Three years ago I was messaged by a stranger on a social app. I remember checking their profile, because it was public, and saw photos of someone my age, with their friends and family, doing hobbies and stuff. Nothing strange, just a normal person, really. They told me that they are giving away their Steam account, and asked me if I wanted it.
They showed me that they had some games, more than ten, one or two had almost 1000 hours. I said that I wanted it, thinking they were trolling and, for my surprise, they weren't: they gave me their nickname, and password.
I was very surprised to say the least. I asked them why didn't they sell the account, they said that they had already enough money. I also asked why didn't they give their account to a friend or something, they said that their friends are 'assholes', so I kinda laughed it off because they literally were giving their account to me, a stranger, like what the hell. I said that when my pc will be repaired, I will access the account and text them, they said it's alright and I thought nothing more of it.
When the pc arrived, I never texted them because I forgot and they never texted me again too. However, this week I saw a video about people's stories about receiving strange messages and things of stranger accounts on social apps, and then I remembered my story, this one.
I checked the app in order to find their profile. I found our conversation, however the profile... doesn't exist anymore because it is a 'disabled account' on Instagram. I told this story to my friend, and I think we thought the same thing... and I don't like it. I need to know that this person is doing okay and the reason they were giving personal belongings and accounts to random people wasn't the one that we think it is.
I tried logging into their steam account too. The account is still working, but I need the code sent by steam to their gmail, which I don't have. The thing is: I know their name, and I know the username and password of the account and the games they played, nothing more. How do I find them? I really need to know if they are doing okay, even if it was a scam or something I need to know.
I tried finding their steam profile with steam id finder, to see if at least the account is active nowadays but there are like 12 different results, and I don't know which one is the correct and some of them are totally private. I hope the person is doing fine and the account is active nowadays, in that case they will see that someone tried to log in recently and then they will change the password. In case the password isn't changed soon, that would mean that the account is not active anymore, which would be very bad news.
I don't know and can't explain why do I care so much for a stranger, but I really need to know that they are okay.
Is there any possibility of me finding this person or someone they knew?

Please read.
I had the biggest crush on this guy since 2018 but I never confessed. In 2020 he dated his ex so I was forced to cut contact and I moved on.
I dated my ex from May 2021, he got cheated on in December 2021, I got cheated on in December 2022.
I reconnected with him in March 2023, fell for him again, confessed in June 2023.
He confessed that he liked me in 2018, but he moved on in 2019 because he thought I didn't like him back.
We fell for each other but didn't make it official though we acted like a couple because I was healing and I was honest about it. I started wanting commitment by February 2024.
In April 2024 he confessed that he had feelings for his girl bestfriend throughout 2022 because she was there for him after his breakup. However I wasn't comfortable as he didn't give me commitment because of him healing from her, he didn't confess it earlier.
He claimed that he blocked her and focused on me. He was putting in a lot of effort since July 2023. He claimed that he knew it will never work out with her in 2022.
Today we had our first date, we were being all cuddly and I saw a text message from the girl bestfriend he claimed that he blocked. He also told me his friends blocked her, and I noticed his friends had unfollowed her.
She said "How was the date?" . Then he told me that his friends told her we went on a date.
So this means he was in touch with her the whole time? I shrugged it off, he was awkward, he didn't eat, we hugged and held hands. It was sad when we left because we won't meet for another 2 years. I was crying because I won't see him again for another 2 years.
It's been 20 minutes since I reached home and I smell like him, but I can't stop overthinking. He paid for the date, he travelled a long way to meet me, he dropped me, he did everything, and then this had to happen.

Please read.
I had the biggest crush on this guy since 2018 but I never confessed. In 2020 he dated his ex so I was forced to cut contact and I moved on.
I dated my ex from May 2021, he got cheated on in December 2021, I got cheated on in December 2022.
I reconnected with him in March 2023, fell for him again, confessed in June 2023.
He confessed that he liked me in 2018, but he moved on in 2019 because he thought I didn't like him back.
We fell for each other but didn't make it official though we acted like a couple because I was healing and I was honest about it. I started wanting commitment by February 2024.
In April 2024 he confessed that he had feelings for his girl bestfriend throughout 2022 because she was there for him after his breakup. However I wasn't comfortable as he didn't give me commitment because of him healing from her, he didn't confess it earlier.
He claimed that he blocked her and focused on me. He was putting in a lot of effort since July 2023. He claimed that he knew it will never work out with her in 2022.
Today we had our first date, we were being all cuddly and I saw a text message from the girl bestfriend he claimed that he blocked. He also told me his friends blocked her, and I noticed his friends had unfollowed her.
She said "How was the date?" . Then he told me that his friends told her we went on a date. I saw her text and it crushed me. I have been cheated on before and I need a lot of reassurance and emotional security or I won't handle it well.
So this means he was in touch with her the whole time? I shrugged it off, he was awkward, he didn't eat, we hugged and held hands. It was sad when we left because we won't meet for another 2 years. I was crying because I won't see him again for another 2 years.
It's been 20 minutes since I reached home and I smell like him, but I can't stop overthinking. He paid for the date, he travelled a long way to meet me, he dropped me, he did everything, and then this had to happen.

Hi I need two plugins.

1. when you hover over the photo, the text appears and you can go to the subpage.
   
2. after entering the website, a message appears informing you that you can choose the language version of the website. e.g: Austrian French Dutch
   

Thanks!

If you are in the position to support my work, I have a patreon, venmo, and a paypal set up. Just three dollars a month makes a huge difference! No pressure though, I will keep posting these pieces publicly no matter what - paywalls suck.
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Kansas

Despite voters overwhelmingly rejecting a constitutional amendment that would have allowed abortion restrictions in the state, Kansas Republicans passed several anti-abortion bills into law late last month, overriding the governor’s veto.
The first bill, HB 2436, makes it a crime to “coerce” someone into having an abortion. Democrats attempted to widen the scope of the bill to include all kinds of reproductive coercion, like pressuring someone to become or stay pregnant and prohibiting their access to birth control, and enshrine a right to “reproductive autonomy.” Republicans voted down the amendment.
The second bill, HB 2749, requires medical facilities and providers to (1) ask patients their reason for having an abortion and (2) report the data, including personal information about the patient, to the legislature every other year. Gov. Laura Kelly (D) agreed with the objections of Democrats and reproductive rights advocates, saying when she vetoed the bill that there is “no valid reason to force a woman to disclose to the legislature why she is seeking an abortion.”

• Democrats offered numerous amendments to HB 2749, including one to require men to report to the legislature their reasons for having a vasectomy and another requiring men to report why they are seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction. Republicans rejected all of them.

Finally, the Republican legislature overrode Kelly’s line-item veto allocating $2 million to the Pregnancy Compassion Awareness Program, created last year with a different veto override. The program is run by an anti-abortion group called the Kansas Pregnancy Care Network, which refers pregnant people to crisis pregnancy centers designed to use misleading information to discourage them from obtaining an abortion.

Louisiana

Louisiana’s legislature is doubling down on its anti-abortion laws, passing bills to increase criminalization and refusing to add exemptions to its abortion ban.
Earlier this month, the Louisiana House took up a bill passed by the Senate that would make it a crime, punishable by jail time, to possess abortion-inducing medication. SB 276, sponsored by 23 Republicans and one Democrat, was initially written to create a punishment for coercing someone into an abortion without their knowledge or consent (e.g. spiking a drink). However, House legislators recently added an amendment to the bill that classifies mifepristone and misoprostol as Schedule IV substances alongside some opioids and benzodiazepines. A pregnant person possessing the drugs for their own use could not be charged, but others who intend to distribute them to pregnant people seeking an abortion or store them for their own potential future use would face up to ten years in prison.

“Neither is a drug of abuse or dependence, and that is what the controlled drug schedule is for,” said [emergency room Dr. Jennifer] Avegno of the abortion drugs. “It makes no scientific or medical sense to put these drugs in the same category as Xanax or Valium.”
Mifepristone is a drug that blocks a hormone called progesterone, which is necessary for a pregnancy to continue. Misoprostol causes uterine contractions, causing the body to expel the pregnancy tissue. Mifepristone is also used to treat Cushing’s disease, a hormonal disorder. Misoprostol is also used to induce labor, manage a miscarriage and in the treatment of ulcers. Neither are addictive. “People do not go around taking them and getting dependent and having bad outcomes because of it,” said Avegno. “It’s like saying your blood pressure medicine or insulin is a drug of abuse.”

A week later, Republicans on the House Criminal Justice Committee voted 7-4 to reject a bill to add rape and incest exceptions to the state’s total abortion ban. House Bill 164, written by Democratic Rep. Delisha Boyd, would have allowed girls younger than 17 to have abortions if they became pregnant as the result of sexual assault.

“That baby [in the womb] is innocent … We have to hang on to that,” said committee member Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, who voted against the bill. Rep. Lauren Ventrella, R-Greenwell Spring, also voted against the legislation, saying the proposed law would be difficult to enforce. Teenagers who had consensual sex might feign rape or incest in order to get access to abortion services, she suggested…
Dr. Neelima Sukhavasi, a Baton Rouge doctor specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, also implored the lawmakers to approve Boyd’s proposal. She and her colleagues have delivered babies for pregnant teenagers, including mothers as young as 13, since Louisiana’s abortion ban went into effect two years ago. These young pregnant people can experience health complications that affect them for the rest of their lives, Sukhavasi said, and sometimes don’t have the mental capacity to handle the births. “One of these teenagers delivered a baby while clutching a teddy bear,” she told the committee.

The Committee also killed three other bills: HB 56, to allow abortions in cases of spontaneous miscarriage or nonviable pregnancy; HB 63, to clarify that the removal of an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion under state law; HB 293, to add protection for physicians who do not intend to induce abortion by prescribing certain medications.

Texas

Meanwhile, in Texas—a state that pioneered the war on women and reproductive rights—a man initiated legal action to sue people who helped his former partner obtain an out-of-state abortion.
The man, Collin Davis, filed a petition in a state district court seeking permission to launch legal depositions to collect evidence for a potential lawsuit under a Texas law that contains civil liability for anyone who “aids and abets” an abortion. According to his lawyer, Jonathan Mitchell (who crafted the anti-abortion law), Davis is seeking to sue “co-conspirators and accomplices…involved in the murder of [his] unborn child.”

“Fathers of aborted fetuses can sue for wrongful death in states with abortion bans, even if the abortion occurs out-of-state,” he wrote. “They can sue anyone who paid for the abortion, anyone who aided or abetted the travel, and anyone involved in the manufacture or distribution of abortion drugs.”
Molly Duane, a senior staff attorney with the Center for Reproductive Rights, described Mitchell’s statement and general approach as misleading “fearmongering.”
“People need to understand that it is not a crime to leave Texas or any other state in the country for an abortion,” said Duane, who is working with lawyers from the firm Arnold & Porter to represent the woman and others targeted in the Davis case. “I don’t want people to be intimidated, but they should be outraged and alarmed.” Duane described the woman’s relationship with Davis as “toxic and harmful.”

Mitchell also represents a different man who pursued a similar claim last year: Marcus Silva engaged Mitchell to sue the friends of his estranged wife for allegedly helping her obtain abortion pills. Evidence later revealed that Silva knew about the plans beforehand and did not intervene, likely intending to use the threat of legal action as a way of forcing his partner to halt divorce proceedings.

Monday’s counterclaim illustrates, in painstaking detail, exactly how Silva—aided by Mitchell—allegedly deployed this tactic. It was only after Brittni’s abortion was complete that Silva revealed he knew about the plan and, according to the lawsuit, threatened to turn her in if she didn’t submit to his continued abuse. He even showed the police photographs of messages discussing the possibility of an abortion. “Once I finally got home with the girls he had been drinking and he told me that he knew,” Brittni texted one friend. “He’s using it against me.” In another message, she wrote, “Now he’s saying if I don’t give him my ‘mind body and soul’ until the end of the divorce, which he’s going to drag out, he’s going to make sure I go to jail for doing it.” […]
The counterclaim points out another flaw in his argument: Silva himself “is responsible for the alleged injury for which he seeks to recover.” He “knew that Brittni planned to terminate her alleged pregnancy and acquiesced in accepting Brittni’s actions,” so “it would be unconscionable to permit him to benefit by changing his position now.” His claims, in short, are barred “by unclean hands,” because he effectively entrapped his estranged wife—covertly discovering her plan to terminate the pregnancy, then allowing her to go through with it for the express purpose of blackmailing her into staying with him.

Indiana

A three-judge panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals last month unanimously recognized a religious freedom challenge to the state’s complete ban on abortion.
The case, brought by Hoosier Jews for Choice and four anonymous women of various faiths, alleges that the ban interferes with “their sincere religious beliefs that require and direct them to obtain abortions” criminalized since the law took effect in 2023. According to Jewish law, a fetus does not have personhood until birth, and abortion is required if the pregnancy endangers the life or health of the mother.

Brief of Hoosier Jews for Choice (and other plaintiffs): As indicated by the declarations of numerous rabbis, Judaism teaches that a fetus becomes a living person only at birth, and prior to that is considered part of the woman’s body, without independent rights. Abortion should occur and is mandated to end a pregnancy that may cause serious consequences to a woman’s mental or physical heath. Judaism also recognizes that physical health risks are not limited to those likely to cause substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. Judaism stresses the necessity of protecting the physical and mental health of the woman—a life—over the potential for life present in a zygote, embryo, or fetus. Therefore, restrictions that prevent a woman from obtaining an abortion where compelled by Jewish law, which mandates that the woman act to protect her physical or mental health, impose a substantial burden on that person’s religious exercise.

Under Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), “a governmental entity may not substantially burden a personʹs exercise of religion,” defined to include “any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief.” This means that arguments about whether plaintiffs are strictly observant are irrelevant; the law protects sincerely held religious views regardless of whether that view is idiosyncratic or unorthodox. However, even a law that imposes a substantial burden on the exercise of religion can be enforced if it is “the least restrictive means of furthering [a] compelling governmental interest” (the strict scrutiny test).
The state argued that abortion does not carry “religious significance” and, even if it did, the abortion ban satisfies strict scrutiny because it is “sufficiently narrowly tailored” to “further the State’s interest” in “protecting human lives in the womb.” Throughout Indiana’s brief, the state attempts to use science to back up fetal personhood, extending developmental physiology to make unfounded claims that protected life unquestionably begins at conception:

In lower courts, the State’s compelling interest is not up for debate. In Cheaney v. State, the Indiana Supreme Court held that the State’s interest in protecting unborn children is “valid and compelling” from “the moment of conception.” …A basic understanding of biology supports these holdings. “That human fetuses are human beings is a scientific fact, not a theological claim.” Regardless whether an individual person believes this, “the scientific consensus” is that “[d]evelopment begins at fertilization,” after which the newly created “unicellular zygote divides many times and becomes progressively transformed into a multicellular human being through cell division, migration, growth, and differentiation.” …. Science thus tells us that “[t]he act of performing an induced abortion during any stage of pregnancy, from fertilization up to birth, ends the life of an innocent human being.” The State’s interest in protecting unborn fetal life at any stage from intentional destruction accordingly is nothing less than “compelling.”

A panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals—made up of a Republican appointee and two Democratic appointees—unanimously ruled against the state, upholding a lower court’s injunction against the abortion ban as it applies to the plaintiffs. In the process, the court laid out a path for religious freedom challenges to abortion bans in other states and at the federal level.

The trial court found that absent a preliminary injunction, Plaintiffs would be irreparably harmed by the loss of their religious freedoms guaranteed by RFRA. A loss of First Amendment freedoms, which include the right to free exercise of religion, “for even minimal periods of time, unquestionably constitutes irreparable injury.”... Without a preliminary injunction, Plaintiffs will suffer the loss of their right to exercise their sincere religious beliefs by obtaining an abortion when directed by their religion and prohibited by the Abortion Law. They also have shown their sexual and reproductive lives will continue to be restricted absent the injunction and as a result of the Abortion Law.

• Briefs can be found under case number 22A-PL-2938 on Indiana’s Appellate docket

My Q (stbxh) is coming back to the area after getting kicked out of a rehab center. He eloped from campus and got alcohol. He will be staying with his uncle but I just have such a bad feeling about it. We were messaging a little bit yesterday and he got very upset that I wouldn’t talk on the phone with him. I’ve set boundaries that I won’t do small talk and that I need to know exactly what he wants to talk about so that we can stay on track and not debate or argue. I didn’t know that he was discharging today so he was extra frustrated. Then he was messaging angry and hurtful texts telling me to stop “playing victim” and to stop “stonewalling with boundary fears”. His entitlement is astonishing. Furthermore, he just wants to sweep his past to the side and move forward. I’m doing my best to keep my side of the street clean, attend meetings, and talk with my counselor. I voiced my fears to his family who say “he would never hurt you or the kids”. But he is sick, desperate, and sees me as the bad guy who has what he wants and feels entitled to. Plus, if they think they can control him, when a “top of the line” rehab couldn’t, then why should I trust them over my own intuition? I sent the messages to my lawyer and will be contacting him today. I just want to get some support from this community. Thank you

Left me Sunday citing his mental health was too bad( even though every time he has had a breakdown I was the only one to help him through it ) , keeps letting me down , live too far away, issues with my dietary restrictions etc etc . Argued and eventually he hung up on me . I sent a letter and his clothes 2 days later which I received a message by the post office was delivered (left in safe place) today around midday. Not a word from them, unsure if they even got it . Tried to apologise for how I reacted, sorry if our one year made him think he had to consider if he’d have to move here one day (I own a house he asked if I’d want him to move here one day and I said it’d make sense ) a few weeks ago, said I care for him and to think about how he feels and if is happier now I understand and will move on but hope to hear from him and would be there for him etc . Nothing - 8 hours later . Figure my only choice here is no contact - I’ll rather move on and have some dignity instead of calling and texting like i want to do and chasing or he will reach out before it’s too late. Everytime he has left in the past he reaches out a few days later apologising because his mental health got too bad , so it’s possible but it’s def true he has been struggling in life and I can’t bet on it and honestly he would need to be open to help and getting off drugs if he came back so maybe it’ll be for the best .
I hope to hear from him and he comes back - if I’m being honest . But I’m not going to contact again, he has his stuff, I’ve said my piece , said I want to be in his life , left on a good note rather than crying during a breakup and have to leave it now . Give me strength please . It’s the right thing to do yes ?

Here’s the decoded text of the second or third ? Puzzle….
IT WAS TOTALLY INVISIBLE HOWS THAT POSSIBLE ? THEY USED THE EARTHS MAGNETIC FIELD X THE INFORMATION WAS GATHERED AND TRANSMITTED UNDERGRUUND TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION X DOES LANGLEY KNOW ABOUT THIS ? THEY SHOULD ITS BURIED OUT THERE SOMEWHERE X WHO KNOWS THE EXACT LOCATION ? ONLY WW THIS WAS HIS LAST MESSAGE X THIRTY EIGHT DEGREES FIFTY SEVEN MINUTES SIX POINT FIVE SECONDS NORTH SEVENTY SEVEN DEGREES EIGHT MINUTES FORTY FOUR SECONDS WEST X LAYER TWO

I (M33) recently had an ex (M38) from a year ago message me saying he wanted to get closure from how things ended, which should be it's own post; but I'll sum it up.
I invited him on a cruise with a friend group. Friend group decided to go to a LGBT mixer. During the mixer, I talked to two separate groups by myself. He became upset when I talked to a guy within the second group and said I was flirting with him. I was led away from the group and followed him to our room.
I apologized for not including him in the conversation, but he became verbally aggressive. Saying I made him look stupid in front of the group and that no other n**** was talking like I was if they were coupled. I then said why are you acting jealous, and to that he said why would I be jealous of you and other stuff. At that point, I leave and go to get a free massage sampler to hope things calm down.
It doesn't, and he texts that I need to talk to him now or my shit is going to be packed up and left outside of the room, I'm a piece of shit, I'm going to guest services. I just ignore them, and I show the texts to a member of the group who was also at the free massage event.
While showing the text messages, the ex comes out of nowhere and cusses at me again and says he's going to guest services and I just say ok, whatever. I go to the room and I see he has his things packed up. About 20 minutes pass and security is at my door reprimanding me and saying we can't have altercations like this. We're gonna revoke both of you all's drinking privileges. And they asked me multiple times if I would vacate the room and sleep in a friend's room since I knew a few of them longer.
I said no, especially since he still $400+ for the trip, and security let him know that he couldn't be moved since the cruise was sold out. They also said that going forward we should just act as though we're in separate trips and not speak with each other.
Security leaves and immediately he is asking to talk it out. In my petty bag, I kept saying you heard what they said. We're not allowed to talk to each other; but I do mention that I'm going to text a member of the group to see if they're fine with him staying in their room since they were become fast buddies. Again, definitely in my petty bag.
He then grabs my phone and makes threats that he'll make false accusations to security if I don't talk to him. Security warned us we would be locked up if they had reports of yelling/fighting and he wanted to intimidate me into speaking with him when I wasn't in the mood after being scolded/chastised.
After getting my phone back, I leave the room. Clear my mind and head back to the room after a few hours. I say I'll talk if he clears it up with security. He tells me that he's already made the decision to leave the ship and his ex bought his ticket to go back to the states from Puerto Rico. He also stated that he would be moving out of town to live with his mother.
After that, we have two more encounters stateside. He had left his keys in my car at the port and told me just to throw them in the trash. Instead of doing that, I sent him an email a week after getting home. I apologized again and told him I would leave his keys with the property management team. But I wanted to see if he actually moved, so I knocked on his door a few times. He then comes out and says this isn't appropriate and he'll call the cops if I come again.
I still do like a dumb ass. I want a response from him, I want a chance for reconciliation and if not at least closure. And yes, at this point I've been blocked on social media and through phones. So I leave a lilac, a favorite movie of his, and another apology note. Still no contact from him.
So I just decide a few weeks later I'm going to stay on his doorstep until he talks to me or calls the cops. The latter happens and I tell them I not there to cause any harm. I just want to speak. The cop just lets me know my ex wants nothing to do with me and I can be charged if I come back on the apartment grounds.
So I leave and that's our last interaction until the day after my bday. Sorry I went long winded, but I wanted to provide context on the break up. I've attached the convo we had earlier.
https://imgur.com/a/UMyT2uH
Do you all feel as though I was an asshole for not giving him the response he was looking for by not saying I didn't hate him? And do you feel like my responses were toxic/dramatic?

The tensions with Opposing Empire have gone beyond mere mutual enmity. This is a conflict of economies, ideologies, and clandestine efforts, fought across our empires in the hearts and minds of our citizens. With some carelessness, or perhaps deliberate actions, it could quickly become a full-fledged military conflict.
^{(Note: this is a sneak peak into a larger Diplomacy DLC concept I am designing. Also disclaimer: I am not a game designer, I intentionally did not provide numbers, just ideas! Feel free to suggest or criticize.})
When two empires are Rivals a while, both sides will have the option to escalate the Rivalry into a Cold War, which costs Influence. If either side does this, a Situation that is shared and progressed by both sides is created. This situation is intended to provide more RP and mechanical freedom for empires to either diplomatically mend relations, prepare a leadup to war, or perhaps make gains without resorting to warfare.
Cold Wars, like many situations currently in the game, operate on a line between two endpoints, representing the tensions between the two empires: Reconciliation (-100) to War (100).
By default, the Situation will start at 0 and remain stagnant in the middle. Both sides will have access to four Approaches which have different bonuses and effects on the Situation:

• Seek De-Escalation: costs Unity to upkeep. Increases Opinion of the opposing empire, and progresses the Situation towards Reconciliation. (Our simmering conflict with Opposing Empire must be reconsidered. We will extend diplomatic tendrils in hopes of reducing tensions and reconciling our two empires.)
• Maintain Status Quo: costs no upkeep, has no effect. (The current friction with Opposing Empire works to our advantage. We will focus on our own affairs.)
• Clandestine Effort: costs low Energy Creds to upkeep. Moderately decreases the cost of running Spy Operations in the target empire and slightly increases their effectiveness. Slowly progresses the Situation towards War. (We have no desire for a large scale armed conflict with Opposing Empire at this time- instead, we will use... other methods to improve our position.)
• Prepare for Hostilities: costs more Energy Creds to upkeep. Increases Military Ship and Defense Platform build speed, and more quickly progresses the Situation towards War. (We have had enough of the thinly veiled hostilities with Opposing Empire. War is inevitable- and we will lay the groundwork for victory!)

Progress: there are also other factors which will influence the progress of this situation:

• Either side being Militarist or Xenophobe will add base progress towards War, increased if Fanatic.
• Insults will bump the scale towards War.
• Military buildup/border friction, as well as the currently existing Conduct Fleet Exercises event, will move the scale towards War.
• The opinion of either side decreasing further (ex. Harm Relations) will move the scale towards War- this also means a 3rd party could use Spy operations, like the existing Diplomatic Incident or Smear Campaign, to push the outbreak of hostilities!
• New Cassus Belli gained by either side against the other will push the scale towards War- for example, taking a Civic that grants CB, or becoming a Hegemon. So will Declaring War on a Vassal or Ally (provided this doesn't immediately pull the empire in).
• HOWEVER:
• Either side being Pacifist or Xenophile will add base progress towards Reconciliation, increased if Fanatic.
• Cassus Belli becoming invalid will push the scale towards Reconciliation- for example, Impose Ideology becomes invalid if the target adopts matching Ethics.
• Improving Relations by any means will move the scale towards Reconciliation. Eventually, Embassies and other Diplomatic actions can end the Cold War.
• De-Escalation can be traded under Actions- normally, Rival AI empires will never be willing to trade, but an exception can be made here, to for example allow one side to Trade systems, resources, etc as concessions in exchange for X progress towards De-Escalation. The AI may offer such deals if Inferior or Pathetic, and may request concessions to reduce tensions if Superior or Overwhelming.

Events: as with most Situations, the Cold War could feature various events for RP and mechanical purposes. Here are some examples I thought up:

• Fraternization with the Enemy (either empire is some degree of Spiritualist, Xenophile or Pacifist): Despite the tensions with Opposing Empire, news reports and viral videos have recently been circulating of groups of both Our Species and Their Species activists united in song and demonstration on multiple planets. Apparently, these individuals seek an end to the hostility between our empires.
  • [Support these noble and righteous souls.] - bumps the scale towards Reconciliation. Gain temporary Ethics attraction for the corresponding Ethic.
  • [Ignore these misguided fools.] - situation does not change. Gain temporary Happiness debuff for pops of the the responsible Ethic.
  • (Militarist, Xenophobe, or Authoritarian) - [Arrest as many of the wicked traitors as we can identify!] - costs Influence, bumps the scale towards War. Gain temporary Ethics attraction for the Ethic you used to take this choice.
• Arms Race Breakthrough (is currently using the Prepare for Hostilities approach, increased chance if Materialist or Technocracy): Amidst the large-scale preparations for possible conflict with Opposing Empire, a small team of scientists has independently developed a new military technology and presented it to our government for use.
  • [Excellent.] - bumps the scale towards War, and gain a low-mid tier military tech that was not yet researched. If no valid options, gain some Engineering research instead.
• Pro-War Rally (has any Xenophobe or Militarist leader): Recently, in front of massive crowds on Planet Name, Leader Name delivered a rousing speech extolling the glorious virtues of Our Empire and denouncing the horrific threat presented by Opposing Empire. It would seem many have been swept up in this pro-war fervor and are demanding action from our government. However, foreign emissaries and more moderate elements have cautioned against supporting such explosive, radical rhetoric.
  • [We stand with Leader Name! To war!] - bumps the scale towards War, changes our approach to Prepare for Hostilities if it isn't already, and gain Unity and temporary Ethics Attraction to Leader Name's Ethics. BUT reduces the Opinion of Opposing Empire and any empires Cordial or friendlier to them.
  • [Heads must be kept cool, and Leader Name must be reprimanded.] - costs Influence, but the situation does not change.

And now, for the conclusions of the situation:
Reconciliation Finisher (or if empires somehow become overlord/vassal or allies via external circumstances)
Both Empires get the Event: De-Escalation Successful
In a significant diplomatic achievement, the heated tensions with Opposing Empire have been comprehensively defused! Perhaps this will pave the way for friendlier relations and better days ahead.
If the Situation reaches Reconciliation, the Cold War and Rivalry will immediately be ended, with all their bonuses and effects. Both empires will gain a moderate lump sum of Influence and Unity, as well as a small burst of increased Opinion for each other.

• [That was a close one.] - default option, overwritten by others if applicable
• (Pacifist or Xenophile) [A glorious day!] - the rewards are increased
• (Militarist or Xenophobe) [Disappointing.] - the rewards are decreased

War Finisher (or if empires are pulled in by other factors)
Both Empires get the Event: Cold War Turns Hot
The heated tensions with Opposing Empire have ignited! Negotiations have broken down, and fierce border skirmishes have erupted. The truth is now undeniable: we are at war.
If the Situation reaches War, the Cold War and Rivalry will transform into an actual, normal war. Both empires will gain a small lump sum of Influence and Unity and will have a window to pick from their available Cassus Belli and call in allies before the battle begins.

• [To battle stations!] - default option, overwritten by others if applicable
• (Pacifist or Xenophile) [Well, we tried...] - the rewards are decreased
• (Militarist or Xenophobe) [Long have we waited for this moment!] - the rewards are increased

And that's all I've got for you all today. Thanks for reading and please send any suggestions or feedback! Here's a bonus: a new achievement based on the irl Soviet Colonel who may have saved the world
Legacy of S'tann Pet'rovv: De-Escalate a Cold War after tensions had at one point reached 95 or higher.

The NHS offers financial incentives of up to £400 to obese men participating in a weight loss program that includes supportive text messages.
Read the full story: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/nhs-paying-obese-men-400-lose-weight-texting-them-avoid-kebab-shop-1724651

The NHS offers financial incentives of up to £400 to obese men participating in a weight loss program that includes supportive text messages.
Read the full story: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/nhs-paying-obese-men-400-lose-weight-texting-them-avoid-kebab-shop-1724651

XBOX users: Are you looking to buy or sell something for money? This is your thread!

• There is a whole sub devoted to maintaining a reputation, which you can find here, but keep in mind that YOU need to copy/paste and search usernames here, not just trust links that get sent to you.
• CLICK HERE to search a user on the Universal Scammer List. This will tell you if a user has been banned or not. Remember that banned users can still message you.
• As a reminder, any reposting of the same/similar content within this post will be considered spam and against our rules. You may post to the PM thread later when it gets posted.
• You can find the detailed rules here. Please review them before commenting.
• Make an effort to condense your comment or it will be removed. Don't make it scream for attention; you're selling something, we get it. If it's taking up half a mobile screen...it's too much. If you're using the heading text, all caps, etc. it's too much.

PS4 and PS5 users: Are you looking to buy or sell something for money? This is your thread!

• There is a whole sub devoted to maintaining a reputation, which you can find here, but keep in mind that YOU need to copy/paste and search usernames here, not just trust links that get sent to you.
• CLICK HERE to search a user on the Universal Scammer List. This will tell you if a user has been banned or not. Remember that banned users can still message you.
• As a reminder, any reposting of the same/similar content within this post will be considered spam and against our rules. You may post to the PM thread later when it gets posted.
• You can find the detailed rules here. Please review them before commenting.
• Make an effort to condense your comment or it will be removed. Don't make it scream for attention; you're selling something, we get it. If it's taking up half a mobile screen...it's too much. If you're using the heading text, all caps, etc. it's too much.

Hello guys,
I´m a little in panic right now, since I am always super cautious when it comes to emails.
Today I have received the following email from Paypal:
__________________
Date: Wednesday 15 March 2024, 09:40 CEST
Address: "[donotreply@paypal.com](mailto:donotreply@paypal.com)" (without quotation marks ofc)
Subject: Here are the transaction fees you pay
Content:
Hello, first name
These are the fees you have paid
You have closed your Paypal account. Below you will find an overview of the transaction fees you have paid in the past year.
The attached list of fees in PDF format contains the relevant details.
__________________
Welp, as stupid as I am and since everything was completely the same (signature, copyright, legal notic,etc) as in other PayPal emails, I opened the PDF in my Outlook app on the iPhone and saw there´s only a summary of 0€ fees (PDF seemed authentic), and after that I clicked on the link "Contact" (Yep, stupid, I know). However, I never signed in through the website and immediately closed the tab in Safari and deleted everything in my history.
I immediately contacted PayPal Customer Service on my pc and voiced my worries.
They wrote the following message before I uploaded the screenshots they demanded:
"According to the details I see on your PayPal account, the last email I see in your PayPal account notification centre was on 15 May 2024, 09:30 CEST with subject line - "Here are the transaction fees you specified". No other email has been sent to you in the last 5 days with the subject you specified."
First I was relieved, but then my scepticism began to grow again because of the different time and subject, especially after I have uploaded the screenshots of the email since the customer support wrote then:
"Thank you for bringing this email to our attention. If you receive this type of email in the future, please forward the original email to [phishing@paypal.com](mailto:phishing@paypal.com). Once you have forwarded the email to us, please delete it from your inbox.
If you have provided financial or password information in response to a suspicious email or on a website, report it to your bank immediately and change your password and security questions in your PayPal account.
I can also confirm that your PayPal account is active and that there are no problems with your PayPal account."
__________________
I copied the link I clicked and ran it through both VirusTotal and Urlvoid and it came out as clear and under the same IP as the normal PayPal address. I also copied the email address and ran it through foresaid sites and a cyrillic decoder (came out as clear as well).
So now I am rather confused:

• Can the pdf hijack iOS by simply opening it? And if so, should I reset my iOS?
• Was this now a legit email from PayPal and was there only a delay in receiving the email and a translation error perhaps through customer support?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Edit: Please keep in mind that I also had to translate everything from German to English and instead of first name, it was indeed my first name

heyo, i've posted here in the past and i think almost everyone is sick of seeing me already lmfao but what can you do, there isn't any other subreddit or even site/app that i know of where you can find gaming friends.
we're looking for another couple to play games with and become good friends. we take care of our friendships and if there's something wrong or something is making you upset, we can always talk it out. quality over quantity after all (not that our brains can even handle having more than like 4 friends lmao)
we play irregularly - sometimes daily, sometimes every few days, sometimes once a week. i'm more available than my girlfriend is, she's way more busy than me. we usually plan our hangouts down to the hour and try not to miss them. even if we do miss a hangout, we reschedule.
as for the hours, well we tend to switch our sleep schedules every so often, usually we play during late hours (evening in europe) but now we've switched again and are hanging out at an earlier time. so i guess we'd be playing roughly 4-5 hours from now, as of making this post. that's what happens when you're in two separate timezones lmao.
we play co-op games like lethal company, risk of rain 2, deep rock galactic, terraria (recently started a modded playthrough again), rimworld (with multiplayer mods), don't starve together, palworld and a few other games. we're not fans of games like valorant, league or overwatch.
sorry, we're not interested in joining large preestablished friend groups, our social anxiety could never lmao. we'd rather create a tightly knit friend circle with the 4 of us, okay MAX 6 of us. we're also not interested in befriending individual people (like not a couple, yk? no offense just not what we're looking for), we tried it in the past and it ended up with them trying to flirt with one of us like 90% of the time lmao.
sorry for the wall of text, i just like writing stuff lmao can you tell i'm a writer? no, because my writing sucks ass? fair.
anyway, hit me up pal. also i believe reddit chat is scuffed right now so send a direct message instead if you can.

In recent years, HTML and WYSIWYG technologies have been among the biggest changes in web development. By facilitating visual revision and connecting the technical domain of code with the intuitive domain of web development, this technology renders the process more accessible and conducive to collaboration.
In the past, web development was predominantly dependent on programmers who used HTML code to construct websites line by line meticulously. Despite providing granular control, this method posed a substantial obstacle for non-technical users. Conversely, the advent of WYSIWYG editors has facilitated the accessibility of web development by enabling users to visually modify their creations, thereby promoting a more intuitive user experience.
This guide will examine the impact of the conversion from HTML to WYSIWYG on web development practices. We will discuss how this technology helps developers and content makers by making the workflow more efficient and team-based.

Understanding HTML to WYSIWYG Conversion

Progression toward WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors resulted in a paradigm shift in web development. In contrast to the conventional method of creating websites line by line through HTML code, these tools present a noticeable departure.
Visually intuitive interfaces, including tools, icons, and menus, which accurately represent the ultimate webpage layout, are the primary focus of WYSIWYG editors. By doing so, content creators and marketers can actively engage in the web development process without requiring extensive code knowledge.
Nevertheless, WYSIWYG editors possess capabilities that extend beyond their visual imagery. A complex conversion procedure exists beneath the surface. The software effortlessly converts user inputs (such as text or images) into corresponding segments of HTML code as the user interacts with the editor.
Determining the webpage’s structure and visual presentation, this code functions as the page’s foundation. For example, if a person adds a paragraph with bold text and an image, the WYSIWYG editor translates it to the following HTML code

 Example of HTML generated by a WYSIWYG editor 
 This is a bold text.
  
 

This code is then interpreted by the web browser, which proceeds to render the content exactly as intended. Critically bridging the gap between the intuitive realm of visual editing and the underlying code that regulates the web, WYSIWYG editors serve as an intermediary between the two.

Why Embrace HTML to WYSIWYG?

In the realm of contemporary web development, converting existing HTML into a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) format offers compelling advantages in accessibility, efficiency, and team collaboration. Let’s delve deeper into why this transformation is a smart move:

Accessibility and Efficiency

Before the rise of WYSIWYG editors, crafting web pages often required in-depth HTML knowledge. Consider this simple example:
HTML

Welcome to My Website!
 This is where the magic happens.
 

WYSIWYG editors empower individuals without extensive coding experience. They provide user-friendly interfaces for content creation and formatting. This democratizes the web development process, allowing content creators, marketers, and designers to actively contribute.

Real-time Previews and Streamlined Workflow

Let’s imagine you’re making layout changes with traditional HTML:

Image Here
 
Main Content
 

Using a WYSIWYG editor, you can visually adjust elements and get instant feedback. This eliminates the need for repeated coding, previewing, and revision — saving valuable time and effort.

Enhanced Collaboration

WYSIWYG editors foster a shared visual language. Designers can express ideas without extensive coding knowledge, making it easier for developers to translate those ideas into working code. Additionally, content creators can directly populate layouts:

• Designer: Visually creates a hero section with a compelling image and headline.
• Developer: Implements the structure using clean, semantic HTML.
• Content Writer: Seamlessly adds engaging copy within the WYSIWYG editor.

HTML to WYSIWYG conversion isn’t about eliminating code; it’s about streamlining the web development process, making it more inclusive and efficient. By embracing this approach, teams can build better websites, faster.

Choosing the Right HTML to WYSIWYG Tool

Choosing the best HTML to WYSIWYG conversion tool depends on recognizing characteristics that meet your workflow and project needs. Here’s a detailed checklist of critical capabilities to emphasize during your evaluation process:
FeatureDescriptionCustomization Options

• Ability to customize the editing interface (toolbar layout, keyboard shortcuts).
• Create and implement project-specific content modules or drag-and-drop pieces.
• Integration of third-party plugins for specialist functionality.

Compatibility

• Seamless integration with various Content Management Systems (CMS) platforms for hassle-free deployment.

Modern Web Standards

• Following HTML5 and CSS3 standards ensures code quality and future-proofs web development projects.
• Optimized website display across devices and screen sizes using responsive design.

Ease of Integration

• Simple installation with minimal settings.
• An intuitive interface that reduces learning time, especially for non-coders.

Support and Community

• Effective technical assistance and troubleshooting channels.
• Resourceful online community forum with tutorials and user-generated solutions.

Optimizing the WYSIWYG Editor Usage

Here are some tips to streamline your workflow and maximize your editing speed within a WYSIWYG editor:

• Use keyboard shortcuts: Most editors have shortcuts for common activities, dramatically improving editing speed.
• Use built-in formatting tools: Use bold, italics, headings, and bullet points to format your material efficiently.
• Clean up: Remove any unneeded parts or code generated by the editor to keep your code clean and efficient.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with user-friendly interfaces, problems can occur when using WYSIWYG editors. Here are some tips for troubleshooting typical issues:

• Unexpected formatting: If the formatting appears irregular, check that you are not mistakenly nesting styles or employing conflicting choices.
• Image display issues: Double-check image paths and file sizes to avoid broken links and delayed loading times.
• Limited responsiveness: Test your WYSIWYG-generated content on various devices to ensure it displays properly on all screen sizes.

An Overview of Advanced WYSIWYG Editor

The ideal HTML to WYSIWYG conversion tool finds the optimal blend of usability and strong capabilities. Consider solutions that provide users with a clean visual editing experience while also allowing them to customize the editor to their requirements.
Several top WYSIWYG editors excel in these categories. Froala is one such case. This powerful tool has a user-friendly interface, allowing intuitive content development, even for those with limited coding skills. Furthermore, Froala offers considerable customization options, allowing developers to tailor the editor’s interface, functionality, and content modules to fit smoothly into their existing workflows and project requirements.

Conclusion

These simple solutions enable a wider spectrum of people to participate in content creation, resulting in a more collaborative and efficient development process. Teams that embrace the power of WYSIWYG conversion may streamline workflows, shorten development cycles, and produce richer, more engaging web experiences. Explore innovative solutions such as Froala to maximize the benefits of HTML to WYSIWYG conversion and change your web development efforts.
This post was originally published on the Froala blog.

My (30m) twin is in a shitty, dangerous situation in his relationship and wants me and our family to just overlook the severity of it in hopes that everything will just be peachy.
He started talking to a girl over Instagram while living with my parents getting his life back together after a very messed up situation he put himself in with our older brother where he was in danger. My older brother is crazy, controlling, and can physically harm family but needed help and my twin thinks he’s here to help everyone.
This girl (Sally) was verbally, mentally, emotionally abusive before they had even met in person. My mom got to hear them fighting constantly but he’d defend her when anyone would ask or show concern. He shared many very worrying details with me like her telling him he’s basically a loser, and many things she didn’t like about him. He’s already so into her at the time and believes it’s a challenge to overcome that he wants to prove himself. He’s constantly sending these letters and flowers confessing his love.
They finally met where she lives multiple states away. She’s told him multiple times since then in different ways if he didn’t do these trips he couldn’t afford, that she would stop talking to him and that happened any time she’d get mad at him.
She also got him to work for their family business for almost nothing, building their website, selling, communicating with customers online. She didn’t want to keep doing it because she has her own business in shitty art you’ve seen on Instagram a thousand times. But people buy it so good for her, I guess.
When her parents and her happened to be going by where my parents live on a business trip, she asked him to get my parents to lie to hers about their relationship and pretend they were just business partners. My parents were obviously appalled and didn’t agree. They never met.
He eventually moved to her state after maybe 6 months of randomly meeting/dates and her parents being told a lie about the development of their relationship. She refused to stay at his apartment until he had furnished it. This whole time we’re warning him that these are serious red flags and sometimes he would tell her he’s not ok with them. She’d say she has trust issues and when he moved that would go away or some other insecurity or she’ll stop something, but she always got what she wanted.
His lease runs out and they end up getting a pretty expensive place together, plus he’s put a bunch of furniture and a car on credit that he can’t afford because she also tells him if they don’t on enough dates she’ll leave him. She had him get the car because she didn’t drive. You name it. So he’s drowning in debt constantly now for the first time in his life.
Then we start hearing really weird shit. He has to get a new work laptop because he spilled water on it. When my brother finally gets to see me, she tells him she doesn’t trust me and doesn’t leave him alone starting drama the entire trip. They break up and I’m getting verbally abusive messages about how I’m a loser and my relationship will never be as good as theirs. Then veiled threats through apology texts when they get back together. Turns out she poured water on his laptop. She’s been verbally abusing him, calling him a “beta cock loser”…she screamed that he was running her over when she wouldn’t let him drive away, threatened to tell police he was abusing her, he later told me they’ve become physically abusive towards each other.
One day he calls me and tells me to keep a recorded phone call he had with her. She was threatening him, telling him he needed to leave the apartment or something bad was going to happen to him. She threatened other things including using her brother’s connection with the cartel to hurt me and my girlfriend’s family in Mexico where we’re living.
This was the final straw for me and my parents. She’s been blocked everywhere and will never be near us again.
My brother, however, even forgave her for this and kept trying to work on the relationship. Later he did temporarily leave and stayed at my parents house but after she kept calling using different numbers and even emailing him telling him she’d bought self help books, he fell for it and went back.
I quit working with my brother and resigned from our company we started, and have since barely spoken to him except when he texts me he loves me. He thinks we can have a normal relationship and even forgive her too. He thinks everyone should believe her that she’s changing. They went to one therapy session. She barely started one of the audio books (I saw the progress on audible).
I feel like he has no self respect or respect for his family or my girlfriend’s, who loves him by the way. I think he’ll end up in jail, hurt, or continuing with her feeling like a loser and being abused. We’ve tried to help and been there for him countless times but he never chooses us. That’s actually something he’s been doing his whole life.
TLDR: My twin brother is being abused and is ruining his life but thinks he’s in love.

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