Wooden tech decks for sale

Sorry for the long post…
For some context, I’m a 30yr old female, I primarily worked in Veterinary medicine for my adult life. I did not attend any post secondary education, I have learned everything on the job. I worked for 2 years as a tech assistant in emergency, and 7 years as a surgical assistant along side a board certified surgeon. I LOVED that job, but I left the industry 2 years ago due to burn out and an attempt to make more money in another industry. So I left and I worked at a motorcycle shop for 1.5yrs, initially in the parts department, and then into motorcycle sales for about 6 months. Now I’m working for a laser eye surgery facility in a sales role, and occasionally I prep and recover patients on surgery days.
My current work environment is incredibly toxic, and I’ve learned that I hate sales. I get very stressed knowing I’m meant to hit targets and it doesn’t drive me to work harder. I will say I am an incredibly hard worker and I throw myself 100% into whatever I’m doing, but I need to be passionate about my work, or I am miserable and my mental health takes a turn.
I’ve been considering going back into Vet Med, mostly because I’m confident in my skills and I could ask for a decent wage with my experience. Most clinics I could work 4 10hr shifts which I would love to go back to and be at home more. I’d also love to work remotely since my husband and I are considering moving next year.
I have a lot of experience in customer service, I’m a people pleaser and a good problem solver. I would love any suggestions on industry’s or careers I could look into for my very niche set of skills.
Thanks in advance!

2 years ago someone gave me a John Deere lt150 with a pristine body/frame, deck, and a blown up Kohler CV15S. Got a replacement engine for $400 on Ebay, about 4 hours later, and a new carb, I had a nice running mower with bagger attachment. I use the bagger, 100% of the time. My main reason for cutting the lawn at all is that I want the mulch for the massive compost piles we have going and our 6k sq ft garden + our 50 orchard trees. All total, we have about 5 acres of hobby farm. Some is well maintained / smooth, some is not. I mow most of it / what the animals aren't keeping up with or can't be allowed on.
Grew up using Walkers (Dad owned a lawn business) and aside from my little LT150, that's all I know. Of course I'm not spending $25k on a lawn mower and the last used one I saw had over 100 people in line and it was over priced. What's out there / what will I be happy with? I assume a lot of the newer tech (especially zero turn) will be a huge life change over the 8 hours a week I spend on my lt 150. But, I know mostly nothing. My goal is to mow faster. I spend too much time trying to flip the 150 around, or go around trees/obstacles. Also, the bags fill up a bit quick / lots of time back and forth to the compost piles, garden etc.
I'm onboard with the electric idea, but I don't think the baggers are really "there" yet - am I wrong?

What is a Hotel Internet Booking Engine?
Online hotel reservation software is a vital tool for travel companies looking to streamline their booking process and increase direct bookings.
A hotel booking engine is a software tool that smoothly integrates into your hotel's website, allowing customers to easily search for available rooms, compare rates, and make secure reservations online. It operates as a central hub, displaying real-time pricing and availability while streamlining the booking process.
With reliable and effective hotel booking software, hotels can increase overall revenues significantly. The booking prevents commissions involved in booking and aids in increasing profits

Some factors that should be considered while selecting a Hotel Internet Booking Engine are discussed below:

• One of the most essential components to consider when choosing a hotel booking engine is the user interface.
• Your hotel booking engine should be powerful enough to deliver quick results.
• It must have some unique characteristics that match the current market condition and meet or surpass client expectations.
• The best hotel booking engine supports great ease of transaction by offering flexible payment methods.
• The incorporation of numerous hotel APIs assures a hotel booking portal's resourcefulness and enables better sales of hotel inventory.

Why is the Hotel Internet Booking Engine important?
Hotel Internet Booking Engine is one of the most significant and vital aspects for any hotel, OTA, travel agency, or tour operator looking to prosper in the digital age. It's a strategic investment that allows your hotel to thrive in the digital age by attracting more visitors, boosting revenue, and enhancing the entire guest experience.
Travelers look for the best hotel deals for their stay. An advanced hotel booking engine assists these travelers book the best hotel that suits them. They can search, explore, and book from a variety of hotels.
Getting a reliable hotel booking engine can help travel companies make a huge profit and increase their web presence. With the right hotel booking engine, travel companies can save a lot of time as such a booking engine is integrated with the standard list of hotel suppliers. This eliminates the need to integrate additional hotel suppliers. Also, the best hotel prices along with the proper hotel description like images, amenities, and full property information are displayed.
Implementing a user-friendly and feature-rich booking system allows you to manage your online presence, streamline operations, and position your hotel for long-term success. It aids in the management of bookings and inventories by providing clients with accurate information about their upcoming bookings.
Online hotel reservation software makes the booking process easier for both travel agents and customers. By allowing guests to easily book a hotel room online, it saves time and effort for both parties.
A travel agency or tour operator can utilize the software to manage bookings, availability, and pricing, while guests can benefit from features like online payments, reviews, and special deals.
Furthermore, the software can provide hoteliers with significant insights about client preferences and behaviors, allowing them to serve their guests better.
Are you looking for the best Hotel Internet Booking Engine?

The hotel booking software from Trawex is one of a kind. Trawex offers reliable, user-friendly hotel booking engine software that is tailored to the specific demands of OTAs, travel agencies, tour operators, etc.
Our software offers several features and benefits that ensure an intuitive and efficient booking process for your guests. Software provided by Trawex is already being connected with 70+ hotel supplier APIs across the world. This solution is also connected with Xtranet where agency can manage their own contracted rates effectively. And many more features that help you to grow your business multiple times.
Trawex hotel booking engine brings the best available deals with their multi-supplier connections. This hotel booking engine keeps travelers informed of the exact availability status of hotels.
Trawex's online booking system allows guests to conveniently manage bookings through the hotel's website. It is also an excellent way to collect payments and secure reservations at the desired hotel.
Guests can now make bookings directly on the hotel's website. The complex security and simple navigation features enhance the appeal of the hotel booking system.

Why choose Trawex as your Hotel Internet Booking Engine?

Trawex is a leading tech company provider of hotel booking software solutions. Our comprehensive hotel booking system has a range of features and benefits, making it an excellent choice for travel enterprises.
One of the most significant advantages of Trawex's hotel booking software is its ease of use and simple interface. Our platform enables consumers to effortlessly search for and book available rooms, manage their reservations, and make secure and fast payments. Additionally, our software provides hotel staff with the ability to manage bookings, generate reports, and track bookings to assist their customers as required
Trawex provides reliable, user-friendly hotel CRS tailored to the unique needs of OTAs, travel agencies, tour operators, and others. Our software has an abundance of features and benefits that will make the booking process for your guests easier and more efficient.
Trawex offers B2B Hotel Booking System, B2C Hotel Reservation System, Hotel Reservation API, Hotel Booking API, Hotel Extranet System, and B2B2C Hotel Booking Solutions to help you grow organically.
With Trawex, you can expect:

• Real-Time Updates: Trawex booking engine software automatically updates prices and availability, offering clients access to accurate, up-to-date information.
• Mobile-Responsive and Multi-Device Compatibility: Our booking engine software is designed to be compatible with mobile devices, enabling customers to book a room from any device.
• Intuitive and Customizable Design: Our booking engine interface is extremely flexible, so hotels can customize their guest’s booking experience to match their brand identity.
• Advanced Inventory Management: Trawex's inventory management tools eliminate overbooking and double-booking issues.
• Secure Transactions and Customer Information: Customers can trust that their data is kept safe via secure booking transactions.

Types of Hotel Internet Booking Engine are discussed below:

B2B hotel booking engine
A B2B hotel booking portal allows agencies to market to travel agents where travel agents can book for their clients and determine the markups while making the booking. With the help of an excellent B2B hotel booking engine, sub-agent networks can be managed without any complexity.

~B2C hotel booking engine~
A B2C hotel booking engine is directly used by travelers. It can be integrated with numerous hotel supplier APIs to access hotel deals. Travel companies utilize hotel booking portals to provide the best hotel information, make it easy to book, and optimize direct sales.
Why should you integrate a white label hotel booking engine?

The adoption of a white label hotel booking engine saves time and money, allowing travel organizations to save on development costs. They need to use their branding and make marketing efforts to increase their web presence.
The hotel booking system helps manage hotel reservations efficiently. Here, the bookings made by the hotel website are managed. Travelers can check the availability of accommodations in real-time and make bookings online. Following that, the system provides quick confirmations of bookings. It's a great technique to achieve 100% client satisfaction.

Benefits of a Hotel Internet Booking Engine:

• Increased direct bookings: A hotel internet booking engine enables you to sell rooms directly to clients, eliminating the need to pay commissions to third-party travel agents. This could significantly increase your revenues.
• Improved customer service: A hotel internet booking engine can help you offer better customer service by making it quick and easy for your clients to book rooms. You can also use the system to track customer inquiries and feedback so that you can address any issues quickly and effectively.
• Streamlined booking process: A hotel internet booking engine can assist you in simplifying your booking process by automating many of the tasks involved in booking a room. This can free up your time so that you can focus on other aspects of your business.
• Real-time Availability: During the booking process, a hotel can provide you with real-time room availability, ensuring that you always have the right number of rooms available for guests. This can assist you prevent overbooking and underbooking, which can both lead to lost revenue.
• Multi-currency Support: Trawex's hotel booking engine accepts several currencies, allowing you to effortlessly sell rooms to customers from all over the world. This can assist you to expand your reach and attract more guests.
• Multilingual Support: Trawex's hotel booking engine supports multiple languages, allowing you to effortlessly communicate with guests from across the world. This will allow you to deliver superior customer service and make your guests feel welcome.
• Secure Payment Processing: Trawex's hotel booking engine utilizes secure payment processing, ensuring that your guest's financial information is protected. This can help you build trust with your guests and encourage them to book with you again in the future.
• Increased Efficiency: A booking engine streamlines the booking process, saving time and resources for both hotels and customers. By eliminating the need for a manual booking process, hotels can streamline operations and focus on other aspects of customer service.
• Ease of Access: A well-designed booking system enables clients to book rooms and manage bookings with a few clicks on their preferred schedule.
• Higher Revenue: A booking engine can drive higher direct bookings, which in turn can significantly increase the hotel’s revenue. With an easier booking process, customers are more likely to commit to their stay, resulting in increased occupancy and revenue for the hotel.
• Flexibility: A hotel internet booking engine allows guests to tailor their booking experience based on their preferences, including customized room options and pricing.
• Data Collection & Analysis: The vast amounts of data collected by booking engines can be examined and utilized by hotels to make informed decisions about pricing, inventory management, and customer experience.
• Enhance the Guest Experience: Booking engines provide guests with a quick and user-friendly platform to make reservations 24/7, eliminating the need for phone calls or emails. This increases guest satisfaction and loyalty.
• Gain Control over Your Brand and Inventory: A booking engine provides you complete control over the information and promotions displayed to potential guests. You can showcase your unique selling points and customize special offers directly, increasing your brand identity.
• Gather Valuable Guest Data: Booking engines allow you to collect valuable guest data during the reservation process, such as preferences and booking habits. This data can be utilized for targeted marketing campaigns and personalized guest experiences.
• Streamline Operations and Save Time: By automating the booking process, you can free up valuable staff time from handling phone calls and manual bookings, enabling them to focus on providing exceptional guest service.

What are the key features of a Hotel Booking System?

Here is the list of hotel booking system features:

• Hotel Search and Book Functionality
• Mobile-responsive design
• Detailed Reports
• Hotel API Integration
• Back-office management
• Multiple-currency feature
• Multilanguage feature
• Payment Gateway Integration
• Reservation Management
• Channel Management

Key Factors Impacting Hotel Booking Engine Development Costs

The cost of establishing a hotel booking engine fluctuates significantly and depends on numerous critical factors, listed below:

• Engine Features Complexity
• Integration of Third-Party APIs
• Security and Compliance Measures
• Engine Size and Complexity
• Platform and Device Considerations
• Testing and Quality Assurance
• Hotel Booking Engine Development Team
• Booking Engine Maintenance & Support

Understanding these essential aspects will enable you to make informed decisions about the development of your hotel booking engine, allowing you to successfully manage costs while generating a high-quality product.
Trawex excels at all aspects of hotel booking engine development, establishing itself as an important player in the sector. Our agile strategy allows us to quickly navigate each development step, reducing expenses without compromising quality.
In the initial phase, our dedicated team conducts complete market research, analyzing customer trends and competitor strategies. This research not only informs our project plan but also aids in cost optimization.
During the design and development process, we excel at user interface design, creating visually appealing and user-friendly experiences. Our front-end and back-end development experience provides seamless interactions and effective data management. Rigorous testing and quality assurance are diligently carried out to deliver a bug-free, reliable booking engine.
Deployment and maintenance are executed flawlessly, ensuring a smooth transition into real-world usage. We excel at payment gateway integration and security compliance, providing a secure and user-friendly booking engine. With Trawex, you get a cost-effective, technically excellent, and user-centric hotel booking engine solution that outpaces the competition.

CONTACT US:
For more details, please visit our website:
~https://www.trawex.com/hotel-internet-booking-engine.php~
Email id : [contact@trawex.com](mailto:contact@trawex.com)
Phone No : 91485 87111

Hey there!
Just graduated from Tech and need to get rid of all my furniture before I travel back home. All furniture is $150 or less, but I'd rather get rid of it above all else so all prices can be negotiated.
The sale is at 2165 Shale Rd and lasts through this Friday. DM or reply with any questions and I'll answer ASAP
P.S. Appliances and TVs are not for sale unfortunately

Hi, I want to connect with a HH(s) who focus on locating high performance sales leaders to companies looking to build a sales organization, particularly in tech/finance/crypto or something adjacent. Could be a company with an OK product and no real sales mechanism, or a company with a great product looking for someone to build a process and team in an effort to scale the business. I am not interested in working with a Fortune1000 company.
My strengths are not just sales, and not just management, but rather running a utility role that takes its own shape as the business demands it - but with a root in great sales practices, use of CRM, interfacing with ops, providing support to sales staff for great prospects, working on strategic partnerships that drive sales opportunities, etc.
Most recruiters or headhunters want to put me in sales box, or a sales manager box. I am having trouble finding the right contact. I am in my early 40s with 20 year of sales and related experience. Does anyone have suggestions on the right contact? I am challenging candidate because due to my existing position I have high comp requirements. Consulting or contract work also potentially an option if the terms are there.
Is this a common issue? Looking for any insight.

I know the construction field is toxic in itself but my company leadership is toxic in certain ways. I work for a small company which I love after being in a large corporate tech company. But the owners are outspoken about their Christian faith and are slightly homophobic. They are a bit outspoken about a lot of their political beliefs and it makes working for them since I don’t share similar beliefs and they want us to obviously agree with them. It’s also tough because being brought in to drive growth and change, the owner shoots everything down out of paranoia of something bad happening or someone somehow accessing customer data.
Not sure what to do other than leave but I sincerely love the work I do. Just not management. And feel stuck since I’m not able to do what I need to in order to grow their sales.

I (31) am looking to leave software sales (B2B) and I am currently taking a BootCamp for Software engineering. I have 4 years of sales experience (both AE and SDR) and 2 years of operations/customer support experience under my belt.
Currently, I work a full-time job as a software AE and I can't do it anymore. I'm stressed/anxious and this is affecting my demos, discovery calls, and resulting in lower attainment. No conversations of PIPs have come up, but I don't want to get there.
I am wondering if it might make more sense to quit my job, focus 100% on the BootCamp, and then search for jobs in engineering. I have enough in savings to sustain myself for 6 months.
Alternatively, I'm looking for less stressful tech jobs such as CX or CSM (customer success manager) while I finish the BootCamp so I can continue paying the bills. However, the job market is awful.
I am at a standstill and miserable staying in the current sales job. I know I need to make a switch but I don't know what to do. Any thoughts, reddit?

I do marketing for a consulting firm of sorts, $75k a year. I left the corporate world a couple years ago after getting laid off from $120k in tech sales. By the time I came back, I hit the worst job market in years, and received maybe eight interviews out of 1500+ applications. I had to take this, even though I didn't want it and knew there would be issues.
I've launched marketing programs for companies before and am entirely self-taught. Once again I joined an organization with zero idea of what they want. So I just make up tasks. Each week I check with them, thoroughly ask them if I'm performing up to par, and every week they are unironically thrilled with me. I'm very personable so the whole team also finds me endearing.
Here's the thing: I do fucking nothing. I write a couple of blogs or case studies a week. Post on LinkedIn. Tweak the decks. Maybe try some email automation with this terrible program I've been struggling with since I was hired. We're talking like ten or less real hours of work a week. I'm nearing the three month mark.
I am incredibly fortunate that I am such an afterthought here nobody really checks on me. But I also HATE this job. It is totally unfulfilling. I'm hybrid and the days I'm in office I don't even know what to do. I rather be working than just alt-tabbing different sites. I have side projects and creative stuff I do, but I can't focus on them because I just have this constant pain of anxiety of needing to work when I have shit all to do.
There are other roles in this company I could handle regarding business development and sales, things I'm actually better at. The market is so bad I'm terrified of being jobless again. So I am debating talking to the President this week about taking on more responsibility from those areas without a pay raise or title change. Under the guise of wanting to learn more, and that I have downtime between tasks I can assist with.
However, I'm worried this will be heard as 'I don't have shit to do and my job is pointless' and also that I'm erratic and prone to job hopping.
This is how bored I am that I'm typing this out when I already know how I would phrase this to my boss.
Anyways Idk let me know your thoughts.

I have them all on PS4 but I'm looking to play them on a portable device that runs them a bit better. I was just going to get 2013 but the whole series is on sale for 13 dollars. How do the run on the deck? I have the lowest of the low LCD 64gb (but with a 512 SD card)

iQSTEL’s net loss this quarter doesn’t worry me much. They're clearing the deck for future profits with some bold moves. Worth watching how this plays out, especially with the tech upgrades and market expansion they're planning.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iqst--iqstel-announces-108-q1-revenue-growth-to-51-4-million-302146375.html

Timestamps: https://imgur.com/a/RPJ0qgJ
For Sale: TGR Alice B Stock Unbuilt Keyboard Kit (Silver) Photos: https://imgur.com/a/YwXSqLM
Included: Alice Wooden Wrist Rest (official group buy) - Wenge wood "TGR + Alice Logo Engraved" Tung Oil by aeryxz (video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsnD\_4WQas)
Hi, I'm the original owner, and here are the messages and photos from Yuksi (TGR) himself at the time of the order which describe tiny flaws on the housing from factory - https://imgur.com/a/riUWm5t
Price: $2200 OBO. Pm w/ offer
Open to offers or other questions! Thank you!

Picked up my Overtrail+ last night and wanted to give some thoughts to quell some of the negativity on this page. Understand that this opinion is coming from a 40 yo/m that lives in Colorado, works in a high-end office district but spends every weekend skiing, fly fishing, hunting, hiking, camping. My prior history has been with Jeep Grand Cherokee both a 2018 Summit and then 2023 Summit High Altitude V8 with every option ($80k MSRP paid $73k). I’m 6’1 and larger frame. I am not interested in BMW/MB/RR etc due to my lifestyle. The GX OT+ is much more aggressive that it looks in pics and the road presence is somewhat dominating. Similar look to a Bronco on 33’s with the fenders and stance. Build quality is excellent, amazed how solid compared to the Jeep.
Purchased from Greenwood Village Lexus with no prior purchase history, on the list June 2023. Scott Mendlesohn is the new sales manager and is great to work with. Sounds like they have a list of approx. 70 per trim. All sold at MSRP with no ADM and in order of getting on the list no games. I was in the top 10 and one of 3 on the list for OT. Slee Off Road got the first OT and then I got the second which was OT+. Incognito with black roof, interesting point he shared was you cannot order black roofs right now on anything but Earth. They are going to do limited production runs of each color with roof. First order could be any color but now it will only be Earth that gets a black roof for a bit.
Base MSRP for Overtrail+ is $75,900. Options added were Bi-Color paint, Traffic Jam Assist $620 (I didn’t want but was correct about slow downs this morning on the highway), HUD $900, digital key $375, Mark Levinson $1,140, Cool Box $170 (preferred without but all are being delivered with it), alloy wheel locks and rubber cargo mat, +destination. All were requested items by me other than the digital key, traffic jam, cool box, black emblems, and alloy locks. I paid $81,250 which is MSRP as optioned, no mark up (some in this forum believe Options are a mark up and do not understand MSRP option pricing), and dealer did not pressure PPF, tint, nitrogen, extended warranty etc.. I declined all. Pricing is inline with my prior top of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L and I much prefer the GX. Looked at Tahoe, Yukon, Land Cruiser, various pickup’s all in the same price range and slightly higher. I believe that if you intend to off road this is the clear choice.

• Interior: does not have as much leather and stitching as the JGC nor does it have the upgraded headliner which I loved. I do prefer the GX interior as it is very nice and modern, I’m not as worried about it with weekend activities and dirt. Interior is very similar to what you get in similar priced pickups from GMC, Chevy, Ram. You would not be able to tell a difference between the NuLux and the Jeeps Nappa leather, will see how it ages/wear and tear. The ML sound system is ok, I have high end home stereo as well as upgraded systems in past vehicles with speakers like Focal. The McIntosh on the Jeep was probably a hair better, I’ll play with settings but I was not blown away, its fine for a car stereo and better with bass heavy songs and vocals, not much mid. Vehicle is tall and side steps are great, wider than the JGC which were useless. The windows all around feel very large and you can see everything! I have seen complaints about the hood moving, I noticed it much more on my Jeep. In my limited driving I was paying very close attention to it and wouldn't have noticed if people hadn't said anything on this forum. The Jeep I noticed immediately on my own.
• Tech: the JGC had a passenger side screen which was useless, night vision which again was useless, and a rear-view mirror camera which made me dizzy (I don’t think the GX has one). The massage seats on the GX are 100% better than they were on the Jeep, the touch screen is very responsive and intuitive, the HUD is better on the GX as you can move it up and down, make it brighter (one note on the HUD is if you lean more towards the center of the vehicle you will start to lose vision of it bc it is meant to be seen from straight on). The HUD also does much more than the JGC which only did speed/speed limit. Still playing with it but it’s a great addition. Surround cameras are clear and backup functions warnings are A+. The screen is bright and clear, easy to navigate. Not sure what tech I'm missing but it has everything and more than the Jeep.
• Ride: The JGC has air suspension, and this felt equally as comfortable on my commute and highway. Noticed the same bumps and nothing more significant. As responsive if not more than the Jeep, both in steering and power vs the Hemi V8. I was worried about it being sluggish like a 4runner or old GX but it was very quick for its size. You sit higher up and more upright, but these are both things I prefer. The dealer took off the $1500 roof rack since I didn’t want it so I can only comment on road noise as is and it was not noticeable at highway speeds. Tires are also quiet for being so big.
• Complaints: being nit picky and knowing that this is all this page cares about. My complaints are as follows. Side mirrors are tall but they are a little too narrow. Front seat width (knee to knee) is sufficient but slightly narrow but I am a bigger guy. We do not have kids but the 2nd row could be considered small for full size adults on road trips, my wife dog and I won’t have a reason to complain. Ambient lighting is hard to notice compared to the brightness and use in the JGC. Will try and add as I drive more but overall thrilled with the vehicle.

NOTE: I did turn off driver attention and auto braking functions

Hi lovely people, I need some guidance please. Because I can’t do anything by halves I wanted to build my own deck. I’m building it from a raspberry pi 3b (I don’t have tech I can repurpose sadly) with a 5” screen with a USB plug in keyboard but I’m not sure how to get it to do as I’d like. I think I am looking for a tutorial video/instructions on how to set it up to boot directly into the program (undecided which yet) so I can just type. But I’m also looking to have the option to keep multiple files and switch between them. I don’t have much experience (rudimentary intro from years and years back) in the way of coding but I feel like if I have some directions I can figure it out. Does anyone know of some sort of direction I can start in? Any help would be appreciated.

So, the [[Hidden Strings]] and [[Lotus Field]] combo deck is fascinating to me. But I don't quite get all of the sideboard/win con options in the deck. I've been looking into why people run these choices, and I'm curious if someone knows why?
For reference, I'm talking about the [[Arboreal Grazer]] version.

1. [[Chandra, Hope's Beacon]] - Makes sense in either SB or MB. You cast her for 6. Hit your opponent for 5. Then use [[Bala Ged Recovery]] to get her back multiple times and kill your opponent that way.
   
2. [[Approach of the Second Sun]] - Makes sense. Cast once, and then cast again once your engine starts to run.
   
3. [[Zacama] - Basically a creature version of Chandra. You untap your lands and use his ability to kill your opponent.
   

Beyond those, however, I'm not sure the purpose of other win-cons.

1. [[Dragonlord Dromoka]] - Is it just "resolve a big thing and hit your opponent?" Or is there some combo I'm not understanding?
   
2. [[Atraxa, Grand Unifier]] - Same thing. Is there some other kind of combo beyond "Hit your opponent with a big thing?"
   
3. [[Elder Gargaroth]] - Same question.
   
4. [[Narset's Reversal]] - Not sure what the purpose of this is. Some kind of anti-control tech?
   
5. [[Silence]] - Same question.
   
6. [[Brazen Borrower]] - Why only one? Is this again some kind of SB tech for control?
   
7. [[Nine Lives]] - Kind of an older card. But beyond "don't let my opponent win" how does this help you?
   

Author’s Note:
Upvotes and comments go a long way in helping me reach a larger audience <3
First
Inside GB-2
“Huh, that wasn’t there before,” Ron said, pointing to a new hole in the wall – another passageway.
Henry turned to look where Ron pointed. Sure enough, there was a new doorway. It must’ve been a section that opened after they restored the power. “Huh, yeah. Let’s check it out.”
He went through, finding a short hallway past it and another room just beyond. Henry signaled for his team to form up, preparing to breach. As they stepped in, they found themselves in a brightly lit room filled with various types of furniture – empty pedestals, comfortable-looking single couches, and empty desks with opened cabinets.
Henry stepped further into the room, eyeing the oddly arranged furniture. The single couches were lined up in neat rows, all facing the same direction – towards the empty desks. It was like some sort of waiting room, but for what?
“Is it just me, or are these couches set up weird?” Isaac asked, voicing the question on everyone’s mind. “I mean, who lines up a bunch of single couches like this?”
“Strange, indeed,” Sera agreed. “They seem arranged as though for spectators, yet naught lies before them to behold.”
Like a movie theater, Henry thought. However, there weren’t any screens or holograms to watch. If there was a clue, it would probably be within the couches themselves.
Dr. Anderson approached one of the desks. “Perhaps this was some sort of office or workspace? The desks and cabinets certainly suggest that.”
Isaac then decided to touch one of the seats, eliciting no reaction. He pushed further, sitting down on one of them. At that point, the couch began to adjust its form to better suit Isaac’s envirosuit, as if able to optimize its comfort for the user. Then, a nozzle slowly stretched up from the seat’s headrest area, stopping just short of Isaac’s neck. “Woah!” Isaac bolted up as the nozzle bonked against his helmet.
“Neural interface, maybe?” Henry wondered. “I think we should leave this to the researchers… unless you wanna volunteer as a lab rat?”
“Hell nah,” Isaac vigorously declined the offer. “Hey, there isn’t anything on my helmet is there?”
Henry dusted off the back of Isaac’s helmet with his glove. “Nope, you’re clear. Just gotta hope it ain’t grey goo.”
He could see the dread and uncertainty through Isaac’s visor. Henry gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Well, think about it this way: if it really was grey goo, it would’ve gotten to us – or the Spiranids, for that matter – long ago. C’mon, let’s secure the next room.”
With a nod, Isaac fell in line behind Henry as they moved towards the doorway leading to the adjacent room. Peeking inside, it couldn’t be further from the rest of the room’s they had encountered so far; not at all what they could’ve possibly expected inside an ancient, high-tech alien facility. It was expansive, with a layout that reminded Henry of a high-end restaurant. Comfortable booths lined the walls, while tables of varying sizes filled the central space. The furniture looked almost human – perhaps even indistinguishably so.
The room was tinted with a soft, cozy yellow light. The warm and inviting ambiance felt soothing compared to the clinical feel of the previous areas. The lighting, combined with the plush booths and elegant tables, gave Henry a nostalgic impression.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Ryan remarked. “Think they got any cheesecakes?”
If it wasn’t for the alien decor and helping of sleek devices scattered around the room, Henry would’ve thought they were back home. Hell, there was even a bar, filled with exotic liquors that could probably fetch millions at an auction – or give them the trip of their lives. Beside it however was something unusual. Where he might’ve expected a path leading to the kitchen, he instead found a wall with a slight, rectangular-shaped recess that was just big enough for a tray.
He glanced at Isaac, who returned a knowing look. “Replicators,” Isaac said.
Henry smirked. “Personally, I’m partial to synthesizer, but to each their own.”
They gathered around the wall, which didn’t seem to respond to their presence. Taps on the wall didn’t seem to do anything, either. Henry considered probing further, but decided against it. “Alright, let’s not take any chances. We’ll make a note of this for the research teams to analyze later. Let’s keep looking around.”
Henry split apart from the others, pairing with Ron as they continued to walk around the room. They soon came across another doorway on the far side of the room, which opened up into a short corridor that led into multiple sets of doors. Each had a symbol on the wall beside the doors – one that depicted the basic figure of a person.
Ron pushed open one of the doors, taking a peek inside. “Looks like even the Gatebuilders needed restrooms.”
Finally! “Alright, let’s take a quick break here. Bring everyone else over.”
Thankfully, the amenities within were easily comparable to those of modern society. The toilet looked like a toilet, and the sink resembled a sink. Even in a space as mundane as this though, the Gatebuilder’s technology was evident: self-cleaning surfaces and enough technology to put a high-quality Japanese bidet toilet to shame. At least, that was just from the look of things. Henry didn’t think now would be the best time to check whether the restroom had ass-washing robots or not.
After a few minutes, Henry regrouped with the rest of the team around a central table in the ‘restaurant’. Dr. Anderson was already present, his archaeological kit opened and a spread of alien items organized on the table.
“Ah, Captain!” Dr. Anderson noticed him approaching. “We found cabinets that weren’t empty. Most of the artifacts appear to be personal effects.” He held up a necklace, emphasizing his point. “Jewelry, memorabilia, and some other artifacts that I – admittedly – can’t quite describe.”
Dr. Anderson pointed his pickup tool at a small disc laid out on a padded mat. “It hasn’t shown any active properties yet. It’s rather peculiar; it seems to be a solid disc. Lightweight, unblemished surface, no visible markings or etchings.”
“Have you tried touching it directly?” Henry asked.
Dr. Anderson frowned, manipulating the claws of his pickup tool. “Well, not directly.” Catching the implications in Henry’s query, he continued, “I’ve checked for radiation, toxins – all clear. While I’d advise against direct contact, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t the least bit curious.”
Henry nodded. Yeah, the Doc was probably right, but what was discovery without risk? He reached out and picked it up, rotating it in his hands. As his gloved fingers brushed against the surface, the disc suddenly emitted a soft glow.
Henry flinched slightly, almost dropping the disc in surprised. As he fumbled with it, the disc seemed to respond to his touch. Suddenly, a series of objects materialized on the table, appearing out of thin air.
“Oh, shit!” Ron exclaimed. “It just… spawned a bunch of stuff!”
Henry stared at the new items. Several containers, probably holding some kind of food, were still sealed tight and impossibly effective at insulating its contents. It was crazy to think that the food inside might still be hot after who knows how long.
Next to the containers was a bracelet. Possibly normal, possibly enchanted or integrated with technology they couldn’t hope to understand. There was also a bottle of some bright blue liquid – probably for drinking, but there was no way to be sure until Perdue tested it. And then there was the picture, showing a strikingly human couple, holding each other underneath a gorgeous alien sky. It reminded him of memorabilia people would sometimes keep in their wallets, though why humans were there was a mystery.
The last object the disc spat out was a thin, transparent sheet. Coincidentally, it was about the same size as a smartphone. If he had to guess, it probably had the same function as one, too.
“Incredible,” Dr. Anderson gawked at the items. “The disc must be the Gatebuilders’ version of a wallet, somehow using dimensional storage technology!”
“Akin to the Holding Bags,” Kelmithus noticed. He peered into his own Holding Bag, his expression indicating that he was connecting the dots. “Fascinating!”
Dr. Anderson then inspected the image, his face reflecting the same confusion Henry felt when he first saw it. While they continued to sort through the items, Henry explored the sheet further. The moment he tapped the screen, a holographic interface sprung into existence above it.
What he had initially thought was a simple hologram was something far more advanced, almost indistinguishable from reality itself. Almost instantly, they were surrounded by mountains and valleys, details springing up to form a realistic, three-dimensional map.
It was like a pocket holodeck. The only anchors the projection had were the various icons and pockets of text floating around – and the fact that the hologram was transparent enough for him to see his surroundings and his teammates.
Sera seemed to be the most shocked out of all of them. He couldn’t blame her. The sight was surprising enough for himself, who was even familiar with the concept through sci-fi; how much more alien would it seem to someone from – effectively – the past?
“I’ve not beheld such a spell… ever!” she exclaimed softly, pausing to gather her thoughts. “Hold on…” she continued, pointing to the distant peaks. “Why, yon mountain range! Does it not strike you as familiar?”
“Huh?” Ron squinted at it. “Does it?”
“No, yeah, it does!” Isaac said. “Shit, uh, is that the Ovinne Mountain Range?”
Henry brought up the file for the Ovinne Mountain Range on his visor, comparing it to the hologram. “Huh, yeah, it is. What’s a map of that doing in here, though?”
Dr. Anderson raised his hands in the air and spread them apart, mimicking a zoom. Lucky for them, the alien tech seemed to understand what they were going for. Now up close and in full detail, the Ovinne Mountain Range dominated the room. Somewhere in the mountains, an icon that looked like a pair of glasses sat right on top of a Gatebuilder tower, barely poking out of the mountainside.
Ryan crossed his arms as he scrutinized the hologram. “Is this what, Find My iPhone?”
“Hmm… rather likely,” Dr. Anderson agreed. “This device must be some sort of Locator.”
“Locator, huh?” Having this clue was an incredible breakthrough, but he noticed something else. “And right where the Ovinne Mountain Campaign’s supposedly taking place, at that.”
“Indeed, that you mention it, such alignment is surely noteworthy,” Kelmithus remarked. His voice took on a more excited note, “Be it fate, perhaps?”
Henry smirked. “Hah, you’re sounding a bit like Sera, now. Well, looks like fate’s telling us where to go next. Let’s pack this up and head back.”
They carefully stowed the various artifacts in their holding bags, Henry holding on to the Locator. They made their way back to the locker room where they first entered, everyone excited for the next step in their mission.
Henry stepped through the airlock first, emerging on the other side. As he did so, a faint sound caught his attention. It was distant, muffled, but definitely not a sound that belonged to this facility. He wanted to take off the envirosuit, but it seemed that had to wait.
Ron came through the airlock after him. “Bro, you think –”
Henry held up a hand, stopping him short. He raised his weapon, picking up on the ‘something’s not right’ vibe.
Activating his infrared vision and using the laser mounted on his M7, Henry searched for signs of thermal distortions, just like he’d done back at Duke Vancor’s mansion. Ron did the same. As the rest of the team emerged from the airlock, they quickly caught on to the situation. Without a word, they joined them in securing the room.
After clearing the locker room, Henry signaled to move on to the lab next door. It was just as empty as the locker room, but now the sounds were more audible, definitely coming from the hallway just outside. Instructing his team to hold still, he crept toward the doorway to investigate.
He peeked around the corner, and felt his stomach drop. There, in the main hallway, was a group of soldiers. They were decked out in distinctive black armor and cloaks. They had no identifiable markings or insignia on their armor, but it was obvious – these were Nobians.
Henry pulled back, returning to his team. “Contact outside. At least a dozen Nobians securing the hallway.”
Ron’s expression grew serious. “Shit. Any idea on their entry point?”
Henry positioned himself behind a desk, aiming his weapon at the doorway. “Probably the same way we came in.”
“Main corridor’s the only play, huh?” Ryan said.
The main hallway only had one line of sight, and it just happened to be the only way out. Well, the only one they could reasonably access. The facility probably had other exits or fancy teleporters, but they’d already scoured the area for the former and wouldn’t be able to figure out the latter.
“Dozen hostiles doesn’t seem like a lot,” Isaac pointed out, taking out another Black Hornet from his bag. “We’re still good on ammo, too.”
Ron shook his head. “Dozen? Yeah, a dozen that we can see.”
“Owens is right,” Henry agreed. “We can’t confirm their numbers outright. If I had to guess, it would probably be at least fifty. Manageable, but I’d prefer that to be our last resort.”
“How might we fare with a disturbance?” Sera offered.
Kelmithus gripped his staff. “I might conjure an echo of noise distant hence. It shan’t last, but it can afford us enough time for our escape.”
Kelmithus’ plan seemed like it could work, but only if the Nobians didn’t know they were here. “No,” Henry disagreed. “They’ve seen our MRAPs outside. We’d get surrounded.”
“How about negotiation?” Dr. Anderson suggested, a hopeful note in his voice.
“Negotiation? With the Nobians?” Kelmithus questioned.
They all knew what the Nobians were like. It really did come off as a ridiculous idea, but what if Dr. Anderson was right? The archaeologist defended himself, “I know, I know. However, we have yet to confirm their hostility, and it would not serve us well to initiate hostilities with the Nobians.”
Taking in the silence as contemplation, he continued, “If talks break down, we hold our ground here. It’s not ideal, but we’ll control the engagement area and prevent them from flanking us.”
Henry reviewed the situation again. 12 hostiles, but they should expect the worse, so at least 50 hostiles plus failed negotiations. Holding the only way out, they were likely spread out between the hallway, the cave system, and possibly even the forest outside. Dr. Anderson’s plan was solid, but he had a few minor qualms. In particular, holding the line meant possibly exhausting themselves in a battle of attrition.
“Alright. We’ll open with negotiations. I’m skeptical, but it's worth a shot. Should that fail, we can’t engage in a drawn-out conflict. We’ll disrupt their positions and quickly move to the cave outside.”
“Smoke grenades and flashbangs,” Ryan muttered.
“Affirmative,” Henry said, nodding in agreement. “If we can’t see them, we’ll level the playing field so they can’t see us.”
“Captain,” Kelmithus quickly interjected, “Bid me aid your efforts. I’ve insight enough to create fog. I’ve learned from our encounter with the Sentinel Lindwyrm.”
“You can replicate that heavy fog?” Ron asked.
Kelmithus held up his palm, producing an opaque puff of steam to prove his point. “Indeed so, Lieutenant. Adequately do these envirosuits shield us, that I might harness more extreme temperatures for more effective casting.”
Henry was impressed with how quickly the archmage grasped such a concept. “Good. Yen, get that drone into the cave. We’ll hold for updates.”
Yen nodded, carrying out Henry’s order silently. The drone’s feed directly streamed to their HUDs, and after a few minutes, Isaac looked up. “Done.”
Henry analyzed the data. They had visual confirmation of a dozen Nobians inside the facility itself and a staggering forty outside, both in the cave and around the cave entrance. It was an assumption, but there probably weren’t many cloaked soldiers past the hallway. He sighed; the worst-case scenario would have them facing a hundred men in total.
It was a challenge, but the drone’s intel granted them a critical tactical advantage. He analyzed his minimap, selecting and sharing a route with minimal enemy contact. “After clearing the facility’s entrance, we’ll proceed along the designated path. Upon exit, I’ll deploy a flare to signal our movement to the MRAPs for extraction. We will then rendezvous with Zulu-9 and coordinate with air support before re-engaging to secure the site.”
His team nodded, fully on board with the plan. He took a deep breath to steel himself before checking his watch – 16:24. “Alright, time to show ourselves.”
Letting his M7 sling over his chest, Henry prepared two flash grenades – one in each hand – before stepping out. With his team in tow, he moved to the center of the hallway, catching the attention of one of the Nobian patrols.
“Attention, Nobian forces! We request parley. I am Captain Donnager of Alpha Team, Tier 6 Adventurer. We are on an official quest sanctioned by the Adventurer’s Guild. We have no intention of hostilities and seek to discuss our presence and objectives to ensure mutual understanding.”
As Henry’s words echoed through the hallway, the Nobian soldiers snapped into action. He heard the sounds of bowstring being drawn taut and the rasp of metal as swords cleared their scabbards. His hands tightened around the flash grenades.
He kept his gaze steady, projecting a sense of calm; of confidence – enough to convince the Nobians that even outnumbered, he and his team were still no match for them. More soldiers joined the patrol, until all twelve of the previously identified Nobians were upon them. They kept their distance, but Henry could feel the tension boiling.
Just as the standoff seemed to reach a critical point, the air in front of them seemed to fold outward from itself, like watching the effects of gravitational lensing on light. A figure coalesced from the distortion – so this is what invisibility magic looked like.
The man was broad-shouldered and tall, seeing eye-to-eye with him, even despite the extra inches in height the envirosuit gave. As the last wisps of the cloaking magic faded away, Henry found himself staring into a pair of piercing gray eyes that seemed to bore into his very soul.
The newcomer had an angular face and was clad in black armor with a different sheen than the black armor of his comrades. Silver trimmings and an insignia emblazoned on his chestplate – a dagger through a swirl of mist – differentiated his status. A cloak of the same dark hue billowed behind him as he walked forward and drew his sword.
Keeping his sword to the side, he stopped a respectable ten meters away from Henry. “I am Carvus Alnect Virelius, Umber Vicearch of the Order of the Shadow.” He then pointed his sword at Henry, declaring, “Of desecrating sovereign Nobian territory, you stand accused.”
As Carvus spoke, more soldiers materialized alongside him, shimmering into existence as they dropped their cloaking spells. Henry had expected this to happen, but seeing it play out still sent a chill down his spine. How many more were still lying in wait?
The Vicearch kept his weapon on Henry, eyes narrowing. “Commander unto commander, I offer a choice: cede your Holding Bags, that secure passage may be granted unto you. Refuse, and you shall be declared as spies and enemies of the Nobian Empire, your lives forfeit to swift execution.”
READ 2 WEEKS AHEAD: Season Finale Chapter 17 is now available for Tier 2 Manifest Fantasy Patrons and higher!
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We were quoted $6000 for a wooden deck in our backyard. (HOA said the deck must be wood) Money is tight and we want something that we can put an outdoor table and chairs on. Mainly to keep our feet out of the grass. Any ideas?

Hey there, I am thinking about pulling my slicer out of my nelly borca deck and building a quick agro commander deck around it. I am looking at what tech pieces I might be able to use to flip it over, should it get flipped onto it's back during turn rotation.
I was wondering if [[expose the culprit]] and [[pyrotechnic performer]] interact with [[slicer]] how I think. Can I turn slicer face up at instant speed, and does transform work with that trigger? I saw that you can disguise a double faced card and it will deactivate the transform ability, but I is it still able to be flipped over for it's mana cost as a special action? Any other weird interactions I should know?
I'd like to make sure I'm playing it right, and be able to articulate the rules before I bring it to FNM. Thanks very much

Don’t hate, this is just an opinion. I still rewatch Star Trek every now and then and have seen every series and episode so far…
I also follow real life technology and advancements as well as theoretical physics and philosophical theory as a hobby. I watch Star Trek now with a different perspective.
It would never fit in to the Star Trek universe but there are technologies that we can theorize will come into existence that completely negate storylines in the Star Trek universe.
And I’m OK with that, I could definitely see a Star Trek like series that can still use some dynamics of interpersonal relationships, the drama that would make the show worthwhile all while keeping the reality based theories of what the future technology would allow us to accomplish.
There would never be transporter accidents because of ion storm or interference and caves would definitely be out of the equation. After the first instance of the comms not being able to reach the surface to another crewmember, the Federation would immediately start putting failsafes in place to stop that from happening again.
But the biggest challenge for me to hold onto that original excitement of the series is the alien life. There are several instances of aliens being portrayed not as bipedal humanoids but those are the exceptions. Even with the progenitors tech and seeding the galaxy, there would still be more unrecognizable alien life then there would be recognizable. Also the difference of 300 years of advancement between two species would make it kind of difficult for a symbiotic relationship.
I love the dynamics of Vulcan, Romulan, Klingon, etc. and a very interesting universe has been thought up by the writers. The Vulcans achieved warp 1100 years before humans did. Unless Vulcans stopped improving on their technology at all they are the equivalent of humans making it to this point that we’re at right now and then for 1100 years not improving on any automobiles spacecraft etc.
The difference of just 300 years in human terms for example would be the most powerful ship 300 years ago was the ship of the line. These were large, heavily armed warships that formed the backbone of naval fleets. A typical ship of the line had two or three gun decks and carried between 50 to over 100 cannons. You could take the world’s full armada of naval vessels from 300 years ago, put them against one modern battleship and the whole naval fleet would be obliterated.
The last part of my opinion about this has to deal with a new series that dropped on Netflix, three body problems. I have read the books, there are some really interesting philosophical and theories on development of sentient and intelligent life in the universe.
The dark forest theory is a really cool but frightening theory, it states that the universe is like a dark forest filled with predators and prey. Whether you are predator or your a prey, your ultimate goal is survival and nourishment. If you can’t see more than a couple of feet in front of you then you’re either going to evolve some defenses to make yourself invisible if you are the prey or if you’re the predator you’re going to develop very keen senses on first strike opportunities. If this is how life has evolved throughout the universe, making first contact with an alien species after you discover them would be the same as being either the prey or the predator in that dark forest with no light hearing a sound and taking the chance to reach out and hopefully it’s not a predator looking for food or prey ready to defend itself.
That’s just my opinion, right now I’m on a rewatch of Star Trek Voyager and I am at season five episode 17 the disease… Star Trek officers cannot keep it in their pants 😆

8 years ago I moved into a new build semi detached house but with no side access, there is a brick wall along one side of the back garden boundary with an estate footpath on the other side. Our neighbours next door and all the other houses in the estate have side passages. Shortly after moving in I had a handyman knock out a section of wall and install a gate that opens inwards and provides access to the footpath within the estate.
It's been absolutely essential as I'm into cycling and the kids all have bikes too. Also can store wheelie bins in back garden and not out the front. I've maintained the gate over the years by painting the metal parts and weather treating the wooden parts appropriately, it certainly doesn't look out of place and the neighbours have never complained about it.
Anyway, looking to sell soon and I'm guessing the lack of planning permission for the gate might be flagged by someone during the process. Should I go ahead now and apply for planning retention to try and speed things along with the sale or just leave it and see what happens?

https://preview.redd.it/4vrd1xg6yl0d1.png?width=652&format=png&auto=webp&s=a247d10028083a6f92e89b582715484a861a4f71

As the title says, I’m 31M and just over blue collar life. I don’t have a degree in anything, and can’t really afford to go get one.
I work in 3rd party testing (automotive, so we build small-run prototype stuff and do stress tests and such.) So it’s a hell of a lot more relaxed than being in a manufacturing position, and sometimes I have to fill out reports at my desk, which I relish in lol. But I’m sick of being in the warehouse machining stuff, welding stuff, programming welding robots, or helping out on the test side. We get really busy in the summer with projects, which for obvious reasons is the worst time to be swamped imo.
Quite frankly, I don’t necessarily even want to leave my company, but I applied for other positions within that would be desk work, and even when my old manager (he quit) vouched for me, they still wouldn’t bother to give me a chance in other positions- so I saw that as my only real out and it just kinda feels like I’m stuck here. It’s really not a bad job, I’m just tired of it. Between that and weightlifting I’m just always feeling beat to shit and run down, and my quality of life is in the toilet.
It was suggested to me once to maybe get into PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) since I work with robots, but here’s the thing, I DO NOT want to be out on the floor. Ever again lol.
So with that backstory aside.. is there any certification course I could take that could help get me out of this field? I don’t really have anything in mind other than ‘not sales’ and I genuinely don’t care what the work would be. I’ve been reading up on things like bookkeeping might be an option.
I’m tech savvy, I can learn, but it seems like most places won’t give you the time of day unless you’re vastly over qualified and then offer up shit pay.
This was longer than I intended, but thanks in advance.