Holy crap. I saw a FB ad by Tubi for the lineup scene for Usual Suspects and I thought, okay I've got to get around to watching this movie. So I pulled out my trusty DVD copy.
That was a good damn movie. For most of the movie I thought it was entertaining and a little twisty turny but like nothing overtly fantastic. Well, then the last 5 minutes go by and my mind is changed. Masterpiece. It's crazy how a simple diversion, that's really well set up, can affect your view of a movie. It was Kevin Spacey the whole time. Did anyone see it coming? Because I sure as hell didn't.
Anyway, just wanted to share how much I enjoyed that movie and how most of that enjoyment came from a really well done ending. How's the 4k look? I figure I'll have to upgrade.

When I go on trips, I used to stop at various Goodwills along my route since they usually operate along major highways (at least in my state). There are also a couple nearby that I frequented on the weekends.
It's gotten to the point where I simply don't bother any more. The past several Goodwill visits I've made ended with me leaving empty-handed. I primarily go thrifting for cheap movies (VHS, DVD, Blu-ray) or video games if I'm super lucky. However, movies and even music have been unusually scarce lately. Any miscellaneous house items I'm remotely interested in are either ridiculously overpriced or disgusting. In the metropolitan area I inhabit, all of the stores are laid out the exact same way and have the exact same useless crap on the shelves.
Each time I pass by a Goodwill, I think to myself, "ooh, I should go," but then I immediately shoot the idea down when I remember I'll just be wasting my time.

the early 90s was a golden age for live action kids movies. this trend was kicked off by home alone and, in the years that followed, there were many live action kids movies. these movies were seen as sure fire crowd pleasures that practically printed money. then, in 1995, an obscure little movie called toy story came out. the success of this movie led to animation becoming the preferred medium for children's entertainment. not helping matters was the late 90s and early 2000s leading to some not very well received live action kids movies. nowadays, with very few exceptions, most movies of this kind are relegated to low budget DVD crap.
however, there's a movie coming out next week that could probably change that. IF.
IF has been getting a lot of good press lately, which is impressive since it's a movie aimed at kids. and i'll admit, it actually looks kinda good. i might be willing to go see it. and indeed, if the movie is successful, it could lead to a renaissance of live action kids movies. or if not that, more high concept kids movies.

the early 90s was a golden age for live action kids movies. this trend was kicked off by home alone and, in the years that followed, there were many live action kids movies. these movies were seen as sure fire crowd pleasures that practically printed money. then, in 1995, an obscure little movie called toy story came out. the success of this movie led to animation becoming the preferred medium for children's entertainment. not helping matters was the late 90s and early 2000s leading to some not very well received live action kids movies. nowadays, with very few exceptions, most movies of this kind are relegated to low budget DVD crap.
however, there's a movie coming out next week that could probably change that. IF.
IF has been getting a lot of good press lately, which is impressive since it's a movie aimed at kids. and i'll admit, it actually looks kinda good. i might be willing to go see it. and indeed, if the movie is successful, it could lead to a renaissance of live action kids movies. or if not that, more high concept kids movies.

For decades, a man came into our library every Friday and borrowed five movies. Seems normal. Our patron account system allows for patrons to request up to 15 items at a time. This fella always had that list full. He would call every Monday night and have a list of titles to see if we had any of them. On Thursday he would call to see what had come in from his list and then he would add stuff to his request list. Seems fairly normal.
Over the years, though, he added to this habit. He would watch the DVDs and write down the movies in the trailers and add them to his list. At one point he had an entire three-ring binder with movies in it, and each Monday night, he would call and go through the list, looking for movies we might have at any of our branches. This human had no computer, no cell phone, no credit card or debit card. He had nothing from the modern era, though he wasn't elderly or anything. He just didn't have any of those things. So he couldn't go onto our system and look for himself. At one point, he would request so many purchases of films that our DVD buyer wound up getting the policy officially changed so no one could request more than three purchases per half year. Also, most of the movies our friend wanted were absolutely crap. Finally, one of my colleagues taught this fella how to use our public computer system. So when he came on Fridays to get his five movies, he would go over, log on and access our "New This Month" feature, and add any to the request list. But then he started calling on Monday nights to ask about what number he was on each movie; i.e. what number he was in the queue for the popular movies.
Over the years—I add this with due consideration for patron privacy—I got so good at knowing when to expect him to call (because I worked on Monday nights) and so was regularly accustomed to what he needed that I memorized his library card number. This went on for years. He knew all of us by name. Knew who was working when, and even had a sense of who was best to help him. He would offer to call back for new people "until you're trained how I like it". Then, about four months ago, out of nowhere, our man's sister (he did not drive, either, so she brought him always) called to say that he wouldn't be coming in for his movies and to take everything off hold. So we did.
For longer than ever, our friend hasn't come by. He hasn't been anywhere. Not at the mall (a familiar and favorite haunt), not at the library. Nowhere. He's completely vanished. He doesn't call. This is the longest he's ever been without anything in his request list. We have poured through obituaries and asked around people who might know him. Nothing. Anywhere. He's just gone.
This isn't unusual. We usually are pretty slow to realize people have stopped coming. One day, one of us goes, "Have you guys seen __________?" But in this case, our man was such a fixture, such a pronounced participant in the quotidian workings of our library that everyone knew him or about him.
Has this ever happened to you all?

Hello and welcome to Day 9 of the May Recovery Challenge! How are you today?
Wishing you peace and success for today :)
​

Today's check in:

Is there anything that's going well this week? Or if it doesn't feel like anything's going well, is there anything that's not a complete disaster?
​

Bonus exercise: an emergency kit

The emergency kit came up recently (and I will be using mine this weekend!) so I thought today might be a good day to update them! :)
Do you have days sometimes where you just cannot for whatever reason? Just can't muster the energy to cook the meal you planned to cook, had a bad day, didn't sleep the night before, got some really bad news, feel like crap, need to hide under a blankie or self-soothe big time? And is this a risk time for you to binge? An emergency kit might come in handy!
An emergency kit can be an actual box or basket full of things (and I've seen people really go to town with these and decorate them etc) or it can be as simple as a list on a piece of paper that you keep in your sock drawer, or even just a list on your phone. It's a ready-made action plan for when you really need 10/10 comforting and self-soothing. Leaving decisions about 10/10 comforting to when you actually need it can potentially lead to unwanted outcomes (we've all been there!)!
Here are some things that could go in an emergency kit:

• a scented candle
• a comforting scented spray (bubblesandbooks)
• some nice crystals (slapstickanarchist)
• a notebook and pen to write out feelings
• a fidget spinner
• fairy lights (bubblesandbooks)
• play doh (zodiahck)
• a cozy blanket
• a comfortable outfit
  • anything fuzzy and cozy (bubblesandbooks)
  • some oversized sweats (MSH0123)
  • fuzzy socks (depressionkitten)
• some helpful media
  • a dvd or mp3 of your favourite movie of all time
  • christmas movies (maybe even a whole little christmas tree!) (bubblesandbooks)
  • a list of fun podcasts or comedy youtube channels
    • The Office Ladies (MSH0123)
• a take-out or order-in plan:
  • recommended to have a specific item already chosen from the menu, it can be hard to make good choices in an emergency
  • something from a place you haven't tried yet or wouldn't ordinarily get (MSH0123)
• some chewing gum (zodiahck)
• kept in the freezer:
  • a non-binge portion of a food that you love
  • a nice microwave meal (slapstickanarchist),
  • a comfort meal from childhood (bubblesandbooks)
• a single wrapped serving of a treat food
• some nice tea (Snowy_lovegood)
• a written list of friends to call
• positive, loving or encouraging notes to yourself
  • nice notes you've received from friends (guavatc)
  • remind yourself that this isn't permanent and you deserve good things (bubblesandbooks)
• some bubble bath or a single pack facial or foot wrap (depressionkitten)
• an unread issue of your favourite magazine
• a puzzle (Spirited_File_9083)
  • something not too hard or time consuming, doable in a couple of hours, eg 100 piece (bubblesandbooks)
• a babysitter's phone number!
• a book of short stories (MSH0123)
• a variety of teas and flavored decaf coffees (MSH0123, Snowy_lovegood)
• some theme night ideas to choose from
  • pick a letter of the alphabet and make a night out of it, eg the letter V: have Vietnamese food, play Video Games, and make cocktails with Vodka (MSH0123)
• something to cuddle
  • a squishmallow (depressionkitten)
  • a pet (depressionkitten)
• craft supplies
  • yarn (Snowy_lovegood)
  • paint supplies (Snowy_lovegood)
  • a colouring book and markers (Spirited_File_9083)
  • watercolours (Spirited_File_9083)

​
Basically it's anything and everything to give yourself a maximum amount of soothing when you need it! It should include a normal, non-restrictive portion of food that you enjoy but also a range of other self-soothing items to go along with it. :)
​
So the exercise is: Do you think an emergency kit could be helpful for you, and what do you think you would put in there? I will add any suggestions to the list! :)
​
next day's post: https://new.reddit.com/BingeEatingDisordecomments/1con4qp/may_recovery_challenge_day_10_check_in/

Paging Thestoryteller987 in hopes putting a post here is okay. I can't guarantee I'll be as frequent, nor anywhere near as good as the master, but a humble apprentice is willing to give this a shot! Remember, I know less than nothing. Big thanks for Thestoryteller987 being the creator and inspiration.

Russian forces conducted large-scale missile and drone strikes targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure on the night of May 7 to 8, continuing to exploit Ukraine's degraded air defense umbrella ahead of the arrival of US and Western security assistance at scale. Ukrainian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk reported on May 8 that Russian forces launched 21 Shahed-136/131 drones and 55 missiles, including 45 Kh-101/555 cruise missiles, four Kalibr sea-launched cruise missiles, two Iskander-M ballistic missiles, an Iskander-K ballistic missile, two Kh-59/69 cruise missiles, and a Kh-47 "Kinzhal" aeroballistic missile.[1] Oleshchuk reported that Ukrainian forces intercepted 33 Kh-101/555 cruise missiles, all four Kalibr cruise missiles, both Kh-59/69 cruise missiles, and 20 Shaheds.

I make that about 68 percent shot down, with a heavy lean into the major ones being taken out? good work, Ukraine! And this is in a time before US aid will arrive. someone needs to tell those boys to march double time!

Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko reported that Russian forces struck electricity generation and transmission facilities in Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia oblasts. Ukraine’s largest private energy operator DTEK reported that Russian forces attacked three unspecified thermal power plants (TPPs) in Ukraine and seriously damaged unspecified equipment. Ukrainian state electricity transmission operator Ukrenergo spokesperson Maria Tsaturyan stated that regional energy authorities will implement shutdowns evenly across all oblasts in Ukraine due to energy shortages and warned that the Ukrenergo control center will issue a command for emergency shutdowns throughout Ukraine if consumption continues to grow in the evening.

So, if I understand this, there will be black outs because those hits were pretty heavy. Ukraine has done a damned fine job of taking out oil facilities, hitting places that will hurt russia economically and militarily... so in usual fashion, russia responds by knocking out the electricity to cities and civilians. Because, you know, it's 2024 and this is how far we have not progressed in the world. Full disclosure, I scrolled further and then read this:

This is the fifth large scale Russian missile and drone strike targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure since March 22, 2024, as the Russian military has attempted to exploit degraded Ukrainian air defense capabilities in spring 2024 to collapse Ukraine's energy grid and constrain Ukraine's defense industrial capacity. Russian forces will likely continue to conduct mass strikes to cause long-term damage to Ukrainian energy infrastructure as degraded Ukrainian air defense capabilities persist until the arrival of US-provided air defense missiles and other Western air defense assets at scale. Russian forces have also intensified strikes against Ukrainian transportation infrastructure in recent weeks in an apparent effort to disrupt Ukrainian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) and constrain the flow of expected US security assistance to the frontline. Russian forces have continued to heavily target Ukrainian energy facilities in limited larger missile and drone strike series, however, suggesting that Russia is either prioritizing the effort to collapse the energy grid over interdiction efforts or must use a larger number of missiles to penetrate Ukrainian air defenses near energy facilities and cause significant damage to these facilities

I do think ISW is being a little generous, but fair enough! Kind of affecting the DIB, so, well thought out, I guess. Significantly, too, it's worth noting, in my opinion, the reason Russia is targeting energy over communication lines is chances are they know that those goods are getting through. Sure they can make it a right pain in the butt, but ultimately, one way or another, those uncle Sam trademark guns of liberation and democracy are busting down russia's door. Energy, on the other hand, has a huge impact. If Russia can collapse the energy grid, that's a long term problem. I stand buy my assessment that this has a lot to do with civilians and the DIB line is just an excuse. If the energy grid goes down, hospitals switch over to generators, and how long will they last in a country that needs as much oil and fuel as possible for keeping invaders out? the fact Russia is still using waves of missiles though speaks highly of Ukraine's ability to defend herself, and that's only going to get better as the year goes on and Uncle Sam's delayed Christmas presents arrive. Stay strong, Ukraine!

Recent satellite imagery of depleted Russian military vehicle and weapon storage facilities further indicates that Russia is currently sustaining its war effort largely by pulling from storage rather than by manufacturing new vehicles and certain weapons at scale. Newsweek reported on May 8 that a social media source tracking Russian military depots stated that satellite imagery indicates that Russia's vehicle stores have significantly decreased from pre-war levels by nearly 32 percent from 15,152 in 2021 to 10,389 as of May 2024. The military depot tracker noted that Russia has pulled most from its stores of MT-LB multipurpose armored fighting vehicles (AFVs), which are down from 2,527 prewar to 922 remaining; BMD airborne amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), which are down from 637 prewar to 244 remaining; and BTR-50 armored personnel carriers (APCs), down from 125 prewar to 52 remaining. The military depot tracker noted that Russia no longer has newer model BTR-60s, 70s, and 80s in storage and that only 2,605 remain — likely referring to vehicles currently fielded — from its prewar stocks of 3,313.

News like this gets me up in the morning. Figures like that are just incredible. There are some serious drops in figures. 15,000 down to 10,000, over 600 to 252, and only 52 APC's left. that's shockingly bad for a 3 day special operation... I don't think the recycling facilities could have done Ukraine's job any quicker or with more flair. And it only gets better!

The military depot tracker noted that Russia is currently fielding 1,000–2,000 of its remaining MT-LBs in Ukraine. Another open-source account on X (formerly Twitter) cited satellite imagery dated May 27, 2020 and March 26, 2024 and concluded that Russia has pulled roughly 60 percent of its artillery systems at an unspecified towed artillery storage base, reportedly one of Russia's largest. The source reported that about half of the remaining artillery systems at this base are likely unusable due to degradation while in storage and because many of the remaining systems are Second World War era artillery systems incompatible with modern ammunition. Russia is relying on vast Soviet-era stores of vehicles and other equipment to sustain operations and losses in Ukraine at a level far higher than the current Russian DIB could support, nor will Russia be able to mobilize its DIB to replenish these stores for many years.

Okay so important point there, 40 percent of artillery at the base that ISW is talking about were either so old they were falling apart, or so old they were like trying to plug a reel to reel into a DVD player. 40 percent! Yes, maybe this is just one unlucky base, maybe this base was the dumping ground for old crap Russia didn't want any more... Russia's cupboard under the stairs it never got around to clearing out, but that's 40 percent of artillery that can not be probably used for repairs, can not fire things at Ukraine and is literally just taking up space. Russia is using Soviet vehicles. History recap:

On December 25, 1991, the Soviet hammer and sickle flag lowered for the last time over the Kremlin, thereafter replaced by the Russian tricolor. Earlier in the day, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned his post as president of the Soviet Union, leaving Boris Yeltsin as president of the newly independent Russian state https://history.state.gov/milestones/1989-1992/collapse-soviet-union

So we're talking 33 years ago, roughly. And you can be sure the vehicles Russia is pulling out of storage, shaking the dust off of, and carefully peeling off the Museum tickets from, are not from the 80's. These are not just antiques, they're vehicles that are likely up to 50 years out of date. That may not seem a lot, but consider in technology, in the field of 50 years, we've gone from no personal computers, to AI in computers. Or we've gone from pretty much no cars, to so much traffic on the road you can't get anywhere!

The British International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank reported on February 12 that Russia is likely able to sustain its current rate of vehicle losses (over 3,000 armored fighting vehicles annually) for at least two or three years by mainly reactivating vehicles from storage. The IISS also estimated that Russia has lost over 3,000 armored fighting vehicles in 2023 and close to 8,000 armored fighting vehicles since February 2022, and that Russia likely reactivated at least 1,180 main battle tanks and about 2,470 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers pulled from storage in 2023. Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets reported on February 4 that the Russian defense industrial base (DIB) can produce 250–300 new and modernized tanks per year and repair an additional 250–300 tanks per year. Russia will likely struggle to adequately supply its units with materiel in the long term without transferring the Russian economy to a wartime footing — a move that Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to avoid thus far

I make that, on average, about 4000 per year give or take. And russia can produce 500 tanks? I wonder how many EU countries and the US could produce each year? Say 50 per EU country. We'd literally need 10 countries and it's matched. And lets be honest, the kill rate is likely something crazy like 3:1 in favour of western tanks, so you can divide that by 3.
Anyway, let me put my hopium pipe down here and stop getting so excited that Russia is relying on stocks that it can't replace and Ukraine is totally woopin' ass.

The Georgian State Security Service (SUS) is employing standard Kremlin information operations against Georgians protesting Georgia's Russian-style "foreign agents" bill following the lead of Georgian Dream party founder and former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. The SUS claimed on May 8 that "certain groups of people" funded by foreign countries, party leaders, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are trying to organize provocations at protests against the "foreign agents" law. The SUS claimed that Georgian citizens living abroad, particularly those fighting in Ukraine, are planning to conduct acts of violence against Georgian law enforcement and block and burn government buildings. The SUS further claimed that the alleged provocateurs are attempting to cause riots and chaos to cause "Maidanization" and that these methods have been used to organize "color revolutions." The SUS' references to Ukraine's Euromaidan Revolution in 2014, which drove out Ukraine's Russia-friendly president Viktor Yanukovych, and its reference to color revolutions — attempts at democratization in post-Soviet countries — mirror boilerplate Russian rhetoric attempting to blame the West for inciting and directing perceived anti-Russian protests to frame domestic dissent and calls for democratization as illegitimate. The SUS made similar claims in September 2023 and alleged that former Georgian officials, Ukrainian military intelligence officials of Georgian descent, and Georgians fighting with Ukrainian forces in Ukraine were plotting a violent coup. Ivanishvili recently reiterated a series of standard anti-Western and pseudohistorical Kremlin narratives during his first public speech since announcing his return to Georgian politics. Ivanishvili's and the SUS' intensified use of established Kremlin information operations and increasing rhetorical alignment with Russia against the West indicate that Georgian Dream actors likely intend to purposefully derail long-term Georgian efforts for Euro-Atlantic integration, which plays into continued Russian hybrid operations to divide, destabilize, and weaken Georgia

Three years ago I'd be sitting here thinking "False flag attack incoming." You could predict how it would go: False flag attack, Country asks Russia for help, russia storms in and takes over.
Now? I hope this guy isn't hoping for Russian help! Not unless by help he wants a rusty WWII box of rocks trademark.
this is pretty standard Russian over seas movement though. We've seen it a thousand times.

play tension in Russian–Armenian relations, although Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made several frank assessments of the deteriorating relationship and issued public threats against Armenia in recent months. Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Spokesperson Ani Badalyan told Radar Armenia on May 7 that Armenia will not contribute to the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization's (CSTO) budget in 2024. An unnamed source within the CSTO told Kremlin newswire TASS that the CSTO is aware of Armenia's decision but noted that Armenia remains a member of the CSTO. Armenia's decision to stop financing CSTO activities is the latest in a series of decisions to pivot away from Russian-led political and security organizations, including continuing to make Armenia's involvement in the CSTO increasingly nominal, over the past eight months

Russia: Please don't go, we love you! Armenia: Well, help us with our problems then like you said you would. Russia: Look, we're... Busy, but you're on our list! Armenia: Then we're leaving. Russia: No wait! I can change! Armenia: turns to walk out the door. Russia: wait, come back! You don't have to put funding into our friendship group, but please don't leave.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė stated that the Lithuanian government has granted permission for Lithuania to send troops to Ukraine for training missions in the future.[29] Šimonytė stated during an interview with the Financial Times (FT) published on May 8 that Ukraine has not requested Lithuanian troops and noted that Russia would likely see the deployment of Lithuanian troops to Ukraine as a provocation. Šimonytė stated that if Europe only considered Russia's response to manpower and materiel assistance to Ukraine, Europe would not send anything and stated that "every second week you hear that somebody will be nuked [by Russia]." French

Says it how it is. I like that guy. Balls, too. More balls than France. At least he's being honest about it. Time for the UK to grow a pair if you ask me.
If the rest of Europe takes a stand, Germany'll come around... Eventually... some time.

Russian opposition outlet Meduza reported on May 8 that this tool allows people to input coordinates to discover all Telegram users who have enabled the "find people nearby" setting located within 50–100 meters of the coordinates.[31] Meduza noted that the "find people nearby" setting usually only allows users to find other Telegram users within 50–100 meters of their current location. Users can enable or disable this location-sharing setting in the "contacts" settings of the application

check your settings, everyone!
End of the report. Few! After reading and commenting on the entire thing, I kind of realised I think Storyteller only comments the key takeaways, so I feel kind of stupid now, especially after it took me an hour just to put together this rather lackluster version of what the master does.
I don't have StoryTeller's usually classic ending to hand, but please give Ukraine what ever you can to bring this war to an end.

Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat. Mahatma Gandhi

Story for the community: * Did I do okay? Were my ramblings any good what so ever?

I was an early adopter to full dvd/bd rips and my setup has slowly gotten larger over the years. I'm currently at 12x 8tb drives in a raid6 setup with an older dedicated raid card, approx 80tb of usable space.
It's getting close to 2/3rd full and I'm planning the next steps.
I'm debating keeping the raid card or going with software raid or??? My biggest worries are that the card takes a crap and takes the array with it.
18-20tb drives seem to be the sweet spot now?

I have a memory of a dvd that I used to watch. From what I remember it was released anytime from the very late 90’s to the late 2000’s.
The dvd was live action and featured a group of kids and this older guy. I remember the plot was about finding a hidden treasure and they go around places trying to find it. I remember a part where the guy sings “how much is that doggy in the window” while there’s a dog plush on the other side. I also remember this sequence where they go to this miniature town. The ending was some corny crap with them finding and opening the treasure only to find mirrors and the message being “the treasure was ourselves all along” or some shit like that
I don’t remember the cover of the dvd all that well but I kinda remember a red blue and yellow box with cartoonish eyes and a big smile (kinda looked like the HiT entertainment logo but I could just be mixing stuff up)
This has been driving me nuts lately, especially with the discovery of EVT. Hope someone can help, thanks :)

Like many, I got tired of Microsoft shoving ads and data mining crap onto Windows. Since Microsoft has become Google, Part II, it was time to ditch them. I didn't even bother with dual-boot. After trying out the Fedora 40 Workstation live from the USB image, I booted one last time into Windows, backed up all my data files to an external SSD, and then erased every partition on the hard drive and installed Fedora 40.
For the most part, I am impressed. My last serious attempt at switching to Linux was back in the Windows Vista days, but Linux was still too annoying back then. I've tried Ubuntu releases here and there but nothing that would make me want to install it. I had never tried Fedora until this point because of the file formats issue - I don't care who holds the patents for MP3 and MP4 files, these just need to work on any respectable OS. I'm happy to say that most of my files are usable out of the box in Fedora 40, the way it should be. Only the HEIC picture files from the iPhone do not work, and somehow I'm not surprised and was expecting this.
As for the hardware, I'm not too worried about the poor support for NVIDIA cards since both of my computers, (Dell Precision 5470 laptop and Dell Inspiron 27 all-in-one desktop) have Intel Iris Xe graphics to fall back to, and the Fedora desktop work nicely on both systems. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, audio, Brother “laser” printer, USB devices all work as expected. Even an external DVD burner works beautifully. The only hardware problem I'm experiencing is with webcams. The laptop's webcam does not work at all in Fedora. The webcam from the all-in-one does work beautifully as a webcam, but no biometric support - no Howdy or whatever the Windows Hello equivalent in Linux is called.
For the most part, I'm pleased with my decision and would recommend anyone trying to switch away from Windows to at least try the Fedora USB image as a live desktop to get a feel for how it works without having to commit to an installation.

Choices – Part 2 – The Listener Took Option One
By Changeable65
M4F Changing genders allowed if you think can make it work. Enemies to ? Abduction. Cavalier Opinions on Killing. Vampire. Choices. None of them are good. Held Prisoner.
You the listener, were just walking home after a late shift when someone came out of nowhere and grabbed you. Things were bad, then they got worse. Now the only choice you could make was to let a vampire who plans to kill you, keep you until he does.
Speaker wasn’t a Taxi driver. Speaker is a vampire who was interrupted just as he finished hiding the body of his latest meal. He killed the listener’s attacker, but decided to keep her until he’s hungry again.
Pauses for listener speaking and suggestions for sound effects are in brackets, though you don’t have to use them.
Script is available to use. Monetizing is fine. Just give me credit and let me know that you’ve done it so I can hear it. Basic adjustments are allowed.
I wrote this with M4F in mind, but if you think you can change it and make it work, go ahead.
There will be four parts and they are fairly short. If you want to combine them, go ahead.
Part one here https://www.reddit.com/ASMRScriptHaven/comments/1cd2pby/mm4f_choices_the_listener_cant_catch_a_break/
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
So, Welcome to my basement.
(Pause)
Yes, it’s a finished basement, sort of. What, you thought I’d toss you into a deep dark hole?
(Pause)
(Snort) Fair enough. Anyway, it’s not very big. Bedroom at that end, small family room in the middle, bathroom and laundry at the other end. Windows and the door are steel shuttered from the outside. No daylight, but… well, you’re not going to be here long enough to miss it much.
Anyway, you should use the bathroom. Drink some water while you’re at it. All that crying probably dehydrated you and I’d rather you keep your fluids up.
(Pause)
Why? Why do you think? (Chuckle) Go on, and take your time. I have to check on a few things anyway.
(Bathroom door open and closes and water running sounds)
Okay, what state is the bedroom in anyway?
(Steps walking away)
(Bathroom sounds end. Door opens. Careful footsteps. Doorknob rattling)
Really?
(Pause)
Had to try, huh? Well, I hope you got it out of your system. (Sigh) Ground rules. Don’t make a fuss. Crying and short lived moments of screaming I’ll let you get away with, but carry on too long with the screaming and I’ll have to come down and make it worse.
Don’t break crap. Don’t hurt yourself. Yes I’m going to kill you, but if you do either of those things I’ll have to make it as painful and drawn out as possible. Oh, and no trying to kill yourself. If you fail, it’s back to me making things worse for you. If you succeed, well, someone will probably report you missing eventually. Once I have a name I can…
(Pause!)
Yes, I said I wouldn’t go after anyone you might live with and I won’t as long as you don’t do anything stupid.
Are these rules understood?
(…pause)
Good. (Sigh) I’ve made up the bedroom. Get some sleep. The TV doesn’t have cable or internet, but the house has an antenna, so it will pull in local channels. There’s a DVD player, movies are on the bookshelf. No judging. Most of the stuff down here came with the house. I just kept it because I thought it would be useful.
(Flinch)
Okay, why did that make you flinch?
(Pause)
No, that wasn’t nothing.
(… Pause?)
I’ve done what a lot? Oh, kept meals down here. You want to know how many there were before you. The dozens and dozens of… (Scoff laugh)
Nah. Oh, I had plans for it when I bought the place. Thought this space would come in handy. Even tried keeping someone to nibble on down here a couple of times, but it was a pain, having to look after them for any length of time. The whining, the crying, the screaming. It got old. Only reason I’m bothering now, well, you won’t be here long enough to get that annoying.
Ah, I like the quiet tears. Seems more helpless than the screaming and sobbing from earlier.
(Pause)
Yeah, you’re right, I am a monster.
(Steps walking away)
Remember that and get some sleep.
Oh, before I forget, one last rule. No escaping. Try to escape again and your death will take days and, like I said, finding out who you…
(Pause!)
Ah, I see I’ve made my point. Well, I’ll leave you to your slumber. Dream of me won’t you? But remember, don’t scream too much.
(Door opening and then closing. Locks and the sound of a metal shutter coming down (if you wish))

I was going to get a custom-built PC as a "living room PC": mostly I just want to play a few older games (War for Cybertron, Fall of Cybertron, and Space Engine), stream videos from Netflix, HBO Max (I am still loathe to call it "Max", ugh), etc. (replacing an existing Roku player) and also use it to replace my blu-ray player. "While I'm at it," I figured, "why not also get a 4k blu-ray drive," since 4k blu-ray movies seem to be a thing recently.
I started out with a preference for an internal drive, that way, everything is nicely "contained" in one box, with no dangling peripherals. But while researching parts for the PC, I noticed that 4k blu-ray internal drives are surprisingly hard to find. E.g. I couldn't find the LG WH16NS60 or the Pioneer PIO-BDR-211UBK MAIN-16374: both appear to be discontinued, or generally not available. And generally speaking, "4k internal blu-ray drive" doesn't turn up a lot of hits on Amazon (Amazon's "search" turns up a bunch of out-of-parameters crap that makes it a chore to find what you're actually looking for). The only matching item I found on Amazon so far is the HLDS BU40N, some of whose reviews make me uncertain whether it will actually play 4k blu-ray movies.
I guess the gist is: I naively assumed that internal 4k blu-ray drives would be widely available because standalone 4k blu-ray players are a thing, i.e. the same way internal blu-ray drives and internal dvd drives were widely available when those respective media were widely available to consumers.
I read this post, which was informative: https://www.reddit.com/buildapc/comments/agrran/4k_compatible_optical_disc_drive/ From that, and other related reading, I've come to understand the following: - Even if I do find an internal blu-ray drive, it seems likely that I would need to connect my TV to my motherboard's integrated HDMI, and something (that I don't fully understand) will go wrong if I try to connect my TV to my graphics card HDMI. - External 4k blu-ray drives seem to be much more readily available.
The post that I linked to is 5 years old, and it seems like most of the world has moved on to streaming movies, so internal blu-ray drives for PCs doesn't seem to be a priority with many internet articles, so I'm turning to Reddit to see if the community here has any updated advice: - Is there anywhere bettemore relevant than Amazon that I could be searching for internal blu-ray drives? - Can anyone recommend a specific brand/model of internal 4k blu-ray drive that's easy to find+purchase today? - Why is it necessary that to watch 4k blu-ray movies you can only connect to the integrated HDMI port? What goes wrong if you connect your TV to your graphics card's HDMI and you try watch a movie? - What, if anything, changes with an external 4k blu-ray drive? With an external 4k blu-ray drive, would I still have to connect the TV to the PC's integrated HDMI? Or does using an external 4k blu-ray drive somehow enable watching movies through your graphic card's HDMI?

I am NOT the Original Poster. That is u/No-Custard1940. They posted in AmItheAsshole and EntitledPeople.
Thank you to u/thoward718 for finding this!
Mood Spoiler: tentatively hopeful
Original Post: Januar 2, 2024
Ok, in the past couple of years I started making good enough that I bought a house, and I still have plenty after the monthly bills. My family have all been pranksters and at times entitled, my whole life. But Christmas Eve they took the cake. I was NC with them for years. But they convinced me to reconnect after I moved closer. For gifts, I got them all good stuff. Like tablets for the kids with built in DVD players. Sports memorabilia and camping stuff for my dad, brother and uncle. Specific antiques, jewelry and appliances for my mom, SIL and aunt.
I brought my girlfriend with me, as what little family she has are horrid. So she was delighted to spend Christmas Eve with my family. Everything was going smoothly. And I warned my family, no pranks on me or my girlfriend. AT ALL! They swore none would happen. But they could not resist. We got attacked by silly string from multiple fronts. That stuff reeks and gets everywhere. Somehow we powered through that.
But then came the gifts. I wasn't expecting much. But none of them even tried. I got dollar store cooking utensils, a pair of insanely ugly holiday socks that I confirmed were also dollar store, and a pink hat. And that was just from my parents. They all kept snickering and recording me as I unwrapped random junk. One being a used mirror to a car I no longer own. And the one gift there to my girlfriend was a bottle of fart spray. I told them I'd had enough, and they'd agreed to no pranks. Long story short, they weren't just gag gifts. They were the only presents there for us.
I had enough and just started gathering up all the presents I'd brought. They all freaked out and demanded I give them back. I told them all that they didn't change one bit. And they could kiss all of that stuff goodbye. We bagged everything and stormed out. The family keep calling and messaging me that I'm being greedy, I couldn't take a joke, couldn't think of anything to get me, the kids are crying. I don't need to go on.
AITA? I've refused to return any of the presents.
Relevant Comments:
Why did you go no contact before?
Because when growing up, I was the overly serious type that was used as a scapegoat for my brother. And I was just treated unkindly like I was unwanted half the time. I was the unplanned son, while my brother was not. They all also have the worst senses of humor. Try sharing a house with a cheesy parody of the Jackass crew. After many years on NC, my parents acted like they'd seen the error of their past, and apologized for it. But now I think they were all just waiting for me to let down my guard. They stalked my social media and came to my door with flowers after I moved back to the area two years ago. I wasn't mentally ready to go to their 2022 Christmas. But they convinced me for 2023.
An important question:
Commenter: NTA obviously. but i gotta ask: are dvd's still a big enough thing that there's tablets with dvd-players built in?

OOP: Yes. A friend of mine has a few for himself and his kids. And you get the tablets at Walmart. They run Android, and the DVD player works fine. Great for camping

Editor's note: Here's a link I found while googling, so the product is real lol
Clarification:
Commenter: INFO - did you take the gifts after they opened them?

OOP: Most of them had been opened, yes

Fake:
Commenter: Fake. You are NC and then out of the blue spend thousands. And how do you gather up “appliances” and leave.

OOP: They weren't big appliances. They were things like griddles and electric can openers. Did you think I bought them stoves or refrigerators? And yes, I overspent. Some small and very stupid part of me still thought I could buy their love. I won't make that mistake again.

OOP is voted NTA
Update Post: April 12, 2024 (~3.5 months later)
My girlfriend recently saw my original post read on youtube, and asked that I update here.
I previously posted in another subreddit about what my family did to me on Christmas Eve. Back at work, word of what happened with my family spread around the office when it shouldn't have. I talked about it to just one friend at lunch a few days after making my first reddit post, and the office gossip just happened to be hiding nearby listening to every word I said. Within days it was all over the office. And someone in the office was apparently social media friends with my brother.
In short, my family found out about my Reddit post. And they went off about how they thought I was a brat who couldn't take a joke. I told them the 400 NTA comments said otherwise. Then they tried to say I didn't tell the truth. I asked them to read the post over the phone and tell me what in it was a lie. Well their recollection was suddenly quite bad, because I made it clear every detail was on point. I even still have the messages from them confirming numerous details. They tried gaslighting, but I wasn't having it. I was never going to let them try to rewrite history again. My mother resorted to crocodile tears and guilting. But I called her and my father out as self serving narcissists who played favorites and would rather make me the bad guy so they wouldn't have to feel bad about themselves. They didn't deserve to berate me, or cry for sympathy when they were complicit in my misery since childhood. Then I hung up on them. They tried calling back again and again. But I refused to pick up, and I deleted all of their voicemails. But I kept the texts just in case I'd need to go to a lawyer.
More people in the extended family were made aware after links to my reddit account got around. Initially some sided with my parents and brother. But quickly switched sides when they saw the writing on the wall. My parents then tried to turn my brother into the new scapegoat for the situation since it couldn't be me. And then it turned into a chicken fight. After about two weeks my parents showed up at my door to try and get me to talk to them. But I refused. I found out later that other relatives called them 50+ year old children, and they owed me a lifetime of apologies.
My brother apparently doubled down that what they did was funny, and refused to admit any wrongdoing. But his wife and even his own kids were furious at him. He was made to delete the videos he recorded of me at Christmas by the rest of the family. And he blamed me for it because I ruined his best prank yet. My SIL ended up slapping him and calling him a manchild, then saying she'd never been so humiliated to be his wife. She was apparently unaware of what my family put me through growing up until the Christmas prank because I'd hardly seen her before cutting contact with my family. Then she gave him an ultimatum. Marriage counseling and a sincere apology to me, or she would leave him.
My brother stubbornly refused, and his wife took the kids and left for a few days. He then came to my house while intoxicated and yelling that it was all my fault, and I was a bitch baby who couldn't take a joke. Then he started demanding I talk to his wife and fix things. I had to call our parents to come get him before I had police take him away. They showed up mortified and screaming at him to shut the hell up. After a few more days my parents begged me to come over and speak to them. Took me a while to agree. And when I did, my brother was there with them looking like a kicked puppy. His wife had actually gone to get a consultation from a divorce lawyer. And my brother finally realized this was for real, and unless he acknowledged he was a massive a-hole, his life would be ruined. His wife did come back for the sake of keeping the kids in school. But even after months, my brother is still in the doghouse.
My brother and parents apologized and admitted they never expected me to show up with such nice gifts, and figured I wasn't likely to bring anything since I hadn't seen them in years, and they'd pranked me so much that it finally clicked with them why I'd previously gone no contact. And even though I showed up with real gifts, they went ahead with their plan anyway since the prank gifts were already there under the tree, and they somehow thought I'd share in the humor. They thought wrong. I told them they would never be apologizing like this if they weren't being humiliated for their actions. To which they actually agreed and started trashing themselves. Then I asked if the apologies they'd given me before were totally insincere and just a ploy to lure me back into the family. They couldn't say they were or weren't. I'm not sure even they know anymore.
So then I had a very frank discussion with them about my childhood, and why I might never want to associate with them ever again. They didn't argue with a single point I made. All the mistreatment, all the favoritism, all the scapegoating! Why? Because I was the unwanted child! I didn't ask to be born! And it sure as hell shouldn't have taken that long just for them to realize what kind of steaming piles of crap they were as people. They just sat there looking at the floor while I ranted at them. And my mother was crying and blaming herself and my father. And my father started blaming her, and saying it all started with her. My brother for once in his life knew when to shut the hell up and accept fault. And when he finally did speak, he owned up to everything.
Since it was too late to return the gifts to the store by the time I'd made my AITA post, the presents I took back were left in my garage, just sitting in a pile. I ended up donating all of them to a local church for a charity rummage sale. So all of that stuff went to people other than my relatives.
I was chastised by many for taking the gifts back from the kids too. But they were sharing in the delight of laughing at me that day. And now they have a lesson in consequences that it was good to have while still young. That said, my mother kind of negated that by going rogue and bought the exact same tablet-DVD-combo players for the kids that I did. My father was apparently furious with her at first because she put it all on their credit card. Each of those tablets was around $150. But the fight about it didn't last long.
My brother and SIL have been going to marriage counseling. And it's forced my brother to open his eyes. Our parents raised him to be the way he is. But he also kept it up well into adulthood. I've kept moderate contact with my family for the sake of getting to know my niblings. And they're actually good kids. They don't blame me for taking the gifts back anymore, because they understand how angry I was at Christmas.
I had my birthday in March at a local pizza parlor, and my family were invited. It was literally their last chance. And shockingly they did not blow it. They couldn't figure out what to get me, so they gifted me a large card with $100 cash in it, and a "We'll do better" apology written in the card. They also gave my girlfriend a set of Sterling silver earrings big apology as a makeup for Christmas since she'd refused to see them in person till then. It hasn't really been long enough since then for me to have any other kinds of details other than things seem to be pleasantly normal now. No more pranks to me. They've even stopped doing them to each other. The whole situation just ruined what made it funny for them to begin with.
Also, for all those who prior commented or DM'd me saying tablet/DVD player combos don't exist, look them up for crying out loud. They do exist, and kids who have them, love them. The ones my mother got my niblings have barely left their hands since getting them.
Lastly, I did report the office gossip that caused me to get ratted me out to my brother to HR. And that was just one thing in a line of complaints against them. So they were finally written up. And has been avoiding me as much as possible at work since then.
TLDR: Office gossip made my family find out about my original post. A crap-show ensued. Family were forced to admit wrong after my SIL took the kids and threatened divorce. Family finally owned up to their misdeeds against me, and are still apologetic. Office gossip got written up for what they did.
Relevant Comment:
Commenter: What amazes me is the $100. That’s it? Sounds greedy, but c’mon. A lifetime of them treating you as they had…

OOP: I agree it wasn't much. But I wasn't expecting much either. The fact that the guilt is real to them now was the biggest gift I got. Plus, I'm not gonna try to milk them for money. I'm fairly well off. And they know it.

​

And there's nothing at all to be done about that!
By this time, we were well into rehearsals for Cats...
"SPOT THE GROUND!" The acrobatics instructor shouted as George Gay and I cartwheeled across the gymnastics studio that our cast was borrowing to learn the complicated stunts before we did them on the stage. We got through 4 passes, and then I got nervous, tightened my grip on his legs, and sent us both tumbling into a heap on the mats.
Me: I'm so sorry. I knew better.
George: All good. We're almost there!
Acrobatics Instructor: Take a beat. Dust yourselves off. We'll go again in a minute.
Me: Hey, George... Any advice on anal sex for a first timer?
George: Ohhhh! Fun!!! Who's the guy?
Me: Same guy I was dating during the semester.
George: Braggy McFlake-Flake? And now he wants ass play? Girl, I told you that bitch was GAY.
Acrobatics instructor: Again!!!
George assumed a strong stance in a second position demi plié, I centered myself, prepped, and dove between his legs, keeping my grip light this time and keeping my eyes on the ground. The momentum carried us through all five spins that time. They do seven on Broadway, but our stage was only wide enough for five.
It still wasn't perfect, though. Both of us stumbled when we finished the stunt and the acrobatics instruct pointed out that we weren't going in a straight line and would fall off the stage if we didn't fix that. "AGAIN!"
Bruised and exhausted, George and I talked some more about Dennis as we headed for the parking lot after we'd finally started to get the hang of the tandem cartwheels.
George: Seriously, sis. If you were psyched to try it, I'd be your biggest supporter. But you're not psyched. You're willing to hurt yourself for this guy who's literally blocked you on Facebook.
Me: But he only blocked me because I kink-shamed him when he brought up butt stuff.
George: No excuse. Swear to me that you won't let him in the holiest of holies unless you decide for yourself that you want it. Not because you want HIM, but because the idea of it makes you moist.
Me: Ewwwwwww! Oh, but he really does think it's the holier of the holes. He thinks the Bible permits butt sex but condemns vag sex. And he's suddenly siding with the pope on the issue of rubbers.
George: I'll bet you a bucket of fucks that that boy's not even a real Christian. He's just looking for an excuse to go butt-blasting without a raincoat. Forget him. Hey, I'm going to La Cage tonight if you want to troll for strange with me!
Me: Honey, I have no shot with any of the men there. But thanks for the pep-talk!
George got corn that night.
And while George was in the shower, utterly revolted by the rando who apparently hadn't learned to douche dat ass, I was icing my ankle and typing furiously in my diary. Pouring out nauseating drivel over Dennis until I finally burst into tears, poured a glass of wine, and slipped in my worn DVD of Breakfast at Tiffany's. That movie always made me feel better. As Holly Golightly was telling Paul to search for her black alligator shoes, I heard a knock. That was in the real world, right? Being a single woman living alone, I tended not to open the door unless I was expecting someone. I got very still and very quiet, but I let the movie keep playing. There was a more insistent knock. Okay, now I was scared.
"VAL!!!!!" called a male voice. It sounded like Dennis, but I knew that his was the voice I wanted to hear. So I didn't trust my perception. "Val! PLEASE! Is Dennis! I miss you, babe! I never ask for anal sex again! I swears! I love your vagiiiiiiinaaaaaa. I miss your va..."
I opened the door, shushed him, and ushered him inside.
Me: Are you drunk???
Dennis: You know Iont drink. (He sounded drunk as hell)
Me: I might be a little drunk. Sorry. If you had called first...
Dennis: N'worries. Can sit?
I gestured to the couch. He plopped down. Then he reached for my hand. "Pleeeease, babe. I need suckage."
I laughed out loud. "You're kidding, right? I haven't heard a peep from you in over a month. You blocked me on social media. And now you show up wasted in the middle of the night, begging for a blowie???"
Dennis: Yeah...
I rummaged through my closet and found a spare pillow and a blanket, which I threw at Mr. Butt-Blaster. "Here. Sleep it off. Tomorrow, we'll have a coherent conversation."
Instead of curling up and passing out, Dennis made a wobbly run for the bathroom, projectile barfing all over the place as he staggered. "God Damn It!" I very deliberately committed blasphemy. And the barf reeked of tequila. "Not drunk," my ass. George was probably right. Dennis probably wasn't even a Christian. I'd never known a real Christian who was such a braggadocious butthead.
I grabbed some bleach, a whole roll of paper towels, air freshener, and antibacterial hand soap, and started trying to clean up the spew. I'm not a big puker. And the few times I've gotten sick like that, I've been able to make it to the bathroom. So this was my first time cleaning up barf. Awww. I was taking care of him. This might have been a more meaningful gesture than butt stuff!!!
I could hear him heaving for a while, and then he shouted, "VAAAAAL! I pooped my pants! Helpmeeee!!!!" Oh, hay-ull NO. I wasn't even halfway done scrubbing spew off the arm of my couch. Now there was poop???
Me: What the FUCK, dude?
Dennis: Is not too bad! Need clean undie.
Me: Why would I have men's underwear lying around?
Dennis: Boyorts? I likes those....
Boyshorts. He wanted to wear a pair of my boyshots. I sighed. "Okay, fine. Listen. Get in the shower. Wash the poop off your underwear. Hang them up. I'll bring you some boyshorts once you're clean."
I could hear him fumbling around with the shower, but I wasn't about to go help him. As much as I longed for genuine intimacy to develop between us, it (this far) had not. I had felt all compassionate and girl-friendy as I scrubbed his puke off my carpet and furniture. But I wasn't ready to wipe his ass. Although his alleged accident gave me an idea...
I knocked on the door. "Hey, Den..."
Dennis: Oh good! You here. Holds m'hand while shower?
NO.
Me: Not yet... Listen. Given the nature of our last conversation, and given that your ass is a bit vulnerable right now... How about I shove something up there?
Dennis: Haha! You kiddings. Is good we can laughs.
Me: No. I'm serious. How would you feel if I seriously wanted to shove something up your butt?
Dennis: noooooooo.
Me: Yeah, that's what I thought. Not so sexy and sinless when it's YOUR ass, is it?Wash off the crap and then I'll come hold your hand.
I heard the shower power up and I kept scrubbing puke until I reached the bathroom door and hoped I wouldn't have to encounter a poopy mess in there. I knocked.
Me: Dennis? You still need a hand?
Dennis: YES! And boyorts.
I cautiously opened the door. He hadn't done a great job of getting all the barf into the toilet, but I could neither see nor smell shit. I saw a pair of wet boxers hanging over the shower curtain, but either he'd been able to remove the stains or he'd hallucinated pooping. It was very weird that he was so hellbent on wearing my underwear. But whatever. I'd hold his drunky hand.
I reached around the shower curtain and expected my outstretched hand to be met with his hand. Instead, he managed to nudge my hand with his member. And it had risen.
Me: What the fuck????
Dennis: I said I needs a hand! You don't hafta blow. Jerk is fine.
Having neither seen nor heard from Dennis in over a month, his desire for a tug was both perplexing and slightly flattering. I was pissed at him, yeah. But I still had feelings for a certain version of him. Even so... As much as he'd jerked me around, I wasn't gonna jerk him around until he sobered up and had an adult conversation with me. Not only was it a matter of upholding at least some semblance of self-respect, but also... my whole body ached from an evening of learning how to do tandem cartwheels. I lacked the energy to yank off a drunk dude.
In the next installment, you'll meet my colon hydrotherapist!!!

In college I collected alot of cheap DVDs and especially terrible kung fu movies and thankfully I found the gold mine in the basement of the giant mall in Syracuse at a chinese dollar store... most of them were absolute crap and they were obviously bootlegged, which adds to the charm. I wonder what the story is with this "Kung Fu Theater" company is.
These two were the stand outs so I had to save them - the rest are now incorporated into my familys massive dvd collection which will be donated to the local library
Labrynth of death is more of a slapstick comedy with kung fu and a hopping vampire child. Also I believe this is not actually dubbed if I remember correctly, but the quality is so low that the subtitles are extremely hard to read
KFFBTG is more of a straight up kung fu movie that is just bizzare w/ terrible dubbing, and evidently dracula shows up at some point
Both have similar cheesy lazer effects
Anyone else come accross these DVDs? They also say PNH international corp and manufactured by Best Film & Video, Inc.

Hi all, I called the local Acura dealership to see about a navigation system update for a 2007 MDX. They referred me to Acura's web site where I found the nav update for Canada (white disc - not the same as the US / South Canada disc), and that it is discontinued and not available. Part number is S02AC10-E0021-3082. I can't find one on eBay or an ISO online. Any other ideas as to how I might find one, or any kind soul who has one and might be willing to rip an ISO? I can't imagine Acura giving a crap since it's out of print they don't sell them anymore. Thanks in advance.

The main reason why I'm making this thread is because I just recently softmodded my PS2 and try to put some PS2 Rom games on it but some CD based Roms Through .bin files instead of ISO had some problems I had to go through some trial and error before it worked. For example I tried to get Virtua Cop Re Birth working but it was a Black Screen of Death on my PS2 so I made this so you don't have to go through all the crap that I went through to add PS2 Roms to my FMCB OPL.
P.S ISO files of DVD PS2 games are pretty self explanatory and easy just copy paste the ISO file into your USB DVD folder AFTER downloaded and compressed but CD PS2 games need special treatment.
What you need:
PS2 (obviously)
FreeMcBoot Memory Card (make sure it has Open PS2 Loader on it for me I have a 8mb version from Amazon for 18 Dollars it doesn't matter which card has the most memory 8mb 64g 32g makes no difference IMO)
and a USB drive that's formatted FAT32
Here's an awesome tutorial video from Blaine Locklair before progressing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXtxqXaI-0A
Now in order to bring CD PS2 game Roms to work in OPL you need to donwload the roms and compressed them (I used Vimm's Vault to download the Roms but there are several other sites you can use to download PS2 Roms and they all have 7z. files) and from there downloaded in 7z. form and I use Archive Extractor to open them to ZIP folders. Once the 7z. files are converted to ZIP folders with the .bin files and Extract them you need to convert the .bins to ISO I use OPL Manager but this software has a weird learning curve of it's own.
Once you download and open OPL Manager it has a pop up saying it doesn't have CD/DVD Folder and will ask you to create one for the Roms to be placed If you click No it won't work when you try to convert the files instead you'll get the "Unhandled Exception has occurred" pop up when try to convert them.
Click Yes and highlight Tools and move to "Convert bin to ISO" once the box appears then click the bin file circle on the top right.
After that Click 'Open file' and search for your extracted folder that has the bin Rom and then click browse to find the spot where it will be after downloaded in this case its the PS2 folders that OPL manager created.
Click start and then it will load a green bar until you get a pop up saying "ISO Loaded Successfully" then click OK.
Once you have the ISO converted Roms make sure you copy and paste them (or move them) to your CD Folder either you're USB has or OPL Manager created
(Or perhaps create a CD folder for you're USB or copy paste the OPL Manger PS2 folders to the USB that way just make sure The CD game ISO in the CD folder)
Just a side note the game WILL be visible on the 'USB Games' menu in Open PS2 Loader despite being in separate folders and with that the game should work once selected I hope this was helpful see ya.
P.P.S HUGE shout out to one of the Reddit comments on this forum or else this wouldn't be possible https://www.reddit.com/ps2homebrew/comments/10uewhe/anyone_got_virtua_cop_elite_edition_working_via/
​

Hey Reddit.
I have been asked by someone to make their PS2 region free. I am trying to figure out which mod I should recommend, so I'd like some opinions. I care most about which one works the best and is easiest for the end user. I can solder the mod chip with no issue, I have just never had a need to do it because I always use early models and a hard drive and a Free McBoot memory card.
Obviously it's 50XXX or later model since it's a Slim. (90001 I believe). So I know MechaPWN works, but I have heard it's not entirely user friendly. I saw MrMario2011's video demonstrating it, and there seems to be a chance that the BIOS could get bricked. And you're doing an install every time you change a setting. AND you have to keep up with the original NVM file. But it has a nice interaction where you have to choose your model and region, force or unforce lock, etc. I don't know if this is super friendly for a new user, since different kinds of disk might require a different setting.
Hard mod seems to have a simple menu, and you can set the DVD region to "8" to play anything you want. The big downside is the customer would have to pay me for a mod chip install. But again, I am going for what is simple and works without a lot of fumbling around with settings for the end user. I have also heard some Modbo chips are crap, and I see them all over Amazon.
Knowing what I am looking for, What are your opinions on using MechaPwn vs Modbo modchip? Which do you guys think is easier? What are your experiences?
Thank you.

I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/No-Custard1940 posting in AmItheAsshole and EntitledPeople
Concluded as per OOP
1 update - Medium
Thanks to u/LunaMothThinking for finding this BORU
Original - 2nd January 2024
Update - 12th April 2024
​
AITA for still withholding all of the presents I bought for the family because of their pranks?
​
Ok, in the past couple of years I started making good enough that I bought a house, and I still have plenty after the monthly bills. My family have all been pranksters and at times entitled, my whole life. But Christmas Eve they took the cake. I was NC with them for years. But they convinced me to reconnect after I moved closer. For gifts, I got them all good stuff. Like tablets for the kids with built in DVD players. Sports memorabilia and camping stuff for my dad, brother and uncle. Specific antiques, jewelry and appliances for my mom, SIL and aunt.
I brought my girlfriend with me, as what little family she has are horrid. So she was delighted to spend Christmas Eve with my family. Everything was going smoothly. And I warned my family, no pranks on me or my girlfriend. AT ALL! They swore none would happen. But they could not resist. We got attacked by silly string from multiple fronts. That stuff reeks and gets everywhere. Somehow we powered through that.
But then came the gifts. I wasn't expecting much. But none of them even tried. I got dollar store cooking utensils, a pair of insanely ugly holiday socks that I confirmed were also dollar store, and a pink hat. And that was just from my parents. They all kept snickering and recording me as I unwrapped random junk. One being a used mirror to a car I no longer own. And the one gift there to my girlfriend was a bottle of fart spray. I told them I'd had enough, and they'd agreed to no pranks. Long story short, they weren't just gag gifts. They were the only presents there for us.
I had enough and just started gathering up all the presents I'd brought. They all freaked out and demanded I give them back. I told them all that they didn't change one bit. And they could kiss all of that stuff goodbye. We bagged everything and stormed out. The family keep calling and messaging me that I'm being greedy, I couldn't take a joke, couldn't think of anything to get me, the kids are crying. I don't need to go on.
AITA? I've refused to return any of the presents.
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Comments
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Successful_Bath1200
NTA
It's not like you didn't warn them.
Time to go NC with them again.
Anything you can't return to the shop it came from to get your money back or that you can't use yourself, give to a charity and tell them that's what you did!
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FeRaL--KaTT
NTA and am going to add- proud of you for following through on your well stated boundaries. You deserve better.
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**Judgement - NTA*\*
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After what they did at Christmas, humiliation forced family to give me a massive apology. - 3 months later
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My girlfriend recently saw my original post read on youtube, and asked that I update here.
I previously posted in another subreddit about what my family did to me on Christmas Eve. Back at work, word of what happened with my family spread around the office when it shouldn't have. I talked about it to just one friend at lunch a few days after making my first reddit post, and the office gossip just happened to be hiding nearby listening to every word I said. Within days it was all over the office.
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And someone in the office was apparently social media friends with my brother. In short, my family found out about my Reddit post. And they went off about how they thought I was a brat who couldn't take a joke. I told them the 400 NTA comments said otherwise. Then they tried to say I didn't tell the truth. I asked them to read the post over the phone and tell me what in it was a lie.
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Well their recollection was suddenly quite bad, because I made it clear every detail was on point. I even still have the messages from them confirming numerous details. They tried gaslighting, but I wasn't having it. I was never going to let them try to rewrite history again. My mother resorted to crocodile tears and guilting. But I called her and my father out as self serving narcissists who played favorites and would rather make me the bad guy so they wouldn't have to feel bad about themselves.
They didn't deserve to berate me, or cry for sympathy when they were complicit in my misery since childhood. Then I hung up on them. They tried calling back again and again. But I refused to pick up, and I deleted all of their voicemails. But I kept the texts just in case I'd need to go to a lawyer.
More people in the extended family were made aware after links to my reddit account got around. Initially some sided with my parents and brother. But quickly switched sides when they saw the writing on the wall. My parents then tried to turn my brother into the new scapegoat for the situation since it couldn't be me. And then it turned into a chicken fight.
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After about two weeks my parents showed up at my door to try and get me to talk to them. But I refused. I found out later that other relatives called them 50+ year old children, and they owed me a lifetime of apologies. My brother apparently doubled down that what they did was funny, and refused to admit any wrongdoing. But his wife and even his own kids were furious at him. He was made to delete the videos he recorded of me at Christmas by the rest of the family. And he blamed me for it because I ruined his best prank yet.
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My SIL ended up slapping him and calling him a manchild, then saying she'd never been so humiliated to be his wife. She was apparently unaware of what my family put me through growing up until the Christmas prank because I'd hardly seen her before cutting contact with my family. Then she gave him an ultimatum. Marriage counseling and a sincere apology to me, or she would leave him.
My brother stubbornly refused, and his wife took the kids and left for a few days. He then came to my house while intoxicated and yelling that it was all my fault, and I was a bitch baby who couldn't take a joke. Then he started demanding I talk to his wife and fix things. I had to call our parents to come get him before I had police take him away. They showed up mortified and screaming at him to shut the hell up. After a few more days my parents begged me to come over and speak to them.
Took me a while to agree. And when I did, my brother was there with them looking like a kicked puppy. His wife had actually gone to get a consultation from a divorce lawyer. And my brother finally realized this was for real, and unless he acknowledged he was a massive a-hole, his life would be ruined. His wife did come back for the sake of keeping the kids in school. But even after months, my brother is still in the doghouse.
My brother and parents apologized and admitted they never expected me to show up with such nice gifts, and figured I wasn't likely to bring anything since I hadn't seen them in years, and they'd pranked me so much that it finally clicked with them why I'd previously gone no contact. And even though I showed up with real gifts, they went ahead with their plan anyway since the prank gifts were already there under the tree, and they somehow thought I'd share in the humor.
They thought wrong. I told them they would never be apologizing like this if they weren't being humiliated for their actions. To which they actually agreed and started trashing themselves. Then I asked if the apologies they'd given me before were totally insincere and just a ploy to lure me back into the family. They couldn't say they were or weren't. I'm not sure even they know anymore.
So then I had a very frank discussion with them about my childhood, and why I might never want to associate with them ever again. They didn't argue with a single point I made. All the mistreatment, all the favoritism, all the scapegoating! Why? Because I was the unwanted child! I didn't ask to be born! And it sure as hell shouldn't have taken that long just for them to realize what kind of steaming piles of crap they were as people. They just sat there looking at the floor while I ranted at them. And my mother was crying and blaming herself and my father. And my father started blaming her, and saying it all started with her. My brother for once in his life knew when to shut the hell up and accept fault. And when he finally did speak, he owned up to everything.
Since it was too late to return the gifts to the store by the time I'd made my AITA post, the presents I took back were left in my garage, just sitting in a pile. I ended up donating all of them to a local church for a charity rummage sale. So all of that stuff went to people other than my relatives.
I was chastised by many for taking the gifts back from the kids too. But they were sharing in the delight of laughing at me that day. And now they have a lesson in consequences that it was good to have while still young. That said, my mother kind of negated that by going rogue and bought the exact same tablet-DVD-combo players for the kids that I did. My father was apparently furious with her at first because she put it all on their credit card. Each of those tablets was around $150. But the fight about it didn't last long.
My brother and SIL have been going to marriage counseling. And it's forced my brother to open his eyes. Our parents raised him to be the way he is. But he also kept it up well into adulthood. I've kept moderate contact with my family for the sake of getting to know my niblings. And they're actually good kids. They don't blame me for taking the gifts back anymore, because they understand how angry I was at Christmas.
I had my birthday in March at a local pizza parlor, and my family were invited. It was literally their last chance. And shockingly they did not blow it. They couldn't figure out what to get me, so they gifted me a large card with $100 cash in it, and a "We'll do better" apology written in the card. They also gave my girlfriend a set of Sterling silver earrings big apology as a makeup for Christmas since she'd refused to see them in person till then. It hasn't really been long enough since then for me to have any other kinds of details other than things seem to be pleasantly normal now. No more pranks to me. They've even stopped doing them to each other. The whole situation just ruined what made it funny for them to begin with.
Also, for all those who prior commented or DM'd me saying tablet/DVD player combos don't exist, look them up for crying out loud. They do exist, and kids who have them, love them. The ones my mother got my niblings have barely left their hands since getting them.
Lastly, I did report the office gossip that caused me to get ratted me out to my brother to HR. And that was just one thing in a line of complaints against them. So they were finally written up. And has been avoiding me as much as possible at work since then.
TLDR: Office gossip made my family find out about my original post. A crap-show ensued. Family were forced to admit wrong after my SIL took the kids and threatened divorce. Family finally owned up to their misdeeds against me, and are still apologetic. Office gossip got written up for what they did.
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Comments
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Fianna9
I’m glad your family finally woke up and saw what dicks they are being. I hope they are sincere in wanting to fix themselves and the relationship.
But no matter how hard they might seem to be trying, if they fuck up again they don’t deserve another chance
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daylily61
I never saw your first post, Custard, until I came across this one. What perfectly horrible people your parents and brother must be 😝 No wonder you had no contact with them for so long.
Here's hoping you and your girlfriend have all the peace and happiness together you can hold
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I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP.
Please remember the No Brigading Rule and to be civil in the comments

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