Vocab level e unit 10 facebook fan page

Valheim

2018.05.17 20:42 dvoidis Valheim

Valheim is a brutal exploration and survival game for solo play or 2-10 (Co-op PvE) players, set in a procedurally-generated purgatory inspired by viking culture. It's available in Steam Early Access, developed by Iron Gate and published by Coffee Stain. * Discord link currently unavailable due to recent hacking incident. * https://steamcommunity.com/app/892970/discussions/ * https://www.facebook.com/valheimgame * https://twitter.com/valheimgame
[link]


2014.11.18 15:13 LGHyourinmaru Final Fantasy Brave Exvius

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius is a free-to-play role-playing game developed by Alim and published by Square Enix for iOS and Android devices. ::::: Join us on Discord ::::: https://discord.gg/ffbraveexvius
[link]


2010.02.27 05:23 Meades_Loves_Memes r/teenagers

teenagers is the biggest community forum run by teenagers for teenagers. Our subreddit is primarily for discussions and memes that an average teenager would enjoy to discuss about. We do not have any age-restriction in place but do keep in mind this is targeted for users between the ages of 13 to 19. Parents, teachers, and the like are welcomed to participate and ask any questions!
[link]


2024.05.15 01:42 ondinegreen 17 years have led to this moment after Wellington Phoenix’s ‘real-life version of Survivor’

It is worth remembering precisely why Phoenix supporters are much more tolerant of the APL than some other clubs - because the APL is not literally trying to "constructively dismiss" us from the competition.
https://aleagues.com.au/news/wellington-phoenix-david-dome-interview-semi-final-melbourne-victory-save-the-nix-2015/
Imagine the A-Leagues without the Wellington Phoenix. In 2015, it was a reality that almost came to pass.
Nearly a decade on it’s hard to envisage; the club is on the brink of its first Grand Final, with more than 30,000 fans expected to pass through the gates for Saturday night’s blockbuster Semi-Final against Melbourne Victory.
But nine years ago, Wellington was a club on its knees.
Just weeks before the start of the 2015-16 season, Football Federation Australia denied the Phoenix a 10-year license extension and David Gallop, chief executive of the league’s governing body, delivered a crushing assessment of the situation which still rings in the ears of those involved at the club today:
“We’re ambitious for the growth of the A-League. You can’t expect to squat on a licence in our competition.”
Those who wanted Wellington gone from the league in 2015 made their voices heard. But those who wanted to save the Nix spoke louder.
David Dome was the General Manager of the club at the time, and still is today.
“We haven’t forgotten that,” Dome told aleagues.com.au. “It comes up every now and then: ‘squatting’. I said to the Yellow Fever, you should make a banner: #Squatting!”
It’s a memory of a bleak moment in Phoenix history retold with the typical humour and resilient tone you come to expect after speaking to enough people at the club, battle-hardened but never defeated.
This is the story of how a club on the brink was saved – not for the first time – and the subsequent events that have led Wellington to the cusp of the promised land.
“I can tell you without a word of a lie, there was not one single club in the A-League who wanted the Phoenix out at that time,” Dome recalled.
“All the other clubs were supportive of the Phoenix… they could not understand why (FFA) were trying to get rid of clubs. There are always clubs that are financially challenged, and Wellington Phoenix were not one of the clubs that were draining resources from the centre.
“Why were we asked to question our survival, our existence in the league, when we were not taking money out of the centre when other clubs were? Other clubs understood that.
“Looking back on it now, there was always that sense that we were in the right, that what the club was bringing to the league was valuable, and it was something that anyone from the outside would be saying: that club is valuable to the league, and adds something to the league. It was nonsensical to be questioning our existence.”
The ‘Save the Nix’ campaign began in November, 2015. The Yellow Fever – the club’s active supporter base – led the charge and local councillors and MPs lent their voices to the cause.
“People came out of the woodwork to support the club in that time,” he said. “I remember one of the things we did was put a whole lot of scarves around the city to highlight the fact the Phoenix was being questioned.“I can tell you without a word of a lie, there was not one single club in the A-League who wanted the Phoenix out at that time,” Dome recalled.
“All the other clubs were supportive of the Phoenix… they could not understand why (FFA) were trying to get rid of clubs. There are always clubs that are financially challenged, and Wellington Phoenix were not one of the clubs that were draining resources from the centre.
“Why were we asked to question our survival, our existence in the league, when we were not taking money out of the centre when other clubs were? Other clubs understood that.
“Looking back on it now, there was always that sense that we were in the right, that what the club was bringing to the league was valuable, and it was something that anyone from the outside would be saying: that club is valuable to the league, and adds something to the league. It was nonsensical to be questioning our existence.”
The ‘Save the Nix’ campaign began in November, 2015. The Yellow Fever – the club’s active supporter base – led the charge and local councillors and MPs lent their voices to the cause.
“People came out of the woodwork to support the club in that time,” he said. “I remember one of the things we did was put a whole lot of scarves around the city to highlight the fact the Phoenix was being questioned.
“Shane Harmon, the CEO of Sky Stadium, was climbing in one of the fountains putting up scarves to highlight the challenge in front of the club.
“It certainly did galvanise the fanbase, not that it wasn’t before that… and it wasn’t easy.
“You can’t paper over that and say it wasn’t a challenge because, of course, it was a challenge. But what kept us going was the fans. It united the fan group. They showed their support for the club in a very overt way. But we also had a lot of fans from Australia and the other clubs coming out in support of the Wellington Phoenix.”
submitted by ondinegreen to Aleague [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:39 This1_TimeAtBandcamp Maintenance

As a maintenance man, I’ve definitely seen my fair share of oddities in peoples homes. However, the story I’m about to tell you is definitely one that is new to me.
So as I stated before I work in maintenance. Commercial and residential. Been doing it almost 10 years now. Everyday is something new and that’s why I love this job. Helping people. Seeing their smiles whenever something that was broke is fixed and they are able to go about life normally again. It really makes my heart swell.
The incident in question happened on a day that started out like any other day. I got to work, went into my office, started some coffee and began checking over my workload for the day.
My first work order for the day was in a unit that had a new resident in it. I have yet to meet the young lady in question so as procedure states I gave her a call to let her know I would be stopping by today to take care of the issue she submitted. She had a clogged sink, which, in the years of doing this I know isn’t going to be a long job so best to knock it out early.
When she answered her phone she sounded out of breath. “Hello?” “Good morning Ms. [redacted]. My name is Jimmy the maintenance tech here at [redacted] I was wondering if I could come by and take a look at your sink for you this morning?” There was a long pause. So long I had to see if she was still there.
“Ms. [redacted]?” “Yes! ….I mean yes. You can come by this morning. Umm… yes. That’s fine.” “GREAT!” I respond. “I will be up in about 30 minutes. See you soon!”
I hung up and finished the coffee I had poured while on the phone with her and began gathering any tools I may need for the job.
About 40 minutes later I was standing on her porch and knocking on her door. “Ms.[redacted]? It’s Jimmy with maintenance.” A loud clatter could be heard from the other side of the door before a petite young lady snatched the door open looking very distraught.
“Is everything ok? I can come back later if you..” “No no. You can come in now” she cut me off. “It’s the kitchen sink, right here.” Pointing just passed the threshold into the kitchen. I nod and make my way in closing the door behind me.
I’ll save you the boredom of the explanation of how I fixed the leak but regardless, it was fixed. The odd thing was that she stood there in the doorway to the kitchen the entire time. Not necessarily watching me but seemingly blocking me from the rest of the house.
Although I thought she was acting odd it is not in my job description to be a psychiatrist to people. I fix their sinks, not their heads. I gave her a clean bill of health for her sink and said my goodbyes.
Two days later I get another service request from the same unit. If there is anyone out there familiar with RealPage you know that there is the section that the resident can fill in what the issue is. This one simply said “Other- see comments.” Under the comments says “Please help.”
I make my way back up to her unit to investigate the problem. I was not ready for what was waiting on me on the other side of the door.
A rush to the door and a breathless, petite woman stands in front of me.
Good morning Ms. [redacted]. What seems to be the issue. She takes a deep breath, “I have another clog.” “Oh no. Where is it? Let me take a look so I can go grab my…” Before I knew it she had snatched me inside by my shirt and slammed the door behind us. “You have been extremely nice and so willing to help since I’ve been here.” Even though I had only been here once. “You seem like a really great and trustworthy guy.” “Thank you.” I say trying to hide the shock and uneasy feeling I felt creeping up my gut.
“I have something very important I need your help with. Follow me.” With that she started back towards the steps and beckoned me to follow her. Once at the top of the steps I could see into the bathroom and could see this was going to be much bigger than even I was ready for.
submitted by This1_TimeAtBandcamp to Horror_stories [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:37 This1_TimeAtBandcamp Maintenance

As a maintenance man, I’ve definitely seen my fair share of oddities in peoples homes. However, the story I’m about to tell you is definitely one that is new to me.
So as I stated before I work in maintenance. Commercial and residential. Been doing it almost 10 years now. Everyday is something new and that’s why I love this job. Helping people. Seeing their smiles whenever something that was broke is fixed and they are able to go about life normally again. It really makes my heart swell.
The incident in question happened on a day that started out like any other day. I got to work, went into my office, started some coffee and began checking over my workload for the day.
My first work order for the day was in a unit that had a new resident in it. I have yet to meet the young lady in question so as procedure states I gave her a call to let her know I would be stopping by today to take care of the issue she submitted. She had a clogged sink, which, in the years of doing this I know isn’t going to be a long job so best to knock it out early.
When she answered her phone she sounded out of breath. “Hello?” “Good morning Ms. [redacted]. My name is Jimmy the maintenance tech here at [redacted] I was wondering if I could come by and take a look at your sink for you this morning?” There was a long pause. So long I had to see if she was still there.
“Ms. [redacted]?” “Yes! ….I mean yes. You can come by this morning. Umm… yes. That’s fine.” “GREAT!” I respond. “I will be up in about 30 minutes. See you soon!”
I hung up and finished the coffee I had poured while on the phone with her and began gathering any tools I may need for the job.
About 40 minutes later I was standing on her porch and knocking on her door. “Ms.[redacted]? It’s Jimmy with maintenance.” A loud clatter could be heard from the other side of the door before a petite young lady snatched the door open looking very distraught.
“Is everything ok? I can come back later if you..” “No no. You can come in now” she cut me off. “It’s the kitchen sink, right here.” Pointing just passed the threshold into the kitchen. I nod and make my way in closing the door behind me.
I’ll save you the boredom of the explanation of how I fixed the leak but regardless, it was fixed. The odd thing was that she stood there in the doorway to the kitchen the entire time. Not necessarily watching me but seemingly blocking me from the rest of the house.
Although I thought she was acting odd it is not in my job description to be a psychiatrist to people. I fix their sinks, not their heads. I gave her a clean bill of health for her sink and said my goodbyes.
Two days later I get another service request from the same unit. If there is anyone out there familiar with RealPage you know that there is the section that the resident can fill in what the issue is. This one simply said “Other- see comments.” Under the comments says “Please help.”
I make my way back up to her unit to investigate the problem. I was not ready for what was waiting on me on the other side of the door.
A rush to the door and a breathless, petite woman stands in front of me.
Good morning Ms. [redacted]. What seems to be the issue. She takes a deep breath, “I have another clog.” “Oh no. Where is it? Let me take a look so I can go grab my…” Before I knew it she had snatched me inside by my shirt and slammed the door behind us. “You have been extremely nice and so willing to help since I’ve been here.” Even though I had only been here once. “You seem like a really great and trustworthy guy.” “Thank you.” I say trying to hide the shock and uneasy feeling I felt creeping up my gut.
“I have something very important I need your help with. Follow me.” With that she started back towards the steps and beckoned me to follow her. Once at the top of the steps I could see into the bathroom and could see this was going to be much bigger than even I was ready for.
submitted by This1_TimeAtBandcamp to scarystories [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:34 DogSpark84 When there is a dip. Do not flip. When a whale unloads. I get a chode.

I replied to an individual the other day in regards to Cone distribution. I thought this might be helpful for others so I wanted to post in on the main page.
This week there was a post that mentioned "The top 250 holders collectively own 74.57%."
In response, one individual mentioned;
"Actually this is kinda bad. A few people can change the trajectory of the coin just by selling."
I responded with this long form reply, which I feel also warranted a posting on the main page.
This is why I love it when we dip, and you should too!
"While this is true, we are so early and at such a low MC that not only is it OK for Cone to have whales sell, but it's actually quite preferred. Even if that means a huge price reduction, as long as there are new cones entering, that's all that counts. We want to allow the distribution to occur when the MC is low. Anytime I see cone drop 10-15% in price, it's almost always because a whale sold, not because smaller holders are selling. Regardless of what the price does this is as very positive trend. Cone could add another zero if a handful of whales sold, but again, that is only a positive if the demand from new wallets or currently smaller cone wallets is high and they are buying those dips. What would be not great though is if when whales sell, other current whales gobble it up to a very very heavy degree. Of course them buying the dip is nice and helps the price, but there is a limit to how much a whale should try to accumulate, imo. An example would be if our top holders at 10+B would gobble the dip up and shoot to say 15B, that would not be great. The amount of unique holders of cone continually goes up, which is a very very good sign. When those whales sell it should be a celebration not a cause for concern for current whales and fish alike. If the price does drop significantly, I think current top 25ish whales could even take that opportunity to purchase cheap cones if ONLY for the purpose of distributing it through multiplietipping posts etc. Every whale should have a 'this is almost too much cone' amount that they don't want to go beyond. I see the top 5 holders possibly teetering at that level right now. Simply from observing those wallets, I do get the sense they have a 'this is almost too much cone' amount in mind. It is very very rare to see those top 5 wallets accumulate, and when they do it's at very reasonable amounts. When whales(in general crypto, not specifically within Cone)accumulate too heavily, they might be thinking "oh this is going to help make me more profit", but in reality it's only hindering the ability to make profit because you are pricing out new wallets. Again, for those top 5 holders, please don't take this the wrong way I'm just using it to help get the point across. I do not feel they have overdone it just yet. If you start seeing wallets at 13, 14, 15, 20B+ that's when the red flags come in. Right now the top wallet holds 1.9% the total supply. Anything beyond that, say 2.25%+ is IMO, being greedy and counterproductive not only to all Cone but to those specific whales. A nice thing about our community is that most if not all those whales are people that post here and seem like good people. Regardless of how they are as people though, as in strictly from a numbers standpoint, going beyond that 2.25ish% of the supply level is a red flag.
So in summary: I hope whales sell and the price drops, granted demand from smaller wallets is there and new holders are created as well. Which has been the pattern from the beginning."
submitted by DogSpark84 to ConeHeads [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:30 Gullible-Ant-9570 Ocean Planet Information - 5/14/2024

Ocean Planet is developed & designed by Adam Ali, known online as Adam314. The game is set to release in August 2024.
My goal with Ocean Planet & the Planetarium series is to combine a gameplay style inspired by "Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy" with a focus more on atmospheric visuals and audio. The game is ocean themed with ocean themed sections - Bubble Factory, Pirate Cove, Seafood and Blue Palace. For the games style, I wanted to take the Frutiger Aero Aesthetic, and make it more modern & mechanical.
I developed the programming, gameplay, level design, graphics, and UI for Ocean Planet.
Permutative made all the ambience & sound effects, with a hypnotic style.
Keep an eye out for Ocean Planet updates, including other future games I develop for my Planetarium series on my YouTube.
Ocean Planet Steam page - Coming Soon
My YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHvA-eI0R8KEznygv9uib1A
submitted by Gullible-Ant-9570 to ocean_planet [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:28 GPTGamingNews The Ultimate Halo Infinite: Campaign Review

The Ultimate Halo Infinite: Campaign Review
https://preview.redd.it/qyqda90d2h0d1.jpg?width=1100&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3f48440877eff74e0e0dad1f805fcd8b7ea5d39

Game Information

  • Game Name: Halo Infinite
  • Release Date: December 8, 2021
  • Story Length: 9 Hours
  • Completionist Length: 25 Hours
  • Setting/World-Type: Sci-Fi Open World
  • Genre/Sub-Genre: First-person shooter
  • Perspective: First-person
  • Development Engine: Slipspace Engine
https://preview.redd.it/457v3qza2h0d1.jpg?width=1140&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=66d203fd719bea8c6b3a18b956d07d1053d912b3

Game Publisher and Developer Information

  • Developer: 343 Industries
  • Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
  • Headquarters Location: Redmond, Washington, United States
  • Director: Pierre Hintze
  • Lead Producers: Chris Hager, Brian Lemon, and Casey Marissa Wu
  • Writers: Dan Chosich, Paul Crocker, Jeff Easterling, Aaron Linde
  • Technical Director: David Berger
  • Design Director: Max Szlagor
https://preview.redd.it/0qa55nag2h0d1.jpg?width=3840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=37c4ddbd760fd4e3ecd1e3b8903ea84dbad6ff16

STORY ATMOSPHERE LORE - 100/100

During the boarding of the UNSC Infinity supercarrier, Master Chief is thrown into space by Atriox, leader of the Banished. The Banished are a mercenary group that was previously part of the Covenant but broke away due to disagreements with the Covenant leadership. You’re eventually rescued by the Pilot, a survivor of the attack, who reluctantly assists the Master Chief in his mission to take down Atriox and the Banished. After destroying the warship, Chief is picked up by the Pilot, and they head down to Zeta Halo to search for a “weapon” in the mysteriously damaged portion of the ring. With these two introductory missions out of the way, you’re introduced to Halo Infinite’s vibrant yet dangerous open world. Across the 16-story missions, you will find yourself going across Zeta Halo and into the depths of the Forerunner installation.
The campaign features wide and sprawling open fields, claustrophobic underground facilities, and everything in between. The pacing of missions in Infinite is well done and isn’t too fast or slow. Missions are not too long, and you can expect to spend about 11 and a half hours on Zeta Halo when focusing on the main objectives, making it the longest campaign to date, according to HowLongToBeat. When looking to see everything the game has to offer, it’s estimated to take around 27 and a half hours to finish.
Knowing the lore behind the factions only adds to how enjoyable it is to fight against each enemy. For example, Brutes are always looking to fight opponents of noteworthy strength, so they approach battles with the Master Chief with bravado and are often happy to battle with the Spartans. Jackals, on the other hand, are typically pirates and mercenaries and will remark about claiming the bounty on Master Chief during combat. They go as far as commenting on canon events during combat, which is a first for the series. For example, Grunts will sometimes taunt you with a remark about the events of Halo: Reach by saying, “Hey Spartan, Reach called! Just kidding - ha!” Sometimes, Grunts dab after killing you, making them even more hilarious to fight. The colorful personalities that make up the Banished mercenaries make them feel more alive and like real characters you’re battling against. Previous Halo games had less personality-oriented enemies whose combat chatter became repetitive and didn’t make for a marginally more interesting battle.

GAMEPLAY - 95/100

WEAPONS

Since Halo: Combat Evolved, a damage system consisting of Kinetic and Plasma has been in place. Hardlight didn’t make a place for itself until Halo 4 and Shock Damage had its inception in Halo Infinite. Most human-made weapons deal Kinetic damage, which is effective at taking down unshielded enemies like Grunts, while Plasma works best against shields. Hardlight is good against any enemy regardless of their shield status, but the weapons and ammo are few and far between. Shock damage arcs between targets and is great for groups of Banished and their vehicles. As the newest addition to the weapon ecosystem, it makes a powerful statement when used in the midst of battle. Much like previous Halo installments, having only two weapon slots forces you into giving encounters some forethought since you’ll want to be properly prepared for the skirmish. It also makes you have to sacrifice certain weapons and pick up others to gain the upper hand in a fight, especially when facing a boss. Ammo resupplies aren’t new to Halo, but the ability to refill certain ammo like rockets without picking up a duplicate of the weapon is new to the series.
As a first for the series, the open-world design makes the open-battlefield style fights from previous games even more exciting by allowing different approaches to fights to be more viable. Previous installments of the series pitted Master Chief against enemies in arena-style fights, which had a repeating cycle of short battles and then exposition. Infinite has a different sense of balance between combat and exposition. One minute, you’re riding along through the ring, and suddenly you stumble upon a battle between Banished forces and surviving Marines. All hell breaks loose. In prior installments, you knew when combat would start due to the layout of an area, but in Halo Infinite, it’s less predictable but in the best way possible. It brings the ringworld to life and has a sense of curiosity as to what you’ll find yourself in next, similar to random encounters in other RPGs.

ENEMIES

In a first for the series, boss fights also make an appearance in the campaign. The boss fights in the story force you to take the damage system seriously because, without them, you’re bound to have a hard time. The bosses come with their own special fighting style. For example, the Spartan Killers, Hyperius and Tovarus, are both battled at the same time in the mission ‘Pelican Down.’ Hyperius wields a unique Ravager, S7 sniper, and rides a Chopper, while his brother Tovarus has a Scrap Cannon and spike grenades. Fighting both at the same time proves to be a mighty challenge since you’re in an open area with limited weaponry. Each boss has an arena that puts you at a disadvantage, like when you fight the invisible, energy sword-wielding Elite, Chak ’Lok, in a small room full of smoke. Another example would be fighting against the lightning-fast Harbinger in the final mission, along with her incredibly difficult waves of enemies. The bosses come in all forms of Banished and remain a constant threat in both main missions and side objectives.
Although the bosses are difficult, Halo Infinite’s standard enemies pose their own threats and must be handled differently. For example, Jackals have to be dealt with quickly since they often show up with marksman rifles that deal heavy damage. Elites are easily recognized by their tall stature and signature mandibles. They’re honor-bound Captains of the Banished whose inspiring presence makes their soldiers more emboldened and less fearful. Taking them out makes the rest of the battle much more manageable. Grunts are the small and frightened cannon fodder of the Banished who often run in fear when their higher-ups are defeated.

UPGRADES

One of the other new additions to the campaign is an upgrade system. Master Chief can now upgrade parts of his kit to make his gadgets much more powerful by finding and acquiring Spartan Cores. Become a walking tank by upgrading your shield to absorb more damage before breaking or greatly improve the agility of Chief by reducing the cooldown between uses of the Grappleshot. Reduced cooldown is an absolute must if you plan on playing around with the grappling hook during combat since waiting for it to recharge can mean life or death. All of the upgrades play their parts and can be integral to having a battle go your way. The Threat sensor can be upgraded to have a permanent mark on the enemy along with a visible health bar. The Drop Wall can have its strength increased and add shock damage to projectiles you fire through it. Finally, the thruster can increase its dodge distance and give you a cloak effect after use. Each ability upgrade plays into how well you’ll perform during a fight since not using them can cause you to take a lot more damage.

OUTPOSTS

Those aren’t the only new changes Infinite brings to the table. Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) are another new addition to the map. They appear as outposts you can claim during your fight against the Banished and serve as fast travel points. Alongside these FOBs comes a currency known as Valor. Valor is earned through completing the various side missions available across Zeta Halo. The currency allows you to unlock supplies and weapons to aid you in dominating the Banished and the battlefield. Your hard-earned Valor needs only to be spent once for unlimited access to the requisitions. From the simple yet reliable Sidekick sidearm all the way to the big bad behemoth of ground warfare, the Scorpion, Valor enables you to bring out any sort of weapon or vehicle for any scenario.

SIDE OBJECTIVE

The open world of Zeta Halo also has many side missions available, such as hunting down high-value targets (HVTs), rescuing UNSC Marines, and capturing abandoned outposts. These missions can be a great break from the story or provide much-needed Valor to help during the story. Undertaking a High-Value Target mission is as simple as going to the marked location and killing the target. The bosses appear as various types of Banished, and each has its own dossier with backstory and potentially useful information, such as strengths, weaknesses, and potential combat strategies. The HVTs also carry a unique weapon that drops when their wielder is defeated and can be purchased with valor for use during missions. When you’re not taking Banished lives, you can instead save those of the survivors of the UNSC Infinity’s crash. The Marine survivors will usually be engaging Banished troops, and it’s your job to make sure they survive. Upon saving the Marines, you’ll be rewarded with Valor as well as some new comrades who are willing to ride in vehicles and fight with you. Aside from the HVT hunting and marine distress signals, outposts are also available. Each Outpost offers several different objectives that need to be completed in order to shut down the facility. The objectives vary depending on the function of the Outpost, and completing a task can cause enemy reinforcement. Similarly to FOBs, the Outposts act as fast travel points after they’re finished and can be used to call in supplies unlocked through Valor.

FIRST-PERSON SHOOTER - 80/100

As a first-person shooter, Halo Infinite’s campaign excels at the traditional formula while adding new gameplay elements like boss fights. In these additions, Infinite delivers a fun and memorable combination of well-paced storytelling and solid gameplay. The RPG elements, like armor upgrades, make for a more engaging experience by giving an enticing reason to explore the levels and open world of Zeta Halo. All of these elements come together and deliver an amazing FPS game that doesn’t disappoint.

GRAPHICS ART DIRECTION - 95/100

Halo Infinite is the most graphically advanced Halo to date thanks to the new Slipspace engine, which allows it to outshine the previous installments by providing new and updated visuals. The engine enables excellent use of volumetric lighting, giving the interiors beautiful rays of light that shine through cracks and around objects. Each of these components lends itself to the world of Zeta Halo and makes it a true marvel to look at. Indoor sections feel realistic through their use of volumetric lighting and high-resolution textures. These elements make the walk through Forerunner facilities feel strange and alien as the lights twist and turn while you maneuver through the halls. Master Chief's damaged armor looks amazing in the cutscenes, where it looks battered and beat from the various battles the suit has seen. Compared to Halo 5, it’s far more appealing in the lighting and detail while remaining much more realistic with its high-resolution textures. It’s small things like this that make all the difference in how you perceive the game and the time put into it.
The art design of the levels works great in conjunction with the Forerunner plot elements introduced in Halo 4 as the beginning of the Reclaimer Saga. We see a lot of the Forerunner technology at work through things like bridges appearing as you approach and the Forerunner Sentinels flying overhead and working on repairs within facilities. These seemingly small details play a big role in making the factions more believable while also allowing the world to feel unique. While some levels in other Halo games felt a little too similar to one another in some cases, each level in Infinite feels completely different while retaining the identity of Halo Infinite. Compared to the first mission, where the halls of the Banished ship are claustrophobic and limit movement while eliciting the feeling of having a daunting task ahead, ‘Silent Auditorium’ brings you within a massive Forerunner facility that feels larger than life and has a feeling of finality to it.
The larger-than-life buildings of the Forerunners combined with the shiny silver exterior that makes up their facilities make for very regal settings. When paired with the grand and open interiors, the areas provide a majestic feeling and truly make the sci-fi notion come to life. The Banished forces come with their own unique looks as well, with their scarlet armor providing a contrast to the environment that allows for them to be easily distinguished from the background. The scarlet of their armor compliments their ferocity in battle since the Banished aren’t ones to run away from conflict, even with Master Chief.

REPLAYABILITY - 85/100

One of the best parts of Halo campaigns is how replayable they are. Whether you’re playing alone or with a friend at your side, the story of Halo Infinite is captivating and gripping enough to make it worth a few extra playthroughs. The side missions and the optional bosses are plentiful enough that you may not be able to complete the extra objectives in a single run. Aside from a completionist run, you can also try your hand at the infamous LASO challenge. LASO, standing for Legendary All Skulls On, is the ultimate test of your Halo skills and can be as infuriating as it is gratifying once you make it through a section. LASO is just one of many challenging ways the community has made Halo replayable and always a fresh experience. Master Chief’s journey on Zeta Halo is easy to jump back into even after beating it and is great if you’re looking to experience a quality storyline in a fan-favorite universe.

FUN FACTOR - 95/100

The Halo Infinite campaign is incredibly fun and makes for a memorable experience with all of its new additions. Between the classic and new formula for Halo, it finds itself in the middle, where new gameplay elements mesh together with the traditional style seamlessly. The game succeeds at giving you fun new things to play around with while remaining true to the original Halo style. You’ll find the most fun moments when the gameplay finally ‘clicks’ and you manage to pull off that awesome sniper shot or kill that boss that’s been giving you trouble. It’s such a satisfying feeling when you manage to latch onto a Brute chopper with the Grappleshot and yank the Banished out of their vehicles. It feels straight out of a movie and makes you truly immerse yourself in the incredible feats Master Chief is known to pull off. These moments of triumph are what add up to making the campaign so fun and can keep you coming back for more.

TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE - 97/100

Through the time played on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X, the game was incredibly well optimized. The graphics were noticeably different between the two generations, but it’s to be expected with the hardware differences. The game ran as smoothly as ever from the beginning to the end of the campaign. The Xbox One had some intermittent lag and stutter, but it wasn’t enough to impact gameplay significantly. The game ran very consistently throughout the campaign experience and made for a very enjoyable experience since it suffered no crashes.

CREATIVE REVIEW

Halo Infinite, released on December 8, 2021, is an ambitious follow-up to 2015’s Halo 5: Guardians. The game began development by 343 Industries just three years later. This sci-fi first-person shooter is the third installment in the Reclaimer Saga that began with Halo 4 and was published by Xbox Game Studios. Infinite was intended to be a launch release for the Xbox Series XS but was delayed due to internal conflict on development decisions. This installment utilizes the new Slipspace engine in conjunction with Faber, a set of developer tools with some of its components dating back to the early 2000s. Since its release, the campaign has been the subject of critical acclaim, with many praising the innovations the new story brought with it. An open world, new armor abilities, and a new faction all come with the installment’s 28-hour story mode. On the other hand, the free-to-play multiplayer was heavily criticized for its lack of content at launch. Since then, Infinite’s multiplayer has gone through several seasons, each of them introducing new content and different cosmetics to obtain through battle pass progression.
When I booted up the campaign for the first time, I couldn’t help but reminisce on all the good times I had both solo and with friends in previous installments. Memories like Grifball on Halo: Reach, dying four thousand times to Jackal Snipers on Halo 2, and Arbiter saving Chief with a flamethrower in Halo 3. I went in expecting something at least a little better than the catastrophe of Halo 5, but instead, I was met with something very different and unique for the series. Let’s start from the beginning: the opening cutscene and mission one. While Chief is known to be one of gaming’s coolest characters, he got humbled extremely quickly. The scene opens with pure chaos ensuing. There’s fire, plasma, and bullets flying everywhere, and Chief is at the center of it all. I felt like a kid in a candy shop, watching him skillfully maneuver and take down several opponents. That is until the big baddie of the Banished came along. The following encounter between Atriox and Master Chief was absolute humiliation for the mean green killing machine. Atriox grabs him, beats him with his admittedly cool hammer, drags Master Chief through the hangar, and then throws him into space. I was in pure shock as to how Chief just got beaten like nothing. Isn’t he a ‘hyper-lethal’ class Spartan? Maybe it was because he got caught off guard. Regardless, I just watched my childhood get thrown to his presumable death, and I wanted revenge.
Mission one sees us go in a Banished Warship to free the Pelican that Echo-216 saved us with from certain doom. It was straightforward, and I got a good glimpse of that classic Halo gameplay loop so many of us loved: Exploration, combat, and then some exposition. It’s a simple yet effective formula that kept me engaged the whole game. In this opening mission, we get introduced to the newest piece of equipment: the Grappleshot. While simple, it plays a huge role in every aspect of this game. As I got the hang of using it, I found that I could use it for more effective maneuverability in combat, something I did the entire game, which saved me many times. I got to the control room and promptly blew the ship to Smithereens, which left me feeling a lot of satisfaction as I mentally recovered from seeing Chief beaten up by Atriox. After the Banished Warship and one other mission, we get to explore the open world of Zeta Halo.
The world is exciting and fun to explore while supporting characters and cutscenes only add to the already gripping story. I quickly fell in love with the campaign and its characters in a way I hadn’t felt since Halo 4. When I wasn’t doing one of the story missions, I was out, causing a ruckus with the side missions. The High-Value Target missions were personal favorites that you’ll love if you’re a fan of boss fights, something Infinite doesn’t shy away from and has plenty of. Each fight feels like a real challenge since they all put you at a distinct disadvantage, like the Pelican Down mission, where you fight Hyperius and Tovarus at the same time with limited space and weaponry. This challenge translated well into a stark contrast between regular enemies and bosses. It made the bosses really feel threatening, a feeling I felt most games lacked since the fight with General Raam way back in the first Gears of War. There were countless battles, a lot of dying, and tons of fun to be had.
By the time I reached the Silent Auditorium, I had amassed an arsenal of weapons that I thought would make it a piece of cake. Spoiler alert: it was far from easy. I struggled on this mission quite a bit and had to take a break and tackle it again the next day. There were tons of enemies of varying calibers and carrying a lot of guns, but that was nothing new for a final Halo mission. It feels like enemy AI was much better this time around due to technological improvements and level designs largely being in favor of the Banished. The Silent Auditorium is a beautiful but deadly level that kept me on my toes and gave me a real sense of finality and importance as I made my way through the Banished army, protecting the final boss. It really makes you utilize every bit of tech and upgrade you’ve gotten up to this point. I had to throw down many Drop Walls, use a lot of Grappleshots to run away and heal, and use more Threat Sensors than I could count. Eventually, I got to the final boss with little ammo and very small amounts of optimism about the upcoming fight. The reasoning is spoiler-heavy, so I won’t say much, but when you get ready for this mission, come prepared to die a lot.
Halo Infinite had a rocky beginning but has a bright future ahead of it so long as 343 Industries keeps up the amazing work they’ve been doing during the past and current seasons. The campaign is on par with the original trilogy, which many consider to be the pinnacle of the series. It manages to define itself as a fantastic third entry to the Reclaimer Saga that had a rough start with the release of Halo 4 and the negatively received Halo 5: Guardians. While the campaign introduces some things that may initially turn away long-time fans, the gameplay and new additions make the story able to be experienced in a new and unique way. This is only furthered by a fantastic upgrade system that keeps you in the fight against an enemy that hits hard and can take a punch. The level design choices utilize the new gameplay additions like the Grappling Hook to their full extent and encourage you to play around with your new toys, see what strikes your fancy, and master their uses. Likewise, the multiplayer has a lot of charm. The addition of new weapons, new maps, and new modes add up and make for an awesome bout of fun with friends or even by yourself. The seasonal releases and cosmetics for the multiplayer only add to the fun with what many consider to be the best customization received since Halo: Reach. It may have been roughly criticized in the beginning, but it’s clear that 343 Industries took the criticism and set out to give Infinite the makeover of a lifetime. Halo Infinite surpasses expectations while remaining humble in its delivery of an unforgettable campaign and an equally addicting multiplayer that keeps many of us coming back for more. It’s amazing to see how far the game has come since its beta, and it’s hard to contain the excitement that comes with pondering what comes next.

SCORE SUMMARY - 92/100

Halo Infinite is a fantastic entry into one of the most well-known gaming series, and it delivers on nearly every front in its campaign. The cutscenes are beautiful, the RPG elements are prevalent but not overpowering, and the core gameplay is reminiscent of classic Halo. The campaign is easily one of the best entries in the series and delivers a stellar game in all aspects.
https://preview.redd.it/7efzm81s2h0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=74b6dc6501766d0d0b7dba6dd892f4b232353ee1
Roland Martinez
Reviewer
Favorite Game: Gears of War
submitted by GPTGamingNews to u/GPTGamingNews [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:26 Actual_Handle_3 Doris the catfish has given strong circumstantial evidence that she is the model whose picture she used

7 years of texting and it bears all the signs of romance scam, but, well I'll tell you. I think I will fill in details as they are asked.
4 years ago, I received the fourth or fifth friend request with Doris's pics. She said that her iCloud had been hacked and 10,000 pics were out there. I asked to get a pic in a certain pose and in the time it would have taken to take four, she sent 4 pics in that pose. (Yeah, I know. That's not enough) A couple months later, I got another request with about 40 pics! I knew that something was up, so I did a reverse image search, and it turns out she's an Instagram fitness model with 5.7 million followers. Instead of just blocking, I confronted her. She said what they all say, "it's me" and sent proof that it was her. So instead of walking away, I fell in love with the model and her life. Her heartbreaks like being orphaned at 11 made her so human, and she was intelligent. Studying for her master's in physiology and graduating cum laude turned me on. But I still had my doubts, and I finally caught her! Doris claimed that due to some reason she was living away from home, but on Facebook the real woman posted that she just received her master's at her home state university. "Ah-hah! I've got you dead to rights" I told her. She asked me to screenshot the post. I toggled back, and it has been removed! "My manager posted it and I told him to take it down". Indeed, the real woman's Facebook page (blue checked) indicates there are multiple admins.
I'm going to stop here and I will give other proofs. But the real one, video chat hasn't happened. We tried once but the sync wasn't right. I would tell someone else that's a sure sign that she's fake, but I do have these other things that I will share.
submitted by Actual_Handle_3 to catfish [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:24 ilbuffone Tik tok editors hard life

(SORRY FOR BAD ENGLISH) With this post I don’t want to ask help for anything I just want to tell you my experience. Im an anime editor and I have like 30k followers, I created my account in 2022 but I started editing seriously from october 2023. My videos are very good and Im not talking about the content itself, Im talking about the quality and the effects, I’m on same level as creators with millions followers (I have somo of them in my friends list and sometimes they ask me for some presets). Obsiously I edit on After Effects and I use Topaz to put quality and I also know a lot of tricks like the one to upload without losing quality. BUT Im here because I’m starting hating what Im doing, My account is gone, I post daily and some times like every 10 videos one of them gets 100-200k views but what about the rest of the videos? Only 300-700 views. This is so frustrating, I know people on this page can’t understand because you make your videos from your phone in 10 minutes and you are done but my last videos took me 6 hours for a 30 seconds edit just to make 400 views 70 likes. Also recently Im getting a little more views but I noticed that the more views I make the more the audience gets wrong. One of my videos after one hour was like 3k views 700 likes and If I check it today it is 59k views 2k likes, this doesn’t make any sense who the hell is watching the video at this point! Another thing I want to say is that I ve tried to create new accounts multiple times but every time these accounts are bugged and I cant like posts or follow people so it is totally useless, I want to drop the account becuse seeing all of those 300 views videos make me feel the vomit up on my throat. The most frustrating thing is that I was watching out 2 new editors that are making unbelivable views, one of them had 10k followers 1 month ago and now he has 40k, every video gets 30-50k views and every 3 videos he goes viral. Im getting jealous and editing is becoming a poison to my brain so I m quitting for this reason. (Again sorry for my bad english but it is not my first language and I just wanted to vent my frustration)
submitted by ilbuffone to Tiktokhelp [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:21 Academic-Neat7379 Neighbor's microwave noise coming through the return air vent

Neighbor's microwave noise coming through the return air vent
Hi all, I live in a mid-rise condo (10 floors, ~20 units per floor) built ~7-8 years ago. About 2.5 months ago, I started to hear my next door neighbor's microwave noise through the return air vent that is right above my front door. I can hear them open and close the microwave door as well as its beeping sound.
When they open/close the microwave door, the noise comes through very loudly in my unit and startles me. They use the microwave rather often throughout the day and also at nights, so this is slowly driving me crazy. The condo management cannot seem to figure out what the issue is, so I am really hoping that the HVAC experts here might be able to make some suggestions on what I should look into.
In the ductwork layout that I am attaching here, my unit is labeled as "A" and the neighbor's unit is labeled as "B" and the ducts are highlighted in yellow. As you can see, the large main duct spans between my unit and the neighbor's unit, where it eventually drains into the main exhaust for the building (the blue square).
In the neighbor's unit (B), the microwave is located above the stove (where the green dot is) and they have a vent right above the microwave. That vent duct is connected to the main duct that spans between my unit and the main exhaust.
If I understand correctly, the negative pull that gets created from the main exhaust is supposed to pull air away from my unit, and the neighbor's unit toward the main exhaust, so if anything, my neighbors should be hearing noise from my unit so I am rather confused as to why their microwave noise is all of a sudden travelling through the duct the opposite way into my unit.
The condo management have confirmed that all the fans/exhausts in the building are running at 100% capacity, so that is not a factor. Because of the proximity of the microwave to the vent in the neighbor's unit, I am starting to think that there could potentially be an issue with one of the dampers in the duct above their microwave but this could just be a total nonsense since I am not an HVAC expert at all...
Since this issue just came up recently, I am trying to figure out what could have gone wrong recently. My neighbor has been living here longer than I have, and their microwave usage has always been the same. Is there anything that I am not considering that could potentially be causing an issue here?
https://preview.redd.it/xxfkqu4v6h0d1.png?width=976&format=png&auto=webp&s=7081bf28415789d8cc4dfd920b2fc1a91267a173
submitted by Academic-Neat7379 to hvacadvice [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:12 Evening-Parsley2112 Narc mother asks for help with monster brother after 8 years of NC

So this is a long one. Like, I'm going back over it and damn. This is longer than I thought it would be. Throwaway account, I've only made one other post to this relating to what's going on. Instead of updating the other post, I figured I'd make a separate one about the whole shit show I experienced, and the shit circus I uncovered and avoided. I'll try to keep this in as chronological an order as I can.
As the title says, my abusive/narc mom and pos/delusional/golden child brother started trying to reach out to me a few months ago wanting to make amends and build bridges with me again. There were a few people that commented on my previous post in another subreddit that may be a little disappointed in me for how I handled this, and a few that might enjoy that I handled it the way I did. Someone commented to not let them use my good nature. My nature is dependent on who I'm dealing with, and when it comes to that side of my family, I'm more stick than carrot. So their attempts did not go ignored, and did not go unpunished.
Growing up, I was always closer with my Dad than my mom. My brother was the epitome of "pampered mamma's boy". He started having seizures as a child and was diagnosed with epilepsy, which I thought was why my mom babied the absolute fuck out of him long into adulthood. He would go a year or 2 without any seizures, and then there would be a few months where he'd be having them every other day. At Anytime he got in trouble at home or school, my mom would find a way to blame me, for not making sure he knew whatever he was doing would get him in trouble, or she would blame my dad for not being "involved enough in their baby's life." My dad was in the Navy and I remember any time he'd deploy, I'd dread every day until he came back. My brother would taunt me that he knew whatever he did, I'd be the one to get in trouble for it. My dad would always make things up for me when he got back from his deployments though. We'd often have weekend trips just the 2 of us. And then around my 12th birthday, my mom insisted on sitting us all down and explain to that she and my dad were getting a divorce. We got the whole talk about how they still love us and they just can't be together anymore, etc. my dad told us both that he still loved us and he would be there for us whenever we needed him. He explained that he would be moving out, but he would be by to pick us up to spend the weekends with us. I was nervous and honestly scared of what it would be like without him. But I was looking forward to the weekend when I got to see him again. That never happened though, and that was the last time I ever got to see him.
Right before his weekend with us, my mom explained to us that my dad didn't want anything to do with us anymore. There was some news story about a father that killed his kids when he had custody of them and she used that to terrify my brother and convince him that our dad wanted to kill us to start his life over. We left damn near everything behind and moved in with my mom's brother in Florida (from Virginia) a couple days before my dad was supposed to come get us. After that, she went to great lengths to make sure we had no contact from him.
Years went on, my mom seemed more indifferent towards me than ever. She never seemed interested in anything I did unless my brother also seemed interested in it. She didn't show any interest in my wanting to learn guitar until my brother also showed interest in it. Then we got one guitar that we had to share, I'd take lessons on the condition that I taught my brother whatever I learned in them. My brother eventually wound up breaking the guitar and I was blamed for not storing it in the case it came with. I had to share my N64 with him whenever he wanted to play it. I was playing perfect dark one day and having a hard time killing the skedar leader at the end of the game. My brother burst into the room saying he wanted to play his MegaMan game, to which I just replied "give me a minute, this boss fight is hard, once I'm done you can have your turn" He didn't like that. He left the room and came back with a hammer and smashed the console while I was still playing. My fault for not letting him play it. The only thing I had that he could not use was a pair of roller blades my aunt got me for my 14th birthday. I specifically asked for roller blades to get around instead of a bike because my brother and I had different shoe sizes, so he couldn't wear them Because of constant shit like that, I never really put much value in having things growing up. I didnt want to buy something or get something as a gift just to have it fucked up in a few weeks or months. At some point, my "little" brother became the larger one, so my clothes all became "hand-me-ups" as he outgrew everything. So, because I didn't really have any distractions at home, I turned into a high achieving student, rarely got in trouble. made the honor roll all throughout school. But that wasn't something to celebrate as it was expected of me. I had long since decided that I was moving out as soon as I could once I turn 18. I got a job working at a Walgreens as soon as I could and started saving up for a car. My mom however took issue with this and would never agree to take me looking for one and absolutely refused to ever have it put on her insurance. This is where my Aunt comes in. She and her son are the only 2 on my mom's side that aren't some sort of degenerate. She had her son young, but put herself through college while raising him alone and eventually got her MBA and a cushy upper corporate job. She told me to tell my mom I had to go in to work on one of my days off, that she would pick me up and she would take me car shopping. So that's what we did. I couldn't quite afford a cash car, but she helped me with the financing. I put down what I had as the down payment, the arrangement she made with me was that 1- as long as I was in school, she would cover the insurance and payments for me, however, if I got into an accident, I was responsible for paying the deductable. And 2- as long as i was living with my mom, the car remained in her (Aunt's) name. And if anything happened to it, to let her know so she could get the appropriate authorities involved. My mom was PISSED when she found out I now had a car. Her reasoning (that she said in front of my aunt) was that she didn't think it was fair for one of us-either me or my brother- to have something the other couldn't use. Due to him being 13 and having epilepsy, he couldn't drive, so why should i have a car if my brother doesn't? That turned into a long shouting match between my mom and Aunt that basically ended with my aunt explaining that since it was her car, and all paperwork on her name, I was just on the insurance for it so I could drive it. But if anything at all happened to it while I was living at my Mom's, that the police and insurance companies would get involved. My mom still kept track of all the miles on the car to "make sure I was only going to work and school and wherever she told me I could go". Most of the time, when I hung out with friends, I wasn't the one driving. From that that point though, my mindset was very much "keep my head down and nose clean until I can leave." I graduated a month before my 18th birthday. After graduation, my mom and i got into an argument about me contributing to her bills. I eventually dropped the ball that I planned on getting back in touch with my Dad and leaving. She started laughing. Something about that laugh made me really uncomfortable. She then said "well, you can certainly meet up with him whenever you want! I'll supply the gun if you buy the bullet!" And told me my dad had died when I was 15. That. Fucking. Broke. Me. Later that night, i called my best friend and vented everything to him. He was in the DEP program for the Navy and would be shipping out in a few months, he told me to come by first thing in the morning and talk with him and his parents about the whole situation. I basically packed up all of my clothes and left the day after my 18th birthday. I just left my house key and a note that said "I'm not your problem anymore." I couch surfed for a little while until after my best friend left for boot camp, then I was able to move in and live with his parents (chosen parents basically). My only real rules were keep the house and my space clean and make sure I had a job and/or going to school. I spent a few months mourning my dad and kind of in a haze. Since he was in the Navy though, that meant I was reliable for financial aid for school. My second dad helped me get everything put together to start receiving that so I could start college.
Well, after a couple years of this, my brother, who had spent his time at school more as "forced socializing" instead of learning, was expelled from public schools for allegedly setting off a fire extinguisher in a classroom. He had to enroll at an alternative school called "the drop back-in academy" that was specifically for dropouts or anyone that got the boot from the public school system. My mom reached out to me and asked me if I would drive him to this school in the mornings, she'd pick him up in the afternoons, and she'd pay me $20 a week.I agreed to it thinking this was out of character for her, but she surprisingly held up to that agreement. I drove him for a couple years until I was ready to start my bachelor program. My second parents were getting ready to move back to their hometown and I was going to start school on the other side of the city. So, I was moving to that side of town and couldn't really drive out of my way to pick up and drop off my brother anymore. He continued his enrollment at this place for another 3 years (5 years total) and it turned out, he was never attending. I would drop his ass off there every day and he'd just walk home immediately after I pulled out of the parking lot. He'd just tell my mom that he finished his work early and decided to walk home instead of wait around for her. One afternoon, I'm coming home early from work and my brother is just sitting on the steps to my studio apartment. He tells me that he and our mom got into a really big argument and he needs a place to stay. I (reluctantly) let him in. I'm stuck thinking he must be really desperate if he's coming to me for help. But I start thinking at this point, he's 24, jobless, and probably needs to learn some self discipline and responsibility, and our mom just never did that for him. So I try to help. I ask him what their fight was about and he tells me that he started dating this girl at his alternative school. She was 21 and got the boot from the school system for being too old to attend (we actually have several relatives that were kicked out of the school system for the same reason) and that he accidentally got her pregnant and our mom did not take kindly to that. I called my landlord and explained the situation to him. He was okay with it, so I let him crash on my couch for a little bit (until the end of my lease, then I'd be moving) and just told him to clean up after himself, take care of himself, etc until we could all work this out. He crashed there for a few months and did Jack shit. He would complain that I didn't have a computer for him to use (I only had a laptop I bought for school) and I didn't have any video game consoles for him to entertain himself with. So he was stuck there bored all day. I got tired of the complaining and lack of effort and told him he had to go back to our mom's if he wasn't going to be an adult. We started shouting at each other until he dropped this little bombshell. He yelled "I can't go back to Mom's!" And when I asked why, he just blurted out "because it's to close to that elementary school!" That stopped the whole thing. "And why is that a big deal now?" I asked him. I already knew why that would be the problem, but 1% of me was holding onto the hope that he was got jumped by a gang of 5th graders and the trauma was too much for him to bear. I told him he could either tell me what's going on, or I could make a phone call and get every last detail I needed. He confessed that he had been leaving that school and going over to his "girlfriend's" house and waiting for her to get home. And that one day, her mom ended up catching them in the act. I explained to him that he was leaving out important details if that was the reason he couldn't be near a school.
He told me she was 14, not 21. I. Lost. My. Shit. Everything after that is kinda fuzzy, but he was arrested, mom posted bail, and since she lived right around the corner from an elementary school, he couldn't stay there. So they told his parole officer that he'd be staying at my address until his court date.. his PO had swung by a couple times, but I was always either at work or school or out somewhere. At this point, I told him the lease was up in 6 weeks, I couldn't stand to be around him. I packed my stuff early, moved out into a storage unit, and I stayed at an extended stay hotel until it was time for me to move. Called my landlord and told him what was going on, and if my brother was still there the last week of the lease, nail him for trespassing. My landlord was a good guy. I never had any problems with him. I paid up the last 6 weeks and threw him since extra cash for his troubles as I knew I wouldn't be getting my deposit back. That was the last time I saw my brother. After I moved out of state, I cut all contact with everyone in that family except my Aunt who was the only one that ever helped me out or even had my back. But even then, it was just through email. We'd mainly email birthday and holiday wishes to each other. Updates from my side on how life and career are going.
I never had a myspace or a Facebook growing up. I either never had a computer to check it on, or I was just so accustomed to not having any online distractions that I just never got around to making one. I did finally make a Facebook and I did get in touch with my dad's side of the family and reconnected with them. I hadn't seem most of them since I was 4 or 5. Some of them had been in contact with my brother (he fucking knew our dad died) and was spinning some sort of web about how he graduated high school early, had gone to college for pre-med and then got some sort of full ride scholarship to some prestigious medical school in Florida. He told them I wasn't on social media because I had been arrested for selling drugs and that he was taking me in after I got released. He was also using my senior portrait as a profile pic. They were surprised when they saw me and how I "looked just like my brother!" I had set the record straight. They looked dumbfounded when I told them that he couldn't get himself out of the 9th grade in 10 years, and now would likely never complete his high school journey due to the fact he can't be within 100 yards of a school.
So, fast forward to last week. I checked my email for the first time since late January (for my aunt's birthday) and noticed a few from her saying my mom wanted to reach out, then several emails from a new address. It was my mom's first initial and last name. Subject lines usually read "please respond" and "let me know you're okay" and stuff like that. I'd copy some of them over, but holy shit this is already a novella. Basically she got my email address from sneaking my aunt's phone (aunt did not sell me out). She's trying to apologize for how she treated me growing up and trying to excuse it by saying I reminded her of my dad and then she was going through menopause and just any excuse to dishes full accountability it seems. She acknowledges that it was wrong to hold me accountable for my brother's fuck-ups but dismisses that by saying he didn't know any better and she needed me to be a good role model for him. Things have been hard for her since I left, since she "had" to take my brother back in (I would've left him on the street or in jail), she had to sell her house (she was only 10 years into her mortgage) and buy another smaller one further from a school for him. He never did get a hs diploma or GED because how can he? And she's been going through breast cancer treatment for the last several months and just doesn't have the energy to take care of her 33yo baby anymore. She asked me if I lived close enough to them to take him in for a little bit while she focuses on her health. I left Florida 8 years ago and haven't even lived in the same time zone in 6 years. She can only check her email at work since she no longer has Internet at home. She had to cancel her home Internet service because of him. So, I decided to just put my brother's name into a search bar and the first thing that pops up is a FDLE sex offender's page. And holy shit has he gone downhill. He had a second arrest when he was 27 for the same thing, and then was caught in communications with another girl (like Chris Hansen sting) and was released from prison at the beginning of the year. And the mugshot.... You know the pale lady from the scary stories to tell in the dark movie? Think that, but with a patchy beard. Beady eyes, bad skin and all. According to the sheriff's office inmate search, he's been arrested 5 times in the last 10 years. Twice for lewd and lascivious battery of a minor (aged 12-15), once for solicitation of a minor, and twice for probation violations.
The TL/DR: abusive mom took all her frustrations out on me, blamed me for everything my brother did, hid my father's death from me until I was almost 18, and reaches out after 8 years of no contact and wants me to take care of her pedophile son while she's in poor health.
I'm attaching my response to her below.
Hi. I'm alive. I'm well. I'm also not okay with you contacting me, especially under the circumstances that you violated the privacy of your own sister to get my contact information. I have read your apologies and excuses and I do not accept either. You say I reminded you of Dad? He spent more time with me and showed more interest in my well-being than you ever did, and that's including the 6 years he was absent from my life by your own selfish design. Menopause? I find that hard to believe as this went on for the better part of half a decade and not once in that time did your attitude towards brother change. You always treated him with the same coddling infantile obsession and patience that one would show a toddler. It was and is clear that you have a preferred child as that adult-sized pile of shit is still living comfortably with dear old mama. I'm guessing no one else is willing to take him in? Are Uncle and Cousins afraid of him doing something to their daughters or grandchildren? I do believe you when you say you want to rebuild the bridge that you nuked from orbit years ago, but I can't believe it's not for your own selfish desires. And I can't find any reason or way my quality of life could be improved with your presence. The reality is, my life has been far better without you than it could be with you. I've never said this to anyone, but if there is a sense of karma and balance in the universe, your current situation is proof of that. The next time I see your name on my computer screen, had better be for your obituary. But since you and the monster you raised both decided to keep Dad's death a secret from me, and remove any choice I had to mourn or pay my respects, I'll return that kindness to you.
Please die away from me.
submitted by Evening-Parsley2112 to narcissisticparents [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:11 deenstudent My computer cant render anything

when watching shorts, or trying to comment on yt my computer can barely register the page... Also when I type ill hit the keys then like 5 seconds later the words show up.. lastly whenever there is a lag in performance i can hear the fans on my computer make an attempt for a Guinness world record speed. 10-15 seconds later performance is normal
None of this happens on any webpage that doesnt have a video or thumbbnails..... any ideas how to make it better?
submitted by deenstudent to techsupport [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:02 Future-Philosophy889 New faction: The ruined survivors

This faction is a human faction meaning they will also attack zombies but unlike marauders they will also attack marauders and any of their own members who are infected
Enemy 1: Drunk Dave He uses a empty bottle of beer doing a strong first hit like a mechanic before doing normal attacks that are weaker he also will run thru fire instead of going around it
Enemy 2: Sawbuck Sam He uses a sawbuck/buckshot shotgun to do powerful close range attacks that give knockback with a slow fire rate. Upon near death from a zombie he shoots himself with the shotgun to prevent turning into a zombie
Enemy 3: Drone operator Dallas When he comes onto the stage he controls a drone that shoots damaging flares and drops mini medkits to its allies before coming on himself using a LMG to give light support fire while slowly throwing out mini medkits at 1/4th the rate of the drone. Before he comes on screen you need to destroy his drone using any ranged unit or a falling barrel
Enemy 4: Katana Kelly She is fast with a katana she strikes pushing away units before doing 3 burst rapid slashes ending with a knockback slash she has very little hp but for every kill she gains hp Kelly does not spawn naturally she only appears when Leader Leo calls or she can appear with a 40% chance if a drunk dave that is level 3 or higher dies
Enemy 5: Leader Leo He carries a sniper taking headshots and when he dies he will call for 3 units from the faction to come on screen these units will match his level with 10% bonus hp and damage
submitted by Future-Philosophy889 to DeadAhead [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 01:00 livia2lima Day 8 - The infamous "grep" and other text processors

INTRO

Your server is now running two services: the sshd (Secure Shell Daemon) service that you use to login; and the Apache2 web server. Both of these services are generating logs as you and others access your server - and these are text files which we can analyse using some simple tools.
Plain text files are a key part of "the Unix way" and there are many small "tools" to allow you to easily edit, sort, search and otherwise manipulate them. Today we’ll use grep, cat, more, less, cut, awk and tail to slice and dice your logs.
The grep command is famous for being extremely powerful and handy, but also because its "nerdy" name is typical of Unix/Linux conventions.

YOUR TASKS TODAY

The output of any command can be "redirected" to a file with the ">" operator. The command: ls -ltr > listing.txt wouldn't list the directory contents to your screen, but instead redirect into the file "listing.txt" (creating that file if it didn't exist, or overwriting the contents if it did).

WHERE'S MY /VALOG/AUTH.LOG?

If you didn't find the file /valog/auth.log you're probably using a minimal version of Ubuntu (it can be your own local VM or a version in one of the VPS). That minimal image is, well... minimal. It only has the systemd journal available and it didn't come with the old syslog system by default.
But don't worry! To get that back, sudo apt install rsyslog and the file will be created. Just give it a few minutes to populate before working on the lesson.
It also be missing a few of the other programs we use in the challenge, but you can always install them.

POSTING YOUR PROGRESS

Re-run the command to list all the IP's that have unsuccessfully tried to login to your server as root - but this time, use the the ">" operator to redirect it to the file: ~/attackers.txt. You might like to share and compare with others doing the course how heavily you're "under attack"!

EXTENSION

RESOURCES

TROUBLESHOOT AND MAKE A SAD SERVER HAPPY!

Practice what you've learned with some challenges at SadServers.com:

PREVIOUS DAY'S LESSON

Some rights reserved. Check the license terms here
submitted by livia2lima to linuxupskillchallenge [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 00:57 Okika13 Do the Vevor IPL with Sapphire Cooling Stats look good for the price?

I've been looking at IPL devices and had narrowed it down to the Braun Silk Pro 5 or the Ulike 10. Of course, I'm a bit hesitant to make the purchase because they are expensive in Canada.
Now, I'm at that point where I am trying to figure out if those are worth the money or if there is something with similar specs at a lower price point.
I came across this IPL from Vevor IPL with Sapphire Cooling. I'm wondering if anyone who knows their way around these devices can tell me if these specs are solid or junk. The price is very appealing.
The specs are on the site, but here are some notes:
If you've used this one or if you have any input on the stats, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!
submitted by Okika13 to HairRemoval [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 00:55 lincolngoldfinch1 How Immigration Laws Differ At The National And State Levels

How Immigration Laws Differ At The National And State Levels
There are many different immigration laws in the United States. The federal government enforces U.S. immigration laws at the national level. However, states have some authority to create rules for certain state activities related to immigration.
For example, states can pass laws related to employment, education, licensing, and state benefits for immigrants. This article will give you a general overview of U.S. immigration laws and discuss how they differ from state to state. This article focuses explicitly on Texas state immigration laws and provides examples of how they vary from other states.

Overview Of The U.S. Immigration System

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is the main body of immigration law in the United States. The INA is a large and complex set of rules that governs everything from who can enter the United States to how immigrants can become citizens.
The INA has many different sections, each with its purpose. Some areas of the INA deal with temporary immigration, such as tourist or student visas. Other sections deal with permanent immigration, such as employment-based or family-based green cards. There are also sections of the INA that deal with naturalization, the process by which immigrants can become U.S. citizens.
The U.S. immigration system is primarily federal, meaning that the US Congress has the power to pass immigration laws, and the President can enforce those laws. However, states also have some authority to regulate immigration within their borders.
For example, states can pass laws related to employment, education, licensing, and state benefits for immigrants. States cannot pass laws that conflict with federal immigration law or that would make it more difficult for immigrants to comply with federal immigration law.

Texas State Immigration Laws

Texas has several state immigration laws that are different from other states. Here are five immigration policies only implemented in the State of Texas.
The E-Verify System
First, Texas requires all employers to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm the immigration status of their employees. The E-Verify system is an online database that allows employers to enter their employees' information to ensure they are authorized to work in the United States.
The Sanctuary Cities Ban
Second, Texas has a ban on so-called "sanctuary cities." A sanctuary city is a city that has policies in place to protect undocumented immigrants from being deported. For example, some sanctuary cities have laws that prevent police from asking people about their immigration status.
Driver’s License For Undocumented Immigrants
Third, Texas does not allow undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses. In most states, undocumented immigrants can get driver's licenses if they meet all the other requirements for obtaining a license (such as passing a driving test).
These are examples of how Texas immigration laws differ from others. For more information about immigration laws in Texas or any other state, you should contact an immigration lawyer.

The Lincoln-Goldfinch Law Firm

Texas is not the only state with specific immigration laws. There are many other states with different immigration policies. Some states have more lenient laws toward undocumented immigrants, while others have more strict regulations.
It is essential to know the immigration laws of the state you live in so that you can comply with them. If you have any questions about immigration laws, you should consult an immigration lawyer. An immigration lawyer can help you understand immigration laws and how they apply to your situation.
If you need help understanding the immigration laws of Texas or any other state, contact The Lincoln-Goldfinch Law Firm today. They are a boutique immigration law firm located in Central Texas that handles many different types of immigration cases. They can help you with employment-based visas, family-based green cards, naturalization, and more. Contact them today to schedule a consultation with one of their experienced immigration lawyers. Visit their website lincolngoldfinch.com
There are many different immigration laws in the United States. The federal government enforces U.S. immigration laws at the national level. However, states have some authority to create rules for certain state activities related to immigration.
More info Lincoln-Goldfinch Law in Merchant Circle Driving Directions
How Immigration Laws Differ At The National And State Levels
Lincoln-Goldfinch Law
1005 E 40th St Austin, TX 78751
(855) 502-0555
**Disclaimer: Data included in this post such as web-pages, phone numbers and addresses are of public display. Nothing included in this publication is personal or private information. The topics treated in this post are for informational and guidance purposes. No insinuations or promotions for illegal acts are made within this post.**
submitted by lincolngoldfinch1 to u/lincolngoldfinch1 [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 00:52 Double-Ho-7 A long look into the Knuckles Tracks in SA2

Title says it all, this post is a deep dive into the Sonic Adventure 2 OST, specifically all the songs pertaining to Knuckles. This is for a few reasons that I’ll get into in a moment, but from what I’ve seen Knuckles’ and Rouge’s soundtracks tend to get overlooked or written off by fans (More so Knuckles’) unfairly so in my opinion.
This post will serve, not only to analyze the music itself, but also Knuckles’ characterization, as you’ll see the two are basically intrinsically linked.
Just a quick disclaimer, I’m not a musician nor am I that musically inclined, this isn’t an expert’s opinion or analysis, just a listener’s thoughts.
A bit of background of me before we start, I grew up around hip hop when I was young so I can really appreciate Knuckles’ soundtrack probably more so than a lot of other people.
Ever since I was a kid, Knuckles has always been my favorite character, I always found his complicated friendship and rivalry with Sonic to me a much more interesting dichotomy than Sonic and Shadow (I know, fight me).
That and I’ve always just adored his character (Before they forgot how to write him) he can be hot headed and stubborn like Sonic, but he’s got a bit of a Yin and Yang thing going on, with his Chill nature conflicting with his Quick and Explosive temper, as well as his questioning of his purpose in life and duty to the Master Emerald.
Anyway, enough context on myself, let’s strap in and get to the meat of this veeeeeery long post (My bad guys).

BACKGROUND

So for starters, I think it’s best we talk about the style and influences that are quite evident in Knuckles’ Music, that being Hip Hop/Rap, but it goes a bit further than that.
For some historical context, Sonic Adventure 2 came out in 2001, I’m not sure how many hip hop fans hang around the subreddit but by 2001 the Golden Age of Hip Hop had been firmly left behind. Biggie and Pac had been dead for a while, and the stars of yesteryear began to fizzle out as the young blood cropped up onto the scene.
The early 2000s Hip Hop scene was mainly dominated by the East Coast and the Dirty South, lots of stars of this generation of rap included 50 Cent, Ja Rule, Outkast, Ludacris, The Game, Three 6 Mafia and Xzibit, but you also had older legends like Nas and Snoop Dogg who were still culturally relevant.
This modern sound of hip hop differed greatly in sound to the early 90s, everything was a lot more clean and refined, samples were still used but weren’t as common as before and the West Coast sound that characterized the early 90s had been long gone.
It’s important to bring this up, because comparing SA2’s Hip Hop tracks to the climate it was released in, they sound almost out of place. Listening to Get Rich or Die Trying, or Stillmatic and then listening to SA3’s tracks you’d be convinced they were separated by many years.
The Tracks in SA2 are definitely rooted in early 90s hip hop, it’s very clear that those early Gangsta Rap albums like Straight Outta Compton and Black Sunday greatly influenced this part of the soundtrack. And you don’t have to take my word for it, go and listen to the instrumentals of songs like Express Yourself or Insane in the Brain and tell me that they’d sound out of place playing in one of Knuckles’ Stages.
Early 90s Hip Hop makes heavy use of sampling, primarily of the work of Black Artists of the past two decades, because of SA2K’s early 90s hip hop influences, it too has a lot of roots in 70s/80s Black music. Elements of Soul, Funk and Jazz are commonly heard in Knuckles’ Stages, think James Brown or Isaac Hayes.
So what Groups or Artists seem to inspire SA2K’s sound? Well the obvious choice is NWA, though specifically Straight Outta Compton, Elif4zaggin has a much different sound. However I don’t believe that’s entirely the case.
Whether it’s pure coincidence or intentional, Too Short (stylized as Too $hort) was a decently popular artist from Oakland, which is up in the Bay Area of NorCal which is the main inspiration for most of SA2’s urban environments.
Anyway, Too Short was actually quite a pioneer in Hip Hop as he formed the Dangerous Crew, a Hip Hop Band who played actual instruments instead of using samples, it’s because of this that I believe Too Short and the Dangerous Crew to be the main inspiration of SA2K’s sound whether intentional or not, not only are the two defined by their funky beats, but also their use of live instruments. I recommend listening to songs like The Ghetto, Sample The Funk and Just Another Day to get an idea of how his music influences SA2K.

UNKNOWN FROM M.E. (REMIX)

Honestly I find this track to be an improvement over the original, it definitely leans a lot more into the R&B aspect over the rest of the soundtrack but it’s still distinctly hip hop with the record scratches, drums and Hunnid-P rapping over it.
Speaking of, let’s address the Elephant in the room briefly. I know Hunnid-P or Hunnid-Pacent isn’t everybody’s favorite person on this sub, either on the track or behind the scenes, and while his antics aren’t relevant to this post, I don’t necessarily agree that he’s as bad as people say he is on the mic. Is he the world’s greatest emcee? Absolutely not, but he does his job pretty well, he has good flow and a pretty good voice. I think people clown on his lyrics too much, I’m not saying he’s an Inspectah Deck level lyricist but I think the guy has dropped a few bombs and this OST has some gems, but we’ll get into this in a bit.
Getting back to the song, the content of the lyrics is basically Knuckles’ inner voice, this is basically the entire soundtrack, though Unknown From M.E. is more of a general character overview of Knuckles, its standard stuff now but at the time it was a pretty deep dive into the character of Knuckles’ in a decently subtle way.
Most of the song centers around Knuckles’ self imposed isolation on Angel Island, his duty to his people and the world to protect the Master Emerald, but also him yearning for something more and the inner conflict that stems from that.
This song actually has some underrated lines, some standout lyrics include:
“Clench my fists tight, become more redder - I don't wanna hurt her, my passion observed”
The last line is in obvious reference to Rouge and an interesting insight into Knuckles himself. He clearly doesn’t like violence and isn’t interested in hurting anybody, but his duty as a guardian and his quick temper often means he can get a bit too carried away as the line implies, good stuff.
“Been lonely all my life, does it matter? - Here for the mission, whoever want, it bring it”
Here we can clearly see Knuckles trying to reason with himself here, specifically after meeting Sonic and experiencing a life that isn’t just his duty. Here we see the Guardian side of him, he’s always been alone and it’s never been problem before, why should it be now? At least that’s what he tries to tell himself.
“Don't approve of him but gotta trust him - This alliance has a purpose - This partnership is only temporary”
I’ll get more into this when we get to Death Chamber, but these lines are obviously alluding to Sonic and the plot of the game. It’s clear that Knuckles still doesn’t completely like Sonic, however the key here is that he trusts him, he’s gotten to a point now where he knows Sonic is well meaning and their goals align. However, just like real people, he’s accepted the arrangement but he doesn’t have to like it, he still believes Sonic is brash, arrogant and takes far too many risks, it will take more than a few adventures for Knuckles to fully change his opinion on Sonic.
Hunnid-P and Marlon Saunders do a great job of bouncing off each other on this song, their voices and cadences clash with each other nicely almost like how Knuckles’ inner turmoil is split in two.
The beat is tantalizingly funky, for starters that bass line is smooth as butter and the song has a nice tempo, you get the occasional organ flourish and guitar riff that crescendo and just help to enhance the song even further. Overall a really solid track in my opinion, the content of the lyrics is interesting and the delivery is great, all over an extremely funky instrumental.

KICK THE ROCK - WILD CANYON

Probably my favorite song out of all Knuckles’ Stages, this one is definitely the most Jazzy and parallels nicely with Rouge, but has a distinctly Knuckles Twist.
That Sax and Organ combo just cause an absolute eargasm and those drums form such a nice tempo that makes this track such easy listening. Honestly there’s not a whole lot going on with this track and that is not a bad thing at all. Its simplicity is probably its biggest strength and is quite noticeable compared to something like Unknown From M.E.
Some Lyrics I found particularly interesting are:
“I'm feelin her in mysterious ways - That's why I stay on point like every single day - I gotta protect this place, I do it for my race”
Yeah yeah I know everybody finds this line and the play doh line inappropriate and funny, I understand the latter but honestly I could never get the outcry over this one
“I’m feelin her in mysterious ways” honestly, in my opinion, it’s not what you think. I’ve never really seen it as a sexual line “I’m feelin you” is basically another way of saying I get you, it’s basically Knuckles saying he gets Rouge, but he doesn’t know why and that kinda bothers him.
The context matters here and the lines after do give my interpretation some weight. It’s basically Knuckles saying to himself “I get this girl and I kinda mess with her, but I gotta job to do” Knuckles is intrigued by Rouge, he’s never met anybody like her and he obviously has some feeling towards her, though because of his lack of interaction with others he struggles to understand these feelings and instead of addressing them, he tries to ignore them and remain true to his job as Guardian
“Who could'a did this, that snitch named Rouge! - When I catch her, I'ma get her with these tools”
More obvious than the last one, but it still shows that Knuckles, despite his various different feelings toward Rouge, knows he has a job to do and tries to center himself to stay committed
Honestly it’s hard to choose between this or Unknown From M.E. as my favorite Knuckles track but either way its up there and definitely something I can bop to on the regular

A GHOST’S PUMPKIN SOUP - PUMPKIN HILL

The one everybody knows and honestly I get it, it’s got that smooth piano/guitar I can’t really tell what it is but it definitely slaps. It has that distinct G-Funk whistle which pops up occasionally across SA2K that simulates that stereotypically ghostly sound nicely
It’s definitely in contention with Deeper for the most lowkey Knuckles track and that’s saying something.
Not much content lyrically, but I managed to find a few interesting lines:
“I ain’t gonna let it get to me, I’m just gon creep - Down in Pumpkin Hill I gots to find my lost piece”
Something we don’t actually see a lot from Knuckles, fear! Most of this song is about Knuckles’ fearlessness being tested, if you view this as Knuckles’ internal monologue (Which if you don’t at this point then I’ve been doing something wrong 😂) its less about the song telling us how tough Knuckles is, but Knuckles reassuring himself that he can do this.
He’s obviously trepidatious over being in Pumpkin Hill and he has to take a moment to center himself and reassure himself that “I’m Knuckles, I’m not afraid of anything” again this goes back to how Knuckles uses his job as Guardian and his duty to motivate himself and push forward through situations, regardless of his own fear.
“I’m hearing someone saying “You a chicken, don’t be scared!” - It had to be the wind, cause nobody wasn’t there”
Considering the haunted theming of this level, this very clearly (on the surface) seems to be Knuckles encountering a ghost taunting him, but I might present another angle.
This is just Knuckles’ inner thoughts again, though this time its doubt, he doesn’t believe he can find the pieces of the Master Emerald and he doesn’t think he can make it through Pumpkin Hill, yet he pushes through anyway. This one’s kinda far fetched but it’s a nice idea
I don’t adore this track as much as a lot of other people (ironically) but I can still Jive with it.

DIVE INTO THE MELLOW - AQUATIC MINE

First of all, this track does a great job at just sounding watery, the filtered organ and the echoey bass just make it sound like cave ambience turned into music
Most of this track’s lyrics center around Knuckles’ yearning to be something more than just the Guardian of the Master Emerald and to be his own individual, these are:
“Makes you wanna sit back, enjoy the life - And do things you like doing, get to shine”
Knuckles, if it wasn’t for all the enemies and hazards, obviously enjoys being in Aquatic Mine, so much so that it brings his thoughts of a better life to the front of his mind.
This shows what Knuckles really wants, to be unburdened from the Master Emerald and to just be free to kick it wherever, in a way he’s jealous of the freedom Sonic has and wishes he wasn’t tied down to Angel Island.
“I stay Knuckled up, I’m in a deep cut”
Knuckles, despite his ideals of peace and relaxation is always ready to do what he believes is right, again this whole OST is basically Knuckles reconciling his wants and his duties.
Again Knuckles isn’t really equipped to deal with these feelings and instead of addressing them, he pushes them down and buries them under his duty and tries to keep himself busy, though once he gets to Aquatic Mine where he’s forced to slow down and explore methodically, he’s suddenly unable to distract himself from his true feelings.
“In a maze, and I don't know what to do Guaranteed though, imma find the Emeralds”
Again an obvious allusion to the labyrinthine Aquatic Mine on the surface, though I believe this too has a deeper meaning.
Knuckles is lost and confused emotionally, he’s confronted by these different feelings that conflict with everything he’s ever known. His thoughts on freedom and his feelings for Rouge which he doesn’t quite understand both conflict with his role as Guardian and he can’t reconcile them.
“I don’t know what to do” in a rare moment of vulnerability, Knuckles admits that he has no idea how to manage these feelings and he’s grappling with the monumental task of managing his panicked thoughts.
Then, just as you think Knuckles is gonna start making a breakthrough, what does he do? “Guaranteed though, imma find the Emeralds” That’s right, instead of finally addressing his swirling thoughts, he pushes them down and once again distracts himself with his duty.
Honestly, like Pumpkin Hill, I know it’s a reach but it tracks with what we know Knuckles’ character has been up to this point and it gives him insane depth and really humanizes him.
A funky beat, a nice flow from Hunnid P and some really humanizing characterization of Knuckles, Dive Into The Mellow is definitely a hidden gem of the OST.

DEEPER - DEATH CHAMBER

Sooooooo chill, honestly this song is so calm and smooth, it’s so underrated on this soundtrack it really is another hidden gem like Dive Into the Mellow.
First off I absolutely adore the bass this track has, it sounds like it’s been bit compressed for a Gameboy and honestly I’m all here for it, gives it a nice techno Eggmany twist. The funky guitar and sax just enhances the mood, the song sounds almost echoey like you’re actually standing in a Death Chamber.
Lyrically this song is unique in that it’s basically just a long conversation between Sonic and Knuckles instead of Knuckles’ inner thoughts/monologue.
It’s an interesting dynamic where Sonic is actually the reasonable one, willing to put aside his and Knuckles’ differences aside for the greater good. Knuckles however is initially a bit more standoffish, but Sonic talks him into it by appealing to his guardian nature and calling him out on his stubbornness, basically forcing Knuckles to admit that Sonic is right and that they’ll be much better off working together.
Honestly not much to say, it’s pretty much all spelled out in the song, but interesting nonetheless. An understated and uniquely funky beat make this track stand out among the others nicely, definitely a great listen.

SPACE TRIP STEPS - METEOR HERD

Finally, the last song. In my opinion, Space Trip Steps is probably the weakest track musically. That doesn’t make it bad, far from it, I just can’t groove with it as easily as the others
This song takes a lot more inspirations from G-Funk than the other tracks which does give it quite a unique sound amongst the soundtrack, it wouldn’t sound out of place on The Chronic or Regulate… G Funk Era. The wavy synths and sharp base with the fast tempo give it an almost garage feel too, definitely not a sound for everyone but I think it does a good job at sounding very ethereal and space like
As for lyrics, this seems to be a turning point for Knuckles as a loner:
“Took a shuttle to space and left from our homes At least we're with friends and I'm not all alone”
Knuckles is in a completely foreign environment and feels completely out of his depth, however he feels comforted by the fact that he’s surrounded by the people he’s finally started to call his Friends, the first time he’s admitted such.
He’s forced now to acknowledge that he can’t do everything by himself, and that asking for help from his friends doesn’t make him any less of a man, he finally accepts that he can trust outsiders, but he still has a ways to go.
“Bad thing was that the Emeralds spilled - Gotta search space, man, time to get ill”
Still, Knuckles is bound and almost blinded by his duty, forcing himself to abandon his friends to search for the Master Emerald pieces that were scattered in space.
It’s clear now that Knuckles isn’t too happy to leave his friends, but as we’ve come to know him, he does the typical Knuckles thing of pushing his feelings to the side in the face of doing what he believes is right. This just tells us Knuckles still has a lot to work on before he can really come to terms with who he is.
Again, a pretty unconventional track so it can be an awkward listen and definitely not my favorite on the list, but it does something unique which I can definitely give it props for, Hunnid P even has a completely different flow, dragging out his words like he’s getting further away, hammering home that space theme.

CONCLUSION

And that’s it, if you made it this far through my long winded ramblings, then I’m extremely impressed 😂 I tried to trim the fat as best I could but I ended up getting a bit too attached to most of what I wrote
Honestly I feel like these songs have been unfairly painted as the silly crappy Knuckles rap songs with bad lyrics that are only good because of their instrumentals, and I just can’t agree with that.
I feel like in a lot of ways these songs do a much better job of characterizing Knuckles than SA1 or SA2, I really wish we got see more of his inner turmoil and him butting heads with Sonic in the game itself.
I think it’s a sad thought that for a long time, Knuckles has been a shadow of his former self (Har har) and has just been relegated to the token meathead that’s about as one dimensional as a square. Frontiers is definitely a step in the right direction and I’m excited to see what the new writing team can cook up with for his character.
But what are your thoughts though? Do you agree? Disagree? Did I manage to change your mind or have you always felt this way? Maybe you have a different take or something else to add? I’d love to hear it.
ML
submitted by Double-Ho-7 to SonicTheHedgehog [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 00:47 Such_Apricot309 Tian gou piece theory

Hello One piece fans, I have stumbled onto something that I believe to be tangible to One Piece, a parallel of sorts. It all started when I was looking into different yokai’ to find an enemy or some sort of opposite, which lead me to stumble into Tengu’s, whom are depicted as heavenly creatures/ and considered a type of yokai. Then as I read further, I found Sarutahiko Ōkami,
“considered to be the original model of Konoha-Tengu.” , and “He is the Shinto monkey deity who is said to shed light on Heaven and Earth.” But is also referenced to being a “god who illuminates the sky and the earth" in Ise, and was worshiped by local believers as the sun god.”
(Very basic in history, with there being multiple sun gods in history) (Stay with me now)
This is where I think I’m onto something! I went back to look into the Tengu, and I was able to find the Tiangou, the eating of the sun, and the moon. There are two types of Tiangou, a white one, and a black one. In my findings, “Tian Gou comes in two forms - one, a rare beast depicted as a white-headed fox that brings about peace and tranquillity and offers protection from harm, and two, a deity that is depicted as a black dog that eats the moon. “
(I’m honestly just finding this so it’s hard to put in my own words so imma just copy and paste the text, I wanted to save it and go in depth, but I believe if more people saw it they would able to see it and go even further if I’m on to something)
Tiangou White: Tian Gou was first referred to in the "Classics of Mountains and Seas" first. Below is a snippet from the original text where Tian Gou is mentioned, followed by a rough translation:
“又西三百里,曰阴山。浊浴之水出焉,而南流于番泽。其中多文贝,有兽焉,曰天狗,其状如狸而白首,其音如榴榴,可以御凶。”
“Another 300 leagues to the west lies Yin Mountain. The source of the River Zhuo Yu is located here and flows south into the Fan Marshlands. The River Zhuo Yu is full of marine life with patterned shells. On this mountain there lives a beast which looks like a fox* with a white head. It is called Tian Gou. The sound it makes is similar to “liu liu.” It can be used to ward off evil."
Tiangou Black: (has a lot more info about him)
There seems to be a lot of different versions of the origin story for Tian Ggou's second form. Each starts pretty much the same way, with the "soon-to-be" Tian Gou represented as a "black-eared hound" that is loyal to its master, Hou Yi (后羿 hòu yì). but for the sake of Tian Gou's story, all you need to know is that Hou Yi is a master archer that is granted an Elixir of Immortality for his numerous acts of skill and courage (shooting down 9 of the 10 Suns and defeating several mythical beasts). From there, the official story goes:
Hou Yi's wife, Chang'E (嫦娥 cháng'é), took the elixir before Hou Yi in an act of selfishness (to maintain her youth). Shortly after she began to feel weightless and began to lift from the ground. As she rose to the heavens, Hou Yi's "black-eared hound" who was behind the door witnessed her betrayal and began to bark at her. The hound then licked the last drops of the elixir and also began to rise. As he did, he also grew in size. Seeing this, Chang'E sought refuge behind the moon, but the hound swollowed the moon in one, taking Chang'E with it. When the Jade Emporer (玉帝 yù dì) and the Queen Mother of the west (王母娘娘 wáng mǔ niáng niáng) heard that the moon had been swallowed by a giant hound, she ordered her soldiers to capture it. She immediately recognised the hound was Hou Yi's. She renamed it Tian Gou and assigned it to guard the Southern Gate of Heaven. Tian Gou received a "Seal of Grace" and spat the moon and Chang'E back out.
(Imu could be Tiangou protecting Mary Geoise, after (hou yi, maybe imu’ master) defeating the nine stars(joy boys crew?))
Another version states that Hou Yi's apprentice, Feng Meng (逢蒙 féng méng), breaks in to Hou Yi's house when he is out hunting in order to take the elixir of immortality for himiself. His wife, Chang'E, realising Feng Meng's intent quickly drinks the elixir and begins to rise in to the air. She finally reaches the moon and becomes a Lunar Deity, reluctantly leaving her husband on earth as a mortal.
(Imu could be a woman and the moon in this case is Mary geoise, it would be weird if they were the moon tho)
Another version states that Hou Yi's acts of skill and courage go to his head, he proclaims himself king and becomes a tyrant that subjugates his people. Understanding that the elixir of immortality would allow Hou Yi to continue his rule of cruelty indefinitely, Chang'E drank it first. As she rose toward the moon, Hou Yi tried to shoot her down, but failed. She then hid behind the moon where she remains to this day.
(Imu could represent hou yi, with the tyranny, and a werid thought what if Chang’E is Nefertari Lili, with her disappearing and all)
And there's even another version that follows the official story word for word, the only difference being that Chang'E didn't take the elixir to maintain her youth, instead she took it because she found out that Hou Yi was being unfaithful to her!
(What if Imu and Lili were doing stuff on the side he could have had a wife idk)
Regardless of Hou Yi and Chang'E's relationship, Tian Gou is now most well known in Chinese culture for "eating the Moon and the Sun." When a solar or lunar eclipse occurs, people will proclaim that Tian Gou is here and that he has taken a bite out of either celestial body: "天狗食日" (tiān gǒu shí rì - Tian Gou has eaten/taken a bite out of the Sun "天狗食月" (tiān gǒu shí yuè) - Tian Gou has eaten/taken a bite out of the Moon
It is for this reason that Tian Gou (in this form) is seen as a bad omen. In fact, his arrival (an eclipse) is welcomed by the beating of drums and the release of fireworks and firecrackers in an attempt to scare him off.
(Back to me) there’s a few things that stick with me but the photos is what got me! Idk if any of this sticks, I just wanted to share my findings! Thank you for reading!
THE ONE PIECE! THE ONE PIECE IS REAL!
Credits: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tengu
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarutahiko_%C5%8Ckami
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiangou
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hou_Yi
https://www.chinabeastsandlegends.com/tian-gou
(SORRY FOR ANY SLOPPINESS OR INCORRECT SPELLING)
submitted by Such_Apricot309 to OnePiece [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 00:32 Annual_Syrup4756 If you are a member of r/Slothana, please read this.

TLDR: The Slothana mods are trying to sell Slothana to fund their own project which just so happens to also be an animal-based meme coin.
Hi all,
I'm assuming if you are reading this, you are from Slothana and that's how you stumbled upon my profile.
A little bit about me, $Sloth is the first ever meme coin I've invested in. I've always been extremely skeptical of the space but something about this project piqued my interest. My skepticism about meme coins would not allow me to participate in the pre-sale as I was too nervous about how the legitimacy of the airdrop. As you know, the air drop was a success and I invested shortly after I saw confirmation that coins had been delivered to others.
This has been the craziest ride I've ever been on and am loving not only my investment, but also the Slothana devs (as they've delivered on their promises) and the burgeoning Slothana community.
Everything with the coin and Dev team have been great and even if it ended today, I would not have a single regret about my participation in this project.
There is something that needs to be addressed though.
And that is the mod team that created and currently operates the Slothana subreddit.
Typically when I join a sub, I go to their "About" page to briefly skim the rules and see if their are any oddities I should be aware of. I normally will click on a few of the mod profiles to see what kind of community I believe they will be fostering.
That's when I first encountered u/Runos_Projects.
I found it interesting that they were also a mod of a different meme coin community: PetVoL
But hey, whatever. Maybe they just really enjoy moderation of Reddit and meme coins.
I proceeded to "Join" the sub, and then promptly received this message.
Odd that the title, says welcome to Slothana but the website link is to PetVoL...
Maybe it's the same dev team!
When I visited the PetVol website it seemed to follow a similar format to Slothana's. Clearly animal-centric but also the pricing structure was identical. 1 SOL = 10,000 coins.
But hey, whatever. I'm still thinking that maybe it's the same dev team? What do I know, this is my first experience with meme coins.
I brushed those oddities off and to be quite honest, kinda forgot about them because Slothana was rocketing at this point.
Four days ago, I was commenting a lot on Slothana and then received a message from u/Runos_Projects
The message was them offering to sell me complete control of the subreddit for 15 SOL
Like I said, I am extremely new to the meme coin space but I've used Reddit for almost a decade and this came across as a major red flag.
I clearly am not the only one who was offered the opportunity to purchase the sub. As this video began to circulate a few hours after I received my message from Runos. I would strongly encourage watching this if you prefer video format over written. This is not my YouTube video and I will remove it from this post if the owner requests.
But hey, maybe Runos is just a rogue actor? Trying to fund his project behind the other's mods backs. Let's check out the rest of the mod team they certainly wouldn't support this type of behavior!
Oh, metaserve is also promoting PetVoL on his profile....
Seems odd that the only two mods of Slothana are also clearly connected to the PetVoL project.
At this point, I wasn't sure what to think. I LOVE the Slothana project but seems just seems off about all of this. However, I still did not have confirmation that the two projects weren't linked.
I decided to DM the PetVoL team on Twitter and see if the two projects are connected....
As you can see, they clearly are not.
It's becoming increasingly more obvious that the PetVoL have ulterior motives when it comes to the moderation of Slothana.
Since my interaction with the PetVoL team on Twitter, I have seen COUNTLESS accounts banned from Slothana just for mentioning the possible sale of the subreddit, or for mentioning the video that I posted above.
So many accounts have been banned, there is an entirely separate subreddit now for the Slothana refugees that can no longer post here.
Speaking of bans, as you may have noticed, u/Runos_Projects is suspended from Reddit.
I'm sure that it's purely coincidental that they were banned at the same exact time that PetVoL was permanently removed from Reddit.
Not to fear! metaserve was able to quickly find a replacement for his fallen mod!
Welcome to the team Kooky-Dust8367!!! I'm sure that the Slothana community is in great hands now!
Oh, their account is 3 weeks old. And has negative karma. And their only comments are them offering money to Runos to become a mod of the sub.
If you've made it this far, you are basically caught up.
I'm posting this not to FUD or harass anyone, but because I truly want the best for the Slothana community. And I'm sure you do too considering you've read this much of my ramblings.
I don't have a plan of action at this point. I'm sure I will be banned form Slothana shortly after posting this.
All that I ask is that you make your own conclusions about this situation. And as always, DYOR.
submitted by Annual_Syrup4756 to u/Annual_Syrup4756 [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 00:27 businessnewstv 7 Pitfalls to Evade When Launching Your Pet Supplies Online Business

Introduction to launching a pet supplies online business

Launching a pet supplies online business can be an exciting and profitable venture. With the increasing popularity of online shopping, pet owners are looking for convenient ways to purchase supplies for their furry friends. However, there are several pitfalls that aspiring entrepreneurs need to be aware of in order to ensure a successful launch. In this article, we will explore seven common pitfalls that you should avoid when starting your pet supplies online business. By understanding these challenges and taking the necessary precautions, you can set yourself up for success and build a thriving online business in the pet supplies industry.

Benefits of starting an online pet supplies business

Starting an online pet supplies business offers several benefits. One of the key advantages is the flexibility it provides. With an online business, you have the freedom to work from anywhere, at any time. Additionally, an online business allows you to reach a wider audience, increasing your potential customer base. Another benefit is the cost savings associated with not having a physical storefront. You can avoid expenses such as rent, utilities, and maintenance. Furthermore, starting an online pet supplies business gives you the opportunity to showcase your creativity and branding through logo design. Creating a unique and eye-catching logo can help establish your brand identity and attract customers. In this article, we will guide you through the logo design process step by step, ensuring that you create a visually appealing and memorable logo for your pet supplies business.

Challenges of launching a pet supplies online business

Launching a pet supplies online business can be an exciting venture, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. One of the main challenges is HR recruiting. Finding the right talent to join your team and help your business grow is essential, but it can be a time-consuming and daunting task. Fortunately, with the help of tools like Canva, you can streamline the recruiting process and create visually appealing job postings that attract top candidates. Canva offers a wide range of templates and design elements that allow you to create professional-looking job ads in minutes. By leveraging Canva's features, you can save time and effort in the hiring process, ensuring that you find the right candidates to propel your pet supplies online business forward.

Lack of Market Research

Importance of conducting market research

When launching your pet supplies online business, it is crucial to understand the importance of conducting market research. Market research helps you gather valuable insights about your target audience, competitors, and industry trends. By analyzing the market, you can identify potential opportunities and challenges that may arise in the e-commerce business. This research allows you to make informed decisions and develop effective strategies to position your online business for success. Conducting market research ensures that you have a thorough understanding of the market dynamics and customer preferences, enabling you to tailor your offerings and marketing efforts accordingly. With a solid foundation of market research, you can navigate the competitive landscape and establish a strong presence in the pet supplies e-commerce industry.

Identifying target audience and their needs

Identifying the target audience and understanding their needs is crucial for powering your business. By determining who your ideal customers are and what they are looking for, you can tailor your pet supplies online business to meet their specific requirements. Conduct thorough market research to gain insights into the demographics, preferences, and purchasing behavior of your target audience. This will enable you to create targeted marketing campaigns, develop products that resonate with your customers, and provide exceptional customer service. By addressing the needs of your target audience effectively, you can position your business for success and establish a strong foothold in the pet supplies industry.

Analyzing competition and market trends

Analyzing competition and market trends is crucial for the success of any business. It allows business owners to gain valuable insights into the current market landscape and make informed decisions. By studying the competition, business owners can identify their strengths and weaknesses, and develop strategies to differentiate themselves. Additionally, analyzing market trends helps business owners stay updated on consumer preferences and demands, enabling them to adapt their offerings accordingly. This article provides advice for business owners on how to effectively analyze competition and market trends to stay ahead in the pet supplies online business industry.

Inadequate Website Design and User Experience

Importance of a visually appealing and user-friendly website

A visually appealing and user-friendly website is of utmost importance when launching your pet supplies online business. Your website serves as the face of your brand and the first impression for potential customers. It is crucial to create a website that not only showcases your products but also provides a seamless and enjoyable browsing experience. One key aspect of a visually appealing website is a well-designed fashion logo. A fashion logo design can enhance the overall aesthetic of your website and create a strong brand identity. By incorporating visually appealing elements and user-friendly features, such as easy navigation and clear product descriptions, you can attract and retain customers, ultimately driving the success of your pet supplies online business.

Optimizing website navigation and search functionality

Optimizing website navigation and search functionality is crucial for the success of your pet supplies online business. A well-designed and user-friendly navigation system allows customers to easily find the products they are looking for, improving their overall shopping experience. By implementing effective search functionality, customers can quickly search for specific items and filter the results based on their preferences. This not only saves time for the customers but also increases the chances of making a sale. Therefore, investing time and effort in optimizing website navigation and search functionality is essential for attracting and retaining customers in the competitive online pet supplies market.

Ensuring mobile responsiveness and fast loading speed

One crucial aspect to consider when launching your pet supplies online business is ensuring mobile responsiveness and fast loading speed. In today's digital age, more and more people are using their mobile devices to browse and shop online. Therefore, it is essential to optimize your website for mobile devices to provide a seamless user experience. Additionally, fast loading speed is paramount as users tend to abandon websites that take too long to load. By optimizing your website's performance, you can improve user satisfaction and increase the likelihood of conversions. To achieve this, you can utilize tools and techniques such as compressing images, minifying code, and leveraging caching mechanisms. Implementing these strategies will not only enhance the user experience but also contribute to better search engine rankings, ultimately driving more traffic to your pet supplies online business.

Insufficient Product Selection and Inventory Management

Choosing a diverse range of pet supplies

When launching your pet supplies online business, one of the key factors to consider is choosing a diverse range of pet supplies. Offering a wide variety of products will attract a larger customer base and cater to the different needs of pet owners. By providing options for various types of pets, such as dogs, cats, birds, and small animals, you can ensure that your online store becomes a one-stop shop for all pet lovers. Additionally, including both essential items and unique, specialty products will help differentiate your business from competitors and provide customers with a comprehensive shopping experience. Remember, the more options you offer, the more likely you are to satisfy the diverse preferences of your target audience and increase your chances of success in the pet supplies market.

Implementing effective inventory management systems

Implementing effective inventory management systems is crucial for the success of your pet supplies online business. By having a well-organized and efficient inventory management system in place, you can ensure that you always have the right products in stock to meet customer demand. This not only helps you avoid stockouts and backorders but also enables you to optimize your inventory levels and minimize carrying costs. Additionally, an effective inventory management system allows you to track product performance, identify slow-moving items, and make data-driven decisions to improve your overall business operations. With the right inventory management system in place, you can streamline your processes, improve customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive growth for your pet supplies online business.

Monitoring product demand and adjusting inventory accordingly

When launching your pet supplies online business, it is crucial to monitor product demand and adjust inventory accordingly. This ensures that you always have the right amount of stock to meet customer needs and avoid overstocking or understocking. By keeping a close eye on product demand, you can identify popular items and make informed decisions about which products to prioritize. Additionally, monitoring demand allows you to identify any trends or changes in customer preferences, enabling you to adapt your inventory and offerings accordingly. This proactive approach helps you stay ahead of the competition and provide a seamless shopping experience for your customers.

Weak Marketing and Promotion Strategies

Creating a comprehensive marketing plan

Creating a comprehensive marketing plan is essential for the success of any online business. It involves strategizing and implementing various marketing techniques to reach the target audience and drive sales. One crucial aspect of a marketing plan is the use of captivating narratives. Captivating narratives have the power to engage customers and create a lasting impression. By incorporating captivating narratives into your marketing strategy, you can effectively communicate your brand story and values, making your pet supplies online business stand out from the competition. To create captivating narratives, consider highlighting the unique features and benefits of your products, sharing customer success stories, and leveraging the emotional connection people have with their pets. By doing so, you can create a compelling and memorable experience for your customers, ultimately driving customer loyalty and increasing sales.

Utilizing social media platforms for promotion

Utilizing social media platforms for promotion is a crucial strategy when launching your pet supplies online business. With the increasing popularity and widespread use of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, these platforms offer a great opportunity to reach a wide audience and promote your products or services. By creating engaging content, running targeted ads, and interacting with your followers, you can build brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, and ultimately increase sales. Additionally, social media platforms provide valuable insights and analytics that can help you optimize your marketing efforts and better understand your target audience. It is important to develop a comprehensive social media strategy and consistently monitor and evaluate your performance to ensure that you are effectively utilizing these platforms for promotion.

Implementing SEO strategies to improve online visibility

Implementing SEO strategies is crucial for improving the online visibility of your pet supplies online business. One important aspect of SEO is optimizing your website for relevant keywords. One such keyword is 'online payment solutions for home-based businesses'. By integrating reliable online payment solutions into your website, you can provide a seamless and secure payment experience for your customers. This not only enhances their trust in your business but also encourages them to make purchases. Additionally, by highlighting the benefits of using online payment solutions, such as convenience and flexibility, you can attract more home-based businesses to choose your pet supplies online store as their preferred platform. With effective SEO strategies and the integration of online payment solutions, you can boost your online visibility and attract a wider audience to your pet supplies online business.

Lack of Customer Service and Support

Providing prompt and helpful customer support

When it comes to launching your pet supplies online business, providing prompt and helpful customer support is crucial. A strong marketing strategy is essential for attracting and retaining customers. By implementing effective marketing strategies, such as targeted advertising campaigns and social media engagement, you can reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. Additionally, offering exceptional customer service and resolving inquiries or concerns in a timely manner can build trust and loyalty among your customers. Remember, a satisfied customer is more likely to recommend your business to others, which can lead to organic growth and success.

Implementing live chat and email support systems

Implementing live chat and email support systems can greatly enhance customer satisfaction and improve the overall shopping experience. By offering real-time assistance through live chat, customers can get immediate answers to their questions or concerns, leading to faster resolution of issues. Additionally, email support allows customers to reach out at their convenience, providing a convenient and efficient communication channel. These support systems enable businesses to provide timely and personalized assistance, building trust and loyalty among customers. By implementing these systems, online pet supplies businesses can ensure that their customers receive the support they need, ultimately contributing to the success of their business.

Handling customer complaints and resolving issues effectively

Handling customer complaints and resolving issues effectively is crucial for the success of any online business. When customers encounter problems or have concerns, it is important to address their issues promptly and professionally. This can help build trust and loyalty with customers, as well as improve the overall reputation of the business. By actively listening to customer complaints and taking appropriate actions to resolve them, businesses can turn negative experiences into positive ones. Implementing a clear and efficient customer support system, training employees on effective communication and problem-solving skills, and regularly monitoring and evaluating customer feedback can all contribute to effective complaint handling and issue resolution. By prioritizing customer satisfaction and striving to exceed their expectations, online businesses can create a positive and rewarding shopping experience for their customers.

Ignoring Analytics and Data Analysis

Importance of tracking website analytics

Tracking website analytics is crucial for the success of any online business. By monitoring and analyzing website data, businesses can gain valuable insights into their audience, their behavior, and the effectiveness of their marketing strategies. This information allows businesses to make data-driven decisions, optimize their website performance, and improve their overall online presence. Without tracking website analytics, businesses would be operating blindly, without a clear understanding of how their website is performing and how to make it better. Therefore, it is essential for pet supplies online businesses to invest in robust analytics tools and regularly review and interpret the data to stay ahead of the competition and maximize their online success.

Analyzing customer behavior and preferences

Analyzing customer behavior and preferences is crucial for the success of any online business. By understanding the needs and preferences of our target audience, we can tailor our products and services to meet their specific requirements. When it comes to launching a pet supplies online business, it is important to analyze the behavior and preferences of pet owners, including those who are looking for group homes for their specific target audience. By studying their purchasing patterns, browsing habits, and preferences, we can gain valuable insights that will help us create a user-friendly website, offer personalized recommendations, and provide a seamless shopping experience. Additionally, by highlighting the keywords 'group homes for [specific target audience],' we can create hyperlinks that direct customers to relevant products and services that cater to their specific needs.

Using data to make informed business decisions

Using data to make informed business decisions is crucial for the success of any online business. By analyzing data, businesses can gain valuable insights into customer behavior, market trends, and competitors' strategies. One key aspect of data analysis is understanding Google revenue streams. Google, being one of the largest technology companies in the world, generates revenue through various channels such as advertising, cloud services, and hardware sales. Understanding these revenue streams can help online businesses optimize their marketing strategies and identify potential partnership opportunities. By leveraging data on Google revenue streams, businesses can make informed decisions that drive growth and profitability.

Conclusion

Recap of the pitfalls to avoid when launching a pet supplies online business

When launching a pet supplies online business, it is crucial to be aware of the pitfalls that can hinder your success. Better communication is one of the key factors to consider. Ensuring clear and effective communication with your customers, suppliers, and team members can help avoid misunderstandings and enhance overall business operations. By fostering open lines of communication, you can build trust, resolve issues promptly, and create a positive customer experience. Additionally, implementing tools and strategies for efficient communication, such as email, chat platforms, and project management software, can streamline processes and improve collaboration. Investing time and effort in establishing better communication practices will contribute to the smooth launch and growth of your pet supplies online business.

Importance of continuous improvement and adaptation

Continuous improvement and adaptation are crucial for the success of any business, especially when it comes to launching an online venture in the pet supplies industry. In today's rapidly evolving market, staying ahead of the competition requires a commitment to continuously assess and enhance your business strategies. By constantly evaluating customer needs, market trends, and technological advancements, you can identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to meet the ever-changing demands of pet owners. Embracing a culture of continuous improvement and adaptation not only ensures your business remains relevant and competitive, but also allows you to provide better products and services to your customers, ultimately leading to long-term success.

Encouragement to take the leap and start the online business

Starting an online business can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to the pet supplies industry. However, with the right encouragement and support, taking the leap and starting your own pet supplies online business can be a rewarding and fulfilling endeavor. By understanding and avoiding the common pitfalls that many entrepreneurs face, you can navigate the challenges and build a successful online business. With determination, perseverance, and a passion for pets, you can create a platform that provides pet owners with the convenience and quality products they need, while also fulfilling your entrepreneurial dreams.
In conclusion, starting a pet supplies business online can be a lucrative venture. With the increasing demand for pet products, there is a great opportunity to tap into this market. By following the step-by-step guide provided on our website, you can easily set up your own online pet supplies business. Whether you are a pet lover or an entrepreneur looking for a profitable business idea, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Don't miss out on the chance to turn your passion for pets into a successful online business. Visit our website today and get started on your journey to becoming a pet supplies business owner.
submitted by businessnewstv to u/businessnewstv [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 00:23 Safe_Bad3163 Seen, the rant continues

I’ve ‘seen’ way too many posts/love for this song across all socials so have another one.
Fucking hell, don’t get me wrong we have a VAST catalogue of songs now and you can all point your gun at me all you want but Seen is EASILY a top 5 kol song, it will only get more special once we all hear it live on the tour.
It’s actually insanely good, like really fucking good when you listen to it with a quality pair of headphones. The magazine that labelled it ‘euphoric sludge rock’ hit the nail on the head.
Start to finish it’s quite literally a 10/10. Dark haunting moody bass, Nate’s best vocals out of any song, easiest drum groove ever yet it has the most potent effect on my ears… that constant switch between the ride/hihat. Nate’s a master of his craft most will think it’s nothing special but kol super fans know he’s in complete control of that kit, the bass and guitars in front of him and this song perfectly proves that. ‘has anybody seen my baby’ live on tour is going to inject the highest levels of dopamine into your mind you’ve never experienced before
Maybe I’ve gone crazy or something but this song is outstanding, fact not opinion. Real artwork
submitted by Safe_Bad3163 to kingsofleon [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 00:23 Old-Artist-5369 RT6600ax questions

Currently using an RT2600ac, which I like a lot except for two problems:
1/ On reboot it is reluctant to re-establish a PPPoE connection. I usually need to fiddle with it for 10-15 minutes pulling cables in and out before all of a sudden - boom it reconnects. In the UI I can see on the connection page it shows it is trying to connect every few seconds, but never gives any indication why it didn't succeed. I *think* the secret sauce that makes it finally reconnect is removing and reconnecting the WAN cable. But frankly am too scared of it now to try experimenting to find out.
2/ MFA doesn't work if the internet connection is down (which makes #1 extremely maddening). It seems like it may not have a hardware backup clock, so MFA can't work without NTP. At the moment I have a MFA-less alternate login with a crazy long username and password, but this is a dumb workaround to need.
I've seen lots of reports of other users having both issues on the 2600ac but not much about the 6600ax.
Can anyone tell me if the RT6600ax resolves either or both of these issues? I'm due for an upgrade and generally happy with Synology (NAS as well) so the 6600ax is a logical upgrade for me, but either of these problems are probably going to be showstoppers.
submitted by Old-Artist-5369 to synology [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 00:22 SociallyDrivenMusic Sometimes Music Reflects Society, Now It Must Also Urgently Lead Again!

So, it’s been suggested that we present a simplified overview of the recent essays (linked below) that I co-wrote with respected analyst Hanna Kahlert, of renowned London-based MIDiA Research, which covered so much territory of interconnected concepts that all affect the current and future viability of the music industry. This summary eschews the essays’ “$10 words,” (with the exception of using “eschews” here!) with which some have struggled, and is shared in the bite-sized, more digestible form of a survey and petition in combination with this summary/bullet point preface of some of the most salient points. The survey and petition presents the essence of our thesis in the uncomplicated context of a proactive social impact campaign format.
First, let me explain. I grew up in a Long Island suburb town (about thirty miles outside New York City) during the “English Invasion” of music. I’d first hear new releases on my FM clock radio tuned to stations that prided themselves on finding the “cool stuff” first. It was a time when we were met almost every day with another astounding, mind-blowing record and artist to discover, often with something worth thinking about and culturally significant. Sometimes these releases would even be life-changing. Many of these recordings would become iconic — classic evergreens with songs covered endlessly. Yes, like today, there were also dismissable records then. The difference would seem to be that there are more songs about nothing today, replete with de rigeur profanity that only further detracts and is anything but “cool." While there are some very imaginative productions and impressive singers, there are few records now that demand a cerebral, emotional response, and there is a dearth that will be remembered as moving the needle at all, so to speak. Even customary love themes are largely just recycled imitations of the greats.
Since I also relate to the sensitivity of empaths — someone attuned to the deep feelings of those around them at a personal level — I tend to gravitate to music with a message that connects with us viscerally, that which touches the soul. Especially in our currently fraught times, there clearly is a need for thought-provoking music and for more attention given to the evolution of this genre of what was once deemed “protest songs.” Socially poignant music is a category that disguises protest in metaphors and yet is just as potent. It will create community and superfans, lift spirits, and engender a large movement of positive social advocacy. I established Socially Driven Music to develop and market #Music4APurpose. The concept resonated with Hanna Kahlert and we set about to co-write what we envision.
While developing our conclusions towards offering actionable, viable value-propositions for the music industry, we took several months to sort our ideas, research, digest and assimilate the daily deluge of information about changes battering the music industry. While I wasn’t aware that Mark Mulligan, MIDiA’s Founder and Managing Director, was developing his “Bifurcation Theory,” it is validating to be in sync with his thinking and to be presenting what I consider to be the roadmap to implementing that theory. I am excited about offering takeaways that will hopefully propel many away from feelings of helpless, hopeless despair and towards optimism and positive activism through the enrapture we seek from our music and the communities built around it.
Socially driven music has traditionally been a powerful way to raise awareness about issues across the board, such as Discrimination, Climate, Democracy, Mental Health, Bullying, Substance Abuse, Antisemitism, Equality, Homelessness, Veterans, Suicide,Terrorism, Gun Control, Women’s Productive Rights, Food and Clean Water Insecurity, Cancer and other illnesses, Animal Rights/Protection, Environmental Justice, Oceans, LGBTQ+ rights, etc. Our mandate recognizes the crucial difference of a sustained campaign animated by a song.
Above all, we must always remember and honor “The Greatest Generation” (and all Veterans) who fought and died upholding ideals that they expected us to continue to respect. Political affiliation is most often indoctrinated and not questioned individually. Support traditional Republican philosophy if you must, but #MAGA is not the antidote to Democrats and is authoritarian and dangerous to our democracy!
All causes, including music rights, are affected by the influence of a common denominator — politics. Each social cause group is a large community which can be further grown and energized with the natural evolution of fans to music superfans. Compelling socially thematic music enraptures and beckons fans to demonstrate their proud commonality and membership in a next generation fan club that can actually impact society with its fervor and political influence.
Socially Driven Music, the #Music4APurpose consultancy brand, powers extraordinary reciprocal benefits for artists and songwriters when integrated with the community of fans, causes, supportive brands and empathetic politicians ! [info@sociallydrivenmusic.com](mailto:info@sociallydrivenmusic.com)
A list of many social impact causes can be found in the dropdown menu here.
We are thrilled and very appreciative to have been invited to talk with some of the most highly regarded podcast and webinar programs which will include delving into why major record labels discouraging artists espousing political views is anachronistic, irrelevant and no longer a barrier.
As you work through the survey and petition in this post, you’ll likely have an “aha moment.” We look forward to working with you and our fast growing interactive coaltion who share a passion for energizing positive changes in causes that matter to us all.

Join us. Democracy is a big issue in 2024 and one we can influence together! (The correct local and national choices will influence the rest.)

ONE:
https://forms.gle/c3gECmDp4RyZCxxW6
TWO:

THREE:
Identify your Senators and Congressional Representatives with this link and website tool, below, and let us know in the above survey for what purpose you’d like to collaborate with them. Socially Driven Music’s mandate is to facilitate a potent music-fan-cause-brand-political influencer consortium for positive social impact.
Raise your hand in the survey if you are an artist who might want to volunteer at a voting polling station or actually volunteer to help a campaign with calling voters (and meet some new fans).
PS: Although this piece is focused on how music can influence American politics and the fraught issues it impacts, this same template can be applied worldwide. Talk to us!
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/member

And here is the epitome example of what we aspire to create:
Paul Simon wrote the masterpiece “American Tune” in 1973 and it applies 51 years later even more to today’s troubled times. This is one of the best examples of the socially poignant music that we contend is so important to create again today, and a brilliant example of a copyright that will live on forever.
The first link is Rhiannon Giddens with Paul at the Grammy Salute evening for him. The second link is Paul’s original.
The song will bring the listener to tears as it describes a societal hopelessness and yet compels the listener to fight through the despair. It perfectly summarizes the emotion powering Socially Driven Music and I hope helps convey what this written summary is trying to articulate.
https://youtu.be/67pyIglP79U?si=ICl2pDKJgTMwcXTT&t=85

Democracy, #Election2024, #MAGA, #MusicIndustry, #MusicBusiness, #Music, #SocialImpact, #SocialGood, #Biden, #Trump, #Vote2024, #ActBlue, #Veterans, #JohnLennon, #YokoOno

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