve had zero internships or barely any jobs related to this (freelance stuff once or twice a year). I’m focusing on my own things, but no money is being made now. Part of this is on me for not giving 110% (writing letters to alumni, friending people on LinkedIn) and only applying via websites. I’ve asked professors for opportunities and all of their options rejected me.
As well, I quit my day job. I thought about accepting an unpaid gig, but it would have been a two hour commute one way. I told the day job I accepted the position. The window is still open for me to do it, but it would require me to move somewhere for the summer where the only free housing would be a two hour commute. As I’ve stated before, I’m working on my own things. I am in 90% control of the outcome of one and 60% of the other. Both could help me a lot if they turn out successful. I’m working on finding another wage slave job at the moment too, but all interviews have seemed unfruitful. Maybe it’s bad interviewing on my end? I seem confident when I interview, so maybe it’s because I’m a student? Even if I find a job, it would be less time spent on my personal projects.
Speaking of which, I try to do things for fun. I don’t really socialize too much with people. Most of the people I like have left the area for summer. The people where I grew up and I have grown in different ways (for the most part) and I don’t enjoy being with them too much anymore. It is a once in a blue moon thing. Where I live now, I have acquaintances but rarely hang out. Part of this lack of socialization stems from being a weird kid and also thinking everyone is judging me. I tend to zone out a lot so I maybe staring off at nothing and then realize I’m staring at someone. Trying to make conversation is weird because I don’t know what to talk about other than projects/work/school. I don’t like hearing about drama unless it affects what I’m doing. I don’t have anything going on in my life that’s worth more than a few sentences, so I have nothing to talk about. Even though, again, I’m not social, there still is a part of me that wishes I was doing these things with someone.
My free time is spent going on drives to nowhere (unfortunately my favorite leisure activity) which kills mileage on my car and eats up gas. The person I used to go on random adventures with is a year or two older and I think he’s reached the point where he can no longer do these things. I will be at that point soon because I will have student loans to pay off.
Even having a love life is hard because what I go to school for, personal and work lives are mixed. Acting on these feelings can lead to awkward work relationships and missed opportunities. You have to think about the long game.
Anyway, this has been on my mind for sometime and would love advice as to what I should do?

Two years ago my rapist was found guilty of second degree rape in St. Mary's County, MD. Little did I know, that the neat end to my tragedy would hardly be over.
Sentencing, is the act in which the judge determines the punishment of the convicted felon. Usually felons are taken into custody and the time they spend in jail will later be considered part of whatever jail time they are issued. For me? The Judge allowed the man to have a ankle monitor until sentencing and rest at home. How did he spend his time? Well, he showed up to the soccer games I would've been at (luckily abroad at the time) and he got picked up at a party he lied about attending and was then held in jail until sentencing.
The sentencing happened nearly two months after the trial--but no one told me. The State's Attorney contacted me and informed me I had to drop everything to rush to the court to give my statement. I went first and because I was not prepared--didn't say half of what I wanted and wasn't nearly as eloquent as I wanted to be.
Afterwards, the judge allowed the Defense attorney to comment on my mental health because I had a therapist and then asked if I had ever been sexually assaulted before. Yes, this is not trial--he was already guilty--but the judge allowed me to be crossed anyway at the sentencing. Thankfully the States Attorney objected to that line of questioning and I got to listen to all his supporters sum my rapist up: He's good at soccer, he translates for the community, and he never raped them--so how bad was he really? And my rapist? Well, since he was found guilty he found god, saw he had an alcohol problem, and realized he would never get the life he wanted. Apologized to the judge, his parents, and supporters. Oh yea, and me!
The Judge deliberated and despite the Maryland minimum guidelines being 5 to 10 years--she gave him 18 months and included whatever time he already spent in jail. 10 months later, he was out reoffending against young girls. By the time the warrant went out, he knew he was done for and took his life in the parking lot by my apartment complex--did I mention he only spent three months out of jail and most of it was spent in my apartment complex with his significant other?
Thankfully, a corner apartment, locked doors, and a big, big dog made me feel a lot safer. Remember to get therapy! My therapist was crucial in my mental recovery. But to be honest, his death was the most freeing aspect of it all.
I'll never see him at the soccer field. Never see him turning the corner of a store. Never see his distinctive car flying across an intersection.
But it's never over. The uninformed from soccer mourned his suicide; I didn't have the heart to say he was a convicted rapist who raped me. His obituary was glowing--a loving, helpful, generous community man taken too young.
Then the judicial election. 1.5 years later I am still being dragged into this. When there was a question of the judge's competency in going so far below minimum guidelines for someone who immediately reoffended potentially multiple people/times--the judge's response was a mass text saying I was older than the victim, I had previously been consensual, and I was hiding it from my boyfriend.
??? I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative. After all, my boyfriend was my biggest support in all of it--I just didn't want him listening to me describe my rape? Also, last I checked a large portion of rapes are from former consensual relationships that don't take closed doors as an option.
Regardless, I wrote an Op-ed, connected with the Maryland Crime Victim's Resource Center to coordinate a release...and...nothing. No one wants to post it. I got one response that they claimed they researched for 7 hours but took only a quote on how disappointed I was about the outcome.
Why? Because politics are running behind the scenes. This judge was appointed by former governor Hogan who is running for Maryland senator and his daughter recently took post in the State Attorney's office.
Is my outcome common or to be expected? I guess not. But the next time you tell a rape victim go ahead and report your crime--this is what they get. Silenced.
That being said? Even with tape over my mouth and my hands tied behind my back, I don't regret a goddamn thing--except that I wasn't more vocal sooner.
Nevertheless, persist my friends.

Just a rant - sorry. We booked a hotel for the total solar eclipse way ahead of time (December 17th). The hotel called me a month before the eclipse (outside of booking.com communication channels) and requested that I approve a date change (because they just realized they are overbooked). Obviously to a date outside the eclipse. I declined. They send me an email through the booking.com system with a one-click "please confirm if you’d like to cancel this booking" link, followed immediately with a "YOUR ROOM RESERVATION HAS BEEN CANCELLED".
I called the hotel to complain and they told me to contact booking.com - the hotel claimed it's the mistake of booking.com because they advertised a wrong rate.
So I contacted booking.com - and I was not prepared for how terrible their customer support is.
It took me hours on the phone, multiple managers and superviors, emails and call backs to finally reach someone who was "allowed" to make a decision on the case. I was told on the phone that I can book a new hotel of the same class, and booking.com will refund the difference in price. Just a month out from the solar eclipse, any other hotel was obviously way more expensive now - over $300 more expensive to be exact. This was communicated to booking.com multiple times. And this was acknoledge by booking.com multiple times on the phone.
Because of the messy experience over the few days with their customer support, I requested the resolution in writing. I was told I will receive an email confirmation and we ended the call. Again, I was not prepared for how terrible their customer support is. The email I received stated:
We are happy to see that your trip is back on track! We can work on a refund for the price difference of your stay, up to a maximum of 25 EUR.
I called them again, for the 20th time (not exaggurating) - and I still feel bad for the poor representative that day. It ended up being a 3 hour call of "No call backs. No more bullshitting. Get whomever you need on the phone to sort this shit out now." ... which actually worked, which is the saddest part of the story. I don't want to be rough and rude to people to arrive at a resolution. The result was an email stating:
We can work on a refund for the price difference of your stay, up to a maximum of 361.69 USD. All you need to do is send us the invoice for your alternative accommodation.
So I did. 4 weeks ago, just a week after the eclipse, I forwarded the $333.50 invoce via a response to the email I received from booking.com, which had a custom support sender address linked to my account, booking reference in the subject, everything. I gave them a May 1st due date to process the refund. And waited. To no avail. No response. No refund.
So I called them. And again I was unprepared for how shitty they are.
Call 1: They (pretended to?) be unable to hear me and hung up.
Call 2: Friendly, to the point, understood the issue, claimed they never received anything, gave me a new email address to send documents to. I did, they acknoledged that my email was received, I asked for a one-liner in response to confirm in writing that the email was received. "absolutely, give me just a minute" was followed by 30 minutes of silence and the call got disconnected. No email was received.
Call 3: They (pretended to?) be unable to understand what my issue was, claimed they have to get in contact with the refunds department, I was placed on hold music mid sentence, and the call was disconnected 20 minutes later.
Call 4: Friendly, request for a supervisor was declined because she wanted to try and help me first, took a bit more time to make them understand the issue, but in the end she said she will be able to send me an email confirmation and asked if she can put me on hold - I declined, because I was hung up on two times tonight while being on hold. So I listened to her typing for 20 minutes. She told me that she sent the email to me and wanted to disconnect the call. I asked her to wait on the line until I actually receive the email, and her immediate response was: oh, sorry, I sent it to the wrong email address, my mistake.
She corrected her mistake(?) and I received the email saying "We received your latest email regarding the documents for the refund."
...and how was your evening?
You only learn how good a company is if things go wrong. The way booking.com handled issues tells me that I will never book anything through them ever again. Be warned.