Does usaa give auto loans to salvaged titles

Israel: Land of Milk and Honeys

2008.04.28 11:03 Israel: Land of Milk and Honeys

A place for discussion of Israeli life and culture, but most of all for participating in the time honored tradition of arguing politics.
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2016.05.10 17:11 r/OverwatchUniversity: Discussion, Help and Guides

/OverwatchUniversity is a subreddit for learning about the game Overwatch. Featuring VOD reviews, guides, answers for all your questions, and more!
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2009.03.13 03:55 FunnyBoyz Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Everything related to the Naruto and Boruto series goes here. Although you could also talk about the topping too.
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2024.05.14 02:35 BullishLFG Engines of Fury IDO was SOLD OUT! TGE will start at may 15

Engines of Fury IDO was SOLD OUT! TGE will start at may 15
Engines of Fury develops an entertaining online crypto game with engaging PvE and PvP duels, tournaments, FURY token rewards, NFT forging, and cryptocurrency earnings. Engines of Fury is a blockchain-primarily based game that will allow gamers to transform into game characters to participate in in-game matches.
Engines of Fury is a captivating, stunning, and impressive retro-futuristic world 3D auto battler where players can: - Duel: Engage in exciting PVE and PVP duels and tournaments - Win & Earn: Win tokens, forge items (NFTs), and earn profits - Upgrade: Buy, customize, and upgrade champions - Host: Buy arena lands, host fights for other players, and earn passive income
What makes Engines of Fury unique?
Engines of Fury is targeting a highly underserved market (top down/rpg style, rather than FPS), which has much more demand from the community (zero sievert "on steroids" - with high quality graphics & PVP PVE modes).
This is essentially creating a new niche for itself - as there are currently no live direct competitors (although a few are in development due to the evident massive expectations from communities). The conversion rate and less competitive landscape will allow higher total user acquisition and reduce negative comparisons to the industry giant titles.
How many Engines of Fury NFT are there?
Engines of Fury will have various items available for the player’s champions - weapons, armor, and later on various enhancing items (such as combat potions, bombs, and so on) and unique aesthetic items (such as skins, pets, and so on), which will give a boost to players’ chances of winning. There are two types of NFTs: Offense Bonus and Defense Bonus.
Who are the developers of Engines of Fury?
Engines of Fury is built by a strong team with a diversity of skills and experiences. CEO, Founder of Engines of Fury - Saulius Aleksa has 10 years of business and consulting experience. He ran startup incubators/accelerators in Europe, backed by private inventors and EC DG Growth & DG Connect. Saulius also founded a successful web agency Flair Digital 5 years ago.
How does Engines of Fury work?
Engines of Fury is a top-down extraction shooter set on a harsh alternate Earth where a mutagenic virus carried by a meteor impact turned flora and fauna against humanity. Players attempt to thrive in a brutal, narrative-driven world as they customize their hideout with scavenged parts found while hunting.
As they build increasingly powerful armor and weapons, they will face deadly mutagenic monsters. Healing is scarce and survival requires finding extraction points before the mutants end them. Death can cost them everything they've gathered and everything they carried with them on their Raid.
Single-player, Co-Op & PVP PVE gameplay modes with powerful social features & $FURY token at the heart of the game.
Engines of Fury Gameplay Overview
Engines of Fury is a thrilling top-down extraction shooter set against the stark, chilling backdrop of a post-apocalyptic dystopia ravaged by mutants. Embark on a quest to survive and thrive, facing gruesome monsters and hostile players.
Survivors scavenge desolate lands in search of equipment and scrap to rebuild and upgrade their hideouts and equipment. If they die, they lose everything. Players level up and customise their builds to be able to face off against increasingly stronger threats.
How to make money in Engines of Fury?
The highest skill, most determined players will be able to win $FURY prizes alongside ultra rare NFTs -trade and rent NFTs, including your hideout -participate in global leaderboards to win $FURY -hunt bounties of other players for $FURY rewards.
The IDO of $FURY token was very sucessful sold out in 3 big launchpads. TGE is coming on may 15th and the first exchange was Gateio. 4 more majore exchanges TBA soon.
visit : https://eof.gg/
https://preview.redd.it/pcmapiq0fa0d1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=12fc1ca399c21bc694170d9692a33b39c81d0cc7
submitted by BullishLFG to CryptoMars [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 02:26 SoyFood I think they are missing a line on one of the hammer upgrade.

Title, on the sister blade for the marauders slice. All it does is remove your Omega attack with no benefits. Like..okay? You can just hold down the attack now. Nice QoL I guess? I don't have to set up a quick steam control option to auto fire a button press....
While the the witch staff has Marauder Wallop which does the same thing but it gives an attack speed bonus. A good trade off.
Am I missing something from the Marauder Slice? Or is it just a waste of hammer upgrade?
submitted by SoyFood to HadesTheGame [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 01:10 throwawaypls12819761 What to do when someone refuses to make car payments on a car under another person's name?

based in the east coast US For context my father is a deatbeat with a gambling addiction/alcohol addiction and my mom is an enabler. They live separately but she always had a soft spot for him because she is convinced that he's going to change- she has been proven time and time again that it has never and will never happen. He was homeless several times and she would pay his rent and get him back on his feet.
Last year, he almost died for the 100th time and my mom bought him a car so he could drive uber and have a means of earning income. He made car payments on time for a year until now. The condition for keeping this car was that he paid for it on time and would continue working. The loan for it is in her name and she has a near perfect credit score and he knows she'll be screwed over if she doesn't pay it. He got banned from uber so now he has no reason to have a car nor does he want to pay for it or give it back. My mom has been paying the insurance for it but he has the title and all the papers relating to the car.
What can she do?
submitted by throwawaypls12819761 to legaladvice [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 00:38 craftytoonlover I may be a petty jersey, but at least I got away from a "toxic" friend.

Edited: The title was supposed to say that: I may be a Petty jerk, but at least I got away from a toxic "friend. Auto correct changed it to Jersey, and I couldn't edit the actual title.
Fair Warning, this is going to be a LONG post, but I will try to dilute it as much as possible.
About 12 years ago I left the world of retail (of which I have MANY stories) to begin a career in childcare. Some people prefer different titles, Nanny, Babysitter, Parents' Helper, Childcare Provider, etc. To be honest each of those titles are suitable in different situations.
The first family that I Nannied for went on for about 4 years, and then on again off again for another year. Through this family, I met "Wendy" and her family. Wendy went out of her way to be friendly with me, and would often ask me to babysit her kids (B5 and G1).
At one point, I had moved on to working with another family for a few months. Sadly, that ended due to the parents getting a divorce, and they moved further away.
Wendy found out that I was unemployed and asked that I Nanny for her kids. She was also pregnant with her 3rd at the time. I agreed at a slightly discounted rate because we were "friends". I realized too late that that was a HUGE mistake on my part.
Wendy's live in boyfriend "Cole" also had 3 kids from a previous relationship. B15, G8, and G6 lived with their mother. Yes, am aware of the closeness in age of Wendy and Cole' B5 and his G6. I chose to keep my mouth shut.
Now prepare yourselves for the Rollercoaster of emotions I dealt with with this family.
Initially, both Wendy and Cole were employed. I would come over 5 days a week for 8 to 10 hour days, depending upon whether Wendy got home on time. Here is where my discounted rate bit me in the butt.... $300 a week was still complained about. Wendy asked that I not leave Cole alone with their kids because he basically ignored them and refused to change diapers. I felt pretty icky about that, but agreed. Now I lived 45 minutes away without traffic. I would often leave my house early in anticipation of possible traffic. If I arrived early, I wasn't allowed in until she our alloted time of 7am. I didn't have a key, and would often be left waiting on the porch an extra 15 minutes past our time. If I knew I was too early, I parked around the corner and ate breakfast. Wendy and Cole both got very irritated if I wasn't their door precisely at 7 am. It was a headache that I chose to avoid.
Over the first month, I realized that G2 was emotionally abused by Wendy. She constantly said to or in front of the child how much she hated dealing with the wild child. How she wished G2 was more well behaved like B5. She even wrote unkind things on Facebook, asking someone to take her on the weekend while I was off.
This took a toll on poor G2, obviously. She would get violent with me first thing in the mornings : Hitting, kicking, biting, pulling my hair, throwing things at me, or what ever popped into her mind. Eventually, once Wendy left for work G2 would calm down and become an absolute delight.
When B5 started school, Wendy took a new job that allowed her to work from home at times. Those were not fun days! I asked if I could bring G2 to my house where I have an outdoor play area, a playroom, plenty of kid movies, crafts, books, music, and local playgrounds. At first the car rides were torture with G2 screaming bloody murder for at least half of the 45 minute drive. When she got used to the new routine, those drives became pleasant. Her violent tendencies disappeared when we were spending the days at my home. The drawback was that I also had to drive her home in time to get B5 off the bus.
During school breaks, I also had B5, and if they were visiting G8 and G6. B15 stayed at Wendy's house and just did his own thing. If you thought G2 was torture in toddler form, these two girls would have made Nanny McPhee grow a few more moles, a hunch back, and closed feet.
B5 would get a little bored, being that he was the only boy that was understandable. I purchased an array of boy friendlier toys to entertain him. I already had a lot of girl friendly toys either purchased or gifted from the first family that I had worked with. Of course I had plenty of gender neutral items too.
Wendy and Cole didn't give 2 sh*ts and a shave if the kids watched TV all day, went out to a playground or museum, or were driven 2 hours away, as long as I got them home on time. I easily spent an entire paycheck on activities, gas, food (which they didn't pack), and toys over 2 weeks watching all 4 kids. By the by, when asked for additional money when I did have all 4, Wendy not so politely informed me that the kids are entertain each other, so my job should be easier with all 4.
My husband and I discussed a few times whether I should look for something else. Inevitably the people pleaser in me actually felt guilty even considering it. Yup, I was apparently a glutton for punishment. Gratefully, my income was just extra, for an nice meal out occasionally, gifts for birthdays and holiday, extra hobbies, and basic groceries.
Just before Wendy gave birth to their new baby, she became unemployed. Logically, one would think this was my easy out. NOPE!! I became more of a Mother's Helper / Nanny. At this point Wendy and Cole were beginning to look for a larger house to rent. I did more walk through than I can count. She even asked me to tour a couple without her, and to bring G2 and B5 so she could get her nails done and take a nap. (Seriously, I toured houses on her list without her!)
As we spent more and more time together, I began to learn FAR FAR more about her bedroom life than I could ever desire. G2 and I spent much less time in the peace of my home, and way too much in Wendy's company. G2's behavior began to deteriorate slowly, causing Wendy to lose her temper with her far too easily. This completely broke my heart. I TRIED to redirect them both, and expressed my concern to Wendy. Of course, she then turned her anger towards me.
Wendy would openly discuss her theories about Cole in front of her kids. She claimed that he was cheating on her with his ex because he would shower immediately after seeing her to pick up or drop off the kids. He often made those drives directly after work though. Maybe he was cheating, maybe not. I honestly don't know.
Wendy also enjoyed gossiping about absolutely anybody. The parents of the first family that worked with were having marital issues. This was a favorite topic of hers. Wendy told me about every unkind word her mother uttered in her direction. The apple obviously didn't fall far from the tree here. I was told lots of personal information about people I didn't know. The gossip made me very uncomfortable. I told her that I would prefer we not discuss the lives of people who weren't around to speak on their own behalf. This fell on deaf ears.
I became quite used to her disapproval of my loose fitting jeans and T-shirts. Working with kids, I found my favorite cartoon prints were just as possible with my tiny charges. I NEVER wear makeup or heels because I simply don't want to. My dresses always have leggings under them because it make me feel less vulnerable. I never wear shorts or above the knee skirts/dresses. That's a ME thing, not religious or cultural. I find my "uniform" of choice is ideal for working with kids. Wendy informed me more than once that it embarrassed her to be seen in public with me. She often insisted that I wear something of hers if we had to go anywhere.
My husband enjoys photography, particularly long exposure which is done at night. He has a lot of photography friends of both genders, but his best friend is a female. He also enjoys concerts and kayaking, often with an ex from high school. (He graduated in 1997). I trust my husband and have no problem with him spending time with his friends. Enter Wendy's whispers of accusations. She often "jokingly" accused him of cheating on me with these female friends. I don't enjoy concerts, crowds, or being out late; so I support his doing with people who do. At least I know he with someone if something happens. I have bad knees, which make getting in and out of a kayak difficult. Why should that stop him? Again, I told her that I trust him and that I don't appreciate her accusations joke or not. This annoyed her because she doesn't trust Cole.
I know these are major red flag issues. I know how toxic being subjected to these comments is. I also know how difficult it would be on their kids if I left too soon. I knew they needed someone who wasn't emotionally cruel. I stayed for them.
My husband and I spent 2 of our weekends helping them pack and move to house that ended up 15 minutes from us. We were thanked by words, but that was the extent of the gratitude. Wendy's mother looked after the kids while we helped them move. This was complained about because I was already paid to watch the kids during the week. Insert eye roll here!! Her mom felt my husband should be willing to help them move while I watched the kids on the weekend for no extra pay. Either way, we were doing them a HUGE favor to begin with.
A family that I had briefly Nannied for prior to working for Wendy asked if I could help out every other Saturday. The dad (Nice Guy) traveled a lot for work leaving the Mom (Angelface) home alone with the kids. She just needed a day to run errands, work out, and just have time to herself. Angelface is one of the kindest women on this planet. When I did Nanny for them (2 days a week), she was in tears when she had to let me go. They couldn't justify the outgoing money at the time. She referred me to several friends. I am legitimately friend with this family, and still babysit sporadically.
Through a random discussion, I told Wendy about working with Angelface on every other Saturday. She began to tell me what to charge, how many hours to work, and what days to leave open for her just in case. Insert headache inducing eyerolls!
One Friday, Wendy's cousin arrived for a weekend visit with her baby. Wendy told me that because it was a holiday weekend I would not be needed until Tuesday. I double checked via text, and she confirmed that she and Cole were taking the kids to the beach with her cousin. Monday morning I got a call from a passed off Wendy asking where I am. I reminded her that she had told me that they would not need me. I even took a screen shot of our text. She said that Cole had decided to work Monday anyway so she was alone with HER kids. This pissed me off, so I lied. I told her that I was out of town with my mom and wouldn't be home until 5 or 6 pm. She went on about how much of an inconvenience it was to her, and I should have checked before going out of town. For the second time, I sent her a screenshot of my text verifying that I wasn't needed Monday. She abruptly ended the call saying to just be sure to be on time Tuesday. I had NEVER been late, but opted to mention that as we hung up.
Over time we worked out a new arrangement where I brought now G3 to my house 2 days a week, and we stayed there 3 days a week. I helped with cleaning, errands, helped with the new baby (NB), etc. Mostly, I was Wendy's sounding board. She continued to accuse Cole of cheating, wasting money, and even beating her.
My husband and I offered to let her and the kids stay with us, but she declined. Wendy even told me that since she was so sure Cole was cheating, she was going to find herself a side boyfriend to cheat with. I tried to talk her out of it, to no avail. Sadly, she spoke openly about her new boyfriend in fron of G3. During one of her rants I learned that my pay came from him selling drugs. GULP!!
While cleaning out the couch one day, I came across a loaded gun kept in the couch console thing, along with baggies of pills, "dried plants", and white powder. This completely freaked me out. 2 small children and a soon to be crawling baby sat and played on and around that couch. I STRONGLY considered calling Child Pretective Services and the police. I quickly realized that if I did, they would know it was me. I regret it, but I feared their possible retaliation towards us.
Shortly after finding these thing Cole quit his job. For several months while I worked for them, they were both unemployed. Again, I thought it was an easy out. NOPE AGAIN! For another 3 months, they insisted that they couldn't take care of the house and kids without my help. Very often, I arrived to find now B6 fending for himself for breakfast and getting ready for school. He was told to wake up and unlock the door for me, but they went back to sleep. I was expected to keep the baby from crying, and to keep G3 quiet and entertained until they came downstairs. I often chose to simply take both to my house so we could play naturally. We had a crib, so this wasn't a problem for NB. G3 would just nap on the couch or my bed. When out of school B6 preferred this too. This really should have told Wendy and Cole something about their kids, but of course not.
FINALLY, I was informed after about a year of working for them, they could no longer justify paying me. At this point, I had often considered quitting anyway. I mainly stayed because my heart broke for the kids. However, based on her gossipy and judgmental nature ... not to mention my little 3 day weekend fail; I was concerned about what kind of reference Wendy would provide if I chose to quit.
So in 2019, I found myself happily unemployed. The timing here worked out beautifully because Angelface knew neighbors due to have their first baby in 2020. I ended up working for this lovely family until August of 2023. The mom (Joy) and the Dad (Mr. Cool) were such a relief to my entire mental and physical health. We became friends as well, and over time I told them about Wendy. Between Joy, Angelface, Mr. Cool, Nice Guy, my husband, and family I began to realize just hoe toxic Wendy really was to my mental health. My husband never liked her but understood my feelings towards the kids.
For almost a year Wendy would randomly call or FaceTime me .... more often than not while drunk. She would rave about how much she and the kids missed me. We would get together for a meal, and she had me over for a couple birthday parties for the kids. I found myself almost always being the only sober adult watching the kids as the adults partied. Wendy often went back to her gossiping, trash talking, and "jokes" about my husband spending time with women. She would offer underhanded compliments. "It's so nice to see you wearing a dress instead of those tacky T-shirts." You get the drift. She even INFORMED me that since her neighbor was pregnant I could quit my job with Joy and Mr. Cool. She had told her neighbor that I would work for her now, and since they were next door, I would watch her own kids too. I shut that down saying that I was quite happy working with Joy and Mr. Cool. I even lied about what they paid thinking it would detur her further. NOPE yet again. She said that I should quit anyway so her life would be easier with me around. Once more, I told her that wasn't going to happen.
AT LONG LAST, I am coming to the end of my tortuous endurment with Wendy.
A week later, she called and asked if I had quit yet. I said that I had no intention of leaving an "$800" a week job. (Not even close to that with my 3 day a week job, but she didn't need to know the truth.) She told me to let her know when I quit, then changed the subject towards gossiping about that first family and their problems. I told her that I don't feel comfortable gossiping about people who can't speak for themselves. That pissed her off, so she turned it on me again. She said of course I don't want to talk about them since my husband was cheating on me with 2 different women. I angrily corrected her. She has no reason to think my husband is cheating, and I trust him and our friends. Just because she thinks her boyfriend cheats, and she cheats, that doesn't mean everybody does. She then said we could talk when I calmed down and after I quit my job.
After hanging up, I proceeded to block Wendy on everything! Facebook, phone calls, texting, face timing, Instagram, and even Snapchat (which I hadn't used in over a year). I also blocked her mom, and any body that had been friendly simply because Wendy knew them and wanted me to have their information too. I gave her no warning at all. I was beyond passed off, and refused to be talked out of my very gratifying decision.
I told my husband, family, and friends that was now free of Wendy. Not a single person tried to tell me to make ammends. The only guilt that I feel is towards those poor kids. For once though, I put myself first. Joy and Angelface were both extremely supportive when I told them that I had Ghosted Wendy. Both even mentioned how proud they were of me for FINALLY truly stand-up for myself. They were NOT fans of Wendy!!!
I never ended up quitting my job with Joy and Mr. Cool inorder to babysit Wendy's neighbor. I also continued to babysit for Angelface and Nice Guy.
About 7 or 8 months ago, I ran into Wendy at a playground between our two homes. She was with now G5 and B2. I had Joy and Mr. Cool's daughter with me. I was polite, almost obscenely so. I was friendly towards the kids, who were stand off-ish. I offered to let Little Miss play with them, but they weren't interested. Little Miss wanted to do her own thing, so off we went to play. We left after only 15 minutes because Little Miss said "that lady" is scaring her.
That night, my husband got a Facebook message from Wendy. She described my cruelty towards her kids by ignoring them. She said that it was so hateful that I blocked her on everything after all she had done for us. This message went on and on. My husband left it unread for months before my morbid curiosity caused me to open the silly thing. We never responded, but instead he finally bl9cked her too.
Ok, if you read that bloody novel of a post, you are a ROCK STAR!! I don't have any regrets towards my eventual choice, except towards the kids. It breaks my heart knowing what kind of parents they are enduring. I often regret not calling CPS, but there isn't a shadow of doubt that would have retaliated .... most likely violently.
I did eventually get back in contact with that very first Nanny family. They had indeed broken up, but both are happier and healthier now. I warned them that Wendy enjoyed gossiping and spreading rumors about them. Neither were surprised, and both had broken contact with Wendy long ago. They supported my choice to break ties with her as well. Shocking, right!?!
I no longer work full time for Joy and Mr. Cool, as they wanted Little Miss to get used to being around more kids before starting school. I do still sporadically babysit for them and Angelface and Nice Guy though. The two couples have referred me to several other families in the neighborhood, so I stay pretty busy with much more sane individuals.
Maybe I was a jerk, and petty. I'm cool with being thought of that way towards Wendy. At least now, I have much kinder people in my life.
EDITED/UPDATE: It has come to my attention that some may feel unfulfilled on the petty revenge side. For this former doormat, removing myself as her very cheap childcare was my revenge. I realize that many may not feel it was enough, but at the time, it was a MAJOR achievement for me. I had worked 8 to 10 hours a day for 5 days a week to receive $300.
When "invited" to parties, I ended up providing free childcare while the other adults got drunk. I don't like the taste of alcohol or the feeling of being buzzed or drunk, so I don't partake. I feared what would happen to the ignored kids, so I found myself watching them.
I never had a lot of friends, so for a long time, I truly thought Wendy was my friend. It took conversations with my husband, my mom, Angelface, Joy, and others for me to see the reality of my situation.
Some may say this post is in fact gossiping about her. To a point, yes I will agree. I did change everybody's names though.
Ultimately, I have always questioned whether or not I was fair or did the right thing by Ghosting and blocking Wendy. I often second guess my choice; especially when thinking about those kids.
I have tried to be more alert about the people around me since this experience. I do still find myself being too nice and accepting of some ways in which I am treated. I have tried to build more boundaries though.
submitted by craftytoonlover to AmITheJerk [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 22:41 Hot-Ad9756 Rewards credit question

I have a question regarding the rewards/credit system in booking.com When I used to browse through my options on the mobile app it always used to say "Earn €XX in Credits" with green letters, but now it doesn't anymore? Does this happen to anyone else? I think I still get credits but why can't I see it beforehand? Also, do all properties give you credits when booking? Thanks!!:)
submitted by Hot-Ad9756 to Bookingcom [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 20:08 throwawayinthetrashr AITA for telling my dad to burn his mom?

Gonna keep this as straightforward as possible. Yes, the title is clickbait-y but I need y'all to engage with this post.
Relevant Players: Dad (50sM), Me (20sF), and Grandma (70sF)
Grandma was sick for years (dementia) but Dad did not make arrangements for her death. He acknowledges this and regrets this, and wishes he would have but didn't want to accept her death. He says that she has always told him that she does not want to be cremated.
Now she has died and the life insurance payout is $10K.
General Breakdown of Expected Funeral Costs for What He Wants to Give Her:
Total: Approx $25K
So far, he hasn't wanted to budge on any of the expenses. Buying our own casket helps out some but breaks up the funeral home package. We don't know much about buying a plot via a website/non-funeral home to rely on that for budgeting. He does not want to cremate her.
This morning, I found out that he got approved for a loan. Idk for sure if he's accepted it. Idk the interest rate.
I felt like I couldn't let my dad go through with a loan for a funeral. I had a talk with him. I did my very best to be respectful. Here are the paraphrased highlights of the convo I had with him:
I did make the mistake of comparing the fact that he didn't even take a loan out for my college. It wasn't with the intention to shame him, but more illustrate that we've gotten through things without debt before. He said that banks wouldn't give him money then but he's been working on his finances and they will now.
I told him he allowed to be mad at me for saying these things and suggesting cremation, but I couldn't just sit here and not say anything as he prepares to go into debt. Maybe it wasn't my place since it's not my finances but I don't want to watch my dad make a bad decision.
I feel like shit because I'm not trying to be disrespectful or careless. And it hurt so bad to say to to my dad while he grieves. So, AITA? Did I do the right thing?
submitted by throwawayinthetrashr to AmItheAsshole [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 14:16 aguer0 Dissecting the 115 - What is it all about?

Following on from the BBC article posted recently “explaining” the 115 charges laid at Man City’s feet, I decided to look properly at what the charges are, given that the article barely went further than rehashing that Man City cheated over and over again without any attempt at critical analysis.

What are the breaches?

There are 5 main areas that the breaches fall into:
The actual text of the Premier League’s statement can be seen here: https://www.premierleague.com/news/3045970

Where did the breaches come from?

The original source of the allegations were leaked emails from Portuguese hacker Rui Pinto. Rui Pinto was handed a 4 year suspended sentence last year for attempted extortion, illegal access to data and breach of correspondence with relation to the leaks, which were posted via his Football Leaks website in 2015. Emails from Manchester City were not the only things leaked - players like Messi and Neymar were also caught up in some leaks related to their salaries. In total there were millions of documents.
These leaked emails surfaced via Der Spiegel in 2018 as part of an expose feature which they ran, and spanned 4 articles at the time. You can read the first here: https://www.spiegel.de/international/manchester-city-exposed-bending-the-rules-to-the-tune-of-millions-a-1236346.html
On the back of these leaks UEFA, after launching an investigation in March 2019, charged Manchester City with breaches of their regulations which led, in 2020, to the club being banned from European football for 2 seasons alongside a 30m euro fine.
Alongside that UEFA investigation, the Premier League also opened an investigation. It took until 2023 for them to present their charges - the statement linked above. The case is ongoing.

What about those UEFA breaches?

The club denied any wrongdoing and appealed to CAS, the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Upon hearing the case CAS found no evidence to support UEFA’s conclusions with regards to the allegations. As a result the club’s ban from European football was overturned with immediate effect. CAS sided with UEFA on their non-cooperation charges and stated that the club could have done more to provide UEFA with documents when requested. CAS therefore issued a 10m Euro fine.
You can read the verdict here: https://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/CAS_Award_6785___internet__.pdf
This was the second time that the club had a run-in with UEFA. They first had a disagreement over potential breaches in 2014 related to the club spending more than the allowed amount in the previous season - the club contested that this was the result of UEFA not allowing deductibles for existing contracts started before FFP was introduced. There were no charges laid at City for this - the club entered a settlement with UEFA and a subsequent monitoring period with specific break even requirements and squad restrictions. That period ended in 2017 with UEFA declaring that the club had complied with all of the agreements within the settlement.

Didn’t City get away with it because everything was time barred?

The CAS verdict did find that the first 2 years of alleged breaches related to the club’s financial statements (the bits referred to as inflated sponsorships) were time barred (a process whereby the time permitted to bring forward the issue has passed and it is no longer possible to pursue the case - 5 years in UEFA’s rules), and so could not be considered. The rest of the years questioned were considered, and ultimately no evidence was found of financial irregularities.

Onto the 115

The Premier League statement lists 5 key areas of breaches, outlined earlier, which I will dive into more now. In total, the number of rules that the Premier League have accused Manchester City of breaching is 130. That is broken down into:
No matter how I try to recalculate it, I never get 115. I'm unsure of the exact place that the 115 number came from, and it certainly doesn't match the numbers when broken down in the BBC article.
I have broken down the list of breaches and cross referenced them with the Premier League’s handbooks for each season from 2009/10 through to 2022/23. With all five areas of breaches I have provided the text of the rule that the League included in their statement, plus a summarised version that tries to give a less legalese or technical reading. The tables are presented for reference and I won’t go into the specifics of them.

Accuracy of financial information

The Premier League stated:
In respect of each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those seasons that required provision by a member club to the Premier League, in the utmost good faith, of accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position, in particular with respect to its revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs.
Below is the list of breaches taken from the league’s statement, grouped and translated into easier language.
Rules Season Text Summarised
B13, B15, B16 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 In all matters and transactions relating to the League each Club shall behave towards each other Club and the League with the utmost good faith Act honestly and fairly towards other clubs and the league itself
C78, E3 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 Each Club shall by 1st March in each Season submit to the Secretary a copy of its annual accounts in respect of its most recent financial year or if the Club considers it appropriate or the Secretary so requests the Group Accounts of the Group of which it is a member (in either case such accounts to be prepared and audited in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements) together with a copy of the directors’ report for that year and a copy of the auditors’ report on those accounts Clubs must submit their latest audited financial statements, along with directors' and auditors' reports, to the league by March 1st each year.
C79, E4 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 The accounts referred to in previous rule shall: 1. include separate disclosure within the balance sheet or notes to the accounts, or by way of supplementary information separately reported on by its auditors by way of procedures specified by the Board, of the total sums payable and receivable in respect of Compensation Fees, Contingent Sums and Loan Fees; 2. include a breakdown within the profit and loss account or the notes to the accounts, or by way of supplementary information separately reported on by its auditors by way of procedures specified by the Board, of revenue in appropriate categories such as gate receipts, sponsorship and advertising, broadcasting rights, commercial income and other income. Clubs must include detailed and specific disclosures in their financial statements about various types of payments and revenues. These details must be clearly audited and reported
C86, E11 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 By 31st March in each Season, each Club shall submit to the Secretary in respect of itself (or if the Club considers it appropriate or the Secretary so requests in respect of the Group of which it is a member) future financial information (“Future Financial Information”) comprising projected profit and loss accounts, cash flow, balance sheets and relevant explanatory notes commencing from its accounting reference date or, if it has submitted interim accounts pursuant to Rule E.6, from the date to which those interim accounts were prepared and expiring on the next accounting reference date after the end of the following Season. The projected profit and loss accounts, cash flow and balance sheets shall be prepared at a maximum of quarterly intervals Each club needs to provide the league with projected (or expected) financial statements for the future. These projections include profit and loss statements, cash flow details, and balance sheets.
C87, E12 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 The Future Financial Information shall: 1. be prepared in accordance with the accounting principles adopted in the preparation of the Club’s annual accounts (except where the accounting principles and policies are to be changed in the subsequent annual accounts, in which case the new accounting principles and polices should be followed); 2. be approved in writing by the board of directors of the company to which they relate; 3. to include in the explanatory notes thereto principal assumptions and risks; and 4. include for comparison profit and loss accounts for the period covered by the annual accounts and interim accounts submitted pursuant to Rules E.3 and E.6, a forecast for the current financial year and a balance sheet as at the date of the interim accounts submitted pursuant to Rule E.6. Clubs must:1. Use the same accounting principles as in their last annual report, unless planning changes for the upcoming year. 2. Get these forecasts approved in writing by the club's board of directors. 3. Include notes that explain the main assumptions and risks involved. 4. Add comparative profit and loss accounts and a balance sheet from their most recent financial reports for clear reference.
E49, E50, E51 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 Each Club shall notify the League forthwith of any circumstances which may materially and adversely affect any of the information or representations submitted to the League pursuant to this Section E, and on consideration of those circumstances the Board may, if it considers it appropriate, amend any decision or determination that it made based on such information or representations. Clubs must immediately inform the league if there are any changes that could significantly impact the accuracy of the financial or other information they have previously submitted
Effectively the Premier League are stating that, for the period of 2009 until 2018, the club have not been filing accurate financial statements. This relates directly to the leaked emails that are presented to show members of staff discussing payment amounts and sources of monies that are paid to the club for sponsorship, namely for the two main sponsors, Etihad and Etisalat, that are referenced in the UEFA trial. As can be seen from the rules above, some of them are more obviously related than others. There has been some criticism of the Premier League for going for such a wide number of charges, as they have not focused on one area.
With regards to this section of breaches, the club claims that the leaked emails are not evidence of wrongdoing, and are not admissible as evidence. CAS found in favour of UEFA’s assertion that the emails were in fact admissible in their case, so the club is unlikely to be able to contest this point further. This section will essentially boil down to whether the leaked emails show enough evidence of wrongdoing, and whether any further context that has been provided by the club (something that was mentioned in the CAS trial as being helpful towards Man City’s case) is sufficient to prove guilt. It is likely that only 1 or 2 of these 50 rules above are actually key. Others, like B13, B15, and B16 which relate to clubs acting in good faith, would not be enough to charge a club without being bundled in with something else.

Manager and Player Remuneration

This section is broken down further into 2 key areas: manager remuneration, and player remuneration.
The Premier League statement:
In respect of each of Seasons 2009/10 to 2012/13 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager
And;
In respect of each of Seasons 2010/11 to 2015/16 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to include full details of player remuneration in its relevant contracts with its players
Grouped and summarised below:
Rules Season Text Summarised
Q7, P7 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 No Club shall employ any person as a Manager unless and until: 1 the terms of the Manager’s employment have been evidenced in a written contract of employment between the Club and the Manager 2 the Manager’s contract of employment has been registered with the Secretary. Clubs must not hire a manager unless the manager's employment terms are clearly stated in a written contract, and this contract is officially registered with the league's Secretary.
Q8, P8 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 Contracts of employment between a Club and a Manager shall: 1 include the standard clauses set out in Appendix 8; 2 clearly set out the circumstances in which the contract of employment may be determined by either party. Employment contracts between a club and a manager must include mandatory standard clauses and specify the conditions under which either party can terminate the contract. Appendix 8 outlines that the manager must follow the rules of relevant football organisations, obey reasonable instructions related to commercial agreements, and resolve any disputes through arbitration or mediation.
K12, T12, T13 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 Full details of a Player’s remuneration including all benefits to which he is entitled whether in cash or in kind shall be set out in his contract. A player's contract must clearly list all the payment and benefits they receive
K20, T29, T18, T20 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 Particulars of any Image Contract Payment in respect of the Player shall be set out in the contract with his Club Any payments related to a player’s image rights must be clearly detailed in their contract with the club
The first two key rules relate to manager remuneration, and this is specific to the contract of Roberto Mancini. Mancini was the club’s manager from 2009 until 2013, and the allegations center around leaked emails that suggest he was paid £1.75 million annually as a consultancy fee for UAE based club Al Jazira on top of his £1.45 million salary at City.
For his part, Mancini has stated “I have paid my taxes, it's all above board. So I don't think anyone will be in touch” when asked about the case.
The second two rules are player remuneration and relate to Yaya Toure. The League alleges, again based on the leaked emails, that the club did not disclose all payments to the player, and that payments were made via his agent, Dimitri Seluk, during his contract with the club.
Seluk has stated “I know what has been said about Yaya's contract with City - and what I can tell you is that absolutely everything was done very cleanly, very honestly and with full transparency. Nothing was done under the table.
Toure was at the club from 2010 until 2018. He originally signed a five year deal, before signing a new contract in 2013 taking him up to 2017. He signed his final 1 year deal in 2017. These allegations relate to his first 6 seasons.

Compliance with UEFA regulations

This section simply relates to the wording of the Premier League rules which state that clubs competing in European competitions must comply with UEFA’s rules in addition to the Premier League’s.
The league states:
In respect of each of Seasons 2013/14 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons requiring a member club to comply with UEFA’s regulations, including UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations
Once again I’ve presented them grouped and summarised below:
Rules Season Text Summarised
B14.6, B15.6 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 Membership of the League shall constitute an agreement between the League and Clubs and between each Club to be bound by and comply with: - the statutes and regulations of UEFA Each club agrees to follow the rules and regulations set by UEFA.
This rule breach seemingly relates to the period of time that was not ruled as time barred within UEFA’s case, and is not related to the original settlement between the club and UEFA, but does include the 3 years of the settlement agreement up until UEFA declared City to be compliant. Presumably the Premier League have included these to link to UEFA’s allegations of financial discrepancies related to the Etihad deal. It is unclear how much this could stick, given that CAS ruled that there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.
It feels amiss of the Premier League to charge the club with breaches of a rule that had already been thrown out by CAS, so I can only assume that they feel that the club have either breached other rules related to financial fair play, which doesn’t seem to be the case, or they are using the non-cooperation fine handed out by CAS to bring these charges forward.

Compliance with PSR

The Premier League have also charged Man City with breaching profit and sustainability rules. These are the rules that Everton and Nottingham Forest have been docked points for recently and relate to the annual accounts clubs must file to prove their compliance.
The league states:
In respect of each of the Seasons 2015/16 to 2017/18 inclusive, the Premier League Rules applicable in those Seasons on Profitability and Sustainability
I’ve laid these out below, grouped again, and summarised. It should be noted in the below that any reference to T, T-1 and T-2 refers to the current season, previous and 2 seasons before.
Rules Season Text Summarised
E52 15/16 Rules E.53 to E.59 shall apply with effect from Season 2015/16. The following rules will apply
E53 15/16 16/17 17/18 Each Club shall by 1 March in each Season submit to the Board: 1. copies of its Annual Accounts for T-1 (and T-2 if these have not previously been submitted to the Board) together with copies of the directors’ report(s) and auditors’ report(s) on those accounts; 2. its estimated profit and loss account and balance sheet for T which shall: 2.1. be prepared in all material respects in a format similar to the Club’s Annual Accounts; and 2.2. be based on the latest information available to the Club and be, to the best of the Club’s knowledge and belief, an accurate estimate as at the time of preparation of future financial performance; and 3. if Rule E.56 applies to the Club, the calculation of its aggregated Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for T, T-1 and T-2 in Form 4A By March 1st each season, each club must submit to the League's Board: Their financial accounts for the previous two years, along with reports from directors and auditors. A forecast of their profit and loss and balance sheet for the current year, ensuring it is up-to-date and accurately reflects expected financial performance. If required, a detailed calculation of their earnings before tax for the current and previous two years
E54 15/16 16/17 17/18 The Board shall determine whether consideration included in the Club’s Earnings Before Tax arising from a Related Party Transaction is recorded in the Club’s Annual Accounts at a Fair Market Value. If it is not, the Board shall restate it to Fair Market Value. The Board will check if earnings before tax reported in a club's annual accounts from transactions with related parties are valued fairly according to market standards. If they aren't, the Board will adjust these values to reflect the fair market value.
E55 15/16 16/17 17/18 The Board shall not exercise its power set out in Rule E.54 without first having given the Club reasonable opportunity to make submissions as to: 1. whether the said consideration should be restated; and/or 2. what constitutes its Fair Market Value. Before the Board can adjust any values in a club's financial statements, they must give the club a chance to present their case regarding whether adjustments are necessary and what the fair market value should be.
E56 15/16 16/17 17/18 If the aggregation of a Club’s Earnings Before Tax for T-1 and T-2 results in a loss, any consideration from Related Party Transactions having been adjusted (if appropriate) pursuant to Rule E.54, then the Club must submit to the Board the calculation of its Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for each of T, T-1 and T-2. If a club's combined earnings before tax for the past two years show a loss, after adjusting any related party transaction values as necessary, the club must then provide the Board with a detailed calculation of its adjusted earnings before tax for each of the three years
E57 15/16 16/17 17/18 If the aggregation of a Club’s Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for T, T-1 and T-2 results in a loss of up to £15m, then the Board shall determine whether the Club will, until the end of T+1, be able to pay its liabilities described in Rule E.14.7.1 and fulfil the obligations set out in Rules E.14.7.2 and E.14.7.3. If a club's adjusted earnings before tax for the current year and the previous two years total a loss of up to £15 million, the Board will assess whether the club can pay its debts and meet its obligations through the end of the next season as specified in other rules.
E58 15/16 16/17 17/18 If the aggregation of a Club’s Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for T, T-1 and T-2 results in a loss of in excess of £15m then the following shall apply: 1. the Club shall provide, by 31 March in the relevant Season, Future Financial Information to cover the period commencing from its last accounting reference date (as defined in section 391 of the Act) until the end of T+2 and a calculation of estimated aggregated Adjusted Earnings Before Tax until the end of T+2 based on that Future Financial Information; 2. the Club shall provide such evidence of Secure Funding as the Board considers sufficient; and 3. if the Club is unable to provide evidence of Secure Funding as set out in Rule E.58.2, the Board may exercise its powers set out in Rule E.15. If a club's total adjusted earnings before tax for the current year and the previous two years show a loss greater than £15 million, then the club must: Submit future financial plans and estimated earnings up to two years beyond the current season by March 31st. Provide proof of secure funding as the Board requires. If the club can't show they have secure funding, the Board may take action as outlined in another rule.
E59 15/16 16/17 17/18 If the aggregation of a Club’s Adjusted Earnings Before Tax for T, T-1 and T-2 results in losses of in excess of £105m: 1. the Board may exercise its powers set out in Rule E.15; and 2. the Club shall be treated as being in breach of these Rules and accordingly the Board shall refer the breach to a Commission constituted pursuant to Section W of these Rules. If a club's total adjusted earnings before tax for the current year and the previous two years show a loss greater than £105 million, then: The Board may use its authority as outlined in Rule E.15. The club will be considered as having broken the rules, and the Board will report this violation to a special Commission as per Section W of the rules.
E60 15/16 16/17 17/18 The sum set out in Rule E.59 shall be reduced by £22m for each Season covered by T-1 and T-2 in which the Club was in membership of The Football League. If a club was a member of The Football League in the previous two seasons (T-1 and T-2), the amount mentioned in Rule E.59 will be decreased by £22 million for each of those seasons
A lot of this is not specific to anything the club will have breached, and is again a criticism that has been levelled at the Premier League for not being focused enough on charging the club and instead trying to go for as much as possible. Eg rule E52 in the 2015/16 season isn’t really something that would be up for debate, and rule E60, which refers to seasons spent outside the Premier League for adjusting the £105m 3 season PSR limit.
I don’t believe that the club has breached a lot of these rules specifically, and that the Premier League has just grouped PSR as a category together to hit the club with multiple charges. It is likely that the key rule in this section is E54, which discusses related party income and fair market value. This is an important one for City, as the leaked emails have been presented to show the club receiving money from sponsors with funds that have come directly from ADUG, Abu Dhabi United Group, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and with an 81% stake in the CFG (City Football Group) that comprises the club.
City have always argued that these sponsorships are not related parties, something that has been previously accepted by both the Premier League and UEFA in separate agreements related to PSR and FFP under their rules. It is likely that the key here is whether the emails imply that they should in fact be counted as related parties, and therefore whether they represent fair market value.
For the other rules in this section, it is unlikely that anything of substance will be proven or even sought.

Cooperation with the investigation

In addition to the above 4 sections, which all covered rule breaches related to the hacked emails, the Premier League charged the club with non-cooperation with their investigation. This does not relate to the breaches themselves, and so you will notice that the seasons are all after the Der Spiegel investigation.
The charges are:
In respect of the period from December 2018 to date, the Premier League Rules applicable in the relevant Seasons requiring a member club to cooperate with, and assist, the Premier League in its investigations, including by providing documents and information to the Premier League in the utmost good faith
Grouped and summarised:
Rules Season Text Summarised
B16, B15 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 In all matters and transactions relating to the League each Club shall behave towards each other Club and the League with the utmost good faith. Act honestly and fairly towards other clubs and the league itself
B19, B18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 Without prejudice to the League’s powers of inquiry under Rule W.1, each Club shall comply promptly and in full with any request for information made by the League (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such request made pursuant to a demand from a statutory or regulatory authority). Clubs must quickly and fully respond to any information requests from the League, even if these are prompted by a government or regulatory body's demands
W1 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 The Board shall have power to inquire into any suspected or alleged breach of these Rules and for that purpose may require: 1. any Manager, Match Official, Official or Player to appear before it; and 2. any such person or any Club to produce documents. The Board has the authority to investigate any suspected or confirmed rule violations. For this, they can: Require managers, match officials, other officials, or players to appear before them. Ask these individuals or any club to provide relevant documents.
W2 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 Any Manager, Match Official, Official or Player who fails to appear before or to produce documents to the Board when required to do so under Rule W.1 shall be in breach of these Rules. Anybody who does not comply with Rule W.1 is in breach
W12, W15 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 It shall be no answer to a request from the Board to disclose documents or information pursuant to Rule W.1 that such documents or information requested are confidential. All Clubs and Persons subject to these Rules must ensure that any other obligations of confidentiality assumed are made expressly subject to the League’s right of inquiry under these Rules. No Club or Person shall be under an obligation to disclose any documents rendered confidential by either the order of a court of competent jurisdiction or by statute or statutory instrument. The Board can request documents or information even if they are confidential. However, clubs and individuals are not required to disclose anything that is legally confidential due to a court order or by law. Clubs and individuals should ensure any confidentiality agreements acknowledge the League's right to inquire.
W13, W16 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 22/23 All persons who are requested to assist pursuant to Rule W.1 shall provide full, complete and prompt assistance to the Board in its exercise of its power of Inquiry Anyone asked to help must fully, quickly, and completely help the Board with its investigations.
Three of these are your meat and potatoes non-cooperation charges, which the Premier League will have charged City with for not providing documents when requested. A couple relate specifically to individuals within a club, but otherwise these breaches will be the most likely to stick, similar to how they did at CAS.
Man City have maintained that they do not need to cooperate with the investigation which they state as being based on illegally obtained material and have stated that they do not trust the investigation.
Rules B15, B16 make another appearance relating to acting with the utmost good faith.

When will this hearing take place?

We don’t really know. The panel has been chosen and are presumably deliberating, but as with cases of this size and with so many documents, they take time.
League CEO Richard Masters has recently stated that the case will “Resolve itself soon”, which is badly worded and has led to speculation that the club and league are seeking a way out of the case following the charges being thrown out. This is unlikely, as it would be in the interest of both to end proceedings as quickly as possible.
There have been criticisms towards the Premier League regarding the secrecy around these hearings - it is actually within the Premier League’s rules that these occur in private:
Rules W70 and X25 state: The proceedings of an arbitration convened under this Section (W/X) shall be confidential and shall be conducted in private.

Aren’t Man City just stalling?

Not really, no. The club have been charged with non-cooperation by the Premier League for their initial investigation, but there is nothing the club can do to further postpone the hearing taking place. The time required is simply because of the magnitude and seriousness of the allegations put forward by the league.
The original BBC article alleged that City were “dragging their feet” - but this is not something that stops the league handing out charges, and isn’t something that will change the timeline of the independent panel’s investigation.

Punishments

So let's say that City is found guilty - what are the likely punishments to be? The answer is complicated, as it completely depends on what charges are ultimately determined to be warranted. Talk of points deductions amounting to the thousands are pure hyperbole. The specific breaches agreed by the independent panel will influence the size of any punishment.
Given the seriousness of the allegations - essentially fraud across multiple years involving the club, sponsors, auditors and governing bodies - there must be a high bar of proof. With such a high bar also comes a high punishment if the club is deemed to be guilty. It is entirely possible that a proportionate punishment to such deceit would be expulsion from the league. This would however be the least of the club’s worries, as it brings into question the legality of the breaches with regards to individuals, HMRC and other organisations from which payments may or may not have been withheld or deliberately reported incorrectly.
Some of the above charges do not risk carrying any sort of point based punishment. The non-cooperation charges, for example, would be a monetary fine. It is also very unlikely that the league would seek to remove past titles. The scope and burden of proof that specific breaches directly correlated to titles would be too complicated.
Expulsion from the Premier League would require the club to apply to join another league, the EFL the most likely candidate. It would be at the discretion of the EFL whether they accepted the club into their league structure. Given the size of the club and the need to replace the 20th team in the Premier League, it would be likely that they would agree to include the club in their league system as a space would open up in the Championship.

Can the club appeal a decision?

Yes, there are avenues for appeal. That appeal will not go through CAS, as correctly reported, but would go to another panel. Sections W through to Z of the Premier League rulebook detail different types of appeals and tribunals for varying reasons. Section W is the section specifically referred to in the PSR rules (within section E of the Premier League handbook).

There is no Time Bar though in the Premier League

Well, kind of. There is no time bar specifically mentioned in the rules. The Premier League handbook, which you can read at https://www.premierleague.com/about/publications,does state (Rule A7) that “these Rules shall be governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English law. Strictly without prejudice to the arbitration and other dispute resolution provisions of these Rules, disputes relating to these Rules shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.”.
Essentially this means that any rules follow English Law, which itself does state a time bar for cases. This is typically 6 years for most cases, with some differences based on specific situations.
In the case of fraud this can vary, and may be the avenue that the Premier League tries to go down (which itself makes the evidence required to prove the case more stringent). For fraud cases, English Law states:
Time bar of 6 years from the date cause of action accrued
Or, if the cause of action is deliberately concealed, 6 years from when the fraud is, or with reasonable diligence would have been, discovered.
Should this be the route the Premier League has chosen then there will have to be a discussion to determine what period of time the charges can be applied to.

What about the length of grass?

There was never a charge about the length of grass. Such narrative about what the charges were came from initial analysis by people using incorrect versions of the Premier League handbook (as the rules change from year to year slightly, and those rules shift in their assignment. This is is why I have grouped them as such in the above tables). All charges relate to financial issues and non-cooperation in the league's subsequent investigation.

What about the Cease and Desist?

Rumours began last week that the club had issued cease and desist letters to individuals and organisations within the public domain related to the charges. As of yet there has been no evidence that anybody has received such a letter (although you’d question why they would publicise receiving one in the first place). It should be made clear that any cease and desist that may have been received by anybody would not prevent them from discussing the charges with which the league have brought on City. Any cease and desist letter is a demand that the recipient stops any activity considered to be unlawful - eg. in the case of this case it would be accusations levelled at the club that are not true. Examples would be the club being called cheats because they’ve done specific things that have not been proven to be true like a false statement or libel.

Can’t we just dock points now like Everton and Nottingham Forest?

Not really, no. Cases of this magnitude take time to deliberate and cross examine. There is no quick way of dealing with such a large case. The Everton and Nottingham Forest cases, by comparison, are simple breaches that can be quantified by simply looking at the submitted accounts, which for both clubs show losses that are above the agreed amount in Rule E53 of the Premier League handbook (and Rule E54 in Nottingham Forest’s case due to their recent promotion that reduced their allowable losses).
Neither club claimed to have not breached these rules, but merely tried to argue the case that their losses were due to mitigating circumstances, which the Premier League did not agree with.
Anybody questioning why analysis of so many historical charges takes longer than clear individual breaches shown on a balance sheet needs to consider whether they want a case to be resolved quickly, or whether they want it to be resolved properly, as the two are mutually exclusive.

Who wins?

Ultimately nobody wins. Reputational damage is guaranteed for either Manchester City or the Premier League depending on the outcome. It can also be argued that enough reputational damage has already been dealt to both organisations. This is often why a settlement is seen as a preferred option, as there is no long drawn out saga. The club have remained steadfast and stubborn insisting that there is no grounds for the charges and that they are innocent on all accounts. The league have been criticised for their handling of the matter and for other PSR breaches recently and don’t seem to be keen to back down in this case either.
There was also the accusation that the league had rushed through presenting the charges in order to disrupt the introduction of an independent regulator by the Government and to prove that it can govern itself. That has largely failed as the IFR (Independent football regulator) looks likely to be going ahead.
The best case scenario for the club is being cleared of all charges - unlikely due to the presence of those non-cooperation charges - a win for the club, but there will be large question marks over the Premier League’s handling, the time taken, the accuracy of the verdict and the secrecy involved. The club will also have suffered reputational damage up to this point, particularly from sections of the football fraternity who have already made their mind up.
The best case scenario for the league is trickier - it doesn’t want to be seen to be a light touch, but conversely it doesn’t want to be triggering the sort of chaos that points deductions and league expulsions might have on one of its most successful clubs of the last decade. In some ways, the league has already lost.

Closing Thoughts

There will be details that I have glossed over for brevity - there is a lot more information in some of the linked documents plus the Premier League handbooks that provides a lot more important context.
I hope the above proves useful to anybody interested in the finer details of the situation, but appreciate that it is probably beyond the scope of the kind of person who posts 115 memes and gets agitated by the lack of discussion around the charges.
There may be inaccuracies. If you spot anything then please let me know and I will make a quick amendment.
TL;DR
Shits complicated Bro
submitted by aguer0 to MCFC [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 14:13 loanpandit2023 5 Savvy Ways to Leverage a Loan Against Property

5 Savvy Ways to Leverage a Loan Against Property
In the dynamic world of finance, a loan against property (LAP) has emerged as a versatile financial instrument, providing homeowners with a valuable source of funds.
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https://preview.redd.it/fua504xhq60d1.jpg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f04d258494e49d0d4291b4d254b1cf061f176e1e

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  • Working capital to manage cash flow and inventory

3. Home Improvements:

Enhance Your Living Space Your home is more than just a shelter; it's a sanctuary where memories are created and cherished. An LAP can be the perfect solution to transform your living space into a dream abode. Whether you're planning a kitchen remodel, adding an extra bedroom, or revamping the outdoor area, the funds from an LAP can bring your vision to life without draining your savings.
Apply Now for Loan Against Property

Unlocking Home Improvement Possibilities with an LAP

  • Kitchen and bathroom renovations
  • Room additions or extensions
  • Landscaping and outdoor living areas
  • Energy-efficient upgrades (solar panels, insulation, etc.)

4. Education Financing:

Investing in Your Future Education is the cornerstone of personal and professional growth. However, the costs associated with higher education can be prohibitive. An LAP can be a valuable source of funding, enabling you or your loved ones to pursue academic aspirations without compromising financial stability. From tuition fees to living expenses, an LAP can provide the necessary support to embark on a transformative educational journey.

Leveraging an LAP for Educational Pursuits

  • Financing tuition fees for undergraduate or graduate programs
  • Covering living expenses during the course of study
  • Funding study abroad opportunities
  • Pursuing specialized certifications or vocational training

5. Medical Emergencies:

Prioritizing Health and Well-being Life can throw unexpected curveballs, and medical emergencies often come with hefty financial burdens. In such situations, an LAP can be a lifeline, providing access to funds necessary for treatments, procedures, or long-term care. By utilizing the equity in your property, you can focus on your recovery or that of a loved one without the added stress of financial constraints.

Using an LAP for Medical Needs

  • Covering hospitalization and surgical expenses
  • Financing rehabilitation or long-term care
  • Accessing specialized medical treatments
  • Paying for medical equipment or prosthetics

FAQs:

Q1. What is a Loan Against Property (LAP)?

A Loan Against Property (LAP) is a secured loan where the borrower uses their residential or commercial property as collateral to obtain funds from a financial institution. The loan amount is typically based on the property's market value, making it an attractive option for those seeking substantial financing.

Q2. Who is eligible for a Loan Against Property?

Eligibility for an LAP typically depends on factors such as the value of the property, the borrower's income, credit score, and overall financial profile. Property owners with a clear title and sufficient equity in their property are generally considered ideal candidates for an LAP.

Q3. What are the advantages of a Loan Against Property?

Some key advantages of an LAP include lower interest rates compared to unsecured loans, flexible repayment terms, higher loan amounts, and the ability to retain ownership of the property during the loan tenure. Additionally, the interest paid on an LAP may be tax-deductible, subject to applicable regulations.

Q4. How is the loan amount determined for a Loan Against Property?

The loan amount for an LAP is typically determined by the lender based on the property's market value and the borrower's financial profile. Lenders generally offer loans ranging from 50% to 70% of the property's value, ensuring sufficient collateral coverage.

Q5. Can a Loan Against Property be used for any purpose?

Yes, a Loan Against Property can be used for a wide range of purposes, including debt consolidation, business expansion, home improvements, education financing, and medical emergencies, among others. The versatility of an LAP makes it a popular choice for homeowners seeking funds for various needs.
submitted by loanpandit2023 to u/loanpandit2023 [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 04:39 Terrible_Push6880 Please help me understand if this person is on to something or not. Scared about money being the mark of the beast

Just look at what this person is saying and what he has figured out! Is what he is saying here legit? And can you guys please look at this as well! https://www.wisdomofgod.us/2019/11/20/the-dates-of-the-return-of-yeshua-and-the-events-the-great-tribulation-of-the-earth/#comments
MY MESSAGES TO THE WORLD
This is the letter of resignation I sent to the companies I work with.
To whomever it may concern,
After careful consideration, I must respectfully resign from my position here at the company. I am going to explain why so you can understand why I am doing this, although the following explanation may sound weird and bizarre to you, and you may not agree with it. But there is logic and much research behind it. Feel free to read, or not. Next month, in the morning after Pesach, in Nisan 15 in the Jewish calendar, will mark exactly 3 and 1/2 years before the year 6,000 from creation, which will be in the autumn of 2026. From Adam to until Abraham was called, 2,080 years passed. Then another 430 years passed until the exodus of the sons of Israel from Egypt. Then another 1,490 years passed until the anointing of Yeshua in 26 AD, so it was precisely the year 4,000. Then another 1,996 have passed and in March of 2023 we are currently around 6 months into the year 5,996 from creation. The world is not billions of years old as the scientists teach, but it is less than 6,000 years old, which can be proven with the genealogies and timelines of the scriptures, which are historical fact. This coming Tishri 10 this coming autumn will be the year 5,997 from creation. And 2026 is exactly 2,000 years since the anointing of Yeshua in 26 AD. I have developed an elaborate timeline, using the genealogies and timelines of the scriptures, to prove the current year we are in since creation. Which can be found on my website, which I have linked below.
The year 6,000 from the beginning of creation will bring with it the greatest and also the most terrifying events in human history. It will be the time of the second coming of Yeshua. Yeshua is the original Hebrew name of the one many people call Jesus, which is not the correct pronunciation of his name. We are nearly 3 and 1/2 years away from the year 6,000, which is why the world is currently declining, with the coronavirus pandemic, which is still happening and striking all humanity over and over again with sickness. And the war of Russia against Ukraine. And inflation rising quickly. And banks beginning to fail. And droughts being reported all over the world. And food shortages already being reported. And severe earthquakes happening in the world. And meteors are appearing in the skies in various places. These are all warning signs that confirm that I have calculated the year 6,000 correctly.
Starting next month, according to my calculation, the two witnesses of Revelation are going to appear, this spring of 2023, in the morning of Nisan 15 in the Jewish calendar in Jerusalem time, to serve as the final warning to the world. They will be two prophets, that will appear in two different cities, clothed in sackcloth. And according to what is written about them, they will also cause a global drought, in these final 3 and 1/2 years. And will strike the world with plagues. Because of the global drought they will bring, the food and drinking water of the world will run out. And there will be food shortages all over the world. It is wise to stock up on food and drinking water, for a minimum of 3 and 1/2 years.
3 years after they begin, Vatican City will be destroyed, in Rome, which cause all fiat currencies in the world to enter a state of hyperinflation. All central banks of the world clandestinely trace back to one bank, the Vatican Bank, in Vatican City, in Rome. She is the head of the global financial system, symbolized by the prostitute of Babylon in the book of Revelation, ruling over all the cities of the world, clandestinely, through central banks and money. And the succession of Roman popes all collectively fulfill the role of the antichrist of the scriptures, deceiving the entire world and causing all humanity to think that obedience to the Torah of Moses is no longer necessary. And all central banks of the world issue out fiat currency to all humanity, to buy and sell, which are false weights and prohibited by the Torah of Moses. The true money of God is gold and silver, whose value is based on its weight. Almost 100 years ago in the 1930’s, the banks and the US government devised a plan to steal and enrich themselves, and by executive order everyone in the US was forced to turn in their gold to Federal Reserve Bank, and received gold certificates that could be used to buy and sell with, which was paper money. This paper money was issued at around $21 USD per 1 ozt of gold. Then around a year later the paper money was devalued to around $35 USD per 1 ozt. Which is when the thievery of the banks and government truly began, because now the paper money redeemed less gold at the bank than the prior year. And over the decades the devaluation continued to happen. And then in the 1970’s something worse happened, and the backing of gold was completely removed from the paper money. This is when paper money also became fiat currency, a form of money that has no intrinsic value. It is the worst debasement of money possible. A piece of paper printed with a 5 has no greater value than a piece of paper printed with a 100, except only the number assigned to it, which is imaginary. Whereas with gold, 100 ozt of gold is greater than 5 ozt of gold, because its value is based on the weight of this commodity. So in essence humanity was left buying with mere paper and numbers, whereas the banks kept and stole all the gold of humanity. And by this point in time, all nations began adopting this form of money, and depriving people of their gold. It is the greatest scam in human history. Fiat currency impoverishes the world, and also causes the eventual collapse of a nation. As fiat currency is devalued, savings and incomes lag behind the devaluation, which then causes prices to rise, which then causes debt, because things become more and more unaffordable and then people need to borrow to buy common things that they could’ve easily bought before without debt with gold was money. And essentially the banks become the owners of everything, through debt. While all humanity becomes poorer day by day through debt. Today debt comes in the form of credit cards, and auto loans, and mortgages. This is why today so many people owe money. The root cause is fiat currency. This is the problem. Usually banks try to control inflation, so that society does not notice they are slowly becoming poorer by the day, but then when hyperinflation comes, the results are utter devastation and ruin and the collapse of an entire nation. This is what happened in Venezuela, hyperinflation. And through this last century it has happened to several nations, causing utter ruin. And it will happen again, in 3 years from now, to the entire world, when the head of the financial system is destroyed. All fiat currencies will enter a state of hyperinflation. And no one will be able to buy and sell. And there will be food shortages and utter chaos. The phenomenon of hyperinflation only happens when fiat currency is money, because its value is imaginary, whereas when money is gold hyperinflation cannot happen, because 1 ozt of gold today is the same 1 ozt of gold tomorrow. This is why when gold is money, if you buy a house for 10 ozt, in 100 years it will be worth the same 10 ozt of gold. Because when money is gold, prices are stable. Gold is intrinsically good money, because it is sufficiently rare to be valuable, but sufficiently common to be money, and its value is based on weight. This is why gold was money for thousands of years, until this recently century. Yet the value of fiat currency is imaginary. And paper money and fiat currency fulfill the prophecy of the the mark of the beast of Revelation, because anyone who is in possession of this forbidden money is in sin, and is cursed by it. Fiat currency does not just exist by those who issue it, but also by everyone in society who accepts it as money. If everyone in society decided to no longer accept it as money, and began using gold or silver again as money, then it would no longer continue circulating. So essentially also everyone is guilty of the existence of this evil form of money. That is why anyone who has the mark of the beast is worthy of the lake of fire. And not having the mark of the beast is the ultimate test of obedience and belief to God. Because everyone needs money to be able to buy food and necessities for the body.
For these reasons, in preparation for year 6,000 and the events that are about to take place, I can no longer accept fiat currency as payment for my services. Which is why I must respectfully resign from your company. I would be willing to accept payment in gold or silver or even food, but the government and the IRS has made it very difficult to pay workers in gold or other commodities, and I don’t want to cause your company any inconvenience. For over a decade I have been preparing to make this choice for when this time arrives, by building a large house in Colombia and having no mortgage, and storing plenty of food and water and goods to last many years, and also having solar panels to give power to my house and also my electric vehicle. So I don’t really need to work anymore, and can dedicate my time from here onwards to continue teaching others regarding the Torah and these times, and helping others in these difficult times that are approaching, and giving food to the poor and the homeless. But if you believe what I have said and believe the scriptures and support my cause and wish to continue employing me, then surely we can come to some arrangement to pay me at a certain amount of gold or silver or food per hour. If not, no worries, and may God spare you from what’s about to happen in the world.
If you wish to remain in touch with me, at a personal level, and discuss my journey and discuss more about God and these end times prophecies, I can be reached at my contact information below.
One last thing, please do forgive my short notice. I normally always leave at least a 2 week notice before I leave any company, but these are unusual circumstances and unusual times.
Regards, Christian Gaviria
submitted by Terrible_Push6880 to Bibleconspiracy [link] [comments]


2024.05.13 03:09 Terrible_Push6880 Please help me understand if this person is on to something or not. Scared about the money being the mark of the beast.

Just look at what this person is saying and what he has figured out! Is what he is saying here legit? And can you guys please look at this as well! https://www.wisdomofgod.us/2019/11/20/the-dates-of-the-return-of-yeshua-and-the-events-the-great-tribulation-of-the-earth/#comments
MY MESSAGES TO THE WORLD
This is the letter of resignation I sent to the companies I work with.
To whomever it may concern,
After careful consideration, I must respectfully resign from my position here at the company. I am going to explain why so you can understand why I am doing this, although the following explanation may sound weird and bizarre to you, and you may not agree with it. But there is logic and much research behind it. Feel free to read, or not. Next month, in the morning after Pesach, in Nisan 15 in the Jewish calendar, will mark exactly 3 and 1/2 years before the year 6,000 from creation, which will be in the autumn of 2026. From Adam to until Abraham was called, 2,080 years passed. Then another 430 years passed until the exodus of the sons of Israel from Egypt. Then another 1,490 years passed until the anointing of Yeshua in 26 AD, so it was precisely the year 4,000. Then another 1,996 have passed and in March of 2023 we are currently around 6 months into the year 5,996 from creation. The world is not billions of years old as the scientists teach, but it is less than 6,000 years old, which can be proven with the genealogies and timelines of the scriptures, which are historical fact. This coming Tishri 10 this coming autumn will be the year 5,997 from creation. And 2026 is exactly 2,000 years since the anointing of Yeshua in 26 AD. I have developed an elaborate timeline, using the genealogies and timelines of the scriptures, to prove the current year we are in since creation. Which can be found on my website, which I have linked below.
The year 6,000 from the beginning of creation will bring with it the greatest and also the most terrifying events in human history. It will be the time of the second coming of Yeshua. Yeshua is the original Hebrew name of the one many people call Jesus, which is not the correct pronunciation of his name. We are nearly 3 and 1/2 years away from the year 6,000, which is why the world is currently declining, with the coronavirus pandemic, which is still happening and striking all humanity over and over again with sickness. And the war of Russia against Ukraine. And inflation rising quickly. And banks beginning to fail. And droughts being reported all over the world. And food shortages already being reported. And severe earthquakes happening in the world. And meteors are appearing in the skies in various places. These are all warning signs that confirm that I have calculated the year 6,000 correctly.
Starting next month, according to my calculation, the two witnesses of Revelation are going to appear, this spring of 2023, in the morning of Nisan 15 in the Jewish calendar in Jerusalem time, to serve as the final warning to the world. They will be two prophets, that will appear in two different cities, clothed in sackcloth. And according to what is written about them, they will also cause a global drought, in these final 3 and 1/2 years. And will strike the world with plagues. Because of the global drought they will bring, the food and drinking water of the world will run out. And there will be food shortages all over the world. It is wise to stock up on food and drinking water, for a minimum of 3 and 1/2 years.
3 years after they begin, Vatican City will be destroyed, in Rome, which cause all fiat currencies in the world to enter a state of hyperinflation. All central banks of the world clandestinely trace back to one bank, the Vatican Bank, in Vatican City, in Rome. She is the head of the global financial system, symbolized by the prostitute of Babylon in the book of Revelation, ruling over all the cities of the world, clandestinely, through central banks and money. And the succession of Roman popes all collectively fulfill the role of the antichrist of the scriptures, deceiving the entire world and causing all humanity to think that obedience to the Torah of Moses is no longer necessary. And all central banks of the world issue out fiat currency to all humanity, to buy and sell, which are false weights and prohibited by the Torah of Moses. The true money of God is gold and silver, whose value is based on its weight. Almost 100 years ago in the 1930’s, the banks and the US government devised a plan to steal and enrich themselves, and by executive order everyone in the US was forced to turn in their gold to Federal Reserve Bank, and received gold certificates that could be used to buy and sell with, which was paper money. This paper money was issued at around $21 USD per 1 ozt of gold. Then around a year later the paper money was devalued to around $35 USD per 1 ozt. Which is when the thievery of the banks and government truly began, because now the paper money redeemed less gold at the bank than the prior year. And over the decades the devaluation continued to happen. And then in the 1970’s something worse happened, and the backing of gold was completely removed from the paper money. This is when paper money also became fiat currency, a form of money that has no intrinsic value. It is the worst debasement of money possible. A piece of paper printed with a 5 has no greater value than a piece of paper printed with a 100, except only the number assigned to it, which is imaginary. Whereas with gold, 100 ozt of gold is greater than 5 ozt of gold, because its value is based on the weight of this commodity. So in essence humanity was left buying with mere paper and numbers, whereas the banks kept and stole all the gold of humanity. And by this point in time, all nations began adopting this form of money, and depriving people of their gold. It is the greatest scam in human history. Fiat currency impoverishes the world, and also causes the eventual collapse of a nation. As fiat currency is devalued, savings and incomes lag behind the devaluation, which then causes prices to rise, which then causes debt, because things become more and more unaffordable and then people need to borrow to buy common things that they could’ve easily bought before without debt with gold was money. And essentially the banks become the owners of everything, through debt. While all humanity becomes poorer day by day through debt. Today debt comes in the form of credit cards, and auto loans, and mortgages. This is why today so many people owe money. The root cause is fiat currency. This is the problem. Usually banks try to control inflation, so that society does not notice they are slowly becoming poorer by the day, but then when hyperinflation comes, the results are utter devastation and ruin and the collapse of an entire nation. This is what happened in Venezuela, hyperinflation. And through this last century it has happened to several nations, causing utter ruin. And it will happen again, in 3 years from now, to the entire world, when the head of the financial system is destroyed. All fiat currencies will enter a state of hyperinflation. And no one will be able to buy and sell. And there will be food shortages and utter chaos. The phenomenon of hyperinflation only happens when fiat currency is money, because its value is imaginary, whereas when money is gold hyperinflation cannot happen, because 1 ozt of gold today is the same 1 ozt of gold tomorrow. This is why when gold is money, if you buy a house for 10 ozt, in 100 years it will be worth the same 10 ozt of gold. Because when money is gold, prices are stable. Gold is intrinsically good money, because it is sufficiently rare to be valuable, but sufficiently common to be money, and its value is based on weight. This is why gold was money for thousands of years, until this recently century. Yet the value of fiat currency is imaginary. And paper money and fiat currency fulfill the prophecy of the the mark of the beast of Revelation, because anyone who is in possession of this forbidden money is in sin, and is cursed by it. Fiat currency does not just exist by those who issue it, but also by everyone in society who accepts it as money. If everyone in society decided to no longer accept it as money, and began using gold or silver again as money, then it would no longer continue circulating. So essentially also everyone is guilty of the existence of this evil form of money. That is why anyone who has the mark of the beast is worthy of the lake of fire. And not having the mark of the beast is the ultimate test of obedience and belief to God. Because everyone needs money to be able to buy food and necessities for the body.
For these reasons, in preparation for year 6,000 and the events that are about to take place, I can no longer accept fiat currency as payment for my services. Which is why I must respectfully resign from your company. I would be willing to accept payment in gold or silver or even food, but the government and the IRS has made it very difficult to pay workers in gold or other commodities, and I don’t want to cause your company any inconvenience. For over a decade I have been preparing to make this choice for when this time arrives, by building a large house in Colombia and having no mortgage, and storing plenty of food and water and goods to last many years, and also having solar panels to give power to my house and also my electric vehicle. So I don’t really need to work anymore, and can dedicate my time from here onwards to continue teaching others regarding the Torah and these times, and helping others in these difficult times that are approaching, and giving food to the poor and the homeless. But if you believe what I have said and believe the scriptures and support my cause and wish to continue employing me, then surely we can come to some arrangement to pay me at a certain amount of gold or silver or food per hour. If not, no worries, and may God spare you from what’s about to happen in the world.
If you wish to remain in touch with me, at a personal level, and discuss my journey and discuss more about God and these end times prophecies, I can be reached at my contact information below.
One last thing, please do forgive my short notice. I normally always leave at least a 2 week notice before I leave any company, but these are unusual circumstances and unusual times.
Regards, Christian Gaviria
submitted by Terrible_Push6880 to Christianity [link] [comments]


2024.05.12 22:48 evilrari New Rule List for 2024 (Please Read Before Posting to the Sub)

Our community is under new moderation, u/OwenPi and myself are here to deliver a safe and cohesive sub-reddit in which you can peruse through for all of your drum kit needs, without worry of viruses, legal ramifications, scams, so on and so forth. The old rules made by the old mods are really outdated and don't cover a lot of ground, so here is a new and improved set of rules for your consideration.
-No Copyright/Trademark Infringement or Piracy (This includes uploads from Splice)
-Original content (No reposts)
-Clear titles (Avoid excessive symbols/cluttered titles. Ideally label drum kits so users know what they're in store for style-wise)
-Drum kits for use in digital audio workstations only. This sub isn't for anything related to physical drum kits.
-Kits should be royalty free, you can ask for credit if you really want, but don't expect it.
-Links to your Discord and Telegram are unacceptable, especially when they are disguised as drum kit downloads (it's fine to include them with an actual drum kit)
-Post quality samples (Lo-fidelity is fine, but unusable samples will be removed)
-No loop kits (Your drum kit can have loops, but should be secondary to the drums, but do not post a loop-only kit, there's other subs for that) https://www.reddit.com/loopkits/
-No preset packs (again, there's other subs for that) (Can't find any that I can endorse in this capacity though as everyone I have found for whatever reason has pirated kits or otherwise)
-No spam of any kind
-No trading drum kits
-Post free to download drum kits only (again, only drum-kits that you have the right to share, legally)
-No inquiry posts (Looking for ___ Drum kit, does anyone have ____, Where can I find the ____ kit, etc.)
-Self promo within the confines of your kit is ok. Feel free to *include* a text file with links to your socials or storefront or whatever, but do not post these links on the sub itself.
-I scan kits for viruses when I can, any malicious content, whether you were privvy to it or not will absolutely not be tolerated and will result in a permanent ban. If you are unsure, first ensure that you are allowed to share the drumkit, because that probably means you didn't make it yourself, then secondly run a scan to prevent this from happening.
Any comments, questions, concerns, suggestions, so on and so forth will be answered promptly via mod-mail. (Although please refrain from asking the mods things like "where is this kit from 3+ years ago" I don't know, we aren't omniscient when it comes to drumkits, or in general for that matter.) You may reply directly to this thread if it doesn't get automatically locked. You may also message me (u/evilrari) directly if you so wish. This is a community with a lot of potential, and I do not want to see it go to waste. I am here to help however I can. I truly hope that you all enjoy your time spent on the sub, or at the very least, find what you are looking for as safely and efficiently as possible.
(Side note, our Auto-Mod is seemingly pretty strict, a testament to how lazy the old mods were, I am constantly reversing removal decisions on the bot's part, but if something you post gets removed and you don't believe it to be in violation of the rules, please notify us immediately. If I can figure out how to get it to stop giving flat-out disrespectful replies I will also, but it will usually at least give you some sort of explanation as to why your post was removed, just something to keep in mind.)
submitted by evilrari to Drumkits [link] [comments]


2024.05.12 22:16 KyleKKent OOCS, Into A Wider Galaxy, Part 001

Reminder! We're taking a temporary break from the last arc as The Inevitable gets fully introduced, then it's back to our regularly scheduled madness.
~First~
The Dauntless
The man he sees is of Asian descent and at the age where age is starting to hit him, but clearly has hit back hard enough that it’s backed off.
“Good to meet you Admiral...?” Admiral Cistern attempts and the man’s naturally narrow eyes narrow further.
“I am no Admiral. Until we determine precisely what has happened we will be working rather closely however. I am Observer Damian Wu. Your actions have necessitated the creation of an entirely new posting. Congratulations.” Observer Wu says.
“So they believe me?”
“The governments of Earth are uncertain. However the private and properly encrypted confirmation of implicitly trusted soldiers coupled with the samples and eyewitness testimonies of the first group has bought you time.”
“Time, time for what precisely?”
“Time for me to see. The Accounts of Sir Masterson, Mister Engel and several others have raised very interesting points. Furthermore having numerous agents sent back de-aged as punishment for failing a simple operation was... eye opening. To say nothing of the intact cadavers and entire barge of wealth.” Observer Wu says before there is a sudden thump behind him and an old woman in a stern charcoal grey outfit walks into view.
Her eyes are the same size, but there is the impression that one, or the other, is bulging out of her skull as she glares at them. She licks her teeth and for a moment there is the impression of a forest of iron nails protruding from her gums. But no. Just the yellowed teeth of a senior citizen.
“Madam Stepanova. Has anyone ever said it’s good to see you again?” Admiral Cistern asks.
“Not for months, and don’t you dare break that streak.”
“Good to see you again!” Herbert immediately chimes up. He gets the full glare.
“... I see Philip has gone out of his way to finish up with you.”
“Not just me!” Herbert chirps.
“I was to ask about the child.” Observer Wu notes plainly.
“I’m in my thirties. Advanced healing techniques also de-ages the subject. When it was still relatively unknown to use on humans I was hit with it the first time and lost over half my physical age. The second time it was much more refined, but the sheer damage I took meant I still was damn near forced backwards through puberty. As it stands I’m just barely on the edge of the first growth spurt.” Herbert says before saluting. “As it stands I am Intelligence Operative and Administrator Herbert Jameson, I’ve also earned the alien honours of Huntsman and Grand Patriarch for my efforts across multiple worlds.”
“I see, you were mentioned in the reports. A hundred brides?”
“Yes sir.”
“And openly living in the embassy of another political entity.”
“My wives and children are citizens there, and through marriage and fatherhood so am I.”
“I suppose congratulations are in order then.” Observer Wu says. “Now then, your information package including a warning about a political firestorm currently raging across the planet upon which you now stand. What has happened?”
“Operative Jameson discovered an absurdly large cache of an obscenely rare and dangerous material during a routine observation mission. The sheer rarity of the substance, coupled with the horrific method of it’s manufacture was so severe we had to share it with numerous other organizations. Which has led to a quiet panic across the entire planet, as of this moment there are...” Admiral Cistern checks his communicator. “Seventy four active conflicts my forces are aiding in quelling.”
“I see. It is severe enough that the entire planet is on alert?”
“It is severe enough that the living goddess of a major religion is perhaps moments away from declaring a crusade.” Admiral Cistern returns.
That revelation takes a moment to process.
“I see things have gotten rather exciting.”
“They have. Much of which I do not care to discuss across intergalactic communications. They’re far to easy to hack in my opinion.”
“Are they?”
“I assume that any communications I do not have in person as public information. I would recommend a similar outlook on operational security, our capacity to keep out spies and bugs is limited to the physical or direct messages, mail or recordigns on isolated devices.” Admiral Cistern says and Observer Wu nods.
“Prudent. Now this...” He begins before someone starts speaking very quickly in Korean. “Really? Then put them on screen. Let’s see them.”
Admiral Cistern has time to only raise an eyebrow before a screen opens in the call and the image of Lady Ticanped can be seen smiling at the camera. “Good. There you are. You received the proper payment I take it? Have your governments honoured their side of the bargain?”
“It is an unusual bargain to have a fortune placed in orbit of our world with a message of what is wanted in exchange.” Observer Wu notes.
“If there were any other method of having my wishes known, I would have used it.”
“How many people have been in contact with Earth?” Admiral Cistern asks as his mind whirls.
“A fair few I’d wager. We cannot enter ourselves, but that does not preclude us from sending care packages or making special requests. We know where your world is, and can easily calculate all the trajectories required to safely put an automated ship in orbit of your Earth.” Lady Ticanped says. “Now... did you bring them? Did they accept?”
“... They did.” Observer Wu states. “It also inspired numerous of our governments to send... other such individuals.”
“... I’m not sure I appreciate being left out of the loop.” Admiral Cistern says, he’s fairly certain of what’s coming. But he doesn’t want to voice such hopes.
“Your sons. Edward and Peter. And I presume other family members?”
“Some others yes. A few declined but sent personalized messages. We had to reduce the number of soldiers on this ship to ensure we had room for the packages, messages and passengers.” Observer Wu states before grinning. “It’s being used as a test to the viability of shuttling people out of Human Territory. Incidentally, if you are indeed the August Speaker of the Council...”
“I am.” Lady Ticanped preens.
“She is.” Admiral Cistern confirms.
“Then I would like to note, before I arrive on Centris officially. That Earth and her governments has declared all of Cruel Space as it’s Sovereign Territory and lay claim to all mining, salvaging and colonial rights within the reach of The Natural Null Repository.”
“You will not find opposition to such a proclamation. I assure you.” Lady Ticanped says.
“Good, because the first hints of colonization have begun. The ship designs that were sent to us are being tested and the rail system to place things in orbit is being upgraded as we speak.” Observer Wu notes. “But that is neither here nor there. We are here, we intend to investigate things further so we can finally and conclusively confirm things one way or the other. So until then, I have a distraction for you.”
“You know, stating that something is a distraction isn’t the best of...” Admiral Cistern begins to chide Observer Wu before the man steps to the side to show two people entering The Inevitable’s Bridge. “Edward? Peter?”
Herbert almost smiles as he’s forced to think as fast as he wants to move. He claps his hands and gets the attention of the bridge.
“I think we can afford the admiral a few minutes alone with his sons, don’t you all!” He says and people start to stand. Observer Wu looks suddenly off balance. “No not like that! Observer Wu my good man! Perhaps you could escort the young men to your own office to let them speak to the Admiral as he returns to his own office? After all, a reunion between father and sons is a special thing I think we’ll agree.”
“We have important business to attend to.”
“Then why bring in a distraction?” Herbert asks with a disarming laugh. “Everyone sit back down, good grief. Transfer the stream to the Admiral’s office please! Come on people, we’re professionals here!”
•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•
“You are every inch his student.” Madam Stepanova states plainly and Herbert beams at her. “Stop that, I will find a way to whack you from this distance.”
“Just jot a note down and I’m sure you’ll get all your recreational caning out of the way. Although my wives are certain to be upset with you if you take up the fun time.” Herbert sends back.
“I wonder if you’ll stay this brave when I’m in shooting distance.” She asks and he imagines that if it were only thing glass between them a gun would be out to emphasize the point.
“... Theoretically, if you get the math right, I am.” He glibly notes.
“It’s a bit on the easy side to dodge a shot that takes so long that the post would be quicker.”
“Sad but true, imagine if we could though, oh man assassinations would be easy.” Herbert remarks.
“Artillery are not assassination weapons.” She chides him.
“Anything can be an assassination weapon.” He counters.
“That’s Sir Philip speaking.”
“I am his student.” Herbert remarks.
“Yes you are.” She says with narrowed eyes. Then there is a smirk. “How is that girl doing by the way? His other student?”
“Currently? She’s keeping dozens of potential hot zones from heating up. Saving time, lives and money.” Herbert says.
“Good. At least one of you is doing something useful.”
“Well if her majesty wasn’t demanding so much of my attention I would be heading a massive investigation and defensive action. But some people need personal handling.” Herbert replies. “But that’s neither here nor there, my Streams are hard at work keeping things together. Besides, I’ve reached the waiting portion of today’s operation. My data analysts need to earn their paychecks after all. It’s good for the soul.”
“I see... Tell me boy, that title... What is a Grand Patriarch?”
“It means that an entire species has been shaped by me. That I’ve reached out and changed the very course of a people’s history. I have primed the Jallick Birds to speak to each other. To share their thoughts beyond basic hunting cries or mating rituals.”
“... So you basically taught birds to talk? Like parrots?”
“No, like teaching crows to have an actual conversation. Not mimic, speak.” He says.
“And I suppose you did this out of the goodness of your heart in between shifts while waving the union jack like a good pawn of Philip’s?”
“Actually I was outright forced into a family vacation by Grand Huntmistress and Grand Matriarch Yzma. My grandmother in law and living legend. She was curious about humanity and it was her way of poking at us to see what would happen. She liked it.” He says. “Of course, most people who get to multiple thousands of years of age are either obscenely rich, storied or skilled. Side effect of all that experience isn’t it granny?”
“If you want me to skin you with a rusted spoon just say so.” Madam Stepanova states.
“I want you to try.” Herbert challenges and there is a slight flicker of approval.
“And give you that much of my attention? Are you trying to stop me from doing my job?” She asks.
“Depends entirely on what your job is.”
“And that depends on your job.”
“You know what it is.”
“So it hasn’t changed since I departed? Field man being groomed for command?”
“Field man who takes numerous shifts of command. Oh, and my Identity as Private Stream is very, very widely used now as a low profile field agent. In fact we have a whole army of what appear to be child soldiers but are in fact assassins and bodyguards of the highest order.”
“And what’s the difference between the assassin and bodyguard variants?” Madam Stepanova asks as she smiles despite herself.
“A single lawful order.” He says and the very slight smile widens. She really liked that.
“Good.” She says before scanning the bridge. “There are several non-humans among your bridge crew. Are they properly vetted?”
“They are.”
“Are you certain?”
“I am.” He says with narrowing eyes.
“Really?”
“Madam Stepanova. You have not been sworn in as any part of this organization and are not currently on loan to us. Any further inquiry into our hiring standards, practices and the like are going to be met with refusal from this point.”
“Good. You let me in too far as is boy.”
“Nonsense, I gave you enough to form entirely inaccurate conclusions while still remaining accommodating and polite before our hacker audience.” Herbert says examining his fingernails. “Now, is there anything else?”
“Where is Sir Philip?”
“His loan period to us expired. He’s off following his additional orders. And no, I officially do not know what those orders entail.” Herbert says and Madam Stepanova’s smile widens ever so.
“A hunt then? Good.” She says. “I look forward to it.”
“The eyes of Mother Russia?”
“I do not answer to you boy. But I am no enemy and will occasionally be on loan.” She says and he nods.
“Good to know, unfortunately you’re not technically on loan to us yet as you’re still a week, perhaps two away.”
“Yes, which means I do not have to tell you about the passengers or the like.” She replies and his eyebrow goes up as a woman who had been scheming in life or death situations before he was even conceived and never actually stopping tries to bait him.
“No you don’t.” He concedes instead and her eyes narrow. Now the game truly begins.
~First~ Last Next
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2024.05.12 18:44 Joshh170 Games With The Most Impressive Graphics (long read)

Games With The Most Impressive Graphics (long read)
As video games have continued to grow and evolve as both entertainment and art, the games just keep looking better and better. If someone is playing on a high-end PC or the average console, it's hard not to notice when a game stands out a bit more than the rest.
Whether it is the highest fidelity graphics or just a gorgeous art style (or both), games that look good usually also play well. If that much time gets spent in the graphics department they must have something good elsewhere. Here are the games with the best graphics out there.
Updated on May 12, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Two recently-released games deserve to be spotlighted. One is the latest entry in a long-running JRPG franchise, while the other is a new IP from a Korean studio.
Note:
A few criteria/things to keep in mind:
This article focuses on modern releases and a few post-2000s projects rather than classics from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Genesis, and PS1 eras. As important and industry-pushing as the latter were, visually they are too different from modern releases to compare them.
The games are only loosely ranked since graphical styles vary so much from project to project, and personal preference plays a part.
A 2016 game might be ranked higher than a 2024 one because the former was more impressive when it debuted, even if the latter technically looks better.
1)Lords Of The Fallen Unreal Engine 5 Is Here
Epic's Unreal Engine 5 was introduced in 2020, instantly garnering hype for what it could mean for the industry's future. In 2023, a few notable games that utilize the engine were finally released, presenting early examples of its potential. Remnant 2 and Immortals of Aveum are both visually impressive, and the same could be said for ARK: Survival Ascended.
However, at the moment, Lords of the Fallen is probably the most gorgeous UE5 game, although that could change once titles like Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 are released. While not without its issues, the Soulslike game's graphics are certainly not among them. Axiom is a vast and stunning hellscape, one that has quite a bit of variety. The game's lighting and animations are consistently top-notch too.
2)Bright Memory: Infinite A One-Person Team
Games and their visuals cannot be analyzed in a vacuum. Context and expectations shape somebody's reaction to an experience, and that is certainly the case with Bright Memory: Infinite. Developed by a single developer, Zeng Xiancheng, this first-person shooter originally debuted in 2020 as Bright Memory, a concept that was expanded for a full release in July 2022. While the overall game has plenty of issues, its graphics are undeniably impressive, comparing favorably with higher-budget titles.
There are plenty of gorgeous indie titles, but the vast majority succeed because they do not try to emulate AAA projects. They strive to do their own thing. Bright Memory: Infinite does the exact opposite, and the game proves that it can be done well.
3)Hi-Fi Rush Burst Of Colour
Announced and released out of nowhere, Hi-Fi Rush was perhaps 2023's greatest surprise. Tango Gameworks' action game blends hack and slash combat with rhythm-based mechanics, rewarding players for adhering to the beat. Set in a corporate city run by Vandelay Technologies, the title brings to life a vibrant and bustling metropolis filled with unique buildings and NPCs.
As the campaign is linear, Hi-Fi Rush focuses on creating cool environments and backdrops, two things the game absolutely nails. Quite a few stages are predominantly set within samey corridors and indoor areas, but whenever the action heads outside, Hi-Fi Rush really comes alive.
4)Okami HD An Animated Painting
There aren't many games that have been able to graphically stand the test of time as well as Okami has. Originally released in 2006 on consoles like the PlayStation 2 and Wii, Okami was able to take advantage of its timeless style to make the most out of the hardware it was on.
However, playing Okami on those consoles today shows just how much the original systems were holding it back, which is where the HD version comes in. On the PS4 and Switch, Okami's classical Japanese art style looks absolutely stunning in just about every area of the game.
5)Heavenly Sword Motion Capture Showcase
Most of Ninja Theory's bigger games boast stellar visuals and character designs, however, Heavenly Sword gets the nod because it was the studio's first proper graphical showcase. More impressively, the early PS3 game still looks beautiful today, an achievement that should be largely credited to the project's use of motion capture technology.
The cut-scenes steal the show and could easily pass for a mid-budget animated flick, with Andy Serkis' performance as King Bohan ranking among the best in any era of gaming. During gameplay, Heavenly Sword is also a treat for the eyes and senses, particularly in its lavish environments.
6)Killzone: Mercenary Console Quality On A Handheld System
Regardless of their quality, all the Killzone games are graphical showcases. Despite being a launch title, 2013's Shadow Fall is still among the most visually impressive games on the PS4. As stunning as Guerrilla's mainline entries are, Killzone: Mercenary deserves a special mention due to its hardware.
The PS Vita was and still is a reasonably powerful handheld device, one that could replicate home console visuals to a certain extent. No other title highlighted the console's graphical potential better than Killzone: Mercenary, an FPS that would not have looked out of place on the PS3 or even as a budget PS4 project. The fact it is also a decent game does not hurt either.
7)Super Mario Odyssey It Is Not Always About Realism Or Processing Power
While combining "Nintendo Switch game" with "best graphics" might seem weird, it's hard to argue that Super Mario Odyssey doesn't make the most of the console's limited processing power. With a combination of stylized art and impressive HD, Mario explores several gorgeous landscapes that might inspire players to sit back and think about how far things have come.
Nintendo has always used fantastical art styles to produce charming and timeless games that don't break the bank on processing. Mario has never looked this good, and sequences like the New Donk City music festival allow the game to shine.
8)Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League For All Its Faults, The Graphics Are Not One Of Them
All of Rocksteady's games push the envelope in terms of visuals, and 2015's Arkham Knight still boasts the most impressive rendition of Gotham in gaming. Its visuals have aged magnificently, and the gameplay is fantastic, even if the overall project is not quite on the same level as Arkham Asylum or Arkham City. After an 8-year wait, Rocksteady made its comeback with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League; unfortunately, the Arkhamverse spin-off garnered a very mixed reception. Focusing on looter shooter action in an attempt to be a live-service experience, Suicide Squad is a fairly confused project that does not seem to play to Rocksteady's strengths.
While many elements warrant criticism, and it can be tempting to dismiss the entire project, the game is not without positives. If nothing else, the graphics are generally top-notch, particularly when it comes to the cutscenes and character designs. When the action gets going, the screen can get rather muddled, but it is not devoid of visual flare either. For all its faults, Suicide Squad certainly looks like a proper AAA project.
9)Halo: Reach A Series That Always Pushed Console Graphics To Their Limits
In truth, Reach could be regarded as a stand-in for Halo in general as Microsoft's franchise is consistently pushing console visuals to their limits. In terms of art style, Halo 4 certainly has its fans; when it comes to graphical prowess, Halo 5 and Infinite are unsurprisingly a step above their predecessors. However, Halo: Reach perfected the series' iconic aesthetic of Bungie's era, ensuring the latter's time with the license ended on a high note.
Nowadays, Reach looks its best in The Master Chief Collection, which enhances the visuals in a few subtle but notable ways. That said, the Xbox 360 version holds up well after all these years.
10)Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot At Times, Looks (Much) Better Than The Anime
It wasn't until fairly recently that video games hit the graphical fidelity necessary to be able to fully translate animated shows and films into live gameplay, with recent Dragon Ball games being the most shining examples. 2018's Dragon Ball FighterZ was able to take a page out of Guilty Gear's book to make a stunning 2.5D experience, but gorgeous, fully 3D anime games were still a rarity.
Until Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was released, that is. Taking the Toriyama characters and landscapes that fans know and love, Kakarot turns them into stunning 3D models with some of the most impressive animations and visual effects around.
11)Lego Star Wars: Skywalker Saga Detailed & Beautiful
Lego projects might not be as graphically intensive as games with realistic visuals, but they have a unique and clean aesthetic that generally complements their gameplay and tone. Although the franchise's IP adaptations are consistently pleasing to the eyes, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga exists on a whole other level. Covering all the main episodes in the sci-fi film series, the game beautifully recreates some of the most iconic locations in Star Wars, creating worlds that are expansive and detailed.
Undoubtedly the most ambitious Lego title, The Skywalker Saga is the full package, and Traveller's Tales' hard work is evident throughout the experience. While very much designed with younger players in mind, die-hard fans are likely to have a blast regardless of their age; in fact, people who are just searching for an action-adventure romp should check this release out.
12)Golden Sun A Gorgeous World To Take On The Go
In terms of raw power, the Game Boy Advance has nothing on the Nintendo DS, let alone something like the Switch; however, that does not mean the classic console's library is devoid of gorgeous games. Golden Sun is a turn-based JRPG set in Weyard, a fantasy world that is refreshingly diverse in terms of environments.
Largely experienced from a top-down perspective, Golden Sun looks like most other old-school JRPGs found on the GBA or SNES, just with its graphics maximized to their full potential. Camelot instilled every town and dungeon with color and personality, while battles come to life with a flurry of effects that are dazzling to behold.
13)South Park: The Fractured But Whole Looks Exactly Like The Show
When adapting an established property to a different medium, concessions usually need to be made. However, exceptions do exist, and South Park: The Fractured but Whole managed to perfectly replicate the show's aesthetic. The RPG looks and sounds exactly like Trey Parker and Matt Stone's legendary animated series, permitting fans to immerse themselves in this world like never before.
Even removed from that context, The Fractured but Whole's visuals are detailed, expressive, and clean. Authenticity did not come at the cost of quality.
14)Shadow Of The Colossus (2018) Majesty In Gaming Form
For the most part, this article focuses on modern games rather than titles that were graphical showcases when they debuted. Shadow of the Colossus both follows this rule and is also an exception; while the PS2 version looks dated, the visuals still retain that same sense of wonder and scale that they had when the game originally came out in 2005.
Bluepoint Games' 2018 remake gives Team Ico's classic a modern makeover, and traversing the Forbidden Land in search of majestic colossi remains as haunting of an experience as it was in the PS2 era.
15)Stellar Blade More Than Just Eve
In the lead-up to its release, Stellar Blade's marketing heavily advertised Eve, its AI protagonist, and her wardrobe. Attractive characters being used to sell projects is nothing new, but their heavy promotion usually suggests a lack of trust in the rest of the game's quality.
Surprisingly, Stellar Blade proved to be way more than just its main character. Shift Up created an exciting action game with Soulslike combat (along with hack and slash influence) that also features surprisingly expansive zones that allow for exploration, side quests, and environmental storytelling. Considering it was created by a smallish studio compared to other PS5 first-party titles, Stellar Blade compares favorably to most of Sony's heavyweights, and it is among the best-looking Unreal Engine 4 games of all time. In fact, it could be confused for Unreal Engine 5.
16)Persona 5 Royal Oozes Style
As hundreds of games use an anime aesthetic, they start to blend together if they do not inject enough personality into their presentations. Persona 5 Royal does not have this issue. Everything about the game screams "stylish," and that holds true for the social sim and dungeon crawling sections of the campaign. The latter take place in diverse Palaces that are generally vibrant, lively, and gorgeous.
The visuals also do a lot of heavy lifting during battles, elevating what is a rather unspectacular turn-based combat system. Outside of Palaces, P5R unleashes players on a small but dense variant of Tokyo, one brimming with tiny details that enhance the experience.
Note:
Persona 3 Reload is quite a looker as well, although its single-dungeon setup restricts variety when compared to Persona 5 Royal 's Palaces.
17)The Last Of Us 2 Gritty Realism & Tremendous Performances
Naughty Dog's games are always on the cutting edge graphically. 2016's Uncharted 4: A Thief's End has barely aged a day since its release, and 2013's The Last of Us was a contender for the most visually impressive game of the seventh generation. Therefore, unsurprisingly, the studio's latest offering, The Last of Us 2, is a powerhouse in the graphics department.
This action-adventure game features realistic visuals and grounded performances courtesy of Naughty Dog using performance capture. Whether players are viewing a rare quiet moment or crawling in the mud to avoid a Clicker, The Last of Us 2 looks incredible. The 2024 remaster enhances the base version even further.
18)Gears 5 Weather Effects & Environments
The newly titled Gears 5 takes a series that has always looked good and elevates it to the next level. The game's campaign takes place across a wide variety of environments, from a jungle early on to a snowy tundra and red desert landscape.
The snowy tundra and red desert are also the locations for the game's more open exploration sections, giving a chance to explore and take in all the scenery. Gears 5's cutscenes are also gorgeous and the high fidelity extends into all the game's other modes.
19)Assassin's Creed Odyssey Packed With Stunning Vistas
Assassin's Creed Odyssey earns its subtitle over the 60-plus hours it takes to mainline the story; in the meantime, players get to appreciate and take in the beauty of Ancient Greece. While the environments don't vary a ton from Assassin's Creed Origins, the extra trees and seas make for some spectacular views.
With the viewpoints, Odyssey never hesitates to point out just how magnificent it looks. Most of the main characters and side characters also look great, which is impressive based on the quantity.
20)Hades Personality & Vibrancy
Supergiant Games has put together some of the greatest indie releases of all time, and the studio's crowning achievement is Hades. The roguelike follows Zagreus' repeated attempts to make the journey from the Underworld to Mount Olympus, a task that proves to be anything but simple for Hades' son.
Hades' visuals are vibrant, thematically consistent, and lively. The game's environments and characters are soaked in mythology and personality, while the particle effects are fantastic and impactful. The only negative is that sometimes there is a bit too much happening on screen.
Note:
Hades 2 arguably looks better than its predecessor, but it is still a work in progress at the moment.
21)Cuphead Perfectly Mimics Classic Cartoons
A unique and eye-catching art style is often more important than sheer graphical prowess, and Cuphead might be the best demonstration of this point. Inspired by cartoons of old, Studio MDHR created a game that uses stunning and dynamic hand-drawn animation to bring to life a colorful world and the beings that exist within it.
Even though they do not get much in the way of backstory, Cuphead utilizes its presentation to get across the personalities of each boss. The art style is also consistent throughout the campaign, allowing for a coherent experience despite most of the characters boasting designs that share very little in common.
22)Horizon Forbidden West Scale & Quality
Guerrilla Games somehow managed to outdo Horizon Zero Dawn with its sequel, despite the latter still coming out on the PS4 alongside the console's successor. Horizon Forbidden West finds Aloy exploring a new area of this setting, one specifically inspired by states and cities like California and San Francisco. The result is a gorgeous and vast world packed with lush natural environments that are home to intricate mechanical beasts.
Like most open-world games, Horizon Forbidden West does not always look absolutely fantastic, but its high points are so impressive that they make the more forgettable moments forgivable. While still a beautiful game on the PS4, this 2022 release is, unsurprisingly, at its best on the PS5.
23)Ori And The Will Of The Wisps Great Use Of Color & Light
Moon Studios' Ori games are some of the best modern Metroidvanias, and they knock it out of the park in nearly every area. They tell emotional storylines that succeed in fostering not only a connection between the audience and the silent eponymous character but also the world they live in. Gameplay-wise, both games have precise and challenging platforming, while Will of the Wisps also introduces combat to the mix. Although a touch polarizing, the latter nevertheless adds an extra dimension to the overall package.
Last but not least, Ori and its sequel are both visually enchanting. The games' use of color might be among the best in the entire industry, and each environment is a work of art. In the world of side-scrollers, not many projects compare favorably to Ori and the Will of the Wisps in any department, including graphics.
24)Demon's Souls (2020) A Beautiful Hell
As mesmerizing as Elden Ring's visuals can be at times, the game's open-world design means they are spread a bit thin; conversely, 2020's Demon's Souls remake consists of almost nothing but stunning areas. Rife with deadly creatures, haunting architecture, and intimidating landscapes, Boletaria is a gorgeous nightmare of a kingdom that is equally likely to leave players in awe or fear.
As a launch title for the PS5, Demon's Souls served as something of a tech demo for the hardware, showing what the next-gen console could accomplish. This is a game that could not exist on the PS4, and even more than 18 months into the PS5's life, Demon's Souls still has some of the best graphics on the system.
25)Ghost Of Tsushima Immersive Open-World
Gazing across Ghost of Tsushima's rendition of the Japanese archipelago is quite the sight to behold, as this highly anticipated title has some breathtaking scenery. Tsushima's main graphical focus is on its world, which ends up feeling just as alive as the characters that inhabit it.
The way cherry blossom petals flow in the highly stylized wind, how the sunset illuminates the beautiful countryside, and the many vibrant colors that contrast the violent gameplay make for one beautiful game.
26)Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Pixar Quality
Similar to 2016's Ratchet & Clank, Rift Apart's animation is on a whole other level. The franchise's most recent entries tend to be compared to Pixar's movies, which is about as high of praise as any game can receive. Utilizing the full power of the PS5, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart matches top-tier cutscenes with gameplay sections that are packed with detail, moving parts, and depth.
Insomniac created lavish and dense worlds that all have unique flavors that make them exciting to explore. When the action gets going and Ratchet or Rivet scoop up bolts, Rift Apart is as smooth as butter.
Note:
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is also visually stunning and represents Insomniac at its best. Rift Apart merits the nod due to being among the first PS5 projects to showcase the console's graphical potential, but Spider-Man 2 is as good-looking of an open-world game as they come.
27)Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch Ghibli Quality
Except for Square Enix, Level-5 is arguably the most consistent JRPG developer in terms of visuals. Yo-kai Watch, Dragon Quest 8, and Dark Cloud 2 are all gorgeous, and the latter's art styles are timeless. Level-5's graphical masterpiece is undoubtedly 2013's Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, although the developer got some help as the game's cutscenes were handled by Studio Ghibli.
The anime studio is well-known for its lavish cinematic productions, and Wrath of the White Witch replicates Ghibli's iconic style splendidly. Even if the cutscenes were ignored, Ni no Kuni would still rank among the PS3's most beautiful games.
28)Resident Evil 2 (2019) – Represents All Modern Resident Evil Games A Remake Done Right
Years of remasters and rereleases have cemented the idea that old games can look better than they did, but not as good as modern ones. Capcom rebuilding Resident Evil 2 from the ground up makes it a modern video game, a fantastic one at that. Leon and Claire have never looked this good and neither have the zombies and monsters terrorizing Raccoon City.
The police station and underground lab look nearly life-like and every scare in the game is extra terrifying with how detailed the monsters are. Even Tyrant looks awesome, in his own terrifying way.
Note:
Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 also look fantastic, but RE2 received the nod as it was the first of Capcom's stint of recent remakes. Resident Evil Village is also stunning.
29)Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) The World At The Player's Fingertips
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a jaw-dropping achievement. The flight sim grants players access to the world, allowing them to plan and take trips to Earth's highest mountains, hottest deserts, and greatest metropolises. The game's scope is impressive, and this ambition is more than matched by its technical prowess.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is arguably the most realistic game of all time, with both the planes and locations authentically mirroring their real-life counterparts to the smallest detail.
30)God Of War (2018) & Ragnarok (2022) A New Era, A New Look
Nothing against the previous installments of God of War, which are all technical showcases in their own right, but the soft reboot of the 2018 sequel and its successor are not only different but also more gorgeous. Exploring the Norse lands to soak up this universe's mythology is spectacular for a number of reasons, including the fact that everything looks great.
God of War captures Kratos and Atreus in a way that gives depth to the former not experienced in previous installments. Unsurprisingly, God of War: Ragnarok maintains the high quality set by its predecessor. Graphically, the sequel does not offer a huge leap forward, but that is a testament to God of War's beauty rather than a criticism of Ragnarok​​​​​.
31)The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Pushes The Switch To Its Absolute Limit
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom boast vibrant art styles that bring Hyrule to life like never before. However, if someone were to focus on the minute details, they might notice reused or flat textures along with large stretches of empty real estate containing nothing but maybe two enemies and a couple of apples. Compared to some other open-world projects, Nintendo's releases might not be that impressive; however, considering the Switch's underpowered hardware, both games are technical marvels.
Tears of the Kingdom gets the nod as it has more content than Breath of the Wild thanks to the implementation of Sky Islands and the Depths. Pushing the Switch to its absolute limit, the sequel delivers one of the most complete and expansive open-world adventures of all time.
32)The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt A Dark Fantasy Masterpiece In Nearly Every Way
Known for being one of the greatest games ever made, CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3 is phenomenal for numerous reasons. Not all the monsters or gruff characters are a joy to look at because they aren't meant to be, but the sprawling landscapes are constantly killer.
While the console versions look great (not including the Switch port, which is nonetheless impressive in its own right), The Witcher 3 on PC can hit graphical levels that are almost beyond understanding. The game is worth playing for a ton of reasons besides graphics, but looking good is always a plus. The bathtub scene is worth the price of entry alone.
On the right system, Cyberpunk 2077 is also one of the best-looking games ever .
33)A Plague Tale: Requiem A Proper Current-Gen Experience
As the ninth console generation picks up steam, more games will debut that raise the bar for graphics, at least on Sony and Microsoft's hardware. A Plague Tale: Requiem is one of the first games to truly come across as a current-gen experience, an achievement aided by Asobo Studio's decision to not produce PS4 and Xbox One versions.
Boasting brilliant facial animations and photo-realistic visuals, Requiem is awe-inspiring on a technical level. While 2019's Innocence is also a pretty game, Requiem far exceeds its predecessor in this department, particularly when it comes to the presentation of the rats.
34)Forza Horizon 5 Mexico At The Player's Fingertips
As long as Forza games continue to be made they will continue to be the best-looking games on the market. Forza Horizon 5 isn't just one of the greatest racing games of the last few years, but one of the most gorgeous titles to ever be released for Xbox.
While Forza Horizon 4's British setting resulted in slightly homogenous environments, the sequel's Mexico map is far more diverse, offering 11 biomes that showcase different aspects of the country. While the game looks good on the Xbox One, Forza Horizon 5 is unbelievably gorgeous on PC and the Xbox Series X.
35)Alan Wake 2 Cinematic Quality
Alan Wake 2 was a long time coming, and the sequel managed to live up to some rather lofty expectations while catering to both returning fans and new players. Split across two campaigns, the story follows Saga as she investigates a murder case that leads her to an unsettling American town with a peculiar populace. In the meantime, Alan finds himself trying to escape the Dark Place, a haunting realm that twists reality into something menacing but familiar.
Although complementary, the two storylines still feel different from each other, and that extends to their detailed and realistic locations. Alan Wake 2 is a technical work of art built using Remedy's own Northlight Engine, which is also responsible for the equally impressive Control and Quantum Break.
36)Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Ambitious, Epic, & Gorgeous
Generally, most JRPG franchises tend to trail behind other AAA properties in terms of graphics; however, the one constant exception is Final Fantasy. In most generations, Square Enix produces one or two games that push consoles to their limits – Final Fantasy 6 for the SNES, Final Fantasy 7 and 8 for the PS1, Final Fantasy 12 for the PS2, Final Fantasy 13 for the PS3, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake for the PS4. On the PS5, Final Fantasy 16 and Rebirth are both visually stunning, but the latter gets the nod due to its open-world nature, making for a more impressive final product.
Set after Cloud and company leave Midgar, Rebirth emphasizes this story's world-spanning nature and scale in a way that could not be done with the 1997 original. Even if the open-world filler content might not be to everyone's tastes, the game is consistently gorgeous, and each region of the map has a unique identity that keeps things interesting. The character and enemy models are unsurprisingly flawless, and they are accompanied by high-quality visual effects that are regularly showcased during the fast-paced combat.
37)Half-Life: Alyx The Future Of Gaming?
After more than a decade, Valve finally returned to the Half-Life franchise, albeit with a prequel/sequel rather than a proper third entry. Also, Half-Life: Alyx is a VR game, presumably designed to get people interested in Valve's Index headset. Dropping players in City 17, Alyx not only serves as a showcase of VR technology but is also a proper, substantial addition to the beloved series.
Half-Life: Alyx arguably features the most detailed world in gaming history, and, thanks to virtual reality, one of the most immersive. Although most of the game takes place in underground areas filled with brilliantly designed environments and enemies, Half-Life: Alyx's presentation goes up another level whenever the story heads to the surface.
38)Red Dead Redemption 2 An Era Captured Fully
Red Dead Redemption 2 is arguably the game with the best graphics of all time, although Rockstar's GTA 5 and L.A. Noire would not be bad shouts either. RDR2 is practically a movie due to how detailed and impressive all the NPCs and landscapes look on both consoles and PC.
Not only does every single frame of this adventure look photo-realistic, but RDR2 is also incredibly long and players will never get tired of the scenery. Arthur Morgan looks and feels like a real human being, and the same extends to every other character within the game. RDR2 is nothing short of art.
39)Groundbreaking Games From Yesteryear They Set The Standard
While not quite as regular of a phenomenon nowadays, the '80s, '90s, and early 2000s produced plenty of games that represented the next leap in graphical prowess. Titles like Pong, Asteroids, Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 64, Alone in the Dark, Ocarina of Time, Tomb Raider, Mist, Final Fantasy 7, and Grand Theft Auto 3 were all visual showcases that changed the industry.
Even if some of these projects' graphics have not aged extremely well, that does not diminish their accomplishments or importance. And, plenty of these masterpieces have stood the test of time, especially Nintendo's SNES-era releases.
submitted by Joshh170 to GameGeeks [link] [comments]


2024.05.12 17:46 TomA234 ALLSTATE Auto: “What Would You Do?”

Perhaps a passer-by has a good idea. It is a long story, so don’t be bothered unless you have a little extra time today, or want some entertainment or perhaps enlightenment.
Introduction. Have you ever had to deal with an auto insurance company after an accident? Hopefully, your experience was a good one. But, from what I read, some of that here, but mostly elsewhere, it may not have been. Please read carefully. Yes, it is long (1/2 of the max that Reddit allows), but facts are facts and you can’t understand without them. The plot thickens and the direction changes, as the story is told, just as in reality it did for me. Do I need advice? Perhaps, with the question being like the TV Show where John Quiñones asks- “What Would You Do?” If you’ve had a similar experience, tell me about it.
In this situation, the bottom line is that Allstate’s own concerns, policies and procedures, in dealing with my loss, took precedence over the actual loss and my being “made whole”. Simply put: After the accident, Allstate created more loss, and I can do nothing about it. Or can I? What would you do?
So, in Dec. of 2022, I was picking my wife up from work in a small town in PA. I was stopped at a red light waiting for it to change, and was swiftly hit from behind by “man in van with dog as passenger”. WHACK!!! My car was forced into the one in front of me, despite my foot being on the brake, causing the engine to stop, my hood to unlock and bend upwards, the head light and grill to become broken and dislodged, steam to rise from the open hood and something dribbled out underneath. I was stunned. It looked like a real mess. “My car”, was now the one in the middle of the road, smashed and disabled, holding up all the traffic. The car was towed away and in two days I was told by Allstate, whom I did trust at first, that my car was totaled. Certainly, Allstate is an expert at this stuff, right? (My first accident in 40 years.) This began my month long (a little more actually), journey into hell, which no one ever paid for, but me. The car damage was eventually paid, the journey to hell was not. No one was physically hurt, seriously, so that was good. I didn’t get the dog’s opinion.
Bad Hands and Mayhem at Allstate; Was I Abused? This was an unfolding set of unlikely circumstances (one would think), which are best seen and understood in hindsight. At very first, there was an immediate rush to judgment where the adjuster, who had not examined the car, rattled off things that he believed had probably been damaged with my car, and then concluded by guessing, the cost of repair would be too much and a “verbal totaling” of the car was given, or “deemed” as it is called in the industry. He was an expert, so I did not question his conclusion. Damn, I thought. 64,000 miles and I had just bought the car last year after an extensive search. I was immediately given a settlement offer which seemed low, such that I did question and decline it. I needed to research again, and find what records I had, of the value. I had done that not long ago. The adjuster seemed surprised if not annoyed that I did not take his offer. His job was not done.
The car would be towed again to a free location for storage, as the adjuster explained. The cost of leaving the car where it was, was too expensive. He did not disclose, however, that the car would be towed far away (60 miles), to an auto yard which was contracted with Allstate to accept totaled vehicles for auction, dismantling and scrapping, otherwise known as “salvage”.
During these initial stages, unknown by me, there was a lie and sophisticated misleading, in writing, by the Allstate adjuster assigned to my case. After I suggested the value of my car to be higher than Allstate thought, and backing my claim with data, he gave me the following written statement a few days later regarding auto valuations by insurance companies for Pennsylvania: “The process of… vehicle valuation is set forth by the insurance department which specifies a market area of 100 mile radius from your garaging ZIP code. "I have no intention of disregarding a clear mandate from the governmental agency that oversees my license” (12/22). The lie is pretty severe as it is a “blanket” statement, putting up a wall and signaling an end to discussion regarding the distance Allstate uses to establish car values (from comparable transactions with similar cars). However, some people buy cars online and you see it also through eBay and TV advertisements (Carfax, Carvana, Kenan Thompson [Autotrader] etc.). And there certainly are reputable dealers beyond 100 miles of me. Other people I am sure (like me), own cars which are not currently available for sale within 100 miles from where they live. What do they do? So, then comparisons are made with other cars not identical, but that are “similar”, based on someone else’ opinion, and I must accept that???.
I have owned 4 similar station wagons in the past 20 years. My 2nd wagon was from Florida; my “totaled” wagon had recently been purchased in NJ, I am in Pennsylvania, more than 100 miles away from both.
In addition, in the same document, the adjuster wrote that Allstate uses only one approved source for obtaining car values: “…there are only a limited number of sources from which insurers may obtain values for vehicles deemed a total loss. CCC is an approved vendor and the vendor we use exclusively for values.” I took this to mean that there were no other places to obtain values, other than the CCC source he was using, and such a limited use of resource was legal, and he and Allstate could not be challenged. End of argument, without an expensive attorney or solo appearance in front of a judge. Too bad for me. Questioning the adjuster would get me nowhere.
This unfolding set of events was “done to me”, therefore I am suspecting it is done to others, routinely. Or, Allstate does not supervise their adjusters or provide oversight and alternatives if needed when an adjuster goes rogue, which is just as bad. Either way it is a systemic problem convenient to Allstate for limiting payouts. “It”, Allstate’s “oversight and valuation process”, happened to me, and the next four weeks were worse than the accident itself.
A Bit of “Backstory”. I began suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 1988. With MS, you have to do what you can do. Things change, maybe you can do what you have to, maybe you can no longer get it done. You didn’t bargain for it. You adjust as best you can, or give up. MS doesn’t give up. Some people do better than others, for known and unknown reasons. Motivation helps but is often not enough.
  1. Due to difficulty with my leg, having a car lower to the ground is preferable to one where I have to step up into the auto (like an SUV).
  2. A car which loads through the back (like an SUV, but lower) is very helpful as well. As I stated above, the last four cars I have owned since 2004 are Ford Station Wagons (1997, 2000, 2001 and 2002; two from PA, one NJ, one Florida). There is a niche of available used wagons with low miles primarily from estates. They are good condition and affordable, versus a used late model $25,000+ SUV with higher mileage and related high cost, maintenance and insurance.
  3. Being economical is one thing I can do.
  4. To supplement my limited disability income, I deal in used and “collectible” merchandise, requiring me to load boxes occasionally, to my lower level car. The back hatch found on these wagons I have owned, is a necessity for what I do. They are not comparable to sedans, although sedan values were the valuations I was given, and used to create the insurance estimate. Compared to modern SUVs, Ford wagons with low miles, circa 2000 - 2004, are a more economical and functional decision, given the available “niche” and my handicap. So it’s not that an uncle died or something, and I got this old junky wagon from him. It’s a vehicle I intentionally hunted for, to purchase for very good reasons. I needed a replacement value for that and nothing else.
Out of Options to Get a Fair Deal? I knew that a replacement for my car was possible but may require a hunt again (I had already done it four times). Obtaining the needed valuation looked unlikely however, and I’d have to pay perhaps double ($7,000-8,000+?) what Allstate would pay me for my totaled car. It was clear the adjuster was not going to hear anything further from me. The adjuster did not care, and in addition, gave me a value based on Ford sedans, not Ford wagons (which haven’t been built since about 2005). These wagons, according to my research, are worth significantly more than sedans. Two out of three of the comparables the adjuster gave me had 150,000 miles, with smaller engines. For a 2002 car, 150,000 miles is next to “junk status”. My car had 64,000 miles when hit and was a station wagon with a more powerful Duratec engine. These are big differences. He would not change his valuation, claiming his actions were mandated by law (as stated above) and that his source of valuation was the only one that would be used. I felt tied down and helpless, forced to take an offer I knew was wrong, from a guy whose job it apparently was, to do exactly what he was doing to me (cause mayhem), rather than helping me get back to where I had been (good hands). Within a little more than a week, I no longer trusted him, a man I was now forced to depend on. I felt abused. It was tortuous. In hindsight, it is clear he was hoping I was desperate for a replacement car and therefore motivated to accept the “low-ball” offer he had given me.
It Was Not True. I later checked with the PA Insurance Department specifically on the matter, and indeed, his claims (cited above in bold) were specifically not true. Via email the Department stated: “The 100 miles is an industry practice and not a law” (6/12/23). In addition, I earlier read 31 Pa. Code § 62.3e (a code for doing appraisals) and learned that in addition to the CCC “source” for valuations he had previously described, there were two other independent valuation “Methods” called Actual Cost and Dealer Quotation “methods”, which he was free to use but didn’t tell me about. One has to learn and know the code in order to differentiate the meanings between “source” and “method”. Beyond these two facts, in addition, his consideration of wagons being the same as sedans was inaccurate and did not follow valuation rules set in the code. The code actually tells him that since my car, a station wagon, was not listed with CCC (which it wasn’t) and was no longer manufactured, he must use a different valuation “Method” than his CCC “Source” method. He did not.
For people who want a good Taurus wagon, low miles, 2000-2004, the average price is considerably more than a sedan with the same mileage. That price must be paid. That’s my experience backed by data. If one is looking for a good condition wagon, they are simply not going to buy a sedan, as to them a sedan is worth nothing. If they are looking for a sedan, they will have no interest in a wagon. The two cars are not comparable or interchangeable. They serve two different markets willing to pay different values. About ten to twenty percent of Tauruses built were wagons, making them today much harder to find.
And the Car was Not Totaled! (Here We Go! Part two) But the complaint I make is not about physical damages “not being paid”, or “not being paid enough” (although that did happen). Instead it is about the consequences of being lied to and misled by someone you trust, all while being forced to give up control of one’s car for almost a month, during which time I initially accepted Allsate’s story that my car was totaled, and nothing was done to repair it, and it was essentially inaccessible at a salvage yard, and I almost lost it. If not for my own actions against the will of the adjuster, I would have lost my car. I was forced to act in a manner against the controlling party’s will. This, I believe, becomes what is called a “Tort”, done by Allstate to me. “Do what we say or you will be screwed”. It has nothing to do with the person who hit me and my settlement with him. I had to become aware of being abused. I had to see I was mislead and lied to, in order to change my orientation to the matter. Not easy. It was very emotionally exhausting and required much time and attention. Giving up was not an option or I would have lost my car. It was torture.
After questioning the car’s removal to the salvage yard, to my surprise Allstate returned the car to my shop. It was repaired to be safe and passed its yearly inspection (conveniently due). I was driving again in my good car by January 20, 2023. I was paid $3,521.03 on about August 1, 2023 by Allstate for damages to my car. I had to “step around” the adjuster and threaten a law suit directly to Allstate. The payment eliminated the liability the other driver had. But it made clear the settlement was for driver’s liability, and several prior communications trying to forge a settlement always indicated that my right to sue Allstate would not be limited by a settlement. This came after several disclosures over the months by the adjuster, that the car had been “deemed” a total loss and therefore no collision repairs could be paid or approved by Allstate. It was interesting that he described the matter as if some other place or person had “deemed” it, as if he had nothing to do with that decision and it was just the way it had ended up. The car had been “deemed” a total loss, and therefore, such decision could not be changed by he or Allstate. But he was the source of the “deeming”!. The car was restored to a safe, drivable, good looking state for less than $400! Laughable now, but the entire episode was a psychological and emotional wreck and nightmare, done to me by Allstate.
But Now the Car is Listed as Having Been Totaled. Indeed, checking online with VINCheck, a database provided free to the public by The National Insurance Crime Bureau, my car is listed as a salvage vehicle. You only get “salvage” after “total”. Someone reported the car to them as a salvaged car, and it wasn’t me. After notifying VINCheck that my car had not been assigned or salvaged (which could only be done in a signed statement by me), and had just passed inspection, I received no reply. Currently, nothing has changed. I suspect this misinformation has also spread to other VIN websites used to check car histories. Why should I be required to pay money to check additional VIN websites, or spend my time arguing with someone on this, or have to explain in the future to any interested party, why the car is listed as salvage but was never “rebuilt”, and then argue a depreciated price? A rebuilt salvage vehicle loses 20-40% of its pre-accident value. A salvage vehicle can’t be registered. I am told by PA DMV that unless I apply for a salvage title, the title will not become a salvage title. Earlier, Allstate reused to make payment unless I signed a salvage statement that the car was totaled, which would have begun a detailed costly rebuild process and a deduction in settlement amount, if I were to keep the car and seek to register it again..
I Was Abused. It was only because of my finally doubting the adjuster and persisting with Allstate, that I got my car back and repaired it, and was compensated an amount for the damage to my car. I was abused by Allstate Insurance. I am not wanting to sue the driver for his conduct, my attention is on Allstate for theirs. There are “bad hands” over there (not “good”), and “mayhem” starts at Allstate (at least it did for me). They are one of the largest insurers in The US, and their advertisements and actions should match. Allstate creates expectations of service and treatment based on their widespread long standing advertisements. They never advertise that you’d have to “submit” to their ill will in order to be in good hands and to avoid mayhem. That sounds like an abusive relationship to me. Give up something in order not to get harmed. You need not be an Allstate client for this to happen. Allstate merely provides insurance to a bad driver, waits for an accident to occur, and then creates mayhem for the injured party in order to reduce payout.
Conflict of Interest. Pa. Code § 62.3f (the code for doing appraisals) specifically states that appraisers “Not have a conflict of interest in the making of an appraisal.” If the appraiser in this case was influenced by requirements of his job to accept an inaccurate “Source appraisal” from CCC, or in any other way influenced to reduce or limit the appraisal as a result of job requirements and other pressures to perform, the adjuster did not act independently but yielded to a conflict of interest. If the use of an appraiser is in the financial interest of Allstate at the expense of an injured party’s interests, it is a conflict. If Allstate uses appraisers to make it appear appraisals will be fair and accurate but they know otherwise, then it appears to be a fraud. Finally, part f of the code concludes “This chapter and the act, and this section in particular, shall be strictly interpreted to protect the interest of the consumer and place the burden upon the appraiser to eliminate any conflict of interest in the making of an appraisal.” Allstate then, in my opinion, must demonstrate a particular level of autonomy given to appraisers to authorize appraisals. Any evaluative process by Allstate on the appraiser’s job performance that rewards him for lowering appraisals certainly seems a violation of this code. In my case here, we even had an appraiser falsely claim his hands were tied by the law, in order to limit his appraisal. My appraiser had the opportunity to correct matters, eliminate conflicts, and make me whole from the start, but he did not. I had to make myself whole.
Final Takeaway. In hindsight, it appears a well thought and established routine of persuasion and misinformation, in order to achieve a quicker and reduced settlement, was done to me by Allstate. It resulted in the perceived loss of my car, and then the loss of my car for a month, with a continuous sense of urgency, severe aggravation, manipulation, helplessness and abuse. There was never a concern for establishing truth, loss and expense, and paying it. Instead there was inclusion of misinformation and ignorance of other. The time I spent in the first month of this matter has to be at least 40 hours. I lost sales on eBay, missed auctions. My sleep was totally broken. They took my car, refused to replace it, and lied about it. It was about all I could deal with for that month. Accept our interpretation of your loss, or suffer the consequences, which we are trying to control. It literally was torture: “the practice of inflicting suffering on someone in order to force them to do something” is the dictionary definition. How much is a month of that worth?
The PA General Assembly Title 18 § 4117 warns: “Any person who knowingly and with intent to defraud any insurance company or other person files an application for insurance or statement of claim containing any materially false information or conceals for the purpose of misleading, information concerning any fact material thereto commits a fraudulent insurance act, which is a crime and subjects such person to criminal and civil penalties”. There is nothing in that law which places the shoe on the other foot and is directed at the adjuster or insurance company, if they mislead or defraud. I doubt, that such absence in Title 4117 allows adjusters or insurance companies freedom to do whatever they please to a random individual with no consequence.
So finally, again, the question is “What would you do?” The statute of limitations, I believe, is two years. That will bring me to December. And to repeat, the harm done to me that I have been describing, was done by Allstate to me. The driver has been released.
Thanks for reading.
submitted by TomA234 to Car_Insurance_Help [link] [comments]


2024.05.12 15:42 Barking_Kitty ROOT: Significantly Undervalued With 3x Medium-Term Upside Potential

ROOT: Significantly Undervalued With 3x Medium-Term Upside Potential
Summary:
  • Root, Inc. provides auto insurance through a direct-to-customer model and uses telematics to determine safe drivers, offering more affordable rates
  • The company acquires customers through direct and partnership channels, with a focus on profitable growth and underwriting discipline
  • Root's utilization of telematics has led to industry-leading loss ratios, demonstrating the effectiveness of its underwriting capabilities using data and machine learning
  • Float is ~14.92M shares, of which only a fraction of that is currently being traded (~4.3m shares are in the market). Of the available float,1.3m are currently short (short interest ~31%)
  • Market makers are likely finding difficulty in hedging their short call option positions and have net short exposure because of the sheer volume of call options they are selling, coupled with a low float underlying stock that makes it extremely difficult to accumulate shares
  • The Company delivered turnaround quarters with explosive revenue growth and profitability (Operating Income & Adj. EBITDA). GAAP profitability is imminent, yet ROOT remains ~70% undervalued and unnoticed, trading far below 1.0x EV/FY24E S while comps with far less growth trade at a median 2.79x EV/FY24E S
Overview of the Company:
Root, Inc. ("ROOT" or the "Company") provides auto insurance products and services in the United States. ROOT operates a direct-to-customer model and serves customers primarily through mobile applications, as well as through its website. The ROOT app uses technology in smartphones to measure driving behavior—such as braking, speed of turns, driving times, and route consistency—and determines who is a safe driver and who isn’t, using telematics. By only insuring safe drivers, ROOT can offer more affordable rates to good drivers, while maintaining higher profitability than traditional auto-insurers. The App also enables users to customize and purchase policy, find their insurance card, make changes to a policy, and file a claim. ROOT is currently available in 34 states in the US, with plans to expand across the entire US. The Company does not insure all drivers, as it believes that ~30% of drivers cause ~45% of all accident costs. On its website, the Company mentions: "We don’t think good drivers should have to pay for other people’s bad driving, so we don’t insure bad drivers. That means good drivers save."
ROOT believes that by insuring low risk "good drivers", it can price low risk drivers more efficiently than a traditional insurance company would. This means that good drivers end up paying less than they would with traditional insurers, and ROOT would get claimed against less, leading to superior gross accident loss ratios. Over time, low risk "good" drivers would migrate towards ROOT's lower pricing, leaving traditional insurance companies with risky non-profitable drivers.
Key Events & Timeline:
  • In October 2020, ROOT IPO'ed at a price of $27 (pre-reverse split of 18:1 discussed below) per share (~$6.7b market cap). The Company has taken longer than expected to ramp up its revenues vis-a-vis its fixed and variable operating costs. Accordingly, the Company was burning cash (arguably headed towards bankruptcy) and its shares slid to all time lows
  • In August 2021, Carvana (Ticker: CVNA) invested approximately $126 million as preferred equity in leading insuretech Root, Inc. Under the terms of the investment agreement, Carvana invested approximately $126 million of primary capital in ROOT via convertible preferred security, convertible at $9.00 per share (pre-reverse split of 18:1 discussed below), into approximately 14 million Class A shares in Root (pre-reverse split of 18:1 discussed below). The investment agreement also provided Carvana with warrants for Class A shares in Root, Inc. that are linked to the performance of the commercial partnership between the two companies
  • In August 2022, in order to remain listed on the NYSE, ROOT effected a one-for-eighteen (1:18) reverse stock split of its Class A Common Stock to increase its share price
  • As of date, the Company's shares outstanding stood at 14.92 million shares, a considerably low float for a publicly traded company, as a result of the reverse stock split
  • On May 1, 2024 Carvana reported a quarterly GAAP net profit of $28m- a large contributor to the $28m net income beat was Carvana's unrealized gain on ROOT warrants of $75m. CVNA's shares have surged more than 134% to date (and most recently a 50% rise in share price from ~$80 to $120 per share due to the earnings beat) and currently trade at $23.1b
Q1 2024 Earnings Highlights:
  • In Q1 2024, ROOT achieved revenue of $254.9m, positive GAAP operating income of $5.5m, and GAAP net loss of $6.2 million, delivering its third consecutive quarter of positive operating cash flow. On a non-GAAP basis, the Company generated $15 million of adjusted EBITDA
  • The Company nearly quadrupled total new writings and grew policies-in-force 101% to 401,255 compared to Q1 2023. Gross premiums written increased 146% to $331 million. Premiums in force stood at a healthy $1,189.3m, Gross accident period loss ratio, which measures insurance claims against premia earned by the insurance company, improved 4-points to 61%, driven by pricing and underwriting advancements
  • See Page 7 (Net Income and EBITDA evolution) and 19 (Operating Metrics) of ROOT's Q1 2024 shareholder letter for reference: https://ir.joinroot.com/static-files/49b07d14-3b03-4fcd-ad03-91a049989d08
  • LTM March-24 revenue $640 million has more than doubled since LTM March-23 $296 million - this makes ROOT the fastest growing insurance company in the US
  • Q1 2024 was an inflection point in the Company's growth and profitability trajectory. Their revenue scale is now sufficiently large enough to generate gross profits to cover S&M, G&A, and Tech costs (which are largely fixed in nature) - this is evidenced by the company's long awaited positive operating income in Q1 2024 (+$5.5m)
Industry Leading Loss Ratios Proves Pricing Based On Telematics Data Works:
ROOT's utilization of telematics and driver behavior based underwriting, using machine learning, has been consistently producing industry leading gross accident loss ratio for the past 4 quarters. Most recently, the Company was able to achieve a 61% loss ratio, with accident loss ratios for renewing customers even lower at 57%. This industry leading and consistently improving loss ratio is a strong indicator of the power of telematics and ROOT's underwriting capabilities - consistently low loss ratios cannot be a fluke (See page 6 of Q124 shareholder letter). To put things into perspective, State Farm had 82% loss ratio, All State 71%, and USAA 73%
ROOT'S Sales Channels:
Root acquires its customers through both direct-to-consumer channel and partnership channels. In Q1 2024, ~88% of new writings were through direct channel, while ~12% came through partnership channels. So far, ROOT has relied mainly on direct-to-consumer channel for its revenue growth. Accordingly, ramping up revenues and growing policies in force requires ROOT to invest in direct marketing. Since the Company relies primarily on a direct-to-consumer approach to fuel its growth, its revenues and profitability are a direct function of how much and how efficiently the Company spends on marketing. However, ROOT has been cautious in its customer acquisition efforts thus far, ensuring not to go head-to-head against its competitors who are much larger, much more well capitalized insurance Companies, who possess greater fire power to compete over and acquire policies. In fact, the Company has been opportunistic and prudent in its marketing approach, seeking to grow its top-line only in a profitable manner. In its Q1 2024 shareholder letter the Company mentioned:
"Since marketing costs can be heavily influenced by the competitive environment, we are closely monitoring these channels and diversifying our distribution through our Partnership channel, which is less susceptible to competitive fluctuations. Further, as we’ve consistently noted, we do not intend to chase growth for the sake of growth—we are laser-focused on underwriting discipline and our return on marketing spend, which we believe is the optimal approach to drive long-term shareholder value."
The partnership channel comprises car dealerships that refer car buyers directly to ROOT. The Company's most significant partner is used car sales platform Carvana (Ticker: CVNA). The Company is growing its partnership channels and is expected to announce new partners soon. Note that as of Q1 2024, 88% of ROOT's new underwritings originated from the direct-to-consumer channel, and only 12% came from partnerships.
Why Can't Other Larger Insurance Companies Replicate ROOT?
  • ROOT has collected more than 20 billion miles of mobile telematics data, which gives it a significant head-start over other competitors
  • Traditional insurers face cost structures that can be different from those of insuretechs, primarily due to the traditional business model versus the digital-first approach. Traditional insurers often sell their policies through brokers or agents, who receive commissions for their sales. This can increase the cost of acquiring customers compared to direct-to-customer online models where such intermediary costs are reduced or eliminated
  • Incumbent insurers typically have more extensive physical infrastructure and legacy systems which may be difficult to pivot away from
Comparable Companies:
ROOT trades far below comps
Root Comps (Source: CapIQ)
  • Comps are expected to grow a median of 15.8% between FY23 and FY24E, which warrants a median EV/LTM S multiple of 2.78x and EV/FY24E S multiple of 2.79x (Compare that to ROOT's expected 191.6% growth and its 0.69x EV/FY24E S multiple)
  • Most notable insuretech comp is Lemonade Inc. (Ticker:LMND), a diversified insuretech that underwrites home, car, pet, and life insurance policies. According to consensus estimates LMND is expected to grow its revenues by 20.1%, a fraction of ROOT's projected FY24E growth. LMND's projected sales for FY24E (consensus estimates) are nearly half those of ROOT. In its latest quarter, LMND posted a quarterly operating loss of $44.6m
  • LMND trades at 2.1x EV/LTM S and 1.83x EV/FY24E S, a considerable premium to ROOT's current valuation, albeit at arguably worse fundamentals. Similar discrepancies can be seen in the above comp set, however, I focus on LMND as a closest insuretech peer
  • In the above comp set, there are multiple other instances of companies that have much worse fundamentals than ROOT, yet trade at significant valuation premia. For example, GSHD has FY24E revenue of $301m, and trades at 5.26x that. Other similar valuation anomalies are AMSF, PLMR, RYAN
  • Although consensus estimates for FY24E revenue stand at an average of $1,046m, I expect ROOT to achieve more than $1,300m in sales in FY24E. This is strongly supported by the Company's latest quarterly revenue of $254.9m, $1,189m of premium in force that the Company will recognize as revenue over the next 6-12 months, as well as new underwriting of $330m in Q1 2024 (see financial snapshot above). This leads me to believe ROOT's consensus revenue estimate for FY24E of $1,046m seems a bit conservative, which may be the result of the Company not being extensively covered by analysts
Catalysts:
  • Given its low float as a result of its 18:1 reverse stock split, accumulating a position in ROOT may prove to be difficult without causing a market impact (ie: buying the ask price causes the bid/ask spread to move upward almost instantly)
  • As a result of this low float, market makers selling call options may find it difficult to hedge their net short position on call options. In fact, having experienced how quickly the bid/ask spread moves upwards on the slightest signs of buying, I believe that the market makers are currently selling call options naked, leaving themselves with large net short exposure on ROOT
  • ROOT has already made a move from $10.47 to $63.86, which is catching the attention of retail and institutional traders alike. The fact that the shares are extremely undervalued has caused this violent move upwards, and those who have been buying continue to buy this up
  • Carvana shareholders witnessed first hand how $75m gain on Carvana's warrants swung the company from a net loss to a net GAAP gain of +$28m. They are also likely to keep buying ROOT and keep recording unrealized gains on Carvana's P&L
  • 1.3m shares are sold short (Source: https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/root/short-interest ). Only 4.2m shares are currently held by the public - rest of the 14.92m are held by institutions, corporations, and insiders. Accordingly the 1.3m shares that are short represent ~31% of the tradeable float
Fair Value Estimate of ROOT:
  • The Company trades far below its IPO price of $486 per share
  • ROOT is arguably very cheap relative to its peers given its (i) exponential growth, (ii) recent inflection point into positive operating profit and adj. EBITDA, (iii) imminent inflection into positive GAAP net income (iv) rich net cash balance of $229m that is more than sufficient to cover interest on its financial debt obligations, and to fund future performance marketing and (v) ROOT's industry leading accident loss ratios
  • With the Company currently trading at 0.69x EV/FY24E sales (1.13x EV/LTM S), the shares seem significantly mispriced. Revenue in Q1-24 has more than doubled to $640 million in LTM Q1-24 vs. $296 in LTM Q1-23 and is expected to double once more by LTM Q4-24E to $1,300 million
  • If ROOT were to trade closer to the industry's EV/FY24E multiple of 2.80x, ROOT would be valued closer to $3.6b market cap (or ~$244 per share). If it trades at a multiple similar to LMND, valuation would be closer to $2.80b (or ~183 per share)
  • With ROOT tracking $1.2B-$1.3B in revenue for FY24E, and having already achieved profitability on operating income and adj. EBITDA levels, and tracking well for positive GAAP net income, I don't see any valid reasons why ROOT shouldn't trade inline with its comp set at ~2.5 to 3.0x FY24E revenue, which represents ~3x upside based on existing outlook and performance
Please do your own due diligence before deciding to invest. None of the above should be construed as investment advice - I own beneficial interest in ROOT as of writing of this piece of information. Good luck
submitted by Barking_Kitty to wallstreetbets [link] [comments]


2024.05.12 11:28 essinstitute25 YouTube SEO tactics for video optimisation and reach Digital Marketing Institute

YouTube SEO tactics for video optimisation and reach Digital Marketing Institute
https://preview.redd.it/p7flsqfasyzc1.jpg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=49cba67036a92610c8e2649e6eb53f88f7dbb33d
There is no doubt that people prefer video content to text-based content. A lot of people, including 59% of leaders, choose to watch videos instead of reading long blog posts, according to research.
Effective video SEO techniques can improve the quality of your videos to the search algorithm and increase their exposure, which result in increased views, brand awareness, and potential consumers. Both Google and YouTube prioritise user experience and hence use algorithms to determine the optimal placement of websites and videos. Listed below are some simple SEO tips by SEO trainer from a top Digital Marketing institute in Delhi for optimising your YouTube videos and boosting reach:

Rename Files with Target Words

Your YouTube SEO trip starts before you click “Upload.” The goal goes beyond placing on YouTube and includes showing up in Google search results. Search engines don’t scan video material, they crawl the source code and read the file name as part of that. Make sure the name of your video file includes the term you want to rank for. This lets YouTube’s algorithm connect your video to search queries that are related to it. Change file names like “business_ad_003FINAL.mov” to ones that include keywords like seo-course-in-hindi.mp4.
Say, if your video is about painting a house, you could name the file “house-painting-guide.mov” or something similar. Adding words like “best,” “how-to,” or “guide” to your term will make it more visible. This simple step increases your video’s relevancy and attracts more viewers by increasing its visibility to search engines.

Add Keywords to the Title

Writing catchy titles for your videos is important for getting people to watch them. People will see and hear your video’s title first, so it needs to be interesting.
Put relevant, high-traffic keywords at the beginning of your title. This will make it more likely that people looking for related content will find your video. The title of your video should accurately describe what it is about and match what it says. So, if your video is about “Brand Positioning,” make sure that word is in the title.
Don’t go over the recommended number of characters either. A search engine will cut off your title if you do that. For the most clicks, the title should be between 50 and 60 letters long and clear.

Optimise your Description

The description of your video tells people what the video is about in more depth. You are allowed 5,000 characters, so make good use of this room to show off your video. A well-written description does two main things: it gets people to click on your video and it helps search engines find it by strategically placing your primary and secondary keywords. Since only 120 characters are shown at first on the search results page, you should put the most interesting information at the beginning of your description. When you describe your content, use sentences along with exact keywords. You should also use call-to-action (CTA) words to get people to do something, like subscribe, download, or buy.
Look at examples with captions with a wide range of keywords and timestamps. Adding five to eight hashtags that are related to your main term is recommended. It get you added to the suggested videos sidebar, which will get you more views and engagement.

Tag Video with Popular Keywords

Popular tags on your video increase your reach if added. Tags tell people what your video is about and tell YouTube’s search engines important things about the video’s settings. If you properly tag your video with relevant keywords, YouTube will be able to sort and connect it with other similar videos, which could make it more noticeable. Use the same tags that your well-known competitors are using, and make sure they closely match what’s in your video. Also, make sure that the most important keywords are at the top of your tags when you write them. To make sure you can answer all kinds of search questions, find a good mix between keywords that are used a lot and keywords that are used less often.
Free Chrome extensions like Keywords Everywhere, YouTube Tag extractor, are helpful for keywords and tags research

Categorise Your Video for YouTube SEO

Categorising your videos don’t directly affect their rankings or activity. Choosing the right group gives the YouTube algorithm useful information to add your video on relevant places. YouTube’s categories, include games, schooling, music videos, pets and animals, and fashion, help organise the huge amount of content that is available. You put your videos in the group by using the “Advanced settings” menu when you share it. Think about things like the best creators in the category, how the audience usually behaves, and what videos in related categories have in common, like the quality of the production or the style.

Boost Engagement with Custom Thumbnails

Your video’s thumbnail is a visual representation, influencing viewers’ decisions as they browse through search results. They affect click-through rates (CTR). ideal CTR between 2% and 10% to send positive signals to the YouTube algorithm.
Opting for a custom thumbnail over auto-generated options boost clicks, with branded thumbnails featuring company logos proving particularly memorable amidst the sea of videos. Drawing inspiration from successful competitors while maintaining originality is key. YouTube recommends using high-quality images with specific dimensions and file formats for optimal display across platforms. Remember to verify your YouTube account to upload custom thumbnails and seize the opportunity to shape your videos’ visual identity for increased viewer engagement.
If you want to make your videos more visible on YouTube, use these YouTube SEO tips to get more people to watch your videos and keep them watching. Do a lot of study to find keywords and topics that are important, and make sure that your content matches what people are looking for. By regularly posting useful content, you can get more people to search for your business and YouTube channel, which will increase interest and help you succeed in the long run.
You can learn complete SEO for both videos and websites offline from a digital marketing institute or through a online seo course.
submitted by essinstitute25 to u/essinstitute25 [link] [comments]


2024.05.12 06:02 LucyAriaRose I (26F) kicked my soon to be ex-friend (25F) out of my house (aka the Kendall chronicles)

I am NOT the Original Poster. That is u/Uncle-Barnacle. She posted in EntitledPeople.
Thanks to u/No-Mechanic-3048 for the rec!
Trigger Warnings: animal abuse; sexual harassment;
Mood Spoiler: Good ending for OOP
Original Post: January 27, 2024
As the title says, last week I kicked what I thought was a good friend out of my house because I can no longer handle her antics. Just wanna write it here just to destress and deal with the grief of losing a friend.
Kendall (25F) and I met in university in 2016, we studied different majors but were from the same department so we share many classes together and bonded over our passion for gaming and memes.
Upon graduation, Kendall moved back to her hometown due to covid and found a job there, we kept in touch online through Instagram.
About 3 years later, Kendall told me she found a better paying job in the city I so she's planning to move out from her parents place. When I asked her about her plans on her accomodations she replied with "That's the thing, I was going to ask if you have an extra bedroom that I could move into"
For context, I have inherited an apartment from my late grandfather which is a nice 3 bedroom 2 bath near the city center last year January and I currently live alone there since it is closer to my workplace and it has all the convenience of public transport.
After some thinking I thought that there's no harm in living with Kendall since I considered us as close friends. We discussed the terms and ofc the rent. A week later Kendall moved into my apartment. It was great at first, my home felt more lively than usual and the thought of going home to a close friend warmed my heart and gave me a sense of security. Things were okay for awhile and then sh*t goes downhill super quick.
Kendall started complaining about many things at home, about her work, her savings and how she feels homesick. At first I was very accommodating, thinking maybe she just needs time to get used to the city life. I offered as much help as I can, even to the point of if she's low on money I don't mind voiding a month's rent if it meant I could help her to achieve financial stability.
I taught her how I save money, how I live off with my then low salary with several commitments like my car, my dog and a student loan. I grew up where my parents expect me to be independent so I told her things I'd do when I'm low on cash, how to get freelance jobs etc but she always seem to have excuses for every suggestion I have. Finding a freelance job is too hard, or how she couldn't let go of her premium junk food, that she isn't willing to cook or meal prep, and I eventually decided to leave it as it is.
And after two months of living together, I realised Kendall started treating me as some kind of competition. She would constantly ask me things like how much money I make a month, how many job hoppings did that take. Anything that she thinks she's better than me, she'll definitely pop that question. She boasts about how she is loyal to her "sh#tty paying company" and how I would never be able to move up the corporate ladder as she called me "an industry frog" 🐸.
She once snooped my savings balance and asked how tf did I have so much saved up with commitments etc (mind you she didn't have a lot of commitments since her parents paid off her student loans and fully paid off a brand new car for her) and maybe I should stop collecting rent from her. I got mad, and told her if she isn't happy living with me maybe she should move out. Queue crocodile tears as she said it was a joke I didn't have to take her seriously she begged for forgiveness and promised to never snoop my personal items and details again. I let it go once, but she kept bringing things up like, "well you have the cash and a credit card" everytime I told her I rather stay home because I no longer have the budget to go out and "have fun". Comments like these became more frequent when I got a new job 6 months ago.
On top of that, she doesn't clean up after herself, tried to flirt with my boyfriend and at times parked in my parking space when our initial agreement was that she has to find her own parking space if she's moving in with her own car because my apartment only has one parking lot per unit.
The straw that broke the camel's back was when I caught her kicking my dog in his abdomen when I got home from work. I yelled at her and rushed to check my dog, luckily he was fine but I still rushed him to the vet for safety measures. I got home and she sneered that it was just a dog and as a friend I shouldn't treat her like that. I asked why she'd kicked my dog and she didn't answer me, she shrugged and tried to escape into her room.
At this point it was already about a year since Kendall moved in with me. I lost my cool and told her off, bringing up her problems and how I tried to be nice and accommodating. Then I told her I'm giving her a week to move out and that from then on I rather we keep our relationship casual or we don't ever talk at all. Kendall cried and begged me to not kick her out but soon it turned into her screaming back at me, calling me a bad friend because apparently in her words, I "didn't tell her off on how badly she was behaving" (like wtf?!). There was a lot of back and forth which I don't remember what I said, but I remember eventually calling her an entitled brat. She cried again saying it was uncalled for and stormed off to her room.
The next day I was bombarded with texts from other uni friends, some calling me selfish and others sympathize with me. Apparently, Kendall posted our argument on Facebook and Instagram, painting me to be the bad guy. I was upset at first but I decided that after Kendall moved out we would no longer be friends as well as those who took her side of the story and condemned me.
Last week, Kendall left, and I have changed the locks on my apartment. I curled up in bed and cried myself out, probably from the sadness of losing a friend or maybe I am finally letting out all the frustrations.
I am definitely still griefing about this loss of a friend as I've had many good times with Kendall. For now I wanna focus on myself and hopefully I eventually get over this.
Edit: The whole "teasing" that I have more money than Kendall gotten worse when I told her I was given an offer by an MNC as a Senior Designer, and I disclosed her the offered salary (as we always did, like I know how much she earns too) which was about 50% more than hers. That was dumb on my part, I now understand why my parents told me to never disclose/discuss salaries the moment I started working
Relevant Comments:
Commenter: Kendall should eat a whole bag of dicks. You did well looking out for yourself, and your dog.
OOP: Yea but it took me a year to see how my "friend" didn't treat me like one ☹️
Commenter: Per your post, I would think that Kendall is a user rather than an actual friend. You will need time to heal. I recommend that you seek short-term psychological counseling to help - and maybe find out how to more effectively set and enforce personal boundaries.
OOP: Im planning to look into those as well, if I could afford them. But for the time being I'll try to find comfort in spending time with doggo, my bf and drowning in my hobbies :))
Commenter: If I were you, I'd be telling everyone she was hurting your dog - that would probably swing some opinions real quick
OOP: I did but some still called me an AH for kicking a poor girl who has travelled far from her hometown out in a big city 😒 I got off fine but why can't she?
Commenter: Also, time to step back for just a moment. Your so-called friend had No Student Loans and a Brand New Car. She has parents who can help her out. They created this puppy- kicking monster; they can deal with her. You gave her plenty of opps to play nice.
You don't owe her squat!!! Hold your head high! You're a wonderful person
OOP: Yet I don't understand where her money went, her wallets are always empty near the end of the month. She once showed me her savings balance, which was two digits, she was asking if I could lend her money. Luckily I didn't lend her any, but that's probably why she was angry at me for a week lmao
Commenter: This type hates being told no. They often seek revenge. If they put a fraction of that energy into working for what they wanted? They’d be in great shape. May you think of her no more & enjoy your life!
OOP: Exactly what I thought, there were so many other things and ways she could have work around to be stable financially, it's true I probably didn't have to collect rent from her but I was glad I did, even if it wasn't a year's worth. I spent so much for that thorough checkup of my boii after she kicked him :((
Commenter: I would have thrown her out on her ass the second I saw her kick my dog. That is completely unacceptable. She's lucky you gave her a week.
OOP: It ain't easy out in the city where I'm from, but she moved out in a couple of days after asked her to move out, last I heard one of our uni friends who called me an AH allowed her to crash at their place while she finds her own place to rent. I wish them good luck for sure they gonna end up like me
Commenter: Change your accounts so all paper work is clear so she cannot pretend to be you. Social security office visit to be sure no new accounts have been opened in your name is mandatory to cleanse sociopath vibe from your life.
OOP: Oh no worries about that, where I'm from to make most accounts would need my fingerprints and my physical id which neither have been missing, but thanks for the heads up on that! I've never considered from this angle
OOP originally paid the dog tax but has since deleted the picture.
Commenter: Anyone who could harm such a sweet boi would instantly be dead to me. For this alone, you are absolutely in the right!
OOP: I was really worried, but luckily the vet said he's as fit as a fiddle and as sturdy as ever
(to a different comment) From the checkups and with my vet's assurance, it seems like I caught her hurting my dog for the first time. He has never shown any sign of nervousness or anxiety near Kendall up till the day she kicked him, then again I didn't have cameras installed at home so I'm not sure if she has every attempted anything prior to this.
The most important thing is my ol'boy is still healthy and happy, with a tiny bruise which dissipated after a few days
Update Post 1: February 14, 2024 (3 weeks later)
Hello everyone, I'm here with some updates about me and my doggo as well as my now ex-friend, Kendall.
Let's start off with the update about myself. I've been doing well and surprisingly as some of you mentioned previously, I had gotten over the lost of this friendship rather quickly. My boyfriend planned a trip to a pet friendly beachfront hotel and I spent a few days with just my boyfriend and doggo. We played in the sea water and I watched my dog played in the sand. Overall had a great time and we even had grilled fish together while watching the sun set. (Doggo had a deboned fish fillet)
I am also grateful for my friends who stood by my side regarding this issue, they check in on me from time to time and sent me funny content to watch during my free time. Some of them even told me their stories about Kendall and their discontentment with her behavior, which I will list some below.
Friend A: Kendall ridiculed Friend A several times because Friend A earned less than Kendall despite he has worked a year longer than Kendall.
Friend B: Kendall trash talked Friend B's company via instagram just because Kendall flunked her interview with said company with flying colors.
Friend C: Kendall always demands Friend C to be her personal driver during our college days. If Friend C refuses, Kendall will guilt trip her.
Friend D: Ruined Friend D's assignment by 'pranking' him. She actually formatted his laptop when the project was due in two weeks. When confronted, all Kendall said was 'oopsies'.
There are many more but these are the more icky ones I've heard from my friends.
And now with that out of the way, here is today's main course:-- after I kicked Kendall out of my house, one of my uni friends, let's call her Anne, stood by Kendall's version of events and has allowed Kendall to move in with her instead. Anne called me out of the blue this afternoon and her first question to me was: "How on earth did you managed to put up with Kendall for a year? She's driving me crazy!!" Long story short, whatever Kendall did when she's living with me, she now does it to Anne. Snooping Anne's personal items, leaving dirty laundry around...generally being a prick in the butt. Anne told me she's planning to force Kendall out of her house too. I didn't comment much since Anne were among those who called me a cruel person, but now it has came back to bite her.
But wait, that's not all, according to Anne, Kendall lost her job because she tried to ask for a 100% increment and assaulted her supervisor when the increment request was turned down two weeks ago. She was immediately escorted out of the office building by security. And she just texted me 20mins ago saying she needed a favour from me that she wants a job at my workplace.
I replied stating there isn't any vacancy. Tbh even if there is I wouldn't hire her lmaoo.
So yea, I hope this is the last time I will hear from Kendall and I'll only update if somehow , something interesting happened that involves Kendall 🤣
Relevant Comments:
Commenter: "Anne told me she's planning to force Kendall out of her house too." How in the ever loving world did you not reply, "Wouldn't that be cruel though?"
OOP: I went with a sarcastic tone of, "Oh wow really? What happened?" 🤣
Commenter: Bet Kendall applies to the company and uses OP as a reference anyway.
OOP: Regarding this I have no worries about it since hr has to wait for me to filter through candidates for my department before sending out an email invite for job interviews. I'll make sure to shred Kendall's if I see hers
Commenter: What about the other departments??
OOP: She only has skills for my dept, sadly. I'm working in an advertising agency it's either graphic designer or motion designer, Kendall can't for the love of God make good designs. She would only want my department. Even if she tried, I doubt she could get into my company since one of the requirements is to be able to converse in basic japanese and you are tested during the interview plus you would need to show the certification of JLPT.
Thanks for giving this advice guys, but no worries I doubt Kendall would be able to pass the first screening :D
Commenter: I can imagine her turning up on your door step wanting a place to stay do you have a camera doorbell. just in case she will be getting desperate for friends and a place to stay now people are realising how crazy she is.
OOP: I have set up a new doorbell cam, I live in an apartment and there's plenty of cameras in the lift and corridor. Plus, I wouldn't be that afraid of her appearing at my door step since the security would call me to verify if I have visitors. A simple "no" would render her plans useless.
Commenter: Please keep us posted if anything happens with Kendall going forward. This is too funny and she’s too crazy for this to be the end of it.
OOP: Man I can't believe I was crying over the loss of this friendship. Rn I'm laughing at everything she has done or tried to do to people.
Commenter: Shouldn't she have been arrested for the assault? [at work]
OOP: Maybe her employer didn't press charges? Idk
Commenter: How many days she stay with Anne?
OOP: I think it's about or almost a month? She moved in quite quickly with Anne after I told her she had a week to leave.
Update Post 2: May 5, 2024 (3+ months from OG post)
At this point I wonder if I should change the title to "The Kendall Chronicles" 🤣
Hello everyone, it's been about two months since I kicked my now ex friend, Kendall out of my home. For those who has read my story before, just wanna let you guys know doggo and I are well fed and happy.
If you guys remember last time, Anne, one of my friends who sided with Kendall, told me about all the horrible things that has happened while having Kendall as a roommate. Ho boy, Anne had to call the cops to evict Kendall.
I happen to meet Anne at a pet friendly cafe to enjoy a good book yesterday while my doggo gets to enjoy playing at the doggy daycare-ish kinda area. I did wonder if it was intentional on her side since all my friends know I love this cafe in particular. Anne greeted me and asked if she could sit and have a chat with me. We started out with some small talk but the moment she brought up about her evicting Kendall, I just sat there and listened.
I gave Anne a smile and prodded her lightly with a comment I borrowed from the previous comment on reddit, "Oh, so you're gonna really kick her out then? I remember someone last told me it was cruel to kick a friend out of their homes." Anne stuttered for awhile before saying how I should have made a post to counteclarify Kendall's social media claims about me. I simply told her neither have I the energy to do so nor I have the need to. Which in turn, landed us in some brief awkward silence before I asked what she needed from me. Anne told me she wanted someone to vent to about Kendall and didn't know who to turn to.
Anne told me she filed a police report against Kendall; for theft and destruction of property, and ultimately Anne needed the assistance of police officers to evict Kendall from her home. She is also in the midst of filing a restraining order as she mentioned Kendall looked completely psycho at that moment. Unlike me, Anne lives in landed property so I guess she'd be a lot more worried about Kendall coming back to find her.
Kendall apparently stole Anne's debit card and spent a whopping 2k$ in total. Anne only found out about the missing money when she found her debit card missing from her wallet. She checked the bank statements only to find that 2k$ went to clothes, expensive meals and clubbing activities. At this point, one might ask, how did Anne know it was Kendall that spent that money? Well, the answer presented itself when Kendall came home screaming at Anne for terminating her debit card. According to Anne, Kendall was shouting every insult in the book while flailing her arms around with Anne's debit card in hand which Kendall proceeded with slamming the card on the table before storming off into her room.
That was the first time Anne felt afraid of another person much less a friend. Since then, Kendall made Anne's life hell on earth. Kendall would leech off Anne's groceries, judges her choice of snacks, body shames Anne etc. Kendall also attempted to seduce Anne's boyfriend. She once kissed Anne's boyfriend, (let's call him Jason) on the cheek and giggled before running straight for her room during movie night. In another instance she groped Jason's manhood right in front of Anne but later claimed that she was drunk and thought what she touched was a couch pillow. The worst thing that Kendall did was throwing herself onto Jason and saying she has a fever and later guided Jason's hand to feel her breast in which Anne walked in at the same time Jason's hand was under Kendall's shirt. These incidents has since cause a strain between the three and Jason felt awkward to the point where he told Anne he would stop visiting her house unless Kendall moves out. Anne cried for a bit when she reached this part.
Anne then told Kendall to move out, and gave her a week to do so. Kendall then cried and ran out of the house only to come back later in the evening to lock herself in her room. Anne presumed that Kendall is packing her stuff and she decided to ignore Kendall for the time being. The next morning Anne woke up to the sound of some grunts and broken ceramics. She rushed out to her yard to see an unhinged Kendall swinging a rod against everything she could hit, a tree, flower pots, even the grass on the ground. This led Anne to immediately lock her doors and call the police fearing for her own safety. The police arrived and handled the situation swiftly and they took Kendall away. There were still a lot of screaming and shouting. Anne said she's not sure if Kendall is being locked up or has anyone who would've posted bail for her.
While I guess it was kinda nice sipping tea about Kendall but at how Anne described Kendall is behaving, I wonder if she'd actually needed professional help. I can't help but feel sad for her condition despite we have gone no contact for two months.
Relevant Comments:
Commenter: And why is this still your problem , Anne made her choice , why you still talk to her, she not a good friend , she is like Kendall, a two face snake.
OOP: I have went no contact since Anne's last call two months ago but I believed she went to my favourite cafe spot to try to bump into me and well I have a hard time turning others down so I decided to serve myself some Kendall tea I guess
After this I would probably not want to hear anything about Kendall, Anne or anybody that decided to take in Kendall
Commenter: What about Anne's bf ? He's not naive to the point of having his hand led under shirt iniit
OOP: Anne only told me about the things Kendall did to Jason, maybe she did mention his reaction but I just don't remember the entire thing she told me (I have bad memory)
The gist of it is that these "interactions" had affected their relationship. She didn't further elaborate I didn't probe.
Commenter: While these stories are interesting to read, I wonder how true they actually are. If her parents were so wealthy and paid for her education and car, then at what point has anyone called them and informed them to her behavior? I’m not buying it
OOP: I never had her parents' contact so it didn't really cross my mind to call her parents. While it is hard to believe, it is true, some of us had long severed ties with Kendall since her incident with me.
Kendall also didn't say much about her parents. For all I know was that she moved out of her parents' place because she wanted a better paying job.
submitted by LucyAriaRose to BestofRedditorUpdates [link] [comments]


2024.05.11 23:00 AutoModerator What is #VALZUBIRIAGENDA and some ideas and insights

The 3 basic parameters of hashtag #Valzubiriagenda:

  1. We artists and everyone else can write and self-publish art- and artist-related books: memoirs, biographies, art books and art catalogs. Books are forever. Pamphlets and brochures are not books.
  2. We announce a schedule of increasing prices of our art pieces, which includes quantities (scarcity numbers) per price point and overall (the total quantity of art pieces we might ever make). This helps art traders, art investors and art collectors speculate or even stop speculating and instead join a community of investors working together to hopefully skyrocket to the higher announced prices in a shorter span of time.
  3. We can use the NFT world, because NFTs provide the tracking (who owns what) and trading.
We can also not be involved with NFTs. Stores and individuals can help sell art using online presence and our catalogs in the stores. If this trends, or once this trends, even expensive art can be sold by neighboring businesses, without exclusivity. Commission systems do not have to be standardized. Art investors can produce their own catalogs to leave at the cafés. Even the cafés can produce their own catalogs.
Valzubiriagenda NFTs
NFTs only came about a few years ago. But I had been working on this since the 1990s. I wrote a book, Valzubiriagenda, along with fellow artist Silverio Perez, and released it in 2018 (Amazon and elsewhere), tackling everything related to #1 & #2. We'll come up with #3 in a later book/ memoi marketing book.
Any artist, including tangible artists can release 10,000 NFTs if the artist chooses to do so. For tangible artists, the NFT first becomes an Art Commission Contract for sight unseen, yet-to-be made art. Once the art is made, the NFT becomes proof of ownership that the actual, tangible art is theirs.
Warehousing our tangible art
Another related idea is that the tangible art may be warehoused by the artist so that the NFT traders continue to trade. This means that even 10-ton 10-foot tall sculptures can be owned and traded by anyone without worrying about shipping, reshipping, scratches, smudges, parts breaking off, etc. The newness of the pieces remain because they are stored by the artist, source, gallery, etc. The art piece gets shipped to the art collector, the ultimate owner.
An artist who makes ceramic coffee mugs - smaller art pieces, can release 10,000 NFTs with a schedule of increasing prices so that NFT traders can trade immediately. The 10,000 coffee mugs can get damaged, so as they are made, they continue to be stored by the artist, until the time when art collectors decide to have the art pieces shipped to them.
Why only now?
I decided to write as many book-length memoirs as I can before I came out to promote this.
I'm an artist and an author. Both need time to "master." I would not even fully use "master" on myself, because there's always something new, even to my own art, my own writing and publishing.
I am now claiming that I'm the visual artist who has produced the most artist memoirs in the world. I have 5 on Amazon. I count Valzubiriagenda as both a marketing book and a memoir-of-sorts, because it has a lot of my own life lessons on writing and publishing. I would not care to contest my claim of having the most memoirs. I will release 5 more over the next 3 years.
BARTER! Get help to write, photograph art and publish your books!
Anyone can hire 11 ghostwriters for 11 memoirs. If you can make art, but you cannot write, then barter your forever art with those who can help you produce forever books.
I don't feel the pressure of writing and publishing because I feel my focus should be on art students and art experts who would study my art and my books 100 years from now. Don't expect relatives and friends to read your books.
I call myself the Dollman
For my NFTs, I am proposing to make dioramas - my original, costumed, bejeweled porcelain dolls in backdrops that will also have precious metals and gemstones. This way I can incorporate precious metals and gemstones in my work, to make sure that people perceive my art as expensive, just in case I myself don't become "famous" - there's no need to get world famous. We are artists and all we need to do is to satisfy the art niche.
Use your laptop now!
I will encourage you to start writing your book-length memoir. Write, Edit and then Self-publish it. Get help. Why wait a hundred years for someone to write about you when all you need is a laptop and a nearby coffee shop.
Don't start counting chickens before the eggs hatch. I have encountered a lot of would-be writers who immediately see themselves as bestselling. world famous assets to society. Two even wanted me to sign NDAs (Nondisclosure agreements), because they did not want me to steal their book ideas.
Here's a suggestion. I would not personally do it. From one manuscript can come 2 books: The Original Draft (unedited, with misspellings, considered to be an art piece, scanned pages(?) of your handwritten original effort), and The Final Edition (edited).
PROVENANCE!
Another way to enhance our investability, tradability and collectability is PROVENANCE - how art ownership proceeds through time. The way this can be done is also through publishing books. Everyone can write their memoirs, biographies, art books and art catalogs, including traders, investors and art collectors. In effect, we artists can continue to be included or mentioned in even more books, without any additional effort by us.
You as an investor, reseller, trader, art collector should be able to publish a catalog with 250 works by 250 different artists, but they need to agree to this right from the start - it's your money, you should require them to follow your version of the hashtag #valzubiriagenda parameters, which preferably should include permission for you to publish their art. Why would you track down 250 artists later?
No exclusive contracts
If you're a café, you can call for artists, and come up with a book with for example, 30 artists, with a chapter devoted to each artist's profile and images of the artist's art.
You can distribute your catalogs to businesses and individuals near and far and online.
The book Valzubiriagenda even cites that funeral homes and janitors closets can sell art, with or without exclusivity. Airline catalogs can include million dollar art pieces. Car manufacturers, showrooms and even car repair shops can sell art as well. Everyone should be able to do this, anywhere in the world, especially not just because of the pandemic, but right now, we are in really bad economies.
What's with the name #Valzubiriagenda
I was into conspiracy theories in 2018, and this term, "The Mandela Effect," was popular. I had read many times that an artist coined the term, but I had to research online, for her name, many times, before remembering it. I'm not good at remembering names. It took me a year and a half to finally tell you that Fiona Broome coined "The Mandela Effect."
I also thought I might have to research trademarks and copyrights just to come up with a generic name. So I decided on "Valzubiriagenda." I was not really sure at first, but I decided to use it as the title for my book (with co-authoartist Silverio Perez) so that there would be no turning back and I can move on.
Am I a FUTURIST?
Someone I recently met this May 2022 just called me a futurist.
In the 1990s, I proposed to a pension fund that they can raise billions of dollars, especially for emergencies, or as needed, or out of desperation, if the pension fund purchases a quantity of art from an artist who not only has a current, reasonable price, but an announced future price that the artist wants to reach.
That future price would obviously be higher than the current price. The art commission contract for multiple art pieces can be taken to the fund's financial lender for a loan. The higher future price can be used for financing purposes.
The pension fund's treasurer, a publicly elected official, said this idea might work, but we had to keep this a secret and discuss this some more, because other pension funds might copy and do this prematurely. This idea had to come from the two of us. The treasurer needed his votes and I needed credentials.
Added into the pot was my idea that I, as the artist, will also write one book-length artist memoir. This was and still is a strong factor, because the leadership and marketing books I had read then mentioned a strong tip. If you want to advance in your field, write a full-length book that is related to the field.
Unfortunately, the elected official, the treasurer of the pension fund, who was also a friend, passed away - he was old and had ailments. At that point in time, I cannot just approach another pension fund treasurer to share this idea with.
I realized I had to write a few memoirs. I needed to set an example for other artists, so I needed to write more than one memoir. Then I felt I should also make ready another book - the how-to of what I'm up to. I wrote Valzubiriagenda, which was a memoir of sorts. I knew how long it would take me to write a book, so I had to make sure I can also consider this book a memoir.
In 2008, I imagined that someone like Bernie Madoff, or a fund like Lehman Brothers, would be desperate enough to use this to save themselves and their companies. I was not ready. I had only written 1 manuscript for a memoir.
In 2012, I released Dollman the Musical, A Memoir of an Artist as a Dollmaker. Once again, I was not ready because writing it depressed me a little, and I knew I had to write more.
In 2014, I released 3 memoirs, and re-released Dollman the Musical. Besides releasing regular books, I released special editions of the 4 books, which had a "Special Secret Insert for Bankers," which explains my ideas of an announced schedule of exponentially increasing prices, to satisfy investors, and the publication of artist memoirs, to satisfy art collectors.
In 2014, I also issued out a press release. Google "Can Billion Dollar Artist Save Investors and World Economy Valentino Zubiri PRWeb August 19 2014" and you will see the press release.
What I did was stake a claim on my ideas. I did not promote my books and the press release. I just wanted them to stay online, like a sleeping giant or a dormant volcano. I even designed 3 of the book covers to look like indie books from the 1980s. I was planting the seeds, thinking they will eventually grow and bear fruit in the future.
In 2015, I was interviewed by Richard Syrett, about one of my memoirs, Hocus Pocus Lately. This book is my memoir with paranormal stories. I could have pursued promoting my paranormal stories, but I wanted to be known first as a visual artist and memoirist, so I allowed myself one interview related to Hocus Pocus Lately. Richard Syrett has(had?) his own syndicated radio show, The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett, about the paranormal. He also guest hosts on Coast to Coast AM, another internationally syndicated show about the paranormal.
In 2018, I released Valzubiriagenda (co-authored by artist Silverio Perez, a fellow artist). Finally, this book is "the how-to of what I'm to."
I'm going to end this with some strangeness. In 1986, a lady at a religious gathering went into a trance and left a good number of messages. Supposedly, anyone who got into a trance would have messages, but once the trance was over, the person would not remember what was said.
I was not part of the group, but the lady turned her head to face me. She "foretold" that whatever I would decide to do in the future, it will take time, but it will be the right thing. This is one of my stories in one of my memoirs, Hocus Pocus Lately.
The Tulipmania of 1634-37
I discovered that there was this incident of rare tulips becoming collectible during the Dutch Golden Age. There were tulips so rare and so well-desired that their prices equaled to that of a house. You can read more about this online (Wikipedia) or watch a few YouTube videos about it.
Here is the most useful idea that I gleaned from the Tulipmania. The tulip bulbs remained safe inside nurseries. The traders were carrying the deeds of ownership to the tulip bulbs.
Then NFTs came to the forefront
I started learning PHP, an HTML scripting language, and MySQL, the database that PHP can connect to in the background, in 1999, when there were only 3 books about PHP and MySQL at the bookstores.
By 2014, I was trying to figure out how to make the "ledger," or database that can be used to update ownership and who can be contacted. If we are trading art, then the art ownership should be updated.
Then NFTs came about. This can be used as our ledger. Everyone can immediately trade NFTs of future, yet-to-be made art pieces, especially because it takes time to make tangible art.
NFTs actually went a step ahead, by allowing digital art to be traded.
The only setback with NFTs, in my opinion, is that it still lacks a commission system for resellers and representatives.
For example, if a café wants to represent me, then they can promote me at their café and on their online pages. If I make one piece of art that will be exclusively represented by a gallery, then that commission will be different and more specific. As ownership is transferred, the subsequent owners should be able to reset the commission. We should also have the option of giving commissions to hundreds of representatives at one time with different percentages if need be.
The recent crypto crash
Lately, we have observed that NFTs and cryptocurrencies have been behaving like the stock market and other markets. They have been fluctuating.
I believe that it is time for a trend which discourages fluctuation of prices.
I have also seen YouTube videos where social influencers are encouraging us to be on the lookout for exponentially profitable ventures, because we have all seen this happen with the exponential increase of Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Let's see if #Valzubiriagenda trends
We can announce present and future art prices. The galleries won't do this (yet?) because they follow a more traditional approach to the business of art.
We have a choice of using incrementally or exponentially increasing prices. We still reserve the right to change things in the future, so everyone should know to follow the latest update.
If this trends, if you as an artist simply announces that you will write an artist memoir, or that you will include the future works in future art books, you might have more art traders, investors and collectors approaching you.
Get your pen, paper and calculator
Imagine yourself as an artist, where you are right now. Let's just say you still do not have a book about yourself and your art yet. Imagine now that you have a memoir out there. Don't you think it makes sense to charge more than what you are charging now? Writing and publishing books is just the beginning. I'm just standardizing this approach. The books also say to do other related projects. In my case, getting Dollman the Musical onstage is one idea. You will have other related projects, but the publication of memoirs, biographies, art books and art catalogs will help all of us.
You can also imagine that a law firm that has meeting rooms, with someone who wants to form a local #valzubiriagenda group, can have meetings. A local café can do the same. Local photographers for your art, writers, editors, book designers, proofreaders and others can join in.
I suggest have printed books to share. 15 copies of your memoir or art books will be better than an e-reader or laptop or your phone to show. These gadgets can be stolen, sabotaged, broken, have coffee spilled on them, etc. 15 printed books means simultaneously showing to 15 people. You can even give them away to potential resellers, investors, traders and collectors.
When it rains, it pours, as in the days of Noah
There's a saying, "When it rains, it pours." There is a negative interpretation and a positive interpretation.
Negative: When trouble comes, they cascade to even more.
Positive: When opportunity comes knocking, more follow suit. We can assume that if one gets our art because of #valzubiriagenda, more want to do it now, because of the rising prices, and FOMO - fear of missing out. What will they lose if they miss the boat?
As I have said earlier, if the #valzubiriagenda trends, if you announce a future memoir or art catalog, you might have an increase of investors, traders and art collectors who would want to check you out. You might encourage more sales. Just remember to write and publish that memoir and art catalog.
There's this saying, "As in the days of Noah." Imagine Noah, building his ark, with members of his own family, putting all his time and effort into it. Noah was a nice guy. I'm sure every once in a while a neighbor offered him coffee, or chai latte, or whatever refreshing drink they might have back then.
Here's the lesson to be learned. Just because they offered him some type of bubble tea drink, or coca cola, they still didn't make it to the ark. Rubbing shoulders with actors does not make you an actor. I have told my artist friends to write their memoirs. They told me that once they see me succeed, after all these many years of seeing my seemingly useless efforts, then they will write their memoirs and follow the road that I had paved for them.
Good luck to them, but if I were you, act now, get my art or make art. Support the 5-year old artist whose parent promised to release a comprehensive art catalog. If you get that 5-year old's art, and mine, I would be honored to be in the same art catalog that you will produce. I'm already successful at that point. You have gotten the mission just right.
I have already claimed to have written the most book-length artist memoirs in the world. Dethrone that claim. Barter. Use ghostwriters. Success to me means facing God one day and saying, I wrote my memoirs and left the world a legacy of books and art. I will not tell God, smiling and proudly, that I encouraged a run for my art by announcing a schedule of exponentially increasing prices that reached 9 figures. I'm sure God knows we had fun.

JOIN THIS GROUP

If you want to try out #valzubiriagenda, in any capacity, join this group. Let others know about this group as well.
If you are an artist, you can let everyone know here that you will produce your memoir, art catalogs, etc. It's okay if you don't know how to go about publishing yet, I will discuss this. Please be honorable enough to produce what you promise to produce.
If you want to meet fellow artists, investors, resellers, etc., join us here.
If you are a book writer, editor, proofreader; if you can photograph art pieces; if you are a book designer, etc., join us here. Let us know if you charge, barter for art, or both.
If you have your own tips and knowledge to share, join us here.
If you have underaged artists you are managing (parents, etc.) join us here.
Join this group if you want to sell works. Post your works. You web links. I'm sure I will.
You can announce meetings in your area. You might have meeting rooms, a café, restaurant, etc. where people can meet. In the future, you can have the regular show and tell, where books can be shown and shared.

Thanks for reading. Please let me know if I need to edit some parts. Please share and join this group. - Valentino Zubiri, Dollman, Artist, Memoirist
Underaged artists are welcome here, so please be mindful of your language. We cannot post your adult-oriented art pieces, but you can direct us to a separate page or community. There will be limits to your posts, and there will be adult-oriented art that we cannot allow to be posted.
Thanks for reading. Please let me know if I need to edit some parts. Please share and join this group. - Valentino Zubiri, Dollman, artist & memoirist
submitted by AutoModerator to valzubiriagenda [link] [comments]


2024.05.11 19:10 Highlowfusion 2009 monster 696 for $1k

I have a friend who has a 2009 monster that has been sitting for almost 18 months. He pays $250 a month for it to park and he's willing to just give it to me for $1,000. I assume this is a really good deal but I'm wondering what I should be on the lookout for. Any advice would be really helpful. It does have a salvage title but runs and rides completely straight. Is this even something I should consider?
Update: I got the bike for free but I'm definitely going to give home something. It's been sitting for a little less than a year, not 18 months, in a garage with AC and has a rebuilt title. Still no idea why but the frame and suspension look sold and straight but I'll confirm once I take it for a ride. Heading to pick it up next weekend since I couldn't get it started today due to the dead battery. Definitely needs new fairings but seems like a solid bike with 10k miles
submitted by Highlowfusion to Ducati [link] [comments]


2024.05.11 17:19 CharlieG31 Bought car last week, no title and no paperwork?

Hi everyone, as the title says we bought a car in Michigan on Tuesday. The paperwork/signing had us there 5 hours, we signed everything digitally and in that process we were told the agency didnt actually have the title for the car (used car) but that they would get it by the next day. Of course that didn't happen. Now its been some days, the auto loan is in and we are paying insurance for both our current car and the new one (even though we dont have the new one with us yet). Is this normal? Is there anything we can do? I dont want to just take the new car home because I suspect the previous sale of this car fell through because they didn't have the title. The agency has been really silent in giving us a timeline/next steps plan.
submitted by CharlieG31 to askcarsales [link] [comments]


2024.05.11 15:54 Soninetz NeuronWriter Reviews: What are Your Complaints?

NeuronWriter Reviews: What are Your Complaints?
Looking for honest and insightful reviews of NeuronWriter? Tired of biased opinions and unclear information? NeuronWriter Reviews is your go-to source for in-depth analysis and genuine feedback. Our team of experts dives deep into the features, pros, and cons to provide you with a comprehensive understanding. Say goodbye to confusion and uncertainty – trust NeuronWriter Reviews to guide you towards the best decision. Stay informed, stay ahead!
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Understanding NeuronWriter Basics

Content Optimization

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Semantic Models for SEO

Using semantic models, NeuronWriter enhances SEO strategies by analyzing the context of words and phrases. This advanced approach ensures that content is not only keyword-rich but also contextually relevant.
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Write smarter, rank higher! 📈 NEURONwriter's advanced tools streamline your content creation process. Start your free trial today!

Tools for Website Optimization

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Exploring NeuronWriter Features

Semantic SEO

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Businesses benefit from NeuronWriter's ability to plan and optimize content effectively. It assists in creating engaging, well-structured content that resonates with the target audience, leading to increased traffic and conversions.

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Reviewing User Experiences

Mike H.'s Perspective

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Jake V.'s Insight

According to Jake V., NeuronWriter excels in SEO optimization, positioning itself as a top choice among writers seeking to enhance their content's visibility online. He appreciates how the platform seamlessly integrates SEO tools into the writing workflow.

Nazarii P.'s Experience

Nazarii P. describes NeuronWriter as a game-changer for content creation, citing its ability to generate high-quality, optimized content with ease. He notes that the platform has significantly improved his writing productivity and overall output.
  • Pros:
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Comparing Alternatives

Features

NeuronWriter stands out in content optimization with its user-friendly interface and detailed analytics. Its competitor, ContentGenius, lacks the same level of customization and flexibility.

Pricing

NeuronWriter offers competitive pricing packages, making it a cost-effective choice for businesses focused on productivity. In contrast, AIContentPro comes with higher subscription fees, limiting budget-conscious users.

User Switches

Mike H. and Jake V. switched to NeuronWriter due to its superior features like real-time keyword suggestions and seamless integration with WordPress. This transition highlights NeuronWriter's edge over other platforms.

Strengths

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Weaknesses

However, NeuronWriter falls short in certain areas compared to competitors like SEOProPlus, particularly in advanced backlink analysis and competitor research capabilities. Addressing these weaknesses could enhance the platform's overall appeal.

Final Verdict

Benefits

NeuronWriter offers a streamlined platform for enhancing your content, boasting an impressive output. Users praise its ability to boost their content score significantly. The tool stands out as a game-changer in the realm of content optimization.

User Reviews

Users rave about NeuronWriter's user-friendly interface and extensive customization options. Its intuitive design simplifies the writing process, catering to both seasoned writers and novices alike. The tool's adaptability allows users to tailor their text according to specific needs.

Decision Making

When considering whether NeuronWriter is the right fit for your content optimization needs, its numerous pros come into play. From refining your title to fine-tuning every aspect of your query, this tool equips you with the necessary arsenal for success. Whether you're an individual or a team, NeuronWriter's versatile features cater to a diverse range of users.

Summary

You've delved into the world of NeuronWriter, understanding its basics, exploring its features, reviewing user experiences, and comparing alternatives. Now, armed with this knowledge, you're ready to make an informed decision. Remember, the key lies in aligning the tool's capabilities with your specific writing needs.
As you navigate your writing journey, consider how NeuronWriter can enhance your productivity and creativity. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting, utilizing tools like NeuronWriter can streamline your process and elevate the quality of your work. So, take the plunge, give it a try, and witness firsthand how this innovative tool can revolutionize your writing experience.
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How does NeuronWriter compare to other writing tools?

NeuronWriter stands out for its intuitive design, robust features, and AI capabilities. Compared to alternatives, it excels in providing a seamless writing experience with enhanced productivity and creativity.

Can you share insights into user experiences with NeuronWriter?

Users praise NeuronWriter for its ease of use, helpful AI suggestions, and time-saving features. The collaborative functions and integration options further enhance the writing process for individuals and teams alike.

Is NeuronWriter suitable for beginners in writing?

Yes, NeuronWriter caters to writers of all levels, including beginners. Its intuitive interface, helpful prompts, and user-friendly tools make it an ideal choice for those looking to improve their writing skills effectively.
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submitted by Soninetz to ReviewsFactory [link] [comments]


2024.05.11 15:38 DC_Legend1 Shazam APK MOD (Premium Unlocked) v14.16.0-240308

Shazam APK MOD (Premium Unlocked) v14.16.0-240308
https://preview.redd.it/rb84ct2zvszc1.png?width=512&format=png&auto=webp&s=00401dfd73ef61972e3d289cd42ffaefd2192fbd
Name Shazam: Music Discovery
Publisher Apple Inc
Genre Music & Audio
Size 31 MB
Version 14.24.0-240502
MOD Premium Unlocked
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Have you ever walked by suddenly passing somewhere and heard a great tune but didn’t know what song it belonged to find and listen to again? Or some people can sing almost an entire song without being able to remember the name of the song. Today, I would like to introduce to everyone a beneficial application and highly worth it for you. Shazam – Discover songs & lyrics in seconds is an application specializing in finding extremely accurate songs through each short piece of music. This is the most popular app in many countries now use for instant music recognition and discovery.

RECOGNIZE THE SONG THROUGH THE METAL IN SECONDS

In the coffee shop or listening to friends sing, we feel the song’s melody is very familiar, but you can’t remember the exact name of the song. Shazam is one of the most popular songs recognition applications today, and it can help you identify almost all the pieces you are looking for in just a few short seconds. Wherever you are, just come across the good tunes you want to search for its name, let this app replace your Google function. It doesn’t take too long, and users need to open the microphone inside the device. Within three short seconds, you have a series of songs appearing. Not only each song title, but when the results appear, it will display all information related to that song from the artist, genre, lyrics, and more.

IMAGE IDENTIFICATION THROUGH POSTER

It’s rare for apps to recognize images through posters to find out the song’s title, but Shazam has become the first to feature this clever function. Manipulated through many modern processes that users using this application seem much easier and more convenient. Not only that, through the lyrics somewhere, you can also find out the name of the song by bringing the camera closer to the lyrics to search for the name of the song. Besides, the application also allows image recognition as QR code readers. It can be said that the application of superstar magic gives us an invaluable gift. Players can also use the application as a game in fun meetings with their friends, contributing to a more prosperous conversation atmosphere.

BUY TICKETS TO MEE THE SINGERS IN THE CONCEPT

What makes the app so popular is that users can buy tickets to meet singers’ infamous concerts. Shazam has presented an excellent opportunity for you to own it. Not only that, but you can also purchase tickets at a more favorable price than other web prices. Instead, we often miss the opportunity to meet music idols. Using this application will help you fulfill your purpose of completing your favorite singer. Let the app explore popular concerts with your famous singers for you.

USE THE APP ANYWHERE, ANYTIME

It’s great that we can use the software anytime, anywhere, and we want. Almost every request within Shazam’s capacity can be met for users. Furthermore, users should use Pop-up to identify songs in apps like Instagram, Youtube, TikTok, etc. You are not too worried when your phone does not have an internet connection when you need to find an important song, and the application can be used even when you are offline. Not only that, but users can also turn on the Auto Shazam feature to continue finding pieces even when you have left the application. In addition, your favorite songs are sorted into a favorites list to add to the playlist on Apple Music.

SHARE FAVORITE SONGS TO FRIENDS ON SOCIAL NETWORKS

You want to spread the best songs and hot trends to your friends to enjoy, and the application allows you to use the sharing feature with friends on famous social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and many others. The application never limits any elements, so users can freely share what they want with their friends.

CONTINUOUSLY UPDATE POPULAR SONGS

You will be surprised when the application owns an endless music treasure. That’s why it shows you countless songs every time the result of the singer lets you enjoy the music. The application always provides users with the song name, lyrics, and singer of that song, from domestic to foreign songs. If you own a Spotify account, now connect your account to the app’s service to easily add your favorite songs on Spotify. Not only that, but through the application, you can also explore the information of the application’s real-time charts and search for popular songs in your area.
submitted by DC_Legend1 to Modifiedmods [link] [comments]


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