Islam has several significant and minor indicators of the imminence of the Day of Judgement, but they all point to the manner and timing of its arrival. The Quranic findings and other hadiths give Muslims wisdom and direction beforehand so that when the time comes, they will be able to discriminate between good and wrong, even though only Allah knows the precise day. True events are predicted by Qayamah’s lesser and greater indications.
From an early age, we are taught about the approaching judgement day, and when we inquire about its exact date, we are informed that it will occur eventually. We have the texts of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet (SAW) to confirm its authenticity. Hudhayfah bin Usayd says that as we were having a conversation, Allah’s Apostle showed up out of the blue. “What topics do you discuss?” he asked. “We are discussing the Final Hour,” the friends uttered.
The smoke, the Anti-Christ, the beast, the rising of the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus, the Gog and Magog, and landslides in three places, one in the east, one in the west, and one in Arabia, at the end of which fire would burn forth from Yemen, driving people to the place of their assembly, were among the ten signs he mentioned. (Muslim)

In Islam, there are ten phases to the day of judgement, each of which depicts the event categorically:

1) Arrival of Imam Mahdi
Following Imam Mehdi’s entrance, the Prophet (Saw) declared, “One person will appear before the end of the world.” Both his and my names will be the same, as will those of his father. The world will be full of tyranny and injustice before to his coming, but justice will prevail when he arrives. An angel would appear from the cloud above his head and say, “This is Mehdi, listen to what he says.”

He is going to take on many of the enemies of Islam and try to make the international legal system better. There will be a great lot of injustice, transgressions, murders of Muslims, and the system of good actions will be destroyed by the evildoers prior to his arrival.

2) Dajjal Will Arrive

Most people are informed that the most obvious and well-known sign is the advent of Dajjal. He’ll claim to be God when he gets there. A heretic is someone who places their confidence in him. If information about him is misguiding people, why would they believe him? This is the job of the Fitnah of Dajjal, forcing the population’s thinking to be fixed so that they will inevitably accept the idea that he is God (God forbid). Dajjal is going to be able to control the sky to rain and the earth to sprout plants. These are deceptive signs, but they will make people think he is God.

3) The Descent of Jesus

According to Islamic belief, Prophet Jesus will descend at the time Dajjal shows up and declares himself to be God. He would then attack and murder Dajjal. In addition, he will bring Muslims to Tur Mountain, destroy the cross, and free them from the Majooj and Yajooj. The Jews were supposed to kill the Prophet, but Allah raised him up and preserved him. When he gets there, everyone who has been buying into falsehoods and misconceptions will be taken aback.

4) Yajooj And Majooj’s emergence

There are multiple references to Yajooj and Majooj’s rise to prominence. A wall encloses them. There is a legend about them that states that during Hazrat Ibrahim’s (a.s.) reign, there lived a just King by the name of Zulqarnain. People asked him to keep them safe from the Gog and Magog tribes, two deadly tribes they had heard about. Zulqarnain consequently built an iron wall that would remain impenetrable till the end of time. They will therefore be able to break past the barrier and chase the populace come the end of time. To relieve humanity from its fury and danger, Hazrat Isa will arrive on Earth

5) Smoke will appear as a sign of the Day of Judgment.

The Quran states, “Wait for the day when smoke appears from the sky.” According to Hadith, “the smoke will come from the sky and blanket the entire planet for 40 days.” It is said that although smoke will chill Christians, it will chastise unbelievers. There are numerous theories regarding what smoking will be like in the future. The most frequent possibilities are an atomic explosion or environmental contamination. In any event, the result will serve as one of the markers for the Day of Judgement in Islam.

6) The Coming Of The Beast

As stated in the Quran, “And when the word of torture is fulfilled against them, we shall bring out from the Earth a beast for them, to speak to them, because mankind did not accept with conviction in Our signs,” Allah verifies the arrival of the beast in Islam. (An-Naml: 82) It is said that the beast is carrying Mousa’s handstick for believers, and that if they are sincere believers, light would radiate from their faces. For the unbelievers, he will wield the Seal of Suleman; if it comes into contact with them, their countenance will turn gloomy, denoting their degree of faith.

7) The Sun Rise from the West

One of the primary indicators of Qayamah, or the Day of Judgement in Islam, is the rising of the Sun from its setting position in the West. “The Hour will not come until the Sun has risen from the West, and when it rises and people see it, they will all believe,” but additionally, “that will be the time when it will do no good to a person who has not believed before, nor earned good (by doing deeds of righteousness through his faith),” according to Abu Hurayrah, a contemporary of the Prophet (saw). (As stated by Muslim and Al-Bukhari, 11/352 and 2/194)
There are numerous ways to read the hadith and the time indication. There are others who hold the belief that anything that Allah has predetermined cannot be changed. Some people think that the Sun rising in the West signifies the upending of the global system.

8) Landslides

There will be three major landslides in Islam: one in the Arabian Peninsula, one in the East, and one in the West. The Prophet (saw) stated that the signs won’t appear until these regions have attained the highest concentrations of immorality and bad behaviour. Some people think that earthquakes, not landslides, will be the cause of the landslides. The most common belief is that these locations would submerge due to a natural disaster, killing the local population.

9) The Fire Will Begin

The eruption of fire from the direction of Yemen, from the bottom of ‘Aden, from the Sea of Hadramawt’ is another key sign of the day of judgement. The Prophet (Saw) was heard saying, “The last of them will be a fire that will come from Yemen, and will force the people to the area of their assembly,” according to Hudhayfah ibn Usayd. (Source: Muslim, 18/27)

10) The Kaabah Will Be Destroyed

The Prophet (SAW) said, “Dhu’l-Suwayqatayn from Abyssinia will ruin the Ka’ba and seize its treasure and kiswah,” according to Abdullah Ibn “Amr.” I feel as if I can see him now; he’s balding and his wrists are distorted. With his spade and pich-axe, he will attack the Ka’ba. Allah will take the Quran and the virtuous people from the Earth to shield them from the Last Hour.
However, regular supplications and prayers are very necessary and can prevent one from taking actions that will ultimately be harmful to them. In addition to these major signs, there are other smaller or more subtle signs of the Day of Judgement in Islam, and numerous theories have been formed based on these signs to confirm their accuracy.
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SOURCE : islamtheultimatepeace.com

Hi all, The objective of this post is to get together and file a lawsuit against Vinted sharing legal expenses at a European level. Excuse my English (non-native speaker).
Let me start with my story: on March 31st I sold a bulk of items for a total of €1,000 to a European buyer (cross-country European transaction), who contacted me through a generic listing. To handle the payment, the buyer created a second profile, being very specific about the size of the package, requesting the use of a small package for delivery to a locker, which I complied with by carefully packaging the items (I took photos and videos of the packing to protect myself given the substantial cost).
Upon receiving the package on April 6th, the buyer informed Vinted that they had received a damaged package providing a completely blurred picture. I contacted Vinted to understand how to proceed (attaching the whole conversation with the buyer and my suspicions that I could have fallen victim of a scam attempt), and I also contacted the buyer for clarification. However, since then, the buyer won't respond to any messages anymore, neither on their main profile (the one used for the transaction) nor on the secondary profile (the one used for payment). Vinted informed me that the buyer independently provided a return code for the package (which I've been tracking for a long time and it leads to a return to a different European country). I contacted the shipper, who responded with automated emails instructing me to go through Vinted for further information. Btw, at no point was I asked for my home address for the return of the package.
Vinted assured me that upon the return of the package, I would be asked to verify its condition and inform them of the return status to release or withhold the funds accordingly, as clearly indicated in their Terms & Conditions and in their communication. On April 22nd, without any notification from the courier or from Vinted, I received news that the funds had been returned to the buyer, with Vinted first insisting that the package had been returned to me and, when requested for proof of delivery, they said they had made a mistake and the package was still in transit. The only tracking they ever referred to was the one of the buyer (which was obviously misleading, as it referred to a different return, to a different European country).
After threatening legal actions I was eventually compensated 500€ on May 5th, with Vinted stating that any further refund would be dealt with in court if I dare start a legal claim against them (which they know I won't).
I still find the whole settlement unsatisfactory, given that Vinted made a mistake by refunding the buyer without any claim of return of the package and without any proof of the condition of the package.
I am now looking for what I'm owed, and won't stop until I'm refunded. For this reason I'd like to look for people who are going through a similar situation, where Vinted owes them money, and who are willing to share legal expenses and file a common pan-European lawsuit against the platform.

Hi Everyone! I am looking for any advice/input on a persistent, and extremely frustrating, knee issue I’ve been dealing with for about six months now. For reference I’m 21 years old. So, after a run six months ago I started having inner knee pain (on both knees) and they felt stiff and unstable 24/7. I went to an orthopedic after a couple weeks who said it was patellar tendinitis and would go away on its own. Well it didn’t go away and I started PT who said it’s probably a patellar tracking issue. I did PT for eight weeks (2x week) and the weakness and unstable feeling went away, for the most part. However, the sharp pain on the medial knee, right underneath my patella, persists on occasion. Additionally, my knees ache horribly after sitting down for any longer than 30 minutes, they constantly crack upon flexing and extending, and I still can not comfortably squat, lunge, jump, or run. I went to another ortho who said it was patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). I have also developed new issues from this- pain below my knees on the medial side (I think it’s my pes anserine bursa) AND a stabbing pain in my left outer hip that radiates down my leg when walking and kicking backwards. The hip pain usually goes away after doing a quad stretch and leaning forward towards the other side of my body as it stretches the outer hip and it also feels better after walking for a few minutes. Stretching Lin a pigeon pose or cross cross apple sauce aggregate it. It’s hard because most exercise for PFPS focus on hamstrings and hips but a lot of these hurt my bursa and hip now. I have religiously done PT exercises for the past 4 months and avoided high impact activity . I have also stretched hamstrings, quads, and calfs daily. However my pain is largely limiting my life as I can’t sit down without pain and can’t exercise how I used to. I am getting really down about it losing hope. So, here are my questions:
-Is there a specific tracking issue that would cause medial knee pain only when applying pressure to knee?
-Is it possible to make a full recovery from PFPS? Even after it’s been a long term problem?
-anyone know of another issue that would cause sudden knee stiffness and pain, in both knees, without blatant injury (X-ray showed up normal, haven’t gotten MRI)?
-would losing weight help alleviate the problem ( my bmi is 23.5 but two years ago it was 20.5).
-what could be the cause of my hip pain, is it related to my knees, and are there specific exercises to help?
+Any other advice/personal experience welcomed and appreciated. Thanks!

Hi, pretty long post, just want to share my story as reading all of yours has helped me these last few weeks, f(28). After Thanksgiving 2021, so early-mid December (I was 26 at the time), I somehow herniated a disc. Before this happened, literally right before, I was hurting with what I think was a pulled lower back muscle (hurt to sit and lay down but pain was only in my back right side and rest helped, something I dealt with several times in my life starting in like 7th grade, drs always said it was a pulled muscle). After about a week it was feeling better so I decided it was safe to roll onto my right side to sleep. Well, after that I started experiencing pain all down that side, I also had some tingling and slight numbness in my foot and ankle. It was bad enough that I wasn't comfortable for more than 20 minutes, standing was the least painful, lucky to sleep 3 hours at once even though I'd wake up in horrible pain, basically always in tears from the pain and discomfort. I went to the dr after a few weeks and was told it's sciatica and he referred me for an mri, gave me some kind of shots and ibuprofen. I don't remember what the shots were but they took away all of the pain for 8-10 hours and I was able to get some much needed sleep. One may have been toradol but I got a shot of it the day of my mri so laying on my back during the scan wasn't too uncomfortable, and it didn't help much.
About 2 months after my symptoms started, I finally got the mri and it showed a decent sized herniation. I don't remember exactly where it was in my low back, but I was then referred to a neurologist who evaluated me and suggested ESI, he was fairly certain it would get better on it's own and I wouldn't need surgery, he said it may or may not decrease in size as well. The ESI worked as far as I can tell, but at this point it had been about 3-4 months of healing on my own using heat, stretches, and ibuprofen and the pain was mostly gone, lingering around a 2 at it's worst, but 0 after the ESI. The tingling in my foot and ankle had gone away and I was slowly getting back to normal. Aside from the occasional leg muscle cramps and discomfort laying on my right side, I had been pain and symptom free for about 2 years. I went on vacation in June last year, we did a lot of walking and even a steep hike. I worked for a year and a half in a dispensary, on my feet a lot as well as bending, squatting or leaning down, lifting heavyish totes. I had no pain or symptoms from this. I was hopeful that it had healed up and I was going to be perfectly fine, but I was still mindful of my back. I quit working last year in September to go back to school, since then I had been generally sitting or laying most of the time doing homework, of course I still helped around the house and went out to do stuff. I just wasn't moving nearly as much as when I was working. I had also gone on a trip to Seattle in September where we walked almost everywhere. Again, no pain or symptoms.
That takes me to earlier this year, about late February or early March. I was doing alright, then I noticed my hips feeling a little sore, starting in the left then later on the right, like a toothache or a pinching feeling in the sides and sometimes front. I felt it most when laying on them at first. It also felt sore when I pressed certain areas on the side. It felt like my thighs or hips were a bit unstable, if that makes sense. I did stretches, no difference. One night, during a shower, I leaned down to move a bottle on the floor and felt a very slight twinge in my lower back. Still no back pain or symptoms down either leg though. I also had been randomly waking up with pain and stiffness in my right foot and ankle that would go away after walking on it. Naturally, all this scared me and I started sleeping only on my back with a pillow under my knees, no longer sitting cross-legged or with my legs tucked beside me on the couch, making sure I wasn't slouching and getting up every hour to walk for a few minutes, generally trying to take care of my back. I'm also sitting to get dressed right after most showers because of my hips and I'm nervous my legs will give out. I made a dr appointment early April and he suggested PT for my hips, he wasn't worried about my back or doing any imaging.
I started PT April 15th. She evaluated my hips, had me do some stretches (most were laying down with my knees bent, putting pressure on my low back, I'm wondering if this caused my situation) and gave me stretches to do at home 2x day, appointments 2x week for a month. I should also mention during her evaluation she pressed on my lower back and it sucked, no pain down my legs, just under her hand. The stretches helped my hips for the first week, then my lower back started getting stiff and sore when I would lay down for a few hours or more. I mentioned this to my PT, but she didn't say anything. I kept up with the stretches (on a thick mat on the floor at home, or on my bed) and my lower back slowly got worse each day. Finally, after about 4 PT appointments and 2 weeks of stretches I quit doing them. My back was in quite a bit of pain, I started occasionally getting tingling and slight numbness down both sides in my lower calves and feet (sometimes together, sometimes either side) and it was painful to lay and sit longer than an hour. Made another dr appointment, he suggested it was my muscles and told me to ice, take ibuprofen, and gave me Diclofenac 1% gel, assuring me that PT wouldn't likely cause or worsen a herniation. I was with a different PT for the next appointment and she tried a TENS machine with a heating pad for the pain after I did some stretches that didn't seem to bother my back. I didn't notice any difference. That same night I went to the ER because I got up from a nap and the tingling and numbness wouldn't go away so it scared me. They gave me a steroid shot, a steroid pack, a few T3's and 325mg Tylenols as well as an MRI referral. I don't know if the steroids helped or just the overall more aggressive and earlier treatment this time, but my pain and symptoms (despite being on both sides, not just the right side) aren't nearly as bad as the first time, yet. I'm still uncomfortable and having a horrible time, but it's been manageable. Hopefully I don't feel any worse after being off the steroids for a while. I finished them last Thursday (May 9th) and I've been taking the 325mg Tylenol as needed, making sure to take 2 before bed, I took all the T3's as needed. PT since has been focused on pain management, deep heat ultrasound, TENS machine and heat, also k-tape which seems to provide a small difference.
Yesterday morning (the 13th) I woke up to my back feeling a little stiff and sore but I'd been trying a few stretches the last couple days, maybe that's what's causing it so I'm gonna stop for now. I'm sleeping alright, thankfully, naps as I need or can. As my back has gotten better, my hips haven't. There's still a pinching toothache type of feeling in the sides and front and my thighs still feel unstable while I walk sometimes. I can't lean back on the couch, sitting in the car is uncomfortable so I keep the seat up straight, laying down I still feel pressure in my low back but it's been bearable enough to sleep so far. I haven't tried walking for longer than an hour at a time, slowly and carefully, it doesn't bother my back so much as it does my hips. I lay down for a break during the day if I need it, though I try not to lay down too much. I get up and walk around a bit every hour or so and I help with housework when I can. I use ice or heat for 15 min when I feel like it. I try to go to bed only when I know I'm sleepy so I don't just lay there. I sit outside in the Sun and try to distract myself from the pain the best I can by doing whatever. But lately, being up straight most of the day has been making my upper back a little sore and sometimes I feel what might be spasms along my back (a tense pain that goes away after a few seconds to minutes) and some cramping sensations in my legs.
My MRI is scheduled for the 20th, I'm hoping with all my heart that it's nothing horrible. I've been keeping a log of my symptoms and writing down questions for if I go back to the neurologist (which I would like to). Again, I apologize for the super long post, I just hope this helps someone feel less alone and scared. I know I've been feeling pretty awful the last three weeks, I can't imagine how you who have worse pain feel. I have so much anxiety and fear about this and all the possibilities and it makes everything so difficult. I'm 28, almost 29, and with luck, I have 50-60 years of living left and there's so much I want to do, without anxiety of injuring my back or being in constant pain. This is one of the scariest things I've ever gone through because it seems like it can get complicated really fast and really easy, no warning. I'm not giving up hope that I'll be alright, but it's hard when you get worn down through the day and feel so many different scary symptoms. Hopefully they make some kind of medical advancement in the disc herniation department that truly helps the pain or at least effectively reduces reinjury chances.
TLDR: Sharing my story, had a lower back disc herniation in Dec 2021 causing horrible sciatica all down right side. Had ESI a few months later even though pain was minimal at that point, got better and was generally pain and symptom free for about 2 years. Symptoms came back after a few weeks of PT for unexplained hip pain, this time it's effecting both sides. Been dealing with it for about 3 weeks now with various treatments, MRI scheduled for the 20th.

So I recently purchased and installed 9 in wall speakers from Polk. They are all from the vanishing series reference theatre line. During the setup my amp went in to protection mode. Seems during the haste of the wall plate install two of the speaker wires had strands from the +- crossed over. This was a straight forward fix. However, during the testing I got out my ohm meter and checked the reading on the speakers with the in-wall wire. Testing at the wall terminal the readings ranged from 3.9 ohms to 5.9 ohms. Seems to me that running a home theatre amp designed for 8 ohm speakers could be dangerous to run at half the resistance. Spec on the speaker said it should be 8 ohm nominal resistance. Is this ok? What don’t I know? What am I missing?

Here is the scene in question where marion is driving and her boss sees her.
https://youtu.be/2_I70o81fwk
I think it was an opening for a treehouse of horror episode and a modern simpsons episode and plays the psycho theme song (Not the shower one).
I think it was marge driving and Ned Flanders/Dr. Hibert replacing the boss who is staring at her suspiciously as he crosses the road.
Note: IT'S NOT Brother from the Same Planet or any shower scene.
https://simpsonswiki.com/wiki/Psycho - here are the list of Psycho references but I couldn't find what i was looking for
Solved. It was Treehouse of horror XXII

I'm on a three month subscription to Spotify which came with my Meta glasses. Spotify had never crossed my mind until this and I'm not fully versed on the app but I noticed there might be something of immense value for me and hopefully someone out there agrees. Particularly, I want to have a Spotify jam session with someone who also wants to watch videos about narcissistic relationships, abuse, advice on caring for yourself, leaving..... When I watch my favorite educational, insightful and truly helpful podcasters, I have so much I need a fellow jammer to communicate with and hear their perspectives to help me overcome the pain my circumstances. with abusers past and present. I want to be an active listener with my jammies (people in a jammer group) because these a-hole narcs cause so much hurt and narcissism is so ubiquitous nowadays, there has to be at least a couple future narcissistic abuse jammies out there. (No one really has to be referred to as a jammie for real. I won't call you that... Unless you want.) I'm here for this concept.
May you be from suffering

“Ready to make history, baby?”
I looked over toward Sheila as she stood on the gangplank leading up to The Burger. I still couldn’t believe she named our research ship ‘The Burger’... emotional relevance be damned.
“It's not exactly history,” I corrected.
“Oh come on! If your survey is right, this trench might run even deeper than the Challenger Deep, and you’re gonna be the first person to explore it! How is that not exciting?”
“Might be deeper, we only have a limited amount of topological data. And even if it is deeper, we’re talking only a few hundred feet at most, it’s really not that im-”
Sheila silenced me with a kiss.
“Nerd.” She teased, and I found myself too flustered to reply. After five years of marriage, she still could leave me speechless with just a kiss. God… how did someone like me end up with a woman like that?
Then again, how did someone like me end up where I was in general? It was honestly a little overwhelming. Standing on the dock, getting ready to board that ship and join the ranks of Jacques Piccard and James Cameron (yes, that James Cameron) as one of the few people to take a manned submersible down to the deepest parts of the ocean. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared too. Diving down that deep could easily be a one way trip if even the slightest thing went wrong. My submarine would be experiencing between 600 to 1100 atmospheres of pressure and while we’d tested it over and over again to make sure it would actually be up for the challenge, there was still a lingering iota of doubt in the back of my mind. All that needed to go wrong was one little thing, and that would be it for me.
The scariest part is that I probably wouldn’t even know what had happened… I’d simply be gone… and Sheila would be alone. The thought of that caused a momentary spike of panic in my chest that almost made me want to call this whole thing off.
Almost.
But, then I felt her hand close around mine. I looked up into her bright blue eyes, and saw her gentle smile.
“You’re gonna be okay, hun,” She promised. “You and your team have been running the numbers, right? It’s gonna go just fine!”
I nodded slowly.
“It’s gonna go fine…” I repeated, before she leaned in to kiss me, and gently pulled me by the wrist up onto the deck of the Burger.
She was probably right.
It probably would be fine.
Probably…
The trench I’d be exploring was a fairly recent discovery, located south of Greenland, in a vast stretch of water situated directly between Newfoundland and Iceland. It’d been uncovered during a topological survey in the area, and my team had taken an interest in investigating it further. At minimum, it was believed to descend to about 35,000 feet deep (over 10,000 meters), although the current theory was that it might have run even deeper. Determining the exact depth of the yet unnamed chasm was just one of the intents of our dive. The rest was studying the organisms that might be found down there, and how they might have differed from the ones found in other deep ocean trenches (some variation being expected given the isolated environment they were developing in.)
I had to admit, it would be exciting to see what new life might have developed in a place such as this, especially if it ran even deeper than our predictions… and that excitement was enough to make me chase the fear of the risks out of my mind, even if it was only briefly. While Sheila went to make sure we were ready to embark, I caught myself wandering out toward the rear of the ship where my submarine, The Tempura, waited for me. Did this submarine deserve a better name than The Tempura? Probably. But, this was my project, so I got to name it and since Burger was already taken, Tempura was the next best name I had. I liked to think that the subs namesake might approve… if she hadn’t died fifteen years ago. Shrimp don’t live very long.
As the ship began to depart, I caught myself reminiscing on how I’d ended up here… it really was all because of those damn shrimp, wasn’t it? Well… maybe not all because of the shrimp. But they were certainly part of it. Back when I was a lot younger, I never really gave much of a shit about anything at all. I guess I did have a thing for the ocean… the great, romantic vastness of it. The sense of adventure that it beckoned with. The endless mysteries that lay within its dark depths. I used to read about it all the time when I was a kid and I especially loved the classic adventures: Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, and Melville’s Moby Dick… but that love was just confined to my books. I didn’t really have any interest in actually going out and seeing the ocean. Hell, the idea of going to a beach and standing in the sun with my toes in the sand seemed miserable to me. I was happier (although calling myself happy might’ve been a little disingenuous) alone in my room, enjoying the company of books as opposed to people.
Then came the shrimp.
One of my online friends kept them as a hobby. He used to post pictures of his tanks all the time, and I always thought they looked kinda cool. He said that if I was interested in them, I should try keeping some for myself, and during a particularly bad bout of depression, I figured that maybe it might be worth a shot. So, I bought a cheap tank and some cheap decorations, bought myself some shrimp… and promptly watched them die over the next few weeks. That… that bothered me. I don’t know why but… it really bothered me. I’m still not entirely sure how to describe what it was that I was feeling. Guilt? Defeat? Shame? Here I was, trying to set up a habitat for these creatures just to have something to do to keep the suicidal ideation at bay, and I’d failed almost right out of the gate.
Was I just that bad? Was I just that much of a failure? Was this just going to go to shit just like everything else in my life did, because I was just such an abysmal piece of shit who barely deserved the life she had? Had I just not tried hard enough? Was I too apathetic? What had happened? What went wrong?
It bothered me.
It bothered me enough that I made up my mind to just dump the remaining shrimp down the toilet and toss everything. Forget about it. Move on. End of story. But… that wasn’t fair, was it? The shrimp didn’t all deserve to die just because I couldn’t be bothered, did they? Sure, they were just shrimp, but they were alive too, just like me. They deserved to be alive.
I owed it to them to try and keep them alive, didn’t I?
So… I didn’t dump the shrimp.
Instead, I started doing some reading. Started looking into what I was doing wrong and how to do it all better. I actually got really into it and a few months later, I had a nice planted tank. Looking back, it was amateur shit… but it made me happy. I’d even picked out names for my two favorite shrimp. Burger and Tempura. They’d been the last survivors of my original batch, and they were the ones I ended up caring about the most. Caring for Burger and Tempura gave me a purpose. It became an obsession… and that little obsession drove me to finally start turning my life around.
Like I said, shrimp don’t live for very long. Burger and Tempura were long dead by the time I graduated with a degree in Marine Biology. But they were the ones who inspired me to finally get my life in order. Hell, the shrimp were half the reason that I met Sheila. She was something of an aquarium fanatic too… we’d met on a forum, and gotten to talking. I found out that she just so happened to be studying Marine Biology at another school, and we bonded pretty quickly after that. After graduation, I moved to California to be with her and after that, the rest is history. She was my rock. She was the one who always pushed me to be the best possible version of myself… and I loved her more than I ever knew I could love someone.
A glance back at the shore, fading into the distance tore me out of my reminiscing, and I shifted my focus to the present, going over The Tempura to perform some quick checks. My colleagues and I would be checking and rechecking the submarine over the next two days as we made our way toward the dive spot. Considering the danger that descending that deep posed, I didn’t want to take a single unnecessary risk.
I had too much to live for, after all.
***
The day of the dive, I couldn’t notice how excited the rest of the crew seemed… well… Sheila’s usual crew seemed excited. I guess to them, this was just another research expedition, no different than the ones Sheila usually took this ship out on. Lately her research had been focused on the analysis and study of whale calls. Her recent voyages had involved following their pods, recording their calls and playing them back to see how the whales reacted. It was fascinating stuff, but my research was admittedly a lot different than that.
My obsession had drawn me to the denizens of the deep sea. I’d used The Burger for expeditions before, although none of them had been on quite the same scale as this one. Up until today, the most ambitious thing I’d done was send down unmanned submersibles with cameras. Those submersibles had typically returned. We had lost a few early on due to technical glitches, but the past few years had been blissfully uneventful. Logically, this dive would probably be uneventful as well. But it was still hard to get the jitters out of my head.
My team and I did the final checks necessary to make sure that The Tempura was good to go, before setting up the crane to begin lifting it up. In less than an hour, I’d be inside of that thing, descending to the darkest depths of the ocean.
It didn’t feel real.
I felt Sheila’s hand on my shoulder, and looked over at her.
“Moment of truth, huh?” She asked. She probably meant it to sound encouraging, but it just sounded ominous.
“Moment of truth…” I replied.
“You’re gonna be okay, honey. I know you will.”
She reached out to gently squeeze my hand and gave me a reassuring smile that I meekly returned.
“Yeah, it’s gonna be okay,” I agreed, although there was an element of a lie in it. Statistically, yes. It probably WOULD be okay. But there was that lingering anxiety in the back of my mind that just wouldn’t go away. I looked quietly out at the submarine before me and couldn’t shake the thought that it sort of looked like a giant coffin. Unconsciously, I found myself squeezing Sheila’s hand tighter than normal. She just held me close and pressed a kiss to the top of my head, before gently rubbing my back.
“You’ll be okay,” She promised.
“Dr. Jenner, we’re ready for you.” I heard one of my colleagues say.
Moment of truth.
I took one last look at Sheila, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips for luck. She smiled at me, and I smiled back anxiously at her before heading over toward the submarine.
The crew helped me enter the cockpit and get myself situated inside. The cockpit of the Tempura was fairly cramped and not particularly comfortable. Space and comfort aren’t really luxuries you can afford in a submarine like this. The instruments I needed took up a lot of space, leaving little room for me in there… and I am not a very big person.
Once I was inside, they sealed the hatch. Then the diagnostics checks began.
“Grayson, can you hear us in there?” I heard Sheila say through the radio.
“Loud and clear,” I replied.
“Great. We’ll keep in constant radio contact, just to monitor the signal. In the meanwhile, how’s everything looking in there?”
“Green across the board so far,” I said, although I hadn’t finished running all my final checks yet. Ultimately, nothing was out of place.
This submarine was as good to go as it was going to get.
“I’m all good in here,” I said once I was done. “You can drop me when you’re ready.”
“You got it, honey. Let’s get you in the water, run one final round of tests and start lowering you down.”
A short while later, I felt the submarine begin to move as the crane lifted it off the deck and lowered it into the water. The Tempura honestly resembled its namesake in a way, being long and cigar shaped, only vertically oriented instead of horizontally oriented. We’d admittedly taken more than a few design cues from James Cameron’s Deepsea Challenger. Why fix what isn’t broken, after all?
Once I was in the water, a 1000 pound releasable ballast weight would cause the submarine to sink. Releasing that weight was also my ticket back to the surface, and I could either trigger it from inside the cockpit, or, in the event that the release failed for any reason, it would trigger automatically after roughly 12 hours of exposure to salt water.
Ideally, this would be the first of a number of dives I’d be undertaking… and if all went according to plan, the Tempura could be the first of many similar submarines that would allow other researchers to safely and effectively descend to extreme depths. If all went well, this could be a massive leap forward for researchers like me, allowing us to better explore the deepest depths of the Hadal Zone and learn all we could about the ecosystems down there via direct observation.
If all went well.
If.
Through the viewport, I watched as I was lowered into the ocean. A few of the other crew members had donned diving gear to escort me down, and after they did their final checks and I did mine, we were fully ready to go.
“All’s green across the board,” I said into the radio. “You can start my descent.”
“I hear you, honey,” Sheila replied. “We’re letting you go. Have fun down there.”
“Yeah, I’ll try…” I said quietly as finally, my submarine began its descent.
I took a deep breath, and told myself again that everything would go fine. We had checked everything on this submarine. We’d tested it rigorously. I wouldn’t have allowed myself to set foot inside of it if I hadn’t personally assured that it was safe. But anxiety never really goes away, does it? The crew couldn’t accompany me far. After only a few meters, they fell behind me as I sank deeper and deeper into the infinite, empty blue of the ocean. Soon after, the tether was released.
I was officially on my own.
“60 feet,” I heard Sheila say over the radio. “How are you doing in there?”
“Good,” I replied. “Doing… doing good.”
The submarine continued to descend. Through the viewport, I could see a few stray fish, but nothing particularly eye catching. I almost felt alone down there… almost…
“120 feet…” Sheila said.
“Still doing good,” I replied.
The descent continued, as the waters slowly grew darker and darker.
“400 feet…”
Everything around me just kept getting darker and darker. Only a fraction of the light from the sun ever reached these depths… and I’d be lying if I said that darkness didn’t feel a little… oppressive.
“800 feet… still feeling good?”
“Yeah, still feeling good…” I said, although it was a bit of a lie. If anything, I was second guessing all of this, but I wasn’t about to say that out loud.
“1000 feet… still good?”
“Still good…” I murmured. “I hear you loud and clear.”
Deeper… deeper… deeper.
“1500 feet…”
Three miles. I was three miles away from home. Three miles away from Sheila.
“2000 feet…”
Still a ways to go.
“3000 feet…”
By this point, it was fully dark outside of my cockpit. Outside, all I could see was inky darkness. Even the submarine’s lights didn’t really cut through it. And the kicker? Relatively speaking, I wasn’t that deep. Fishing trawlers reached deeper than this. Better to conserve power until I was at the bottom. My descent continued.
“6000 feet… still good?”
“Still good…”
The check ins were becoming less frequent. My descent still continued… deeper… deeper… deeper. By now, I’d entered the Hadal Zone. But there was still so much deeper o go.
“8000 feet…”
This was past the depths that most whales would dive to… and I still had a ways to go.
“10,000 feet.”
This was close to where the ocean floor usually bottomed out… and yet there was still so much further to go. No. I was really only a third of the way there. How long had it been?Not much had happened beyond my descent and a few sightings out of my viewport, but time had been passing. A glance at my watch confirmed it’d been almost an hour since I’d started to sink… and I knew I wasn’t even close to the bottom yet. The submarine continued to descend, sinking ever deeper as I dropped into an infinite darkness that few had ever dared to witness.
“15,000 feet.”
This check in came later than the others. At this point, Sheila and the crew must have figured that no news was good news, and they were right. I just continued to sink peacefully, down into the crushing depths of the ocean.
These were the depths that one might normally find deep sea fish… and yet I was going somewhere even deeper than that.
“20,000 feet…”
So close…
I continued to sink.
“25,000 feet.”
Soon… and finally…
“30,000 feet. You still doing alright, honey?”
“Yeah… yeah, I’m doing good,” I assured her. I was so close…
By this point, my real work had begun. I’d engaged the lights and begun documenting what little I could see using the on board cameras. Granted, there wasn’t much life at these depths and what little there was, was scarcely documented. Most of what was down here consisted of invertebrates and microscopic life that seemed to float past my viewport.
The light seemed to draw a few creatures in search of food. Small, hardy things that resembled shrimp.
“How’s it looking, Grayson?”
“Dark,” I said, half joking. “We’ve got some life… shrimp. They’re translucent. Can’t get a great look at them… but we’ll see what the cameras pick up.”
“They’ve recognized you as a friend,” Sheila said. I could almost see the smile on her lips as she said it.
“Yeah…” I replied, “Tempura sent them a message, told them I’d be down. How am I looking on depth?”
“35,000 feet… you seeing a bottom yet?”
“No… not that I would until I was there.”
“Damn… how deep does this go?”
“It can’t go that deep…” I murmured, although I really wasn’t so sure about that.
The submarine continued to sink…
36,000 feet…
37,000 feet…
38,000 feet… and then finally, just past the 39,000 foot mark, I finally saw solid ground below me.
Looking through my viewport, I could see a familiar dark brown diatomaceous sludge, covering the seafloor. Microscopic life, likely similar to what had been observed in other deep sea trenches, such as the Challenger Deep.
I needed to gather a sample.
As my submarine reached the bottom, I extended the mechanical arms, pressed flat against the surface of the Tempura, and opened the collection port near the bottom of the ship. Slowly, I sifted some of the sludge into the port. My disturbance of the seafloor kicked up a cloud of the microbial colony, and I could’ve sworn I saw something wiggling through the debris. A pale, white thing, perhaps some sort of sea cucumber? I hastily angled my submarines camera to try and catch a glimpse of it, before returning to my collection. Even in this forlorn place, there was still so much to see! And here I was… completely forgetting my fear as the excitement took hold of me! Few people had ever been down to these unfathomable depths… and yet here I was.
It didn’t feel real but it was! I had reached the deepest part of the ocean!
“How’s it going down there?” I heard Sheila ask. Her voice was a little garbled. The connection down here was faltering.
“It’s beautiful…” I said. “I can’t wait for you to see it!”
“I’ll bet…”
“I’m going to do a sweep of the area, see what samples I can gather,” I said. “What’s my time right now?”
“Three hours. You’ve got nine before your connection to the weight deteriorates and you start to ascend.”
“I’ll make the most of it,” I said. The plan was only to stay down there for six hours, and I didn’t want to push that limit. Life support would only last me for so long, and one little error was all it would take for the ungodly pressure down here to crush me.
I began to move the submarine. Mobility was limited. This thing wasn’t built to travel far. But I still had some limited movement. I recorded all that I could, filming the shrimp that investigated my light, and the things that slithered and crawled through the muck, likely feeding on the carpet of single celled organisms that populated these depths.
The first two hours were… well… I hesitate to call them uneventful, they were actually very fascinating, but little of note happened beyond my recording of a few specimens.
Midway through the third hour though, as I was reaching one of the rock walls of the abyss, I noticed something just above the edge of my viewport swimming away from the light. I could’ve sworn I saw slender, pale tentacles of some sort. Was that a squid? Were there squid down this deep? I wasn’t aware of any species of known squid who could reach these depths… but in this unknown place, what use was the known?
I moved my light and my camera to try and catch another glimpse of it, but whatever it was, it seemed to be gone. Maybe I’d see another one. I still had plenty of time.
“You made a noise. What’d you see?” Sheila asked.
“Something big… I think,” I said.
“Down there? Like a fish?”
“Squid. You wouldn’t find any vertebrates down this deep… the pressure would crush their bones.”
“Jeez…”
I didn’t reply to that, still searching for the thing I’d seen. I shone my light up along the walls of the chasm and angled my camera up as far as it would go. I could see a few volcanic vents, spewing dark clouds into the darkness, and more diatoms. But not much else. Strange invertebrates crawled along the walls. Small creatures, no bigger than an inch long. Related to isopods, perhaps? If I could collect one as a sample, I would have… although taking any of those back to the surface would surely kill them. They were built to live under the impossible pressure of these depths. Taking them to the surface would rip them apart.
I went back to my research, and it wasn’t long until I saw something in the darkness, just on the edge of where my flashlight reached. Trailing white tendrils, snaking their way through the darkness. My eyes narrowed as I moved the submarine forward, trying to catch whatever it was in the light. I saw the shape move, its body turning… I saw its tendrils unfurling. Whatever this was, it was big. It was almost as big as The Tempura… although it was also slender. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought I was looking at some sort of floating debris, but this far down? No. And debris wouldn’t move like that.
This had to be a deepsea squid… or perhaps some other type of cephalopod? Something that preyed upon the various invertebrates down here, perhaps? It seemed to float, just out of sight for a bit, as I tried to get closer. I angled up my light to get a better look at it. The light seemed to shine through it, like some sort of ghost… but I did manage to get a look at it.
Although that look…
That single look made me freeze up.
This things slender tendrils certainly resembled a cephalopod of some sort, but the rest of it… the rest of it looked like something else entirely. Its body was thin, emaciated and translucent, yet despite that it still had characteristics that almost seemed… human. It wasn’t human! Not by any stretch of imagination, but the resemblance was there. It almost reminded me of an exhibit I’d seen in a museum once, depicting a preserved, fully removed human nervous system. I could see a similar shape in its translucent body. Its head seemed almost human as well… albeit with no eyes, and a lamprey like mouth I could only describe as fleshy yet crablike.
Still, despite having no eyes I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was looking at me. And that was when I felt something hit the submarine.
I felt a sudden jolt of panic in my chest. For a moment, I thought that the pressure had started to crush me, but no… no, everything was still fine. Something had just hit me. But what? It didn’t take long before I got my answer.
Another pale creature floated past my viewport, swirling gracefully in the cold dark waters. I watched it for a moment with wide eyes, before noticing its ‘head’ turning slightly toward me. Then, almost instantly, it launched itself at the submarine, darting toward me with blinding speed.
I heard a distinct THUD as its body collided with me, and I could see its pale tendrils pressing against the viewport, twisting and writhing violently. It was trying to attack me. The first creature that I’d seen lunged as well, pounding on my submarine with another THUD. And moments later, I could hear more impacts against the hull. There were more of them… and they did not like having me down there.
“What’s going on?” Sheila asked.
“Somebody doesn’t like me…” I said. “One of the animals down here… some kind of squid, it’s just started attacking the hull.”
“How bad is the damage?”
“Not sure… could be nothing, could be-”
I felt the submarine shake as I tried to move it. The thrusters that pushed me forward weren't responding. Had something gotten caught in it? One of the creatures perhaps?
“Grayson?!” Sheila asked.
“Lost propulsion…” I said. “Fuck… I can’t move.”
“Then drop the weight and come up!”
“No, it’s fine, there’s no other damage, I can still use the port and starboard thrusters to-”
“Grayson!”
I paused. There was genuine panic in her voice… enough to make me realize that even if these things stood little chance of actually breaching the hull, taking the risk would be a fatal mistake.
“I’m on my way up…” I finally said, before reaching out to disengage the ballast weights.
Immediately, I felt myself beginning to rise, although the tentacles clinging to my viewport didn’t disappear.
“We’ve got you…” Sheila said. “Rising up to 38,000 feet.”
The submarine continued to rise, but the creatures clinging to me went nowhere. In fact… I was sure I could see more of them. More pale shapes coming up through the darkness, and these ones filled me with dread. I thought I had been looking at some sort of eerie undiscovered life. But seeing what was coming up toward me now… I knew that I was looking at so much more. The creatures swimming up toward me through the darkness carried weapons… makeshift stone spears and daggers. Primitive tools… but tools all the same.
Signs that these were more than just undiscovered animals.
Much. Much more.
The word: ‘Mermaids’ crossed through my mind, but these were something far different than the ones I’d heard of in folklore. These looked like they’d swam out of the depths of hell itself. Boneless pale tendrils reached for me… and they were getting closer. The pale shapes reached my submarine as I rose higher. I kept praying to whatever God may be listening that the dropping pressure would force them off. The air in a submarine is pressurized, so during normal operation, there should have been no danger of decompression sickness for me.
For them… well… normally I’d feel a little guilty about subjecting an undiscovered species of deep sea mermaids to the horrors of the Bends. But given my circumstances, I didn’t have a lot of other options.
They didn’t let go, though.
They should have. But they didn’t.
What were these things?
I saw a splayed hand press against my viewport. Or… it somewhat resembled a hand. It had suckers on it, like a tentacle and the ‘fingers’ curled open like tentacles. The creature crawled over my viewport, clinging to The Tempura as it rose, and I could see the folds of its crablike mouth opening and pressing against the glass. I could see some sort of bile rising up through its translucent throat, before it secreted it all over my viewport. Was it trying to digest me? Was that how these things fed? How strong were its stomach acids? Were they strong enough to-
The window cracked.
My heart skipped a beat.
“No… no, no no…”
“Grayson, what’s wrong?!”
“They cracked the window… S-Sheila they… oh God… oh fuck, they just…”
“THEY DID WHAT?”
“It’s secreting some sort of enzyme… it’s on the window, it’s… FUCK… I’m gonna die… I’m gonna die… I’m gonna die…”
“You’re not gonna die, baby! Just… just keep ascending, okay? You’re at 30,000 feet… just keep going…”
I nodded, and kept on rising, although the question of whether or not the rest of the creatures were trying to digest the other parts of my submarine floated through my mind. How much damage could The Tempura take before it imploded? How much longer did I have? The submarine still continued to rise… 25,000 feet… almost halfway home… almost… almost.
The creature outside of my viewport slithered along the glass, searching for a better area to try and digest. Past him, I noticed a few of his companions dropping off. Maybe the change in pressure finally was getting to them?
From the corner of my eye, I suddenly noticed a flashing light. A warning. The hydraulics on one of the Tempura’s arms were shot… what else was damaged?
I checked my oxygen levels. 32%.
I should’ve had at least 14 hours of air. I’d only been down there for about 6 hours… I shouldn’t have been this low.
31%.
No… no, no, no, no… they’d damaged the air tanks!
30%.
29%
“20,000 feet!” Sheila said. “You still with me, baby?”
“Y-yeah…” I said. I didn’t mention my air situation. I didn’t need to worry her further.
The submarine continued its ascent.
15,000 feet.
24%. I was running out of time.
The creatures still clung to the Tempura. How had the pressure change not killed them yet? My oxygen was dropping faster than before. I was hemorrhaging air. Another crack formed across my viewport. I let out a little, involuntary gasp before trying to force myself to stop hyperventilating.
“Grayson, what was that?”
“I-it’s fine…” I stammered, “It’s fine!”
“Grayson what the hell is going on down there?!”
“They’re still on the submarine… they’re still…” I paused, looking at my oxygen levels. “19%...”
“19% of what? Grayson what’s going on!”
I paused.
18%.
“Air… I’m… I’m losing air…”
“That’s fine, you’re going to make it!” She said, although I heard her voice cracking a little. “You’re gonna make it!”
I didn’t answer.
12,000 feet.
11,000 feet…
My oxygen level continued to drop.
15%.
14%.
12%.
9,000 feet.
The creatures still clung to me, as the submarine continued to rise. The one on my viewport was still there, slowly crawling along the glass again. I stared into its eyeless face and swore I was looking at the face of my killer.
7,000 feet…
Oxygen had dropped to 9%. It dropped to 8% before I even got to 6,000 feet. I was going to die here…
The viewport cracked again and I squeezed my eyes shut. The submarine rocked. I was sure one of the thrusters had been damaged. My ascent slowed.
“Grayson, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry Sheila…”
Another crack spread across my viewport.
“I’m… I’m not making it back up…”
“YES YOU ARE!”
“I’m sorry…” The tears started to come as the reality of my death became clearer and clearer… this was it.
“YOU’RE COMING BACK UP, YOU HEAR ME! GODDAMNIT, I’LL BRING YOU BACK UP!”
“I love you…”
That creatures face pressed against the glass. It vomited more of its stomach acid onto the cracked glass, and I wondered if this might finally be what broke it. Part of me hoped it would be… the one good thing about dying this deep was that at least I’d die quickly. My suffering would be over. Then, the creature suddenly pulled back, twisting and writhing violently. I saw other shapes moving past it in the water, other ‘mermaids’ that had been clinging to the submarine.
Something was agitating them.
Something was scaring them off.
Then I heard it, over the radio… whale songs.
“What the hell…?”
“Grayson, are you still there?!”
“I… they’re finally breaking off. Sheila, what did you do?”
“I’m broadcasting some of the orca recordings we’ve been using. Are they still clinging to you?”
“No! They’re backing off! I… whatever you’re doing, keep doing it!”
The submarine kept rising.
5,000 feet.
4,000 feet.
4% oxygen.
I could still do this, right?
The submarine continued to rise.
3%.
3,000 feet.
2,000 feet.
2%.
1,000 feet… so close… I was so close…
I could almost see the surface through my viewport, rushing up toward me. I tried not to breathe. Tried not to move. All I did was hope.
500 feet.
I closed my eyes.
“Grayson we have your signal, we’re coming to pick you up!”
Sheila’s voice sounded so far away as my submarine finally breached the surface of the water… and with the last of my strength, I pulled the emergency release on the hatch, and threw it open, taking in lungful after lungful of fresh salty air.
I didn’t dare so much as touch the water beneath me… but I was topside again, and in the distance, I could see The Burger!
“We see you!” Sheila said, “We’ve got you baby… we’ve got you…”
“I see you too…” I said through the tears. “Thank you… thank you…” I didn’t have any words left in me after that.
As soon as I was back on the ship, I collapsed into Sheila’s arms, breaking down into tears as I clung to her, terrified that at any moment, some sort of unspoken other shoe would drop and I’d lose her all over again.
“Shh… it’s alright baby… I’ve got you… you’re safe… you’re safe…” I felt her fingers running through my air and I knew that what she said was true.
I was home.
I was safe.
***
I left my colleagues to review the data that the Tempura gathered during its short expedition. As far as I know, they haven’t published anything. I have a few ideas as to why, but I’ll keep those to myself. Let’s just say that some people would rather this information not become public.
I have a feeling that the Tempura may not be diving again for some time, if ever. I will confess that I do consider that a bit of a shame. Despite everything… I would consider it a success. It endured far more stressful conditions than I had expected, and from what I heard, required fewer repairs than I’d thought it would. But, even if it was approved for another dive, it wouldn’t be me piloting it. No. I will never be setting foot inside of that machine again, nor will I ever be returning to what my colleagues have been quietly referring to as ‘The Jenner Trench’.
I can’t.
Every night, I wake up crying after dreaming of pale shapes outside of my cracked viewport, clinging to Sheila and sobbing. I can’t put myself in that situation again.
I can’t.
Instead, I think I’m going to spend the next few years on solid ground. There’s a teaching position available at a local university. I think that might be the best place for me right now. Who knows, maybe I can help some other deadbeat discover a passion for marine biology.
After everything, my love for the sea remains unchanged… I’m just a little more wary of it, these days.

Over the last month I have had a heck of a time modding Skyrim for Steam Deck. In early 2023 I had modded the game via a Youtube video which worked perfectly but after the latest update, this is no longer the case. Googling provided almost Zero help.. Well through trial and error I've finally got the game modded for Steam Deck with 77 mods running perfectly. Today I'd like to share my findings.
I'll be using Vortex mod manager and SkyrimSE. For any other version of Skyrim just substitute your version instead. Also I know this may look overwhelming, it's not as hard as it looks, I'm just thorough. Aside from waiting for things to download and copy, this will take about 5-10 minutes. If there are issues however, one of the steps to fix this could take hours.
What you'll need:

• A PC capable of installing Skyrim and Vortex mod manager.
• A USB or USBC thumb drive or external drive (100gigs minimum).
• Cloud Saves Enabled for Skyrim.
• (optional) If your drive is USB you'll need a hub for your Steam Deck that supports USB.
• (optional) A keyboard and mouse to use on the Deck. Although you don't NEED these, it'll make the process much easier.

Getting Started:
Note: If you've already modded Skyrim on PC you can skip this section.

1. On your PC, Install Skyrim via Steam (remember where you installed it for later).
2. When it's finished, download and install Vortex Mod Manager.
3. Open your web browser and go to Nexus Mods and find and download all the mods you want to use. Select the "Files" tab and then select the "Mod Manager Download" option so Vortex can properly manage the mods. You may have to resolve some conflicts or the like, Vortex is pretty good at making that easy.
4. Once you are happy with the mods you have downloaded and installed. Launch Skyrim through Vortex by clicking the play button on the Skyrim graphic in the top left.
5. Play for at least 30 mins making sure to try everything, opening the map, your inventory, spells, etc.. If there are no crashes and no visible problems then you are good to go. Save the game and Close Skyrim and move to the next step.

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Preparing Skyrim for the deck:

1. On your PC, open steam and uninstall Skyrim. This will leave you with a Skyrim directory with only the mods and nothing else. (note: certain mods will break with this method, mostly mods that overwrite default textures/models. These aren't common but if you experience this, you can skip this step and proceed to step 2)
2. Open your Skyrim directory on PC and plugin your thumb/external drive.
3. Copy the entire "Skyrim Special Edition" folder to your thumb/external drive.

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Preparing the Deck for Skyrim:

1. On your Steam Deck, Install Skyrim normally. Run it at least once to make sure the prerequisites are installed..
2. Exit to desktop. To do this, long press the power button until a menu pops up with the option to 'switch to desktop".
3. Right click your desktop and select: "Create New>Folder". Name it "Skyrim Mods". This will be very important to save you headaches in the future.
4. Plug in your Thumb/external drive and mount and open it when prompted.
5. Open the "Skyrim Special Edition" folder from your thumb/external drive.
6. Copy "SkyrimSE.exe" and "skse64_loader.exe" to the "Skyrim Mods" folder you created on your desktop.
7. In the desktop folder, rename "SkyrimSE.exe" to "SkyrimSE_old.exe" and also rename "skse64_loader.exe" to "SkyrimSE.exe".
8. Right click inside the folder and select: "Create New>Text File" and name it "SKSE.ini".
9. Open "SKSE.ini" with your default text editor.
10. type the following into the "SKSE.ini" and save.

[Loader]
RuntimeName=SkyrimSE_old.exe

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Installing the mods and set up:

1. Open your Skyrim directory on your deck. If you don't know where that is, open Steam from the desktop taskbar, right click Skyrim and select: "Manage>Browse Local Content".
2. Open your thumb/external drive and copy the contents of "Skyrim Special Edition" to your decks "Skyrim Special Edition" folder. When prompted select "Write into". Wait for it to finish copying. You may now unplug the thumb/external drive.
3. Open your "Skyrim Mods" folder from your desktop.
4. Copy the "SkyrimSE.exe" and "SkyrimSE_old.exe" into the "Skyrim Special Edition" folder. Select "overwrite" when prompted.
5. Inside your decks "Skyrim Special Edition" folder open "DATA" and then "SKSE"
6. Copy your "SKSE.ini" file into the "SKSE" folder on the deck.
7. Double click the "Return to Gaming Mode" icon on the desktop and wait for it to load up.
8. Launch Skyrim and load the save you made on your PC. This will enable all your mods. Play for at least 30 mins and try as many menus and mods as you can. If there are no issues, yay! Enjoy!

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Crashes, Broken Mods and other issues:
Problem: The game ran a validation check and now my mods aren't showing up.
Solution: This will happen from time to time. Switch to desktop mode. Open your "Skyrim Mods" folder and re-copy the SkyrimSE.exe file into the decks Skyrim folder. This is why we keep that folder around.
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Problem: The game seems to missing one or more textures.
Solution: Start with a validation check (then follow previous problems solution). If that doesn't work it would appear that one or more of the mods you are using overwrite one or more of the games textures. Unfortunately you'll need to start again while skipping the uninstall of Skyrim step. This will create a much larger file transfer size but should fix the problem.
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Problem: The game crashes when I open menus or while looting or some mods are broken or not showing up. All other issues.
Solution: This one is a bit of a doozy. So most likely what is happening is your mod load order is out of whack. There is a fix but it can be very time consuming depending on how many mods you have installed. With the 77 I have it took about an hour.
On your PC open "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Vortex\skyrimse\profiles" where "USERNAME" is your name you sign into your PC with. Inside that folder there should be another folder named randomly. Open that and inside will be a text file called "loadorder.txt". Open that.
On your steam deck load Skyrim and when the main menu loads select "Creations". When it loads, press the "Y" button to configure the load order. Here you will find all your installed mods.
What you are going to want to do is cross reference the load order from the "loadorder.txt" with the load order you are seeing in Creations on the deck. You can reorder the list in creations by using "LB" while highlighting the mod you want to move. For me, it was very wrong and caused a lot of problems. This will fix all that.
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That should be all. If you have any questions or issues that I didn't cover, please leave a comment.

I am atheist and my in-laws are Catholic. My husband and I have agreed to raise our children without religion, but to me, the role of ‘godparent’ is still very important. My parents are both atheist, but I have godparents. I am godmother to my niece.
My in-laws are very religious, but we have always been respectful of each other. I stand and bow my head at family dinners, I just don’t do the cross thing or say amen. I’ll offer for his parents to say grace in my home. I brought my baby to mass for Christmas and Easter because we happened to be in their town. I display the nativity scene my MIL gifted me among my holiday decorations. After nearly a decade of this, I thought we were all on the same page of live and let live.
We have become very close with my BIL & SIL and they are very involved in our son’s life. My BIL’s work had them staying as guests in our home every two weeks for the last two years. My SIL and I refer to each other as ‘sister’. My husband and I decided to ask them to be godparents to our second child (in my husband’s family, all siblings have different godparents). We assumed they would be really honoured.
Last night, we excitedly asked them. My SIL happily agreed and hugged us, but my BIL looked very uncomfortable, didn’t get up from his chair, and just slowly asked questions with a squished face about what that meant because to him, it was a very serious question. It was super awkward. It felt like something between an interview and asking for a raise. It was like we were asking for him to do us a huge favour that he was reluctant to do.
This has eaten away at me all day. In 10 years I’ve never felt like looked down on for not being Christian, until today. It was like he was offended we would ask him to be a godparent with no spiritual aspect. I also realize I’m pregnant and hormonal, but it’s not even clear to me that he agreed.
I can’t help but feel like his reaction was a slap in the face. I regret asking. If I knew he was going to react that way, I wouldn’t have. We already agreed to use BIL‘s name as a middle name if we have a boy and now that’s the last thing I want to do. It just leaves such a bad taste in my mouth. It feels like a stain on my otherwise blissful pregnancy. My husband is very defensive and thought his reaction was fine. I’m embarrassed and angry, but maybe that’s my own damn fault for asking a devoutly religious man to be the godfather to my heathen child.

WE NEED OUR CREATOR. NOT ANOTHER GOD. OUR CREATOR. NOT ANOTHER GOD. CHRISTIANITY TAUGHT THE WORSHIPPING OF ANOTHER GOD, ANOTHER NAME, ANOTHER WAY. SCIENCE TAUGHT THE TAMPERING OF CREATION... ANY GUESSES AS TO WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE IN TODAY'S WORLD??? 1. JESUS (ANOTHER GOD) 2. THE CROSS (AN IDOL) 3. BLOOD (DEATH) ALL 3 ABOMINATIONS... HOW CAN YOU REACH OUR CREATOR THROUGH WHAT IS DESPISED??? YOU CAN'T THIS IS THE MARK OF THE BEAST. MARK IN RIGHT HAND: CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM, IT IS USED TO CROSS ONE'S SELF, IN OATHS...AMERICANS USE IT TO COVER THEIR HEART AND PLEDGE THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO A PENTAGRAM COVERED BLOOD OVER PURITY IDOL: SATAN'S BANNER. MARK IN THE FOREHEAD IS REFERRING TO DECEIVED MINDS...THE FALSE WAYS WE WERE TAUGHT. THIS BOOK GIVEN BY FREEMASONRY IS A COMBINATION OF DECEPTION, FICTION, NON-FICTION AND TRUTH. OUR CREATOR IS SPIRITUAL, THE ONLY WAY TO DECIPHER TRUTH IS THROUGH THE SPIRIT, THE SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, WHERE OUR CREATOR RESIDES, THE SPIRIT OF LIFE AND TRUTH , OUR HEARTS...OUR LIFELINES. THE SPIRIT WITHIN. THE GREAT I AM. WHO MAKES US, US: OUR CREATOR. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND THE SPIRIT OF DECEPTION CAN NOT CO-EXIST, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH (OUR CREATOR) CAN NOT INNER A DECEIVED MIND, THE ENEMY KNOWS THIS, THAT IS WHY WE WERE TAUGHT FALSE WAYS. A SPIRIT MUST BE COMPLETE TO BE WHOLE, HEART & MIND. IF YOU ARE TAUGHT FALSE WAYS, YOU ARE NEVER COMPLETE. AND THIS LEADS TO DEATH. THE ENEMY'S GOAL. TO GATHER SOULS UNTO HIMSELF, JUST WHAT WAS DONE BY THE WORSHIPPING OF ANOTHER GOD, ANOTHER NAME, ANOTHER WAY...

So I don’t love the term friendzone, but I’m going to use it here as it’s the best applicator
I’ve known this girl for 4 years, though we’ve only been close for maybe a year. In that year we had what I’ll refer to as a 3 month long “talking stage” where I turned down an offer to hookup due to me moving and wanting a relationship. After this we had a strained friendship for a few months. Once it turned out I wasnt moving, we reconnected, I asked her out again, and she said she got over her feelings for me. Cue a month later, she starts treating me like her pseudo boyfriend, where she’s calling me every day, inviting me over every other day to cook together, watch tv, etc. I asked her if she was interested in a real date, as I was feeling mixed signals, she rejected me, I told her we were still friends, but for me we were emotionally crossing some boundaries that I wanted from a partner, and if she wasn’t interested we needed to tone it back.
To her credit, she did. My issue now is she appears to be trying to “force” back the friendship through her friends? She’s part of a group of about 5 girls, whom I’ve all met, but not close with. I haven’t talked to these women in a few months, most of whom I’ve only met once or twice.
Suddenly, they’re all reaching out to me, separately, inviting me to events. I didn’t think much of it at first, maybe just looking for new friends and thought of me, but every single time it’s turned into the following:
One girl asked me to get drinks with her and her bf to catch up, I agreed, and the girl who rejected me (call her Sally) arrived as well, and basically turned into a 4 hour long dinner double date. I walked sally back home and left. Then two days later a different friend invited me to a dinner party. I arrive, it’s all the girls and Sally, and I’m the only guy there. Now a 3rd girl is inviting me to hang out, one who I didn’t even have her number, so she had to get it from one of the other girls, and is asking me to get drinks with her and Sally.
My feelings haven’t changed, I haven’t been rude or ghosting, just minding my own business and not inviting Sally out anymore since we aren’t dating. But still friendly and everything when I have seen her. But it’s increasingly obvious to me that these girls are doing some weird game or something. Like I went out with one of my guy friends, and one of the girls when I ran into them, my guy friend left, and we started casting music, and she had 20+ texts pop up on her phone from Sally asking about me and what was happening. Meanwhile Sally and I haven’t talked one on one.
None of these women seem interested in actual friendship with me (not necessarily, we’re on good terms! But if I was like “hey let’s go do X”, they would immediately invite out Sally)
I would understand if we had been best friends before, but we weren’t. We were “besties” during our short talking stage stint, but other than that more like acquaintances
I feel like I’m being forced into having the closer friendship with Sally than I want or am comfortable with, but don’t know how to communicate it. We all share tons of mutual friends, so idk how to keep the peace and react: but I’ve never had someone work this hard to “friendzone” me before, and it’s weirding me out. Is there a good way to communicate this without it coming out accusatory?
TLDR: girl rejected me, but is now using her friends who I wasn’t close with to contact me and try to remain friends in a weird way. Not sure how to communicate this makes me uncomfortable

The history of tarot is a fascinating journey that spans centuries and traverses various cultures. The origins of tarot cards can be traced back to 15th-century Italy, where they emerged as playing cards. The initial purpose of these decks was purely recreational, serving as a game known as "tarocchi" or "triumphi."

1. Early Playing Cards (15th Century):
   
   • Origin: Tarot cards likely originated in northern Italy in the early 15th century. The oldest surviving complete deck is the "Visconti-Sforza" deck, dating back to the 1440s.
   • Function: Originally used for games, tarot decks were adorned with symbolic imagery, including allegorical illustrations and trump cards.
2. Tarot in France (Late 15th Century):
   
   • Migration: Tarot cards crossed into France in the late 15th century, and the game evolved with the addition of the 22 trump cards, known as the Major Arcana.
   • Symbolism: The Major Arcana introduced iconic characters and archetypal symbols, enhancing the cards' allegorical significance.
3. Occult Associations (18th Century):
   
   • Esoteric Interest: In the 18th century, interest in the occult and mystical arts surged in Europe. Tarot cards gained esoteric significance, with scholars attributing hidden meanings to the cards beyond their gaming purpose.
   • Etteilla: The French occultist Etteilla published influential tarot interpretations, contributing to the transformation of tarot into a tool for divination and self-discovery.
4. The Rider-Waite-Smith Deck (Early 20th Century):
   
   • Revolutionary Design: In 1909, A.E. Waite and Pamela Colman Smith collaborated on the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, featuring vivid illustrations and intricate symbolism. This deck became immensely popular and served as the foundation for many modern tarot decks.
   • Divinatory Focus: The Rider-Waite-Smith deck emphasized the mystical and divinatory aspects of tarot, influencing the widespread adoption of tarot for spiritual and introspective purposes.
5. Tarot in the New Age Movement (20th Century Onward):
   
   • Popularization: The mid-20th century witnessed a surge in interest in mysticism, the occult, and alternative spiritual practices. Tarot cards gained popularity within the New Age movement, becoming a tool for self-reflection, divination, and personal growth.
   • Diverse Decks: The latter half of the 20th century saw the creation of diverse tarot decks, each with unique themes and interpretations, catering to different spiritual traditions and personal preferences.
6. Modern Tarot Practices (21st Century):
   
   • Global Appeal: Tarot has transcended cultural boundaries and gained a global following. The internet has played a significant role in disseminating tarot knowledge, making it accessible to a diverse audience.
   • Integration with Psychology: Many practitioners view tarot through a psychological lens, using the cards as a tool for introspection, therapy, and personal development.

The historical evolution of tarot reflects its transformation from a simple deck of playing cards to a versatile tool for divination, self-exploration, and spiritual guidance. Today, tarot continues to captivate individuals worldwide, offering a unique blend of ancient symbolism and contemporary relevance.

1. Diverse Tarot Systems and Cultural Influences:
   
   • Cultural Adaptations: Tarot has adapted to various cultural contexts, leading to the creation of decks that draw inspiration from different mythologies, traditions, and artistic styles.
   • Themed Decks: Modern tarot enthusiasts can explore decks inspired by Norse mythology, Celtic traditions, Eastern philosophies, and more, allowing for a rich diversity of interpretations and connections.
2. Tarot and Popular Culture:
   
   • Media Exposure: Tarot has found its way into mainstream media, with references in literature, movies, and television series. This exposure has contributed to its widespread recognition and acceptance.
   • Creative Interpretations: Popular culture has inspired artists and creators to produce tarot decks with themes ranging from fantasy and science fiction to contemporary pop culture references, showcasing the adaptability of tarot symbolism.
3. Tarot in Digital Age:
   
   • Online Platforms: The digital age has transformed tarot readings, making them accessible through online platforms and mobile apps. Virtual tarot readings and communities provide a global forum for discussion and learning.
   • Digital Decks: Tarot decks are now available in digital formats, enabling users to explore and engage with the cards through virtual platforms, expanding the reach of tarot practices.
4. Tarot as a Personalized Tool:
   
   • Self-Expression: Many individuals now create their own tarot decks, infusing personal symbols, experiences, and artistic styles into the cards. This personalized approach enhances the connection between the user and the cards.
   • Intuitive Reading: Modern tarot practices often emphasize intuitive reading, encouraging users to trust their instincts and personal interpretations rather than relying strictly on traditional meanings.
5. Scientific and Skeptical Perspectives:
   
   • Psychology and Tarot: Some psychologists view tarot as a projective tool that can tap into the unconscious mind, offering insights into one's thoughts and emotions.
   • Skepticism and Tarot: Skeptics often approach tarot from a psychological or statistical standpoint, exploring the phenomenon through the lens of cognitive biases and the placebo effect.
6. Tarot Communities and Education:
   
   • Learning Resources: The availability of books, online courses, and workshops has contributed to the education and skill development of tarot practitioners. This has empowered individuals to deepen their understanding of tarot symbolism and interpretation.
   • Community Engagement: Tarot communities, both online and offline, provide platforms for sharing experiences, seeking guidance, and fostering a sense of community among practitioners.

As tarot continues to evolve, its rich history merges with contemporary influences, shaping a dynamic and diverse landscape. Whether embraced for spiritual guidance, artistic expression, or personal insight, tarot remains a versatile and enduring tool that resonates with individuals on their unique journeys of self-discovery.

1. Tarot Ethics and Professionalization:
   
   • Code of Ethics: In modern tarot practices, professional readers often adhere to ethical guidelines. These guidelines emphasize confidentiality, client empowerment, and responsible use of divination tools.
   • Certification and Training: Some tarot practitioners pursue formal training and certification programs to enhance their skills and professionalism, contributing to the recognition of tarot reading as a legitimate and ethical practice.
2. Scientific Research on Tarot:
   
   • Psychological Studies: While scientific research on tarot is limited, some studies explore the psychological aspects of tarot reading. Research has investigated how individuals interpret symbols, engage in reflective thinking, and experience a sense of empowerment through tarot readings.
   • Cognitive Science Perspectives: Tarot's intersection with cognitive science has led to examinations of how the mind processes symbolic information and the impact of belief systems on perception.
3. Tarot and Intersectionality:
   
   • Inclusivity: Tarot communities increasingly emphasize inclusivity, recognizing the importance of diverse perspectives, cultures, and identities. Decks that reflect a broader range of experiences and backgrounds contribute to a more inclusive tarot landscape.
   • Intersectional Readings: Practitioners may integrate intersectionality into their readings, acknowledging the complexity of individual identities and experiences within a broader social context.
4. Tarot's Influence on Art and Literature:
   
   • Literary Works: Tarot symbolism has inspired numerous works of literature, poetry, and art. Authors and artists often incorporate tarot themes to explore psychological, spiritual, and philosophical concepts.
   • Tarot in Visual Arts: Tarot continues to be a muse for visual artists, with contemporary artworks reimagining and interpreting the traditional tarot archetypes in new and innovative ways.
5. Tarot and Holistic Wellness:
   
   • Mind-Body-Spirit Connection: Tarot is increasingly integrated into holistic wellness practices that emphasize the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. It complements approaches like meditation, mindfulness, and energy healing.
   • Wellness Retreats and Workshops: Wellness retreats and workshops may incorporate tarot as a tool for self-reflection, personal growth, and stress reduction, aligning with the broader holistic wellness movement.
6. Tarot and Technology Integration:
   
   • Mobile Apps and Online Platforms: Technology has facilitated the accessibility of tarot through mobile apps and online platforms, offering virtual readings, digital decks, and interactive tarot experiences.
   • Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality: Emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have the potential to transform tarot experiences, providing immersive and interactive readings.

The ongoing evolution of tarot reflects its adaptability to societal changes, technological advancements, and a growing understanding of its psychological and symbolic dimensions. As it continues to weave through various aspects of contemporary life, tarot remains a dynamic and versatile tool with enduring relevance.

1. Tarot and Social Media:
   
   • Online Communities: Social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, have become hubs for tarot enthusiasts. Tarot readers share daily card pulls, interpretations, and create educational content, fostering a vibrant online community.
   • Global Connections: Social media has facilitated global connections among tarot practitioners, allowing for the exchange of diverse perspectives, interpretations, and deck recommendations.
2. Tarot in Mental Health Practices:
   
   • Therapeutic Applications: Some mental health professionals incorporate tarot into therapeutic practices, using it as a tool for self-reflection, exploration of emotions, and promoting therapeutic dialogue.
   • Mindfulness and Coping: Tarot readings can be used as a mindfulness practice, helping individuals cultivate self-awareness and coping strategies for managing stress, anxiety, and mental health challenges.
3. Tarot's Evolving Symbolism:
   
   • Living Symbolism: Tarot symbolism is not static; it evolves over time. Modern tarot decks often reinterpret traditional symbols to reflect contemporary values, ensuring that the cards remain relevant and resonant with current cultural contexts.
   • Innovative Decks: Artists continue to create innovative tarot decks that explore diverse themes, introducing new symbols and archetypes that speak to a wide range of experiences.
4. Tarot and Ritual Practices:
   
   • Ritualistic Use: Tarot is incorporated into various ritual practices, from simple daily card pulls to more elaborate ceremonies. These rituals can serve as a form of meditation, intention-setting, or connection with spiritual energies.
   • Seasonal Celebrations: Some practitioners align tarot practices with seasonal changes, using specific spreads or decks to explore themes associated with the solstices, equinoxes, and other significant astrological events.
5. Tarot and Gender Representation:
   
   • Expanding Archetypes: Modern tarot decks often challenge traditional gender roles and expand archetypal representations. Decks may feature diverse gender identities and expressions, offering a more inclusive and fluid understanding of the archetypal energies within the cards.
   • Feminist Tarot: Some decks explicitly adopt feminist perspectives, reimagining traditional tarot symbolism to empower and celebrate the diverse experiences of individuals across the gender spectrum.
6. Tarot as Literary Inspiration:
   
   • Literary Works and Tarot: Tarot continues to inspire literary works, with novels, poems, and plays incorporating tarot themes and archetypes. Authors explore the psychological and symbolic depths of tarot, infusing their narratives with mystical and esoteric elements.
   • Narrative Exploration: Tarot's narrative potential serves as a source of inspiration for storytellers, offering a structure that mirrors the hero's journey or provides a framework for exploring characters' internal and external conflicts.

The dynamic interplay between tarot and contemporary culture reveals its enduring appeal and adaptability. From social media platforms to therapeutic practices, tarot remains a versatile tool that resonates with individuals seeking insight, connection, and personal growth in an ever-changing world.
In conclusion, the history and evolution of tarot reflect its remarkable journey from humble playing cards to a multifaceted tool deeply embedded in modern culture. As tarot continues to weave its way through diverse aspects of society, from online communities to therapeutic practices, its enduring relevance lies in its adaptability, symbolism, and capacity to inspire self-discovery.
From the mysterious origins of the 15th century to its current role as a global phenomenon, tarot has transcended cultural and historical boundaries. As it integrates with technology, influences art and literature, and finds new applications in mental health and wellness, tarot remains a dynamic force that resonates with those seeking spiritual insights, artistic expression, and personal transformation.
Whether approached through a psychological lens, as a form of self-reflection, or as part of broader cultural movements, tarot's journey reflects the human quest for meaning, connection, and the exploration of the inner self. Its rich tapestry of symbolism continues to captivate individuals across the globe, making tarot a timeless and ever-evolving companion on the diverse paths of human experience.

2024 Bowman Smoke Break! PYT + 2 Random Teams. 🔒 Twins, Yankees and Nationals are locked as Random Teams 🔒
Boxes: ⚾️ 2X - 2024 Bowman Hobby (1 Auto/Box) 💨 Bonus Live Giveaway! 💨
$65 per Spot, 3 Teams per Spot. You Pick Your First Team Plus get get 2 Random Teams. Comment or DM to choose your team! Pay when filled. 💥Please NO NOTES on payments other than your username.💥
ADD $5 for BMWT Combined Shipping. Stack shipping to save on future breaks! 📫 $5 covers your first 2 Breaks, any additional Breaks add $1 each 📫 ⚠️IMPORTANT: I don't ship until you tell me to. This way you can combine shipping and save money.⚠️
NEW!! ⚾️ Add a Pack to Your Stack! Add a Sealed Wax Pack to Your Existing Stack! All Packs come from Sealed Wax Boxes. See pinned Instagram post for available packs and details. ⚾️
Paypal, Cashapp, Venmo, and Zelle accepted. Linktree in Profile to help.
When Break is full, I'll start a group chat with everyone participating. The Team Randomization and Break will be streamed live on Instagram and posted on YouTube asap when it is over.
🗣💬⚾️💰 NEW!! Referral Program: Earn $5 Break Credit When You Refer Someone to Our Breaks! Referring Person Has to Have Joined at Least 1 Break. New Person Can Use Credit on Their Second Break. Maximum $50 Credit per Person. 🗣💬⚾️💰
Questions? Please ask, just send me a DM and I can answer any questions you have. Thank you!
(Cross-Posted on Instagram)
🔒 Twins, Yankees and Nationals are locked as Random Teams 🔒

1. Dodgers - u/stewmander
2. Reds - @gerrad.grant
3. Rangers - u/TheJudgeHowell
4. Brewers - u/Swinging4theFences1
5. Red Sox - @zman62885
6. Orioles - u/JonIsHuert
7. ⚾️
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In a fully privatized libertarian social order there is no such thing as needing government permission to cross national borders, it is true that they will need permission from the property owner (although this wouldn’t work that well and this is why I’m not an ancap but that’s a discussion for a different time) it is also true that this doesn’t mean that the government has a right to prohibit the voluntary transactions of individuals.
If I invite someone from Italy to my house and he uses a private airline and then an Uber to my house for a Super Bowl party of something like that then it is not trespassing, the response to this is that all of the land would be privately owned and that if the goverment let’s people in without permission it is letting people in future privately owned land
But your idea of anarcho-capitalism is a lot different than how it would work, for this I’m going to assume that it would be a stable system. When you go to the mall do they ask if you have citizenship? Yeah they don’t because they don’t care and most people like this including landlords to rent from and employers to work for wouldn’t care about things like this and they wouldn’t set up “Hoppean” communities to “physically remove” people they don’t like either. So their wouldn’t be any genuine effort to restrict the amount of people in what is now the United States. And this is proven by how even xenophobic employers while hire illegal migrants.
Some would question open border advocates on why they don’t let everything and everyone go into their house but if you really believe that this country is a house why can’t the goverment ban anything it doesn’t like, I’m sure that you wouldn’t like it if I produced porn in your house so does this mean porn should be banned?
And if you care about welfare why don’t we require goverment permission to have kids because kids can use welfare, also the reason why they use welfare is because they aren’t allowed to work so maybe that could change and immigrants use Less Welfare than native born citizens
I think that some of you may have legitimate concerns about things like welfare abuse and think it’s unrealistic but some of you guys who think there is an “invasion” clearly just believe this because you consume conservative and/or alt-right propaganda and repeat the talking points and justify it with these dumb arguments.
Last but not least “open borders” is obviously referring to countries not private property and if you’re going to parrot the same dumb argument about how there would supposedly be less immigration than now without the goverment than check what I said earlier
It’s fine if you oppose open borders but don’t pretend like it’s the more libertarian position

According to the latest article on the New Zealand Herald, the decision making on which infrastructure projects will proceed has been transferred to the New Zealand Transport Agency/Waka Kotahi:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/horowhenua-chronicle/news/more-roads-of-significance-but-decision-making-powers-shifts-to-nzta-o2nl-still-on-the-list/TK76WCH6B5FHRME6O7CQC66AHQ/
Also the Cross Valley Link (CVL) is now part of the Lower Hutt City Council's long term planning document which they are currently hearing submissions on include the building of the Cross Valley Link starting in 2028, please refer to page 48 and 49:
https://huttcity.infocouncil.biz/Open/2024/05/LTPAP_17052024_AGN_3255_AT.PDF

The e-commerce industry has been growing exponentially over the past decade, but with this growth comes the challenge of catering to a diverse customer base that spans various languages and cultures. Enter ChatGPT -- a powerful AI-driven tool that's transforming how online retailers approach personalization for multilingual and multicultural audiences.
For starters, ChatGPT helps break down language barriers. By understanding and generating text in multiple languages, ChatGPT-powered chatbots provide a seamless shopping experience for customers, no matter their native tongue. This not only improves customer service but also builds trust and loyalty by showing that a brand genuinely cares for its customers' convenience.
But how does this play into personalization? Personalization in e-commerce isn't just about showing product recommendations; it's about creating a shopping experience that feels tailored to each individual user. ChatGPT leverages natural language processing to analyze customer data and interactions, picking up on subtle cues and preferences that can be missed by traditional analytics. It can recognize dialects, slang, and cultural references, allowing it to adapt its responses and recommendations in a meaningful way.
Moreover, ChatGPT assists in curating personalized marketing campaigns. By understanding the nuances of different cultures, it can help create content that resonates with specific customer segments, avoiding one-size-fits-all messages that often fall flat. From customized emails to targeted social media ads, it ensures that the content not only speaks the customers' language but also reflects their cultural context.
ChatGPT doesn't just stop at customer-facing applications; it also streamlines backend operations. Multilingual support for customer service agents, translation of product descriptions, and management of cross-cultural customer data—all of these are simplified with the AI's capabilities. This efficiency behind the scenes is what enables a smoother, more personalized front-end experience for the customer.
In essence, ChatGPT isn't merely a tool for translation—it's a gateway to a truly global, personalized online shopping experience that recognizes and values the individuality of each customer, bridging cultural divides and fostering a sense of inclusion. As e-commerce continues to evolve, AI like ChatGPT will undoubtedly become integral in shaping a world where online shopping knows no borders.

Welcome to the book club New Voices! In this book club we want to highlight books by debut authors and open the stage for under-represented and under-appreciated writers from all walks of life. New voices refers to the authors as well as the protagonists, and the goal is to include viewpoints away from the standard and most common. For more information and a short description of how we plan to run this club and how you can participate, please have a look at the announcement post.
This month we are reading: The Map and the Territory
When the sky breaks apart and an earthquake shatters the seaside city of Sharis, cartographer Rukha Masreen is far from home. Caught in the city's ruins with only her tools and her wits, she meets a traveling companion who will change her course forever: the wizard Eshu, who stumbles out of a mirror with hungry ghosts on his heels.
He's everything that raises her hackles: high-strung, grandiloquent, stubborn as iron. But he needs to get home, too, and she doesn't want him to have to make the journey alone.
As they cross the continent together, though, Rukha and Eshu soon realize that the disaster that's befallen their world is much larger than they could have imagined. The once-vibrant pathways of the Mirrorlands are deserted. Entire cities lie entombed in crystal. And to make matters worse, a wild god is hunting them down. The further they travel from familiar territory, the more their fragile new friendship cracks under the strain.
To survive the end of their world, Rukha and Eshu will need more than magic and science—they'll need each other.
Bingo squares: first in a series, prologues and epilogues, self or indy pub, survival, book club
Today we are discussing the first half of the book, so please use spoiler tags for any discussion beyond that point.
Schedule:
Tuesday May 28: final discussion

Hi, I have seen defenders of Israel claim that Israel has made unprecedented efforts to protect civilian life in Gaza as the civilian to combatant fatality ratio is 1:1 (highly contested obviously as these are numbers Netanyahu has publicly said recently: 16K civilians, 14K combatants). They claim this ratio is unprecedented and the normal civilian combatant fatality ratio is 9:1. But it seems that 1:1 it is actually a pretty standard civilian to combatant fatality ratio in war and has been for a while:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/096701068902000108?journalCode=sdia
Here are some examples of the claim:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wgHuYbBcfk
https://twitter.com/SpencerGuard/status/1786612909415473474
https://twitter.com/COLRICHARDKEMP/status/1747693189946106183?lang=en
I feel like there is some level of sophistry going on here as they refer to it as a casualty ratio and casualty does not mean fatality, it means deaths and injuries and can ever refer to other effects of war. In Gaza, 120,000 people have been killed or injured and there's only 30,000 Hamas/Islamic Jihad fighters so technically the ratio is at least a 3:1 if we're referring to a civilian to combatant casualty ratio.
I assume they are referring to the fatality ratio ratio. But is this 9:1 stat credible? They often cite the UN as a source but as far as I can tell they are referencing this study by the UN which claims that 90% of victims of war are civilians:
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/ocha-orientation-handbook-complex-emergencies
This claim in the UN study is based off this paper which also makes the same claim. But victim doesn't even mean casualty in this case and it includes people who are displaced:
https://international-review.icrc.org/sites/default/files/S0020860400060666a.pdf
See quote here where it includes refugees and internally displaced people as victims of war:
"The report goes on to deal at length with the various categories of victims of conflict, basing the analyses on statistics set out in several tables. Special attention is paid to the cases of child-soldiers (an estimated 200,000 children under the age of 15 are reportedly currently used as soldiers), refugees (over 16 million in the world in 1989) and people displaced in their own countries (over two million in Sudan). Giving a real-life dimension by eye-witness accounts and quotations from publications to what might otherwise be dry statistical data, the authors describe the efforts made by the United Nations, particularly the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to provide protection and assistance for these especially vulnerable categories of victims.
Considering that 1.7 million people have been displaced in Gaza, if we are defining victims in the same sense of the original study then civilian to combatant victim ratio would be over 60:1.
Now I understand that this was is different as it is urban warfare and fatalities are likely to be higher. I can't find any statistic from studies claiming that this is the ratio in Urban conflict. All I could find was AAOV data which claims that up to 90% of casualties are civilians when explosives are used in urban warfare:
https://aoav.org.uk/explosiveviolence/
However AOAV applied these statistics to Gaza and found that ratio in Gaza was 10.1 after a X (Twitter) analyst Eli Kowaz claimed it was 0.8 but had miscalcuted the data. Funnily enough, the official Israeli spokesperson also published the 0.8 figure which was the reason why AOAV clarified this was a complete falsehood.
https://aoav.org.uk/2023/x-twitter-analyst-eli-kowazs-grossly-incorrect-interpretation-of-aoav-data-trends-claiming-idf-has-low-gaza-casualty-rate-kowaz-later-deletes-post-but-others-continue-to-spread-the-misinformatio/
So am I missing something? Is there any basis to the claim that 90% of deaths in war are civilians. Does this apply particularly to urban warfare. Because Even in the Syrian Civil War (which I doubt even Assad would claim there were great lengths taken to protect civilian life) had a higher number of combatants killed than civilians killed. Even the Afghanistan War seems to have had over 3 times as many combatant deaths than civilians deaths. I understand these two wars are not directly comparable but what about in Mosul and Raqqa? What was the ratio there?
TLDR: What was the Civilian to Combatant ratio in Mosul and Raqqa and other urban combat zones?