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2024.06.09 15:47 monkaSman How to Do the Log Press for Massive Overhead Strength and Power: log press muscles worked?
When you want to build head-to-toe strength — and you want to look awesome doing it — there are few lifts that can compete with the hardcore nature of the log press. The unstable, unwieldy log bar will have your entire body working in overdrive to clean it off the ground, up your belly and chest, and heft it into the air. Meanwhile, the neutral grips inside the bar allow you to do all of this with your shoulders in a less compromising position than they would be with a barbell lift.
Whether you’re looking to compete in strongman or just to add another strength-building lift to your repertoire, the log press can set you on the right path.
A shirtless, bearded person performs a log press.
Credit: Dmitriy Khitrin / Shutterstock
It’s got a heftier buy-in than a regular barbell press. Whereas barbells typically weigh in at 45 pounds, eight-inch diameter log bars weigh 50 pounds; 10-inch log bars come in closer to 72 pounds; and 12-inch bars get as heavy as 134 pounds. Not for the faint of heart, the log press will not only showcase your strength — it’ll build it, too.
How to Do the Log Press
Benefits of the Log Press
Muscles Worked by the Log Press
Who Should Do the Log Press
Log Press Sets and Reps
Log Press Variations
Log Press Alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Do the Log Press
Learning the log press may seem intimidating, and not without reason. To lift the 10-inch bar alone, you’ll need to be comfortable pressing over 70 pounds above your head. But if you’ve got that covered, all it takes is a little know-how and a lot of practice.
While strict presses are also possible, this guide discusses a push press version, where you get increased engagement — and loading potential — from your lower body.
Step 1 — Pull the Log Off the Floor
A person wearing pink shorts prepares to deadlift a log implement.
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
Start in a deadlift position, hinged at your hips with bent knees. Position your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width and turn your feet slightly outwards. The log should be touching your shins. Grip the handles and pull your shoulder blades back and down. Drive through your legs to pull the log to your hips.
Form Tip: Tilt the log away from you by driving your wrists forward. You won’t scrape your legs and it’ll be easier to lap the log (see next step) as you can rotate the log into your hips.
Step 2 — Lap the Log
A person wearing pink shorts cleans a log bar into their lap.
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
Once the bar is at hip level, squat down until the bottoms of your thighs are parallel with the floor. The bar should sit on top of your thighs, and your elbows should flare outwards. This position is referred to as, “lapping” the log.
Form Tip: Keep the log pressed firmly against your chest and stomach. If there’s any space between your body and the log, it’ll make the clean more difficult to execute.
Step 3 — Clean the Log
A person wearing pink shorts supporting a strongman log implement in the front rack position
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
Though it’s called a “clean”, cleaning a log is mechanically different than the barbell variation. From the lap position, explosively stand up, driving you hips forward and rolling the log up your stomach and chest. As the log ascends, bring your elbows in and under the implement so that you end up in the front rack position.
Form Tip: You want your elbows up as high as you can get them, which means the bar will needs to sit on your upper chest and press into your neck. It’s not the most comfortable position, but it should last only but a few seconds.
Step 4 — Press Overhead
A person wearing pink shorts locks out a log bar overhead using a jerk technique.
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
There are two primary ways you can lock out the log overhead. First, you can implement a split jerk, where you simultaneously drive the bar under head and dip under it by staggering your legs. The other option is the more standard push press, where you dip down a few inches and then explode up, using that leg drive to lock out your arms.
Form Tip: If you’re new to the log press, we suggest sticking with the push press option as it’s technically easier to master.
Step 5 — Lower With Control
A person wearing pink shorts lowers a log bar to their chest.
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
Lower the log with control so it falls in front of your face (instead of onto your face). Catch the bar on your chest with a generous bend of your knees so your body can absorb the weight. Reset and repeat.
Form Tip: If you’re lifting a max effort press or are completing your last rep of the set, you can drop the log by letting your arms swing down in front of your body and dropping it onto the pads.
Benefits of the Log Press
The benefits of the log press are legion — as are the bragging rights you get when your lifting buddy films you crushing a new log press personal record. It’s not just about building more strength and power, either (though it is about that). The log press also puts your shoulders in a relatively stable position, making this a potentially more accessible form of overhead pressing than barbell pressing for those with shoulder issues.
Massive Pressing Potential
Unlike a barbell, the log bar has neutral grips. Since your shoulders won’t be in such a compromised position — that is, flared outwards — you’ll potentially increase the load you’re able to press by quite a significant sum. You can use that neutral grip to build your overhead strength even more than you could with your shoulders locked into the position a barbell puts them in.
Your body and muscles can therefore become accustomed to moving much bigger weights. As such, when you do go back to the barbell, you may well be able to handle pressing significantly heavier loads.
Full-Body Hypertrophy
The log press may be an overhead press at heart, but it won’t only challenge your shoulders. This move also taps into your triceps, lats, traps, core, and even leg strength in a huge way.
You’ll build muscle across your entire body, particularly your upper body. When training the log press for hypertrophy, you’ll go a bit lighter than you will when you’re going for max strength. But either way, working under such an intense stimulus will challenge your muscles to grow.
More Shoulder-Friendly
Although the log press is an intimidating lift, keep in mind that you’ll be using neutral-grip handles. This means that your shoulders will be in a less compromised position than they are during a barbell press, where your grip is horizontally-oriented. So you can lift even heavier in a position that’s better for your shoulders — a win-win for strength and longevity.
Full-Body Power and Conditioning
If you’re using a push press or jerk to heft the log over head instead of performing a strict press, you’ll need to generate huge amounts of power throughout your entire body. Everything from your toes to your fingertips need to be working together in an explosive fashion to successfully complete this lift.
Because this move requires you to generate so much power throughout your entire body, you’ll get your conditioning work in, too. From pulling and rolling the log bar into the rack position to using a full-body leg drive to lock it out overhead, you’re being both explosive and controlling your form all over your body. With so many moving parts, even one heavy rep can make you breathless — stringing together multiple reps can become a solid part of your conditioning routine.
Muscles Worked by the Log Press
The log press taps into so many different parts of your body. Here are some of the big movers.
Shoulders
Since this is, at the end of the day, an overhead press, your shoulders might be the first thing that comes to your mind with this lift. Sure enough, the log press requires and will develop very strong and stable shoulders.
Triceps
You can’t lock out heavy weights without some pretty powerful, well-developed triceps. In order to not let your triceps become a quick limiting factor to your log press, make sure you’re not neglecting them in the rest of your training.
Traps
In order to support the weight of the log overhead — and to help your shoulders out in the front rack position and with the end of the clean — you need strong traps. Without engaging your traps, you’ll have a difficult time setting up this lift properly and stabilizing it on top.
Lats
As you’re pulling the bar from the floor to your lap and rolling it up your body to set yourself up for the actual press, you’ll need your lats. They’ll help drive the pulling that begins this lift and — as they do in the bench press — will help you stabilize the lift during the pressing part of the movement.
Core
Falling over during your log press would not be optimal, to say the least. To keep your body steady, you’ll need a strong core — which is exactly what the log press will help you develop. Your core will also help you transmit force from your legs to your upper body when you’re using your leg drive to hoist the log bar overhead.
Quads
Finally, the log press will help you develop powerful quads. Sure, they won’t work them to the same extent that barbell squats will, but you’ll still be squatting in unstable conditions to get up into starting position. Then — unless you’re strict pressing — you’ll need your quads to generate a whole lot of power through your leg drive.
Who Should Do the Log Press
The log press doesn’t mess around when it comes to how much power you need to generate to hoist it over your head. With a buy-in weight of at least 50 pounds (for the smallest type of log bar), you need to be able to efficiently translate all your body’s power and strength into pressing prowess. A lot of different kinds of athletes might want to develop exactly that.
Strongwomen and Strongmen
Athletes who compete in strongman competitions will almost certainly want to train with the log press.
Not only is this often a competition lift in itself, but it also has direct carryover into other potential competition lifts, like the monster dumbbell press.
Weightlifters
Weightlifters will likely want to stick to a majority of barbell lifts, since the technique with a barbell is so specific and different from the log pressing technique. However, both competition lifts for weightlifters involve developing tremendous overhead strength and stability. A weightlifter may be looking for strength-building, shoulder-saving variety in their training during the offseason. If so, the log press might be an effective — and fun — way to do so.
Powerlifters
Unlike strongmen and weightlifters, powerlifters don’t overhead press in competition. However, many powerlifters might want to develop their overhead strength in the off-season for well-rounded strength. Overhead work can also help powerlifters develop stronger lats, traps, and shoulders, all of which are important for their big three competition lifts.
Because of the neutral grip provided by the log press, this might be a desirable overhead variation for powerlifters. It’ll be less taxing on your shoulders because of the grip orientation, which is exactly what you might need when you don’t want to set your shoulders up for failure during your bench pressing sessions.
Non-Competitive Gymgoers
You don’t have to be the biggest lifter on the block to benefit from — and enjoy — the log press. If you have access to one in your gym and are able to safely press it overhead, you might benefit a lot from the log press.
Not only will the training variety potentially add a lot of fun to your routine, but learning such a cool lift can be a great confidence-booster that keeps you coming back for more. Additionally, the neutral grip that the log bar provides might be great for non-competitive lifters who are looking for ways to press overhead without compromising their shoulders with horizontally-oriented grips.
Log Press Sets and Reps
Generally speaking, when you’re working with the log press, you’re probably looking to build max strength. That said, the log press has plenty of uses for hypertrophy and even conditioning.
For Max Strength
While you’re still learning the log press, work in the higher rep ranges before trying to max out and work in the lower, strength-building ranges. When you’re ready to develop max overhead strength with the log press, aim for three to five sets of two to five reps. You’ll want the weight to be heavy and approach failure — but make sure you’re able to maintain safe form throughout.
For Building Muscle
When you’re working toward hypertrophy with less involved, lighter lifts, you might be able to push toward failure with rep schemes between six and 12 to 15 reps. But lifting even moderately heavy with a log press might enable you to build a significant amount of muscle using fewer reps.
Because so much of your body is involved and you can move so much weight with this lift, higher rep counts will build muscle but also cross into endurance and conditioning territory. You’ll likely be able to build a hefty amount of muscle with three sets in the five to 10 rep range.
For Conditioning
Because the log press involves your entire body — literally from head to toe — and allows you to lift so heavily, you’re likely to get your heart rate up pretty high. Training the log press for conditioning will help you get stronger and more cardiovascularly fit all at the same time. How you approach this really depends on your experience and overall fitness level.
For some, you might consider eight reps to be more conditioning than you normally integrate into your training. For others, cranking out as many solid reps as possible in 60 seconds would be a more apt form of conditioning.
Log Press Variations
A log bar is such a highly-specific piece of equipment — but that doesn’t mean it can only help you complete one lift. Check out these log press variations to see how you can add even more spice to your log pressing life.
Log Viper Press
If the log press itself isn’t quite enough of a conditioning challenge for you, you might want to try the log viper press on for size. Instead of bringing the log bar back down to the front rack position between each rep, you’ll bring it back down beneath your chest.
Then, you’ll use your hip extension to take the bar in one swift movement over your head to lockout. It’ll look more like a snatch than a push press. This variation involves more hips and even more power than the original version, which you might love if you’re looking to develop as much explosivity as possible.
Strict Log Press
For the log strict press, you’ll be performing a log press — but without any momentum from your lower body. This takes the push or jerk element out of the move, which means you’ll be able to move less weight than you otherwise could.
But just because you’re moving less weight doesn’t mean it’s an inferior move. Being able to strict press build a great deal of core stability, not to mention places an even larger emphasis on your upper body muscles. Sure, they’ll be hefting less weight. However, without assistance from your lower body, it becomes entirely about how much your shoulders and upper body can move on their own.
Block Log Press
Want to eliminate the clean from the move? This way, you can focus solely on upper body strength and power without worrying about the awkwardness of the start of the move. In that case, start with the log on blocks just below your shoulders.
Doing this can serve as a great introduction to the move for beginners who haven’t quite gotten their heads around the awkward clean portion yet. It’s also a great option for advanced lifters who want to load up as heavy as possible for higher reps.
Log Press Alternatives
Don’t have access to a log? Not a problem. There’s another specialty bar that can help you press heavy overhead with a neutral grip. And if your gym doesn’t have any specialty bars to offer, you can still use a good old-fashioned barbell to get the job done.
Swiss Bar Press
While it’s not a log, the Swiss bar has one huge — and hugely important — similarity to the log bar. It comes with neutral grips, too. This means that you’ll be able to move weight overhead with your palms facing each other even if you don’t have access to a log bar.
This preserves the shoulder-saving aspect of the log press while still allowing you to put big weight above you. While it’s still a specialty bar, many gyms are more likely to have a Swiss bar than they are to have a log. In that way, this press is a great alternative for aspiring athletes without access to all the coolest strongman equipment.
Barbell Clean & Jerk
Because the implement is so different, the barbell clean & jerk requires different movement mechanics than the log press. So, it’s not a directly transferable skill. But, being proficient at one can potentially help you develop the body awareness to learn the other.
Plus, the barbell clean & jerk enables you to push a tremendous amount of weight overhead. If you’re looking to push a max amount of weight overhead without access to a log, this lift is an excellent option.
Get Pressing
Looking to compete in strongman and strongwoman events? Learning the log press will be a crucial part of your journey, because you’re likely to come across it as an official event. Even if you don’t have aspirations to compete, you might be looking for a way to push big weight overhead without a punishing shoulder angle. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that this is one of the coolest-looking lifts around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Folks who are just learning strongman and strongwoman lifts often have a lot of questions. And questions are good — they mean you’re paying attention and are more likely to learn what you need to succeed. Here are some questions that a lot of people have about the log press.
Do you need to learn the log press for strongman and strongwoman competitions?
Unlike powerlifting and weightlifting meets — which always feature the same lifts and competition structure — strongman and strongwoman competitions or more unpredictable. They don’t always feature the same lifts and feats of strength. That said, many competitions do feature the log press itself or other overhead variations. So, it’s worth learning if you can.
What if I don’t have access to a log bar?
Maybe you’re trying to compete, or maybe you just want to learn the log press because it looks and feels so darn cool. Whatever your motivations, you don’t have to despair if you don’t have access to the exact equipment the lift calls for.
So many strongman events rely on lifters being able to adapt to moving extremely heavy, extremely awkward implements. If you don’t have access to a log bar, get creative in your training — maybe with a Swiss bar, or maybe with a (sturdy) implement of your own making — to practice getting big weights overhead.
How much do log bars weigh?
That depends. Different log bars have different dimensions and diameters, all of which have their own unique advantages for training. While eight-inch log bars weigh 50 pounds, their 10-inch cousins are closer to 72 pounds. And 12-inch log bars can get as heavy as 134 pounds.
Smaller bars allow you to train with a bigger range of motion. So even though they’re lighter, they might challenge you more since you have to push them through more time under tension due to the larger range of motion.
submitted by monkaSman to MensWellbeing [link] [comments]
Whether you’re looking to compete in strongman or just to add another strength-building lift to your repertoire, the log press can set you on the right path.
A shirtless, bearded person performs a log press.
Credit: Dmitriy Khitrin / Shutterstock
It’s got a heftier buy-in than a regular barbell press. Whereas barbells typically weigh in at 45 pounds, eight-inch diameter log bars weigh 50 pounds; 10-inch log bars come in closer to 72 pounds; and 12-inch bars get as heavy as 134 pounds. Not for the faint of heart, the log press will not only showcase your strength — it’ll build it, too.
How to Do the Log Press
Benefits of the Log Press
Muscles Worked by the Log Press
Who Should Do the Log Press
Log Press Sets and Reps
Log Press Variations
Log Press Alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Do the Log Press
Learning the log press may seem intimidating, and not without reason. To lift the 10-inch bar alone, you’ll need to be comfortable pressing over 70 pounds above your head. But if you’ve got that covered, all it takes is a little know-how and a lot of practice.
While strict presses are also possible, this guide discusses a push press version, where you get increased engagement — and loading potential — from your lower body.
Step 1 — Pull the Log Off the Floor
A person wearing pink shorts prepares to deadlift a log implement.
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
Start in a deadlift position, hinged at your hips with bent knees. Position your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width and turn your feet slightly outwards. The log should be touching your shins. Grip the handles and pull your shoulder blades back and down. Drive through your legs to pull the log to your hips.
Form Tip: Tilt the log away from you by driving your wrists forward. You won’t scrape your legs and it’ll be easier to lap the log (see next step) as you can rotate the log into your hips.
Step 2 — Lap the Log
A person wearing pink shorts cleans a log bar into their lap.
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
Once the bar is at hip level, squat down until the bottoms of your thighs are parallel with the floor. The bar should sit on top of your thighs, and your elbows should flare outwards. This position is referred to as, “lapping” the log.
Form Tip: Keep the log pressed firmly against your chest and stomach. If there’s any space between your body and the log, it’ll make the clean more difficult to execute.
Step 3 — Clean the Log
A person wearing pink shorts supporting a strongman log implement in the front rack position
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
Though it’s called a “clean”, cleaning a log is mechanically different than the barbell variation. From the lap position, explosively stand up, driving you hips forward and rolling the log up your stomach and chest. As the log ascends, bring your elbows in and under the implement so that you end up in the front rack position.
Form Tip: You want your elbows up as high as you can get them, which means the bar will needs to sit on your upper chest and press into your neck. It’s not the most comfortable position, but it should last only but a few seconds.
Step 4 — Press Overhead
A person wearing pink shorts locks out a log bar overhead using a jerk technique.
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
There are two primary ways you can lock out the log overhead. First, you can implement a split jerk, where you simultaneously drive the bar under head and dip under it by staggering your legs. The other option is the more standard push press, where you dip down a few inches and then explode up, using that leg drive to lock out your arms.
Form Tip: If you’re new to the log press, we suggest sticking with the push press option as it’s technically easier to master.
Step 5 — Lower With Control
A person wearing pink shorts lowers a log bar to their chest.
Credit: Worlds Strongest Gay – Rob Kearney / YouTube
Lower the log with control so it falls in front of your face (instead of onto your face). Catch the bar on your chest with a generous bend of your knees so your body can absorb the weight. Reset and repeat.
Form Tip: If you’re lifting a max effort press or are completing your last rep of the set, you can drop the log by letting your arms swing down in front of your body and dropping it onto the pads.
Benefits of the Log Press
The benefits of the log press are legion — as are the bragging rights you get when your lifting buddy films you crushing a new log press personal record. It’s not just about building more strength and power, either (though it is about that). The log press also puts your shoulders in a relatively stable position, making this a potentially more accessible form of overhead pressing than barbell pressing for those with shoulder issues.
Massive Pressing Potential
Unlike a barbell, the log bar has neutral grips. Since your shoulders won’t be in such a compromised position — that is, flared outwards — you’ll potentially increase the load you’re able to press by quite a significant sum. You can use that neutral grip to build your overhead strength even more than you could with your shoulders locked into the position a barbell puts them in.
Your body and muscles can therefore become accustomed to moving much bigger weights. As such, when you do go back to the barbell, you may well be able to handle pressing significantly heavier loads.
Full-Body Hypertrophy
The log press may be an overhead press at heart, but it won’t only challenge your shoulders. This move also taps into your triceps, lats, traps, core, and even leg strength in a huge way.
You’ll build muscle across your entire body, particularly your upper body. When training the log press for hypertrophy, you’ll go a bit lighter than you will when you’re going for max strength. But either way, working under such an intense stimulus will challenge your muscles to grow.
More Shoulder-Friendly
Although the log press is an intimidating lift, keep in mind that you’ll be using neutral-grip handles. This means that your shoulders will be in a less compromised position than they are during a barbell press, where your grip is horizontally-oriented. So you can lift even heavier in a position that’s better for your shoulders — a win-win for strength and longevity.
Full-Body Power and Conditioning
If you’re using a push press or jerk to heft the log over head instead of performing a strict press, you’ll need to generate huge amounts of power throughout your entire body. Everything from your toes to your fingertips need to be working together in an explosive fashion to successfully complete this lift.
Because this move requires you to generate so much power throughout your entire body, you’ll get your conditioning work in, too. From pulling and rolling the log bar into the rack position to using a full-body leg drive to lock it out overhead, you’re being both explosive and controlling your form all over your body. With so many moving parts, even one heavy rep can make you breathless — stringing together multiple reps can become a solid part of your conditioning routine.
Muscles Worked by the Log Press
The log press taps into so many different parts of your body. Here are some of the big movers.
Shoulders
Since this is, at the end of the day, an overhead press, your shoulders might be the first thing that comes to your mind with this lift. Sure enough, the log press requires and will develop very strong and stable shoulders.
Triceps
You can’t lock out heavy weights without some pretty powerful, well-developed triceps. In order to not let your triceps become a quick limiting factor to your log press, make sure you’re not neglecting them in the rest of your training.
Traps
In order to support the weight of the log overhead — and to help your shoulders out in the front rack position and with the end of the clean — you need strong traps. Without engaging your traps, you’ll have a difficult time setting up this lift properly and stabilizing it on top.
Lats
As you’re pulling the bar from the floor to your lap and rolling it up your body to set yourself up for the actual press, you’ll need your lats. They’ll help drive the pulling that begins this lift and — as they do in the bench press — will help you stabilize the lift during the pressing part of the movement.
Core
Falling over during your log press would not be optimal, to say the least. To keep your body steady, you’ll need a strong core — which is exactly what the log press will help you develop. Your core will also help you transmit force from your legs to your upper body when you’re using your leg drive to hoist the log bar overhead.
Quads
Finally, the log press will help you develop powerful quads. Sure, they won’t work them to the same extent that barbell squats will, but you’ll still be squatting in unstable conditions to get up into starting position. Then — unless you’re strict pressing — you’ll need your quads to generate a whole lot of power through your leg drive.
Who Should Do the Log Press
The log press doesn’t mess around when it comes to how much power you need to generate to hoist it over your head. With a buy-in weight of at least 50 pounds (for the smallest type of log bar), you need to be able to efficiently translate all your body’s power and strength into pressing prowess. A lot of different kinds of athletes might want to develop exactly that.
Strongwomen and Strongmen
Athletes who compete in strongman competitions will almost certainly want to train with the log press.
Not only is this often a competition lift in itself, but it also has direct carryover into other potential competition lifts, like the monster dumbbell press.
Weightlifters
Weightlifters will likely want to stick to a majority of barbell lifts, since the technique with a barbell is so specific and different from the log pressing technique. However, both competition lifts for weightlifters involve developing tremendous overhead strength and stability. A weightlifter may be looking for strength-building, shoulder-saving variety in their training during the offseason. If so, the log press might be an effective — and fun — way to do so.
Powerlifters
Unlike strongmen and weightlifters, powerlifters don’t overhead press in competition. However, many powerlifters might want to develop their overhead strength in the off-season for well-rounded strength. Overhead work can also help powerlifters develop stronger lats, traps, and shoulders, all of which are important for their big three competition lifts.
Because of the neutral grip provided by the log press, this might be a desirable overhead variation for powerlifters. It’ll be less taxing on your shoulders because of the grip orientation, which is exactly what you might need when you don’t want to set your shoulders up for failure during your bench pressing sessions.
Non-Competitive Gymgoers
You don’t have to be the biggest lifter on the block to benefit from — and enjoy — the log press. If you have access to one in your gym and are able to safely press it overhead, you might benefit a lot from the log press.
Not only will the training variety potentially add a lot of fun to your routine, but learning such a cool lift can be a great confidence-booster that keeps you coming back for more. Additionally, the neutral grip that the log bar provides might be great for non-competitive lifters who are looking for ways to press overhead without compromising their shoulders with horizontally-oriented grips.
Log Press Sets and Reps
Generally speaking, when you’re working with the log press, you’re probably looking to build max strength. That said, the log press has plenty of uses for hypertrophy and even conditioning.
For Max Strength
While you’re still learning the log press, work in the higher rep ranges before trying to max out and work in the lower, strength-building ranges. When you’re ready to develop max overhead strength with the log press, aim for three to five sets of two to five reps. You’ll want the weight to be heavy and approach failure — but make sure you’re able to maintain safe form throughout.
For Building Muscle
When you’re working toward hypertrophy with less involved, lighter lifts, you might be able to push toward failure with rep schemes between six and 12 to 15 reps. But lifting even moderately heavy with a log press might enable you to build a significant amount of muscle using fewer reps.
Because so much of your body is involved and you can move so much weight with this lift, higher rep counts will build muscle but also cross into endurance and conditioning territory. You’ll likely be able to build a hefty amount of muscle with three sets in the five to 10 rep range.
For Conditioning
Because the log press involves your entire body — literally from head to toe — and allows you to lift so heavily, you’re likely to get your heart rate up pretty high. Training the log press for conditioning will help you get stronger and more cardiovascularly fit all at the same time. How you approach this really depends on your experience and overall fitness level.
For some, you might consider eight reps to be more conditioning than you normally integrate into your training. For others, cranking out as many solid reps as possible in 60 seconds would be a more apt form of conditioning.
Log Press Variations
A log bar is such a highly-specific piece of equipment — but that doesn’t mean it can only help you complete one lift. Check out these log press variations to see how you can add even more spice to your log pressing life.
Log Viper Press
If the log press itself isn’t quite enough of a conditioning challenge for you, you might want to try the log viper press on for size. Instead of bringing the log bar back down to the front rack position between each rep, you’ll bring it back down beneath your chest.
Then, you’ll use your hip extension to take the bar in one swift movement over your head to lockout. It’ll look more like a snatch than a push press. This variation involves more hips and even more power than the original version, which you might love if you’re looking to develop as much explosivity as possible.
Strict Log Press
For the log strict press, you’ll be performing a log press — but without any momentum from your lower body. This takes the push or jerk element out of the move, which means you’ll be able to move less weight than you otherwise could.
But just because you’re moving less weight doesn’t mean it’s an inferior move. Being able to strict press build a great deal of core stability, not to mention places an even larger emphasis on your upper body muscles. Sure, they’ll be hefting less weight. However, without assistance from your lower body, it becomes entirely about how much your shoulders and upper body can move on their own.
Block Log Press
Want to eliminate the clean from the move? This way, you can focus solely on upper body strength and power without worrying about the awkwardness of the start of the move. In that case, start with the log on blocks just below your shoulders.
Doing this can serve as a great introduction to the move for beginners who haven’t quite gotten their heads around the awkward clean portion yet. It’s also a great option for advanced lifters who want to load up as heavy as possible for higher reps.
Log Press Alternatives
Don’t have access to a log? Not a problem. There’s another specialty bar that can help you press heavy overhead with a neutral grip. And if your gym doesn’t have any specialty bars to offer, you can still use a good old-fashioned barbell to get the job done.
Swiss Bar Press
While it’s not a log, the Swiss bar has one huge — and hugely important — similarity to the log bar. It comes with neutral grips, too. This means that you’ll be able to move weight overhead with your palms facing each other even if you don’t have access to a log bar.
This preserves the shoulder-saving aspect of the log press while still allowing you to put big weight above you. While it’s still a specialty bar, many gyms are more likely to have a Swiss bar than they are to have a log. In that way, this press is a great alternative for aspiring athletes without access to all the coolest strongman equipment.
Barbell Clean & Jerk
Because the implement is so different, the barbell clean & jerk requires different movement mechanics than the log press. So, it’s not a directly transferable skill. But, being proficient at one can potentially help you develop the body awareness to learn the other.
Plus, the barbell clean & jerk enables you to push a tremendous amount of weight overhead. If you’re looking to push a max amount of weight overhead without access to a log, this lift is an excellent option.
Get Pressing
Looking to compete in strongman and strongwoman events? Learning the log press will be a crucial part of your journey, because you’re likely to come across it as an official event. Even if you don’t have aspirations to compete, you might be looking for a way to push big weight overhead without a punishing shoulder angle. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that this is one of the coolest-looking lifts around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Folks who are just learning strongman and strongwoman lifts often have a lot of questions. And questions are good — they mean you’re paying attention and are more likely to learn what you need to succeed. Here are some questions that a lot of people have about the log press.
Do you need to learn the log press for strongman and strongwoman competitions?
Unlike powerlifting and weightlifting meets — which always feature the same lifts and competition structure — strongman and strongwoman competitions or more unpredictable. They don’t always feature the same lifts and feats of strength. That said, many competitions do feature the log press itself or other overhead variations. So, it’s worth learning if you can.
What if I don’t have access to a log bar?
Maybe you’re trying to compete, or maybe you just want to learn the log press because it looks and feels so darn cool. Whatever your motivations, you don’t have to despair if you don’t have access to the exact equipment the lift calls for.
So many strongman events rely on lifters being able to adapt to moving extremely heavy, extremely awkward implements. If you don’t have access to a log bar, get creative in your training — maybe with a Swiss bar, or maybe with a (sturdy) implement of your own making — to practice getting big weights overhead.
How much do log bars weigh?
That depends. Different log bars have different dimensions and diameters, all of which have their own unique advantages for training. While eight-inch log bars weigh 50 pounds, their 10-inch cousins are closer to 72 pounds. And 12-inch log bars can get as heavy as 134 pounds.
Smaller bars allow you to train with a bigger range of motion. So even though they’re lighter, they might challenge you more since you have to push them through more time under tension due to the larger range of motion.
2024.06.09 15:47 christinarenae95 Beach Read by Emily Henry Free Audiobook and Review
"Beach Read" by Emily Henry is a captivating romantic comedy novel that follows the story of January Andrews, a bestselling romance author who finds herself facing writer's block and a crumbling personal life. When she unexpectedly ends up living next door to her literary rival, acclaimed literary fiction writer Augustus Everett, the two strike a deal to switch genres for the summer.
As January and Gus embark on a journey of writing challenges and self-discovery, they form an unlikely bond that evolves into a deep and meaningful connection. Set against the backdrop of a quaint beach town, the novel explores themes of love, loss, forgiveness, and the power of storytelling to heal and transform.
Emily Henry crafts a beautifully written story filled with humor, wit, and genuine emotion. The characters are well-developed and relatable, with complex layers and vulnerabilities that make them feel real and compelling. The banter between January and Gus is both sharp and endearing, and their chemistry sizzles on the page.
"Beach Read" is more than just a romance novel; it's a poignant exploration of the human heart and the complexities of relationships. Emily Henry's masterful storytelling and deft handling of themes elevate this novel beyond the typical rom-com fare, making it a standout in the genre.
Overall, "Beach Read" is a delightful and heartfelt read that will leave readers smiling, laughing, and reaching for tissues. It's a love letter to books, writing, and the messy, beautiful journey of falling in love.
Listen for free at link in sidebar
submitted by christinarenae95 to Audiobooksguy [link] [comments]
As January and Gus embark on a journey of writing challenges and self-discovery, they form an unlikely bond that evolves into a deep and meaningful connection. Set against the backdrop of a quaint beach town, the novel explores themes of love, loss, forgiveness, and the power of storytelling to heal and transform.
Emily Henry crafts a beautifully written story filled with humor, wit, and genuine emotion. The characters are well-developed and relatable, with complex layers and vulnerabilities that make them feel real and compelling. The banter between January and Gus is both sharp and endearing, and their chemistry sizzles on the page.
"Beach Read" is more than just a romance novel; it's a poignant exploration of the human heart and the complexities of relationships. Emily Henry's masterful storytelling and deft handling of themes elevate this novel beyond the typical rom-com fare, making it a standout in the genre.
Overall, "Beach Read" is a delightful and heartfelt read that will leave readers smiling, laughing, and reaching for tissues. It's a love letter to books, writing, and the messy, beautiful journey of falling in love.
Listen for free at link in sidebar
2024.06.09 15:31 Logical_Union_6967 I (23F) dated someone (22M) who's in a relationship. Are we not allowed to continue our relationship?
Long story ahead, but please bare with me, I'm in need of an ear to hear me out.
I met this guy at our school, he's one of my blockmate at nursing school. At first, he's nothing significant, a normal and loyal to his gf in our class. Everyone knows how loyal he is and they're in 3 years and counting relationship. They even share an apartment and living together. One semester as a transfereee, I was at the same block and clinical group with him. I am social butterfly, I fit in every group, be it guys or gals, I never had a problem making friend or fitting in the group. I approached him and made friends with him. I also made friends with his other circle of friends in our class. I was so closed to him, very much close, that other's think that we're dating each other, but in a joke way, since he has girlfriend. Even our clinical instructors think that we're together. Of course, we denied it since we aren't really dating or something. It was so platonic for me. I considered him as my younger brother.
I haven't told you yet what kind of relationship he have with his girlfriend. Our batch knows how smooth-sailing and perfect relationship they have. It's just so perfect that everyone's would want it too, but nothing's perfect. We are in a different circle, but I am closed to his circle as well. We hangout sometime, but he was never been present. That's because his girlfriend wouldn't let him. It's not that because I was there, when all of the boys are hangging out, she never let him. Even after clinicals lunch-out with the group, she never let him go. He was restricted that he barely socialize with his friends. He was able to go out unless she's with him. One of our close-guy friend told us that one day, he will find someone that he never expect to meet, find comfort, and freedom. He is extremely introverted that he wouldn't talk unless you approach him, so he don't have the energy as well to find someone. His world was his girlfriend. He's a greenest of the green-type of guy.
I never knew what his relationship would be like, since I only transferred and I know him for one semester. He was so open to me about his life. I was his councilor and he trusted me to the point he told me what's really going on their relationship. I was his friend that he can count on and give him some poetic, novel-like, mind-opening advices. He never told anyone, even his circle whom he know for ages, but me, he never hesitate to tell his whole story. He was physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially abused by his girlfriend. Disclaimer, he didn't opened this to me so I could give him comfort or pity him, he opened because he wanted to let all his struggles out. A lot of things is going on with their relationship that he couldn't tell to anyone because he don't want to make others think bad about his girlfriend. He wanted to protect her because he knows how emotionally and mentally incapable she is. Within the 3 years of relationship, it was all toxic. She never let him voice out his side. If he will, she'll get mad. She was controlling him. He wanted to broke up with her, but she wouldn't want to.
Another semester have passed, we are still on the same clinical group. But our closeness grew even more. We even have this all-nighters conversation, sleep calls, and partner-review. We are also going out together after clinicals, have some coffee or lunch. I was so dense that I didn't felt that he has something on his mind. My circle of friend and other blockmates telling me that there's something on him. Like he wanted something and seeking attention from me, but I didn't acknowledge what they were saying, because I know it was a platonic relationship between us. One day, I felt the urge to ask him about how he feels on our friendship, then he confessed. He confessed that he liked me. He explain how it'd happen and when did it started. I told him that was he is doing is considered as cheating and he must be aware of it. I wouldn't want to ruin the friendship we have but we need to minimize our interaction together. And swear, I am not the type of person who date someone who's in relationship. I don't want to ruin someone's relationship. He agreed but with one condition, that he'll take his shot with me once he is settled.
We haven't talked for a week with no interaction during clinicals at all. Friends got suspicious, so I approached him. I told him not to distance himself so much, I still want our friendship like before. He told me that he can't, he was so drawn to me that he couldn't resist himself. He wanted to continue our interactions like before and try to be friends with me, but he couldn't promise if it will be same as before. I agreed to have our connections back, I wanted to try to work things out as friends with him. Eventually, the feelings grew. I developed feelings towards him. It was so wrong, yet surreal. It seems like this feelings already existed before but it was never been acknowledge by myself. We found ourselves on series of secret meet ups and dates. The interactions are not like before, this time it was deeper. We dated even he is still in a relationship. I never felt this before. It was so wrong but I couldn't get myself to stop it. Our feelings are now mutual. We tried to stop seeing each other, we really tried several times, but we our resolves falter every time we see each other. It was so hard for us not to acknowledge what we feel when we are on the same clinicals. My friends and his are getting suspicious, so we told them what's happening. They got angry at us and told us to stop our relationship. He needs to settle his relationship so we could continue ours, but the success is not guaranteed. We stopped again for few days then we're back again, doing the same wrong thing. We didn't let them know because they'll be angry for real this time.
His girlfriend is becoming suspicious, but she lets him slide. He wanted to broke up, but she don't want to and made a promise to him that she will do better this time. She'll make a change for him. I was so guilty and told him that she deserves the truth and it's not like we can hide it for long. He doesn't want to, because it might ruin me. For sure people have a lot of mean things to say to me. Another semester end, we decided to hangout together overnight because we might not be on the same clinical next semester. He told me that he already told his parents and girlfriend that he couldn't come home. We are half-way through the night and decided to open my phone. To my suprise, I received a lot of messages and missed calls from our friends asking if I know where he is. One of our friend even told me that his girlfriend keep on calling him, asking if he is with him. I asked him to call his girlfriend and she answered, sobbing and asking where he is. I don't know what to do that time, I whispered to him that he should tell the truth, but he didn't. She keeps on asking but he couldn't answer. She wanted him to come home or else she'll call his parents to pick him up or even kill herself. All I can do is to cry and feel guilty in that moment. What I have done? What I have just ruined? He went home that night.
We haven't talked for a week after that, I never heard back from him as well. I don't what to do time. I just cried and did nothing but drown myself to sadness and guilt. I don't want to let him go. Our friends know what happened and they're worried about me. Even after what we did, they didn't take our side, but they wanted to make me feel that I still have them. Another week have passed, I still haven't heard anything from him. It was summer break so we don't have the chance to meet at school. Friends told me that he might have already chosen. It might be her and not me. I couldn't believe it, because he promised me that he will choose me and stood up for me. I didn't lose hope. Her girlfriend then sent me a message saying that she forgive us on what we did and I should do what's right. She even told me to respect his decision. She is a really kind person and I really felt guilty what I did to her. Things escalated really quick. I also received this message from his mother, telling me to back off and leave his son alone and stop ruining their relationship or else, she would do something that I wouldn't want to. Because of that, I came to decide that I need to let him go and cut things off with him. I will be accountable for my actions and distance myself. I don't want to. It's not something that I could fix what I already broken, but at least compensate for what I have done. She, his mother, and me, agreed to this so we can be now at peace. I was so hurt and I couldn't recover from it, but I guess this is my karma. I still want him back.
One of his friend reached out to me and checked on me. He said that he was able to get a hold from him. He told me something, not to give me some hope to hold onto. He said that he wanted to choose me, but he couldn't because of his parents. They love her so much that they don't want them be separated. They also badmouth me, which I expected. But he told him that they don't know what his girlfriend did to him but keep himself shut so he could protect her image to his parent. He clearly don't know how to fight for himself. Which I'm not even mad about it. I know he's going through a hard time, I just wish that I was there for him.
Few days after, I was shocked that he is at our front door. He told me that he already broken up with her. He can't continue their relationship because he knows that they will just hurt each other in the future. He don't want her to get hurt anymore and it will be unfair to her that even though he is physically present for her, his heart and mind calls out for someone. She still clings to him and asked him in one condition, let her be ready to tell this to his parents and let her stay for a while. She needs time to process all what happened.
I love him and couldn't let him go as well. I know how much he loves me as well. We are willing to risk everything for our relationship. One day, we decided to meet again and had a date. One friend from my circle and one friend from his circle came to the place where we are. We are so shocked and they are so angry at us. They told us to stop what we are doing, because someone from our school took a picture of us dating. They're so stressed out and wouldn't want to get involved anymore. They warned us because our cheating issue is out of control. He told him that they already broken up and we wanted to start anew. It was not official because that want she wanted.
Everything became chaotic. Everyone knows our issue. His mother texted me again and got really angry this time. Even my friends don't want to talk to me and wouldn't let me to explain my side. They even kept me pinning me on the things I did which I am damn well aware of. I thought they could be someone who will stay with me during the hard times, but I was wrong. Can't really blame them, they got tired of me.
Since no one knows that they already broken up and took a shot on our relationship, things became uncontrolled. Rumors here and there. Expext the worse and you reap what you sow. You do you and deserve what you tolerate. We rushed things.
I know it's not even an excuse that "We just fell in love" but we really wanted to have our relationship to work so bad. That we could do everything and anything. But I am so overwhelmed that I don't know what to do.
I feel guilty but my love for him is greater than it seems. I couldn't afford to lose him. I don't know if we should stop this and move forward because what we are doing is wrong. They keep telling us that it is nonsense. I guess, no one understands us.
Should I stop and wait? Should we fight for it and don't listen to them because they don't know and they don't understand us? Should we just end and let the destiny give us chance? I don't know.
submitted by Logical_Union_6967 to relationship_advice [link] [comments]
I met this guy at our school, he's one of my blockmate at nursing school. At first, he's nothing significant, a normal and loyal to his gf in our class. Everyone knows how loyal he is and they're in 3 years and counting relationship. They even share an apartment and living together. One semester as a transfereee, I was at the same block and clinical group with him. I am social butterfly, I fit in every group, be it guys or gals, I never had a problem making friend or fitting in the group. I approached him and made friends with him. I also made friends with his other circle of friends in our class. I was so closed to him, very much close, that other's think that we're dating each other, but in a joke way, since he has girlfriend. Even our clinical instructors think that we're together. Of course, we denied it since we aren't really dating or something. It was so platonic for me. I considered him as my younger brother.
I haven't told you yet what kind of relationship he have with his girlfriend. Our batch knows how smooth-sailing and perfect relationship they have. It's just so perfect that everyone's would want it too, but nothing's perfect. We are in a different circle, but I am closed to his circle as well. We hangout sometime, but he was never been present. That's because his girlfriend wouldn't let him. It's not that because I was there, when all of the boys are hangging out, she never let him. Even after clinicals lunch-out with the group, she never let him go. He was restricted that he barely socialize with his friends. He was able to go out unless she's with him. One of our close-guy friend told us that one day, he will find someone that he never expect to meet, find comfort, and freedom. He is extremely introverted that he wouldn't talk unless you approach him, so he don't have the energy as well to find someone. His world was his girlfriend. He's a greenest of the green-type of guy.
I never knew what his relationship would be like, since I only transferred and I know him for one semester. He was so open to me about his life. I was his councilor and he trusted me to the point he told me what's really going on their relationship. I was his friend that he can count on and give him some poetic, novel-like, mind-opening advices. He never told anyone, even his circle whom he know for ages, but me, he never hesitate to tell his whole story. He was physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially abused by his girlfriend. Disclaimer, he didn't opened this to me so I could give him comfort or pity him, he opened because he wanted to let all his struggles out. A lot of things is going on with their relationship that he couldn't tell to anyone because he don't want to make others think bad about his girlfriend. He wanted to protect her because he knows how emotionally and mentally incapable she is. Within the 3 years of relationship, it was all toxic. She never let him voice out his side. If he will, she'll get mad. She was controlling him. He wanted to broke up with her, but she wouldn't want to.
Another semester have passed, we are still on the same clinical group. But our closeness grew even more. We even have this all-nighters conversation, sleep calls, and partner-review. We are also going out together after clinicals, have some coffee or lunch. I was so dense that I didn't felt that he has something on his mind. My circle of friend and other blockmates telling me that there's something on him. Like he wanted something and seeking attention from me, but I didn't acknowledge what they were saying, because I know it was a platonic relationship between us. One day, I felt the urge to ask him about how he feels on our friendship, then he confessed. He confessed that he liked me. He explain how it'd happen and when did it started. I told him that was he is doing is considered as cheating and he must be aware of it. I wouldn't want to ruin the friendship we have but we need to minimize our interaction together. And swear, I am not the type of person who date someone who's in relationship. I don't want to ruin someone's relationship. He agreed but with one condition, that he'll take his shot with me once he is settled.
We haven't talked for a week with no interaction during clinicals at all. Friends got suspicious, so I approached him. I told him not to distance himself so much, I still want our friendship like before. He told me that he can't, he was so drawn to me that he couldn't resist himself. He wanted to continue our interactions like before and try to be friends with me, but he couldn't promise if it will be same as before. I agreed to have our connections back, I wanted to try to work things out as friends with him. Eventually, the feelings grew. I developed feelings towards him. It was so wrong, yet surreal. It seems like this feelings already existed before but it was never been acknowledge by myself. We found ourselves on series of secret meet ups and dates. The interactions are not like before, this time it was deeper. We dated even he is still in a relationship. I never felt this before. It was so wrong but I couldn't get myself to stop it. Our feelings are now mutual. We tried to stop seeing each other, we really tried several times, but we our resolves falter every time we see each other. It was so hard for us not to acknowledge what we feel when we are on the same clinicals. My friends and his are getting suspicious, so we told them what's happening. They got angry at us and told us to stop our relationship. He needs to settle his relationship so we could continue ours, but the success is not guaranteed. We stopped again for few days then we're back again, doing the same wrong thing. We didn't let them know because they'll be angry for real this time.
His girlfriend is becoming suspicious, but she lets him slide. He wanted to broke up, but she don't want to and made a promise to him that she will do better this time. She'll make a change for him. I was so guilty and told him that she deserves the truth and it's not like we can hide it for long. He doesn't want to, because it might ruin me. For sure people have a lot of mean things to say to me. Another semester end, we decided to hangout together overnight because we might not be on the same clinical next semester. He told me that he already told his parents and girlfriend that he couldn't come home. We are half-way through the night and decided to open my phone. To my suprise, I received a lot of messages and missed calls from our friends asking if I know where he is. One of our friend even told me that his girlfriend keep on calling him, asking if he is with him. I asked him to call his girlfriend and she answered, sobbing and asking where he is. I don't know what to do that time, I whispered to him that he should tell the truth, but he didn't. She keeps on asking but he couldn't answer. She wanted him to come home or else she'll call his parents to pick him up or even kill herself. All I can do is to cry and feel guilty in that moment. What I have done? What I have just ruined? He went home that night.
We haven't talked for a week after that, I never heard back from him as well. I don't what to do time. I just cried and did nothing but drown myself to sadness and guilt. I don't want to let him go. Our friends know what happened and they're worried about me. Even after what we did, they didn't take our side, but they wanted to make me feel that I still have them. Another week have passed, I still haven't heard anything from him. It was summer break so we don't have the chance to meet at school. Friends told me that he might have already chosen. It might be her and not me. I couldn't believe it, because he promised me that he will choose me and stood up for me. I didn't lose hope. Her girlfriend then sent me a message saying that she forgive us on what we did and I should do what's right. She even told me to respect his decision. She is a really kind person and I really felt guilty what I did to her. Things escalated really quick. I also received this message from his mother, telling me to back off and leave his son alone and stop ruining their relationship or else, she would do something that I wouldn't want to. Because of that, I came to decide that I need to let him go and cut things off with him. I will be accountable for my actions and distance myself. I don't want to. It's not something that I could fix what I already broken, but at least compensate for what I have done. She, his mother, and me, agreed to this so we can be now at peace. I was so hurt and I couldn't recover from it, but I guess this is my karma. I still want him back.
One of his friend reached out to me and checked on me. He said that he was able to get a hold from him. He told me something, not to give me some hope to hold onto. He said that he wanted to choose me, but he couldn't because of his parents. They love her so much that they don't want them be separated. They also badmouth me, which I expected. But he told him that they don't know what his girlfriend did to him but keep himself shut so he could protect her image to his parent. He clearly don't know how to fight for himself. Which I'm not even mad about it. I know he's going through a hard time, I just wish that I was there for him.
Few days after, I was shocked that he is at our front door. He told me that he already broken up with her. He can't continue their relationship because he knows that they will just hurt each other in the future. He don't want her to get hurt anymore and it will be unfair to her that even though he is physically present for her, his heart and mind calls out for someone. She still clings to him and asked him in one condition, let her be ready to tell this to his parents and let her stay for a while. She needs time to process all what happened.
I love him and couldn't let him go as well. I know how much he loves me as well. We are willing to risk everything for our relationship. One day, we decided to meet again and had a date. One friend from my circle and one friend from his circle came to the place where we are. We are so shocked and they are so angry at us. They told us to stop what we are doing, because someone from our school took a picture of us dating. They're so stressed out and wouldn't want to get involved anymore. They warned us because our cheating issue is out of control. He told him that they already broken up and we wanted to start anew. It was not official because that want she wanted.
Everything became chaotic. Everyone knows our issue. His mother texted me again and got really angry this time. Even my friends don't want to talk to me and wouldn't let me to explain my side. They even kept me pinning me on the things I did which I am damn well aware of. I thought they could be someone who will stay with me during the hard times, but I was wrong. Can't really blame them, they got tired of me.
Since no one knows that they already broken up and took a shot on our relationship, things became uncontrolled. Rumors here and there. Expext the worse and you reap what you sow. You do you and deserve what you tolerate. We rushed things.
I know it's not even an excuse that "We just fell in love" but we really wanted to have our relationship to work so bad. That we could do everything and anything. But I am so overwhelmed that I don't know what to do.
I feel guilty but my love for him is greater than it seems. I couldn't afford to lose him. I don't know if we should stop this and move forward because what we are doing is wrong. They keep telling us that it is nonsense. I guess, no one understands us.
Should I stop and wait? Should we fight for it and don't listen to them because they don't know and they don't understand us? Should we just end and let the destiny give us chance? I don't know.
2024.06.09 15:31 Rusted-1 ARK 8 Chapter 23-Unlucky
 | To kill for yourself is murder. To kill for your government is heroic. To kill for entertainment is harmless. What is it to kill for religion? - Unknown submitted by Rusted-1 to NatureofPredators [link] [comments] This fanfic is based on the fanfic The Isolationists, by Seeyouon_otherside, and a continuation of the stronger_together series. Constructive criticism is appreciated. Time Since First Contact: Y:0 M:1 W:0 D:3 Memory Transcript Subject: Private Brolien “Lucky” Tiwond of the enforcers. “Wait, the humans call you that? Why?” My buddy Rohan asked me as we patrolled the streets of the capital city of Finalshape under the night sky. You could actually see one of the aliens' ships flying overhead, which was fantastic. I felt like a kid watching them, just in awe at the technological marvels. Our power armor was clanking and clunking as we went about our day, heavy auto rifles in hand, a good breakfast this morning, kissed the kids and misses goodbye for today, promising little ones I’ll bring them back a souvenir of some kind. We walked through the snow that had to yet be cleared by the snow plows, and I just enjoyed the forever-green grass and trees. Just admiring the city that we lived in “Yeah, I was on the plane next to the human ARK ship when I went down.” “Wait, that was you?!” Rohan practically yelled, getting the attention of many people around us. “How come you’re still not in the Air Force anymore?” “That crash rattled me pretty bad, So I stepped down for that position and took up a job as a trooper,” I respond casually. “It was fun for a while being in the Air Force, but now, with seven kids and a wife, I can’t take that risk anymore. I’d rather do something more laid-back to have a higher chance of survival. So I can spend more time with my beloved and see my little ones grow up.” I said. Then I revealed my trap card. “I also got a spot on the Land Tank. “Yeah, I get that-YOU WHAT!?” He yelled. I let out a hearty laugh as he began to freak out. “Yep! I will be one of the lead anti-air and anti-space gunnery commanders. The pay is fantastic. I’m going to spoil my family rotten.” He made an odd noise and launched himself at me. “HOLLY SHIT DUDE! YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED A JOB ON THAT HUNK OF HISTORY! I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!” He patted me on the back a few times and then let go. “But I get what you mean by anti-air, but what do you mean by anti-space?” I sighed and looked around before switching to helmet-to-helmet communication so no one could hear us. "You're aware that Lord Lieutenant Commander Canilia Feral doesn't fully trust the aliens, right?” Rohan nodded. I couldn’t see his expression under the heavy metal helmet, but we had known each other since we were kids, so I could tell he was somber. “Yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of that. But that doesn't mean I don't understand it. The aliens are fun, lovely, adorable, and huggable. I can say a hundred other nice things about them, but I won't because I don't want to bore you to death. They are still a massive unknown; they've been sharing more and more information with us, and I know the one, Captain Leo, is preparing to hold some… not ceremony, what do you call it…I want to say it's a seminar about how they got here and their history. I'm going to it, but I don't know when it will be.” I nodded in agreement. “ I am with you on every single one of those points. As amazing as they are, there are so many unknowns about them… which is why Lord Lieutenant Commander Canilia Feral has started a program meant to counteract the aliens' most powerful tools: their droids and ships.” Rohan looked at me. I could tell from underneath his helmet he looked surprised. “Wait, weapons?” It was my turn to be somber. “She says it's to prepare for if they turn on us. She made it very apparent that she hoped she would never have to use these weapons, but she wanted to be prepared.” “Does Commander Fango Feral know about this?” I scoffed at that thought. “Well, yeah, this project would have never gotten the green light anyway. Plus, we're talking about Lord Lieutenant Commander Canilia Feral here. Going behind her uncle's back is the last thing she would do." Rohan nodded. "What do you know about the project?" He asked "What little I know about the project is that I will be operating an ASRFC, an anti-space rapid-fire cannon. It’s designed to do what it sounds like: it shoots or, rather, assists in launching incredibly fast-moving projectiles, similar to missiles but different somehow. They should be coated in the specialized electricity designed to short out alien systems. She's also been developing handheld weapons to short out their droids.” Rohan was silent. Then spoke. “Geez. That's… a lot. I'm just hoping the aliens don't find out.” My shoulder sagged as I hated the thought of operating a weapon like that against two species that have been nothing but kind to us. “Same, we all share the same sentiment at the Land Tank. We are on our hands and knees, praying to the great protector that we never have to use these guns. Lord Lieutenant Commander Canilia Feral is probably the person who is hoping the most. However, I get the odd feeling that they would understand why we would make these weapons. I think they'd be mad, but they wouldn't be upset. They'd be understanding.” I looked over at my childhood best friend. “Honestly, considering your Borderline addiction to anything alien right now, I'm surprised you're taking this as well as you are.” He shook his head. “I'm not really… it's hard making guns and weapons to kill a person who has been nothing but kind to you simply because you don't fully trust them. But I understand and support the logic behind it. However, it is comforting to know that everyone working on this project hopes and prays that they don't have to use them. Not much, but a bit.” Rohan sighed, and we walked in silence for a while. He perked up, his posture became slightly straighter, and he pointed to my chest. “What is that anyway on your chest? I’ve never seen a dialect or a plant like that,” he asked. I looked down and laughed. “Yeah, that’s human dialect. I want to say it’s the one called English, but it could also be the one called Japanese or Russian. I really have no idea. It says, “Lucky, the falling star.” The symbol is of what they called a four-leaf clover, a type of plant back on the human homeworld that was considered lucky, surrounded by a star, and there are trails to the side of it, or to make it look like it’s falling.” Rohan stopped for a minute, got the joke, and nearly busted a gut laughing. When he finally calmed down, he looked at me. “How the hell did Humans and Zeyzell convince you to get that painted on your armor!?” he asked through laughs. “Well, I was at a drink stop, a bar as most of you normals call it, forget which one, when out of the blue, a bunch of humans popped up, and they recognized me as a pilot. I don’t know how, but they did.” I answered, “Ask me all sorts of questions like how I survived. How was I doing? Generally, they were good questions and warmed my heart that they were worried about me. It was nice, anywho, they were going on about this plant on the human home world called the four-leaf clover, and this represents luck or something. They asked if they could paint my armor with it. I had just gotten my shiny new power armor, so I was like, sure, go ahead and paint it. Then, they whipped out a bunch of little pups, or kids and kits, as the humans call them. As in little humans who are ADORIBLE, and they started painting my armor as I started talking to the adults. Two hours later, bam, you got this masterpiece painted all over my armor. I swear they took the little ones out of their pockets if I didn’t know better. After all that, I wanted it back to camp, and the paint had dried. I tried getting off, even though it was a nice gesture. I was kind of sad about it, but I don’t know what the void they used is. This stuff is not coming off. I scrubbed for a good hour, and it didn’t come off. So when I had to fall in with everyone at Camp and with everyone with their new hand-me-down E-10 power armor. I stood out like a sore thumb.” “And you had petty officer Gotrom, didn’t you?” Rohana teasingly said. I shook my head in pain, causing him to laugh. “I’ll take that as a yes.” “Yep, I had him, the man of the petty ones. The moment he laid eyes on me. His eyes did the whole bleeding thing. I hate it when he does that and starts screaming at me. I mean, this dude is slightly above me in rank, but he takes his job too seriously. So, after five minutes of chewing me out, I thought he would pass out with the amount of hot air he was spewing. He asked me what my excuse was.” “What do you say to him?” Rohan asks. I laughed. “It was like the great protector had whispered exactly what I should say into my ear. “Interacting with the new locals, sir. Just letting them know that we are their friends, not their wardens.” And you won’t freaking believe this, he took it.” “He what?! he took it as a valid answer?!” Rohan asked. “I myself was still surprised that he took that as a valid answer, but yes, he did. Then he immediately brought me to the front of all three hundred troops and started to yell at them, tearing them a new one by telling them how I was the only one here who had made any attempt to meet with the alien. Even though we all know that’s not true, they found me. He patted me on the back, congratulated me, and sent me off to get some extra food.” “By the old void, that guy gets stranger and stranger every time.” I shrugged. “I honestly have no clue, and I think he was telling everyone to step up the game in greeting the aliens, but other than that, I have no idea. The Humans are super nice, and I often find them chatting with someone or petting someone. Void, I’ve even seen an entire group of humans swarm a giant and start petting it. It was cute to watch. The Zeyzell seem far more reserved than the humans, but you can have interesting conversations with them.” We continued to patrol the streets in silence for a while after that, making a bit of small talk to break it, but nothing much, just observing people going about their business. That’s when we saw an out-of-breath Tiwond with a human gently helping him drink a bottle of water. A Zeyzell clung to the human's back, laughing his lungs out. “Everything all right over here?” I asked. “Yeah,” the person said as he got up, swishing his tail as he did, “tried to beat my buddy here in a race after hearing about humans' high stamina. I lost by a large margin while he carried his fluffy ass on his back. The man said as he pointed to the Human and the Zeyzell. The Zeyzell just laughed while still clinging to the human's back. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” The Zeyzell said as the three laughed. “All right, you three, stay safe. Bye now.” The group of three said their goodbyes, and I looked at the human. He just seemed so happy. It was such a pure and authentic expression that it warmed my hearts. “It’s so nice that we met the humans; everyone just seems happier.” Rohan nodded. “Yeah, it’s like the mood has shifted, from the low to the high, it's nice. With the war, the terror that came after it, and the animals evolving and changing. Things were looking bleak. That’s not even mentioning all the giant refugees we've been getting, and well…him and them.” I looked at Rohan. “Who and what?” Rohan looked at me, confused. “You know? Viggo Scythelock?” I nodded. The mention of his name made me slightly mad. “Oh, him…you think they will catch the guy?” I asked. “Honestly, I hope so. He has caused so much pain to so many. The man is a psychopath, a monster. He used the war as an opportunity to harm so many.” Rohan looked down. “But honestly, it’s been over three years. I’m not sure if they will ever find him.” “Yeah…I hope they find him and take him out. Also, who are "Them" you are talking about?” Rohan looked at me, surprised. “You haven't heard?” he asked. He switched to helmet-to-helmet communications instead of talking out loud. This must be bad.” “I’m almost afraid to ask…but no, I have not heard about them,” I responded also with helmet-to-helmet communication. “Who are you talking about?” “The Cult of the Old God? You haven't heard what they have been up to?” “You mean them assassinating high-ranking individuals, stealing supplies, their entire operation multiplying tenfold ever since the alien's arrival?” I could tell he was surprised, and I could also understand that he was blinking and surprised underneath the helmet. That's how well we know each other. “How did you know?” “It's common knowledge, and the higher-ups sent this documentation earlier this morning. Did you not read it? They're very transparent, and you know that I don't get all your conspiracies at everything, which is a conspiracy.” “Oh, come on! The Aliens! Their rival was too perfect; just when we were getting worried that we were the only living creatures in the universe, pop! They show up. That can't be a coincidence!” I rolled my eyes underneath my helmet. “You need help.” “Not with my mental state, but definitely with my taxes.” I shake my head We continued on our way. When we crossed one of the streets and took a left toward one of the shopping districts, we saw two dudes sitting in the snow, huddled around something. We approached to make sure everything was alright. “Everything alright?” I asked. The guys looked up at me and made the shhh motion with their fingers. Then they parted their bodies a little, and I saw a female human sleeping between them. “We don’t want to wake her up,” the first said. I nodded my head and continued on. Both of us then turned a corner into a more populated part of the district. We saw a human and what looked like a construction worker chatting there. “Thank you so much for taking us in. I think I can speak for my entire species when I say you have made us so happy.” The construction worker raised an eyebrow and took another bite of the sandwich she was eating. “Anyone would’ve done it; it's just the right thing to do if they had a soul, at least.” The human started to laugh a bit, and then it quickly stopped as a human just shook her head. “Guess the federation has no soul then, huh?” The construction worker took another bite out of her sandwich. “Doesn’t sound like it.” The human leaned into the construction worker. “Eay, don’t worry. If those Federation things ever come here, they’ll get a big face full of Big Jim.” She then pulled out a massive [monkey wrench.] I smiled at that, knowing that so many were willing to protect the humans. I believe that made them feel more at home. We wandered past them on our patrol and continued deeper into the district. “Hey, you know what I’ve noticed?” Rohan said. “Hm?” I asked in return. “I haven’t seen all that many little humans, you know, their pups, kids, children, whatever they call them.” I was about to argue that I had seen quite a few children, but when I really thought about it. The only significant group of human children I had seen was when a bunch of them confronted me and painted the four-leaf clover and star onto my chest plate. Other than that, I’ve only seen a few. “Now that you mention it, you’re right. I’ve hardly seen any. Why do you think that is?” Rohan thought for a minute. Then, he snapped his secondary jaw in realization or remembered something. “I remember a bit of talk about a lot of young ones being on a second ARK ship. I don’t know much about it. All I know is that most of their young population, as in newborns to tweens, was supposedly on an ARK ship called ARK Twelve. Other than that, I don’t know much.” “Where did you hear that from?” I asked. “One of my buddies works in intelligence gathering. We like humans, but the intelligence bureau doesn’t fully trust them like Lord Lieutenant Commander Canilia Feral doesn't. I can’t blame them. Again, Humans are still a big unknown, even though they are one of the cutest things I have ever seen.” “Agreed.” “He was pretty drunk when I asked him, but it was his reaction when he said out loud that really disturbed me. Normally he’s a pretty big drinker because you see some bad shit in intelligence gathering. I mean, there are some terrible people out there. But the second he mentioned ARK twelve, he got really really sad. And he didn’t even finish his drink, which was a first. He mumbled something about going home to spend time with the human he was taking care of. I don’t know what it was about the response, but I got a sense of pure dread from it.” I nodded my head, and we continued. I felt like asking the next human I saw about ARK twelve, but I sensed it would be a bad idea. We saw a commotion in front of what looked like a jewelry store. Wandering over, there was a female tiwond Who seemed distressed. As we approached, she continuously asked strangers if they had seen someone. A lot of other people are starting to be concerned, too, for some reason. We approach to attempt to calm the situation. “Enforcers, what’s going on here?” Rohan asked. The woman turned around rather quickly. She was short and had that typical camo pattern fur that the people of the woodland area have, so she was most likely not a local. Then again, you can never be too confident in the city. “I lost them! I can't find them! I don’t know where they are!” She almost yelled in what looked like fear and worry. “Whoa, calm down, ma’am. What’s the problem?” I gently told her to try to get him to calm down. “Take four large breaths and clear all four of your lungs. Trust me, it helps.” She took some deep breaths, seemingly calmed down just a little, and then spoke again. “I am in charge of two humans under my care for the exchange program. I had brought her and her kid here to the shopping district to see if they wanted anything before moving back to the Woodland cities. However, they vanished. I don’t know where they went. I am terrified of all the unknowns around here that might hurt them.” “Thank you. Do you know where you last saw them?” I asked. I made a hand motion to Rohan to signal in an incident report and some backup. Rohan stepped away from the conversation and radioed a command using his helmet. “This is Rohan. I'm reporting a case of a missing person. Yeah, two humans went missing. I’m currently with Brolien, and we’re patrolling the shopping district… Green Wyvern. Can you send a few more patrols down here to help? We can’t have two aliens going missing in the city. That's bad, AR. Also, and yes, I want to see them safe. I am not an AR asshole.” "This is HQ, sending down an additional squad. Keep us updated." "Yes sir." Rhoan responded “Do you know which store you were in when you saw them last?” I asked. “The jewelry store, the one just over there. About [10 minutes] ago. Their names are Jasper and Melinda.” She pointed to one of the higher-end jewelry stores, and I motioned to Rohan to follow me. I noticed a few Street cops coming over to see what the situation was about. “What’s going on here?” one of the cops asked. I recognize this one, a retired Detective, I think. “Missing persons, two humans last seen over there. We’re going to investigate now,” I quickly informed him. “Keep an eye on her, will you?” He nodded and walked over to the lady, with two others in tow. Rohan and I walked over to the building to inspect the area around it. “If a human is missing here… I’m worried about who might’ve taken them. I know it’s pretty rare for kidnappings, but still.” Rohan said as he opened a dumpster and took a peek inside. “I mean, the humans are so frail. A good-sized hail storm will kill them.” Rohan said. “Yeah, apparently it can. I’ve heard rumors that back on their home planet, it’s possible to die from things like that.” I responded. “Unbelievable,” Rohan replied in disbelief, shaking his head. We started to search the area, calling out their names. We wandered past an ally—“Oh, protector, what is this?” I looked over to see Rohan had stepped in Something. I walked over and looked at it. “Is that blood?” I asked him. “No way too light to be blood. Look at how red it is. It’s not even a black color like ours. I bet you another copper wire melted. I can tell by the scent.” he replied as he shook the stuff off his boot. I took a closer look, put my hand in it, and brought it up to my face. It looked like blood. It flowed like blood. I used the scanning equipment in my helmet and… …Oh shit. “Rohan, this is human blood,” I said. I got up and turned the safety off my gun. Rohan follows suit, and we both enter the alleyway, guns drawn. There was a little more blood on the walls and a bit on the ground. “This is enforcer Rohan calling enforcer HQ, and we have possible contact with an unknown that has seemingly taken two humans, one child, and one mother. Send backup, sending location.” Rohan called in as we quietly walked along the side of the alleyway. We are doing our best to make no noise. I’m so happy that we are wearing the newer power armor. They are so silent. “Roger that Rohan, this is enforcer HQ. Reinforcements are inbound in two minutes.” The coms operator said [Chanting] “Do you hear that? Sounds like chanting?” Rohan whispered. I strained my ears to listen and turned up the sensitivity on my power armor audio receptors. Chanting, I wonder… “Do you think it could be…?” I trailed off, and he immediately knew what I was talking about. “Cult of the old God? This far north? Hm… shoot to kill.” Rohan sternly replied. “This is Enforcer Rohan, possible contact with the Cult of the old god. I am requesting time for the arrival of reinforcements.” “Reinforcements inbound in one minute.” We both quickened the pace and turned the corner-“FUCK!” I yelled out loud. There were Six cultists in total. Two cultus whipped around to face me. One drew a pistol, and another a plasma pistol. “CONTACT CONTACT! LIGHT THEM UP!” Rohan yelled, and we both started blasting into them. We popped bullet bullets into each of their heads and two hearts, taking them down instantly. “Cultus! Here! This far north! What the fuck?!” Rohan yelled. The three others drew their guns and aimed and opened fire at us as we took cover behind some old barrels. We were bullet and plasma-proof in our power armor, but I would rather not risk it. Rohan tossed a flash bang, and It blew up a second later. I heard screams a second later, and we got up and opened fire, our visors blocking out the flash. We both nailed the same bastard as his buddies dove behind cover. They would fire at us every few seconds, keeping our heads down. I looked at Rohan and made the hand single to get the shield. He reached behind himself and took out the heavy-duty shield. I had the battering ram, so I was not that useful. He got up first as I threw another flash, confusing and disorienting the cultists as it went off. We both advanced as Rohan swapped out his heavy rifle for an SMG; I took out the full-auto shotgun as we got closer. Rohan shield-bashed the first one and then blasted him with the SMG. I took out the second one with my shotgun. A bullet deflected off of the shield, and a small spread of bullets that Rohan could deflect with his shield came at us. Then they stopped, and we rushed to cover, Rohan still holding the shield. I peeked out from behind the cover. “Were did..” I started when I heard a yell from behind us. Whipping around, the cultist had appeared and was now wrestling with me for my shotgun. In a split second, I shoved the shotgun into him as he pulled, disorienting him and knocking the wind out of him. I then grabbed the battering ram, which had already been turned on and was at full power, and bashed it into his chest. He immediately exploded from the pressure, and I was coated in his blood. Looking around, all the cultists were down just as reinforcements flooded the area. Looking at the cultus robes, I noticed the same color of blood on them that I had looked at earlier. “Shit, I think these guys got the humans!” I told Rohan. The human female was lying on what looked like a makeshift altar made of scrap metal, an old luxurious chair, and wood. Her entire chest and lower body had been torn open. Most of her major organs were removed, and her heart was speared with multiple little needles and placed on top of the altar. “This is bad. This is bad. If there is this far north, they have gotten bold.” Rohan spoke as he walked over to the human female and inspected her. “She died only a minute ago. It looks like she was in pain the entire time, too. Damn. FUCKING FANTIC SHITS!” “Radio this in,” I ordered Rohan, and he immediately did that. I walked over to the human adult female's corpse and looked at it as a medic was handling her. Why didn’t she scream? Oh, that’s why. They sewed her mouth shut. Damn. I look at the cultists again and look at their golden medallions decorated with a skull. “Wait, Rohan. Weren’t there two?” We looked at each other and immediately split up in different directions to find the kid. It didn't take long for me to see him. “Aw…kid.” I gently bent down to inspect the little body. His lower jaw was gone entirely. His left arm seems to have been sawed off and taken. His eyes were closed, and he wasn’t moving. I looked up and noticed footprints taking off into the distance. A seventh cultist, it looks like we missed one. I cradled his head in my hand and took a pulse. Nothing… “Shit.” “Oh, void.” ‘Oh, my young one…I am sorry.” the other enforcers said as we gathered around the child's corpse. One of the enforcers punched a wall out of anger as another just sat on an old couch, shaking her head. “Looks like there was a seventh we missed. If I get my hands on that-.” Another one started. *GACK!* “OH SHIT! ROHAN HE'S STILL ALIVE!” I screamed. Rohan immediately ran over and looked. As did the medic. “By the protector he is!” The medic yelled as she began to administer human-friendly meds. “There is an ambulance outside. MOVE!” She yelled. I picked up the kid and held him in my arms, carrying him as the medic did her work. “You’ll be OK, you’ll be OK,” I told him to comfort him, although I felt it was more for my own sake. “JASPER!” I looked behind me to see the female running to me and followed beside me. "MISS IS MUST INSIST YOU MOVE-" The medic begins to yell. "I'M HIS CARE TAKER!" she yelled back. "Shhhh, I’m here now.” Jasper reached up with a blood-soaked hand and began to grab at her fur like he was trying to hold onto life. She held him to her and then took something out of her bag. “I can use this to get the blood out of his lungs!” “Do it!” the medic told her. She stuck the tube into the kid's chest, and blood came out, and he immediately began to breathe easier. He then latched himself to her chest and passed out. “Don’t worry. I promised your mom I would take care of you if anything happened to her. I will take care of you.” She quietly told the sleeping child as she rocked back and forth, crying, holding the child as the ambulance came around the corner with more enforcers. They loaded both of them into the ambulance and took them away. I walked out and sat down on a bench in front of the alleyway. I just needed time to think. I sat there as the world around me continued. Just lost in thought. What if we got there sooner..? I was broken out of the trance by Rohan. “You alright?” I looked down. “No, we were supposed to protect them…” “Yeah,” Rohan said. We just sat there. It was helping a little to have my buddy there. But…still A human was…dead. “And yet…we saved a human child.” He told me. I nodded, looking up at the Alien space station that was now in orbit around our planet. “Yeah…we did.” We remained silent before he put an arm around me and hugged me. "I hope he survives." "Me too, me too." First/Previous/Next |
2024.06.09 15:20 Brief-Copy9267 Smooth ZATCA Phase 2 E-Invoicing Compliance: Success in Saudi's Beauty & Wellness Industry
In the fast-paced Beauty and Wellness market of Saudi Arabia, one company has excelled in adapting to regulatory changes and digital transformation. Based in Riyadh and operating over 200 stores across Riyadh, Jeddah, El Qassim, Yanbu, and Al Khobar, our client has set a benchmark in the health and beauty care, pharmacies, distribution, retail, and lifestyle sectors. With a workforce of over 5,000, they faced the significant challenge of integrating Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) Phase 2 e-invoicing into their operations.
Key Challenges:
Options Provided:
Proof of Concept:
Accqrate offered a free proof of concept with the ZATCA Sandbox to prove the ease of integration. This risk-free demonstration convinced the client, and within a week, we showcased the integration by connecting with the client's SAP Sandbox.
Our Approach:
Key Benefits:
For businesses in the beauty and wellness industry facing ZATCA Phase 2 integration challenges, our story highlights the power of embracing technology with the right partner. Discover how our ZATCA-approved e-invoicing solution can streamline your operations and ensure seamless compliance. Join us in transforming your e-invoicing processes and elevating your business to new heights of efficiency and regulatory alignment in Saudi Arabia.
submitted by Brief-Copy9267 to einvoicing_KSA [link] [comments]
Overcoming Challenges: From Complexity to Compliance
Our client used a dual-application system: an in-house Point of Sale (POS) system for front-office tasks and SAP S/4HANA for back-office functions. SAP PI/PO served as an Enterprise Service Bus to integrate the POS system with SAP and facilitate integration between SAP and external entities like shops and vendors. Being in Wave 3, they faced a strict deadline for ZATCA Phase 2 integration, needing to ensure compliance for nearly 5 million B2C and B2B invoices annually.Key Challenges:
- Incomplete invoice transmissions from POS to SAP.
- POS needs to integrate directly with ZATCA for B2C invoices.
- SAP handling B2B invoices with direct ZATCA integration.
- A preference for a ZATCA-approved solution over existing PI/PO integration options.
The Solution: Accqrate's Innovative Approach
Our journey began with demonstrating direct SAP to ZATCA integration using Accqrate's middleware. Although initially inclined towards direct SAP to ZATCA integration, the client ultimately chose Accqrate's solution due to its cost-effectiveness and efficiency.Options Provided:
- Direct SAP integration with ZATCA via PI/PO, bypassing middleware.
- SAP integration with ZATCA through Accqrate's middleware.
Proof of Concept:
Accqrate offered a free proof of concept with the ZATCA Sandbox to prove the ease of integration. This risk-free demonstration convinced the client, and within a week, we showcased the integration by connecting with the client's SAP Sandbox.
Our Approach:
- Deploying Accqrate E-invoicing Module in SAP: Ensuring seamless onboarding to ZATCA and efficient invoice processing.
- Comprehensive Onboarding and Configuration: Covering device setup, CSID, and certificate management.
- User-Friendly Interface: Users only need to verify the presence of a QR code on the invoice PDF to ensure it's ready for customer dispatch or pending ZATCA approval.
- Real-Time Invoice Transmission and Approval: Supported by a robust tracking system and dashboard for error tracking and VAT reconciliation.
- XML Archiving: Invoices are archived in XML format in both the source application and middleware.
- High-Performance Cloud-Based Middleware: Offering flexible access and eliminating infrastructure costs, processing 8 invoices per second.
Value Proposition: Beyond Compliance to Transformation
The implementation of Accqrate's solution revolutionized the client's e-invoicing capabilities, ensuring compliance and delivering significant operational improvements.Key Benefits:
- Efficient Real-Time and Batch Integration: Automatic load balancing to manage peak loads.
- Rapid Deployment and Testing: Integration completed in six days, followed by user acceptance testing.
- Risk-Free Proof of Concept: Demonstrated effectiveness without contractual obligations.
- Cloud-Based Middleware: High flexibility with zero infrastructure investment.
Conclusion: Setting a New Standard in E-Invoicing
This case study demonstrates how innovative solutions can address complex regulatory requirements while enhancing operational efficiency. Our client's successful integration of ZATCA e-invoicing Phase 2 sets a benchmark for the Beauty and Wellness Care industry in Saudi Arabia, showcasing the potential of digital transformation to drive business growth and compliance.Beautyworld Saudi Arabia
We extend our congratulations to the organizers of Beautyworld Saudi Arabia, the largest international fair for the beauty and wellness industry, for their successful 2024 edition. With over 350 exhibitors from more than 35 countries, the event provided a platform for industry leaders to connect, learn, and grow.For businesses in the beauty and wellness industry facing ZATCA Phase 2 integration challenges, our story highlights the power of embracing technology with the right partner. Discover how our ZATCA-approved e-invoicing solution can streamline your operations and ensure seamless compliance. Join us in transforming your e-invoicing processes and elevating your business to new heights of efficiency and regulatory alignment in Saudi Arabia.
2024.06.09 15:18 singaporeanwanderer Covered walkways from Teck Lee LRT station to SIT / JTC within Punggol Digital District
 | https://preview.redd.it/pxwxeqhhqj5d1.jpg?width=1211&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=34ef18f4be80d96fe514428b0b8b38ed956f894d submitted by singaporeanwanderer to SIT_Singapore [link] [comments] FROM URA Circular No: URA/PB/2019/18-CUDG URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES (UDG) FOR THE PUNGGOL DIGITAL DISTRICT Connection from Teck Lee LRT to the waterfront A minimum 3.6m wide covered walkway shall be provided for seamless connectivity from Teck Lee LRT to the waterfront across the Punggol Digital District. This shall be seamlessly connected to the Campus Boulevard. Covered Walkways/ Linkways An all-weather pedestrian network, in the form of covered walkways, linkways and / or canopies shall be provided along the key pedestrian routes as shown indicatively in the UD Guide Plan. This shall take advantage of the existing terrain and the all-weather pedestrian connectivity shall be provided at 2 main datum levels:
Through-block Pedestrian Link A minimum 6m and maximum 7m wide sheltered through-block link shall be provided at the following locations:
These links shall be at a constant level throughout the entire length. Any level changes are to be accommodated by ramps. |
2024.06.09 15:15 lamesangeatetenoire There’s slight progress, right? (11 days in)
 | Bite blocks deserve to burn in hell and I cried over ice cream, but I think there’s a slight progress, right?? I tried to make a big smile like my first pic and this is what my mouth was doing naturally. I’m happy about the gums situation! I guess my arch is improving (?) submitted by lamesangeatetenoire to braces [link] [comments] (34 years old, Damon braces on top+bottom, bite blocks sponsored by Lucifer himself on the back of my front teeth) |
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2024.06.09 15:01 ibid-11962 Worldbuilding and Touring [Post Murtagh Christopher Paolini Q&A Wrap Up #10]
As discussed in the first post, this is my ongoing compilation of the remaining questions Christopher has answered online between August 1st 2023 and April 30th 2024 which I've not already covered in other compilations.
As always, questions are sorted by topic, and each Q&A is annotated with a bracketed source number. Links to every source used and to the other parts of this compilation will be provided in a comment below.
The previous post focused specifically on inspirations and other media. This installment will focus on Worldbuilding and Touring, how Christopher constructs his worlds, and how he goes about promoting them on tours. The topics aren't actually linked, but they both fill up around half a post and so are being joined here. The next and final post will focus on miscellaneous questions about the real world.
submitted by ibid-11962 to Eragon [link] [comments]
As always, questions are sorted by topic, and each Q&A is annotated with a bracketed source number. Links to every source used and to the other parts of this compilation will be provided in a comment below.
The previous post focused specifically on inspirations and other media. This installment will focus on Worldbuilding and Touring, how Christopher constructs his worlds, and how he goes about promoting them on tours. The topics aren't actually linked, but they both fill up around half a post and so are being joined here. The next and final post will focus on miscellaneous questions about the real world.
Worldbuilding
Creating Magic SystemsDid you have a research process when you were writing the Inheritance Cycle? I put a fair bit of thought into the story itself of the Inheritance Cycle, and then some general stuff as to the society and just kind of where things were in the world before writing it. I put a medium amount of thought into the magic system before I started writing, and then as I wrote the implications of it became much more apparent to me, and I really sort of dove deep into it. In retrospect, were I to create a fantasy world from scratch now, I would really put a lot of attention into that magic system and the society beforehand, just to have a good feel for that before I even start chapter one. I would put more restrictions on the magic too. I think the more restrictions, the more interesting, even the more realistic in some ways. [3]Creating Religions
If I were designing a magic system from scratch nowadays I would put way more restrictions on it because I find that the limitations are useful, I don't want the characters getting overpowered, but also just from a storytelling standpoint, incantations, rituals, spells, prayers, potions, all of those mechanical things are just kind of interesting and of course they give lots of opportunities for things to go wrong if you don't follow the correct steps. So I think if I were designing magic from scratch right now I'd put a lot of restrictions and rituals associated with it. So costs, more costs. [25]
What kind of hacks do you have to developing a magic system? Once I have a general idea of the setting, whether science fiction or fantasy, the first question I ask myself is how does it diverge from physics as we know it? Because that is a fundamental question that's going to determine what is possible in this world. It might determine what's possible with warfare, with politics, with industry, manufacturing, travel times, it could affect everything depending on what type of divergence you have. In the World of Eragon, the divergence is that living creatures have the ability to directly manipulate energy using their minds. The reason for that is kind of handwavy, although I have an explanation for it, but that is the divergence and then I tried to be as consistent and physically possible with it at every step of the way past that. When people play games you always get people who are looking how to exploit it. "What's the most I can get out of this game? What's the most I can do?" That's basic human nature. Science is a speedrunning nature I think. So the same sort of thing. You assume that if magic existed there's going to be someone sitting in their basement who's absolutely obsessive about it and is going to figure out every single advantage that that divergence gives them. And you have to be realistic and work that into your world and say "Well people aren't stupid. They are going to figure this out and use it in this way, and what are the implications, socially, physically, and everything else?" Once I have that then you can think about society and culture and everything else, but that basic physical difference from our reality is just to me fundamentally important to understand before I even begin to write. [25]
With standalones you're not dealing with continuity or what rule did you break or things like that. That's interesting, because I would say that writing a sequel for me is faster than writing a standalone. At least for me, the more I know the characters and the world, the faster, like I don't have to do the groundwork of creating a magic system, creating a society, creating the gods and the history. All that's done for me, so I can just slip into it like slipping on an old glove. [33]
A socio-political religion in your world helps drive characters or stories or die-hard fanatic characters forward. How do you go about developing those? Have the courage to let your characters actually believe the things that they are supposed to believe. If you look back historically people really did truly believe these different religions and different systems. Too often I think with modern stories we have people only giving lip service to the supposed belief and instead having very modern attitudes toward it which perhaps doesn't always work. That's understandable if you want a character to be relatable to a modern reader, but there are so many examples of interesting belief systems throughout the world. To me that's something fascinating to write about. But the main thing is just accept that when people truly believe something they're genuine about it and then you can follow that from a logical and storytelling standpoint. What I'd also say is, if you're writing about something that is very different from your own belief system, assuming it's not like completely evil, to try to approach it with a sense of charity. With the understanding that everyone is searching for meaning and understanding. I've always had a soft spot for the old television show Babylon 5, because although I don't believe that the creator J. Michael Straczynski is religious, he writes all of his characters with great sympathy and understanding, he's never cynical about it, and he's not putting up straw man arguments or criticizing any of the characters. He's like "They're searching for meaning. They're struggling with the great questions as we all do, and each one is trying to solve those questions in their own way." And I always really appreciated that he wasn't being cynical about it or really shallow. [25]Creating Languages
Did you think of the ancient language, not just as a mechanic, but also as a parable of our own language? I was thinking about how language itself feels like magic to me. You can write a story, you can convey information. Language in many ways is our greatest tool and makes us human along with, I would argue, our hands, our ability to manipulate objects and use actual tools. But one without the other wouldn't really work and wouldn't allow us to be a technological species. We could have language with no ability to handle tools, and then we wouldn't be what we are now. But I find language fascinating and I find the function of language incredibly interesting. And there is this idea in the real world going back to the beginning of time, that to name something is to understand it, and gives you a certain amount of power over it, whether that's a person or a physical object. And the ancient language is just taking that idea seriously. And I'm not the first author or tradition to do that, but is it a parallel? Is it a metaphor? I don't know if I'd go that far, but it definitely ties into the use of language and my ideas about it. What's crazy to me is there is a theoretical arrangement of words right now that would give us a massive breakthrough in science and physics. There's a theoretical arrangement of words that were I to write it or anyone else would influence how people think about the next presidential election to such a degree that it might actually changed the election. These are all theoretically possible and you can think of many many other things that you could do with language. We just lack the knowledge of what those arrangement of words are, and so we're constantly clawing our way toward new knowledge and new uses of language. [19]Creating Maps
The languages that you were playing around with in The Inheritance cycle, they were Germanic, Anglo Saxon based? The ancient language, the magical language, is based very strongly on Old Norse, which of course is Germanic or related to Old High German. The Dwarven language was invented pretty much from scratch although it is an agglutinative language like German is. And then the other languages have not appeared very much in the series. They're just little scraps here and there. To be clear, I am not a linguist, and I have not devoted the time and energy to developing these in a formal or rigorous way, the way that Tolkien did. Tolken was a linguist and that was his forte. I got far enough down that path while working on the Inheritance Cycle that I really began to appreciate how every word has a history and that history is inexorably tied to the history of the land. It's often said that Tolkien created Middle-earth just to explain his languages, as a setting for the languages. Which isn't entirely true, but there is truth to that. That's what I was encountering and I was realizing that I could spend 20 years, 10 years, just working on the languages and building this out. It might have been a worthwhile venture, but the tradeoff would have been no more books published during that time. I want to tell a story. [28]
What I would do these days, or what I did with other languages, is come up with a couple of words that sort of had a general feel that I liked and then extrapolating from those invented words, figuring out what consonants and vowels and clusters thereof that I wanted. Come up with some more sample words based off that and then start working out some grammar. Grammar is probably my weakest spot since at the time I wasn't really aware of non-English grammar systems and I've put some more attention in that since then. [34]
The language and culture that you describe in the books seem very real. How do you start inventing a language? You shamelessly steal from Germanic mythology and Scandinavian mythology, just like Tolkien did. But I'm no linguist, I did my best, I have a copy of the Nibelungen up on my shelf along with the Eddas, and I based one of my languages on Old Norse, which gave it a nice sound and feel. So the main thing is picking things that make sense for your world and then trying to be internally consistent. [2]
At what point in your writing process do you start creating the map? I've created the maps at different times in different books. At first I thought I didn't need a map because I thought that a good book should be perfectly understandable without a map. You shouldn't need to rely on anything outside of the text in order to enjoy it. And I still think that's generally true, but a map can add a lot. So for Eragon, I did it partway through the book. If I were to do a stand-alone fantasy novel, I would definitely want to work out the maps and stuff before writing it. [12]Creating Dragons
The map for Eragon, the original black and white map, I did about halfway or a third of the way into Eragon. My idea was, and I still kind of believe this, that a well-written book shouldn't need a map in order to understand the story. You should be able to keep your bearings just based off the text. What I ran into though was that I was getting lost in the world myself with the amount of places and things after a certain point. And so I drew a map. [34]
For me I think if you're creating something in the real world obviously that gives you certain constraints and certain advantages but if you're starting with something from scratch, I find creating a map right up front is really helpful because your story is not going to visit every square inch on your map so by filling in those other details on the map you're going to get more story ideas and also ideas for potential conflicts, travel distances. It all feeds into the realism of the story as well as potentially future stories. It's fun stuff. The downside is you could spend your whole life worldbuilding. There's a there's a book from World War Two called Islandia, and the guy just spent his whole life creating this island and its culture to the point of working out the actual layers of geography of stone in the island. I've never actually read the book, I don't know if it's any good, but I know it was fairly popular when it came out. [25]
What hacks do you have for for creating geography and points of interest within your world? When I was creating the map for Alagaësia I actually used a old National Geographic Atlas and traced over various coastlines and then distorted them and pasted on top of each other in order to get sort of a natural feeling coastline. Please don't compare the island of Vroengard to the outline of Greece. Please don't do that. And then you have Robin Hobb who just turned Alaska upside down for her map which I always love because I've lived in Alaska twice. I think she told me that she never actually expected the book to get published, but then she got stuck with that because everything was tied to the geography that she started with. [25]
I think that a good map ought to have lots of points of interest, and the tricky bit is, without getting so detailed that it becomes cluttered. You see that sometimes with real world maps, like atlases and stuff, where there's a ton of place names, city names, river names, road names. All of which are useful and necessary, but it can actually visually get in the way of the art, perhaps the artistic effect that you would want a fantasy map to have in a book or a movie or even a game. [12]
There are world generators that you can just click through. It's really easy nowadays with technology to build worlds just by snapping your fingers. Even with those tools, if you have the time and inclination, I think there is some benefit to redrawing or painting the maps in your own style. I don't know about you, I love seeing when the maps are from the author themselves. I remember Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams. Tad did all the maps himself, and I love that. Even if it's imperfect or a little amateurish it just gives it a really nice feel. I love Tolkien's original art for the same reason. [25]
You are the creator of your own world. Do you feel that you have follow certain canons of fantasy worlds, for example, dragons have four legs and wyverns have two? Or do you feel that you can practically do whatever you want because it's fantasy and you create everything? Yes and no. No because I have already established rules and traditions and precedence in The World of Eragon, so I have to be consistent with that. But if I were writing a new fantasy, I would not feel beholden to any tradition. If I wanted to write a world where the dragons have three legs or feathers or something like that then I would feel free to do that. That's the great thing about speculative fiction is it gives you the freedom to write and create whatever you want to. The thing is when you have a genre where anything is possible it actually reveals the limitations of your imagination. And there are very few authors, myself included, who really make full use of that. But at the same time, limitations can make your fiction more interesting. I think it's important to pick some limitations and that will help actually improve the quality of your work. [7]
Why did you decide to have your dragons have a saddle? I was around horses growing up. And the thought of actually physically being on a creature with very hard scales was rather terrifying if thought about in a practical sense. And so it just seemed to me that there had to be some protection. [33]
When you're writing fantasy and you include dragons, especially a dragon rider fantasy, depending on how many there are there, it's actually quite a difficult thing to not solve all your problems with dragons. I think the solution to that is you focus on the problems that dragons present, which balances out the advantages. And of course people are smart, whether we're talking about humans or elves or dwarves or any other invented species. If dragons were real, you'd come up with counters to them, whether it's a bunch of giant ballistae on your walls, or building domed fortresses, or building underground. You would come up with solutions and it would negate those advantages. And that's always my issue with writing fiction with dragons in the real world. If it's a slightly more modern, then you have to ask, well, why isn't everything different in history? Like if dragons were a constant part of our world, architecture would be different, warfare would be different, politics would be different. Well, no, politics would be the same. What am I saying? [30]
I'm sure all of us have seen the fantasy paintings of like a knight in armor with a lance on a horse facing off against a dragon. Now, to be fair, a lance moving at a decent speed at a horse galloping will have enough kinetic energy behind it to punch through just about anything. It could do a lot of damage. But any decent sized dragon would move so fast and be so strong, you wouldn't have a chance with a lance. You'd need a giant crossbow. That'd be your only choice. The size of a dragon, intelligence of a dragon. Until you get to projectile weapons, you have no chance. [30]
We all know what any creature gets when they bond with a dragon. They get a dragon. But why would a dragon create that bond? Why would they do it? Is it the bond, is it their nature? I think for me, having other species bond with the dragons was essentially a way to keep the dragons from getting wiped out. Because dragons are such a huge threat. If you imagine in the real world, we don't suffer giant predators to be constantly predating and disrupting our world. We remove that threat. Especially if there's magic involved, the ability to remove that threat gets even bigger. So in a way I viewed the bond between rider and dragon as essentially self preservation for the dragons, if not the other species as well. Without some sort of symbiotic relationship, coexistence becomes very, very difficult. That, or the dragons have to be smart enough to just essentially remove themselves from the world and live off in the far off places. But that gets really difficult when you start considering how much they need to eat. I remember reading the Live Ship Trader series and I remember the end of that spoiler alert where it's become clear that true dragons have returned now. And it really was kind of an oh crap moment because you start thinking about what that actually means for there to be dragons in the world again. It's kind of like Reign of Fire. [30]
Promoting The Books
Touring HazardsHow did you do on your book tour? It was a lot. It was a lot. I did 50 days of touring last year between Fractal Noise and Murtagh. Obviously the majority of that was for Murtagh. And of course I had a couple other trips in there as well. I went to New York Comic Con. I had one or two personal trips. So there was a lot of travel last year. My goal is to not have as much travel this year. In general, the book tours were awesome, great crowds for the Fractalverse, enormous crowds for World of Eragon/Murtagh. I don't normally talk about this stuff, but since we're past it, it doesn't matter. I started touring for Murtagh November 6th and then got home for good on December 16th. But there's always a risk of getting sick while you're traveling. And I did pretty well in the US leg of things. And then over in Europe between the jet lag and not sleeping- I had a really amazing dinner, one of my publishers took me out to a three star Michelin restaurant. The problem was the dinner started at 8pm and didn't finish till midnight. And there were two or three desserts, and the last dessert was full of coffee, and I didn't realize it. Absolutely full of coffee. And I did not get to sleep until like four in the morning. And I only had three hours of sleep that night. So I think I got sick the day after as a result. I got so sick on the European tour that at one of my stops I had to call paramedics to my hotel room at 2 a.m. because I couldn't breathe. Ended up with bronchitis for the first time in my life. But I'll have you know, I did every event. I didn't miss a single event. I managed to do all my presentations and made it through in one piece. I've never, never backed down from doing an event, even while bleeding. Can you tell us a little bit about the time that you were bleeding in an event? Well, I was in Europe. I was touring for Inheritance, I'd already toured North America, and then I started in Europe, went to UK, and then I went to Australia and New Zealand. But first country was Germany, and I think I did Munich and Cologne, and then I ended in Berlin. And in Berlin, they had me in this wonderful theater that's like over 100 years old, which is very rare in the city, considering all the bombing during the war. And I'm backstage, which meant down in the basement of this theater. And there's like 500 people out waiting for me to make an appearance and there's someone introducing me and they say my name and everyone starts clapping. And of course you want to get on stage before the applause dies down. And the way you got onto stage in this theater was through a set of stairs. And it really wasn't even steps. It was almost like a ladder and it was wood. And the steps were so old that they were basically hollowed out from all the people that have gone up and down it over the years. So I'm scrambling up this and about halfway up, my right foot slipped off the edge of one of the steps because it was hollowed out and full speed, full strength, full weight, I slammed my shin into the edge of one of the steps, stumbled forward two more steps and did it a second time. But momentum, adrenaline, I keep going, I get up on stage, I waved to everyone. And fortunately for me, because I was speaking to a foreign audience, they had me sitting at a table with a translator and a presenter. So I got to sit down and the table kind of hit everything from view. And I start the presentation, start the event. And after about, I don't know, five minutes, I'm thinking to myself, okay, I've banged my shin before. We've all banged our shins before, but this really bleepin' hurt. So I looked under the table and the whole front of my jean leg on my shin is soaked with blood. There is blood dripping onto the floor and my sock is soaked with blood. So I poked my translator, the presenter next to me that I was doing a couple of events with, and I said, "Hey, look at this". And he glances under and his face just goes white. And I'm colorblind and I saw his face go white. And he said, "Do we need to call an ambulance?" And I'm like, "No, no, we're going to do this." So I did an hour-long presentation. And then I got up and managed to quickly limp over to a signing table. And no one really noticed that I wasn't feeling so hot. And I got behind the signing table, and I signed books for 400 or 500 people. And the funny thing is, I was traveling with this foreign rights agent publicist for Random House named Jocelyn, who was just an absolute beast of a woman. I love her to death. You have to understand, she did a European book tour with me while eight months pregnant. The woman was and is just very impressive. But she grew up on a farm. German family in the US, grew up on a farm. So I showed her my leg when I was sitting down to sign and she just looked at me and she said, "You need to go to the hospital?" I said, "Nope". She said, "I knew you were country. Good man." Slapped me on the back. So I finished signing and then I went back to the hotel and I had to get into a tub of water to soak my jeans off because the blood had dried and glued them to my shin. And the problem was I had a dent all the way down to the bone. And I really should have gone to a hospital because, sorry for the gory details, but what happens is when you get a dent like that, you lose the fat under the skin between the skin and the bone and it doesn't come back unless you get an injection to help it puff out and heal. And I didn't do that because I was on tour, there was no time. So the next day I had to fly to pretty sure it was Barcelona for the St. George Book Festival, which is a walking festival. So you have to walk from bookstore to bookstore in the city and do signings. But that was a bit rough. That actually took over a year to heal properly. I still have that dent. Stuff happens. I've heard some crazy stories with other authors. I'd rather it's my blood, not the fan's blood. [32]Touring Difficulties
We've got blood and sweat, any tears from tour? On occasion. The biggest one is just being away from home. And if anything is a bit off for whatever reason, you can't just pop home and hold someone or do this or do that. It's just difficult to be that far away from home for so long. [32]Meeting Fans around the World
If you're not familiar with book tours, the way it often works is that you fly to a city, you get to your hotel room, you have a little bit of time to freshen up, maybe get some food and then you go to the bookstore and you do your event. And it has to be after people get off from work, so it tends to be a later evening event. If you have a large number of people show up, that means that that time spent talking and signing pushes fairly late in the evening. You go back, you get dinner, and if you're a semi-introvert like so many authors tend to be, you need some time to decompress, which means you probably stay up a little too late reading or writing. And then in the morning, you got to go get another airplane flight and go to the new city. All of which is fine, but going to the airport, doing those flights, with the time it takes to go through an airport these days, it means that the schedule has very little time in it. When I toured for Fractal Noise, the publisher one of the days had me fly from Tampa to Portland and I still had to do an event that day. Which I agreed to. It was my own fault because they had everything on the East Coast and I said, "Well, what about the West Coast? You know, I have readers on the West Coast. They need to get a chance to get a signed book." It was my own fault. But that can get rough when you're doing it for weeks on end at a certain point. You just can't recover. A day off? What's that? But it's a good problem to have. That people want to see you and want to read your books. It's an awesome career to have. [1]
I'm also a big fan of coffee naps. So I will drink a cup of coffee, usually my second cup of coffee, and then I'll go take a nap, and I will nap for about 30 minutes, because after 30 minutes the coffee wakes me up. And I find that 15 to 30 minutes is the perfect length of a nap for me, and if I go past that, I need to sleep for about three hours, because otherwise I get into the middle of a REM cycle, and if I wake up in the middle of a REM cycle, I'm just like groggy and drugged, and I feel worse than if I hadn't napped at all. And then of course, if you're on book tour, the way I have been for a while, you gain the ability to just close your eyes at any point and take a 10 minute nap 15 minute nap anywhere, and it at least helps you stay upright. [19]
You just got back from the U.S. leg of your book tour — who’s making up the crowd? The readership is broad and probably older than it was back in the day. There are still a lot of 8-year-olds, but now there are grandparents, too. I’ve even met some kids who’ve been named after the characters, which is pretty amazing. Because people have been reading the series for so long, I tend to get a mix of incredibly detailed, hyper-focused, deep-dive questions about some of the lore, but also some more general ones about Eragon’s name. [16]Appearance
I'm sure you hear personal stories all the time especially at your readings and your your appearances. It must be lovely, and I guess overwhelming to connect with your fans. That's a good way of putting it: lovely and overwhelming. Everyone has their own personal history with these books. I have people showing up who named their children after the characters, or who've gotten tattoos. Oh my goodness, what's the one you get? Multiple Saphiras, Aryas, Rorans, a couple of Eragons. As a writer, you want people to read your stories, enjoy them, be affected by them. If they're affected so strongly they name their children after your characters, you feel pretty good about it. [28]
Are your European fans different from your American fans? I actually haven't met any children here who are named after characters from my books. That seems to be an American phenomenon. The language barrier sometimes makes it a little more difficult to talk to European fans. But the love for Eragon is just as strong in Europe as it is in the US. This is not your first time on tour in Europe. Is there something you're missing here? I actually noticed that hotels in Europe usually don't have ironing boards or irons. This is standard equipment in America. [24]
My great-grandmother was from Sicily and then my grandfather was from Bologna. I just found out recently that my grandfather as a child was tutored by Fellini's wife. [7]
My grandfather was the stereotype of an elderly Italian gentleman. He had a mustache, he cooked spaghetti and he made the most amazing red sauce for the spaghetti. He used too much profanity. He was quite the character. [35]
Amsterdam is a beautiful city, but if I had grown up here I would probably still have written fantasy, but it would probably have influenced the type of fantasy I write. [23]
I was just in Stockholm on book tour for my latest book. And I've sold a really large number of books, proportionally in Sweden, and I'd never been there before. And I was kind of curious what their thoughts and feelings were on it, given the fact that I have shamelessly pillaged, Anglo-Saxon Scandinavian mythology for my own work. And they said native Swedish authors don't write using their own mythology, they go into the more literary veins and they import and translate other authors who are writing about Scandinavian mythology and they enjoy it immensely, but it doesn't seem to be a homegrown thing for them, which is rather odd, I think. [30]
Old Norse is not so far from German, do you speak a little bit of German? I understand a fair bit. When I've done presentations in Germany, I've had children ask me questions in German, and I can sometimes understand the entire question without translation, but I only speak a few words. [Host 2]: Let's try it. Can you ask the next question in German? Of course. Oh dear. [speaking quickly] Herr Paolini, wie viel von ihrer Vision für die ganze Serie hat sich mit der Zeit verändert? Hat es sich überhaupt verändert? Denn wenn man sich die frühen Werke anguckt, erkennt man, dass sehr viele Sachen aus den frühen Werken in den späteren wieder auftauchen. So dass es eigentlich unmöglich sein kann, dass sie das nicht von Anfang an komplett geplant haben? Translation please. That was not fair. But funny. Yeah, I was just asking, when you started writing the book, and it became not just one book, it became a whole world, it became a series, and I don't want to spoil anything, but if you read the first books and you read the later books, stuff comes up again, and it seems like you actually knew where it was going when you started writing, which is again insane because you were 15. Is that something you just got lucky, or did you really plan for a whole series when you started writing the first one? I planned because I tried writing some stories before Eragon, and I never got past the first five or ten pages because I didn't have a story. I would only have an inciting incident, like a young man finds a dragon egg in the forest. Well, fun, awesome, but that's not a story. So Eragon and the series as it was, was a writing exercise for myself to see if I could outline, plot, and then write at least the first book of a series. So yes, if you read the first book, Eragon, there's actually a scene, a dream sequence in the first book. And it is the very last scene of the last book. And I did that specifically so that I could point to it and say to my readers, "See, I knew what I was doing." But of course, it isn't the last book now. [2]
Before he finished signing them all he asked if I read Fractal Noise, I said yes. He then asked how I liked it. I said I liked To Sleep far more. And to be fair I did. But I could've been a little more less brunt about it. All in all I'm sorry Paolini. I hope you see this. Dude -- No need to apologize! I was the one who put you on the spot. I was just curious about Fractal Noise as it's pretty different from what I normally write. That said, I'm a big boy, and it doesn't bother me in the slightest if someone prefers one book over another. [R]
Have you been on TikTok? How do you find it? I have an account that my assistants post content on for me because I don't have the time and I don't want it on my phone, but it has been a really useful way to connect with readers, and I had a lot of people who came up during my book tour end of last year, who said that they found out about the events I was doing from the posts on TikTok. [33]
Outside of the tour, did you do anything to personally celebrate the release of Murtagh? No. Not to sound blase, but this isn't my first book I've released. Going on the tour is the celebration. Getting to meet the fans. It's an enormous expenditure of energy, time, effort, and it's very joyous and touching and meaningful for me. And I think for a lot of the readers. So that's the celebration. My team and I, we all kind of take a moment to pat ourselves on the back every time a book comes out and then it's back to the grind a bit. Also, I got to celebrate my 40th birthday while on book tour, and I got to celebrate it with my editor, my publicist, my former publicist who's been with me since the beginning. So that was really nice. [32]
Being an author is like the best kind of semi-celebrity, because nine times out of ten, no one knows who you are, you can live a nice quiet life, and then you get to go out and meet people who like your work. And that's a real treat. I grew the beard partly to keep people from recognizing me. But then I've had it for so long that it doesn't work anymore. And I got tired of shaving. But the problem is the beard takes so much time and effort to take care of it, it doesn't save me any time. [1]Signing Books
Did your hat end up getting fixed post-tour? Yup. Fixed it myself with a rivet. [T]
Any advice on how to wear a pirate's hat without it being weird? It's very simple. There's one ingredient. You wear it with confidence. That's all. [36]
People people don't maybe don't realize what an endurance race it is, especially when when books are this big and successful. Like the amount. I once did 9,280 books in an afternoon and a half at a warehouse. I had nine people helping. I stood. I find that if I stand, I don't use my wrist. I can isolate the arm. And I just had someone shove it under me, someone pull it out for me, and everyone else was boxing, unboxing and flapping. But it hurt. It really hurt. I dropped my first name this past year. For the first time in a 20 year career, I finally dropped my first name. Did you feel defeated? Yes. But I have kids now and I just could not afford the time and the strain on my body. I actually got two typewriters. I got really bad inflammation in my right thumb from all the signing and I find that typewriters alleviated that. Also heavier like mechanical keyboards seem to help. So I know like Robin Hobb has suffered some severe problems with her hands with the amount of typing she's done over the years. So yeah, it is an occupational hazard. [33]
I have to say, signing 30,000 sheets is SIGNIFICANTLY harder than mining or placing 30k blocks in #Minecraft. Lol. [T]
Do you have a PO Box or something? I’d pay shipping both ways to have you sign my books. P.O. box is listed on paolini.net. Just include return shipping, please. :D Alternatively, you can arrange signed copies through Conley's Books & Music in Livingston, MT. [R]
If I send a book to a P.O. Box and pay for shipping there and back, would you sign it? Yup. Address is on paolini.net [T]
2024.06.09 14:58 thowra_crzy Would frontier give me my money back? I paid extra to sit upfront, the middle seat was supposed to be blocked off but someone sat there anyways?
I recently went on vacation. I paid an extra $80 or so both ways to take advantage of their upfront plus option. Where the middle seat is supposed to be blocked off. I do this because I’m a plus sized person, so I figured this was an alternative to buying an extra seat altogether. I usually fly spirit and pay extra to sit in their front rows. Anyways on my way to Tampa, I got on the plane and there was someone sitting the middle seat that was supposed to be blocked. I asked the flight attendant and she said something about them running out of seats and those were the only seats left so they had to put them there. This was very disappointing as this caused for a very uncomfortable flight sitting smushed up next to someone when I specifically paid for this not to happen. Should I even bother contacting frontier for a refund or is it even worth it at this point ?
submitted by thowra_crzy to frontierairlines [link] [comments]
2024.06.09 14:51 ZenRage Boomer blocking restroom wants a tip
Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day and I decided to take a walk on one of the longer rougher horse trails in the national park near me.
In the parking lot were a few horse trailers and horses and vehicles.
I parked and, before heading out, decided I should use the restroom.
Now this facility is just a small (8x8?) room with a chemical toilet, hand cleaner, and a solar light with a small (5x8?) covered porch in front of the door that opens outward onto the porch (this is important).
There was a Boomer woman on the porch playing a guitar and sort of swaying around with her open guitar case on the porch nearby.
Now the porch is big enough for a couple of people to pass one another under normal circumstances, but this Boomer has her guitar case laid out and is playing and moving around in the remaining space so she is making it difficult to move past her to the restroom door and to open it.
I stood there for a while without stepping onto the porch expecting that she might be blocking it for a reason or that she would acknowledge me and move.
No such luck.
She continued strumming and playing and singing (This Little Light of Mine) while I waited.
I eventually made eye contact and pointed to the door while doing that dumb eyebrows raised thing... This did not even slow her down.
When she finished the song she looked at me and gestured to her guitar case.
I said, "Are you blocking the restroom door for a reason?"
Boomer said, "I am not blocking the door!"
I said, "It was not a question" and stepped on the porch, walked past her almost brushing her, swung the door open which she had to step back for, and went in.
I came back out a minute or two later still rubbing hand cleaner into my hands and she said, "You listened to my song" and AGAIN gestured to the case.
I said, "I didn't want to listen to you then or now; I wanted to pee. You're in the way and I hoped you'd realize that... no such luck." Then I went on my walk while she called after me still saying, "I am not blocking the door!"
submitted by ZenRage to BoomersBeingFools [link] [comments]
In the parking lot were a few horse trailers and horses and vehicles.
I parked and, before heading out, decided I should use the restroom.
Now this facility is just a small (8x8?) room with a chemical toilet, hand cleaner, and a solar light with a small (5x8?) covered porch in front of the door that opens outward onto the porch (this is important).
There was a Boomer woman on the porch playing a guitar and sort of swaying around with her open guitar case on the porch nearby.
Now the porch is big enough for a couple of people to pass one another under normal circumstances, but this Boomer has her guitar case laid out and is playing and moving around in the remaining space so she is making it difficult to move past her to the restroom door and to open it.
I stood there for a while without stepping onto the porch expecting that she might be blocking it for a reason or that she would acknowledge me and move.
No such luck.
She continued strumming and playing and singing (This Little Light of Mine) while I waited.
I eventually made eye contact and pointed to the door while doing that dumb eyebrows raised thing... This did not even slow her down.
When she finished the song she looked at me and gestured to her guitar case.
I said, "Are you blocking the restroom door for a reason?"
Boomer said, "I am not blocking the door!"
I said, "It was not a question" and stepped on the porch, walked past her almost brushing her, swung the door open which she had to step back for, and went in.
I came back out a minute or two later still rubbing hand cleaner into my hands and she said, "You listened to my song" and AGAIN gestured to the case.
I said, "I didn't want to listen to you then or now; I wanted to pee. You're in the way and I hoped you'd realize that... no such luck." Then I went on my walk while she called after me still saying, "I am not blocking the door!"
2024.06.09 14:47 Enclaveboi4ever Nature of the Protectors: chapter 2 a new species and enemy
 | Nature of the protectors: chapter 2 a new species and enemy submitted by Enclaveboi4ever to NatureofPredators [link] [comments] Please login [•••••] Thank you you can now proceed Memory transcription subject: Joshua Deen human explorer Date: [changing to DSCS time) March 20th 3090 .. … ….. …… ……. “What the fuck….” I quickly said as I looked at the many dead bodies.. many of them had their heads ripped off and bellies ripped open, as well as what I presumed to be blood almost everywhere…. “I should turn my helmet back on, command needs to see this….” I say out loud as I quickly press a button on my CHP, my helmet quickly begins to assemble itself around my head as I continue to walk. Eventually, I reached some sort of elevator, as I stepped to go over to it I quickly heard something crack underneath my feet… It was a corpse it was already mangled and ripped apart “Whoever did this is fucking sick….” “Deen what are you seeing right now sounds like you just discovered a murder or something” I quickly heard the chief explorer say, I quickly opened up my CHP as I hit record. “What the actual fuck… what could have done this…” I hear the chief say as I also hear the grabbing of a bucket and him puking… “This is sickening whoever and whomever did this must be captured. Deen find the person or thing that made the broadcast we need to help them as quickly as we can.” The chief quickly says into the coms, “Use caution they don't know who or what is in here if it attacks you it's a threat” I quickly say to myself as I press one of the buttons on the elevator it will immediately open. Again I almost puked at the horrendous site of multiple corpses in the elevator mangled and beyond recognition… I slowly stepped inside, as I stepped inside I pulled up my CHP once more and immediately hacked into the station. As I looked through the channels I didn't know what any of them meant since they were in a language I didn't understand. I shrugged as I didn't want to waste any more time but I had to quickly translate it so I could understand what they said as well as what I should look through, one by one the channels began to translate itself suddenly as well as a small message came up on the small screen of the CHP ‘sorry for the inconvenience there was an update for the auto translator' I quickly sigh relief thankful that I didn't have to translate every letter and syllable manually. “Thank God I thought I would have to translate every single thing myself!” I quickly said out loud as I looked through the channels, as I scrolled down I found what I presumed to be a recording of a camera… I proceeded to press it as the video began to play, I saw multiple aliens walking through the hallway and talking to each other but not a second later something blasted through the air vents… almost immediately large reptilian creatures crawled out of them as they quickly began to shoot at the non-hostile aliens.. it was a complete bloodbath I quickly pause the video as the screams lit up in my mind almost reminding me of the first few days of the Ito AI war… “Whatever those things are, we need to find out why they are attacking this station and who they are and what…feel like I said that a moment ago….” I quickly say to myself for a moment as I scratch behind my helmet, I sigh to myself as I lift my hand to one of the buttons and press the last floor. The doors slowly closed on me, I quickly took a deep breath for a few moments before letting it out. The elevator slowly went down the elevator shaft, I suddenly heard shouts coming from the bottom floor…. “THEY CAN'T HIDE BEHIND THAT DOOR FOREVER!” I quickly heard coming from the bottom floor, I proceeded to then pull my dark matter rifle from my back as I turned the power to 50%. I pulled up my CHP and quickly turned on the auto tracker, as the elevator hit the ground floor I quickly kicked the doors open completely breaking them as I used one of my hands to fully bend the metal out of my way. “Huh!? Did y'all hear that?” I quickly heard one of the creatures say as I slowly left the elevator and went into the darkness of the room, “It is probably coming from the air vents, probably one of ours trying to sneak up on the prey” I heard another one say. Without hesitation, I slowly went behind one of them as I put the barrel of my gun against their head. “Huh, what th-” Before it could finish its word I quickly shot it in the back of the head, its body turning into a skeleton before turning into glowing purple dust… the bolt of dark matter quickly alerted the other creatures but before they could react I quickly ran out one of them as I smash the whole body against the wall painting it crimson…. “WHAT IS THAT THING!?” I quickly heard one of the creatures yell at me as I felt multiple bolts of laser fire and kinetic hits against my armor… I proceeded to aim my rifle at one of them as I used my left hand to turn the rifle on to burst fire, their rounds continued to hit against my armor as the bolts of laser fire just bounced off in random erections off my armor. I held down the trigger for only 3 seconds as three bursts of small dark matter fire ripped through one of them turning it into a skeleton and then into glowing purple dust, I quickly looked at the last three as I pulled out the dark matter knife and activated it the blade quickly came out in a matter of milliseconds. “AIM AT ITS HEAD!” I quickly heard one of them say as they all focused fire on the visor of my armor again they weren't even making any scratches or dents but I could barely see from the amount of hits I was taking on my visor, I quickly sprinted at one of them as I drove the dark matter knife completely through its chest as I let him fall to the floor at the knife completely slashed through him like butter… let me look at the other two as I grab the one on the left and crushed his head instantly blood splattering on the floor as I grabbed the arm of the beast and threw it at the other creature, it quickly threw him against the wall as I slowly walked over to it. “surrender…” I quickly said to the creature as it continued to fire at me with a small pistol around quickly bounced off my armor as I grabbed the weapon and smashed it without hesitation. The creature let go of the now broken weapon as it would lift its hands behind his head as it surrendered… I proceeded to pull out some handcuffs as I grabbed both of its hands as I then put them around its hands. I quickly threw It to The ground as I went over to the door, “a large door. What kind of defense is that? Why not have some plasma turrets or something….” I said out loud as I punched through the metal almost instantly as I used my other hand to open it… my eyes quickly opened as I saw three sheep-like creatures in front of me… (Hello everybody I hope you guys like the chapter I've currently been trying to work on my grammar I keep using as and i's -mainly because I don't know what else to use- but I hope you like the chapter and the next one will probably come out on Tuesday or something have a great day!) Chapter one: https://www.reddit.com/NatureofPredators/s/LceqF4nBz1 Intro: https://www.reddit.com/NatureofPredators/s/QLGSeIxnWO (Also sorry for the cliffhanger and bad grammar) |
2024.06.09 14:33 LastWeekInCollapse Last Week in Collapse: June 2-8, 2024
The heat and the pressure are on—for our planet, and for one more World War.
Last Week in Collapse: June 2-8, 2024
This is Last Week in Collapse, a weekly newsletter compiling some of the most important, timely, useful, soul-crushing, ironic, stunning, exhausting, or otherwise must-see/can’t-look-away moments in Collapse.
This is the 128th newsletter. You can find the May 26-June edition here if you missed it last week. You can also receive these posts (with images) every Sunday in your email inbox with Substack.
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Bengaluru broke a 133-year rain record by almost 10mm last Sunday, with 111mm (4.37 inches) of rain falling in a single day. In Sri Lanka, some 24,000 people were displaced by recent flooding. A heat wave swept through the southwest United States and northern Mexico. Part of Niger already broke its June temperature record. Parts of New South Wales, Australia broke nighttime temperatures as well; so did the Philippines, and Vietnam. And a heat wave in Greece.
“Atmospheric blocking” happens when regions of the atmosphere remain stationary for days or weeks, imposing similar weather on a region for a while. A study released in Nature Communications looked at Svalbard, which is warming faster than the Arctic, which is itself warming faster than most of the rest of the planet. The researchers claim that atmospheric blocking has resulted in warmer & wetter conditions in Svalbard, which is driving its ice loss. “The augmented blocking in the Ural and Scandinavian regions in the future combined with the projected declines in sea ice, and increases in sea surface temperatures and moisture availability, will likely increase the magnitude and frequency of exceptional rainfall incidents similar to the 2016 occurrence, posing further hazards to the population and ecosystems in Svalbard.”
A paywalled study in Nature Climate Change emphasizes “in the absence of a global tipping point there is no safety margin within which permafrost loss would be acceptable.” The summary states that permafrost melt does not have a worldwide tipping point, but rather several local temperature thresholds. Permafrost worldwide is expected to be all melted once global temperature gains hit 5 or 6 °C.
We are currently in the brief neutral period between El Niño and La Niña, expected to begin around August. Meteorologists expect temperatures in the eastern Pacific to decline for between 1 and 3 years—and for stronger Atlantic hurricanes. A 14-page report from the WMO forecasts a particularly wet summer for Central America.
Monsoon storms in Sri Lanka killed 14, mostly by falling trees, though others drowned or were covered by landslides. Texas saw “canteloupe-size hail” fall during a freak tornado; some think it is a record size for the region. Experts say some 23% of Africa’s land has been degraded, by five major factors: 1) invasive species, 2) climate change, including Drought and flooding, 3) resource extraction, 4) deforestation, and 5) pollution, including algal blooms. Poverty, population growth, and resource dependencies have aggravated the problem, says the article.
In Kashmir, a glacier Collapsed, sending three plunging into the ice, one of whom has still not been found. In the Philippines, a volcanic mud landslide swept into a village; volcano alerts were raised to 2 (on a 0-5 scale). Rising sea levels are displacing residents of one of Panama’s islands (pop: ~1,200); others will follow. Greece is gearing up for a fierce wildfire season ahead. And, in a moment of hopeful news, Sweden is banning bottom trawling in its “marine protected areas.”
In the EU, early polling appears to show a “greenlash,”, a backlash to the Green Alliance—and perhaps a loss of some 30% of their 72 current seats in the EU Parliament (705 total). Some blame the “moral superiority complex” of Greens, while others believe it is their lack of compromise on important issues. Farmer protests also damaged Green sentiment; now future sweeping climate reforms will probably have to wait years to get passed, since conservatives are expected to make gains. Most results will emerge within 24 hours of this post.
Worldwide, 39% of environmental journalists have faced threats due to their reporting—according to a 112-page report by the Earth Journalism Network. Most of the threats came to reporters writing about illegal extraction operations.
Roughly 20% of sealife near the surface is expected to face a “triple threat” of climate hazards: extreme heat, oxygen loss and acidification. Some of these species will die in place; others will be forced into progressively smaller living spaces. Most of the danger lies in the northern Pacific. The full study in AGU Advances has more.
The UN Secretary-General announced that we are on the “highway to climate hell.” And we aren’t wearing any seatbelts. The EU Copernicus Programme says last May was the hottest on record. This means the last 12 months were the hottest on record, with each consecutive month setting a new monthly record. Our planet is supposedly on the edge of 1.5 °C temperature increase, but some think we’ve already surpassed it.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a 27-page report, “Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update 2024-2028,” predicting short-term temperatures exceeding the 1.5 °C mark.
Mexico saw its first human case of a bird flu strain, H5N2, in a dead man supposedly with no known previous exposure to animals. Two turkey farms got outbreaks in Minnesota, and Iowa’s first dairy farm reported bird flu as well. American health authorities expect H5N1 human cases to rise in the coming weeks. Bird flu was also found in San Francisco last week. Millions of human vaccine doses for bird flu are being prepared for the United States this summer.
Citigroup says the United States is already in a recession, though other institutions disagree. Nevertheless, junk bonds are becoming even more junky, and economists agree that the economy is at least slowing down. Credit card debt is reportedly rising, and the “personal savings rate” has dropped to pre-COVID levels. “America’s debt accumulation over the last seven years is akin to the costs of a world war,” says the article. Cuts to the Federal Reserve interest rate are coming, and the rise of tariffs is unlikely to stop soon. And Europe’s strongest economy, Germany, is not seeing a strong recovery from last year’s recession.
Thousands are starving in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where Drought and school dropouts have also worsened. Investigators claim in a new report that both sides in the Tigray War committed grave war crimes and “acts of genocide” in the conflict, which ended (on paper, anyway) in November 2022; intercommunal violence continues at a lower intensity.
The American Heart Association released a report projecting the rates of heart illnesses by 2050, and they believe the rate of hypertension among adults will rise from about 51% in 2020 to 61% in 2060. Diabetes rates are expected to jump from about 16% in 2020 to almost 27% in 2050; and obesity rates will expand 17% to over 60%... A number of other heart conditions are expected to worsen as well, though at least high cholesterol rates are expected to decrease.
A 12-page report by Oil Change International says what we all know: most nations are failing to meet climate targets. “Some G7 countries are massively expanding fossil fuel production at home, while others are investing in more fossil fuel infrastructure abroad.” China is, far and away, adding more renewable energy capacity than any other nations on earth, supposedly adding “over 90% of all renewable capacity mentioned in NDCs {nationally determined contributions}” in the 2020s so far.
The U.S. FDA has unanimously recommended a new vaccine be developed to address the JN.1 COVID variant. Vaccine-manufacturers say that a new vaccine could arrive as early as mid-August. A 242-page prepublication report on the long-term dangers of Long COVID, with a view to planning future impacts on Social Security.
A number of current & former employees at OpenAI are warning of the careless pursuit of dominance of the artificial intelligence arena—and the supposed 70% chance that AI could bring about “doom” for humanity. Some of the computer scientists believe that a general intelligence (AGI) could arrive as soon as 2027—a generation earlier than previous estimates of roughly 2050. "The world isn’t ready, and we aren’t ready," said one dissenting researcher.
——————————
The intervention into Haiti is almost ready to go, but gangsters in Haiti have escalated attacks against police in advance of the Kenya-led operation, set to begin in a week or two. “The gangs are just waiting for the Kenyans, they’re just cracking their knuckles and stretching out.…It’s going to be a battle if not a bloodbath of a war, because the gangs are ready,” said one ex-diplomat. A new PM has been installed, Garry Conille, a guy who previously served as PM for 4 about months in 2011-2012. Gangs vying for power control roughly 80% of Port-Au-Prince; will they remain fragmented upon the arrival of an outside coalition, or make an alliance of convenience to oppose police intervention?
Although New Caledonia’s state of emergency has ended, over $1B of damage has been wrought by rioters opposing an expansion of voting rights. Analysts say that the Pacific island’s abundant nickel reserves—essential for France’s renewable energy push—have seen their extraction obstructed by recent events. A curfew remains in place, and social cohesion has been seriously damaged by the protests and the central government’s reactions.
President Biden issued new orders restricting the flow of migrants and asylum-seekers at the Mexico border. At the U.S./Canada border, migrant arrivals have spiked 1000%+ in the last 3 years. Days before the EU election, Portugal instituted stronger controls over immigration. On the Poland/Belarus border, a Polish soldier died, after being stabbed by a migrant from Belarus.
Georgia’s controversial foreign agents bill has been signed into law despite strong protests from the masses. Some call the law a form of Russian hybrid warfare, though Russia contends that allowing foreign media funding functions as a kind of anti-Russian hybrid warfare on its own.
South Korea suspended a military agreement with North Korea over their waste balloons sent into the South. This will result in a more militarized border, outside the DMZ, in the coming months. President Putin is also planning a visit to Pyongyang, which has been long-supplying materiel to Russia for use in Ukraine. A border clash between Chinese and Indian forces took place in their contested mountains—using only sticks and stones.
Conditions in Gaza are said to be “beyond crisis levels” for the 1M+ people who have been displaced from Rafah, as the Israeli advance continues—despite calls from the ICJ to halt the operation. “The sounds, the smells, the everyday life, are horrific and apocalyptic,” said one observer. Killings in the West Bank have now exceeded 500 since October 7, and aid deliveries have sunk 65%+ since the Rafah offensive began. A strike on a school killed 45 people sheltering there, according to Gaza officials. In the coastal settlement of al-Mawasi, where many IDPs moved after the Rafah invasion began, toilets are so scarce that over 4,000 people share a single latrine.
The battlefield is expanding; in some ways, it has always been all-encompassing, and it’s only now that the world is re-learning it. Ukraine has sent soldiers to Syria to fight Wagner Group mercenaries operating in the failed state. Ukraine had earlier intervened in Sudan to combat Russian forces operating in the country. Ukraine also struck an air defense unit inside Russia for the first time, marking another escalation in the War. Russia struck Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power plant in Dnipro, which is now in “critical condition.” Russia reportedly intends to restart the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant at some point, though international regulators argue that it would be unsafe to turn Europe’s largest nuclear facility online while War still rages around it. Half of Ukraine’s electrical generation has been taken offline. Although weapons are reaching Ukraine’s frontlines, they are not enough to change the tide of the War—and are still outnumbered by Russian soldiers & munitions. Ukraine is also crowd-sourcing 3D-printing drone parts to support their drone fleets—a key part offuture modern warfare.
Russia also claims that French military instructors within Ukraine present a lawful military target for Russian forces—and an opportunity to start WWIII. But others believe the flashpoint may come from elsewhere—Taiwan, or the unfolding Israel/Hamas/Hezbollah/Iran conflict, which are intensifying on the Lebanon/Israel border. Russia is also taking over Niger’s uranium reserves, once held by a French corporation. And four Russian sea vessels will be visiting Cuba—but not carrying nuclear weapons.
Around Sudan’s capital, looters, checkpoints, and violence have been established. Several torture chambers have been discovered, and the smell of death hangs in the air of a few neighborhoods, contested by both sides. The number of displaced people is approaching 10M. Russia is supposedly playing both sides to its advantage. “All over Sudan, people are going hungry because they have lost everything, the economy has collapsed, and armed men frequently steal what little aid is available,” said one reporter. The insurgent RSF forces are said to not only be fighting for the future, but fighting over history as well. The National Museum has become a cemetery for RSF fighters. University archives have been burned. And ancient artifacts have been cleared out, sold to mysterious buyers, stashed away in unknown places, or simply destroyed… Other horror stories are still emerging; this article details some of the worst recent tales in the War.
One major NATO supplies provider claims that a decade of arms accumulation is coming, to replenish stockpiles given to Ukraine and in advance of a potential open War between China and whatever western nations decide to participate. China announced its intention to detain vessels moving into its alleged national waters near the Philippines—and presumably to sink those which resist. Ukraine used up six years’ worth of shoulder-fired missiles, like javelins, in just one year. The development of the F-35 will exceed $2T, although the U.S. military is planning on using it less than previously expected. NATO is also planning its rapid-transit troop corridors through Europe to the expected frontlines of a potential open War against Russia.
——————————
Select comments/threads from the subreddit last week suggest:
-It is a common refrain that the education system is a bellwether for Collapse. It is also a symbol—alongside our food system, plastic dependency, state militaries, and many other institutions—of how difficult it apparently is to change course. The institutional friction and incentives are burnt in. This detailed post on the (American) school system and the “metacrisis” and much more. Several thorough comments build on the OP’s thesis. Peek into teachers for a glimpse into our doomed future.
-People in southern California are evidently closing their eyes and ears to Collapse, if this weekly observation is to be believed. The author writes about their unfulfilled hope that humanity might turn the ship around during the COVID period, cognitive biases, the persistence of COVID denial, plastics, and the early burning sun.
-Society is closing in on a Doom-Awakening, says the comments on this post. Some disagree (see the above observation).
-Nothing works, and everything is breaking—say many terrific comments in this self-post about the lack of empathy, passion, quality products, and the atrocious job market.
Got any feedback, questions, comments, complaints, upvotes, hurricane advice, bird flu tips, cheap off-grid land, etc.? Check out the Last Week in Collapse SubStack if you don’t want to check collapse every Sunday, you can receive this newsletter sent to your (or someone else’s) email inbox every weekend. What did I forget this week?
submitted by LastWeekInCollapse to collapse [link] [comments]
Last Week in Collapse: June 2-8, 2024
This is Last Week in Collapse, a weekly newsletter compiling some of the most important, timely, useful, soul-crushing, ironic, stunning, exhausting, or otherwise must-see/can’t-look-away moments in Collapse.
This is the 128th newsletter. You can find the May 26-June edition here if you missed it last week. You can also receive these posts (with images) every Sunday in your email inbox with Substack.
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Bengaluru broke a 133-year rain record by almost 10mm last Sunday, with 111mm (4.37 inches) of rain falling in a single day. In Sri Lanka, some 24,000 people were displaced by recent flooding. A heat wave swept through the southwest United States and northern Mexico. Part of Niger already broke its June temperature record. Parts of New South Wales, Australia broke nighttime temperatures as well; so did the Philippines, and Vietnam. And a heat wave in Greece.
“Atmospheric blocking” happens when regions of the atmosphere remain stationary for days or weeks, imposing similar weather on a region for a while. A study released in Nature Communications looked at Svalbard, which is warming faster than the Arctic, which is itself warming faster than most of the rest of the planet. The researchers claim that atmospheric blocking has resulted in warmer & wetter conditions in Svalbard, which is driving its ice loss. “The augmented blocking in the Ural and Scandinavian regions in the future combined with the projected declines in sea ice, and increases in sea surface temperatures and moisture availability, will likely increase the magnitude and frequency of exceptional rainfall incidents similar to the 2016 occurrence, posing further hazards to the population and ecosystems in Svalbard.”
A paywalled study in Nature Climate Change emphasizes “in the absence of a global tipping point there is no safety margin within which permafrost loss would be acceptable.” The summary states that permafrost melt does not have a worldwide tipping point, but rather several local temperature thresholds. Permafrost worldwide is expected to be all melted once global temperature gains hit 5 or 6 °C.
We are currently in the brief neutral period between El Niño and La Niña, expected to begin around August. Meteorologists expect temperatures in the eastern Pacific to decline for between 1 and 3 years—and for stronger Atlantic hurricanes. A 14-page report from the WMO forecasts a particularly wet summer for Central America.
Monsoon storms in Sri Lanka killed 14, mostly by falling trees, though others drowned or were covered by landslides. Texas saw “canteloupe-size hail” fall during a freak tornado; some think it is a record size for the region. Experts say some 23% of Africa’s land has been degraded, by five major factors: 1) invasive species, 2) climate change, including Drought and flooding, 3) resource extraction, 4) deforestation, and 5) pollution, including algal blooms. Poverty, population growth, and resource dependencies have aggravated the problem, says the article.
In Kashmir, a glacier Collapsed, sending three plunging into the ice, one of whom has still not been found. In the Philippines, a volcanic mud landslide swept into a village; volcano alerts were raised to 2 (on a 0-5 scale). Rising sea levels are displacing residents of one of Panama’s islands (pop: ~1,200); others will follow. Greece is gearing up for a fierce wildfire season ahead. And, in a moment of hopeful news, Sweden is banning bottom trawling in its “marine protected areas.”
In the EU, early polling appears to show a “greenlash,”, a backlash to the Green Alliance—and perhaps a loss of some 30% of their 72 current seats in the EU Parliament (705 total). Some blame the “moral superiority complex” of Greens, while others believe it is their lack of compromise on important issues. Farmer protests also damaged Green sentiment; now future sweeping climate reforms will probably have to wait years to get passed, since conservatives are expected to make gains. Most results will emerge within 24 hours of this post.
Worldwide, 39% of environmental journalists have faced threats due to their reporting—according to a 112-page report by the Earth Journalism Network. Most of the threats came to reporters writing about illegal extraction operations.
Roughly 20% of sealife near the surface is expected to face a “triple threat” of climate hazards: extreme heat, oxygen loss and acidification. Some of these species will die in place; others will be forced into progressively smaller living spaces. Most of the danger lies in the northern Pacific. The full study in AGU Advances has more.
The UN Secretary-General announced that we are on the “highway to climate hell.” And we aren’t wearing any seatbelts. The EU Copernicus Programme says last May was the hottest on record. This means the last 12 months were the hottest on record, with each consecutive month setting a new monthly record. Our planet is supposedly on the edge of 1.5 °C temperature increase, but some think we’ve already surpassed it.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a 27-page report, “Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update 2024-2028,” predicting short-term temperatures exceeding the 1.5 °C mark.
“The global mean near-surface temperature for each year between 2024 and 2028 is predicted to be between 1.1°C and 1.9°C higher than the average over the years 1850-1900. It is likely (80% chance) that global mean near-surface temperature will exceed 1.5°C above the 1850-1900 average levels for at least one year between 2024 and 2028. It is about as likely as not (47%) that the five-year mean will exceed this threshold….Arctic warming over the next five extended winters (November to March), relative to the average of the 1991-2020 period, is predicted to be more than three times as large as the warming in global mean temperature. Predicted precipitation patterns for 2024, relative to the 1991-2020 average, suggest an increased chance of low rainfall over North-East Brazil and an increased chance of wet conditions in the African Sahel, consistent with the warmer-than-usual temperatures in the North Atlantic….The Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy released its 2024 Environmental Policy Index, and the 204 pages illustrate the state of sustainability in 180 countries, according to 58 indicators. The document, full of useful graphics and accessible summaries, presents a world in escalating danger of global heating, pollution, and biodiversity loss. It is well worth skimming. These kinds of climate reports usually seem to me like, overall, much more time was spent making them than people spend reading them…
“Only five countries — Estonia, Finland, Greece, Timor-Leste, and the United Kingdom — cut their GHG emissions at the rate needed to reach zero by 2050….After climate change, biodiversity loss has emerged as the most serious and irreversible environmental crisis….As of 2022, aggregated GHG emissions were falling in 60 countries but still rising in 128…. Human activities, namely the combustion of fossil fuels, of which CO2 is an inevitable byproduct, have caused a nearly 50 percent of the increase in CO2 levels in the atmosphere since the industrial revolution, with atmospheric concentration surpassing 426 parts per million in April 2024 — a level higher than at any point in human history….China, the United States, and India are pivotal, accounting for over half of global GHG emissions…China used more cement in two years (2020 and 2021) than the United States did in the entire twentieth century….Air pollution remains the most serious environmental threat to public health. Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) caused 7.8 million premature deaths in 2021, close to 12 percent of global deaths…” -selections from the first third of the report——————————
Mexico saw its first human case of a bird flu strain, H5N2, in a dead man supposedly with no known previous exposure to animals. Two turkey farms got outbreaks in Minnesota, and Iowa’s first dairy farm reported bird flu as well. American health authorities expect H5N1 human cases to rise in the coming weeks. Bird flu was also found in San Francisco last week. Millions of human vaccine doses for bird flu are being prepared for the United States this summer.
Citigroup says the United States is already in a recession, though other institutions disagree. Nevertheless, junk bonds are becoming even more junky, and economists agree that the economy is at least slowing down. Credit card debt is reportedly rising, and the “personal savings rate” has dropped to pre-COVID levels. “America’s debt accumulation over the last seven years is akin to the costs of a world war,” says the article. Cuts to the Federal Reserve interest rate are coming, and the rise of tariffs is unlikely to stop soon. And Europe’s strongest economy, Germany, is not seeing a strong recovery from last year’s recession.
Thousands are starving in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where Drought and school dropouts have also worsened. Investigators claim in a new report that both sides in the Tigray War committed grave war crimes and “acts of genocide” in the conflict, which ended (on paper, anyway) in November 2022; intercommunal violence continues at a lower intensity.
The American Heart Association released a report projecting the rates of heart illnesses by 2050, and they believe the rate of hypertension among adults will rise from about 51% in 2020 to 61% in 2060. Diabetes rates are expected to jump from about 16% in 2020 to almost 27% in 2050; and obesity rates will expand 17% to over 60%... A number of other heart conditions are expected to worsen as well, though at least high cholesterol rates are expected to decrease.
A 12-page report by Oil Change International says what we all know: most nations are failing to meet climate targets. “Some G7 countries are massively expanding fossil fuel production at home, while others are investing in more fossil fuel infrastructure abroad.” China is, far and away, adding more renewable energy capacity than any other nations on earth, supposedly adding “over 90% of all renewable capacity mentioned in NDCs {nationally determined contributions}” in the 2020s so far.
The U.S. FDA has unanimously recommended a new vaccine be developed to address the JN.1 COVID variant. Vaccine-manufacturers say that a new vaccine could arrive as early as mid-August. A 242-page prepublication report on the long-term dangers of Long COVID, with a view to planning future impacts on Social Security.
“Even individuals with a mild initial course of illness can develop Long COVID with severe health effects….Women are twice as likely as men to experience Long COVID….Long COVID can cause more than 200 symptoms and affects each person differently….There currently is no curative treatment for Long COVID itself. Management of the condition is based on current knowledge about treating the associated health effects and other sequelae….Long COVID symptoms generally improve over time, although preliminary studies suggest that recover can plateau 6-12 months after acute infection. Studies have shown that only 18-22 percent of those who have persistent symptoms at 5-6 months following infection have fully recovered by 1 year. Among those who do not improve, most remain stable, but some worsen.” -selections from the study summaryGermany reported African swine flu in some pigs in the northeast. Monkeypox cases remain in the United States, and at higher rates than last year, despite waning media coverage. And four strains of dengue fever, yes four, are still sweeping through Brazil with no end in sight.
A number of current & former employees at OpenAI are warning of the careless pursuit of dominance of the artificial intelligence arena—and the supposed 70% chance that AI could bring about “doom” for humanity. Some of the computer scientists believe that a general intelligence (AGI) could arrive as soon as 2027—a generation earlier than previous estimates of roughly 2050. "The world isn’t ready, and we aren’t ready," said one dissenting researcher.
——————————
The intervention into Haiti is almost ready to go, but gangsters in Haiti have escalated attacks against police in advance of the Kenya-led operation, set to begin in a week or two. “The gangs are just waiting for the Kenyans, they’re just cracking their knuckles and stretching out.…It’s going to be a battle if not a bloodbath of a war, because the gangs are ready,” said one ex-diplomat. A new PM has been installed, Garry Conille, a guy who previously served as PM for 4 about months in 2011-2012. Gangs vying for power control roughly 80% of Port-Au-Prince; will they remain fragmented upon the arrival of an outside coalition, or make an alliance of convenience to oppose police intervention?
Although New Caledonia’s state of emergency has ended, over $1B of damage has been wrought by rioters opposing an expansion of voting rights. Analysts say that the Pacific island’s abundant nickel reserves—essential for France’s renewable energy push—have seen their extraction obstructed by recent events. A curfew remains in place, and social cohesion has been seriously damaged by the protests and the central government’s reactions.
President Biden issued new orders restricting the flow of migrants and asylum-seekers at the Mexico border. At the U.S./Canada border, migrant arrivals have spiked 1000%+ in the last 3 years. Days before the EU election, Portugal instituted stronger controls over immigration. On the Poland/Belarus border, a Polish soldier died, after being stabbed by a migrant from Belarus.
Georgia’s controversial foreign agents bill has been signed into law despite strong protests from the masses. Some call the law a form of Russian hybrid warfare, though Russia contends that allowing foreign media funding functions as a kind of anti-Russian hybrid warfare on its own.
South Korea suspended a military agreement with North Korea over their waste balloons sent into the South. This will result in a more militarized border, outside the DMZ, in the coming months. President Putin is also planning a visit to Pyongyang, which has been long-supplying materiel to Russia for use in Ukraine. A border clash between Chinese and Indian forces took place in their contested mountains—using only sticks and stones.
Conditions in Gaza are said to be “beyond crisis levels” for the 1M+ people who have been displaced from Rafah, as the Israeli advance continues—despite calls from the ICJ to halt the operation. “The sounds, the smells, the everyday life, are horrific and apocalyptic,” said one observer. Killings in the West Bank have now exceeded 500 since October 7, and aid deliveries have sunk 65%+ since the Rafah offensive began. A strike on a school killed 45 people sheltering there, according to Gaza officials. In the coastal settlement of al-Mawasi, where many IDPs moved after the Rafah invasion began, toilets are so scarce that over 4,000 people share a single latrine.
The battlefield is expanding; in some ways, it has always been all-encompassing, and it’s only now that the world is re-learning it. Ukraine has sent soldiers to Syria to fight Wagner Group mercenaries operating in the failed state. Ukraine had earlier intervened in Sudan to combat Russian forces operating in the country. Ukraine also struck an air defense unit inside Russia for the first time, marking another escalation in the War. Russia struck Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power plant in Dnipro, which is now in “critical condition.” Russia reportedly intends to restart the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant at some point, though international regulators argue that it would be unsafe to turn Europe’s largest nuclear facility online while War still rages around it. Half of Ukraine’s electrical generation has been taken offline. Although weapons are reaching Ukraine’s frontlines, they are not enough to change the tide of the War—and are still outnumbered by Russian soldiers & munitions. Ukraine is also crowd-sourcing 3D-printing drone parts to support their drone fleets—a key part of
Russia also claims that French military instructors within Ukraine present a lawful military target for Russian forces—and an opportunity to start WWIII. But others believe the flashpoint may come from elsewhere—Taiwan, or the unfolding Israel/Hamas/Hezbollah/Iran conflict, which are intensifying on the Lebanon/Israel border. Russia is also taking over Niger’s uranium reserves, once held by a French corporation. And four Russian sea vessels will be visiting Cuba—but not carrying nuclear weapons.
Around Sudan’s capital, looters, checkpoints, and violence have been established. Several torture chambers have been discovered, and the smell of death hangs in the air of a few neighborhoods, contested by both sides. The number of displaced people is approaching 10M. Russia is supposedly playing both sides to its advantage. “All over Sudan, people are going hungry because they have lost everything, the economy has collapsed, and armed men frequently steal what little aid is available,” said one reporter. The insurgent RSF forces are said to not only be fighting for the future, but fighting over history as well. The National Museum has become a cemetery for RSF fighters. University archives have been burned. And ancient artifacts have been cleared out, sold to mysterious buyers, stashed away in unknown places, or simply destroyed… Other horror stories are still emerging; this article details some of the worst recent tales in the War.
One major NATO supplies provider claims that a decade of arms accumulation is coming, to replenish stockpiles given to Ukraine and in advance of a potential open War between China and whatever western nations decide to participate. China announced its intention to detain vessels moving into its alleged national waters near the Philippines—and presumably to sink those which resist. Ukraine used up six years’ worth of shoulder-fired missiles, like javelins, in just one year. The development of the F-35 will exceed $2T, although the U.S. military is planning on using it less than previously expected. NATO is also planning its rapid-transit troop corridors through Europe to the expected frontlines of a potential open War against Russia.
——————————
Select comments/threads from the subreddit last week suggest:
-It is a common refrain that the education system is a bellwether for Collapse. It is also a symbol—alongside our food system, plastic dependency, state militaries, and many other institutions—of how difficult it apparently is to change course. The institutional friction and incentives are burnt in. This detailed post on the (American) school system and the “metacrisis” and much more. Several thorough comments build on the OP’s thesis. Peek into teachers for a glimpse into our doomed future.
-People in southern California are evidently closing their eyes and ears to Collapse, if this weekly observation is to be believed. The author writes about their unfulfilled hope that humanity might turn the ship around during the COVID period, cognitive biases, the persistence of COVID denial, plastics, and the early burning sun.
-Society is closing in on a Doom-Awakening, says the comments on this post. Some disagree (see the above observation).
-Nothing works, and everything is breaking—say many terrific comments in this self-post about the lack of empathy, passion, quality products, and the atrocious job market.
Got any feedback, questions, comments, complaints, upvotes, hurricane advice, bird flu tips, cheap off-grid land, etc.? Check out the Last Week in Collapse SubStack if you don’t want to check collapse every Sunday, you can receive this newsletter sent to your (or someone else’s) email inbox every weekend. What did I forget this week?
2024.06.09 14:29 MountainSkald [A Valkyrie's Saga] - Part 120
Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
“Uh oh,” Ray said just loud enough for the rest of the squad to hear. “Contacts moving across our eleven, ten meters out. No, don’t everyone look, or you’ll attract their attention.”
“What is it?” Kayla asked apprehensively. “Helvets?”
“Worse. Forest battalion. Those bitches got the same leave block, and they think they’re going to move in on our action. Freakin’ teddy bear lovers.”
Around the table, the other girls murmured their agreement that Forest battalion was indeed the home of sloppy Rangers with an unhealthy fascination for teddy bears. The Mountain Ranger battalion held it to be a matter of incontestable truth. Though Kayla had neither heard any logical explanation for, nor seen any evidence of the obsession, she nevertheless accepted the claim with the same conviction that the sun would rise, or that morning PT took place at six a.m.
The bar in downtown Zula was becoming more crowded as the night progressed, and while Kayla was happy to chat with the same people she spent every waking moment with, she was beginning to long for a little of the inebriated flirting she had been promised. They had all dressed in their finest, and she, after some discussion with Thandi, had settled on a dark maroon dress that everyone assured her was gorgeous.
Across the room, a group of cool-eyed young women had taken over a table, and were preparing to order drinks.
“I’m gonna go assault through the ambush,” Ray said, and pushed back from the table. She strode confidently over to the offenders and launched into a spirited debate with them.
Lyna beamed at Jess. “So, the rules are that any man, woman, or farm animal that you approach first is yours for the duration of the evening. Do not approach anyone who has already been approached by another Soror, because there will be substantial negative consequences.”
Jess’s apprehensive smile flattened. “What kind of—”
“Getting thrown out of a plane without a parachute is a common punishment for trying to steal another girl’s date, regardless of unit,” Lyna said. “No, I am not kidding.”
Kayla squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry it’s less painful the second time you do it.”
“Really?”
Kayla chuckled. “No, I’m kidding. I haven’t actually done it twice.”
“But anyway,” Lyna continued, “let us know if a girl is messing with you or your date. That’s a squad level response protocol, and it starts with spiking the drinks of those responsible. Also not a joke.” She smiled evilly, and tapped at her handbag.
“But what about…” Jess glanced around carefully, “civilians?”
“Weapons free,” Kayla said, then caught Thandi’s eye. “Metaphorically speaking. Don’t start a fight. Call for support as needed.”
“Pick someone you like,” Tian said, “then me and Kayla will set you up. I’ll be the ugly duckling, and Kayla can be queen bitch.”
Kayla smiled grimly. “I guess it’s my talent.”
“Okay then,” Jess said and began to discreetly examine the room.
Ray rejoined them, with a happy expression. “They will stand down until we’ve had our fun,” she explained.
“How did you sell that?” Lyna asked.
“I just explained we had the infamous Kayla Barnes with us.”
“Ray, for Christ’s sake!” Kayla groaned, then caught Thandi’s eye again. “Sorry.”
“I’m kidding,” Ray reassured her. “I said we’d been deployed for two months, and they were very understanding. Word about our goat rope has gotten around.”
Bibi sighed. “All we do is gossip. It’s so disheartening.”
***
Gaz eyed the occupants of the bar as he stepped inside. It had the smoky air typical of colonist dives, and the music was toned down enough that people could actually talk to each other. No doubt that was why his contact had chosen the place. Businessmen of all kinds converged on Caldera’s smaller towns to make deals free from the meddlesome and watchful eyes of the League’s Adjudicate enforcers. Then there would be the adventurers out to explore the final frontier, prospectors looking to exploit it, and good old-fashioned smugglers. It was a crowd of nobodies, and everybody respected that.
In a quiet corner, he spotted a man in a leather jacket with a racing league logo. His contact. Gaz bought himself a drink, then wandered over. When he sat down, the heavy set, portly man lit a cigarette and glanced nervously around the bar.
“Take it easy,” Gaz said. “You’re not in the League’s social network anymore. This is the wildlands.”
“I don’t think there are any more wildlands, fella,” the man said.
“What do I call you?”
“I’ll go with Kite for the time being.”
Gaz managed to restrain his laughter, but he couldn’t keep a smile from breaking out on his face. Kite glared at him.
“Like the racing team?” Gaz asked. “I guess you’re a fanboy?”
“I happen to think that a dozen galaxy championships merits respect,” Kite insisted.
“Sorry, you’re right. You can call me Gaz, by the way.”
“I know who you are. Everyone around here is talking about marines in town, up to no good. Do me a favor and keep things quiet, yeah? No point adding to your reputation.”
Gaz shrugged. “We try to be quiet, but it’s hard to control your reputation when you make so many enemies.”
“Maybe.” Kite paused and glared at him. “So…?”
Gaz nodded and reached into his jacket. He produced a small envelope and laid it on the table,
“Tier three ident,” he explained. “You can start a new life anywhere with that.”
Kite peeked inside, then snatched the thing away into a pocket. “Sounds good, because I will bloody well need it.”
A young woman laughed raucously across the bar. Both men glanced around and studied the party of friends for a moment.
“Cute, but harmless,” Gaz said. “So, let’s talk.”
He and Sanchez had spent the better part of a week watching the brothel on the outskirts of Rackeye, and confirmed the regular presence of a senior VennZech executive. But their security was strong, and there was no way to get a closer look. Gaz suggested they pay more attention to the shipyards, since they were infiltrated by cartels. Criminals meant greed, which meant someone would always be keen for extra cash, or a favor. And so, he asked around Zula and nearby towns, making it known that he had money and services to provide for information.
Active workers wouldn’t talk, but he had been hoping to find someone who had moved on, and maybe carried some guilt about his former life. That was how he had come across Kite.
“I worked in the port front office,” Kite explained, “managing the admin. I didn’t see or hear anything directly, you understand?”
“They wouldn’t be doing a good job if guys like you were getting suspicious,” Gaz said reassuringly.
He didn’t believe it. After four years of investigating human trafficking, he had never met anyone who would admit to seeing or hearing anything. Of course not—they had been paid a lot of money to be blind, deaf, and dumb. The guy made his skin crawl, but if Kite had information, Gaz had to hear him out.
“All I know,” Kite continued, “is that there was one part of the storage grounds which nobody was to go near, on the instructions of the manager. He said that VennZech were bringing through military shipments, and it was classified.”
“They make weapons. Sounds normal.”
“I know it was, because once in a while I was signing off with the Helvetic Army about some of those deliveries.”
Gaz shrugged. “Every starport in the world has a black zone. Doesn’t prove anything.”
“Except that the contract longshoremen would go in there.”
“These are connected guys?”
Kite shrugged. He obviously didn’t want to say. Talking about cartel business was a reliable way to end your days sooner than expected, especially if they were doing the dirty work of a mega-corporation.
Gaz decided to push a little further. “Were they local?”
“How should I know? I didn’t interact with them.”
“From Intaba?”
The split-second eye movement told Gaz what he needed to know, and he backed off.
“But military restriction means we can’t get anywhere near it,” he said disappointedly.
Kite nodded as he reached for his drink. “If you even try, I expect your bodies will end up in the river by the next morning.”
“I don’t think you’re being that helpful, Mr Kite.”
Kite chuckled. “Not for the game you want to play, no. But you said you wanted information. I got that in spades.”
Gaz brow furrowed. “But not on longshoreman? Do you have something on VennZech?”
“Sure, if you’re adding a sweetener on top of the ident.”
Gaz hesitated. How was this going to help him? The comings and goings of a major corporation would probably be useful to someone, but he had a specific focus. Three kids were still missing, and they weren’t likely to have been kept in a weapons shipment. Besides, Sanchez didn’t have a lot of money to spend.
On the other hand, they had no way into the shipyards, and maybe Kite’s information would lead to another vulnerability.
Gaz nodded. “20k into your ident’s account, then.”
“A couple of weeks ago,” Kite said, “they called in all hands to move a really big shipment. And it didn’t sit in the yard either. Went straight through. My old boss was begging me back for a one-time job. Huge bonus.”
“What kind of shipment?”
“No idea. But they wouldn’t let it sit in storage. Put every scheduled transfer on hold just for a dozen big containers off a freighter. My mate in traffic control told me there was no paperwork for the arrival either. VennZech just showed up one day making demands and throwing money around. An hour later, there was a vessel jumping into the system. Then, as soon as they were done, it jumped away.”
Gaz sighed. Probably nothing he could use. Though he might as well check one detail.
“I don’t suppose you were able to find out the port of origin?”
Kite sat back in his chair, and his smile twisted into a leery grin. “Intaba.”
Gaz felt his pulse quicken. There had to be a connection here. He pulled out his phone, and brought up a photo of the executive they had been tracking.
“The guy from VennZech calling the shots. This him?”
“Uh… Yup. Huh. Small world, isn’t it?”
Gaz dragged a few more minor details out of Kite before the man left. The whole story felt thin, but there had to be something to it. How it would help him track down his victims he had no idea, but he had often been surprised where seemingly unrelated threads could lead.
He went back to the bar, ordered another beer, and tried to think.
“Gawd,” drawled a female voice nearby. “Do you have to come in here stinking of the farms? Are colonists allergic to showers?”
Gaz looked round to see three of the young women he had seen earlier. The speaker, with a black ponytail and a dark red outfit, had challenged one of the men at the bar, while her friends watched, aghast. Probably a Helvet, looking to satisfy her adventurous side by visiting the rough side of the planet.
“Leave him alone Kayla,” another young woman complained. “You’re so mean sometimes.”
The ponytail wearer tilted her head away in disappointment, and Gaz knew immediately that she was putting on an act. Her accent seemed to be Calderan, and though she was doing a realistic impression of a stuck up Helvet, it wasn’t perfect. He watched as she waltzed back to her table with her drink, while her friends struck up a conversation with her victim.
She was setting her friend up, Gaz thought, and he didn’t bother to mask a smirk. They were an odd group at her table, all athletic, and carrying themselves with confidence. Most girls on a night out made a lot of noise, but though this group were drinking and having fun, their voices were muted. And occasionally, he noticed, one of them would sweep her eyes around the place, checking everything, but fixating on nothing. Scanning.
The girl with the ponytail glanced at him, and for a moment he was struck by her expression of determination. She might have been playing a role, but Gaz decided he would not want to give the game away and earn her wrath. He turned his eyes back to the bar.
“Hey, man,” a voice said over his shoulder, moments later.
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Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
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1. Rise of a Valkyrie
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“Uh oh,” Ray said just loud enough for the rest of the squad to hear. “Contacts moving across our eleven, ten meters out. No, don’t everyone look, or you’ll attract their attention.”
“What is it?” Kayla asked apprehensively. “Helvets?”
“Worse. Forest battalion. Those bitches got the same leave block, and they think they’re going to move in on our action. Freakin’ teddy bear lovers.”
Around the table, the other girls murmured their agreement that Forest battalion was indeed the home of sloppy Rangers with an unhealthy fascination for teddy bears. The Mountain Ranger battalion held it to be a matter of incontestable truth. Though Kayla had neither heard any logical explanation for, nor seen any evidence of the obsession, she nevertheless accepted the claim with the same conviction that the sun would rise, or that morning PT took place at six a.m.
The bar in downtown Zula was becoming more crowded as the night progressed, and while Kayla was happy to chat with the same people she spent every waking moment with, she was beginning to long for a little of the inebriated flirting she had been promised. They had all dressed in their finest, and she, after some discussion with Thandi, had settled on a dark maroon dress that everyone assured her was gorgeous.
Across the room, a group of cool-eyed young women had taken over a table, and were preparing to order drinks.
“I’m gonna go assault through the ambush,” Ray said, and pushed back from the table. She strode confidently over to the offenders and launched into a spirited debate with them.
Lyna beamed at Jess. “So, the rules are that any man, woman, or farm animal that you approach first is yours for the duration of the evening. Do not approach anyone who has already been approached by another Soror, because there will be substantial negative consequences.”
Jess’s apprehensive smile flattened. “What kind of—”
“Getting thrown out of a plane without a parachute is a common punishment for trying to steal another girl’s date, regardless of unit,” Lyna said. “No, I am not kidding.”
Kayla squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry it’s less painful the second time you do it.”
“Really?”
Kayla chuckled. “No, I’m kidding. I haven’t actually done it twice.”
“But anyway,” Lyna continued, “let us know if a girl is messing with you or your date. That’s a squad level response protocol, and it starts with spiking the drinks of those responsible. Also not a joke.” She smiled evilly, and tapped at her handbag.
“But what about…” Jess glanced around carefully, “civilians?”
“Weapons free,” Kayla said, then caught Thandi’s eye. “Metaphorically speaking. Don’t start a fight. Call for support as needed.”
“Pick someone you like,” Tian said, “then me and Kayla will set you up. I’ll be the ugly duckling, and Kayla can be queen bitch.”
Kayla smiled grimly. “I guess it’s my talent.”
“Okay then,” Jess said and began to discreetly examine the room.
Ray rejoined them, with a happy expression. “They will stand down until we’ve had our fun,” she explained.
“How did you sell that?” Lyna asked.
“I just explained we had the infamous Kayla Barnes with us.”
“Ray, for Christ’s sake!” Kayla groaned, then caught Thandi’s eye again. “Sorry.”
“I’m kidding,” Ray reassured her. “I said we’d been deployed for two months, and they were very understanding. Word about our goat rope has gotten around.”
Bibi sighed. “All we do is gossip. It’s so disheartening.”
***
Gaz eyed the occupants of the bar as he stepped inside. It had the smoky air typical of colonist dives, and the music was toned down enough that people could actually talk to each other. No doubt that was why his contact had chosen the place. Businessmen of all kinds converged on Caldera’s smaller towns to make deals free from the meddlesome and watchful eyes of the League’s Adjudicate enforcers. Then there would be the adventurers out to explore the final frontier, prospectors looking to exploit it, and good old-fashioned smugglers. It was a crowd of nobodies, and everybody respected that.
In a quiet corner, he spotted a man in a leather jacket with a racing league logo. His contact. Gaz bought himself a drink, then wandered over. When he sat down, the heavy set, portly man lit a cigarette and glanced nervously around the bar.
“Take it easy,” Gaz said. “You’re not in the League’s social network anymore. This is the wildlands.”
“I don’t think there are any more wildlands, fella,” the man said.
“What do I call you?”
“I’ll go with Kite for the time being.”
Gaz managed to restrain his laughter, but he couldn’t keep a smile from breaking out on his face. Kite glared at him.
“Like the racing team?” Gaz asked. “I guess you’re a fanboy?”
“I happen to think that a dozen galaxy championships merits respect,” Kite insisted.
“Sorry, you’re right. You can call me Gaz, by the way.”
“I know who you are. Everyone around here is talking about marines in town, up to no good. Do me a favor and keep things quiet, yeah? No point adding to your reputation.”
Gaz shrugged. “We try to be quiet, but it’s hard to control your reputation when you make so many enemies.”
“Maybe.” Kite paused and glared at him. “So…?”
Gaz nodded and reached into his jacket. He produced a small envelope and laid it on the table,
“Tier three ident,” he explained. “You can start a new life anywhere with that.”
Kite peeked inside, then snatched the thing away into a pocket. “Sounds good, because I will bloody well need it.”
A young woman laughed raucously across the bar. Both men glanced around and studied the party of friends for a moment.
“Cute, but harmless,” Gaz said. “So, let’s talk.”
He and Sanchez had spent the better part of a week watching the brothel on the outskirts of Rackeye, and confirmed the regular presence of a senior VennZech executive. But their security was strong, and there was no way to get a closer look. Gaz suggested they pay more attention to the shipyards, since they were infiltrated by cartels. Criminals meant greed, which meant someone would always be keen for extra cash, or a favor. And so, he asked around Zula and nearby towns, making it known that he had money and services to provide for information.
Active workers wouldn’t talk, but he had been hoping to find someone who had moved on, and maybe carried some guilt about his former life. That was how he had come across Kite.
“I worked in the port front office,” Kite explained, “managing the admin. I didn’t see or hear anything directly, you understand?”
“They wouldn’t be doing a good job if guys like you were getting suspicious,” Gaz said reassuringly.
He didn’t believe it. After four years of investigating human trafficking, he had never met anyone who would admit to seeing or hearing anything. Of course not—they had been paid a lot of money to be blind, deaf, and dumb. The guy made his skin crawl, but if Kite had information, Gaz had to hear him out.
“All I know,” Kite continued, “is that there was one part of the storage grounds which nobody was to go near, on the instructions of the manager. He said that VennZech were bringing through military shipments, and it was classified.”
“They make weapons. Sounds normal.”
“I know it was, because once in a while I was signing off with the Helvetic Army about some of those deliveries.”
Gaz shrugged. “Every starport in the world has a black zone. Doesn’t prove anything.”
“Except that the contract longshoremen would go in there.”
“These are connected guys?”
Kite shrugged. He obviously didn’t want to say. Talking about cartel business was a reliable way to end your days sooner than expected, especially if they were doing the dirty work of a mega-corporation.
Gaz decided to push a little further. “Were they local?”
“How should I know? I didn’t interact with them.”
“From Intaba?”
The split-second eye movement told Gaz what he needed to know, and he backed off.
“But military restriction means we can’t get anywhere near it,” he said disappointedly.
Kite nodded as he reached for his drink. “If you even try, I expect your bodies will end up in the river by the next morning.”
“I don’t think you’re being that helpful, Mr Kite.”
Kite chuckled. “Not for the game you want to play, no. But you said you wanted information. I got that in spades.”
Gaz brow furrowed. “But not on longshoreman? Do you have something on VennZech?”
“Sure, if you’re adding a sweetener on top of the ident.”
Gaz hesitated. How was this going to help him? The comings and goings of a major corporation would probably be useful to someone, but he had a specific focus. Three kids were still missing, and they weren’t likely to have been kept in a weapons shipment. Besides, Sanchez didn’t have a lot of money to spend.
On the other hand, they had no way into the shipyards, and maybe Kite’s information would lead to another vulnerability.
Gaz nodded. “20k into your ident’s account, then.”
“A couple of weeks ago,” Kite said, “they called in all hands to move a really big shipment. And it didn’t sit in the yard either. Went straight through. My old boss was begging me back for a one-time job. Huge bonus.”
“What kind of shipment?”
“No idea. But they wouldn’t let it sit in storage. Put every scheduled transfer on hold just for a dozen big containers off a freighter. My mate in traffic control told me there was no paperwork for the arrival either. VennZech just showed up one day making demands and throwing money around. An hour later, there was a vessel jumping into the system. Then, as soon as they were done, it jumped away.”
Gaz sighed. Probably nothing he could use. Though he might as well check one detail.
“I don’t suppose you were able to find out the port of origin?”
Kite sat back in his chair, and his smile twisted into a leery grin. “Intaba.”
Gaz felt his pulse quicken. There had to be a connection here. He pulled out his phone, and brought up a photo of the executive they had been tracking.
“The guy from VennZech calling the shots. This him?”
“Uh… Yup. Huh. Small world, isn’t it?”
Gaz dragged a few more minor details out of Kite before the man left. The whole story felt thin, but there had to be something to it. How it would help him track down his victims he had no idea, but he had often been surprised where seemingly unrelated threads could lead.
He went back to the bar, ordered another beer, and tried to think.
“Gawd,” drawled a female voice nearby. “Do you have to come in here stinking of the farms? Are colonists allergic to showers?”
Gaz looked round to see three of the young women he had seen earlier. The speaker, with a black ponytail and a dark red outfit, had challenged one of the men at the bar, while her friends watched, aghast. Probably a Helvet, looking to satisfy her adventurous side by visiting the rough side of the planet.
“Leave him alone Kayla,” another young woman complained. “You’re so mean sometimes.”
The ponytail wearer tilted her head away in disappointment, and Gaz knew immediately that she was putting on an act. Her accent seemed to be Calderan, and though she was doing a realistic impression of a stuck up Helvet, it wasn’t perfect. He watched as she waltzed back to her table with her drink, while her friends struck up a conversation with her victim.
She was setting her friend up, Gaz thought, and he didn’t bother to mask a smirk. They were an odd group at her table, all athletic, and carrying themselves with confidence. Most girls on a night out made a lot of noise, but though this group were drinking and having fun, their voices were muted. And occasionally, he noticed, one of them would sweep her eyes around the place, checking everything, but fixating on nothing. Scanning.
The girl with the ponytail glanced at him, and for a moment he was struck by her expression of determination. She might have been playing a role, but Gaz decided he would not want to give the game away and earn her wrath. He turned his eyes back to the bar.
“Hey, man,” a voice said over his shoulder, moments later.
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Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
2024.06.09 14:27 MountainSkald A Valkyrie's Saga - Part 120
Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
“Uh oh,” Ray said just loud enough for the rest of the squad to hear. “Contacts moving across our eleven, ten meters out. No, don’t everyone look, or you’ll attract their attention.”
“What is it?” Kayla asked apprehensively. “Helvets?”
“Worse. Forest battalion. Those bitches got the same leave block, and they think they’re going to move in on our action. Freakin’ teddy bear lovers.”
Around the table, the other girls murmured their agreement that Forest battalion was indeed the home of sloppy Rangers with an unhealthy fascination for teddy bears. The Mountain Ranger battalion held it to be a matter of incontestable truth. Though Kayla had neither heard any logical explanation for, nor seen any evidence of the obsession, she nevertheless accepted the claim with the same conviction that the sun would rise, or that morning PT took place at six a.m.
The bar in downtown Zula was becoming more crowded as the night progressed, and while Kayla was happy to chat with the same people she spent every waking moment with, she was beginning to long for a little of the inebriated flirting she had been promised. They had all dressed in their finest, and she, after some discussion with Thandi, had settled on a dark maroon dress that everyone assured her was gorgeous.
Across the room, a group of cool-eyed young women had taken over a table, and were preparing to order drinks.
“I’m gonna go assault through the ambush,” Ray said, and pushed back from the table. She strode confidently over to the offenders and launched into a spirited debate with them.
Lyna beamed at Jess. “So, the rules are that any man, woman, or farm animal that you approach first is yours for the duration of the evening. Do not approach anyone who has already been approached by another Soror, because there will be substantial negative consequences.”
Jess’s apprehensive smile flattened. “What kind of—”
“Getting thrown out of a plane without a parachute is a common punishment for trying to steal another girl’s date, regardless of unit,” Lyna said. “No, I am not kidding.”
Kayla squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry it’s less painful the second time you do it.”
“Really?”
Kayla chuckled. “No, I’m kidding. I haven’t actually done it twice.”
“But anyway,” Lyna continued, “let us know if a girl is messing with you or your date. That’s a squad level response protocol, and it starts with spiking the drinks of those responsible. Also not a joke.” She smiled evilly, and tapped at her handbag.
“But what about…” Jess glanced around carefully, “civilians?”
“Weapons free,” Kayla said, then caught Thandi’s eye. “Metaphorically speaking. Don’t start a fight. Call for support as needed.”
“Pick someone you like,” Tian said, “then me and Kayla will set you up. I’ll be the ugly duckling, and Kayla can be queen bitch.”
Kayla smiled grimly. “I guess it’s my talent.”
“Okay then,” Jess said and began to discreetly examine the room.
Ray rejoined them, with a happy expression. “They will stand down until we’ve had our fun,” she explained.
“How did you sell that?” Lyna asked.
“I just explained we had the infamous Kayla Barnes with us.”
“Ray, for Christ’s sake!” Kayla groaned, then caught Thandi’s eye again. “Sorry.”
“I’m kidding,” Ray reassured her. “I said we’d been deployed for two months, and they were very understanding. Word about our goat rope has gotten around.”
Bibi sighed. “All we do is gossip. It’s so disheartening.”
***
Gaz eyed the occupants of the bar as he stepped inside. It had the smoky air typical of colonist dives, and the music was toned down enough that people could actually talk to each other. No doubt that was why his contact had chosen the place. Businessmen of all kinds converged on Caldera’s smaller towns to make deals free from the meddlesome and watchful eyes of the League’s Adjudicate enforcers. Then there would be the adventurers out to explore the final frontier, prospectors looking to exploit it, and good old-fashioned smugglers. It was a crowd of nobodies, and everybody respected that.
In a quiet corner, he spotted a man in a leather jacket with a racing league logo. His contact. Gaz bought himself a drink, then wandered over. When he sat down, the heavy set, portly man lit a cigarette and glanced nervously around the bar.
“Take it easy,” Gaz said. “You’re not in the League’s social network anymore. This is the wildlands.”
“I don’t think there are any more wildlands, fella,” the man said.
“What do I call you?”
“I’ll go with Kite for the time being.”
Gaz managed to restrain his laughter, but he couldn’t keep a smile from breaking out on his face. Kite glared at him.
“Like the racing team?” Gaz asked. “I guess you’re a fanboy?”
“I happen to think that a dozen galaxy championships merits respect,” Kite insisted.
“Sorry, you’re right. You can call me Gaz, by the way.”
“I know who you are. Everyone around here is talking about marines in town, up to no good. Do me a favor and keep things quiet, yeah? No point adding to your reputation.”
Gaz shrugged. “We try to be quiet, but it’s hard to control your reputation when you make so many enemies.”
“Maybe.” Kite paused and glared at him. “So…?”
Gaz nodded and reached into his jacket. He produced a small envelope and laid it on the table,
“Tier three ident,” he explained. “You can start a new life anywhere with that.”
Kite peeked inside, then snatched the thing away into a pocket. “Sounds good, because I will bloody well need it.”
A young woman laughed raucously across the bar. Both men glanced around and studied the party of friends for a moment.
“Cute, but harmless,” Gaz said. “So, let’s talk.”
He and Sanchez had spent the better part of a week watching the brothel on the outskirts of Rackeye, and confirmed the regular presence of a senior VennZech executive. But their security was strong, and there was no way to get a closer look. Gaz suggested they pay more attention to the shipyards, since they were infiltrated by cartels. Criminals meant greed, which meant someone would always be keen for extra cash, or a favor. And so, he asked around Zula and nearby towns, making it known that he had money and services to provide for information.
Active workers wouldn’t talk, but he had been hoping to find someone who had moved on, and maybe carried some guilt about his former life. That was how he had come across Kite.
“I worked in the port front office,” Kite explained, “managing the admin. I didn’t see or hear anything directly, you understand?”
“They wouldn’t be doing a good job if guys like you were getting suspicious,” Gaz said reassuringly.
He didn’t believe it. After four years of investigating human trafficking, he had never met anyone who would admit to seeing or hearing anything. Of course not—they had been paid a lot of money to be blind, deaf, and dumb. The guy made his skin crawl, but if Kite had information, Gaz had to hear him out.
“All I know,” Kite continued, “is that there was one part of the storage grounds which nobody was to go near, on the instructions of the manager. He said that VennZech were bringing through military shipments, and it was classified.”
“They make weapons. Sounds normal.”
“I know it was, because once in a while I was signing off with the Helvetic Army about some of those deliveries.”
Gaz shrugged. “Every starport in the world has a black zone. Doesn’t prove anything.”
“Except that the contract longshoremen would go in there.”
“These are connected guys?”
Kite shrugged. He obviously didn’t want to say. Talking about cartel business was a reliable way to end your days sooner than expected, especially if they were doing the dirty work of a mega-corporation.
Gaz decided to push a little further. “Were they local?”
“How should I know? I didn’t interact with them.”
“From Intaba?”
The split-second eye movement told Gaz what he needed to know, and he backed off.
“But military restriction means we can’t get anywhere near it,” he said disappointedly.
Kite nodded as he reached for his drink. “If you even try, I expect your bodies will end up in the river by the next morning.”
“I don’t think you’re being that helpful, Mr Kite.”
Kite chuckled. “Not for the game you want to play, no. But you said you wanted information. I got that in spades.”
Gaz brow furrowed. “But not on longshoreman? Do you have something on VennZech?”
“Sure, if you’re adding a sweetener on top of the ident.”
Gaz hesitated. How was this going to help him? The comings and goings of a major corporation would probably be useful to someone, but he had a specific focus. Three kids were still missing, and they weren’t likely to have been kept in a weapons shipment. Besides, Sanchez didn’t have a lot of money to spend.
On the other hand, they had no way into the shipyards, and maybe Kite’s information would lead to another vulnerability.
Gaz nodded. “20k into your ident’s account, then.”
“A couple of weeks ago,” Kite said, “they called in all hands to move a really big shipment. And it didn’t sit in the yard either. Went straight through. My old boss was begging me back for a one-time job. Huge bonus.”
“What kind of shipment?”
“No idea. But they wouldn’t let it sit in storage. Put every scheduled transfer on hold just for a dozen big containers off a freighter. My mate in traffic control told me there was no paperwork for the arrival either. VennZech just showed up one day making demands and throwing money around. An hour later, there was a vessel jumping into the system. Then, as soon as they were done, it jumped away.”
Gaz sighed. Probably nothing he could use. Though he might as well check one detail.
“I don’t suppose you were able to find out the port of origin?”
Kite sat back in his chair, and his smile twisted into a leery grin. “Intaba.”
Gaz felt his pulse quicken. There had to be a connection here. He pulled out his phone, and brought up a photo of the executive they had been tracking.
“The guy from VennZech calling the shots. This him?”
“Uh… Yup. Huh. Small world, isn’t it?”
Gaz dragged a few more minor details out of Kite before the man left. The whole story felt thin, but there had to be something to it. How it would help him track down his victims he had no idea, but he had often been surprised where seemingly unrelated threads could lead.
He went back to the bar, ordered another beer, and tried to think.
“Gawd,” drawled a female voice nearby. “Do you have to come in here stinking of the farms? Are colonists allergic to showers?”
Gaz looked round to see three of the young women he had seen earlier. The speaker, with a black ponytail and a dark red outfit, had challenged one of the men at the bar, while her friends watched, aghast. Probably a Helvet, looking to satisfy her adventurous side by visiting the rough side of the planet.
“Leave him alone Kayla,” another young woman complained. “You’re so mean sometimes.”
The ponytail wearer tilted her head away in disappointment, and Gaz knew immediately that she was putting on an act. Her accent seemed to be Calderan, and though she was doing a realistic impression of a stuck up Helvet, it wasn’t perfect. He watched as she waltzed back to her table with her drink, while her friends struck up a conversation with her victim.
She was setting her friend up, Gaz thought, and he didn’t bother to mask a smirk. They were an odd group at her table, all athletic, and carrying themselves with confidence. Most girls on a night out made a lot of noise, but though this group were drinking and having fun, their voices were muted. And occasionally, he noticed, one of them would sweep her eyes around the place, checking everything, but fixating on nothing. Scanning.
The girl with the ponytail glanced at him, and for a moment he was struck by her expression of determination. She might have been playing a role, but Gaz decided he would not want to give the game away and earn her wrath. He turned his eyes back to the bar.
“Hey, man,” a voice said over his shoulder, moments later.
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Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
submitted by MountainSkald to HFY [link] [comments]
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
“Uh oh,” Ray said just loud enough for the rest of the squad to hear. “Contacts moving across our eleven, ten meters out. No, don’t everyone look, or you’ll attract their attention.”
“What is it?” Kayla asked apprehensively. “Helvets?”
“Worse. Forest battalion. Those bitches got the same leave block, and they think they’re going to move in on our action. Freakin’ teddy bear lovers.”
Around the table, the other girls murmured their agreement that Forest battalion was indeed the home of sloppy Rangers with an unhealthy fascination for teddy bears. The Mountain Ranger battalion held it to be a matter of incontestable truth. Though Kayla had neither heard any logical explanation for, nor seen any evidence of the obsession, she nevertheless accepted the claim with the same conviction that the sun would rise, or that morning PT took place at six a.m.
The bar in downtown Zula was becoming more crowded as the night progressed, and while Kayla was happy to chat with the same people she spent every waking moment with, she was beginning to long for a little of the inebriated flirting she had been promised. They had all dressed in their finest, and she, after some discussion with Thandi, had settled on a dark maroon dress that everyone assured her was gorgeous.
Across the room, a group of cool-eyed young women had taken over a table, and were preparing to order drinks.
“I’m gonna go assault through the ambush,” Ray said, and pushed back from the table. She strode confidently over to the offenders and launched into a spirited debate with them.
Lyna beamed at Jess. “So, the rules are that any man, woman, or farm animal that you approach first is yours for the duration of the evening. Do not approach anyone who has already been approached by another Soror, because there will be substantial negative consequences.”
Jess’s apprehensive smile flattened. “What kind of—”
“Getting thrown out of a plane without a parachute is a common punishment for trying to steal another girl’s date, regardless of unit,” Lyna said. “No, I am not kidding.”
Kayla squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry it’s less painful the second time you do it.”
“Really?”
Kayla chuckled. “No, I’m kidding. I haven’t actually done it twice.”
“But anyway,” Lyna continued, “let us know if a girl is messing with you or your date. That’s a squad level response protocol, and it starts with spiking the drinks of those responsible. Also not a joke.” She smiled evilly, and tapped at her handbag.
“But what about…” Jess glanced around carefully, “civilians?”
“Weapons free,” Kayla said, then caught Thandi’s eye. “Metaphorically speaking. Don’t start a fight. Call for support as needed.”
“Pick someone you like,” Tian said, “then me and Kayla will set you up. I’ll be the ugly duckling, and Kayla can be queen bitch.”
Kayla smiled grimly. “I guess it’s my talent.”
“Okay then,” Jess said and began to discreetly examine the room.
Ray rejoined them, with a happy expression. “They will stand down until we’ve had our fun,” she explained.
“How did you sell that?” Lyna asked.
“I just explained we had the infamous Kayla Barnes with us.”
“Ray, for Christ’s sake!” Kayla groaned, then caught Thandi’s eye again. “Sorry.”
“I’m kidding,” Ray reassured her. “I said we’d been deployed for two months, and they were very understanding. Word about our goat rope has gotten around.”
Bibi sighed. “All we do is gossip. It’s so disheartening.”
***
Gaz eyed the occupants of the bar as he stepped inside. It had the smoky air typical of colonist dives, and the music was toned down enough that people could actually talk to each other. No doubt that was why his contact had chosen the place. Businessmen of all kinds converged on Caldera’s smaller towns to make deals free from the meddlesome and watchful eyes of the League’s Adjudicate enforcers. Then there would be the adventurers out to explore the final frontier, prospectors looking to exploit it, and good old-fashioned smugglers. It was a crowd of nobodies, and everybody respected that.
In a quiet corner, he spotted a man in a leather jacket with a racing league logo. His contact. Gaz bought himself a drink, then wandered over. When he sat down, the heavy set, portly man lit a cigarette and glanced nervously around the bar.
“Take it easy,” Gaz said. “You’re not in the League’s social network anymore. This is the wildlands.”
“I don’t think there are any more wildlands, fella,” the man said.
“What do I call you?”
“I’ll go with Kite for the time being.”
Gaz managed to restrain his laughter, but he couldn’t keep a smile from breaking out on his face. Kite glared at him.
“Like the racing team?” Gaz asked. “I guess you’re a fanboy?”
“I happen to think that a dozen galaxy championships merits respect,” Kite insisted.
“Sorry, you’re right. You can call me Gaz, by the way.”
“I know who you are. Everyone around here is talking about marines in town, up to no good. Do me a favor and keep things quiet, yeah? No point adding to your reputation.”
Gaz shrugged. “We try to be quiet, but it’s hard to control your reputation when you make so many enemies.”
“Maybe.” Kite paused and glared at him. “So…?”
Gaz nodded and reached into his jacket. He produced a small envelope and laid it on the table,
“Tier three ident,” he explained. “You can start a new life anywhere with that.”
Kite peeked inside, then snatched the thing away into a pocket. “Sounds good, because I will bloody well need it.”
A young woman laughed raucously across the bar. Both men glanced around and studied the party of friends for a moment.
“Cute, but harmless,” Gaz said. “So, let’s talk.”
He and Sanchez had spent the better part of a week watching the brothel on the outskirts of Rackeye, and confirmed the regular presence of a senior VennZech executive. But their security was strong, and there was no way to get a closer look. Gaz suggested they pay more attention to the shipyards, since they were infiltrated by cartels. Criminals meant greed, which meant someone would always be keen for extra cash, or a favor. And so, he asked around Zula and nearby towns, making it known that he had money and services to provide for information.
Active workers wouldn’t talk, but he had been hoping to find someone who had moved on, and maybe carried some guilt about his former life. That was how he had come across Kite.
“I worked in the port front office,” Kite explained, “managing the admin. I didn’t see or hear anything directly, you understand?”
“They wouldn’t be doing a good job if guys like you were getting suspicious,” Gaz said reassuringly.
He didn’t believe it. After four years of investigating human trafficking, he had never met anyone who would admit to seeing or hearing anything. Of course not—they had been paid a lot of money to be blind, deaf, and dumb. The guy made his skin crawl, but if Kite had information, Gaz had to hear him out.
“All I know,” Kite continued, “is that there was one part of the storage grounds which nobody was to go near, on the instructions of the manager. He said that VennZech were bringing through military shipments, and it was classified.”
“They make weapons. Sounds normal.”
“I know it was, because once in a while I was signing off with the Helvetic Army about some of those deliveries.”
Gaz shrugged. “Every starport in the world has a black zone. Doesn’t prove anything.”
“Except that the contract longshoremen would go in there.”
“These are connected guys?”
Kite shrugged. He obviously didn’t want to say. Talking about cartel business was a reliable way to end your days sooner than expected, especially if they were doing the dirty work of a mega-corporation.
Gaz decided to push a little further. “Were they local?”
“How should I know? I didn’t interact with them.”
“From Intaba?”
The split-second eye movement told Gaz what he needed to know, and he backed off.
“But military restriction means we can’t get anywhere near it,” he said disappointedly.
Kite nodded as he reached for his drink. “If you even try, I expect your bodies will end up in the river by the next morning.”
“I don’t think you’re being that helpful, Mr Kite.”
Kite chuckled. “Not for the game you want to play, no. But you said you wanted information. I got that in spades.”
Gaz brow furrowed. “But not on longshoreman? Do you have something on VennZech?”
“Sure, if you’re adding a sweetener on top of the ident.”
Gaz hesitated. How was this going to help him? The comings and goings of a major corporation would probably be useful to someone, but he had a specific focus. Three kids were still missing, and they weren’t likely to have been kept in a weapons shipment. Besides, Sanchez didn’t have a lot of money to spend.
On the other hand, they had no way into the shipyards, and maybe Kite’s information would lead to another vulnerability.
Gaz nodded. “20k into your ident’s account, then.”
“A couple of weeks ago,” Kite said, “they called in all hands to move a really big shipment. And it didn’t sit in the yard either. Went straight through. My old boss was begging me back for a one-time job. Huge bonus.”
“What kind of shipment?”
“No idea. But they wouldn’t let it sit in storage. Put every scheduled transfer on hold just for a dozen big containers off a freighter. My mate in traffic control told me there was no paperwork for the arrival either. VennZech just showed up one day making demands and throwing money around. An hour later, there was a vessel jumping into the system. Then, as soon as they were done, it jumped away.”
Gaz sighed. Probably nothing he could use. Though he might as well check one detail.
“I don’t suppose you were able to find out the port of origin?”
Kite sat back in his chair, and his smile twisted into a leery grin. “Intaba.”
Gaz felt his pulse quicken. There had to be a connection here. He pulled out his phone, and brought up a photo of the executive they had been tracking.
“The guy from VennZech calling the shots. This him?”
“Uh… Yup. Huh. Small world, isn’t it?”
Gaz dragged a few more minor details out of Kite before the man left. The whole story felt thin, but there had to be something to it. How it would help him track down his victims he had no idea, but he had often been surprised where seemingly unrelated threads could lead.
He went back to the bar, ordered another beer, and tried to think.
“Gawd,” drawled a female voice nearby. “Do you have to come in here stinking of the farms? Are colonists allergic to showers?”
Gaz looked round to see three of the young women he had seen earlier. The speaker, with a black ponytail and a dark red outfit, had challenged one of the men at the bar, while her friends watched, aghast. Probably a Helvet, looking to satisfy her adventurous side by visiting the rough side of the planet.
“Leave him alone Kayla,” another young woman complained. “You’re so mean sometimes.”
The ponytail wearer tilted her head away in disappointment, and Gaz knew immediately that she was putting on an act. Her accent seemed to be Calderan, and though she was doing a realistic impression of a stuck up Helvet, it wasn’t perfect. He watched as she waltzed back to her table with her drink, while her friends struck up a conversation with her victim.
She was setting her friend up, Gaz thought, and he didn’t bother to mask a smirk. They were an odd group at her table, all athletic, and carrying themselves with confidence. Most girls on a night out made a lot of noise, but though this group were drinking and having fun, their voices were muted. And occasionally, he noticed, one of them would sweep her eyes around the place, checking everything, but fixating on nothing. Scanning.
The girl with the ponytail glanced at him, and for a moment he was struck by her expression of determination. She might have been playing a role, but Gaz decided he would not want to give the game away and earn her wrath. He turned his eyes back to the bar.
“Hey, man,” a voice said over his shoulder, moments later.
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
2024.06.09 14:12 Smooth-Housing1979 AITAH
Aitah for cheating on my wife when I thought she cheated on me?
I'm M57 and my wife, let's call her Jane for privacy reasons is F45. Jane and I had been married for twelve years, within our first year of being married we had two beautiful boys, twins, Jake and Sam.
Jane and I met at an annual work party during Christmas time. She was the new hire who didn't have many friends or anyone to talk to. I started paying her more attention, by the end of the night we hit things off pretty well. We started dating a month or two after, casual dating nothing more. It started getting more serious as time went on, one thing led to another and I was down on one knee and she said yes.
Jane grew up on the farms with her dad and brothers so we decided it would be nice to have the ceremony in one of her old barns. We did it up nicely with lights and decorations. I felt like the luckiest man alive. Soon came Jake and Sam. As we weren't expecting twins it was definitely a shock, nonetheless we loved them both. I felt like such a proud father, taking them on strolls in the pram to walks in the park, soon enough I was taking them to soccer games and movie theatres.
After about six years after our boys were born, I noticed a shift in Jane's mood. She no longer liked getting into it when the boys were asleep. She was never home, which was odd to the fact she worked less hours than me. She was always at a yoga class or a friends tea party. All these excuses she had made up made me feel like something more was going on.
I tried ignoring it and focusing on work, as the last thing I'd want it to be was cheating and breaking our family up. I didn't want to believe she could do such a thing. On November 1st, she told me she'd be home early, it was our anniversary. She had a day out with her friends in the local garden centre. I started getting worried when it hit 6pm. Who can look at plants and drink coffee for 9 hours? Not Jane, she gets bored of activities an hour or less in. I assumed maybe she's picking up a nice bottle of wine or something after, but the selection isn't big in the town we live, surely it wouldn't take her long.
I left her some calls, messages even sat on the front porch waiting for hours. It wasn't until Jake came out saying he had a nightmare to when I went back inside. I ended up falling asleep with Jake as I read him a bedtime story. The next morning when I woke up, Jane was in our bed, her clothes scattered all over the room like she was trying to play the floor is lava with her cashmere jumper and denim trousers.
Confused, as anyone would be, I headed to her side and gently shook her away. I'm not the sort of man to start arguments, nor do I like them. I'm not a fan of conflict. I felt as if accusing her of cheating was the worst thing I could ever possibly do. Yet I went ahead and asked her to which she declined and yelled at me for even thinking it.
I felt horrible about myself, like I had just lost her with that question. After that I started relying on work to get me by, it was something to distract my thoughts. Jane became more distant, even if she was home, she'd either be on her phone or the laptop, both to which she changed the passwords on. I'd never be the one to snoop at her phone. The only reason we had each other's phone passwords was for emergency, and well the laptop was actually mine for work. It was my at home computer when covid happened. I don't use it as much now, just a couple games online when I'm bored, yet Jane took it over, changed the passwords and reset the whole thing.
It didn't really matter to me as I never used it, it just made my stomach drop. What if she was hiding something from me? I felt guilty asking myself that question every time she did something odd. Whether it was telling me to sleep on the sofa or to work longer hours. There was a change in her and it wasn't just me that noticed it, Jake and Sam did too. They were too young to understand why mommy didn't want to hang out with them anymore.
I decided to stop trying with Jane, to focus my work hours on work, get a baby sitter for the weekdays and on weekends I'd always take my boys out to fancy restaurants and fun things they'd enjoy. Jane didnt like that. She didn't like it when Sam said the two of them prefer me.
It started an argument between Jane and I, the first conversation we had in months. She told me it was my fault, that she knew I was trying to be their favourite to get back at me.
I didn't know what she meant, infact I was done, our marriage was over, but I needed to salvage it for the kids. My parents divorced when I was ten. It's a horrible experience for anyone of any age. My dad acted like it was my fault. He'd always send me off to mom's house then when I come back he'd act like I wasn't even there. Mom however, tried winning my love with money. Buying me the latest xbox games, consoles, a new phone. Whatever it was, she got it for me. I never asked, never asked her for anything, she'd just show up and shove it in my face as she stood at the door to dad's house with me before passover.
I didn't want my boys feeling upset, angry, thinking its their fault, I needed to stay with Jane till they were old enough to be able to manage their emotions.
Then came along another woman. It had been three years since I asked Jane if she was cheating. For privacy reasons, I'll change her name. F50, her name was Lucy. She was our new neighbour, moved in with her elderly mother. I met her first in the local library as I was picking up some books for myself. She was there signing in for a book card. I introduced myself, told her she's welcome to the block, a formal and nice welcoming. I seen her every Thursday at the library, she'd either be writing, reading or just looking at the bookshelves. Over time we started having some conversations. She knew I was married with kids. The longer this friendship went on, I opened up to her about Jane and I. Something I hadn't told anyone.
She was really supportive, was really there for me. It was comforting to say the less. As time went on, we started hooking up, going on dates and seeing each other on days that weren't only Thursdays.
Lucy was a kindhearted person, she even had her mother take care of my kids for free on weekdays. I felt bad when she said she'd do it free of charge, that she missed when her kids were young. We made a deal, I'd cook her my famous pasta bolognase and she'd mind my kids. Occasionally Lucy would bring Sam and Jake out when her mother was feeling too tired. She'd bring them to the zoo, the ice rink or even out for a day of shopping. I really started to fall in love with her, I don't know if I should have felt guilty about her, having a wife. But I didn't. I felt as if our marriage was over without the documents to show.
Things were going good till one day I was in a rush for work, Lucy had the keys to my house, only for emergency. I would never of taken her home.
I told her to just go inside, the kids lunches are already packed and to just drive them to school. She did what I said however one thing neither of us expected was Jane to be home. As my wife answered the door, I couldn't even imagine what Lucy felt. She said she was the new baby sitter. When I came home that night, I dropped in some pastries to Lucy and her mother then headed home. Jane sat at the kitchen table, a portion of bolognase infront of her, untouched, steaming hot.
She didn't speak for minutes, it felt like hours. I knew I had to tell her, tell her everything.
I began with knowing she cheated on me, how it made me feel, the kids feel. She watched, with zero emotion on her face. Her hand swinging her wine glass around before she'd take a sip.
She laughed, and laughed. She didn't stop. Infact as she stood up, she threw the boiling hot plate at me, to which I had dodged.
She didn't cheat, infact there was a reason she was distant. My wife was graped numerous times in three days by her coworker. My best friend, M52, John. John had too became distant, I guess I thought he was busy.
I fell back, kneeling on the floor as I heard the kids waking up upstairs. My wife stood still, tears in her eyes as she yelled, how I cheated on her when she was graped.
I felt miserable, there's no work in the dictionary that could muster up how I genuinely felt in that moment. Jane and I filed for divorce two months later. She didn't want the boys. I took them. She wanted far from me, from this house. She moved in with her dad back at the farm while Lucy and her mother moved in with me and the boys.
AITAH?
(Edit: a lot of people are being negative in the comments of this story. I would like to of clarify that this is not my story, I am sent these, I copy and paste. English is also not my first language so I apologise, I am learning better now)
submitted by Smooth-Housing1979 to AITAH [link] [comments]
I'm M57 and my wife, let's call her Jane for privacy reasons is F45. Jane and I had been married for twelve years, within our first year of being married we had two beautiful boys, twins, Jake and Sam.
Jane and I met at an annual work party during Christmas time. She was the new hire who didn't have many friends or anyone to talk to. I started paying her more attention, by the end of the night we hit things off pretty well. We started dating a month or two after, casual dating nothing more. It started getting more serious as time went on, one thing led to another and I was down on one knee and she said yes.
Jane grew up on the farms with her dad and brothers so we decided it would be nice to have the ceremony in one of her old barns. We did it up nicely with lights and decorations. I felt like the luckiest man alive. Soon came Jake and Sam. As we weren't expecting twins it was definitely a shock, nonetheless we loved them both. I felt like such a proud father, taking them on strolls in the pram to walks in the park, soon enough I was taking them to soccer games and movie theatres.
After about six years after our boys were born, I noticed a shift in Jane's mood. She no longer liked getting into it when the boys were asleep. She was never home, which was odd to the fact she worked less hours than me. She was always at a yoga class or a friends tea party. All these excuses she had made up made me feel like something more was going on.
I tried ignoring it and focusing on work, as the last thing I'd want it to be was cheating and breaking our family up. I didn't want to believe she could do such a thing. On November 1st, she told me she'd be home early, it was our anniversary. She had a day out with her friends in the local garden centre. I started getting worried when it hit 6pm. Who can look at plants and drink coffee for 9 hours? Not Jane, she gets bored of activities an hour or less in. I assumed maybe she's picking up a nice bottle of wine or something after, but the selection isn't big in the town we live, surely it wouldn't take her long.
I left her some calls, messages even sat on the front porch waiting for hours. It wasn't until Jake came out saying he had a nightmare to when I went back inside. I ended up falling asleep with Jake as I read him a bedtime story. The next morning when I woke up, Jane was in our bed, her clothes scattered all over the room like she was trying to play the floor is lava with her cashmere jumper and denim trousers.
Confused, as anyone would be, I headed to her side and gently shook her away. I'm not the sort of man to start arguments, nor do I like them. I'm not a fan of conflict. I felt as if accusing her of cheating was the worst thing I could ever possibly do. Yet I went ahead and asked her to which she declined and yelled at me for even thinking it.
I felt horrible about myself, like I had just lost her with that question. After that I started relying on work to get me by, it was something to distract my thoughts. Jane became more distant, even if she was home, she'd either be on her phone or the laptop, both to which she changed the passwords on. I'd never be the one to snoop at her phone. The only reason we had each other's phone passwords was for emergency, and well the laptop was actually mine for work. It was my at home computer when covid happened. I don't use it as much now, just a couple games online when I'm bored, yet Jane took it over, changed the passwords and reset the whole thing.
It didn't really matter to me as I never used it, it just made my stomach drop. What if she was hiding something from me? I felt guilty asking myself that question every time she did something odd. Whether it was telling me to sleep on the sofa or to work longer hours. There was a change in her and it wasn't just me that noticed it, Jake and Sam did too. They were too young to understand why mommy didn't want to hang out with them anymore.
I decided to stop trying with Jane, to focus my work hours on work, get a baby sitter for the weekdays and on weekends I'd always take my boys out to fancy restaurants and fun things they'd enjoy. Jane didnt like that. She didn't like it when Sam said the two of them prefer me.
It started an argument between Jane and I, the first conversation we had in months. She told me it was my fault, that she knew I was trying to be their favourite to get back at me.
I didn't know what she meant, infact I was done, our marriage was over, but I needed to salvage it for the kids. My parents divorced when I was ten. It's a horrible experience for anyone of any age. My dad acted like it was my fault. He'd always send me off to mom's house then when I come back he'd act like I wasn't even there. Mom however, tried winning my love with money. Buying me the latest xbox games, consoles, a new phone. Whatever it was, she got it for me. I never asked, never asked her for anything, she'd just show up and shove it in my face as she stood at the door to dad's house with me before passover.
I didn't want my boys feeling upset, angry, thinking its their fault, I needed to stay with Jane till they were old enough to be able to manage their emotions.
Then came along another woman. It had been three years since I asked Jane if she was cheating. For privacy reasons, I'll change her name. F50, her name was Lucy. She was our new neighbour, moved in with her elderly mother. I met her first in the local library as I was picking up some books for myself. She was there signing in for a book card. I introduced myself, told her she's welcome to the block, a formal and nice welcoming. I seen her every Thursday at the library, she'd either be writing, reading or just looking at the bookshelves. Over time we started having some conversations. She knew I was married with kids. The longer this friendship went on, I opened up to her about Jane and I. Something I hadn't told anyone.
She was really supportive, was really there for me. It was comforting to say the less. As time went on, we started hooking up, going on dates and seeing each other on days that weren't only Thursdays.
Lucy was a kindhearted person, she even had her mother take care of my kids for free on weekdays. I felt bad when she said she'd do it free of charge, that she missed when her kids were young. We made a deal, I'd cook her my famous pasta bolognase and she'd mind my kids. Occasionally Lucy would bring Sam and Jake out when her mother was feeling too tired. She'd bring them to the zoo, the ice rink or even out for a day of shopping. I really started to fall in love with her, I don't know if I should have felt guilty about her, having a wife. But I didn't. I felt as if our marriage was over without the documents to show.
Things were going good till one day I was in a rush for work, Lucy had the keys to my house, only for emergency. I would never of taken her home.
I told her to just go inside, the kids lunches are already packed and to just drive them to school. She did what I said however one thing neither of us expected was Jane to be home. As my wife answered the door, I couldn't even imagine what Lucy felt. She said she was the new baby sitter. When I came home that night, I dropped in some pastries to Lucy and her mother then headed home. Jane sat at the kitchen table, a portion of bolognase infront of her, untouched, steaming hot.
She didn't speak for minutes, it felt like hours. I knew I had to tell her, tell her everything.
I began with knowing she cheated on me, how it made me feel, the kids feel. She watched, with zero emotion on her face. Her hand swinging her wine glass around before she'd take a sip.
She laughed, and laughed. She didn't stop. Infact as she stood up, she threw the boiling hot plate at me, to which I had dodged.
She didn't cheat, infact there was a reason she was distant. My wife was graped numerous times in three days by her coworker. My best friend, M52, John. John had too became distant, I guess I thought he was busy.
I fell back, kneeling on the floor as I heard the kids waking up upstairs. My wife stood still, tears in her eyes as she yelled, how I cheated on her when she was graped.
I felt miserable, there's no work in the dictionary that could muster up how I genuinely felt in that moment. Jane and I filed for divorce two months later. She didn't want the boys. I took them. She wanted far from me, from this house. She moved in with her dad back at the farm while Lucy and her mother moved in with me and the boys.
AITAH?
(Edit: a lot of people are being negative in the comments of this story. I would like to of clarify that this is not my story, I am sent these, I copy and paste. English is also not my first language so I apologise, I am learning better now)
2024.06.09 14:01 dolie55 5 month old puppy needs foster in Dallas, TX FAST! Scheduled for euthanasia at 11 am today !
 | 5 Month old PUPPY 🥺 submitted by dolie55 to rescuedogs [link] [comments] ‼️DEADLINE SUNDAY, 6/9 at 11AM‼️ Hey everyone! We need desperately need pledges (I have a rescue interested in saving this baby) and a local Dallas foster that can help him until transport to save this boy! Please pledge or share as we can’t save him until we have both. Looking at probably $6k in medical bills to fix his hip and pelvis, so we are begging for pledges. 😢 He is available for adoption, but the bill for his surgery will be closer to $6k so please go in with eyes open. Adopt /Rescue - Not Eligible for fostering through DAS A1217105 “Peanut Butter” Age: 5 Months Sex: Male Weight : 30lbs Heartworm Neg Available Now Location Found: 3600 Block Dutton Dr, Dallas TX 75211 https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/cff96cb8-b6e5-461f-b445-d71e3d23433b Meet Peanut-Butter 🥜 He was brought into the shelter as a stray from the community with another dog A1217104(Cookies N Cream) . Peanut Butter was noted to be favoring his right hind leg . P is favoring right hind; appears to have hip issues. x-rays needed 06/05/24 14:48 X rays were taken, please review. 6/6/24 8:00 p is BAR, social. mm pk/moist, < 2 secs. pulses strong and regular. will ambulate limited on one pelvis limb when placed in stance non weight bearing on contralateral limb. elevation in the right trocanteassymetry of coxofemoral region. req radiographs with review. (LH) Review of xrays reveal chronic right femoral neck fracture with significant remodeling and what appears to be a pubic symphseal fracture, narrow pelvic canal, suspect secondary constipation. SHELTER OBSERVATION On 6/5/24 had him transported by bucket, will let you pick him up, doesn’t mind you petting him, will bark at the other dogs in the kennel, 📍Dallas Animal Services (Texas) To adopt: email dasadopt@dallas.gov and go to the shelter at 1818 N. Westmoreland ✉️ Rescue tag: dasrescue@dallas.gov |
2024.06.09 13:58 Iacoma1973 What if Brazil made their own MBT in the 2000's? The M42 Touro aka the M41 V bulldog.
2024.06.09 13:49 MichaelDavidIrons Looking for advice on pruning and caring for a grafted cherry tree
Hello Arborists,
There is a beautiful ornamental cherry tree that is a graft. The result is this weeping cherry. Over the last 3 or 4 years it's been producing less and less blossoms. Many of the weeping branches are bare of leaves and appear dead. Additionally 2 of the lower main branches need to be shortened. One is blocking the driveway and the other is encroaching on the front door of the house.
Would anyone be able to guide me on how to care for this poor tree and prune those larger branches without killing the entire branch or the tree itself. Here are some photos. I can take more of a particular shot is needed.
submitted by MichaelDavidIrons to arborists [link] [comments]
There is a beautiful ornamental cherry tree that is a graft. The result is this weeping cherry. Over the last 3 or 4 years it's been producing less and less blossoms. Many of the weeping branches are bare of leaves and appear dead. Additionally 2 of the lower main branches need to be shortened. One is blocking the driveway and the other is encroaching on the front door of the house.
Would anyone be able to guide me on how to care for this poor tree and prune those larger branches without killing the entire branch or the tree itself. Here are some photos. I can take more of a particular shot is needed.
2024.06.09 13:44 dolie55 Urgent help needed to rescue a 9 month old baby
 | HEY EVERYONE! I am a networker and could really use some help with raising funds to save this sweet 5 month old baby before he is put down at 11 am today. 😞 submitted by dolie55 to AustralianCattleDog [link] [comments] We need two things:
Adopt /Rescue - Not Eligible for fostering through DAS A1217105 “Peanut Butter” Age: 5 Months Sex: Male Weight : 30lbs Heartworm Neg Available Now Location Found: 3600 Block Dutton Dr, Dallas TX 75211 https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/cff96cb8-b6e5-461f-b445-d71e3d23433b Meet Peanut-Butter 🥜 He was brought into the shelter as a stray from the community with another dog A1217104(Cookies N Cream) . Peanut Butter was noted to be favoring his right hind leg . P is favoring right hind; appears to have hip issues. x-rays needed 06/05/24 14:48 X rays were taken, please review. 6/6/24 8:00 p is BAR, social. mm pk/moist, < 2 secs. pulses strong and regular. will ambulate limited on one pelvis limb when placed in stance non weight bearing on contralateral limb. elevation in the right trocanteassymetry of coxofemoral region. req radiographs with review. (LH) Review of xrays reveal chronic right femoral neck fracture with significant remodeling and what appears to be a pubic symphseal fracture, narrow pelvic canal, suspect secondary constipation. SHELTER OBSERVATION On 6/5/24 had him transported by bucket, will let you pick him up, doesn’t mind you petting him, will bark at the other dogs in the kennel, 📍Dallas Animal Services (Texas) To adopt: email dasadopt@dallas.gov and go to the shelter at 1818 N. Westmoreland ✉️ Rescue tag: dasrescue@dallas.gov |
2024.06.09 13:29 FunInTheSun9400 One, Two Ice is coming for you… Three, Four, you’re a w$or3… Five, Six, you’re a Bit€h… Seven, Eight, you’ll get yours mate, Nine, Ten, Ice is back again!
You fill your viewers heads with nothing but lies… from your awful words about your great son, to how you have little to no money, how you didn’t get any money from your old mods…We all saw the receipts, it’s sick! Mel is waisting away right in front of you, both mentally and physically! But yet all you care about is money and gifts! I promise you, karma is going to spin the block on you so hard you won’t know which way to go! We ALL know what happened at your daughter’s house and Foxy even confirmed it for us… We love that lady and could and would never do her any harm. When you get a chance you’ll chew up bangz and mama tiger and kick them right to the curb like you did the rest of your mods. Don’t worry I’m NOT done yet and there’s a lot more in store for you! Take it as you will but your time at defrauding the government is coming to an end. Yes I still have screenshots of how you were still getting Mel’s meds filled in California and you were living in Florida… smh… have you been reporting your TikTok income to the county and Social Security ? Well I did! 🫠🤪
submitted by FunInTheSun9400 to Sue_and_bangs [link] [comments]