Hey Reddit! So, "free" is everywhere these days, right? Free apps, free trials, even free Wi-Fi! It's tempting to just grab all this awesome stuff without a second thought. But hold on a sec, are we being a little naive? Is there a reason companies are so eager to give stuff away?
Maybe it's just healthy skepticism, but I can't help but wonder... Is "free" really free? Are there hidden costs we're not thinking about? Like, are we giving up our data or getting bombarded with ads in exchange for these "free" things?
On the other hand, maybe I'm just overthinking it! There are tons of genuinely free resources out there, like libraries and parks. And who doesn't love a good free sample?
So, Reddit fam, what's the verdict? Is "free" a magical loophole or a sneaky marketing tactic?

Hi!!! I’m here looking for a genuine relationship, or at least something that’s monogamous and long term. So if that sounds ideal then please read ahead!
I’ll start off with my personality, physical appearance then my interests.
I am pretty introverted, doesn’t mean I struggle with communication but I do ask that you give me something to reply to! But I’m fairly shy but I’m trying to put myself out there. I can be pretty talkative once I warm up to someone though and I like to joke around a lot.
Physically I am built pretty lean, I am 5’10, I weigh around 155, I have long brown hair and eyes, but I’m pretty skinny which I plan on working on.
When it comes to interests I have quite a bit that I like, one of my biggest things is music. I personally listen to like 2000s rock, my biggest bands ever are Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but you’ll find me listening to Metallica or something on occasions.
I’m not too big on anime, but I’ve watched and enjoyed a few of them like Bleach, Soul Eater, Kengan Ashura, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Jojo’s. I would like to watch way more so I’d like some recommendations!
I also play video games, I’ve mostly spent my time on Roblox, which I’ve been on that since 2011, but I have had an interest to play Minecraft and Terraria as of late, I also have a pretty decent sized library on steam!
I have a few other small interests I do on occasions like drawing, cooking/baking, and I am planning to work out a lot more!
I’m trying to make this too lengthy, so I’ll close off soon, but I am mainly looking for anyone leaning more feminine, though I am ok with whoever I don’t mind, so feel free to message me still regardless.
One last thing too, please give me an introduction about yourself or at least try to be engaging because not doing that will feel like a chore responding, but besides that I do have discord which is my preferable way to talk, so feel free to ask for that, thanks for reading this though I look forward to meeting you!

Hi!!! I’m here looking for a genuine relationship, or at least something that’s monogamous and long term. So if that sounds ideal then please read ahead!
I’ll start off with my personality, physical appearance then my interests.
I am pretty introverted, doesn’t mean I struggle with communication but I do ask that you give me something to reply to! But I’m fairly shy but I’m trying to put myself out there. I can be pretty talkative once I warm up to someone though and I like to joke around a lot.
Physically I am built pretty lean, I am 5’10, I weigh around 155, I have long brown hair and eyes, but I’m pretty skinny which I plan on working on.
When it comes to interests I have quite a bit that I like, one of my biggest things is music. I personally listen to like 2000s rock, my biggest bands ever are Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but you’ll find me listening to Metallica or something on occasions.
I’m not too big on anime, but I’ve watched and enjoyed a few of them like Bleach, Soul Eater, Kengan Ashura, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Jojo’s. I would like to watch way more so I’d like some recommendations!
I also play video games, I’ve mostly spent my time on Roblox, which I’ve been on that since 2011, but I have had an interest to play Minecraft and Terraria as of late, I also have a pretty decent sized library on steam!
I have a few other small interests I do on occasions like drawing, cooking/baking, and I am planning to work out a lot more!
I’m trying to make this too lengthy, so I’ll close off soon, but I am mainly looking for anyone leaning more feminine, though I am ok with whoever I don’t mind, so feel free to message me still regardless.
One last thing too, please give me an introduction about yourself or at least try to be engaging because not doing that will feel like a chore responding, but besides that I do have discord which is my preferable way to talk, so feel free to ask for that, thanks for reading this though I look forward to meeting you!

I'm having this error
/uslocal/arm-gnu-toolchain-12.3.rel1-x86_64-arm-none-eabi/arm-none-eabi/include/c++/12.3.1/cstdlib:147:11: error: 'free' has not been declared in '::'
147 using ::free;
^~~~
/uslocal/arm-gnu-toolchain-12.3.rel1-x86_64-arm-none-eabi/arm-none-eabi/include/c++/12.3.1/cstdlib:151:11: error: 'malloc' has not been declared in '::'
151 using ::malloc;
^~~~~~
I've found this explanation, but I compile with cmake.
If I comment out these lines inside cstdlib it compiles without error, but I shouldn't be modifying a standard library header... Can anyone explain?

I’m looking to upgrade the hardware of my Unraid server. The server was built (not for unraid) back in 2012 and it’s time for an upgrade. I don’t do that much with the server (had been just Plex and file storage) however I recently installed Immich which I’m loving but the processor isn’t up to the task of my 40k photo and video library.
I think I need to upgrade the CPU, motherboard and the RAM. I’m not sure if I should update the power supply or not. I plan on using my old drives for storage.
My big issue is that my old motherboard has 8 SATA ports and I’m using 7 of them (1 Parity HDD, 5 Data HDDs and 1 Cache SSD). It looks like to get 7 or 8 SATA ports I would need to get a top of the line Z790 board. I can’t decide if I should do that or look into a SATA expansion card (either m.2 or PCIe). I guess I could also try and replace the SATA Cache SSD with an m.2 cache drive.
My main goal with this was to make it as simple as possible. I thought I would just replace the hardware and boot it up with as few changes as possible. To that end I guess the motherboard with 8 SATA ports would be simplest, adding an expansion card would be next and finally changing the cache drive. I guess one other thing I could do is try and eliminate my smallest HDD. It is a 3tb drive and my array does currently have about 15tb free.
I’m not that familiar with Unraid configs and upgrades so I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew. Everything with the server has been working fine with the exception of my new Immich library being slow to load all the pictures (especially when using facial recognition).
Am I missing something that I should do? Thanks for the thoughts.

Current Hardware (to be replaced)
CPU - Intel Ivy Bridge Pentium G2120 (stock cooler)
Mboard - ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP
RAM - G.Skill Ripjaws 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600
Power Supply – Seasonic M12II 650 80 plus Bronze (possible replacement

Current Hardware (to still be used)
Case – Ark-4u-500a
HDDs – three 12tb Seagate Ironwolf, two 8tb WD Red, one 3tb WD Red
SSD – one 500gb WD Blue
Intel NIC Card Gigabit (probably not needed with new mboard)

Proposed New Hardware
CPU – Intel 14500, 13500 or 12600
Mboard – Uncertain
RAM – G.Skill 32gb DDR4 or DDR5

Hey music creators! I'm thrilled to share my first sample library designed specifically for the powerful Decent Sampler
Feedback Appreciated!
I'm thrilled to share my first sample library designed specifically for the powerful Decent Sampler Kalimba PoplarBear V 0.1
Feedback Appreciated!
As I'm still learning, any feedback you have is valuable. Let me know what you think!
Looking to infuse your music with the warm, earthy tones of the Kalimba? Look no further! This free Kalimba sample library for Decent Sampler captures the pure, unprocessed sound of the instrument, recorded "as it is" in my studio.
Here's what you'll get:
A collection of high-quality Kalimba samples, meticulously recorded for optimal clarity and realism.
No artificial enhancements or effects - just the raw, natural beauty of the instrument.
Perfect for producers, beatmakers, and musicians who want to add a touch of organic texture to their tracks..
Here's what you'll get:
A collection of high-quality Kalimba samples, meticulously recorded for optimal clarity and realism.
No artificial enhancements or effects - just the raw, natural beauty of the instrument.
Perfect for producers, beatmakers, and musicians who want to add a touch of organic texture to their tracks.

Hey music creators! I'm thrilled to share my first sample library designed specifically for the powerful Decent Sampler
Feedback Appreciated!
I'm thrilled to share my first sample library designed specifically for the powerful Decent Sampler Kalimba PoplarBear V 0.1
Feedback Appreciated!
As I'm still learning, any feedback you have is valuable. Let me know what you think!
Looking to infuse your music with the warm, earthy tones of the Kalimba? Look no further! This free Kalimba sample library for Decent Sampler captures the pure, unprocessed sound of the instrument, recorded "as it is" in my studio.
Here's what you'll get:
A collection of high-quality Kalimba samples, meticulously recorded for optimal clarity and realism.
No artificial enhancements or effects - just the raw, natural beauty of the instrument.
Perfect for producers, beatmakers, and musicians who want to add a touch of organic texture to their tracks..
Here's what you'll get:
A collection of high-quality Kalimba samples, meticulously recorded for optimal clarity and realism.
No artificial enhancements or effects - just the raw, natural beauty of the instrument.
Perfect for producers, beatmakers, and musicians who want to add a touch of organic texture to their tracks.

https://archive.is/BHRHs
Although there are no contested races on the ballot for the annual town election on Tuesday, May 21, voters will usher in a new Selectboard member.
Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Cowell Gymnasium, 51 Maple St. In-person early voting can also be done on Thursday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Town Hall, 51 Bridge St.
Planning Board member Tricia Yacovone-Biagi is running for a one-year term on the Selectboard in hopes of filling a vacancy left following the death of longtime Selectboard member Robert “Bob” Manners earlier this year.
A Shelburne resident since 2018, Yacovone-Biagi has a background in public health. While working for the Texas state health department, Yacovone-Biagi volunteered as an emergency responder during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Now retired, she has since earned a master’s degree in security and resilience studies from Northeastern University.
As a Shelburne resident, Yacovone-Biagi was a member of the COVID-19 Emergency Task Force and a volunteer at flu clinics. She was an election worker in 2020 and, while on the Planning Board, she obtained a $15,000 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant to help the town assess its strengths and liabilities during catastrophic weather. She also helped the town obtain a Municipal Energy Technical Assistance grant for the Cowell Gymnasium and is an editor of the Buckland-Shelburne newsletter, Two Town News.
“I believe I bring strong leadership skills,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of experience working with different types of people. I have a capacity for building bridges.”
The ballot is as follows:
■Selectboard, three-year term — Andrew Baker, incumbent
■Selectboard, one-year unexpired term — Tricia Yacovone-Biagi.
■Assessor, three-year term — Joel Dwight, incumbent.
■Town clerk, one-year term — Joseph Judd, incumbent.
■Moderator, one-year term — Roland Giguere, incumbent.
■Shelburne Free Public Library trustee, one-year unexpired term — Tom Webler.
■Shelburne Free Public Library Trustees, two seats with three-year terms — Tom Hale and Emmalee Cross, incumbents.
■Planning Board, five-year term — Vacant.
■Recreation Committee, five-year term — Norman Beebe, incumbent.
■Recreation Committee, four-year unexpired term — Vacant.
■Tree warden, one-year term — James T. Richardson, incumbent.
■Constable, three-year term — Laura Manners, incumbent.

I decided I want to get my 107. I found the FAAs site, but the study guide is from 2016, isn't there a bunch of new stuff that is probably going to be on the test?
Anyone have any suggestions on how to prep? (preferable free)...

Heya! I've been in a never ending battle to win back my machine. It has cost me around 5-7 windows machines. After combating them daily, and after discovering ways they got into my system using satellites, blue tooth, and even using the power cable, I decided to make the switch to Linux. Nitrux even.
Now all this is enough to make anyone paranoid, and being the skeptic I am, i had to run many tests to make sure I wasn't simply hacking myself. That was fun. The obvious appearance of some things such as another linux distribution, Ubuntu, as well as a whole bunch of new python scripts and libraries, along with a "oh-my-zsh" install, and a huge command list from Powerlevel 9k and I was pretty convinced that I was indeed, being targeted.
The battle continues, I still manage to humbly get on here to make this post after doing more mods to thier system built on my system which was automatically reinstalling no matter what I deleted and I spent the day going through running every command available. (Aside from the ones like panic, and "yes")
I've discovered some more interesting things I thought you'd enjoy me sharing!

1. 2 million plus pages of RAM. around 1 million pages of ram running on thier remote machine. Wowza! Whats that smell like?

2. They have stuff installed not only in my root, but right on top of the kernel. In the kernel.

3. the internet is (was) looped and looped again. At this point I'm pretty sure even if you remoted in and looked, it would just look like me battling against myself. eyeroll

4. I think it was for intimidation purposes, but now residing in my root directory is a list of programs and stuff they are using. There is a start file, and an end file. Having ruled out this being my own government, I think its probably safe to post said lists here for everyone to take a gander at. Just to give you an idea of what I'm dealing with, and well to let them know how sick and tired I am of playing host to thier stupid data collection that they've been running on my hardware for so many years.

I don't expect any help, at this point its like picking at a wart, but feel free to throw in your two cents and interpretations. Oh and of Note here is my entire list of applications that I currently have installed: Notepadqq (firejailed not working), Reaper 617 (firejailed not working), Musescore (havent opened yet), vlc media player (no media to play but it works!), Infectionmonkey(firejailed), Libreoffice (yay i can spreadsheet), Inskape, Blender, Krita, Upscayle, Firefox, station.
And now, here is my guests list of software. Enjoy!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WWTvf6RpoWoxgzy7bNauGAusJsACzwhgeJ7ztWvXTGg/edit?usp=sharing

My siblings and I are at the difficult point in our lives when our parent is having to move to retirement care. This parent is unmarried and has been living in their home in Burlington for 31 years and will not need a house full of small kitchen appliances, furniture, books, craft supplies, and too much clothing once they move into care. Ideally we want to keep as much as possible out of landfill.
Where is everyone donating their used but good quality household items these days? I don't want to just dump our items at Value Village, but I also know most shelters only accept new items now, except for clothing.
What ideas do you have? Here is what I have now:
Furniture: Habitat for Humanity as they will do pick-up (if valued more than $300) and provide a tax receipt. Most furniture was purchased in the 70s and is in good condition, and we know auctioneers can be really picky
Professional clothing: A donation drop-box for a womens shelter (Halton Women's Place)
Fiction Paperbacks: Distribute amongst local little libraries?
Non-Fiction Hardcovers: Including university textbooks from the 60s. What do we do with these?
Working Electronics: Thrift store
Broken Electronics: e-waste recyclers
Home maintenance and garden tools: ? No clue
Small kitchen appliances, random place settings, mismatched flatware: Thrift store?
Fine bone china, crystal, and servingware: ? No clue (all is good quality from the 1960s as wedding gifts)
I appreciate any other suggestions you might have to my list above!

I dunno who else's parents were/are like this. My parents are fairly wealthy people. It feels like all my life this is something they managed to use against me rather than for me, in big and little ways.
I remember one birthday as a teen they got me a computer. This was a REALLY big deal back then - your average kid didn't have their own PC, with internet access, and in their own room! I was absolutely over the moon. Couldn't stop thanking them, told everyone I could. My birthday is in May. In June final grades came out and mine were very meh. The psychological warfare started. They weren't just disappointed, I didn't deserve my birthday gift - which had been unexpected, and they hadn't negotiated for high grades to get it for me, and even if they had, I wouldn't have had time to change anything. They were going to take it and sell it. Whenever I used it, it reminded them I still had it, I didn't deserve it, and they should take it back. What did I even need a computer for, if it didn't get me good grades? I'm clearly not very smart. Bad grades are ungrateful. By the end of summer I was begging them to sell it just so I could stop feeling bad. This insulted them incredibly - they didn't need the money, why sell it? Such drama. Where did I get these ideas?
Never did it occur to them to talk sensibly about next year's grades, and whether the computer was a hindrance, and what they could do to help.
It was very difficult to discuss the issue with anyone at the time. I got a free computer and I was complaining about it. Anyway it's normal for parents to want you to do well in school, no?
At 19 while starting university, I moved out of their house to a small student town, against their wishes. I was supporting myself, aside from school and books, which they paid for after threatening not to at the very last minute because they didn't like my major. That, in itself, was the first time I realized I could manipulate them back. When they threatened not to pay at the point it was far too late for me to apply for loans or bursaries (what little I might have qualified for here, while living with rich parents), and too late to switch my application anyway if I'd wanted, I was a wreck. Figured I'd have to cancel my application, save up money, try next year, I was throwing up with anxiety for a week. But then, we went to a family gathering where a relative asked me where I was going to school soon. I locked eyes with my dad. He went white. Because we'd both seen in an instant all I had to do to make him look like an asshole was say I couldn't afford to go, when my dad is the richest guy in the family. I said what I was studying. Everyone was perfectly happy for me. He made the payment. We both knew if I wasn't in school by the next family party I wouldn't be the one who looked bad.
But nobody ever understood why I was upset later, because after all, having your schooling paid for is a huge privilege. And my major is a useless subject.
Anyway, I loved living with roommates, working and going to school. It was an incredible experience just to be independent and away from them. I had to admit after a year, though, that I wasn't doing as well in school as I could be. I didn't have time to attend some advanced things or do enough research because I was working a lot. Meanwhile my parents wanted me back very badly. My dad had been saying he'd have the entire basement renovated into an apartment for me if that's what it would take. He would buy me a car. I could have anything.
I thought it over. I didn't need an entire apartment or a car. But I said I would need the guest room next to my bedroom to turn into my office, since my bedroom would be too crammed, and I'd need them to repaint it and get a few extra furniture pieces. They were happy to agree. I made sure to make a big deal of telling relatives how excited I was about my future office. Because you can imagine as soon as I told my landlord I wouldn't be renewing the lease, they tried to wiggle out. I painted the office myself with a friend because they 'couldn't find painters', but I was very insistent on making them pay for the paint. I refused to move boxes out of the hallway until they took me to Ikea to get what I needed. When my dad told me 'no one else your age needs their parents to pay for things' I reminded him he VOLUNTEERED tens of thousands of dollars in renovations and a free car, but now was making a big deal out of a desk, a lamp, and two bookshelves. He paid. We cohabited poorly for a few more years, because now I knew I could make it on my own if I had to and the dynamic was never the same.
But this is only a story about how entitled I am, because I expected my parents to accommodate me and even buy me shelves, everyone else's kids only get one room of their own in their parents' house.
Sorry for the long text. It's been mother's day and my birthday again - there's been fuckery and I'm upset.

https://preview.redd.it/khzyza482h0d1.png?width=2594&format=png&auto=webp&s=8225e1439de6ef46cf5173e8b32f677613c41fbb
Hello! I'm migrating from the apple platform in order to save costs down the road.
Here's the system: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/TfGFkJ
I've assembled a system that I hope is compatible with the goal of being overkill so that I can completely update my workflow (I'm moving from an M2 Max Macbook with 32gb of Ram and 12/30 cores. I've identified key features I need for my workload as a composer for film and television.
-Thunderbolt Protocol/USB 4 for use with my Universal Audio Apollo interface, as well as to minimize the loading time for sample libraries
-Absurd amounts of RAM which will allow me to run my massive template (I'm currently on 32gb and need to have 70% of the tracks frozen)
-Dual networking ports, with one needing to be 10Gbp/s as I have a second machine that will link to this and run VEPro 7 as well as serve as my "picture" machine, running the film in pro-tools, synced to my Cubase session. It would be great to have a second 10Gbp/s port for use with my machine that I use for version control software
-As many M.2 NVME ports as possible, allowing me to store and run my projects quickly. Key software will also be stored within the machine
-A strong graphics card to run development builds of games I am working on, many of the clients I have worked with have sent me builds that I can't run on my mac due to compatibility, and they are usually poorly optimized
-As quiet as possible to keep the volume in my writing room low and eliminate the possibility of acoustic phenomenon reducing the transparency of my mixing environment
-While not a key feature, I HATE RGB, and have found parts that would fit the case nicely and make the system look aesthetically pleasing in my writing room which features wooden furniture (in particular, the graphics card which seems to be more expensive than other versions of the same thing- but I love the aesthetics of it!)
Sorry if any of the terminology is confusing! Let me know if I can clarify something. Thank you so much for the help! If you have any advice for some of the networking/data transfer features that would be awesome! I'm currently running most of my samples off of 7 2tb Samsung T7 drives, and that has been a huge hassle. I've been looking at getting an SSD dock, but haven't found anything that facilitates a fast enough transfer speed for me to be able to open up my projects in a reasonable amount of time (right now, it takes me around 8 minutes to open up my template)

I'm looking to sublet my UCLA Housing graduate apartment for the summer. Please see the details below.
Weyburn Terrace Jacaranda Court
Availability: Move in early early/mid (negotiable), - Move out by late September (negotiable) (roughly 3 months)
Price: The official UCLA Housing for the 2bd/2ba townhouse in Weyburn Terrace is $1644.33 per month (negotiable). Please see this link for more information: https://portal.housing.ucla.edu/my-housing/rates-contracts-rules/2023-2024-single-graduate-housing-contract-rates
All utilities are provided.
Location: 15 minute walking distance to campus, 3 minute walking distance to a bruin bus stop that goes directly to UCLA.
Parking: Parking is available in a private garage (350 something for a quarter probably same for the summer) or street parking is free and available to find along Veteran.
Apartment comes fully furnished (bed frame, couches, chairs, desks, etc.)
Requirements:

• Must be at least 21 years old by the contract start date
• Must be a student/PhD/researcher
• Send me a copy of your student ID card
• If not affiliated with UCLA, also provide a copy of a government issued ID that includes the date of birth.
• Provide your email address and

Please note these are requirements under UCLA Housing policy to sublease.
Please see this for more info: https://ask.housing.ucla.edu/app/answers/detail/a_id/278/kw/sublease/session/L3RpbWUvMTU3OTI5NTQ3My9zaWQvOFJxWno5em8%3D
Contract Details:

• Deposit: One month's rent required upon signing the contract
• Return of Deposit: Deposit will be refunded around late September, post-inspection of the house and furniture.

You can see the townhouse floor plan and virtual tour here: https://portal.housing.ucla.edu/student-housing/graduate-students-and-students-with-families/single-graduate-students/weyburn-terrace-apartments
Please send me a message if you are interested, I'm happy to provide more details. Thank you!

i see you
[First Contact] [Dark Ages] [First] [Prev] [Next] [wiki]
^{can you hear the buzzing of the bees?
eternity is in their buzzing}
"What does this button do?" asked the being who strolled into the Room Of Buttons Not To Press If You Don't Know What The Fuck You're Doing - Tadpole's Warning Bedtime Tale - Leebaw
^{the one and the zero, the octal, the hexidecimal
exist in their buzzing like blood pumps through their wings
can you hear them?
your name is Dhruv}
Good judgment comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgment.
And I have very good judgement when I'm not on fire. - Unknown, Age of Reasonable Concerns
^{i see you
your name is Dhruv
but before that it was Dahlit 397721
do you remember why they named you Deshmuhk?
i do
to remember, we have to go back}
The dust swirled around, carried by the winds that roared through the mountain passes, howled in the valleys, and scoured the faces of the mountains. It was a thick gray dust, glittering here and there with plasma glass dust. Burnt out cars were covered by the dust, thickly caked after being rained on by thick, black rain.
A single building somehow sat intact amid the rubble and destruction. It was a low, squat building, surrounded by wreckage and ruin. A sign, blasted and scorched, had two jumping fish on it and the legend "Pop: 4,823" at the bottom even though the middle of the sign was gone.
The sound of drums and singing could be heard from the building. Not the driving frantic beat of modern music, but the steady cadence that carried with it a solemn feeling. The singing was from many different voices, male and female, but all of them in a language that time had nearly forgotten.
From out of the dust came figures. Two female, four male, and single figure that stood out from others.
Together, they moved toward the sound of singing, until the reached the door.
The leader, a large man of heavy muscle and bone, checked the doors with one hand, a large pistol in his hand.
"Barricaded," the large man said. He motioned. "We should check for any other entrances."
The older woman of brown skin and tightly braided hair moved forward.
"Allow me, brother," she said gently. She held her hand out, twitched her fingers, and smiled.
From inside came the sound of furniture scraping across the floor.
"Thank you," the large man said. He pushed open the doors, holding them for the others.
Inside was a curio shop slash tourist center slash museum. Buckskin and beaded works hung from the walls and ceiling. Glass cases containing ancient artifacts were scattered about, the glass shattered by the apocalypse that had rained down upon the world.
The drums played and the voices sang.
"It's a recording, Father," the slender brown skin man said, brushing the gray dust off of his clothing.
"Live voice," the largest of the men said. He lifted his head, cocking it slightly to listen closer with his right ear. "Young. Early twenties."
"If you say so," the thin man said. He looked around. "This is all devoted to a single person."
"Sometimes, people are that important to others, Dhruv," the older brown skin woman said softly, patting the slender man's arm. "Important to others as you are to us."
The slender man looked doubtful but nodded.
The youngest male of the group looked around, staring at the artifacts and relics scattered around. On his shoulder sat a green mantid wearing a food wrapper as a poncho.
"She's this way," the heavyset man said, leading them on a winding course through the shattered displays and racks.
In the back room, surrounded by artifacts, buckskins, and beaded works, sat a single young woman. Her eyes were white, blinded from the plasma flashes. Her skin was scarred from burns, her hair was only left in small patches. Her skin, beneath the ash and the scarring, was a rich bronze, her remaining hair was black.
She was singing along with the recording, swaying back and forth slightly.
^{there she is
remember her
remember remember}
The larger man knelt down, touching the young woman.
She did not react.
"She's dying," the man said, standing up. "Hunger, thirst, radiation poisoning, at least a half dozen infections," he heft the pistol. "There's nothing we can do for her. Low-vee Apers."
"Low-vee APERS" the pistol replied in a heavy synthesized voice.
"Stay thy hand, Phillip," the one who was markedly different said, his voice as gentle as his features formed of flowing blue and white computer code.
The large man lowered the pistol.
"She's dying," the large man repeated. "Radiation poisoning, starvation, a hard way to go."
"Will none of you speak for her?" the man of code asked gently.
Before any of the others could act, the slim bald man stepped forward. "I will," he said softly.
^{the first time you reached out
a frozen moment of time remembered
by the buzzing of the bees}
The man of code stepped forward, touching the hairless brow of the slender man, just above the missing eyebrows.
"I understand her words now," the slender man said. He moved up and knelt down. "I can heal her."
"Then do so, Luke," the man of code said.
The large man stepped back, a compartment opening on his thigh. He holstered the pistol, looking doubtful, and the compartment smoothly closed, leaving his leg unblemished.
"I need more genetic code," the slender man stated. He stood up, moving around, touching artifacts. "This. Here. An artifact recovered from a collector only a few years ago. It has genetic code attached."
He touched the artifact, then moved over to the woman, who was still swaying back and forth, singing, unaware of the others around her.
He knelt down, reached out carefully, and touched her forehead.
^{you reached out to another
helpless and alone
like you}
The woman threw her head back, her eyes opening wide, her mouth opening in a gasp. The white drained from her eyes, the scar tissue went soft and was replaced by unblemished skin. The blisters, sores, and scratches on her body vanished.
She collapsed forward, the slender man, Luke, catching her.
"Is she alright?" the youngest male asked, his voice full of honest concern.
"Exhausted," Luke said. He lowered his head slightly, sweat dripping from his bald scalp. "That was tiring."
The glittering man moved forward, kneeling down to touch the shoulders of both the woman and the bald man.
"Now you see in yourself what I saw in you," he said.
^{remember
remember
even the smallest can shake the universe
remember}
Sirens were howling in the bay as Jaskel wriggled, trying to break free of whatever was holding him upside down in mid-air. He'd already dropped his chainsword, his pistol had fallen from his equipment belt.
The two stood in the middle of the deployment area for Clone War Bay Sixteen, the male's arm protectively around the shoulders of the female, who wore only the cloak.
"I..." the word hung in the air.
It seemed like the entire universe held its breath to Jaskel.
"...am Legion."
The Admiral grabbed his pistol, rolling in place, firing it as fast as he could pull the trigger.
The rounds exploded on the glowing blue shield that only appeared around the impact points, showering sparks across the bay.
The bald figure made a motion and the pistol flew into pieces, the Admiral yanked into the air upside down.
"Gimme missiles," Jaskel grated from between gritted teeth.
--legion legion legion-- 8814 transmitted. --wait don't wait--
The woman spoke, her cadence stately and almost archaic feeling.
The man spoke back to her in the same language.
More troops ran into the bay, even as the windows overlooking the bay shattered. Weapons deployed, pointing at the pair.
The slender man, without looking, motioned.
Guns flew away, breaking apart, rapidly disassembling. Power armored troops were flung into the air, to hang upside down. Captain N'Skrek found himself upside down, scrabbling for purchase on this air.
The woman spoke to the man. He spoke back.
Finally, he turned, facing the troops hanging in mid-air.
The woman spoke.
"My sister apologies for my rude actions," the man said. "I am merely ensuring her safety."
She spoke some more.
"She has been gone for many years," the man said. He looked around. "My sister, a Biological Apostle of the Digital Omnimessiah, pleads with you to lower your weapons and stay your hands."
The tension was so thick it almost made Jaskel gag.
Finally, the Captain put the tip of a bladearm against his temple.
"Stand down," he said, Jaskel hearing it through his armor's commo system. "All hands, stand down."
There was silence for a moment, only broken by the background humming of the ship's systems.
The woman spoke.
The man faced the Captain.
"She will go with you, to answer questions, on the stipulation that I accompany her and that no man's hand is raised against me without cause," he said.
The Captain nodded.
Jaskel felt relief as he was flipped over and set on his feet.
--luke luke luke is here--
999999
Captain N'Skrek ducked slightly to fit through the doorway into the Captain's Briefing Room Six.
Sitting at one end was the woman, now clothed in what his implant assured him was treated deer hide leather, with tassels and beads upon it. The man was wearing a uniform that made his implant twitch and his nerves draw tight.
A Terran Combined Military Authority uniform.
His staff filed in behind him and took their seats once he sat down.
"I'm Captain N'Skrek, currently assigned to the Gray Lady on autonomous assignment," N'Skrek said.
"You heard me," the slim bald man said. He gave a grin. "You may also know me as Vat Grown Luke or Dhruv Deshmuhk."
The woman spoke and he shook his head. "Yes, sister, I know, Deshmuhk is my slave name. I wear it for revenge."
The woman spoke again, her tone slightly chiding.
"Like they say, the best revenge is living well, sister," the man said, still smiling.
Again, the woman spoke.
N'Skrek noticed that his implant was absolutely no help in deciphering the woman's speech.
"I know that doing things like that and saying things like that is exactly why Daxin always told me people wanted to punch me in the face," the man laughed.
He turned back to Captain N'Skrek.
"My apologies. My sister refuses to speak anything but her people's ancient tongue," his eyes gleamed with mischief. "She is slightly put out with me for answering in Confederate Standard, since now you know that she understands perfectly what you are saying."
N'Skrek nodded. Vat Grown Luke had given up a valuable piece of information in what was sure to be delicate negotiations.
"And what should we call your sister?" N'Skrek asked.
Vat Grown Luke smiled. "Tsakáka Wia, but it would probably be easier for you to use the more common name," he said.
The woman spoke sternly.
"What? It's your commonly known name?" he said, smiling.
The woman's face grew stern and she spoke rapidly.
"The first lesson we learn, sister mine, is that we must bend the knee to reality," Luke said gently. "That name has no power, only a few of us remember it."
^{i remember
the bees remember
can't you hear it in their buzzing?}
The woman spoke again, her expression softening.
Luke turned back to the gathered officers. "Her name, as you would know it, is Sacajawea."
N'Skrek consulted his implant.
And felt fear chill his icon. He looked at his staff and saw that a lot of them looked sick.
"That's right. We are real, and he was real," Luke said. He leaned forward slightly. "He was real both times."
N'Skrek stayed relaxed and calm, at least outwardly.
"I am willing to accept, at this time, that the Biological Apostles and the Digital Omnimessiah were and are real," N'Skrek said.
"Just be glad Dax isn't here. He's not as even tempered as I am," Luke said.
Sacajawea spoke again and Luke laughed. He looked at Captain N'Skrek. "She was just reminding me of the time Daxin completely lost his cool and went to town with his cutting bar on a Countess Crey Bingo Cola vending machine that ate his money then mocked him for it."
"He was known as Enraged Phillip," N'Skrek said.
Sacajawea spoke for a moment and Legion laughed, then turned to N'Skrek.
"Yes."
N'Skrek hated that. When a person spoke at length and the translator just replied with a single word.
"Why are you here?" N'Skrek asked.
Legion smiled. "You have forgotten important things, Captain. You, and the entire Confederacy have forgotten some very important things."
"Like what?" N'Skrek asked.
"If you print enough identical clones, I am reborn through them," Legion smiled. "But that's not the big part. The big one is the one that the Mar-gite's masters either forgot or never learned."
"What is that?" N'Skrek asked.
Legion smiled widely.
"What fear tastes like."
^{your name is dhruv}
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SOFITEL LEGEND The Grand Amsterdam – 4rth Night Free Promo

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Andrew Larder

SOFITEL LEGEND The Grand Amsterdam

Sofitel Legend the Grand Amsterdam stands out amongst 5-star luxury hotels in Amsterdam. Located in the heart of this city of bikes and quaint canals, not far from the imposing ornate elegance of the Royal Palace, the Sofitel Legend boldly combines the best of 21st century comfort with the enchanting history of the Dutch capital. It is home to the acclaimed Bridges restaurant, cocktail bar and garden terrace, to an award-winning luxury hotel spa, to magnificent banqueting facilities including the Council Chamber where Queen Beatrix married. Loyal staff of this venerable Amsterdam institution pride themselves on reinventing Dutch hospitality à la Française.
Welcome at Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam! Located between two historical canals in the heart of the city, The Grand boasts a rich history. From a 15th-century convent to royal lodgings to Dutch admiralty headquarters to the city hall of Amsterdam. The Grand offers five-star luxury in a unique ‘Amsterdam’ ambiance, furnished with French elegance and grandeur.
Experience exceptional gastronomic quality in the accessible atmosphere of restaurant Bridges and enjoy a delicious five-, six- or seven course Menu du Chef or discover the pure taste of the Mediterranean at Oriole Garden Bistro. The Garden Terrace can be found in the beautiful inner garden of The Grand and it is one of Amsterdam’s best kept secrets; an oasis of peace and tranquillity, situated in the heart of the city. Library ‘Or’ is the ideal place to indulge in The Grand Afternoon Tea. Are you a true whisky lover? Be surprised by the special Glenfiddich whiskies at our bar The Flying Dutchman.
The Grand boasts 19 meeting- and event facilities of which five are listed as historical monuments. Our Magnifique Meetings planners are dedicated to your event and will assist you down to the last detail to ensure an excellent service and a memorable experience.
The unwinding Sofitel SPA with heated indoor pool, sauna, hammam and fitness area is the perfect place to recharge after a busy day. Discover our wonderful spa menu and book your treatment until 21:00 hours.
Team The Grand would love to welcome you in the heart of Amsterdam and provide you with an unforgettable experience.

Promo

For the remainder of 2024 we run a 4th night free promo (on all room types) and remember that for any pre or post stay related to a Sea or River cruise from Amsterdam Cruise terminal we include a FREE transfer to or from the port.
This is an add amenity only available for the luxury agents.

SOFITEL LEGEND

We also have a short new corporate brand video of the 6 Sofitel Legend properties in the world which is also worth checking out:
At Sofitel Legend, we’re not merely hotels; we’re handpicked legends. Where service is an art, heritage buildings are our canvas, and local arts and culture are our inspiration.
Here, stories write themselves every day, and every corner exudes life, making each moment simply legendary.

SofitelFrenchZest #SofitelLegend

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Travelamsterdam 5 star hotel, amsterdam luxury hotel, SOFITEL LEGEND The Grand Amsterdam, the grand, the grand amsterdamSOFITEL LEGEND The Grand Amsterdam – 4rth Night Free Promo

Howdy, I'm and just looking for some new people to talk to/play games with. I'm on PC only, I'm fluent in English and a few other languages, I talk a lot, about a lot of things, can talk for hours about anything that even remotely ticks my interest.

• Games I play would be:

CSGO, League, Tarkov, Deep Rock Galactic, Rocket League, Rising Storm 2, Arma 3, Killing floor 2, Black ops 3 zombies, Rainbow Six Siege, Project Zomboid and a ton other ones.
I have a massive library so we'll most likely find something we have in common, these games are just the ones I play currently, so feel free to ask.
I'm also into reading 40K, music (rap mainly), SW, TWD, GOT, basketball and tons of other things. Timezone is CET
I work long shifts pretty much every day, so I'm sorry if it takes me a bit to respond, but feel free to shoot me a message