Rock hand facebook

stick and pokes!

2012.01.29 05:54 stick and pokes!

The do-it-yourself, machine-free tattoo community dedicated to the education of and participation in the art of stick’n’poke tattoos.
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2014.10.05 20:20 HappyZombies /r/CrazyHand -- The community for learning competitive Smash Bros.!

Interested in learning competitive Smash Bros.? Want to help others grow? CrazyHand is the sub for you! We encourage original content and questions.
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2009.11.01 02:08 tomkzinti Rockhounding and rock collecting

A public subreddit for the discussion of rock hunting and rock collecting. If you are looking for an identification for your rocks please visit /whatsthisrock instead.
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2024.05.15 17:10 Chen_Geller Tolkien Begginings: the antecedents of Peter Jackson's (and others) Middle-earth

Tolkien Begginings: the antecedents of Peter Jackson's (and others) Middle-earth
I still sit sometimes and chuckle, thinking "When Ralph Bakshi started animating The Lord of the Rings in 1976, did he know what he was going to unleash on the world?" There was also the Rankin/Bass TV special, being developed concurrently, but its the Bakshi film that, in 1979, Peter Jackson saw, and this young Photoengraver would later direct six (!) live-action Tolkien films and, between himself and co-producer Philippa Boyens, are hard to work producing three more such films. Other adaptations since - namely, The Rings of Power (especially Season One) but also games from The Shadow of Mordor to Return to Moria - have at the very least taken cues from Jackson's films. All because a Kiwi photoengraver saw a cartoon....
But the relationship between these properties is not so clear-cut as it may seem. I ednumbered the similarities and dissimilarities between Jacksons' films and The Rings of Power elsewhere. Now I want to delve deeper into the similarities and dissimilarities between Jackson and previous adaptations of Tolkien.

The Rankin/Bass TV Specials

Side-by-side video comparisons between Jackson's films and the two Rankin/Bass TV Specials do not reveal any similarities that don't come from the fact that they're adapting the same books. This is an important point: Jackson is NOT trying to make some post-modern "collage" Hollywood film. He's only tipping his hat to those adaptations of Tolkien that he had seen growing up and that influenced him personally.1
Due to copyright, the Rankin/Bass specials probably didn't air in New Zealand at all, and although it seems Jackson got a hold of the Rankin/Bass The Hobbit before embarking on The Lord of the Rings, he had not seen their Return of the King, certainly before 1999, and neither he nor his close collaborators have made comments about either of the two Specials. By contrast, the (American!) showrunners of The Rings of Power had referenced the Rankin/Bass Specials, and seemingly tipped their hat to it in a set design for season two.2

The Ralph Bakshi film

As I said, Jackson went to see the Bakshi film. He had enjoyed some of Bakshi's previous film, including the Tolkien-esque Wizards, released the previous year, and went to see his latest. At the time he hadn't read the books, making Bakshi's film his first exposure to Tolkien, but he does admit he "heard the name" of the book beforehand. His biography suggests he saw it in late 1978, when it first premiered, but surely it would have arrived at New Zealand in early 1979.3
The connection between the two films had been played up, unsurprisingly, by Ralph Bakshi himself. A leonine, grandiose man, Bakshi is anything but a reliable narrator. His own suggestion that he hadn't actually seen the films - only trailers, he claims - sounds believable enough and certainy understandable.4 But, then, if he didn't watch them, it makes his critique of them as deriviative of his films all the more dubious, even without actually looking at the specifics of what he said:
Look at his Lothlorien. Look at my backgrounds of Lothlorien. Take a look! He had much more to see than I did, and if you don't think he lifted it over and over again, you're wrong. I mean, how did he design a knife in Lord of the Rings? How did he design a sword? How did he design the dwarf with his axe? How did he design the fur around him? Why did Peter Jackson put fur around the dwarf? Because I put fur around the dwarf! Why would the dwarf have fur naturally? You see, I could give you a billion little things. I wish I had a movie to look at.5
These are truly some confused claims, for the most part. The most credible part here is the Hobbits hiding under the branch from the Ringwraiths, a shot composition later to also be replicated in season one of the Rings of Power, and which we'll get to later.
Another claim of Bakshi's that cannot be dismissed out of hand is that, however big or small a debt Jackson owes to his film, he said that Jackson didn't publically acknowledge the influence and felt that it was only appropriate to have welcomed him to visit the set or something: by comparison, Jackson invited Rick Baker, who played King Kong in the 1978 version, to cameo in his King Kong.6
Jackson actually did mention the Bakshi filming in passing in the making-ofs. Then again, he entirely fails to mention the radio serial, either. Ultimately, Jackson possibly in cahoots with New Line Cinema, must have felt it unwise to point to a previous adaptation that had only achieved mixed success, at the outset of his own enterprise. He did talk more about the Bakshi film, and more fondly, in the director's commentary to The Fellowship of the Ring and in a couple of later interviews, which are significant gestures, but he clearly wasn't going to trumpet the influence Bakshi's film had on him off of every rooftop.7
In his 2006 biography, Jackson actually briefly reviews the Bakshi film:
I liked the early part – it had some quaint sequences in Hobbiton, a creepy encounter with the Black Rider on the road, and a few quite good battle scenes – but then, about half way through, the storytelling became very disjointed and disorientating and I really didn’t understand what was going on. However, what it did do was to make me want to read the book – if only to find out what happened!8
This is a complementary but admittedly mixed review, and Jackson had made similar comments since, calling it "brave and ambitious" but consistently decrying the hokum of the film's second half.9 Now, it is true that artists can be influenced by a work of art in spite of themselves, but lets see if we can try and quantify the influence.
From the outset, in the audio commentary, Jackson remarks that "our film stylistically is very different and the design is different," which is apposite: Bakshi swore a debt to Howard Pyle, which certainly leaves its mark of the gorgeous natural bakcdrops, but a source closer at hand (especially considering his follow-up fantasy film, Fire and Ice) is the most popular fantasy illustrator of his day, Frank Frazetta: Bakshi's Witch King is practically ripped from Frazetta's famous "Dark Rider" illustration.10
Jackson's approach, however, was steeped in a kind of romantic realism that by and large eschewed the heightened work of Frazetta, opening a yawning stylistic gulf between his film and Bakshi's on a general level. Bakshi's Hobbit-holes have overhanging roofs that give the impression of fairies living under mushrooms (which they in fact had in his previous film, Wizards) and the interiors of Bag End are earthen, more of a rabbit-hole than Jackson's English countryside villa. There are some similarities, like the Hobbits having similarly-clipped pants, but its hard to say costume designer Ngilla Dickson had Bakshi in mind for that look.
There's the basic structure of the narrative: both films leave some of the same plot beats out - Tom Bombadil, most notably - both intercut the Frodo and Aragorn storylines throughout (as per the appendices rather than the body of the text), and both open with a prologue. However, many of these are common-sense approaches that, if one were to put 100 screenwriters in a room, a good 90 of which would choose to pursue: in fact, Sir John Boorman's earlier Lord of the Rings script had likewise intercut the stories and redacted many of the same episodes as both Bakshi and Jackson, and similar approaches were taken in the 1958 Morton Zimmerman treatment. Certainly, in the case of the choice to pursue a prologue, a precedent closer at hand exists in the form in the 1981 radio serial, a point made all the stronger by the fact that when Jackson first concieved of and sketched the prologue, he hadn't seen Bakshi's film in 20 years.11
Bakshi did claim that New Line were screening his film repeatedly, but author Ian Nathan says that was never the case. Miramax did screen the film for Jackson in 1997, after he'd written the treatment. Jackson's treatment included Glorfindel and Erkenbrand, who in subsequent drafts are replaced by Arwen (Legolas in Bakshi's film) and Eomer, but still I find that it falls more into the realm of common-sense screenwriting decisions than anything that could be tied to Bakshi in a clear way, especially the latter which happens at the end of Bakshi film, a part of the film Jackson admits to have found incoherent.12
Rather, the place to look for similarities between the two projects is in the opening leg of The Fellowship of the Ring. Jackson actually, in the director's commentary, points out the shot of Odo Proudfoot calling "Proudfeet!" as a deliberate homage to Bakshi's shot, "which I thought was great." He doesn't acknowledge a couple - only a couple - of other shots that are quite similar: one is the evocative shot of the Ring tumbling over the rocks in Gollum's cave just before Bilbo finds it. Another still is an entire sequence of shots which misdirect us into thinking the Ringwraiths killed the Hobbits in their beds. Both are a little TOO similar to be waved away as coincidental.13
The Ringwraith shot is a more special case: It was nominally based off of a John Howe illustration, ostensibly of the Bakshi scene. But Jackson - who's quoted review of the Bakshi film mentions this scene - could hardly not notice the similarity to the Bakshi scene, especially since the scene doesn't at all play like this in the novel. What's more, the scene was first storyboared only shortly after Jackson say Bakshi's film for the second time, and shot not too long after that being that it was the first scene filmed. So its only fair to cite Bakshi as an influence on that shot.14
https://preview.redd.it/9mbqqm4zul0d1.png?width=550&format=png&auto=webp&s=a45cdd06543d70200e3eacf150f14d03d222203b
There are other bits and pieces: did Jackson have Bakshi in mind when he added a scene of Saruman rallying up the Uruk-hai before the siege of Helm's Deep? Its hard to say. An even more elusive case is made by Bakshi: "I'm glad Peter Jackson had a movie to look at—I never did. And certainly there's a lot to learn from watching any movie, both its mistakes and when it works." In other words, Bakshi here suggests his film influenced Jackson in terms of what NOT to do. To his credit, Jackson does remember that the design process for Treebeard was in part motivated by trying to divorce him from the Bakshi version, which both him and Dame Fran Walsh remember as being "like a walking carrot." But when we start getting into that level, it all becomes very tenuous. There were a lot of things about the fantasy genre in general - Conan the Barbarian and Willow are oft-cited by Jackson - that he tried to avoid.15
Ultimately, I have to judge that the similarities between the two versions amount to a handful of rather insignificant beats, all in the first hour of Fellowship of the Ring. To hyperbolically play up the similarities between the two projects is to give in to Bakshi's hyperbolic rhetoric.

Tolkien illustrations

Jackson's first and, at the time, only copy of The Lord of the Rings was a tie-in to the Bakshi film. This would mean he hadn't gotten into the world of Tolkien illustrations until developing his own films, when he suggests he went on a detail-exhaustive search for Tolkien art. He had seen Tolkien's own illustrations, but decided that they're "not very helpful in terms of the lighting and the mood."16
The most acclaimed illustrators of the previous era of Tolkien were Pauline Bayens (whose Minas Tirith is reproduced in the Rankin/Bass Return of the King) and the Brothers Hildebrandt, whose bestial Balrog presents a precursor both to Bakshi's but also to the Minotaur-like Balrog of John Howe.17
Howe was one of a trifecta of Tolkien illustrators, along with Ted Nasmith and Alan Lee, to enjoy great vogue at the time when Jackson was developing his films. Of the three, Lee is often deemed the most celebrated and certainly made the biggest impact on Jackson, whose next copy of the book was to be an Alan Lee illustrated edition. But he also noticed Howe through is work on Tolkien calendars, and later also purchased some originals of Ted Nasmith. All three were approached to participate in concept design for the films, although Nasmith sadly had to decline.18
In many places, Jackson precisely copied designs of Lee's and Howe's existing paintings, and in some places carbon copied their lighting and composition for shots, as well as grading the films (before the advent of the latest remaster) somewhat along the lines established in their paintings. But the majority of Lee and Howe's work for Jackson was in producing NEW concept art to his specifications, and so its wrong to look at Jackson's films as being a part of the Lee-Howe ouevure, as such.

The 1981 Radio Serial

A less touted influence on Jackson's film is the superlative 1981 BBC radio serial. Where Jackson hadn't reread the book nor revisited Bakshi's film between 1979 and 1997, he had spent much of the that time listening on-and-off to a tape of the radio serial, usually while working in his garage on special effects.19
The most obvious similarity is the casting of Sir Ian Holm, who had voiced Frodo in the radio serial, as Bilbo. Holm was apparently at the top of Jackson's casting wishlist, partially for this reason. A particularly striking moment occurs when Holm's Frodo quotes Bilbo's "Its a dangerous business Frodo, going out your door: you step on to the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to", a line again given to Holm - now as Bilbo - in voiceover at the same spot in Jackson's film.20
Again, many of the similar structural choices here are similar to Jackson, adding a prologue, contracting the early stages of Frodo's quest and intercutting the Aragorn and Frodo's stories throughout. Brian Sibley admits to have modelled his prologue on Bakshi's own, but Jackson is unlikely to have known it at the time, and when we start thinking in terms of second-hand influences we're again into very tenuous territory. Otherwise, the influence doesn't seem all too great, although Sibley remembers that Walsh, perhaps half-jokingly, told him "we stole your ending" in the way that they did the Grey Havens and then a quick segue to Sam's return home, basically along the lines of the book.21
A young, and already Tolkien-devotee, Sir Ian Holm recording Bilbo
Sibley had recruited his cast from the BBC's company of actors, which is also the troupe Bakshi turned to, meaning that Sibley ended-up with Bakshi's Boromir (Michael Graham Cox) and, notably, his Gollum (Peter Woodthorpe). In spite of Woodthorpe's evocative performance of Gollum's voice in both the Bakshi and Sibley versions, its influence on Andrew Serkis' performance of Gollum is nonexistent, as Serkis had developed the voice before having heard Woodthorpe rendition, having only read The Hobbit prior to being cast.22

Other fantasy films

Jackson had seen pretty much all the fantasy films of the 1980s, and while they were important in terms of establishing the genre, they hadn't left much of an impression on Jackson. The most succesful - George Lucas' Star Wars - was more space-fantasy, undoubtedly impressed Jackson but didn't much influence his films: to this day, he professes to not be a huge Star Wars fan, in spite of the amiacable manner he and Lucas took with each other in later years, and admits that he sees the influence of Lucas more "in what he did for the industry, not in terms of the actual films that he made."23
The first major high-fantasy film, Sir John Boorman's Excalibur, was a little closer to Jackson's heart, but isn't much of an influence on his films either. Its true that Jackson's films feature a lot of plate armour, but that's indebted primarily to John Howe's abiding love of late Medieval armour, and at any rate is quite different to the Enlightement-era suits of armour one finds in Boorman's film. Willow, produced by George Lucas, was a big shot to the arm of New Zealand's fledgling film industry, and like Star Wars is much indebted to The Hobbit, but left a bad impression on Jackson.24
The Clockmaker's Cottage in Sir Ridley Scott's Legend
Two exceptions are to be cited; Ray Harryhousen's stop-motion fantasy films from the 1950s were huge favourites of Jackson's, although their more Graeco-Roman subject matters were a genre apart from Jackson's films. He is also a big fan of Sir Ridley Scott, and while he joins the consensus of deriding William Hjortsberg notorious screenplay, had taken some cues from his Legend (1986): there's something of the Clockmaker's cottage in Rhosgobel, and Jackson referenced some of the features of Tim Curry's devilish "Lord of Darkness" for the Wargs sinewy faces.25

Other films

Jackson took influence from paintings of old battles and landscapes, but surely his biggest influences are other films: Zulu and Saving Private Ryan had been referenced for Helm's Deep, and there's a touch of Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line, which Jackson had watched before principal photography, to the atmospheric shots that close the Fellowship prologue. Jackson admitted to rewatching mostly Scorsese films while shooting, and certainly the energy of his moving cameras find a closer kin in Scorsese's films than in anyone else's. There's something of David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia to Jackson's intention to make living, breathing people out of his fantasy characters.26
Surely the inspiration for the shot of Aragorn arriving at Helm's Deep
But there's one film that looms largest in Jackson's films, overshadowing any influence we're looked at so far: Mel Gibson's latest spectacular, Braveheart. Along with other films of this kind like Dances with Wolves and Rob Roy (Gladiator came too late to much influence Jackson's films) it is of crucial importance to the overall cinematic style of Jackson's films, having come out just as Jackson first started thinking of making an original fantasy film, and winning the academy award for Best Picture before any sustained work was done to develop The Lord of the Rings.27

Footnotes

  1. Matt Skuta, "The Hobbit Side-by-Side: Rankin/Bass ('77) & Peter Jackson ('12-'14)" and "Return of the King Side-by-Side: Rankin/Bass ('80) & Peter Jackson ('03)," YouTube, 15 February 2018.
  2. The Rankin/Bass Specials were only made exploiting a loophole in the publication of Tolkien's books that temporarily made them public domain States-side, but meant that their airing was limited to the US, and subsequent a legal agreement with the Tolkien Estate, Canada. Jackson says he hadn't seen their Return of the King in an interview from late 1998. Eric Vespe, “ 20 QUESTIONS WITH PETER JACKSON – PART 2 Ain’t It Cool News,” , 30 December 1998.
  3. Brian Sibley, Peter Jackson: A Filmmaker's Journey (London: Harper Collins, 2006), pp. 107-111.
  4. Kyle, ""Legends of Film: Ralph Bakshi," Nashville Public Library, 29 April 2013.
  5. Emru Townsend, "INTERVIEW: Ralph Bakshi", Frames Per Second, 2 July 2004.
  6. Ken P., "Interview with Ralph Bakshi," IGN, May 25, 2004. Broadway, Clifford Q., "The Bakshi Interview: Uncloaking a Legacy". The One Ring, 20 April 2015.
  7. Anonymous, "From Book to Script," and Peter Jackson et al, "Director's Commentary," both in Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (New Line: 2002). Also Anonymous, "Peter Jackson interview". Explorations (Barnes & Noble, November 2001). Peter Jackson interview at the Egyptian Theater, 6 February 2004.
  8. Sibley, pp. 109 ff.
  9. Director's Commentary.
  10. Ned Raggett, "The Trouble With Ralph Bakshi’s The Lord Of The Rings & Other Tolkien Misadventures", The Quietus, 19 November 2018
  11. Ian Nathan, Everything You Can Imagine: Peter Jackson and the Making of Middle-earth (London: HarperCollins, 2017), p. 138.
  12. Peter Jackson et al, The Lord of the Rings, quoted in Sibley, pp. 109, 704, 751.
  13. Director's Commentary.
  14. Celedor, "10 Things You Know About The LOTR Movies (That Aren’t True)," TheOneRing, 11 June 2013.
  15. "Interview with Ralph Bakshi."
  16. Sibley, p. 738-744. Exeter College, Oxford, "Sir Peter Jackson in conversation: Exeter College Oxford Eighth Century Lecture Series", YouTube, 30 July 2015.
  17. Howe admits to the influence of the Hildebrandts, and in turn his own bestial Balrog would influence those of Alan Lee and Ted Nasmith. This would be popularised by Jackson, and finally emulated by Rings of Power. John Howe, "First Thing's First," John-Howe, 6 January 2012.
  18. "Sir Peter Jackson in conversation", Sibley, 738-744. The One Ring, "Peter Jackson MISSED OUT! Talking Tolkien with Renowned Artist Ted Nasmith," YouTube, 11 July 2023.
  19. Nathan, p. 123, NB 1008.
  20. Nathan, p. 258.
  21. Nerd of the Rings, "Brian Sibley, writer, BBC's The Lord of the Rings (1981) - Interview," YouTube, 20 April 2021.
  22. Nathan, pp. 621 ff
  23. "Sir Peter Jackson in conversation"
  24. “20 QUESTIONS WITH PETER JACKSON – PART 2"
  25. Ibid.
  26. Nathan, pp. 158, 393, 645.
  27. u/Chen_Geller, "How Masterpieces beget Masterpieces: Braveheart and The Lord of the Rings," Reddit, 23 June 2021.

Conclusions

Any notion that Jackson's films are derivative of previous Tolkien adaptations - namely, Bakshi's - are very much hyperbolic, and stem more from adopting an inflated rhetoric taken by the likes of Bakshi. As an adaptation, Jackson's works are based soley on Tolkien's books, and merely tip their hat occasionally to previous adaptations - and not all previous adaptations, either. Cinematically, they draw rather from other sources: less from other adaptations of Tolkien or other fantasy film (Tolkien-esque or not) and more from historical epics, both from the 1960s but also and especially from the time in which Jackson first started developing his films.
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2024.05.15 17:10 New_Stop_8734 Digging the trench for an electrical line

I'm planning to have a trench dug for a hot tub's electrical line. It will be about 30 feet long with 2 turns. I've had two contractors give me quotes - one for $200 and one for $800-1600 (depending on how difficult it is to get around tree roots).
The more expensive contractor seemed to really know his stuff and gave me good advice on laying conduit, doing inspections, etc. Great reviews.
The $200 guy I found on Facebook marketplace, says he works digging trenches for a cable company and does this for side money. But I figure as long as he doesn't hit utilities it's hard to fuck this up.
I'm considering having the "cheap guy" dig as much as he can and then I'll hand dig the rest and let the electrician get to work. Any issues with this plan? I'm guessing most of the expensive contractor's cost is labor.
submitted by New_Stop_8734 to HomeImprovement [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 16:57 somerandomredddit Facebook selling market

Have you ever bought anything (second hand) from the facebook market store? What did you buy? Did you get scammed? Did it all go as you expected? Have your friends or anyone you know ever got scammed?
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2024.05.15 16:56 linkbuildingexperts Soda Water vs Sparkling Water

Navigating the fizzy landscape of carbonated beverages can often feel like a daunting task, especially when you're trying to distinguish between soda water and sparkling water. With a plethora of options available on the market, it's crucial to understand what sets these two popular choices apart. At the heart of the debate lies a simple yet significant difference: the presence of added ingredients. While both may tickle your taste buds with their effervescence, knowing what's in your bottle could enhance your hydration experience.
In South Africa, where the appreciation for quality and natural ingredients is ever-growing, the distinction becomes even more pertinent. Whether you're reaching for a refreshing drink on a hot day or seeking the perfect mixer for your sundowner, the choice between soda and sparkling water is not just about taste but also about health and lifestyle preferences. Let's dive into the bubbles and uncover what truly differentiates these carbonated contenders.

Key Takeaways

Understanding Soda Water

In the context of the ongoing debate on soda water vs sparkling water, especially within South Africa, it's essential to clarify what sets soda water apart. Commonly known as soda water or carbonated water, this beverage sees its origins in a straightforward manufacturing process where carbon dioxide gas is dissolved under pressure in plain water. This procedure introduces the fizz and bubbles characteristic of soda water, offering a refreshing sensation that distinguishes it from its still counterparts.
Soda water sometimes contains added minerals, such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, or potassium sulfate, to enhance its flavor profile. In South Africa, a region acclaimed for its appreciation of natural and quality ingredients, this aspect of soda water manufacturing garners particular attention. Consumers are becoming increasingly discerning, opting for soda water brands that prioritize not just the effervescence but also the mineral content that can contribute to the overall taste and potential health benefits of the water.
When comparing soda water vs sparkling water, it's crucial to note that while both are carbonated, they differ mainly in their source and treatment. Sparkling water, often derived from natural springs or wells, inherently contains minerals and is carbonated either naturally from the source or artificially. In contrast, soda water is more of a creation, designed to mimic the effervescent quality of naturally carbonated waters but with a more controlled and consistent mineral content.
In South Africa's evolving beverage market, where there's a growing trend towards health-conscious consumption, the choice between soda and sparkling water isn't just about quenching thirst. It's about choosing a drink that aligns with lifestyle preferences, whether it's for hydration, cocktail mixing, or simply enjoying a refreshing, bubbly beverage without added sugars or artificial flavors.
Understanding the difference between soda water and sparkling water, including their formulation processes and the inclusion of minerals, can significantly enhance your beverage experience. It allows you to make informed choices based on your personal health goals and taste preferences, fostering a deeper appreciation for the variety and quality of carbonated waters available in the market.

Exploring Sparkling Mineral Water


In your journey to differentiate between soda water and sparkling water, understanding sparkling mineral water is crucial. Unlike soda water, which often involves the addition of carbon dioxide and minerals in a manufacturing setting, sparkling mineral water comes from natural springs or wells, boasting a unique set of minerals that it acquires as it passes through underground rocks.
Sparkling mineral water, particularly in the South African market, is cherished not only for its refreshing effervescence but also for the natural minerals it contains. These minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, can contribute to your daily nutritional intake. The appeal of sparkling mineral water in South Africa lies in its blend of natural purity with the invigorating experience of carbonation, a trait that sets it apart from soda water.
When examining what's the difference between soda water and sparkling water, one notices that the latter's carbonation can be naturally occurring or added during bottling to match the naturally carbonated level found in the source. This distinction is significant for those who appreciate the subtleties in taste that come from the water's origin. South African brands like Mountain Falls embody this by offering sparkling water directly sourced from mountain springs, allowing you to enjoy the crisp taste of nature with every sip.
As you navigate the soda water vs sparkling water debate, remember that the choice often boils down to personal preference. If you lean towards natural products, sparkling mineral water might align more closely with your lifestyle preferences and health goals. Its naturally derived minerals and carbonation offer a unique taste experience that manufactured soda water might not replicate.
In essence, whether you're hosting a dinner party or simply seeking hydration, sparkling mineral water provides an elegant and health-conscious option. With its roots in nature and a taste that's both refined and refreshing, it's a staple in the South African beverage landscape that caters to a discerning palate.

Health Benefits

When comparing soda water vs sparkling water, particularly in a South African context, it's essential to delve into the health benefits that each offers, helping you make an informed choice for your well-being. Sparkling water, especially when sourced naturally from springs, stands out for its health advantages. Products like those from Mountain Falls exemplify the benefits of choosing natural sparkling water, drawing directly from mountain springs in South Africa, which imbues the water with unique minerals.
Minerals such as calcium and magnesium are found in higher concentrations in naturally sourced sparkling water. Calcium supports bone health, while magnesium aids in regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. These naturally occurring minerals make sparkling water a beneficial choice for hydration and overall health.
In contrast, soda water, despite being artificially carbonated and sometimes enhanced with added minerals, may not always offer the same health benefits. It's important to note that while both soda water and sparkling water aid in hydration, the latter's natural mineral content can contribute more significantly to your daily nutritional intake.
It’s crucial to consider the source of your sparkling water. Brands that provide naturally sourced sparkling water, such as Mountain Falls, ensure that you're not only enjoying the effervescent taste but also gaining the health benefits of the minerals that are naturally filtered and imbued within the water during its journey through underground aquifers.
While hydration is key to maintaining health, the choice between soda water and natural sparkling water can impact your overall nutrient intake. Opting for sparkling water, originating from natural springs, enriches your diet with essential minerals, making it a preferred option for those mindful of health benefits without compromising on taste.
Incorporating naturally sourced sparkling water into your daily routine offers a refreshing way to stay hydrated and supports a lifestyle focused on health and wellness. Make an informed choice, understanding the difference between soda water and sparkling water, to enhance your hydration practices with the added benefit of natural minerals.

Environmental Impact

When considering the environmental impact of soda water vs sparkling water, it's crucial to acknowledge your role in promoting sustainability. Opting for sparkling water, especially those sourced from natural springs in South Africa, like Mountain Falls, heavily influences the reduction of carbon footprints associated with artificial carbonation processes. The process of naturally sourcing sparkling water does not require the artificial injection of CO2, unlike soda water, thereby decreasing energy usage and emissions.
Moreover, the packaging plays a significant role in environmental consequences. Sparkling water companies that focus on sustainability, often use recyclable packaging, reducing waste and further encouraging environmental stewardship. On the other hand, soda water, frequently marketed for mass consumption, might not always prioritise eco-friendly packaging, leading to higher plastic and waste output.
Transportation is another aspect where sparkling water distinctly benefits the environment, particularly when choosing local brands like Mountain Falls. Sourcing sparkling water from local springs limits the need for long-distance transportation, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to soda water, which may be shipped from far-off manufacturing plants.
Additionally, supporting local businesses that source sparkling water naturally can also contribute to the conservation of natural habitats. These businesses often have a vested interest in maintaining the pristine condition of their water sources, which can include efforts to preserve surrounding environments. In contrast, the industrial production of soda water typically lacks this element of natural preservation.
By choosing sparkling water over soda water, you're not only opting for a healthier hydration option but also contributing positively to environmental sustainability. Your choices can help foster a market that values eco-friendly practices, leading to a greater impact on the preservation of natural resources and reduction of pollution.

Usage in Culinary Practices

In South Africa's vibrant culinary scene, the nuanced differences between soda water and sparkling water come to the fore, particularly in how these beverages are incorporated into culinary practices. Soda water, with its addition of sodium bicarbonate, finds its place in both traditional and modern South African kitchens, not just as a thirst quencher but as a versatile culinary ingredient.
When it comes to baking, soda water serves as a leavening agent, making doughs and batters lighter and more digestible. In contrast, sparkling water, often preferred for its natural sourcing and mineral content, like the varieties provided by Mountain Falls, enhances the dining experience when used as a base for mocktails or as a palate cleanser between dishes. The effervescence of sparkling water adds a refreshing dimension to beverages without the added sodium, aligning with the health-conscious trends prevalent in the country.
Restaurants and home cooks alike utilise soda water to add lightness to tempura or pancake batters, taking advantage of its carbonation to create a crispier texture. Meanwhile, sparkling water, with its fine bubbles and balanced mineral content, elevates the sensory qualities of cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks, integrating seamlessly with the natural flavours of fruits and herbs indigenous to South Africa's rich biodiversity.
The choice between soda water and sparkling water extends into the realm of mixology, where the former's slight alkalinity can neutralize the acidity in certain cocktails, while the latter's subtle mineral notes can complement and enhance the overall flavour profile of a drink. From a whiskey and soda to a refreshing mocktail garnished with Cape gooseberries or spekboom, the decision between soda water and sparkling water impacts the taste, texture, and aroma of each concoction.
Both soda water and sparkling water play integral roles in South African culinary practices, each offering unique benefits that cater to the diverse preference of the country's gastronomy aficionados. Whether one is crafting a delicate batter or curating a sophisticated beverage menu, the selection between soda water and sparkling water is crucial, highlighting the evolving dynamics of culinary excellence within the South African context.

Conclusion

Choosing between soda water and sparkling water boils down to your preferences and needs. If you're leaning towards enhancing your culinary creations with a versatile ingredient, soda water's your go-to. However, if you're aiming for a natural touch with added health benefits, sparkling water, especially brands like Mountain Falls, will not disappoint. Both options offer unique advantages, from improving hydration with essential minerals to elevating the taste and texture of your dishes. As South Africa's culinary scene continues to evolve, incorporating these waters into your kitchen can reflect a commitment to quality and innovation. Remember, the right choice can significantly impact your dining experience, making every sip and bite a testament to your culinary prowess.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is soda water and sparkling water the same?

No, soda water and sparkling water are not the same. The key difference is that soda water usually contains bicarbonate soda in addition to being carbonated, whereas sparkling water is simply carbonated without added bicarbonates.

Why do people drink soda water?

People often drink soda water for its refreshing carbonated texture, which offers a similar sensation to soft drinks without the unhealthy ingredients. It can also help satisfy soda cravings in a healthier way.

What is healthier, soda water or sparkling water?

Generally, sparkling water is healthier, particularly if it is unflavored and unsweetened. Sweetened sparkling waters can add unnecessary sugars to your diet, potentially leading to tooth decay. However, plain sparkling water has minimal effects on dental health, unlike sugary sodas.

Is it okay to drink soda water every day?

Yes, it's okay for most people to drink seltzer water daily as a fun hydration method. However, those with gastrointestinal conditions, sensitive teeth, or a low appetite should monitor their intake and adjust if necessary.

Is it good to replace soda with sparkling water?

Replacing soda with sparkling water is a healthier choice as it provides hydration without the adverse effects of regular or diet sodas. Hydrating adequately is crucial, and sparkling water can help meet those needs while reducing hunger often mistaken for thirst.
submitted by linkbuildingexperts to u/linkbuildingexperts [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 16:48 Illustrious_Post_519 Cheap DIY Update

Cheap DIY Update
1.) place granite salad and boulders where I wanted and left for 2 weeks.
2.) Removed granite slab and boulders to rake and till the dead grass underneath identified area.
3.) level low and uneven areas with topsoil to compact. Place salad over topsoil and make sure it is level.
4.) Apply crushed gravel over ground area and compact. Place slab over compacted crushed gravel to make sure it is level.
5.) Place boulders and drainage rock as pictured and viola!
Total costs:
$10 for one 4ft x 3ft granite slab off of Facebook market place (slab was scrap piece from a local granite company)
Approximately 20 boulders I used were from my previous residence but market price is about $5-$10 per boulder.
$18 for three bags of crushed gravel
$5 for drainage rock
$7 for two bags of topsoil
Note, the big granite slab can cost between $30-$90 per square feet so look for deals!
Gl!
submitted by Illustrious_Post_519 to landscaping [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 16:46 Then_Marionberry_259 MAY 15, 2024 AIR.V CLEAN AIR METALS INC. PRESENTS IN RED CLOUD'S VIRTUAL WEBINAR SERIES

MAY 15, 2024 AIR.V CLEAN AIR METALS INC. PRESENTS IN RED CLOUD'S VIRTUAL WEBINAR SERIES
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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 15, 2024) - Clean Air Metals Inc. (TSXV: AIR) is pleased to announce that the company is presenting a live virtual corporate update hosted by Red Cloud Financial Services on May 21st, 2024 at 2:00 PM ET.
We invite our shareholders, and all interested parties to register for the webinar and participate in the live Q&A session at the end of the presentation moderated by Red Cloud.
The replay will be emailed out to all webinar registrants proceeding the event and will also be available on the Red Cloud website.
For more information and to register: https://redcloudfs.com/events/https-redcloudfs-com-rcwebinar-ai.
Commodities to be covered: PGM
About Clean Air Metals Inc.
Clean Air Metals is a development and exploration company advancing its flagship, 100% owned Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals (“TBN”) project, 40 km northeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The TBN project, accessible by road and next to established infrastructure, hosts two (2) deposits - the Current and Escape deposits, only 2.5 km apart. Together, the deposits host a 13.8 Mt indicated mineral resource containing 2.4M Pt eq. oz (Technical Report on the Thunder Bay North Project, Ontario Canada, NI43-101, SLR Consulting Canada Ltd, June 19, 2023) with significant potential for expansion down-plunge. One of the rare primary platinum resources outside of South Africa, the TBN project is in a stable and mining-friendly jurisdiction and benefits from longstanding relationships with local First Nations. With its proven technical team, Clean Air Metals is committed to growing the resources at the TBN project and creating long-term value for shareholders.
Clean Air Metals Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary Panoramic PGMs (Canada) Ltd. acknowledge that the Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals Project is located within the area encompassed by the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850, and includes the territories of the Fort William First Nation, Red Rock Indian Band, Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishinabek and Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek. Clean Air Metals also acknowledges the contributions of the Métis Nation of Ontario, Region 2 and the Red Sky Métis Independent Nation to the rich history of our area.
The Company appreciates the opportunity to work in these territories and remains committed to the recognition and respect of those who have lived, traveled, and gathered on the lands since time immemorial. Clean Air Metals is committed to stewarding Indigenous heritage and remains committed to building, fostering and encouraging a respectful relationship with First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples based upon principles of mutual trust, respect, reciprocity and collaboration in the spirit of reconciliation.
About Red Cloud Securities Inc.
Red Cloud Securities Inc. is an IIROC-regulated investment dealer focused on providing a full range of brokerage services to all investor types focused in the junior resource sector. Our services include Investment Banking, Research, Institutional and Retail Trading, Institutional Sales, and Retail Investment Advisory services.
About Red Cloud Financial Services Inc.
Red Cloud Financial Services Inc. is a globally focused capital markets advisory firm that provides a full range of executive strategy, media, marketing, and corporate access services. Our breadth of services combines with our significant knowledge of the junior mining industry combine for unique product offering. The company was founded by capital markets professionals with extensive experience in the junior mining industry.
For further information:
Clean Air Metals Inc. Mia Boiridy, Director of Communications and Investor Relations 250-575-3305 [mboiridy@cleanairmetals.ca](mailto:mboiridy@cleanairmetals.ca)
For additional information contact [marketing@redcloudfs.com](mailto:marketing@redcloudfs.com) or visit:
www.redcloudfs.com www.facebook.com/RedCloudFinancialServices www.twitter.com/RedCloudFS www.linkedin.com/company/red-cloud-financial-services-inc www.youtube.com/c/RedCloudFinancialServicesInc www.instagram.com/redcloudfs

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Universal Site Links
CLEAN AIR METALS INC
STOCK METAL DATABASE
ADD TICKER TO THE DATABASE
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REPORT AN ERROR
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2024.05.15 16:41 Sweet-Count2557 Babymoon Adelaide

Babymoon Adelaide
Babymoon Adelaide When it comes to planning a babymoon, Adelaide may not be the first destination that comes to mind, but let me tell you, it's a hidden gem.Nestled between rolling hills and pristine beaches, this charming city offers the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure.From tranquil spa experiences to romantic coastal walks, there is something for every expecting couple to enjoy.But that's not all, because the dining options and adventure activities are equally enticing.So, if you're looking for a babymoon destination that ticks all the boxes, keep reading to discover why Adelaide should be at the top of your list.Key TakeawaysThe Louise in Barossa Valley and Shadow Creek McLaren Vale offer luxurious babymoon accommodations with stunning views, private terraces, spa baths, and specialized packages.McLaren Vale Wine Region and Adelaide Hills provide relaxing spa experiences for expecting couples with spacious baths, wood fireplaces, and onsite massages.Coastal walks in Adelaide, such as the Great Ocean and Henley Beach Esplanade, offer romantic and picturesque settings for babymooners to unwind and connect.Indulgent dining options in Barossa Valley, Robe, and McLaren Vale provide babymooners with gourmet breakfasts, indulgent dining experiences, and charming atmospheres.Best Babymoon Accommodations in AdelaideLooking for the best accommodations for your babymoon in Adelaide? Look no further, because we've got you covered with these top recommendations.When it comes to planning a relaxing and memorable babymoon, Adelaide offers a range of luxurious accommodations that cater to your needs. One such option is The Louise in Barossa Valley, which provides stunning sunset views, private terraces, gorgeous furnishings, and spa baths, creating the perfect atmosphere for your babymoon retreat.If you prefer to stay closer to the attractions, The McLaren Eye in McLaren Vale Wine Region is an excellent choice. This accommodation offers fully equipped rooms with a spacious master bedroom featuring a huge bath. You'll also find yourself conveniently located near the region's renowned wineries and other attractions, ensuring a truly relaxing babymoon experience.For those seeking a truly indulgent babymoon, Shadow Creek McLaren Vale is the place to be. They offer specialized babymoon packages that include onsite massages overlooking vineyards, privacy, a luxurious bath, and top-notch amenities. Pamper yourself and your partner in this serene and picturesque setting.If a cozy and intimate babymoon is what you're after, look no further than Aldgate Valley Bed and Breakfast in the Adelaide Hills. With a wood fireplace, breakfast provisions, and a beautiful location, this charming accommodation provides the perfect setting for a relaxing and romantic babymoon.For those who prefer a babymoon in the heart of the city, the Mayfair Hotel in Adelaide has you covered. Their babymoon package includes a face and body experience at Jurlique, a spacious bath, in-room breakfast, and a movie service. Enjoy luxury and convenience in the bustling city as you celebrate your impending arrival.No matter your preference, Adelaide offers a range of accommodations that will ensure your babymoon is a memorable and enjoyable experience.Relaxing Spa Experiences for Expecting CouplesAs we continue our exploration of the best accommodations for your babymoon in Adelaide, let's now turn our attention to the ultimate relaxation and pampering experience for expecting couples - the relaxing spa experiences that await you. These spa experiences offer a chance to unwind and indulge in a luxurious setting, providing a tranquil escape from the stresses of pregnancy. Imagine soaking in a huge bath, surrounded by flickering candlelight and the soothing scent of essential oils. Picture yourselves snuggled up in front of a crackling wood fireplace, enjoying the warmth and coziness as you revel in each other's company.To give you a better idea of what to expect, here is a table showcasing some of the amenities and locations that these spa experiences offer:AmenitiesLocationsWood fireplacesBarossa ValleyHuge bathsMcLaren ValePrivate terracesKangaroo IslandGourmet breakfastsRobeOnsite massagesAdelaide HillsIn addition to these relaxing spa experiences, many accommodations also provide stunning views and gorgeous surroundings. From sunset views over the vineyards to beautiful landscapes, you'll be surrounded by natural beauty that enhances the tranquil atmosphere.To make your babymoon even more special, some locations offer additional offerings such as baby moon packages, wine tastings, fully stocked mini bars, and Australian continental breakfasts. These thoughtful touches ensure that your babymoon experience is comfortable, convenient, and truly memorable.Romantic Coastal Walks for BabymoonersWe found ourselves irresistibly drawn to the allure of the coastal landscapes, beckoning us to embark on romantic walks that would create lasting memories during our babymoon in Adelaide. The city boasts an array of romantic coastal walks that are perfect for babymooners like us, seeking tranquility and connection before our little one arrives.One of the most breathtaking coastal walks in Adelaide is along the Great Ocean, where the rugged cliffs meet the sparkling blue waters. As we strolled hand in hand, we were captivated by the stunning panoramic views that stretched out before us. The sound of waves crashing against the rocks created a soothing soundtrack to our babymoon experience.Another romantic coastal walk that we enjoyed was along the Henley Beach Esplanade. The soft sand beneath our feet and the gentle sea breeze on our faces created a serene ambiance. We walked along the shoreline, watching the sunset paint the sky with hues of orange and pink, making our babymoon even more magical.The Port Willunga beach walk was another highlight of our babymoon. The crystal-clear waters and the pristine white sands provided a picturesque backdrop for our leisurely stroll. We took our time, embracing the peacefulness of the surroundings and relishing in each other's company.These romantic coastal walks in Adelaide truly provided us with the perfect setting to connect, unwind, and create cherished memories during our babymoon. Surrounded by the beauty of nature, we were able to relax and rejuvenate, knowing that our journey into parenthood was just around the corner.Indulgent Dining Options for Your BabymoonIndulge in a culinary journey during your babymoon with a selection of exquisite dining options available in Adelaide. Whether you're craving a gourmet breakfast, a romantic dinner, or a relaxing meal overlooking vineyards, Adelaide has it all.Here are five indulgent dining options for your babymoon:The Louise in Barossa Valley: Stay at this luxurious accommodation and enjoy private terraces, spa baths, and sunset views. Indulge in gourmet breakfasts and savor the flavors of Barossa Valley.Barossa Pavilions: Treat yourself to a stay at Barossa Pavilions and delight in gourmet breakfasts and cozy wood fireplaces. This indulgent option is perfect for a romantic babymoon getaway.Trader Jacks in Robe: Experience the charm of Robe while enjoying indulgent dining at Trader Jacks. Start your day with a delicious breakfast and unwind by the fireplace in the evening.Shadow Creek McLaren Vale: Relax and rejuvenate with an onsite massage overlooking vineyards at Shadow Creek McLaren Vale. Consider booking a babymoon package that includes indulgent amenities for an unforgettable experience.CABN Tiny Houses: For an eco-friendly and secluded babymoon experience, stay at the Tiny houses at CABN. Immerse yourself in nature while enjoying delicious meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients.With these indulgent dining options, your babymoon in Adelaide is sure to be a memorable and delicious experience.Adventure Activities for the Adventurous BabymoonerFor adventurous babymooners looking to embark on thrilling experiences while enjoying the beauty of Adelaide, there are a variety of adventure activities that will satisfy their craving for excitement and exploration.One such activity is taking scenic walks in McLaren Vale. This destination is perfect for nature lovers, offering breathtaking views and tranquil surroundings. Imagine strolling hand in hand through picturesque vineyards, taking in the fresh air and the vibrant colors of the landscape. McLaren Vale also boasts cozy cottages, providing a serene environment for relaxation after a day of adventure.If hiking and exploring are more your style, the hills near Adelaide offer amazing experiences during this time of year. Lace up your boots and set off on a journey to discover hidden trails and breathtaking vistas. As you ascend, the air becomes crisp and invigorating, and the sense of accomplishment is unmatched. Feel the rush of adrenaline as you conquer each peak, and revel in the beauty of the natural world around you.For adventurous babymooners seeking both relaxation and indulgence, Glenelg is the place to be. Pamper yourself at Endota Spa, where you can unwind with a soothing massage or rejuvenating facial. Take a boat cruise along the coastline, admiring the stunning views of the ocean and the city skyline. And don't forget to indulge in a romantic dinner on the marina, savoring delectable dishes while the sun sets in the distance.If you're up for a slightly longer adventure, Kangaroo Island is the perfect babymoon destination. Here, you can explore the island's abundant wildlife, from adorable kangaroos and playful seals to majestic koalas and colorful birds. Immerse yourself in the island's natural beauty as you hike through rugged trails, relax on pristine beaches, and marvel at dramatic cliffs. Kangaroo Island is a true paradise for adventurous babymooners, offering a unique and unforgettable experience.ConclusionAs our babymoon in Adelaide comes to an end, we're left with hearts full of cherished memories and souls rejuvenated.From the luxurious accommodations to the relaxing spa experiences, romantic coastal walks, indulgent dining options, and thrilling adventure activities, our babymoon was a whirlwind of blissful moments.Adelaide truly provided the perfect setting for us to unwind, connect, and prepare for the exciting journey ahead.As we bid farewell to this enchanting city, we carry with us the promise of a new chapter filled with love, joy, and endless adventures.
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2024.05.15 16:37 Independent_Owl_8575 trying to find a rock and roll "devil hand" gesture Made of literal rocks

I've looked all over the web for such a picture and have found nothing. what I'm looking for is a rock and roll "devil horns" made of rocks. its infuriating me... could I get some help?
submitted by Independent_Owl_8575 to find [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 16:36 maximusaemilius Empyrean Iris: 2-182 Abort? (by Charlie Star)

FYI, this is a story COLLECTION. Lots of standalones technically. So, you can basically start to read at any chapter, no pre-read of the other chapters needed technically (other than maybe getting better descriptions of characters than: Adam Vir=human, Krill=antlike alien, Sunny=tall alien, Conn=telepathic alien). The numbers are (mostly) only for organization of posts and continuity.
OC Written by Charlie Stastarrfallknightrise,
Typed up and then posted here by me.
Proofreading and language check for some chapters by u/Finbar9800 u/BakeGullible9975 u/Didnotseemecomein and u/medium_jock
Future Lore and fact check done by me.
Caution swearing!
Also, god I love you Conn… please never change!
Previous First [Next](link)
Want to find a specific one, see the whole list or check fanart?
Here is the link to the master-post.
"Both of you get your suits back on."
"What the hell is going on!?”
Richards demanded, Adam took a deep breath,
"Captain Richards that was not an opening for a discussion, that was an order. Now put the damn suit on, or I swear I will knock you out and do it myself!”
The three of them were floating in the module staring at each other, hands resting against what must have been no more than a few millimeters of aluminum.
He stared at them, and they stared back.
Adam did not break eye contact with the two, willing them to do as they were told. Chavez was the first to move, hurrying over to her space suit and struggling to pull it on in a near panic as bright lights flashed from outside. Inside his heart was pounding but he tried to remain calm for the two standing before him.
He hurried over to help Chavez pull on her gear, finally sealing the helmet in place as Richards finally moved to do the same.
Adam helped pull the hard torso over the man's head and link it to the waist before helping him pull on his gloves and, eventually the helmet. Before he let go, he kept hold of Richards by either side of the helmet staring at him through the glass,
"I promise, if you listen to me, I will keep you safe."
He kept eye contact with the other man until Richards finally nodded, and Adam let him go to float over and put on his own suit. His hands were steady, for now, but he knew as soon as the crisis was over he'd be shaking like a leaf.
If he survived…
He gritted his teeth, cursing himself for thinking like that.
He was Admiral Vir for crying out loud. He had survived far too much to go and die now.
He returned to the helm of the command module as he looked out the thick window at the lights flashing on either side of them. Despite the war that was raging around them, everything seemed so strangely quiet. There was no sound no rumbling, not even a vibration as one of the jets flew past. Despite being at the controls of the vehicle, there was nothing he could do. They only had a certain amount of fuel to get them to the lunar surface, and if he wasted any of it at all, they would be either caught in orbit, or miss the moon entirely.
He had to keep his cool.
Another bright burst of light lit the window to his right. This one was closer this time.
His heart leaped up into his throat.
Richards and Chaves joined him buckling into their seats.
"What is going on?”
Richards demanded again, his mike distant and tinny with the sound of very old technology.
"I believe Anti-Alliance forces are attempting to assassinate me. They have been trying for months now, and I think they are being encouraged by very powerful members of the government."
They watched as another set of ships zoomed past.
He saw a flash of a silhouette, just enough to know that one of them was a Thunderhawk and the other was a silver Rundi drone.
It confirmed his worst fears. The Chairwoman had been behind this the whole time!
[…]
Red nearly collided with the rocket. The Thunderhawk had pulled up the last minute, but he had almost been too late. He jerked the stick to the side, throwing up his wing just in time to avoid hitting the rocket as it made its slow way through space. He dove down on the other side forced to break off pursuit and cut in front of another Thunderhawk coming in from above. He made to look like he was going to ram them, playing a dangerous game of chicken, which he won at the last second as the other pilot panicked and cut to the left.
There were too many of them. Only five out of the original twenty had been destroyed, and he and the rest of their pilots were busy just keeping the thunder hawks away from the rocket, much less to have any time of firing at them. He had sent one of his people down to earth and one of them off towards the moon for backup. The moon was still hours away yet, so the hope that some help would be sent from them was unlikely, and even the woman he had sent down to earth's surface was cutting it close.
He didn't have much hopes that they would be able to hold out that long.
Inside the cockpit his warning lights began to blink and blair as one of the other jets got a lock on him. He rolled right to avoid them and dove down, cutting off the lock but still being pursued by those behind him. Up ahead he saw one of the silver balls erupt into flames as it was targeted by an expert hit from one of the Thunderhawk pilots.
He rolled right.
Someone else rolled left. He cut up just in time to avoid being hit and raced forward to cut off another Thunderbird that was heading directly towards the rocket.
[…]
Eris hurried down the hallway, her knees screaming as she did her very best to sprint, but despite her human anatomy, she was a little too much like a starborn.
With a cry of frustration she reached up and tore off her hoodie, throwing it to the ground and engaging her anti-gravity belt. The ribbons on her back billowed out behind her.
Light spilled in from the windows on either side of the catwalk she was now on, filling her with a buzzing energy that she could feel radiating through the ribbons like electricity. She knew from her study of starborn that they could travel at thousands of miles an hour in the vacuum of space, especially when under the power of a star. She didn't think she needed to go THAT fast, but anything would be better than what she was doing now.
As if in response to her will, she suddenly began to glide forward, picking up speed as she swooped towards the end of the hall, wind catching her in the face and roaring along her cheeks. With her starborn skin, she barely felt a thing as she raced around the corner and out of the waiting door. Two men dressed in military ACUs dived to the side as she blew past them crying out in alarm and confusion as the "Alien" floated by.
Somewhere distantly, she could sense Conn racing in the opposite direction towards the base.
Sunny and Admiral Kelly had Admiral Massie in their custody and were dragging him out into the hallway.
She blew across the open ground her ribbons snapping and billowing behind her as she did. She didn't even have time to imagine what she looked like as she roared over the open field and towards the waiting news vans which were just beginning to pack up their things. They were close to leaving, but she set out a sharp hard telepathic pulse ordering them to stop.
Compelling them to stop.
They froze in their tracks and looked up to see her coming.
Someone scrambled to turn on their camera, not sure what was going on but sure it had to be something good.
She tried not to think about what they would see as the camera flared to life following her approach.
"Make us live."
She ordered,
The news people glanced between each other in confusion,
"But no… we aren’t-"
"What are-"
She came to a sudden jolting stop before them, her billowing black hair fanning out behind her like a curling halo.
"I said, put us on air."
This time the telepathic pulse was too strong to resist. Mostly that, paired with the fact that none of them were sure they really wanted to resist. She was way too interesting to pass up.
They hurried to do what they were doing, and Eris was given just enough time to feel nervous before the camera was turned to her.
They were live.
She read it in the minds of those behind camera who she cut off as she began to speak,
"Citizens of Earth, there has been a horrible conspiracy against you. The UN president has ordered the assassination of Admiral Adam Vir and has continually attempted to sabotage the mission. Just now General Massie was taken into custody after ordering the deployment of twenty Thunderhawk’s to harass the rocket and make its destruction look like some sort of collision with space debris."
The group gawked at her as she raised her hand with the small silver device and began playing the recording.
She knew something like this would never be admissible in court. She was pretty sure it would be considered entrapment of some kind, which is why it must be heard now, before everyone, so that the actions of the president could be judged by a jury of the world where it could not be hidden by political machinations.
"Communications have been lost with Apollo 11. And it is... Well... It is likely that he is already dead..."
Her voice broke,
"No matter what happens, I need you, and this nation to understand what is happening before it gets swept under the rug. I saw it with my own eyes, heard it with my own ears and experienced their meeting in the thoughts of a man who is both xenophobic and hateful to his own humankind."
She kept talking trying to give them all the information she could, spilling thoughts she had heard in the head of the UN president and General Massie alike. Every meeting, every liaison, every name until her voice was beginning to crack.
[…]
The UN president was just standing to enter her vehicle when a slow muttering began in the crowd behind her. She turned as the ground before her went silent.
She watched as a wave ran through the people. A wave of nudging and whispering and showing off news feeds they had pulled up on their wrist implants. It wasn't long before the entire crowd was either staring down at their arms or clustered around someone else for viewing.
"What is going on?”
She wondered, turning to one of her men who was staring down at her own wrist.
"Madame president?"
He said with a look of confusion.
She could hear it now.
"Her and General Massie have ordered members of the UNSC to adjust funds in order to hide the twenty Thunderhawk’s they were squirting away for just such an event."
She hurried forward, grabbing the secret serviceman by the arm, staring at it as she watched the streaming newsfeed and the freaky white alien with the large dark eyes and flowing black hair.
"She is afraid of aliens, she wishes to isolate and eventually use humanity's superior forces to overtake trade in the galaxy, forceful if need be."
The muttering behind her had turned into an angry grumbling, and she turned to see the eyes of hundreds that turned towards her.
"Get me out of here."
She hissed. the Secret Serviceman took a step back with a look of confusion and indecision on his face.
"It's your job."
She snarled, but he just stared at her.
She hurriedly ran over to her car as the crowd began to filter in around them pressing close. A few of the secret service men pulled guns, but a large majority of them were frozen with indecision and were taken over by the crowd. She scrambled into the back seat of her vehicle and slammed the door shut screaming at the driver to get moving.
The crowd was surrounding them now, pounding at the glass.
She could hear their angry voices raised for her to be heard behind bullet proof glass.
Outside, she watched a lone figure step onto the platform where the lectern was and stare at her with its beady black eyes. The Chairwoman of the GA stood over the crowd like it's filthy alien lord.
And even though Rundi could not smile, she could swear it was smiling.
[…]
Baby K hit a rough patch of turbulence coming down from the atmosphere. She struggled with the controls as she was thrown left and right inside the cockpit of her rickety shuttle.
Donovan Red had ordered her down here to grab the UNSC, but she was so scared and full of adrenaline that she had dropped it at too steep an angle. The ride was much bumpier than it was supposed to be, and her teeth were rattling inside her head.
Just then two Jets suddenly cut in behind her out of nowhere, and she heard her console beep and warn her about a lock on, making it clear that she was just one click of a trigger away from imminent doom.
"This is Eagle Dispatch One, unidentified vessel, you have crossed into restricted UNSC airspace, identify yourself or be destroyed! You have ten seconds to comply, over."
She scrambled for her communications, but her fingers felt as stiff as wood as she scrambled for the button.
"I repeat, this is Eagle Dispatch One, unidentified vessel, you have entered restricted UNSC airspace, you are ordered to identify yourself or be destroyed. Five seconds remaining. Over."
She slammed her first into the comms button nearly panicking,
"UNSC!"
Her voice was rattling,
"This is B-baby K, and I... The Apollo 11 is under attack!"
She was breathless as she forced the words out.
There was silence over the coms,
"Say again? Uhm I mean please repeat over.”
"Apollo 11 is under attack!"
”…”
”…”
More silence,
”Roger that. Please stand by. Over."
The lock lifted and the two jets pulled up to the side of her, staying close now.
She recognized those jets as two F-90 Darkfires.
They stayed by her side for a moment, and as close as they were she could see one of the pilots fidgeting with the coms, talking and wildly gesticulating, while his copilot was beginning to wildly flip switches.
Meanwhile, a second voice came in over the coms.
"On your left! Eagle Dispatch Two here, unidentified vessel, please land on UNSC base airstrip one. Just contact the control tower once you get close for guidance and instruction."
Baby K looked over into the other jet, just to see the pilot adjusting his helmet and clicking an oxygen tube to the front of his helmet. His co-pilot had already put the additional oxygen mask on and was also flipping switches.
”Uhm aren’t you going to escort me?”
Baby K managed to blurt out in confusion,
”Godspeed Baby K, Eagle Dispatch Two over and out.”
Both men in the jet to her left had apparently finished their preparations and gave her a quick salute.
Then suddenly, both jets adjusted their angle and cut engines, before switching to their big fusion engines, rocketing them up and out of sight within seconds.
[…]
So far it had been a relatively quiet day at the Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base. Most of the air traffic had been canceled due to the launch of the Apollo mission, so there was not much to do, leaving much of the Airport less staffed than normal.
In the Air Traffic Control tower of the base, only two men were working. Though “working” was stretching it, considering Senior Controller M. Fredrick was currently in the middle of his book (though he was at least in front of his station) and his comrade Senior ATC Instructor A. Millard was currently sitting in a corner, watching a movie on his implant.
”So what are you watching? One of those old Star Wars movies?”
”You bet! Those are the best! By the way any info on that “lost civilian” who got into our airspace?”
”No not yet, though I sent Eagle Dispatch and told them to be extra unfriendly, that will scare these civilians off for sure!”
”Pffft, why couldn’t they watch the start like any other person? There is always some dumb rich kid doing dumb stuff with daddies private shuttle… I don’t understand why we always let them off with a warning…”
The console started beeping,
”Oh look that’s them now!”
”Put ‘em on speakers!”
”Will do!”

”ATC this is Eagle, come the FUCK in!”
Fredrick rolled his eyes,
”Ahem… This is Elling Field ATC, calling Eagle Dispatch One. We hear you, over.”
”ATC what the FUCK took you so long!?”
”Ellington Field ATC, to Eagle Dispatch one, firstly: language, secondly: please follow standard radio rules, over.”
”THE APOLLO IS UNDER ATACK BY HOSTILE ELEMENTS!”
”Ellingt-WHAAAAT!? Repeat please! Over!”
”THE APOLLO IS BEEING ATACKED BY HOSTILE ELEMENTS! REQUETING IMMEDIATE ASSIST!”
Fredrick just stared at Millard dumbfounded. As the senior officer Millard was quick to collect himself and jumped up and towards his console.
”What are you waiting for Fredrick! Are we blind!? DEPLOY THE GARRISON!”
Fredrick ignored all protocol and just flipped the switch to connect his comms to every recipient available.
”ATC to all personnel and everyone who can hear me, the Apollo is under attack, I repeat, the apollo is under attack. I want all available planes that can reach the outer atmosphere ready ASAP! Get the darkfires on the runway I want them in the air yesterday!”
[…]
Conn raced towards the airstrip, feeling the wind in the ribbons at his back. He couldn't go nearly as fast as he wanted to with air resistance.
Why the hell did Adam always have to get into so much trouble, why did he always have to be the center of attention!?
Everyone either hated him or loved him, but the problem was people who hated him also wanted to kill him.
Why did he have to be so controversial!?
Why did he have to be hated for something that was such a big deal. Why couldn't he be hated for having controversial political opinions. Conn paused…
On second thought, controversial political opinions were kind of what had gotten them here in the first place, so he guessed that was kind of a useless comparison. How about being the kind of guy who liked to talk too much about fishing. That was a great way to make people hate you for being boring, but it didn't usually mean that people wanted to kill you.
Maybe they could get the man a hobby doing something that wasn't so controversial…
Like…
Kicking small Animals or…
Cannibalism.
He came roaring to the stop at the edge of the airfield just in time to watch an entire platoon of pilots racing towards jets. He could hear their minds and looked up to see a rather dinky shuttle descending from the sky. He floated forward towards one of the jets as two pilots leaped inside.
He was going to need a ride.
The pilots turned to look at him, but Conn just shook his head.
The pilots decided to ignore him in the confusion and Conn grabbed on tight.
Starborn, he had come to learn, were a very interesting species in comparison to others. Vertically, as in from the top down he was very fragile and likely to break his neck or collapse his spine if there was any kind of pressure, but with horizontal forces, he was practically indestructible. Below him the ship roared to life and soon they were gathering speed along the runway.
His grip was tight, and he used the extra energy from his ribbons to speed himself up along with the jet to reduce the pull on his arms.
His grip wasn't that strong.
They went vertical almost immediately, and he made sure to orient his body in the correct direction as they went hurtling into the sky.
[…]
Red's right wing had been hit. If there had been atmosphere around him he would have been a goner, but there was no air resistance here, so once he regained control of his roll, he pulled back into position and fired one last shot as the opportunity arose. The sixth Thunderhawk was destroyed in an eruption of debris, which he dodged only with difficulty, limping without the aid of the maneuvering jet on the end of his one wing. Things were only speeding up now, the Rundi were almost gone and the pressure was being laid thick on his people. They were hard to hit but the pursuit made it almost impossible for them to do any real maneuvering of their own. He was almost hit again as another Thunderhawk sped underneath him. They rolled this way and that rocking from one side to the other. Flying through debris and over strips of silver metal.
Below them the earth hung as a glowing orb.
Red cut in a wide circle coming in with the sun at his back, using it to blind one of the enemy Thunderhawk’s as he came in. He watched the group of them form up suddenly as a ring around the slow moving rocket, intending quite certainly to rush it all at once. He screamed into the comm trying to order his men around, but it was going to be too late, he could already see it coming.
The jets rushed forward, and he did too, screaming inside his helmet as they went to broadside Apollo 11.
And then with all the silence of space, sixteen F-90 Dark Fires came spitting overhead all at once, raining down a line of ordinance that cut through the group of unsuspecting Thunderhawk’s.
Space around them was filled with a myriad of silent explosions as each and every one of them was ripped to shreds.
All except one…
He saw it at the last moment.
It had been hit in the tail and had gone wildly off course.
It turned sideways, but had just enough force... For its wing to tear straight through the aluminum siding of the rocket.
FUCK!
[…]
Chavez and Richards had been ordered to strap into their seats.
Adam had taken it upon himself to lock down the rest of the main cabin. Outside the flashing lights were like a fireworks display without sound. He grabbed onto one of the rails, forcing equipment back into place, so that if anything happened it wouldn't fly out.
His legs were kicked up behind him as he floated forward reaching for some of the controls as a sudden bright wash of light filtered in through the windows. He heard a scream over his com, and then the air around him was rent with a horrific tearing noise, which suddenly went silent. There was a rush, and he jerked forward as he was sucked back... And out of the ship entirely.
His hands and legs kicked and flailed as he tried to right himself, hearing his own breathing as the only sound as he watched the rocket begin to spin, debris erupting around him as air, and whatever wasn't strapped down was sucked through the small opening.
The rocket was spinning wildly but still on course, while he was spinning wildly in a silent abyss.
Grunting against the force of his spin, he reached down for the controls to the CO2 canister built into the pack of his spacesuit.
He groaned, not sure which way was up or down or back. He tried to right himself against the spin by firing in the opposite direction to slow his spin.
He could see the rocket now spinning in the opposite direction with the sudden loss of oxygen. He hoped the other astronauts were ok. He saw the silhouette of a jet fly past in the distance making its way towards the spinning rocket.
At least there was someone here to help.
Maybe the others would survive-
And then he just… stopped, coming to a confusing halt in the middle of space.
That shouldn't have been right!
He should have kept going forever!
He tried turning his head, but he felt like the pillsbury doughboy in this two thousand year old suit.
What was happening?
"Did you miss me Baby?”
Well shit, now he sort of wished he could keep spinning.
There was a tugging on the outside of his suit, and Conn floated into view in front of his helmet.
"Hey sweetheart."
"You are probably the last person I wanted to see."
He said, though he didn't entirely mean it, and unfortunately Conn knew that too, the mindreading asshole that he was.
”I could hardly let the father of my child go spinning off into space without taking accountability for his family. After al child support is paying way more than widows pension."
"Shove it up your ass Conn."
"No really, not even the vacuum of space is going to save you from your responsibilities. Now, about custody, I was thinking you could have every other weekend and a couple of major holidays…”
He gave a rueful sort of smile as Conn grabbed him by the life support pack and started floating them towards the rocket.
The F-90s had somehow managed to slow the spin of the rocket, and pull it back on course with grappling magnets.
All around them space was filled with debris. No more working Thunderhawk’s were present and those that were were quickly being grappled. One sleek racing jet slowly cruised past them. One of its wings was damaged, but whoever was inside waved with one hand as he rolled past.
Adam lifted a hand as Conn brought him the last few hundred feet to the torn opening in the side of the ship, allowing him to step through.
Conn patted him on the side of the helmet,
"Make sure to be home by dinnertime sweetie."
Before blowing him a kiss and vanishing back out the hole.
Adam floated there, a bit nonplussed for a moment before turning back to the front of the ship where Chaves and Richards were still strapped into their seats staring at him and after Conn. He floated over to strap himself in.
"Admiral! You're ok!”
"Yes, it seems that I am, thanks to a... Friend of mine."
Just then Conn appeared again just before their right side window, and like the classy gentlemen that he was began rubbing his butt up against the glass.
He sighed,
"Friend is kind of stretching it."
"Apollo 11 this is Houston, do you copy!"
The man on the other end of the line sounded close to tears, and Adam hurried to respond,
"Houston this is Apollo 11."
On the other side he thought he heard the sound of voices cheering in relief.
"What is your status, over?”
"We are a bit beat up Houston, we have a tear in our hull, but our suits are ok, and we have help."
"Prepare to abort mission."
Adam frowned,
"Now wait a second there Houston! I didn't get sucked out the side of my own rocket to just quit now. Tell the boys to come up here and patch us up and we can finish the mission. All systems are still functioning, and we are back on course."
He glanced over at the others,
”That is, if the crew wants to continue."
There was a pause and then Chavez timidly piped in,
"I'd be ok with that."
Richards sighed,
"Roger Houston, patch us up."
Granted it may have been cheating. Apollo 11 hadn't had support with special tools that could just patch up a spaceship within ten minutes, but then again the original Apollo 11 hadn't been in the middle of a firefight while on their journey to the moon.
So it was with some trepidation that Houston allowed it, and before long they had air back inside the cabin back up to pressure, but they also had a sixteen-man rotating escort for the rest of the way.
The group of them were even shocked to see Rundi drones join the formation, only to learn that it had been the UN president who had allegedly called the hit on him. It was hard to believe, but they were only getting snippets here and then from over radio and from Conn, who floated around occasionally to rub another part of his anatomy against the window and give them teasing updates.
The moon was growing slowly in their vision.
"Hehe, I can see my house from here."
Adam remarked as they prepared to detach the lunar module from the rest of the ship.
They landed without incident, observed by mobile camera crews and news reporters as he made his own footprint on the never changing dust of the moon's surface. He gave them a thumbs up to let them know he was fine and hesitated only once before setting up the UN flag in the dirt. He refused to let his enthusiasm be dampened by the day's events and hopped around dancing and leaping for joy as another one of his childhood dreams was fulfilled.

That was before he plowed face first into the moon's surface and required help from Richards to stand back up again.
They left soon after taking another three days of escort back to earth before strapping themselves in for final entry.
Conn left them just as they were entering orbit with a very big and very drawn out middle finger for all three of them.
"Your friend is super delightful isn't he?”
"You don’t know the half of it, try having a child with him."
Adam muttered, refusing to elaborate even as they stared at him in confusion.
They fell from the sky and landed somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, picked up by the waiting navy vessel who was within nine miles of their landing site. They were fished from the water and returned safe and sound to the ship to cheers and cameras. Adam's legs felt a little like jelly after days of not using them, and he was finally able to relax lying on the deck of the ship under the sun as people ran around them on either side.
His hands shook slowly building up after the stress of the last week. He took long deep breaths and closed his eyes.
The next few days were going to be a real shit show.
And somehow it wasn’t because he was now known as the man who faceplanted not one, but TWO interstellar bodies…
The media was way to busy with the other story, a massive net of deceit and corruption that would now be uncovered.
Previous First [Next](link)
Want to find a specific one, see the whole list or check fanart?
Here is the link to the master-post.
Intro post by me
OC-whole collection
Patreon of the author
Thanks for reading! As you saw in the title, this is a cross posted story written by starrfallknightrise and I'll just upload some of it here for you guys, if you are interested and want to read ahead, the original story-collection can be found on tumblr or wattpad to read for free. (link above this text under "OC:..." ) It is the Empyrean Iris story collection by starfallknightrise. Also, if you want to know more about the story collection i made an intro post about it, so feel free to check that out to see what other great characters to look forward to! (Link also above this text). I have no affiliations to the author; just thought I’d share some of the great stories you might enjoy a lot!
Obviously, I have Charlie’s permission to post this and for the people already knowing the stories, or starting to read them: If you follow the link and check out the story you will see some differences. I made some small (non-artistic) changes, mainly correcting writing mistakes, pronoun correction and some small additional info here and there of things which were not thought of/forgotten or even were added/changed in later stories (like the “USS->UNSC” prefix of Stabby, Chalar=/->Sunny etc). As well as some "biggemajor" changes in descriptions and info’s for the same stringency/continuity reason. That can be explained by the story collection being, well a story collection at the start with many standalone-stories just starring the same people, but later on it gets more to a stringent storyline with backstories and throwbacks. (For example Adam Vir has some HEAVY scars over his body, following his bones, which were not really talked about up till half the collection, where it says it covers his whole body and you find out via backflash that he had them the whole time and how he got them, they just weren't mentioned before. However, I would think a doctor would at least see these scars before that, especially since he gets analyzed, treated and goes shirtless/in T-shirts in some stories). So TLDR: Writing and some descriptions are slightly changed, with full OK from the author, since he himself did not bother to correct these things before.
submitted by maximusaemilius to HFY [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 16:33 FlimsyLimit5048 what do i do? i paid someone to set my rock in a necklace and they didnt return it

(I do have all messages screenshotted and saved for proof of every word)
to sum it up: I asked a lady to polish and set a rock in a necklace... she allegedly did that. She sent polished photos and that was it. ghosted me for 2 months, asked for payment cause it was "done" I sent the money and got a tracking number but usps never got the parcel for delivery....
the long version: I sent a message to a lady on facebook asking if she could polish and set my very special rock into a necklace. she said yes. I sent her the rock, and a bunch of other free stuff as well as a thankyou note. she updated me for the first few days then didnt respond for weeks at a time making up excuses of her daughters birthday, and her aunt passing away. eventually i found her number through WhatsApp on the page and texted her once a day for a week. she eventually replied when i threatened with c civil suit and said "I am happy to return it but since i haven't received any form of payment i am unable to send it back. your necklace has been completed. i will attach an invoice for the services. once it is paid in full i will send you the shipping conformation and tracking number. thankyou so much for your business we look forward to hearing from you" BULLSHIT LADY! I immedatley sent the money and she made up exscuses for days and never sent photos. I got a tracking number from USPS weeks ago, but no shipping conformation. I called today and they never received the item to be shipped...
WHAT THE FUCK CAN I DO??? it was such a special and valuable rock.... im sad, heartbroken, mad, frustrated, and just hurt. Im coming to realize i may never actually get it back. It was an agate i found on the ocean when me and my boyfriend went to florida. it was the most beautiful special rock ever :(
(her facebook is Rubie Rocks out of sellersberg indiana. she hasnt posted much but DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH HER)
submitted by FlimsyLimit5048 to NoStupidQuestions [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 16:31 SpacePaladin15 The Nature of Predators 2-36

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Memory Transcription Subject: Elias Meier, Former UN Secretary-General
Date [standardized human time]: July 13, 2160
The irritability coursing through my psyche was palpable. Every sound was dialed up to eleven, stabbing at the core of my sensory processing. Constant awareness grated on me after days without sleep, never having any break from the stream of information I needed to digest. There was no way to shut the world off and reset, and no reprieve from the unsettling reality of my physical experience. I was curled up in a ball on the floor, rocking back and forth; I wasn’t sure how much longer I could go on like this.
Virnt scuttled over to me in the spaceship, jostling my shoulder. “Elias? Would you like to turn back from this mission?”
I remembered how I’d spent most of the trip, standing under the water in the shower. There was a special shampoo they’d provided for synthetic hair, like a wig. I held out my phony hand and emptied most of the bottle’s worth of goop, zoning out; I was trying to soak in the distant sensation of liquid running down my spine. Once upon a time, this had been the most relaxing time of my day—letting muscle tension fade away and cleansing grimy skin oils. Now, I knew neither of those two still existed in my day-to-day life to assuage.
Did it even matter to slap soap on some metal frame? There were no consequences of letting hygiene go by the wayside. I didn’t sweat in order to start to reek, and I couldn’t get skin conditions or be affected by bacteria. It could be that I was bathing out of habit, clinging to my old lifestyle, that I kept going to wash up. Perhaps the shower had become my favorite haunt because I felt disgusting in this body. Everything was a reminder that I was an inhuman scrap pile, and it was wearing on my sanity. It wasn’t like anyone related to what I was going through.
I used to spend so much time fussing over making my suits look crisp and perfect—immaculate ties, UN pins adjusted just right. The heavy jackets would trap my body heat in the summer; now, it no longer had that effect. I could bundle up as much as I wanted in 40 degree Celsius heat, unless there was some limit that would fry my circuits. Shit, I might not need a spacesuit in the vacuum of space—I couldn’t freeze or suffocate, after all. Being left out in the void for all eternity didn’t sound that much different from my present experience.
I hate what I’ve become. I hate what they’ve done to me; all I do is think, and every part of my new self lives in the uncanny valley. There’s nothing positive. Maybe it’s time to call it…death was better than this. I can’t bear another day of this hell.
“Hey, stay with me! Distractibility, depression, being unable to maintain concentration—these are natural consequences of sleep deprivation. I’m surprised it carries over without a physical mechanism to grow tired…but I’m working on a sleep suite, I promise,” Virnt said, glossy eyes staring at me.
I groaned. “I’m not tired, but it’s just nonstop. I…I’m having trouble remembering what I read.”
“Here, I’m going to try a temporary fix. You look like you need it. I don’t want you to suffer; just turning you off and on isn’t the same. I’m going to emulate GABA, uh, shut off your optic sensors, decrease the activity in your prefrontal cortex, and simulate delta waves for an hour. We can see if it somewhat fills the need for deep sleep, okay? Relaxation, no processing: worth a shot, right?”
I nodded mutely, staying in the fetal position. I didn’t have the will to move, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up that Virnt’s plan would be any mercy. The sensation of the Tilfish tinkering with my settings was strange, as if my brain was being overridden in the moment. There was no process of falling asleep to give it the air of naturalness. Suddenly, I was blind, trapped in darkness—and a modicum of drowsiness kicked in, limiting my movement. Thoughts died down, offering much-need relief; I faintly wished I could remain in this state.
When I came to, there was a sudden influx of information as the rest mode was switched off; it was hardly a seamless waking, but I’d take it. Peace in my own head was something I’d never take for granted again. I hadn’t thought myself to be a weak-minded individual, but I hadn’t realized how much it wore on you: feeling out of place in your own body every waking second, and not trusting your senses. Brain function had been restored enough that I could get a grip on myself, and rise in my disheveled state. A peek out the window revealed we’d completed our intra-atmosphere transit to the Duerten embassy.
I rubbed my eyes on reflex, but there were no gifts from the Sandman there. “Why couldn’t you have just added everything to start with, Virnt?”
“The humans I talked to said they wouldn’t want to sleep, unless they had to! I put the most focus on your emotional matrix and your facial expressiveness, since I thought that has the highest importance of what makes you human,” the Tilfish replied.
“You could’ve made it at least optional.”
“I sent the option to your holopad for the future, to trigger this program for as long as you’d like. This is a learning process, so I’m sorry for anything that’s off. All trial and error here, but it’s only going to get better! That’s the positive.”
“There are a lot of patches needed. For starters, you’re missing two of the senses: taste and smell. In spite of that, ever since I walked past the Terra Technologies staff eating tater tots, I’ve been craving them at random intervals. I’m not hungry—I can’t consume food!”
“Predator instincts,” Virnt teased. “The Federation was right.”
“I’m serious! Why on Earth would that be a thing? I literally can’t satisfy it, so it’s almost cruel.”
“It’s psychological, Elias. I looked into it after I saw it in your transcript. When humans are under a lot of stress or otherwise feeling down, you seek dopamine from food. It’s something familiar that activated your memories, and promised emotional comfort. That’s why you have the phrase ‘comfort food.’”
“I can already see how the Federation remnants would spin that. A predator’s so-called emotions are tied to food, and stimulate appetite to fulfill their whims.”
“You seem in better spirits. To add to your improved mood, we announced the success of your memory transplant to the world. The response was overwhelmingly positive—history looked back fondly on you. You got a lot of well-wishes, and I was able to get almost all of your social media re-activated. At least, the platforms that are still active.”
“I’m…allowed to share my honest experiences?”
Virnt eased me out of the shuttle, into the sunlight; cameras were waiting, causing me to stiffen. “Of course you can. I’m not here to muzzle you, my friend. Quite the opposite, in fact: I want your experiment documented as thoroughly as possible! You’re the spokesperson for—”
I shielded my face from the reporters, who were lobbing questions. “What is this? I don’t have a prepared statement. This is an ambush.”
“Terra Technologies has a mission of transparency, and improving sapients’ quality of life through digital means. We had to announce such a monumental breakthrough, but you’re under no obligation to speak with them.”
“Good,” a warm voice chimed in from next to me, making me jump. “The poor guy’s come back from the dead, Virnt. Give him a break. He’s here to speak with the Duerten Forum and their ambassador, for some semblance of his old life.”
I turned my head, beaming as I recognized her. “Erin? Oh, sorry: that’s Secretary-General Kuemper, isn’t it? You’ve moved up in the world. The United Nations is in good hands.”
“It’s good to see you, Elias. I bawled my eyes out at your funeral. You cared so much for peace and taking the high road; there isn’t a person out there who could’ve handled first contact with more grace. You inspired me, and an entire generation of future diplomats.”
I embraced Erin, who’d once been a passionate SETI researcher giving me all of the bad news about aliens. As we flailed about in the dark to save humanity and adjust to the galaxy, finally acquiring a few friends, she’d become my Secretary of Alien Affairs. I’d trusted her to do whatever it took to stabilize our extraterrestrial relations. It was a bit of a relief to see a positive reaction from someone I knew; I wasn’t sure how my friends would take my return, but I hadn’t been expecting a welcome with open arms. It brought me solace and comfort to know about the legacy I’d left behind, and the ripple effects my tenure had on the United Nations.
It is strange to see how much she’s aged. That’ll be the reality of anyone that used to be an acquaintance of mine.
The alarm bells pinging in my head faded into the backdrop, and I forgot that the wind gusting against my face only felt like a dull push. My mind slipped away from food cravings that failed to get my mouth to water, how there was no feeling of tightness from my dress shoes, and the stillness of my non-existent diaphragm. I was simply happy to see someone I cared about and enjoyed working with, in my old life. There was safety in having a person I trusted to be on my side. My brain snapped back into diplomat mode, falling into a familiar flow of conversation. If I had nothing else, I still had my social skills—an ability to navigate various cultures.
“So the Duerten Forum agreed to meet with the two of us. They know about the Sivkit attack, but not the full threat,” I spoke aloud, after breaking away from the rather soul-affirming embrace. “I read the strategy meetings for briefing them, and I’m on-board to appeal to nostalgia; humanity saving their homeworld was after my time, but close enough to it that I could serve as a reminder. A blast from the past.”
Erin nodded, her security forming a wall between us and the cameras as we walked toward the embassy. “I always wondered what you’d think of modern Vienna, Elias. All of the aliens willing to be here on our world, and to treat us like people. Friendship used to seem like a pipe dream; we were happy if they’d allow us to exist, tolerate us to that extent. Look at us now.”
“I almost gave up hoping that they could care about us, or stand beside us at all. We couldn’t do it alone then. It’s time we remember to stand together—to rise to the occasion once more. I can’t bear the thought of anything threatening our home, or our friends. I saw enough needless death twenty-four years ago.”
“That pain is a lot more recent to you. It’s completely okay to be wrestling with grief. A billion of ours died.”
“We didn’t become the monsters they thought we were, and we pulled through. We revealed their hatred and treachery, and have chosen a future set on rectifying every right they trampled. I’ll always mourn what we lost, but I’ve never been more proud of humanity in my life.”
Kuemper patted my shoulder. “You sound like yourself, my dear old friend. It’s very good to have you back; you were much better at smiling while they spit in your face than I ever was. Let’s do what’s necessary to get the ball rolling with the Shield.”
“I’m right behind you.”
The exterior of the Duerten embassy had a distinct construction style, with metal and concrete forming the bulk of the outside structure; on Kalqua, sturdiness was at the foremost of their priorities. Winds on a normal day could ratchet up to what we’d consider a tropical storm, according to my brief review of their culture. The door was evidently heightened to facilitate foot traffic from humans, despite the exit hatches on the upper floor which seemed frequented by the avian staff. Their personnel could literally fly away during an emergent situation. I tailed Kuemper into the lobby, and noted how much of the inside’s floor was concrete as well. It was resilient and easy to clean, a perfect surface to avoid being marred by talons.
Most of the gray avians used perches instead of chairs, with several staffers working on paperwork at their desks; in private areas, some met with any humans who had business with the Duerten Forum. The lack of reaction to a predator’s approach was new to me, but a welcome change. Kuemper confidently led the way to an elevator, which had the English and German words for “Welcome to the Duerten embassy!” written above the opening. The generic Shield logo was painted on both sides of the door, and emblazoned with a representation of Kalqua. There were no buttons inside, apart from an emergency exit; a camera surveyed us, before a watching staffer summoned the car upward. I felt a jolt as we reached the top floor.
“To be visited by two Secretary-Generals: one of whom is a ghost! Let me express the Duerten Forum’s honor and delight. Not, of course, that I don’t cherish Ambassador Hannah Marston’s visits.” A silver-feathered head poked out of a door at the end of the hallway, past a spacious lounge; his beak was the precise yellow of corn. “Please, come in. Make yourselves at home. Can I get you anything to drink?”
Kuemper shuffled forward, giving me a knowing look. “Water would be lovely for me. Thank you for the warm welcome, Ambassador Korajan.”
“I second that gratitude. Enchanted to meet you. I’m sure you know, but I’m Elias Meier.” Taking a gamble that the ambassador was more than acquainted with our customs, I extended a hand. Korajan strode forward with confidence, ensnaring my palm in his wingtip. “We appreciate you taking the time to sit with us, Ambassador.”
“Just Korajan,” the avian said, feeling my artificial hand with undeniable curiosity. He finally released my grip, and waited for us to get seated. “There’s no need for formalities, especially when I’m in such esteemed company. What can I do for you?”
“We’ve come to seek your assistance in the fight against the Sivkits’ assailants. The Sapient Coalition needs allies to back us against these menaces,” Kuemper stated. “Any help we can get would make a difference.”
“I see. I heard about your unfortunate defeat in your prior engagement, but I don’t see how it involves or concerns us. The Duerten, as you well know, aren’t in the position we used to be. We’ve turned our focus inward for years, shoring up our defenses to watch out for our beloved planet. The potential benefit it might offer you is so negligible that it’s hardly worth increasing our vulnerability. The risk far outweighs the rewards for any party.”
I studied the avian, careful to avoid a direct stare. “I understand that it’s a lot to ask. However, small bits of help from across the Shield can accumulate to be a massive difference maker. We want to stop this genocidal force from getting anywhere near Kalqua; if we play our cards right, you won’t need defenses.”
“Elias—sorry, may I call you Elias?” Korajan asked, continuing after I nodded. “We’re, of course, concerned to have a predatory species with such power and intentions, outside our known terrain. They bear a striking resemblance to the Arxur, and my government does appreciate the advance warning from the SC so we can make preparations. Yet the Forum is concerned by several of your recent initiatives, which would make us doubly unwilling to back your cause.”
“Go on. What initiatives have unsettled you?” I hope he doesn’t mean me, with resurrecting dead humans; that’d hit close to home, and I don’t know how to defend it. “Perhaps we can clear up our rationale and intentions, ensuring that there are no misunderstandings.”
“I hope I’m not impolite to point it out, but my government is beginning to see a pattern in your recent connections to carnivores. The Sapient Coalition is attempting an uplift on one race, despite what we all know happened on Wriss, and has brought them into your mix while they are at war with each other. We’re also aware of these Osirs—a race you are resurrecting to live among you, despite having no idea what they’re capable of. Present company excluded, species that need meat are not trustworthy types. These Osirs are weapons: look at the fangs.”
“Anything is a weapon in the wrong hands. Respectfully, we don’t feel that it’s right to judge a species for their diet. If I’m not mistaken, your own kind were once omnivores, Korajan.”
The Duerten fluttered his wings in acknowledgement. “The Federation changed us greatly—some things for the better, others to erase our intellect. We’re an individualist species, and they tried to make us…what do you humans call it? A ‘hive mind.’ Hive minds, of course, are fiction, yet they tried to make it real. Still, sometimes when you’re changed enough, it makes it impossible to go back to how things were.”
“I of all people grasp that sentiment,” I sighed, without moving an abdominal muscle, reflecting how my life would never be the same in this state. “We believe all sapients deserve a chance at life and happiness. Equality isn’t a principle we withhold based on any factor, and we don’t change species to fit our own whims.”
“This is why we’re content with our relations as is: separate, so we’re not connected to your disputes or obligated to get involved. The Duerten will always have differences between what are considered acceptable behaviors, and our guiding principles and overarching goals.”
Kuemper tapped her fingers on her knee. “Regardless, our choices with the Bissems and Osirs will have no impact or tangible effects on the Duerten. Nor is it a reason to shy away from protecting herbivores, the mandate that led you to stand up to the Federation in the past.”
That cost us everything. Kalqua took a beating worse than Earth did. We don’t set out to attract the ire of powerful enemies these days.”
“We saved Kalqua. We were there when you needed our help to keep your innocents safe,” I reminded him, knitting my eyebrows with earnestness. “We answer when others call for our help to stay alive; the Duerten know what drives us to answer the bell. Isn’t that worth a smidge of reciprocation?”
“If Earth, or for that matter, Leirn were under siege, we would come. However, it appears to us that you entered their territory, not the other way around.”
“Think of the type of species…no, the kind of governments that would glass worlds. The old-school Arxur Dominion. The Kolshian shadow caste when they were defied. The Krakotl extermination fleet because they hated us. That’s what we see in the Osirs, and the gluttonous killing of Sivkit civilians while refusing to speak. We can’t turn a blind eye.”
“I’m sorry, Elias. Even if I wanted to help you, I don’t have the authority. I’m expressing my government’s position, and I’ve been told the Duerten Forum isn't going to war under any circumstances. I apologize that I can’t be of more use, and regret if you might feel your time has been squandered, leaving empty-handed.”
I shared a look with Kuemper, recognizing that we had been stonewalled; there was an implication in Korajan’s last statement that the discussion on this matter was over. The Forum hadn’t given him any negotiating room, so I didn’t get the sense I could do better than asking for him to take a message. If this was the most friendly party we’d be interacting with, I wasn’t off to a good start wrangling support for an alliance. There were a few other Shield races we could try, but an endorsement from the founders might’ve gotten the whole union on board. We had to find another angle—negotiating with the Fed remnants would be impossible without the Shield as an intermediary.
“Of course we don’t feel that way. The back-and-forth was enlightening, productive communication, as much as humanity would love to stand side-by-side in this endeavor,” I offered. “We appreciate you hearing us out, and do hope you’ll pass along our rationale to the Forum, for clarity.”
“I will,” the Duerten responded. “Your words, as always, deserve to be heard and treated with respect.”
Kuemper followed my lead, rising as I stood. “Korajan, I want you to know I deeply appreciate what you said about coming to Earth’s aid should we ever fall on hard times. That stood out to me, as a reason why our cooperation is so precious and beautiful.”
“I agree wholeheartedly. I do wish you the best of luck in your future engagements; my people hope you emerge victorious.”
“Thank you. Our door will always be open if you have a change of heart.”
In my mind, I had already vacated the Duerten embassy, but it was necessary to retrace my steps to depart the ambassador’s office. Aliens were much more diplomatic in rebuffing us now than in my era, which was the proper way to express disagreements between nations. It wasn’t lost on me that the differences in “behaviors” and “principles” Korajan meant were things such as hunting, omnivory, accepting carnivores, exterminators, and predator disease facilities. The Forum still clung to much of their old lifestyle; the gray avian had stated that some Federation changes were “for the better.” That was telling about how much of their ideology they’d yet to shed.
“Forgive my impertinence, but before you go, Elias…may I ask a personal inquiry? It’s not on my behalf of my government,” Korajan called, as our shoes cleared the threshold of his office.
I turned around, giving him an encouraging smile. “Of course. Go ahead.”
“What…what was it like? To die…to be dead?”
“It wasn’t like anything. It was a singularity of all outcomes: all I ever was, and all I ever could be, condensed to nothing. There are no words to describe emptiness and infinite rest. It’s a peace that knows no equal.”
The Duerten dipped his head. “Thank you. It gives me some…personal solace, to know…to know my daughter is resting peacefully. She died in so much pain after only a short period of remission. Ahem…if you’ll excuse me, I…”
“We’ll leave you in peace,” Kuemper replied, softness in her voice.
I folded my hands behind my back, mulling over the choked-up ambassador’s words. How could I let a few days of mental suffering defeat me, when kids suffered through such terrible diseases—never getting to reach adulthood? This program could give children like Korajan’s daughter a chance to grow up, and be a kid, free from pain. As soon as I was alone, I knew I’d be cast back into a maddening state of consciousness, with my brain struggling to stay tethered to this reality. Where I’d been ready to give up before Virnt’s quick fix, the avian’s story made me want to remain in the fight.
The Tilfish had been right: there was the potential for the technology that had brought me back to do a lot of good, and save others a great deal of heartbreak and suffering. No personal sacrifice was too great to ensure that one day, no parent would ever have to bury their child.
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Star Crossed [Multiple Free Sample Chapters] Patreon Subreddit Discord Paperback NOP2 Species Lore
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2024.05.15 16:31 CalebVanPoneisen Glimpse Of Real Freedom -【Chapter 5】

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Time seemed to pass much quicker when Ghrruk and I were swimming together, finding small insects or algae to eat, and sleeping in the same place by nightfall. It was strange at first, but I felt safer. As if teamwork made us stronger.
Our front legs started to grow a few weeks after the attack. I was surprised to see Ghrruk’s lost leg regrowing too. It was still a stump, but a little longer.
“Do you think it’ll regrow entirely?” I asked her.
“I hope so. I’m the only one with a missing leg.”
“There are a few others whose legs have been damaged by the predators, though.”
Ghrruk’s tail drooped a little. “I’d rather have a damaged leg than a stump. At least they have a chance that it’d heal…”
“Maybe yours will heal as well. I’ve been looking at it lately and I’m certain it’s growing back.”
“Or maybe our bodies are simply becoming larger. And so does the stump.”
She was quite negative when it came to her leg, even though she saw our future, and Thomas, in a very positive light. Speaking of which, Thomas did install a defense of sorts above our home to protect us from predators. It worked because we hadn’t been bothered since.
THUMP – THUMP – THUMP
Speaking of the human…
“Thomas!”
Ghrruk immediately swam up. She wasn’t as graceful as before her tail started to shrink. The main reason, though, was that she was kicking water with one leg, which made her veer slightly to the left. It was almost unnoticeable. Any other tadpole would think it was the usual way she swam.
She really likes him, I thought, following her from a distance. My trust issues weren’t completely gone. My trip inside the jar had left quite its mark.
Small red worms swirled down and all the other tadpoles frantically ascended to fill their bellies. I did as always, staying a little below the rest, catching whatever came through.
Funny how they trusted Thomas, yet slurped, expelled, and then slurped again on the worm, likely examining the worm to make sure it’s actual food.
“Oh. Oh! Look at you!” Thomas exclaimed. “Some of you have front legs! You’re becoming actual frogs. Amazing!”
Thomas’ face descended so close to the water his nose almost dipped in it. Most tadpoles scattered away in fright, before curiosity – and food! – got the better of them and compelled them return to peek at their savior. I was certain he was looking for me so.
“Ah! Ghost! There you are! Wait a minute.”
The moment he uttered my name I dived down.
Thomas stood up and left. Ghrruk came swimming back to me in swift leg bursts.
“Why do you think he left? He usually stays longer, telling us stories,” she said.
“I don’t know but I don’t have a good feeling about this. I think I’m going to hide behind a rock or something.”
As expected, when Thomas returned, he held a stick of sorts and was looking for something – me! But I had a few good hiding places. It had taken a lot of effort to dig up dirt and arrange things on the bottom.
He tried to catch me with that stick again and again, stirring the bottom of the pond in order to find me. Unlike previous attempt, he didn’t linger for too long, where he’d be waiting for me to take a few gulps of breath. Whatever he tried to achieve, it didn’t seem that important to him. Or maybe he grew tired a lot quicker than the first time he saw me and my peculiarity.
Days turned into weeks, and slowly but surely, we had all grown our forelegs. Our tails were also shrinking, forcing us to adapt a new swimming technique. And best of all, I could distinguish tiny knobs poking out of Ghrruk’s lump, sign that her toes were growing back.
“See,” I said, undulating the end of my tail rapidly, “your leg is growing back!”
“I’m not so sure...”
“It’s really there. I know you can’t see it, but I can. Why won’t you believe me?”
“Because it feels completely different than how it was before. When I walked out of the pond, I could feel every toe on my right leg. My left was just… weird.”
A few bubbles left my mouth.
“Wait, when you what?”
“Walked out of the pond.”
“When did you… how did you walk out of the pond?”
I was so surprised, even though I had seen other tadpoles, or rather, froglets, climb up and out. But that wasn’t reason enough to follow them. I never even thought about it, what with all those predators out there. And let’s not forget Thomas.
“A few days ago,” she said, her body wobbling excitedly. “You were busy digging the sediment to improve our hiding spots, as usual, and when I noticed a fellow froglet clambering out, I wanted to take the leap myself.”
A stream of bubbles left my mouth.
“You went out of our home? To do what? Get killed? Wasn’t losing one leg enough?”
Ghrruk’s kicked her hind legs, floating right in front of me.
“That leg wasn’t my fault,” she declared, her tiny front legs making an abrupt, agitated movement. “I did what everyone else did. You are the weird one, always wishing to hide deep inside our pond, spending countless hours digging in the depths. Don’t you feel the urge to leave? To explore? To have a glimpse what is beyond the water?”
“Maybe later. Now, I want to avoid Thomas. And the predators.”
She slowly drifted backwards, creating some distance between us both.
“Then, we will have to go our separate ways. Thomas is our savior and the outside is safe. Hasn’t he told us that this place is like our pond? Encompassed in such way that we can’t leave but also that others can’t come in? Why won’t you trust him?”
“I guess it’s in my nature not to trust humans.”
Ghrruk blew a few bubbles out. Her mouth gaped open and close, as if she was gasping for air. I knew I had infuriated her.
“Well, I trust him. I have also needs. My body desires to leave this place and find… whatever I need to find.” She twirled in place. “Ghost. See you around.”
Ghrruk sprung her hind legs hard against the water, darting away for the surface. I trailed her until she climbed out of the pond.
Why does she have to do this now?
I carefully popped my head above the water, observing Ghrruk clambering out. Without even glancing behind her, she clumsily snuck between the blades of grass and she was gone.
“Ghrruk? Ghrruk!” I called.
No answer came. Other froglets were following her lead. I decided to dive down to the comfort of my hiding place near the plants, which had grown considerably since the attack. There, I pondered about Ghrruk, about Thomas, about the meaning of my life, and what I ought to do, leaving only for food or air.
During that period, Thomas came and went, unlike Ghrruk, who I didn’t see again. She was gone.
Sometimes, when I ascended, I broke the water to check whether Ghrruk was somewhere around the edge of the pond. All I could see were other froglets, sitting immobile in the shadow, waiting patiently for no apparent reason.
Each day, more froglets left the pond. Of course, they ended up returning. But the murky waters had never felt so lonely. Loneliness. A sense that had never occurred to me. Not before Ghrruk. Thinking about her made me anxious, constantly wondering where she went, and how often she returned to the pond. I was certain she did return, except she never came back to my place, so there was always that possibility... I could only hope she didn’t get eaten.
Then, one day, when my tail had shrunk a bit more and most of my brethren’s color changed from black with tiny specks of brown to a lighter color with larger specks, sometimes even a hue of green, my entire body tingled. A curious sensation, an impulse akin to Ghrruk’s.
This call of nature drove me to the sand bank that Thomas had built on the edge of the pond to let the froglets leave easier. Initially, I thought it was a trick to catch me. But then I realized that it was a lot of effort just for me, and thought he was simply trying to help us, as he has always done.
Ghrruk was right, a voice whispered inside.
My tiny head and eyes popped above the water. No sign of Thomas. I kicked my legs, a new form of swimming that was much faster than the tail undulation, until I set foot on the sand bank. I was about to leave our home. My tiny heart was racing.
Grains of sand stuck to my body. It was a small hindrance, but nothing that would impede my will to find out what was beyond. With a few awkward steps, advancing leg by leg, I arrived at the edge of the grass.
Maybe I will meet Ghrruk today? Mayb – aaah!
“Gotcha, Ghost!”
Thomas!? Why didn’t I hear him come?
My entire body was stuck between his two fingers, so small I was.
“Exactly as I thought! Your eyes. They’re red! They don’t look evil or anything. They’re just… red. That’s so weird.”
If I could’ve screamed, I would have. I attempted to squeeze myself out, but the force of his fingers was far beyond my ability to do anything. My legs were the only thing squirming in place.
“You know what? I think you deserve a new name. A better one.”
Another name? It can’t be much worse than “Ghost”.
“To be honest, I never really liked your name. I know, I’m the one who gave it to you, but it felt a little hollow. Too… translucent, if you know what I mean.”
Thomas chuckled, which scared me even more.
“Hmmm… ‘Red’ is too plain so let’s call you Carmine.”
That’s worse!
“Yes, Carmine sounds good. Do you know what it means?”
I don’t care, I just want to return to the tranquility of my pond and never leave it ever again!
“Carmine’s a Latin name that means ‘Song’. At least, that’s what my teacher told me. It’s also the name of a red color. Slightly deeper than crimson red, though I’m not gonna name you Crimson, right? Besides, Carmine is fitting for you.”
His hand suddenly moved towards his mouth. I was panicking, certain he’d gulp me down and that’d be the end of me. I was completely helpless, unable to get out of his strong grasp, rapidly advancing towards the two red bulges, widening into a circle until –
Smack.
My snout grazed his moist mouth and he inexplicably moved his hand back to where it was, with me still stuck between two fingers in the middle of the void.
“You’re adorable, Carmine. I hope you’ll sing a lot of beautiful songs once you get your frog voice.”
Another shadow loomed over me. Another human.
Thomas’ father? Oh no…
If being scared of what Thomas just did wasn’t enough, the human who detests me had arrived. From our very first encounter, I always felt uncomfortable whenever he was near. Likely because his first advice upon seeing me was to flush me down the drain – whatever that may be.
“Again with that disgusting thing. Throw it away, will you?” he growled.
“Why do you hate this frog so much? It’s such a cute thing. Look at it!”
“Yeah. It looks like piece of mold.”
“What? Because it’s white?”
“If I found that in the kitchen I wouldn’t touch it with my bare hands. Why won’t you just discard it? You’ve got hundreds of healthy frogs. Why are you so obsessed with this one in particular?”
“Maybe because Carmine’s a peculiar frog.”
“Carmine?” His whole body leaned back as he frowned. “Didn’t you name it Spooky or something like that?”
Thomas sighed and his eyes rolled. “No, dad, he was called Ghost, but now that his eye color is more pronounced, I think that Carmine’s a better name.”
“So you won’t –”
“No. Stop asking. He’s my favorite frog of all.”
The father’s head approached. His eyes filled the entire space in front of me.
“That’s why you’re squeezing him to death? Look at how frantically he tries to escape!”
“Oh, sorry, Carmine. I’ve been holding you for so long, it must hurt. Here!”
Thomas crouched and returned me back exactly where I was. Instead of continuing to the grass, I tumbled over. With one swift kick of my legs, I repositioned myself correctly and clambered through that sticky sand, which was now irritating my body – likely due to the lack of moisture – until I reached the water. I surged down to my hiding place and stayed there until Thomas was gone.
Around nighttime, part of me wished to try again, yet I didn’t. I was too scared to be picked up once more.
There’s no way I’m going back there.
But deep inside, I knew that I’d have to leave the pond. I knew I’d have to do the same as the others; explore the great outside and explore the rest of the world. For now, all I wished was to have Ghrruk in my vicinity so we could communicate, eat, and sleep together. If only I could have peace of mind in anticipation of what was to come next.
Good night Ghrruk. I miss you.
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submitted by CalebVanPoneisen to HFY [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 16:29 Throwra12312345678 Is my WH being rediculous or did i spiral things out of control?

I’m reposting because for some reason my post from last night isn’t even showing up on my profile and I’m desperate to get some opinions. I’ll try to keep it as short as possible.
Only 4 weeks from dday2. More context in my Post history. Things has been going really well I thought, especially leading up to Saturday. we went out to celebrate our 16 year wedding anniversary. The day was amazing we had a lot of fun, but later that night I went to show him a picture on Facebook and he saw his AP in my search history. He gave me a face and we moved on with the night nothing terrible happened.
Things were good Sunday, he was gone at work all night and then on his day off Monday he was in a weird mood. Pretty negative and being inconsistent with what his plans for the day were. He said he didn’t think he had time to hand out with me(we don’t currently live together but I was hoping to try to move back home soon). So I made other plans that was fine. I wanted to respect his space but all the sudden a couple hours later he wanted me to go out to lunch with him. I was a little annoyed and we talked about it on the way to get food but never really got anywhere. So at the restaurant I apologized for being emotional and we ended up going to his place later and spending the night cuddling and watching movies and having a great night.
Yesterday things were good still. We talked when he woke up for an hour while I was on my lunch break and things were seeming good. Then just an 1.5 hour later he sent me a whole Message saying he’s been feeling off and he’s sorry that he doesn’t want to bottles it up since we’re supposed to be honest and communicate. He said he didn’t like that I had AP on my search history and that he thinks I’m not happy and just “putting on a brave face” and that also the Monday situation had him scared we would slip back to old habits and attitudes. That he felt like the unhappy old is and that we salvaged the night but he was scared it would be that way often. Which by the way these are the things he often said concerned him while he was engaging in a false R. He would often say he was afraid that I WOULDNT CHANGE and we would go back to being unhappy, with the undertone that my attitude is the cause of his A and why he was so unhappy. So it felt a little triggering. He said That he’s trying to be happy but things are piling up on him.
I responded by saying it’s ok and I appreciate him letting me know. I want him to be able to tell me stuff. I told him it wasn’t just a brave face and that I am happy with him but I admired I do look up AP sometimes and I still struggle with how pretty she is and how it was so hard for him to leave her. But that I know it’s not right and I’m sorry. I told him some things that scare me as well such as thinking things are going well when they aren’t and that dday2 really messed me up like that because during that I thought we were healing and doing well then too.
His response? “I’m not sure what to don’t fix myself that’s why I’m going to start counseling and I’m also going to take a solo trip somewhere and really focus on myself. I feel so bad when I need space because it hurts you “
This is where I start to spiral. I told him I want to respect he needs space but he’ll tell me he loves me and wants to be with me then turn around and have this arrive toward us the very next day. It’s inconsistent. . I also told him that the whole attitude thing Monday was him too. That he was being really negative and it’s not all just me and that we’re not going to feel happy all the time and that we handled it well by not letting it ruin our night. He’s at work at this point and says he doesn’t know what to say and he’s trying to read through it at work. That it seems like I’m mad looking through my Messages. I told him I’m definitely not and he doesn’t have to respond right now. He then said he was just trying to express some feelings and he feels like he’s getting grilled because of it.
I told him I’m sorry if I was getting defensive, that to me it seemed like I ruined Saturday and now he’s struggling and wants to do his own thing and it’s all my fault. He said again he was just trying to express some feelings. I said I’m sorry I and I don’t like being this way (spiraling).
Next thing I know he says “do you think we need to take some time? I know I need to get away for a weekend and really deep dive my personal issue and I’m trying to get into therapy. Is that the fix though, actually separating and being happy by ourselves? I just don’t know”
That’s when I really lost it said sure. Do what you need to do. I can’t keep doing this back and forth and I don’t what’s driving him to go from acting to in love and adoring me to this. I can only guess.
Now he’s like “woah was just asking” and “this is what I get for talking” “I should just bottle this stuff up” etc.
He’s acting like I’m blowing this out of proportion and he can’t understand how I spiraled so hard off this exchange.
Am I being unreasonable?? I go back and forth about maybe I was too much but he’s also not being very compassionate given how much hell he’s put me through. And to say he can’t understand? I sent walls of texts explaining myself and I’m tired. I feel like maybe I did take his concerns and turn it into something crazy but I initially Tried to validate him and apologize. I don’t know I feel crazy right now. Maybe I am Oo mich.
How would all this make you feel?
submitted by Throwra12312345678 to AsOneAfterInfidelity [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 16:25 mironiko87 How much better are the all-season/weather tires on the road (esp. in the wet) compared to the AT tires?

I am soon getting a Forester and plan to use it a bit off the paved roads, but not really much: still, 95% to maybe even 98% of my driving would be on tarmac. Even when I'd get off the road, I'd stick to gravel and forest roads: no rock crawling or anything like that, just the mild stuff.
Since the off-road part is rather small, but kind of certain (there are places in the mountains I'd like to go to, and I don't plan on taking them off my travel bucket list), I am unsure whether I really do need to get the AT tires, or I can just stick to some SUV all-season tires. Now, there are a couple of considerations here...
First and foremost, I live in Europe, and the offer of AT tires around here is MUCH worse than in America or Australia, for instance. Also, when taking only the "mild" AT tires into consideration, the ones with the 3PMSF sign (which I want to have), the size I need (225/60 R17) is basically offered just by Bridgestone and Yokohama. It's the very new Dueler AT002 and the tried and true Geolandar AT G015 that I can get, and that's pretty much it. Luckily, they both seem fine a choice and are not very expensive (Yokohama is about 25% cheaper to buy).
Now, reading about the internal constructions of some of the all-season tires (which is how we call the all-weather tires in Europe, meaning they all have the 3PMSF certification), I can see it's the same (or very similar) to the ones of the mild AT tires. Usually, it's something like "two high-strength steel belts and a single ply nylon layer atop a dual-ply polyester body casing". Of course, the AT tires have the thread which is a bit more aggressive, especially the sidewall, plus they usually have more thread-depth. This makes them a bit more puncture-resistant, but is this difference really that big, considering the internal construction similarities?
On the other hand, the thread differences make them heavier and tougher to handle, meaning they will probably provide for worse performance on-road, especially in wet conditions. Also, the economy should be worse with AT tires, but that doesn't concern me at all. What I would like to know, though, is how much worse are they on-road, compared to the all-season tires? Especially in dry&wet braking (I am not a very spirited driver, so I do not require some top-level handling characteristics).
The biggest problem now is that there are almost NO tests that compare the two groups. The only one I found is this one:
https://www.tyrereviews.com/Article/2018-Auto-Bild-SUV-All-Season-Tyre-Test.htm
I've looked on tyrereviews.com (obviously), tire-rack (even though it's not a European site, they still have great tests), tiredriver.com, AutoBild, AutoZeitung, AutoExpress... Nothing very useful. Does anybody else know about some other direct comparisons? I don't care much about the performance of the tires on gravel/dirt, as long as they are not too sensitive (in terms of getting damaged).
Basically, if the ATs are not much worse than the all-season tires (Goodyear Vector 4season SUV Gen-3 or Yokohama Geolandar CV 4S G061, for instance) in the dry&wet, I would go with them. If there is a substantial difference in braking/aquaplaning, like 15-20% or more, I'd definitely go with the AS tires, having in mind my more on-road oriented needs, and I'd just target a model which is a bit more sturdily designed and constructed.
TL;DR - are there any tests that answer the question from the topic title?
submitted by mironiko87 to tires [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 16:23 CategoryBig1151 [TOMT] 2010s video game

I want to say it’s like 2012-14.So basically it’s this guy and his brother they could be in their 20’s or 30’s. The villain is this women who has powers like one of the brothers expect hers is rock powers. His older brother reprimands him a lot and the main character who is like a skater dude spray painter gets these powers in his hands. And throughout the game he gets more such as a spray paint power and after defeating the final boss he gets like stone powers.
submitted by CategoryBig1151 to tipofmytongue [link] [comments]


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$720 $576 Cobra Air-X Grey/Red Combo Iron Set: Available in RH, Stiff Flex, Set Composition is 4H, 5H, 6-PW . Use code SAVE20 at checkout. Shipping is free
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APPAREL
$80 $54 NEW Nike Flex Hybrid Shorts: Available in Grey, Black and Navy, Sizes 30-40W. Use code GOLFER2024 at checkout. Shipping is free on orders $149+
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$120 $63 Adidas CP Traxion SL Mesh Golf Shoes: Available in Grey/Black, Sizes 9-11. Use code CLEAR10 at checkout. Shipping is free on orders $100+
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$330 $199 Cobra Ultradry Pro Stand Bag: Available in Navy or Grey. Waterproof and lightweight with 5 pockets. No code needed. Shipping is free
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$30 $20 for 1 Dozen Callaway Supersoft - Pristine (5A) Golf Balls: Pristine balls look like they've been taken out of a new sleeve. Free personalization available. Use code LONGDRIVE at checkout. Shipping is free on orders $90+
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submitted by Nurseresidences to golf [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 15:36 Appropriate_Art5794 Falls further 🤣🤣🤣 told you , thought it was rocketing on opening?? 🤡🤡🤡

What can I say some of us understand the market more than others who are just sheep and getting greedy all of those saying it's gonna rock it with the market opens because they've had theirs on hold well in the UK we're buying it now we were buying it hours ago we were selling it hours ago it's dipped to 0.44 we'll go higher than that but also could go lower than that you've missed out on the peak if you still got a hands healthy profit get out now SINT there's definitely on the rise. Flying that British 🇬🇧 flag against the AMERICAN 🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑 🇺🇸🫢🤣🤣🤣🤣
submitted by Appropriate_Art5794 to roaringkitty [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 15:35 kronmatron Entropy: Decay of Dreams

🎵Vortex- Carbon Based Lifeforms
I don't want to be a tasteless person, but I wasn't surprised enough to have my mom make a trembling-handed cake for me on my birthday. Okay, her body hasn't collapsed yet, she can still manage her affairs, but it will collapse.
I never had any problem with "this moment". Either the future is coming to me, or I'm going to it. Even in the darkest times of the past, I was young and full of hope, so the present is bright, but the future is completely dark... Whenever I think about the future, my brain short-circuits.
I wish my mom, especially my mom, could stay strong enough for us to argue, because I hadn't accounted for her aging. I woke up after the Parkinson's diagnosis. Now it bothers me again, but I can't say anything. I'm aware that there is an old and sick person in front of me. My attitude has changed now. The problem is, my attitude has changed towards everything; it has changed, or I haven't noticed over time. I've become a middle-aged person who constantly emphasizes respect and love in conversations.
I'm overly affectionate and overly respectful; yes, that's very nice, but it's also the most obvious sign of my aging. When delivery drivers are late, I don't get angry. I say, "It's okay, darling, what matters is that you come and go safely." I'm tolerant in traffic. I had an accident the other day. The shopkeepers helped together, and I was deeply moved. Then I revised my affairs in a way that could help more small businesses.
I have few but valuable friends. We don't argue, but if we do, I say, "You're my ... year friend, my brothesister. I'm really sorry if I hurt you." They do the same. In the past, we would hang up on each other and not call each other for a while. Now everyone is aware. Time is short and valuable.
The worst part is my attitude on online forums where I occasionally write. Sometimes I enter the forums of groups I like to feel young and write nonsense. Young people swear at me, I can't swear back. Then I say, "What am I doing here?" and leave, and go back to my own forums about theosophy, literature, work, etc. I guess they don't want us anymore...
As for love. That's over. I can't take anyone seriously enough to fall in love. Yes, a human being is a ladder rising to God, but if they've climbed as much as I have, we probably don't meet. They're probably all introverted like me, not communicating with anyone. The others are after physical pleasures; they have weaknesses, fears, devilish qualities... I also have a brain that can analyze quickly. Even if I admire someone at first, my admiration fades very quickly.
My longest admiration was for a rock star named Jack White. I tried a little hard to maintain my admiration, just to find inspiration. I realized he was extremely unpleasant after my analysis. Just an ordinary talented person. There are no virtuous qualities. That's over too.
These days I've gone back to the past. I listen to Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and so on.
When Cornell died in 2017, I wasn't very aware of what was going on because I was depressed. Besides, grunge was very out of fashion. A few months ago, I could realize that Eddie Vedder was alive but aging, but it had a very bad effect. All the songs left in my ears found meaning. The bad part is, he's 60 and botoxed, but he's still in my head like in '92. I was 8 in '92, these guys were big brothers, and their music was very boring. Now I realize that the boring music was the anthem of my youth.
Oh, my sister Merich is experiencing the same awareness. When we get bored, we watch all the live concerts of Pearl Jam in '92, '93, '94... that we found on YouTube and have fun together. And then there's always the same question in our heads, "Did Jill convince Eddie Vedder to botox?" and the same joke, "If Chris saw these botoxes, he would commit suicide again..." We laugh. Then a cold wind, a brain tingling about time...
You've been stuck in the '90s for 3 hours, now it's 2024... You're 41. This girl you laughed with, your sister, is 46... The guy who crowd-surfed at the concert is 60... Your mom will call soon, she's 76... Your dad's blood pressure is high, he's 79...
We're dying badly... But not just like that. We're dying pretty fast and entropy leaves no room for love.
I looked at new terms, except for "sapiosexual", they've made up interesting terms like "noetisexual" for people like me. I don't know what I am, if I solve it, I'll be enlightened anyway.
The hell with terms. I'm a human being, just like everyone else, a victim of entropy. I'm obsessed with entropy. Let them come up with a term for that. Let them make a flag too. Asexuals have a flag. Let's have our flag too.
submitted by kronmatron to u/kronmatron [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 15:34 lbabinz [PSN] Digital PlayStation Game Sale

PlayStation Indies Sale
Item Price MSRP % Off History*
2064 Read Only Memories $6.74 $26.99 75% off Lowest price $4.04 on 2021-2-17
3 Game Arcade Bundle $11.19 $15.99 30% off Matches low
502s Arcade $10.79 $13.49 20% off New Lowest
A Hat In Time $19.99 $39.99 50% off Matches low
A Little To The Left $15.99 $19.99 20% off New Lowest
A Short Hike $6.59 $10.99 40% off Matches low
A Space For The Unbound $16.19 $26.99 40% off New Lowest
A Space For The Unbound $16.19 $26.99 40% off New Lowest
Abriss Build To Destroy $18.89 $26.99 30% off New Lowest
Abz $9.44 $26.99 65% off Lowest price $6.74 on 2021-9-1
Adam Wolfe $29.99 $39.99 25% off New Lowest
Adam Wolfe $29.99 $39.99 25% off New Lowest
Adams Venture Origins $1.99 $19.99 90% off Matches low
Air Twister $20.09 $33.49 40% off New Lowest
Air Twister $20.09 $33.49 40% off New Lowest
Aircraft Carrier Survival $6.74 $26.99 75% off New Lowest
Alina Of The Arena Ps4 Ps5 $13.99 $19.99 30% off Matches low
Alisa Developers Cut $19.19 $23.99 20% off New Lowest
Ancestors The Humankind Odyssey $13.37 $53.49 75% off Matches low
Ancient Dungeon Vr $20.24 $26.99 25% off New Lowest
Ancient Mahjong $2.79 $3.99 30% off Lowest price $2.39 on 2024-2-7
Anglerfish $8.09 $13.49 40% off New Lowest
Anglerfish $8.09 $13.49 40% off New Lowest
Angry Video Game Nerd I And Ii Deluxe $10.11 $19.99 49% off Lowest price $9.99 on 2023-3-29
Another World 20th Anniversary Edition $3.84 $7.99 51% off Lowest price $1.99 on 2019-1-7
Aragami $8.09 $26.99 70% off Lowest price $4.04 on 2022-9-28
Aragami 2 $26.74 $53.49 50% off Lowest price $21.39 on 2023-11-27
Arcade Game Zone $26.79 $33.49 20% off Matches low
Arcade Game Zone $26.79 $33.49 20% off Matches low
Archery Blast $4.89 $6.99 30% off Lowest price $4.19 on 2024-3-27
Arzette The Jewel Of Faramore $20.24 $26.99 25% off New Lowest
Arzette The Jewel Of Faramore $20.24 $26.99 25% off New Lowest
As Dusk Falls Ps4 Ps5 $31.99 $39.99 20% off New Lowest
Aztek Tiki Talisman $5.59 $7.99 30% off Matches low
Bahnsen Knights $8.76 $13.49 35% off New Lowest
Balatro $15.99 $19.99 20% off New Lowest
Ball Tour $1.99 $3.99 50% off New Lowest
Battle Axe $9.99 $39.99 75% off Matches low
Battle Axe $9.99 $39.99 75% off Matches low
Bear And Breakfast $18.89 $26.99 30% off New Lowest
Bear And Breakfast $18.89 $26.99 30% off New Lowest
Beat Cop $1.99 $19.99 90% off Matches low
Bibi Tina Adventures With Horses $5.39 $26.99 80% off New Lowest
Bicolor Bird $1.99 $3.99 50% off New Lowest
Bittrip Presents Runner2 Future Legend Of Rhythm Alien $9.44 $13.49 30% off Lowest price $4.04 on 2022-9-7
Blasphemous $8.37 $33.49 75% off Matches low
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk $40.11 $53.49 25% off New Lowest
Broken Roads $42.79 $53.49 20% off New Lowest
Brotato Ps4 Ps5 $5.59 $6.99 20% off Matches low
Brothers A Tale Of Two Sons Remake $18.08 $26.99 33% off New Lowest
Bud Spencer Terence Hill Slaps And Beans 2 $20.24 $26.99 25% off New Lowest
Bud Spencer Terence Hill Slaps And Beans 2 $20.24 $26.99 25% off New Lowest
Bugsnax $11.72 $33.49 65% off Matches low
Bulwark Falconeer Chronicles $21.59 $26.99 20% off New Lowest
Bundle Thunder Ray Origins Base Forgotten Duels $20.24 $26.99 25% off New Lowest
Car Mechanic Simulator Vr $17.49 $34.99 50% off New Lowest
Carry Onward $5.59 $6.99 20% off New Lowest
Cartel Tycoon Deluxe Edition $47.99 $59.99 20% off New Lowest
Cat Quest Ii $4.99 $19.99 75% off Lowest price $3.99 on 2022-12-21
Cave Digger 2 $11.99 $19.99 40% off Matches low
Cazzarion Adventureland $2.79 $3.99 30% off Matches low
Cazzarion Dart Wheel $2.09 $2.99 30% off New Lowest
Cazzarion Ghost Frenzy $2.09 $2.99 30% off New Lowest
Cazzarion Gunslinger $2.09 $2.99 30% off New Lowest
Cazzarion Pop The Bubbles $2.09 $2.99 30% off New Lowest
Cazzarion Shellfish Frenzy $2.09 $2.99 30% off New Lowest
Cazzarion Space Ace $2.09 $2.99 30% off New Lowest
Cazzarion Speed Run $2.09 $2.99 30% off New Lowest
Centipede Recharged $6.74 $13.49 50% off Matches low
Centipede Recharged $6.74 $13.49 50% off Matches low
Charons Staircase $9.44 $46.99 79% off Lowest price $8.09 on 2024-2-7
Charons Staircase $9.44 $46.99 79% off Lowest price $8.09 on 2024-2-7
Choice Of Life Middle Ages 2 $3.32 $9.49 65% off New Lowest
Choochoo Charles $20.24 $26.99 25% off New Lowest
Choochoo Charles $20.24 $26.99 25% off New Lowest
Christmas Journey Puzzle $0.89 $1.49 40% off New Lowest
Citadel Forged With Fire $21.39 $53.49 60% off Lowest price $13.37 on 2022-5-11
Classified France 44 Overlord Edition $50.24 $66.99 25% off New Lowest
Clumsy Rush Ultimate Guys $5.39 $13.49 60% off Matches low
Coffee Talk $11.39 $18.99 40% off Lowest price $9.49 on 2024-1-17
Coffee Talk Episode 2 Hibiscus Butterfly $12.99 $19.99 35% off Matches low
Cook Serve Delicious 2 $10.49 $17.49 40% off New Lowest
Cook Serve Delicious 3 $16.19 $26.99 40% off New Lowest
Coral Island $31.99 $39.99 20% off Matches low
Cotton 100 $3.37 $19.99 83% off New Lowest
Cotton Fantasy $13.37 $53.49 75% off Lowest price $10.69 on 2023-11-15
Cozy Grove $11.39 $19.99 43% off New Lowest
Cozy Grove New Neighbears Bundle $19.87 $27.99 29% off New Lowest
Crashy Laps $4.89 $6.99 30% off Matches low
Criminal Expert $3.37 $13.49 75% off New Lowest
Crosscode $10.79 $26.99 60% off Matches low
Crosscode $10.79 $26.99 60% off Matches low
Cult Of The Lamb $23.99 $39.99 40% off Matches low
Cuties Hacked Deluxe Edition $2.09 $6.99 70% off New Lowest
Danjigoku $1.19 $1.49 20% off New Lowest
Darkgems $4.19 $6.99 40% off New Lowest
De Blob $5.39 $26.99 80% off Lowest price $4.85 on 2021-2-3
De Blob 2 $7.99 $39.99 80% off Lowest price $7.19 on 2021-2-3
Death Mark $26.79 $66.99 60% off Matches low
Demons Tilt $13.49 $26.99 50% off Lowest price $10.79 on 2022-12-21
Desolatium $13.19 $39.99 67% off Lowest price $11.99 on 2024-2-7
Detective Stella Porta Case $9.79 $13.99 30% off Matches low
Dicey Dungeons Ps4 Ps5 $6.79 $19.99 66% off New Lowest
Dinobreak Triassic Torment Collection $42.59 $106.49 60% off New Lowest
Disco Elysium The Final Cut $16.04 $53.49 70% off Matches low
Dog $16.19 $26.99 40% off Matches low
Dog $16.19 $26.99 40% off Matches low
Dollhouse $2.69 $54.99 95% off Matches low
Drawful 2 $6.07 $13.49 55% off Lowest price $5.39 on 2022-9-28
Dredge Digital Deluxe Edition $25.19 $35.99 30% off Matches low
Drift Racing Madness $1.11 $1.49 25% off New Lowest
Drum Box $7.69 $10.99 30% off New Lowest
Drum Box $7.69 $10.99 30% off New Lowest
Dungeon Drafters $26.79 $33.49 20% off New Lowest
Dungeon Munchies $9.19 $22.99 60% off Matches low
Dungeon Munchies $9.19 $22.99 60% off Matches low
Dungeon Party $4.39 $5.49 20% off New Lowest
Dungeon Party $4.39 $5.49 20% off New Lowest
Dungeon Party Avatar Bundle $7.99 $9.99 20% off New Lowest
Eldest Souls $5.39 $26.99 80% off New Lowest
Enclave Hd $17.54 $26.99 35% off New Lowest
Everlune $1.79 $2.99 40% off New Lowest
Evil Nun The Broken Mask $18.89 $26.99 30% off New Lowest
Evil Nun The Broken Mask $18.89 $26.99 30% off New Lowest
Exit The Gungeon $4.04 $13.49 70% off New Lowest
Ezquiz $3.19 $3.99 20% off New Lowest
Fade To Silence $9.99 $66.99 85% off Matches low
Fallen Legion Revenants $18.72 $53.49 65% off New Lowest
Fallen Legion Rise To Glory $19.99 $39.99 50% off Matches low
Far Changing Tides $10.79 $26.99 60% off New Lowest
Figment $6.74 $26.99 75% off Lowest price $2.69 on 2022-9-28
Figment 2 Creed Valley $11.72 $33.49 65% off New Lowest
Fishing Blast Ps4 Ps5 $3.19 $3.99 20% off New Lowest
Flaskoman $4.54 $6.99 35% off New Lowest
Flooded $11.71 $17.49 33% off New Lowest
Flute The Snake Charmer $1.19 $1.49 20% off New Lowest
Forest Farm $14.99 $19.99 25% off New Lowest
Forrace Gt2d $14.24 $18.99 25% off New Lowest
Frank And Drake $10.49 $33.49 68% off Matches low
Frog Detective The Entire Mystery Ps4 Ps5 $18.89 $26.99 30% off Matches low
From Four Sides $1.99 $3.99 50% off New Lowest
From Space $7.99 $19.99 60% off Lowest price $5.99 on 2024-3-27
Front Mission 1st Remake $23.49 $46.99 50% off New Lowest
Full Void Ps4 Ps5 $15.99 $19.99 20% off Matches low
Furi $13.49 $26.99 50% off Lowest price $8.09 on 2023-2-1
Galactic Lords $2.09 $3.49 40% off New Lowest
Gang Beasts $10.79 $26.99 60% off Matches low
Garden Patrol Ps4 Ps5 $3.19 $3.99 20% off New Lowest
Garfield Kart Furious Racing $4.04 $39.99 89% off Lowest price $3.99 on 2022-9-28
Gearclub Unlimited 2 Ultimate Edition $18.72 $53.49 65% off Matches low
Gearclub Unlimited 2 Ultimate Edition $18.72 $53.49 65% off Matches low
Genie Reprise $6.64 $9.49 30% off New Lowest
Genotype $29.59 $36.99 20% off New Lowest
Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed $13.49 $53.49 74% off New Lowest
Gladiators Arena $5.59 $6.99 20% off New Lowest
Gnosia $25.11 $33.49 25% off Matches low
Gnosia $25.11 $33.49 25% off Matches low
Golf With Your Friends $8.90 $26.99 67% off Lowest price $6.74 on 2022-5-25
Goodbye Volcano High $29.99 $39.99 25% off Matches low
Graceful Explosion Machine $5.24 $17.49 70% off New Lowest
Green Hell $13.39 $33.49 60% off New Lowest
Griftlands $13.49 $26.99 50% off Matches low
Grow Song Of The Evertree $13.39 $33.49 60% off Matches low
Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator $13.49 $26.99 50% off Lowest price $8.09 on 2019-2-15
Guilty Gear Xrd Sign $20.09 $49.99 59% off Matches low
Guns Gore And Cannoli $5.39 $13.49 60% off Lowest price $4.04 on 2024-3-27
Guns Gore And Cannoli 2 $8.74 $17.49 50% off Lowest price $6.99 on 2024-3-27
Guts N Grunts $9.44 $13.49 30% off New Lowest
Hand Of Fate $5.39 $26.99 80% off Matches low
Hand Of Fate 2 $7.99 $39.99 80% off Matches low
Happi Basudei $3.49 $6.99 50% off New Lowest
Have Fun Together Garfield Lasagna Party The Sisters Party Of The Year The Quest Of Excalibur Bundle $24.07 $53.49 55% off New Lowest
Haven $20.09 $33.49 40% off Lowest price $13.39 on 2023-4-26
Helichapter X $0.89 $1.49 40% off New Lowest
Hell Let Loose Deluxe Edition $47.76 $73.49 35% off Matches low
Hello Neighbor $9.99 $39.99 75% off Lowest price $7.99 on 2022-6-22
Hello Neighbor 2 $26.74 $53.49 50% off Matches low
Hello Neighbor Hide And Seek $9.99 $39.99 75% off Lowest price $3.99 on 2023-5-24
Hellpoint $11.74 $46.99 75% off Lowest price $9.39 on 2023-3-15
Hidden Cats In New York $3.19 $3.99 20% off New Lowest
Hidden Cats In New York $3.19 $3.99 20% off New Lowest
Hidden Paws $3.84 $5.49 30% off New Lowest
Hidden Paws $3.84 $5.49 30% off New Lowest
Hidden Through Time $5.49 $10.99 50% off Matches low
Hidden Through Time 2 Myths Magic $13.11 $17.49 25% off Matches low
Hoodie Survivor $0.49 $0.99 50% off New Lowest
Hotel Rnr $20.99 $29.99 30% off New Lowest
House $11.99 $19.99 40% off New Lowest
House $11.99 $19.99 40% off New Lowest
Hyper Turbo Boost $10.11 $13.49 25% off New Lowest
Iconoclasts $6.74 $26.99 75% off Lowest price $5.39 on 2021-8-18
Ikonei Island An Earthlock Adventure $26.79 $33.49 20% off New Lowest
Immortal Realms Vampire Wars $21.39 $66.99 68% off Matches low
In Stars And Time $21.59 $26.99 20% off New Lowest
In Stars And Time $21.59 $26.99 20% off New Lowest
Independence Day Run Premium Edition $6.64 $9.49 30% off New Lowest
Inspector Gadget Mad Time Party $26.74 $53.49 50% off New Lowest
Invasion Of Space $5.59 $37.99 85% off New Lowest
Invisible Inc Console Edition $6.74 $19.99 66% off Lowest price $4.99 on 2020-2-19
Irem Collection Volume 1 Ps4 Ps5 $21.43 $33.49 36% off New Lowest
Jett Rider $11.89 $16.99 30% off Matches low
Jigsaw Tetra $0.89 $1.49 40% off New Lowest
Jigsaw Tetra Avatar Bundle $4.19 $6.99 40% off New Lowest
Job Simulator Ps4 Ps5 $17.54 $26.99 35% off Matches low
John Wick Hex $5.39 $26.99 80% off Lowest price $2.69 on 2024-2-7
Jubilee $6.74 $13.49 50% off New Lowest
Jump Challenge $6.02 $8.99 33% off Lowest price $0.89 on 2024-3-27
Junkyard Fury Breakout $6.74 $13.49 50% off Matches low
Jusant $25.11 $33.49 25% off Lowest price $23.44 on 2024-4-24
Just Die Already $3.99 $19.99 80% off Matches low
Just Die Already $3.99 $19.99 80% off New Lowest
Kaze And The Wild Masks $6.74 $39.99 83% off Matches low
Kena Bridge Of Spirits Ps4 And Ps5 $21.39 $53.49 60% off Matches low
Kero Blaster $4.04 $13.49 70% off Lowest price $2.69 on 2022-4-27
Kill It With Fire $4.99 $19.99 75% off Lowest price $3.99 on 2023-7-5
Kill It With Fire Vr $10.99 $19.99 45% off New Lowest
Killing Floor 2 $1.99 $39.99 95% off New Lowest
Kitten Island $3.49 $6.99 50% off New Lowest
Kitten Island $3.49 $6.99 50% off New Lowest
Knights And Bikes $13.49 $26.99 50% off Matches low
Lasso Catch $0.74 $1.49 50% off New Lowest
Lasso Catch $1.19 $1.49 20% off New Lowest
Lawn Mowing Simulator Landmark Edition $11.72 $33.49 65% off Matches low
Legend Of Keepers Ruinarch Bundle $40.19 $66.99 40% off New Lowest
Legendary Tales $58.79 $73.49 20% off New Lowest
Lego Builders Journey $6.74 $26.99 75% off Matches low
Lil Guardsman $21.59 $26.99 20% off Matches low
Listeria Wars $4.54 $6.99 35% off New Lowest
Little Mouses Encyclopedia $12.49 $24.99 50% off Matches low
Lord Winklebottom Investigates $18.19 $25.99 30% off New Lowest
Loretta $15.99 $19.99 20% off New Lowest
Mad Cows $4.19 $6.99 40% off New Lowest
Manic Mechanics $16.74 $33.49 50% off New Lowest
Manifold Garden $10.79 $26.99 60% off Matches low
Manifold Garden $10.79 $26.99 60% off New Lowest
Mark Of The Ninja Remastered $6.74 $26.99 75% off Matches low
Marsupilami Hoobadventure Ps5 $5.39 $39.99 86% off New Lowest
Melatonin $15.99 $19.99 20% off New Lowest
Mighty Goose $8.09 $26.99 70% off Matches low
Mighty Goose $8.09 $26.99 70% off New Lowest
Mighty Math $2.74 $5.49 50% off New Lowest
Minit $3.37 $13.49 75% off Lowest price $2.69 on 2023-3-29
Mob Control $5.59 $6.99 20% off New Lowest
Monster Boy And The Cursed Kingdom $13.37 $53.49 75% off Matches low
Monster Crown $6.74 $39.99 83% off New Lowest
Monstrum $6.74 $39.99 83% off Lowest price $3.99 on 2023-5-24
Monyu Defeat Monsters And Gain Strong Weapons And Armor You May Be Defeated But Dont Give Up Become Stronger I Believe There Will Be A Day When The Heroes Defeat The Devil King $46.89 $66.99 30% off Matches low
Moon $17.84 $25.49 30% off Lowest price $15.29 on 2023-12-20
Moonshine Inc Bio Inc Redemption $25.19 $35.99 30% off New Lowest
Moonshine Inc Bio Inc Redemption Deluxe $27.99 $39.99 30% off New Lowest
Mortal Fight Lethal Revenge $14.24 $18.99 25% off Lowest price $13.49 on 2024-3-15
Moving Out 2 $19.99 $39.99 50% off Matches low
Mutazione $12.14 $26.99 55% off Matches low
My Child Lebensborn Remastered $10.11 $13.49 25% off New Lowest
My Child Lebensborn Remastered $10.11 $13.49 25% off New Lowest
My Friend Peppa Pig $26.74 $53.49 50% off Lowest price $21.39 on 2023-12-20
My Life Farm Vet $26.79 $33.49 20% off New Lowest
My Life Farm Vet $26.79 $33.49 20% off New Lowest
Mystic Pillars Remastered Digital Deluxe Edition $13.99 $17.49 20% off New Lowest
Nba 2k24 Baller Edition $21.29 $106.49 80% off New Lowest
Nidhogg $7.99 $19.99 60% off Lowest price $4.99 on 2020-5-6
Nobody Saves The World $11.99 $29.99 60% off Matches low
Not For Broadcast Vr $18.41 $33.49 45% off New Lowest
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submitted by lbabinz to VideoGameDealsCanada [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 15:27 Chartate101 What are the best “bro country” songs?

Had this thought recently. Pretty much every genre, even ones most people dislike, have a few gems. There’s a handful of good Christian Rock songs even if I hate most, there’s some good K-Pop even if I don’t like most of it (no shade, just not my thing), I like some punk even if I dislike most of it, etc.
What’s the cream of the crop for this terrible genre?
submitted by Chartate101 to ToddintheShadow [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 15:26 Commercial_Win8619 996.1 front suspension

So I've gone and hit a rock, bent the lower arm on the front right. When I took it all apart I saw that the coil spring is not loaded at all on the shock assembly. From all my previous experiences you need to use a tool to compress the spring if you want to remove it, here it's not loaded at all, I can move it with my hand freely, it looks like it needs at least half an inch more in length to get to the top and get compressed. Is this normal? It's a '98 C2.
submitted by Commercial_Win8619 to 996 [link] [comments]


2024.05.15 15:21 Sea-Hair-4820 Automatons & Terminids MO

This initially was going to be a response to another post, but I think that it'll be better if I make a post myself instead. So I copied and edited the response:
For everyone saying that "you should do the major orders and stop playing bugs": Have you at least tried to see the other side's opinions? I understand failing the major order is big for the community, but not everyone feels the same, and some people prioritize their personal fun rather than doing meta objectives.
Personally, I like the whole mechanic of the galactic war and major orders, pretty unique thing, that's why even though I love playing against bugs, I went over to the automatons side to fulfill my part of the MO. And I suffered. It was not that I love playing against bugs, it was that I couldn't stand fighting bots.
Which faction is harder or more fair does not matter, it matters that they ask of you very different play-styles (assuming that you play on a difficulty that challenges you). And honestly, I like what bugs ask of me, to not let myself be on melee, to always be on the run and killing them in the thousands even with just my primaries.
Bots in the other hand, in my opinion, ask that you stay behind rocks for cover, move inch by inch, avoid as many enemies as you can, and in general play very tactical about it, because if you try running and shooting, you are just gonna get killed by stray rockets or lasers from places you can't even see. And it feels that my weapons do nothing against them, not a scratch, whereas bugs I see the kill counter constantly go up and it gives me dopamine.
I consistently play and win diff 7 against bugs, with bots I had to lower to diff 5 to even have a chance of winning and even then it felt like I was the victim, not them. I specifically remember a mission where you had to scort scientist, and it was a massacre, our 4 man team lost all of their lives in 15 minutes and we weren't even half way through the objective. Dropships landed on the civilians with hulks and I didn't have enough fire rate in my railgun to kill them fast enough so that I could bring people to the scape. It was a nightmare and I rage-quitted.
What I ended up doing is farming bots in diff 4 in the defend the silo mission, where you spam turrets and the mission wins itself.
But what I'm going at is that I understand some people may like one faction or another, or they may like both, or like one but force themselves on the other for the MO. But I can't play automatons, they make my break into a stress nightmare. I want to have fun above all, I won't optimized the fun out of my game just to have 40 extra medals.
TLDR: I don't like automatons, and if you don't either, don't let people bully you into playing it.
submitted by Sea-Hair-4820 to Helldivers [link] [comments]


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