My father was abusive. My mother left him, worked very very hard and has provided a very good life for my siblings and I. I am the oldest and every time we fight, her go to threat is that she will send me back to my father. Every time I say anything she doesn’t like, she reminds me that if it wasn’t for her I’d still be getting beaten everyday. She keeps saying she could have just left us with him and gone on to live a great life. And all this is objectively true. But having it lorded over my head every single time we argue takes an emotional toll on me that I can’t deal with anymore. She is a great mother when we don’t fight- however this ugly side of her is getting too much for me to deal with. I know my mother has worked very hard for us. But i can’t help but hate her right now.

CRKN and FFIE are the two hottest stocks on the market. Getting absolutely historic volume. We are living through an event right now. I think we really underestimate how high these can go.
Reddit meme stocks like GME and BB were all coming off $1B+ market caps. In GME case it's nearly $10B. Can't expect insane moves on stocks that size. But FFIE and CRKN are still very small in comparison. And we're seeing a lot of focus on these two. Gonna be a crazy day today (already is on pre-market).
I've also been trading memecoins on Solana under the meme stock names. FFIE was a big one for me, now it's about $2.5M market cap (sold my position). But a new one for CRKN just launched, it's the only memecoin with that ticker. $25K market cap. Yes, K.
Play both sides homies. Get in the meme stocks, get in the meme coins. This is a viral moment. Let's hope for another 500%+ day. Peace.

Does anyone else have this problem or anything similar? Any tips?
Here’s the deal:
I’m middle aged, a bit on the heavy side and not the biggest gas tank in the gym. My biggest issue in Bjj is that I hold myself back from attacking because I’m literally terrified of exhausting myself on an attack that fails, get swept and then get smeshd. So that the training partners smeshes me right after I’ve already ran out of breathe if you know what I mean? This will literally make me “panic Tap” or whatever you wanna call it. Claustrophobia. So I’ve developed the habit of almost never attacking, which of course is weird in a martial art. I just defend defend defend. For the same reasons I have developed the habit of preferring to give up my back rather than have some fatso mount me. I just hate the feeling of claustrophobia. Can’t stand it. This is no doubt holding me back so I wanted to see if anyone here can relate and what you did to improve it. No need to state obvious facts like I should go out and run or whatever. Thanks!

Hi all,
I'm hoping/looking to set up as self employed (autonomo in Spain). My target audience would be small-medium sized businesses who are struggling with their online presence/community and/or do not have a well established corporate structure/what they currently have doesn't work very well. I come from a customer success (local) leadership position at a large multinational enterprise. I have also studied web development and business at uni. Ever since I moved to Spain and started working for a smaller(25 employees) business with a large local presence and heart in the right place, but desperate lack or structural or any type of organisation or protocols/processes in place. It's s been evident that this hurts customer journeys, and first time resolution, over all resulting in dissatisfaction and complaints, bad reputation, losing customers. Not even to mention the wasted resources and stress that results from having to address and resolve I would be offering consulting and helping set up CRM processes and KPIs to optimise their operations.
I feel like this concept has great scalability, and have plans/hopes on ways to eventually later on register as an ltd(S.L. in Spain)
But since I work full time, and don't want to jump in the deep water, before I "checked the temperature", id like to also down-scale the idea for the moment being.
Meaning I would start out offering online customer service and social media management, but more focused on it being a bigger part of customer journeys too, focusing on organic growth rather than paid ads, community engagement and outreach. Sprinkling in insights as advice and the option to consult on customer success should the business owners be open to the discussion. Once established and potentially reached the level of security to be able to focus on the venture full time, I'd shift more into the consulting/training side as this would require more movement/time/presence.
My question I guess would be, what are your thoughts on this concept and especially starting out with offering social media management with the focus mentioned above?
Any insights/advice is welcomed!

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Thank you for this universe!
And many thanks to for being a full co-writer on this project!
Kaeden and Vichee belongs to and I thank them so much for working with us! It was an honor!
Sven belongs to Bjorn the Copper Paladin from Discord. I hope to do more with them in the future, and have tons of fun!
And don’t you worry about that final in the title! We have some news at the end!
[First]- [Prev]- {Next Story!!}

{Is the reason that everything happened to Tarlim in the first place?}

{Only up to the ramps, mostly. Trying to impress upon people the importance of accessibility for those with extenuating circumstances. At least according to the records I have access to.}

{The average person knows as much about his friends as they do about Mike Collins.}
<...Who?>
{Exactly. 20th century human spaceman, was there for their first lunar landing. Didn’t get to put boots on the ground, and nobody remembers his name now.}

{Hell, I didn’t even know about him until I put in a search query of niche historical figures just to give you an example. Yeesh…}

(Program Selected.)
(Resume Selected Media? [Y])
(Playing…)
Archived Closed Circuit Security Video - Establishment: Exterminator’s Office - Dawn Creek Division - Subbasement - Date Recorded (ST): OCT 31, 2136 - Timeframe (ST): 11:42 - 11:45
The parking bay is silent. Vans are parked neatly in their spots which frame the hallway to the armory and fuel storage for the camera. A ding is heard and something moves in the hallway. Five fully suited Venlil and a Zurulian step out of an elevator and run towards a van. The sound of a door slamming open comes from the hall roughly 6 seconds later. A stream of Exterminators pour out into the hall from the stairwell.
Their voices are indecipherable as they speak over each other. A Sulian runs into the armory and reappears with a huge flamer tank on their back. Another Zurulian can be seen with an extinguisher tank, but a Venlil bleats at them and tosses it aside. They drag the quadrupedal alien quickly into the parking garage before physically throwing them into the back of a van.
From the back of the hallway, a fluid can be seen spreading across the ground. A trio of Venlil back out of a room while holding their flamers up. They are unlit, instead spewing fuel out of their nozzles. The trio twirl around in an overly animated manner as they walk down the hall to the parking garage. A van pulls out of its spot with windows down so the passengers could let out a cheer.
A black-suited Venlil runs up to the spraying trio while waving their arms to get them out into the garage. The microphone just barely manages to catch him saying, “We need to save some for the predators!” One of the other Venlil replies, “Yes sir, Mafchi!” A short flurry of curses is heard as the gathered exterminators pile into the three other visible vans. Two of the vans speed out of the garage, forcing some other Venlil exterminators to dive out of the way in the process.
The black-suited Mafchi picks up a fuel canister that had been dropped and twists off its cap. He slings it under his shoulder and pours a line of fuel. He marches straight to the final van and hops up into the open rear. The van backs itself up to turn out of the garage. The fuel canister clatters to the ground as it pulls away. Before it clears the view of the camera, the Black-suited Venlil is seen standing in its open back. He is holding what appears to be a flare gun.
The flare sails through the air shortly after the van leaves the frame and impacts the ground. It bounces and rolls until it touches the fuel and ignites it in an instant. A small wall of fire proceeds down the provided trail into the hallway, igniting more fuel as time passes. The hallway is quickly engulfed in vividly red fire. Thick black smoke begins to pour out into the garage as the fire inches closer to the primary fuel tank.
Movement can be seen in the hallway between the flickering flames. The silver form of a Venlil Exterminator is seen rushing out of the stairwell and fighting to head towards the fuel storage room. Before they reach, a white flash fills the screen. The feed goes dead, the error code consistent with electrical interruption.
(Specified Media Concluded.)

{Who was what? Mafchi?}

{Hmmm, there aren’t any tags embedded for them. The suits do a rather good job at making the officers anonymous. Let me see…oh.}

{The, uh… the employment records for that Office were…terminated.}

{It looks like…yes, here. Record wipe in 2497. Media with less than 1 bistandannual visit were removed to save space on the university’s central server. It’s…they’re gone, gone gone.}

{Maybe, but that’ll do us no good if we don’t know their name. And because of the chaos of that incident, nobody has been able to accurately reconstruct where every individual was in that office. We’d have to already know who they were to find them.}
<...I guess that’s another person I’ll have to remember then, huh?>
{...Guess so. Speaking of remembering, perhaps you should check out Tarlim’s view again? Seeing how we were just talking about him.}
<...Sure. At least people remember his name, right?>
(Command: [exitprogram])
(Are you sure? [Y])
…
{-Program Selected-}
{-Restart From Last Playback Point? Y/(N)-}
{-[USERID-11229KMD]: procViewHist -}
{-Retrieving Transcription Viewing History…-}
{-List Retrieved - Select Desired Subject: (Tarlim)-}
{-Restart From Last Playback Point? (Y)/N-}
{-Playing…-}
Memory Transcription Subject: Tarlim, the Venbig. Date [Standardized Human Time] October 31st, 2136
No matter how much Sven and Anso griped about it, having them leave and return with the trailer was a great idea. The humans who had gone with them the first time were, to my dismay, excited to try and ride in the back. I had at least been able to impress on those four that I couldn’t let anyone else ride like that, and that they were to help with rigging a trailer with some seats.
I had to admit; they did a good job!
Several couches sat bolted to the floor of the covered trailer and even had some ropes that could be hooked across the armrests as impromptu belts. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it would work as well as any bus or short train ride! Certainly superior to jumping in the bed of a truck.
I strode out into the parking road and swayed my ears to greet Anso. Sven had stayed behind here to meet with the humans and entertain the kids, a job which he was slightly less unenthusiastic about compared to last time. “Greetings, Anso! Have you made the necessary preparations for the humans to leave with you?”
The Yotul hopped out of the truck bed and bounced to me. “We have! I have to say those humans were great workers to have helped get this whipped up so quickly! I hope Sven has been behaving himself?”
I let my tail wag behind me remembering my last glimpse of him. He should really secure his sheath straps! “He has! Been entertaining the refugees while I made sure they all had their belongings ready to go. Come on inside, let’s go gather them.”
I guided him with a wave of my arm as we turned back to the door. To be truthful, I hadn’t expected Sven to win the humans over as quickly as he did. Needless to say, his primitive attire seemed to spark joy within them, a joy sorely needed amidst the sadness of recency.
As we entered the building I noticed something, or rather, the lack of something. When I had exited only a few [minutes] prior, the building had been full of life and noise. Now, it was almost dead quiet, save for the sounds of a holovision coming from the lobby. Rather heated sounds, at that.
“I didn’t think it was already main rest claw,” Anso mused as he, too, recognized the aggravated voices coming from the lobby. “And what are they watching in there? Sounds…angry.”
“Yeah…” I trailed off as I followed the noises. As I approached the lobby, the sound of what I assumed was a Gojid yelling. “You know nothing about my family. TALK, JUST FUCKING TALK, NOW!” My ears pinned back at the foul language at play, hoping that Sven and the children were somewhere else.
As I entered the room, I saw that I was only half right. The children were thankfully nowhere to be found, but Sven was obviously present, as was most of the facility staff. I was about to ask what was going on before another voice drew my attention to the holovision, the same as everyone else. The voice of none other than Chief Nikonus.
“There were three of us who laid out the groundwork for the Federation. When Kolshian explorers came in contact with the Farsul, more than a thousand years ago, the galaxy was young. We were the first in this sector to escape our gravity well. You know about the founding of this institution, but I reiterate it just in case.”
“The Krakotl were the third,” another voice piped up from behind the camera. I thought it might’ve been another Gojid, but the voice was far too breathy. Harchen, maybe? I wasn’t given a chance to consider it further as Nikonus continued. “Yes, they were a problem from the start; aggressive, disagreeable. We tried to identify the problem, and why they were so ill-equipped for spacefaring.”
“We learned they were scavengers, who would occasionally go for fish as well.”
His next line was rendered inaudible by the shocked gasps of both the refugees and residents in the room. I was no different, drawing in a sharp breath at the abrupt admission. I remembered that Arvi had said some aliens were revealed to have eaten meat in the past, but was this the way it was decided to be revealed? With such abject callousness?
Nikonus continued to speak, looking not just proud, but smug with his words. He went on about how the Federation had saved these aliens with their manipulations, but the entirety of his body language seemed to indicate he reveled in how devastating this information would be to the people he was speaking to. How they manipulated an entire culture, a RELIGION!
What if they did the same to ours?
That horrifying thought struck through my mind like a derailing train. I had relied upon the Tenets in some of my darkest moments. Found comfort in them when there was none elsewhere to be found. To have such a comfort revealed as a lie in its entirety, used only for some other group to control you…
The voice of Nikonus hit my ears again. “Oh Sovlin, I already told you. For the small minority of species who don’t find herbivory alone, we teach them the right way. Doesn’t the religion against predators sound familiar?”
The Kolshian was insufferably proud of those words. There was no doubt in my mind now; this was mocking. Mocking a Gojid for following The Protector. For being a predator. For being different, but expecting to still be treated as a person. The Gojid were predators, they couldn’t help it, and they were already being mocked for it.
What might happen to all the other species?
I shifted my focus away from the screen to the crowd, searching for one in particular. Vichee, a Krakotl already so different from everyone else, and now my concerns for them were multiplied with every word that fell from Nikonus’ mouth. Were they okay? They had come in here to see Sven, I had seen them. Where are-
I spotted Kaeden in the corner of the room. Next to him, slumped against the wall, was Vichee. The dual colored Krakotl’s eyes were glazed over as they stared at nothing. I strode over quickly, my instincts wanting to comfort them. Kaeden was simply standing there, it was confusing that he didn’t seem to be comforting Vichee at all. As I got closer, their head tilted up to me, regarding me with an unfocused eye.
“He was right.” They said quietly. My implant almost didn’t pick it up over the sounds of the lobby. “Kaeden had asked me soon after our first meeting if Krakotl had once been meat eaters. Said it was the shape of our beaks. ‘More suited to capturing small wriggling prey than filtering algae’. He told me. I nearly flew away right then… If I had, I would have been alone with this news.”I listened, kneeling down to be closer to their level. “You’re not alone, your herd is here. Right Kaeden?”
He looked over at me and nodded. “Vichee was there with me when Earth was attacked. I’m here for them now. Kaabra and Venik are… together, elsewhere at the moment. But they will be here too.”
I flicked my ears in understanding. “Then I hope they may help in hugging Vichee until their tears are dry.” I turned an eye to Vichee. “Please, I just want you to know that you are still you. What your body does has no effect on your personhood.”
Vichee still sat, their mind still likely whirling with the new information. They lifted their differently colored wings. “I’m well aware. This lesson I already learned. But thank you, I understand what you mean.” Kaeden nodded slowly and Vichee returned to their thoughts.
“There’s going to be trouble soon, Tarlim,” Kaeden stated gravely. “News like this? Nothing good will come of it. I can already tell this won’t go over well. Keep your eyes open.”
As if in response to his words, the sound of clanking metal hits my ears. They shoot up, pivoting to locate its source. There, dashing towards the door, was the armored figure of Sven. I didn’t know him enough to know how this broadcast would affect him, but running was never the best sign. I flicked my ears goodbye to my friends and rose, following after the metal man. In my periphery, I saw the television screen had shifted to show Rolem moving onto the stage. I would have to miss whatever it was he had to say, so ducked through the doors and continued to follow the sound of metal.
As I exited, I saw that I wasn’t the only one to see Sven’s actions. Anso was bounding behind him, shouting something I couldn’t hear. Sven didn’t seem to either as he kept running, but his gait wasn’t one of fear. He looked purposeful, sprinting in a straight line. A line pointed right towards-
Towards the observing Exterminator Van.
The metal Venlil didn’t even hesitate at the presence of the fence. He leapt up in a display of strength and agility, vaulting over the barrier and continuing his beeline into the van. It was like phased through the doors with how fast he moved. There were sounds of commotion that followed his entry, and soon two Exterminators fell out of the van. One Venlil…and one Krakotl. I wonder how Kalek is taking things.
I, too, cleared the fence with only a high step and reached the van, peering in to see Sven at the controls. “Sven! What are you doing?” I asked, the Krakotl officer shivering on the ground in my periphery.
“They got my girl!” He huffed, “She’s a Gojid, they got her, I can’t let them do anything worse to her!” He tried to activate the vehicle to no avail, but his words brought up something that I hadn’t thought much over. I remember hearing about temporary emplacements that were being set up. Paly had texted me about exterminators bringing people there. Her too. And that would mean-
-THOOOOOOOMMMMM-
The wind hit me like a truck and rocked the van I was standing next to. Sven even stopped trying to fiddle with the controls to see what had just happened. In the distance, near the center of town, an enormous black cloud rose into the air, the vestiges of fire still burning in the suspended embers. I couldn’t look away from it as my mind raced with horrible possibilities as my mind tripped over itself trying to concoct a plan of action.
I wasn’t given long to think before the radio in the van crackled to life, startling both Sven and myself. “Attention all True Exterminators! The truth has come out about the taint in our midst! For too long we have lived with its danger in our presence! If any of you still hold the safety of The Herd in your hearts, come join us so we may burn ALL the predator taint from this District! Rendezvous at Vulen’s apartment complex, we shall start our cleansing there!”
The name of one of my landlords sparked familiarity in my mind. They had been working to build a series of new apartments to add to his old, and if I remembered, had agreed to house the Gojid refugees. The Gojid! Paly was housed with them!!
In an instant, I reached into the van and grabbed Sven by the arm. He tried to pull away, but my grip was too strong. “Sven! They’re gonna kill the Gojid! They’re gonna burn Paly!”
He finally managed to shake himself free as my paws became jittery from stress. “I gotta save my girlfriend! She’s in a facility! I gotta save her!”
“But they’re gonna burn people here!” I protested, “we have to do something! We need- We need People who can fight them! Kaeden! I need to get Kaeden! We can save them!”
I pulled myself away from the van and spotted Anso nearby. He must have had to go through the gate, but this was good timing. I pointed a claw at him. “Do Not Let Him drive off before I get back!”
I didn’t give him, nor the Exterminators who had recovered from their shock, time to ask questions. Paly was in danger, as were who knew how many others. I faintly heard my data pad chime from within my shoulder bag, the signal my heart was beating too fast, but I couldn’t deal with it right now. I could get the heart rate under control during the drive. Right now I needed Kaeden, he knew how to fight! How to save people when others were trying to kill them!
My paws guided me and I was back in the cafeteria before I knew it. Some of the crowd had dissipated, but Kaeden and Vichee were still in the same corner I had left them in, but with their Venlil friends now joined. Without leaving time for protest, I grabbed Kaeden’s arm and pulled him away. I heard Vichee squawk behind me, but I was in too much of a hurry. I can’t let her get hurt. I Won’t.
Kaeden started to slap my arm as I dragged the soldier across the lobby. “Tarlim! What the fuck are you doing?? What’s going on?”
“No time, they’re going to burn everyone,” I breathlessly said as I burst the facility doors open to get him to the van.
“What? Who?” Kaeden questioned, still resisting my pull. I could hear a tinge of worry in his voice, and I knew he would understand. Anso looked back from his position as he heard my approach, and upon seeing me dragging Kaeden along, he grew visibly concerned.
“On the radio, something about True Exterminators,” I attempted to explain to him as we neared the gate doors. This time, I simply spread them apart with my free paw, metal screeching against itself as the gate was forced open. “They’re going to burn every cured species they can find, and That Means Paly. I Won’t Let Them.”
Kaeden had stopped struggling as I explained the bare essentials to him, and once we approached the van, he finally had enough sense to ask the right questions. “So what exactly is the plan to stop them? We’re strong, sure, I could probably take most of them. But just two of us against a wall of those flamers?”
“Not two,” I corrected, letting go of his arm and throwing open the back doors of the van. Still seated in the drivers side was Sven, who looked back once he heard me permit entrance into the back. “We have him too.”
“Wh- the LARPer??” Kaeden asked incredulously. I wasn’t familiar with the term he used, but his tone told us all we needed to know. Sven’s eyes narrowed at the perceived insult, but Kaeden continued. “Do either of you have any formal military training?? Rushing down there is only going to get you both killed along with the others! For fucks sake, slow down! We need a plan!”
“T-There won’t be t-time f-for one,” a voice peeped in from behind us. We all turned to face the source, and we found it was the Venlil Exterminator. They recoiled under the sudden gaze of our entire party, but they managed to continue. “I-I recognized the v-voice. It w-was one of the n-new recruits. They m-might as well be Y-Yulpa. If you w-want to stop them, it’s now or n-never.”
We all stared at them for a moment in disbelief that they’d willingly hand over that information to us. They were Exterminators, weren’t they? They should be allied with the voice on the radio! Kaeden, after considering the information, gave voice to my confusion. “And why are you telling us this? You’re an exterminator, shouldn’t you be trying to help them?”
“M-My husband is the Krakotl that was in the van with me!” They yelled back, stamping their footpaw on the ground in agitation. “I-I don’t care what his ancestors did a t-thousand years ago, I will not stand for those zealots burning who knows how many people! We’re not all the same, h-human!”
I was taken aback by their words. I had given up hope that there were any redeemable souls amongst the ranks of those silver-suited brahkasses, but living proof of the contrary stood before us. Their breathing was only matched by mine as my pad continued to chime in my pack. Maybe there’s hope after all.
Kaeden started frantically looking all around, his focused gaze falling on the facility, the exterminator in front of us, and the rising smoke in the distance. After a moment's hesitation, he growled to himself and shook his head. “Fine! Fucking- if you want to prove you’re different, you and your partner stand guard at the gate! They’ll probably try to send a division here, so keep on guard! And for the love of God, go ask for help if that happens!”
My tail wagged behind me as I interpreted what that meant. “So you’ll help us, Kaeden?”
He paused for a second, an agonizing second as he fully took in the situation in his mind. But ultimately, he nodded. “Let’s go, we can figure things out along the way.”
Seizing the moment, Anso quickly jumped into the van and pushed Sven out of the driver's seat, much to their visible frustration. Kaeden quickly hopped into the passenger seat, leaving me with the problem of finding a space that would fit me. I stepped over to the back of the van and threw the doors open.
The flamers and their fuel tanks were useless to us, easy to toss all three sets out onto the ground behind me. I made sure that the flamers were disabled first, of course. Just had to snap the pilot lighters and slice a hose with my claw. Even if these two said they weren’t like these “True Exterminators” I didn’t trust them one bit. I crawled inside the cramped vehicle and wiggled myself to close the doors behind me.
As I got myself settled, I watched as the Venlil Exterminator started to inspect the destroyed remains of their weapons. I squinted a glare at them and positioned myself so they couldn’t enter with me. “You two aren’t coming,” I hissed. “You know why you’re not. Try anything with the humans, and they will stop you.”
I slammed the doors shut as their expressions fell, just in time for Anso to get the van into gear. I curled myself up against the wall of the van, watching out the back window as we sped down the road. We were on our way now. On our way to save Paly and all the people gathered because their ancestors ate meat. My heart hammered in my chest, but I would need to control it for what we were about to do. I needed to focus. I needed to breathe. I needed to be calm.
Focus. Breathe. Calm
Focus.
Breathe.
Calm…
{-ALERT: Automatic Annotation Detected - Switching Transcription Subject-}
{-Loading…Playback Ready-}
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Memory Transcription Subject: Sol-Vah, Fleeing Predator. Date [Standardized Human Time] October 31st, 2136
My legs couldn’t carry me anymore. I had to keep going, but I didn’t have the strength. My pants became wheezes as my body struggled to keep up with the physical exertion of running almost halfway through town. I hadn’t even looked up before now, at least with eyes not blinded by tears. The pain of Mute’s rejection still stung in my soul, a pain so visceral it threatened to rip me apart worse than any Arxur. Protector, what did I do to deserve this? Is there even a Protector, or did the Federation just- just make that up?
I didn’t have time to think about that now, I needed to get to the office. From what little I caught of the broadcast, Nikonus had said they saved us before. I knew what it likely was, but…I was desperate. I just wanted to go back home and have him embrace me like he did before. The safety and love I had felt from him was still fresh in my mind, and if there was any chance I had to get it back?
I’ll happily take it.
As I approached the office, however, something seemed off. I could smell soot in the air, but not the kind of soot that came from our flamers. This was- was…dirtier smelling, as if the fuel had been impure. Upon looking up, however, I saw something that made my stomach drop. A huge plume of smoke, billowing up into the sky. It shadowed the sun itself with its immensity and hate. Did the Exterminators burn more drugs? Or…or…
I felt a renewed vigor as I started to run towards the plume, hoping against hope that I was wrong. As soon as I turned the corner, though, my worst fears were realized. Where the office once stood now sat a burning stack of glorified rubble, every single window in sight shattered and multiple holes in the outer walls. The building was split, it was as if a giant knife had come down and sloppily sliced off its front half to spill flaming debris everywhere.
I stood in front of the building I had once called my home, surrounded by screams and the awful sound of flames roaring. I knew now there was no hope of salvation, no way this could ever be undone. I would never be able to go back to the way things were, never feel the happiness I had for that brief time. I was doomed to this life, abandoned by my love, and forced to live as an abomination devoid of a home.
I suppose that’s all a predator like me deserves.
[First]- [Prev]- {Next Story!!}
You read it right: This is going to be the final chapter of "Of Giants and Journalists." With the conclusion of Sharnet and Vekna's adventure, we will now take the time to show how this announcement has affected our characters and the galaxy at large. We're excited to announce our new series, Nature of a Giant: Aftermath! This series will not be quite as in-depth temporally as Of Giants and Journalists was, mainly because not as much will be happening in as short of a time. Rest assured, though, there will still be plenty of action across the board! You just won't have to deal with over half the story only covering a week of time!
In that vein, we are also excited to announce we are working on another bonus series, one that was teased a long time ago, Venric Lawven: Legal Legend! It will be filling the gap for content while we work on the first few chapters of Aftermath to make sure the scenes are as quality as they deserve, but will have a reduced upload schedule to once a week to accommodate for writing two series at once. On behalf of both of myself and , we'd like to thank all of our readers for sticking with us on this journey. It's hard to believe this series has been going on for over a year in one form or another, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Thank you all again for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you again with Legal Legends! And then...
The Aftermath!!

The 19th century was a period of profound transformation for American education. Amid the sweeping changes of the Industrial Revolution, the United States saw a fundamental shift from a loosely connected system of local, often voluntary schooling to a more standardized, state-supported public education system. This evolution was driven by a combination of social, economic, and political forces that underscored the necessity of education for all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status.
Early 19th Century: The Landscape of Education
In the early 1800s, education in the United States was largely decentralized. Rural areas relied on one-room schoolhouses where a single teacher would instruct students of varying ages and grades in a single room. These schools were often funded by local communities and were highly dependent on local resources and values. Education was not compulsory, and attendance was often dictated by agricultural cycles, with children needed at home during planting and harvest seasons​.
The Push for Public Education
The Industrial Revolution brought about significant societal changes that highlighted the need for a more educated populace. As America transitioned from an agrarian society to an industrial one, the burgeoning cities faced numerous challenges, including poverty, crime, overcrowding, and disease. Education reformers argued that a publicly funded education system was essential for addressing these issues by providing a means for social mobility and preparing children for the demands of a rapidly industrializing economy.
Horace Mann and the Common School Movement
One of the most influential figures in the push for universal schooling was Horace Mann, often referred to as the "Father of the Common School Movement." As the Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, Mann championed the idea that education should be free, non-sectarian, and universally accessible. He believed that public education was a fundamental right and a cornerstone of a democratic society. Mann's advocacy led to the establishment of the first state-funded public schools in Massachusetts and inspired similar reforms in other states​.
Expansion of Public Education
By the mid-19th century, the idea of publicly funded education began to gain traction across the United States. States like Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois passed laws mandating free public education funded by state taxes. The establishment of public high schools in cities like Boston also marked significant progress. These schools aimed to provide a more advanced education to prepare students for the demands of the industrial economy​.
The push for public education was not without its challenges. Resistance came from various quarters, including those who believed that education should remain a private or religious responsibility. However, the benefits of an educated populace, particularly in an industrializing society, gradually won over many sceptics.
Education for Women and Minorities
The latter half of the 19th century also saw significant strides in education for women and minorities. Prior to this period, educational opportunities for women were limited. However, the founding of institutions such as Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1837 and Vassar College in 1865 marked the beginning of greater access to higher education for women. These institutions not only provided women with educational opportunities but also played a crucial role in the broader movement for women's rights​.
The Impact of Industrialization
The rapid industrialization of the United States necessitated a more educated workforce. Public schools began to incorporate more practical subjects into their curricula, such as vocational training and technical skills, to prepare students for the demands of industrial jobs. This shift was part of a broader trend toward a more utilitarian approach to education, aimed at producing a skilled labour force capable of sustaining economic growth and innovation.
Progressive Era Reforms
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of the Progressive Education Movement, which sought to address the limitations of the traditional education system. Progressives argued for a more child-centred approach to education, emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving, and experiential learning. This period also saw the expansion of public high schools and the introduction of compulsory education laws, which required children to attend school until a certain age, thereby ensuring that education was truly universal​​.
Conclusion
Absolutely, the 19th century indeed saw a profound transformation in education across the United States. The push for universal schooling was not just about imparting knowledge; it was a societal and moral imperative driven by the recognition that education was fundamental to individual opportunity and national progress.
Social reformers like Horace Mann in Massachusetts and Henry Barnard in Connecticut were instrumental in advocating for the establishment of public schools and the professionalization of teaching. They argued that education was not just a privilege for the wealthy but a right for all citizens, essential for the functioning of a democratic society.
Moreover, as the nation underwent rapid industrialization and urbanization, there was a growing recognition of the need for an educated workforce capable of meeting the demands of an increasingly complex economy. This led to the expansion of public schooling and the development of a curriculum focused on practical skills alongside traditional academic subjects.
However, it's crucial to acknowledge that these advancements were not without their challenges and contradictions. Despite the rhetoric of equality, educational opportunities were often stratified along lines of race, class, and gender. African Americans, Native Americans, and other marginalized groups faced systemic discrimination and limited access to schooling. Women were often relegated to inferior educational opportunities compared to men, with limited access to higher education and professional opportunities.
Nonetheless, the reforms of the 19th century laid the groundwork for progress in the following decades. The fight for educational equity and inclusion has been ongoing, with significant strides made through movements like desegregation, Title IX, and special education legislation.
Today, the legacy of 19th-century educational reforms continues to shape the American education system. While challenges persist, such as disparities in funding and resources, there is a continued commitment to the principle that education should be accessible to all, regardless of background or circumstance. It's a testament to the enduring importance of ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to fulfill their potential and contribute to society.

I think I might be having my first kidney stone and the doctor told me to take an Mylanta with Tylenol. Does this seem normal to rule out?
The symptoms I described is as followed:

• dull back pain on the left side below my ribs.
• left side increasing in pain around the stomach area.
• no fever, no vomiting
• flush face and mild clamminess
• pain started about 1.5 weeks ago
• just now I'm starting to feel an increase in intensity.

I'm highly suspicious about this advice, just wanted to check if anyone else has been suspected of acid reflux too?

F, 26, 5’3, ~160 lbs. I have history of carpal tunnel and also stress issues.
Hello, today I woke up with neck pain. It bothered me a bit in certain angles throughout the day but I feel it a bit more present now at night that I’m laying down. I don’t remember how I slept or woke up, so I’m not sure if it’s related to sleep position. The pain is in the upper right side of my neck. Towards my head. Some positions feel comfortable but if I turn it feels a bit limited because of the pain. If I look down it is also more apparent. It feels a bit more persistent when laying down. I have no other symptoms, but I noticed that when I try to stretch it by looking to the side I feel very slight discomfort in my jaw area on the same side of the pain. I’m wondering if this is just neck pain from posture, stress, or if it’s something to be concerned about.
P.S im overcoming a very very persistent cough/sore throat that caused voice loss. Not sure if that could affect it.

I was stumbeling over Tibia as an old Ultima fan and love the graphics and assets.
My only problem is I cannot read the chat messages, they are way to small. Same for the inventory on the right side of the client.
I've got a reslolution of 3440 x 1440 and glasses.
I tried to install the client into a VirtualBox VM and changing the base resolution there to 1024x768, but the client aborts while loading because VMs are prohibited.
Any chance I could play this classic without getting blind? :-)

Jack had a decent time as a newborn compared to his aunt, uncle, and father. Being born during the 2000's of course. He was a hybrid of an infected human, rhat being Felix, and Gwendolyn. Luckily for him, it made most of his teetg, except for the molars, sharp. That, and his incredible stamina and weather resistance.
The first four mounths of his life came to horrible turn as his mother, Gwendolyn Kayuri, was killed. Luckily for him, she was able to hide him before Felix arrived.
The next 14 years of his life was hiding. Mostly in basements or hiden rooms, never to see another person than his father. But that's all he needed in life. His father provided a surprisingly good education for Jackson, however not babying him too much.
Now at 14 (1st image) Jack had found it strange that he wasn't allowed outside. Felix didn't have the heart to snap at his son, the poor boy's innocent eyes eating away at him. Felix then told Jack to pack up what little he owned, and for the first time in his life, he saw the outside.
Only for a brief moment however, his poor eyes were adjusted to the dark. His eyes slowly adjusted, mostly thanks to a pair of sunglasses, and laid his eyes upon his worst fear... People. He noted how ghostly pale his skin was. How they looked so "normal" compared to him.
Felix drove him out into the woods, it was far more beautiful than the movies and games he's seen. Than after some rough terrain, he saw an impossible sight... A fort made of logs, and within a town. His father explained that they had made their own community to fight a corrupt government.
Jack was terrified at the prospect of living with hundreds of other people. And all within a single town... It took him weeks to adjust to breathing the same air with other people. That's when one day, he noticed an elderly lady in some black and white robs was struggling into a church.
Being the innocent respectful boy he was, he lended her a hand. As she invited him in. He felt a strange calmness as his cowardice fade. He realized he was in a catholic church, for him it was calming. He felt welcomed there, and soon became a catholic.
2 years pass as Jack was 16 (Image 2). He had a small group of friends. One of which being Maria, who was quite the explorer in the woods. Jack had a feeling he never quite understood... It wasn't a bad one, but a pleasent one. One he only felt around Maria.
Jack finally confessed these feelings to her, revealing she felt the same. Than it hit Jackson in the head, his heart thumping out of his chest. He was in love. But at that moment...
He noticed a commotion outside. Going to one of the fort walls, he watched as a bloody fight ensue between his father, a large muscular woman,a short, pale man with strange fleshy tentacles, and an older man who bared a resemblence to Felix.
He ran outside, quickly stopping Felix from the 4 killing each other. He spoke from his heart, finally setting his foot down. The fight finally de-esculated. However, the older man fell, clutching his chest. Muttering out an apology to Felix and the others. Than Jack finally pieced it together... They were his family, and the old man was his grandfather.
Before he could say anything, Morgan went limp. Jack saw someone take their final breath for the first time. He was in deep shock as Felix walked back inside, not caring about his father's death. However, he saw Felicia and Télios bawling out for their dead father. Rather than leaving the two out there, he led them inside.
The two were overjoyed on meeting their nephew. Jack had opened up a bit more to them, showing them around and showing them to Maria and his friends. Felix however, wss displeased. Thinking the two were using his son to gain intel. Felix quickly kicked the two out, but not with Jack giving them his phone number.
A few hears pass as Jack was 19 (Still image 2, just imagine him a bit more matured). He was enjoying his day until one of Felix's right hand came up to him. Felix was killed, thus leaving Jack the leader of the rebellion.
Before Jack could even mourn, a fire in the surrounding woods broke out. That, and a full-scale FBI and CIA raid was upon them. Jack, with no idea how to lead, panicked. He had no clue on what to do, luckily, most of the rebels knew their positions from drills.
But it wasn't enough, the fire was bad enough but all the enemy units surrounding them? All hope seemed lost until a shout of pure rage and agony was heard. Out of the flames came the scorched corpse of Felix. Jack instanly knew it was his dad, bursting into tears.
Felix was now back at the helm, ordering his men around as they pushed the enemg back. Felix had taken so much gunfire, it was a surprise he was still even standing... Suddenly, Maria was shot. Jack's heart was pumping with adrenaline as he ran for her. He carried her, surprising for his slimmer stature, and ran to safety. Luckily the bullet only hit her leg, but the agent who shit her followed.
Jack noticed, and grabbed a gun. He had the shot but... He couldn't take a life... One of the other rebels shot the agent down as the war finally began to die down. They repelled the enemy and saved the fort from burning! However... Felix collpased, he wasn't immortal, just damn hard to kill.
Jack held him in his arms as he realized there was no saving his father... Not wanting him to suffer, Jack put a gun to Felix's head. Jack muttered a prayer through hesrt-wrenching tears as Felix finally confessed how proud he was. And with a loud bang... His father was free from torment.
The blood on his hands and face... Yes it was the right thing but... It didn't feel like it... He passed the role of leader to Felix's right hand before leaving the rebel life with Maria.
Jack was now im his 20's (3rd image), he was living happily with Maria in (generic city #4). He had been volunteering at any time he could, helping aid the agony of the world. Maria worked at a resteraunt, bringing the two left-over meals. But that's not how they paid rent...
He went over with Felicia and Télios when he could. Spending time at the fight club made hin sick, seeing people laugh at such violence... However, Felicia had made a fortune out of it. She was a bit stingy, seeing that she wanted to save for a mansion, but gave Jack rent money.
However, after a few months of this, Jack was disgusted about his actions... He looked in the mirror, he wasn't a innocent boy. He was a young man, a young man who took a life and now lives with blood money...
He made a plastic mask, fitting snuck on his face. And at long last... He saw that boy again. But the eyes... The eyes don't lie...

Link: https://www.elperiodico.com/es/deportes/20240512/mundial-prefiere-marquez-fiche-red-102252584

A very high percentage of the 1,400 inhabitants of the World Championship paddock take it for granted that 31-year-old Catalan Marc Márquez, eight times world champion, will be the rider chosen by the Ducati Corse team to partner two-time Italian champion Francesco 'Pecco' Bagnaia for the next two years.
The thesis, widely spread in offices, pits and press room of the championship, has gained even more strength after the Italian engineer Gigi Dall'Igna, guru and creator of the great 'boom' of the Borgo Panigale factory and first supporter of the Catalan rider, stated recently that the Italian factory "will take into account when making the decision, not only the results of this season, but the sporting history" of each of the three candidates.
It is clear, therefore, that if the weight of his track record is decisive in the choice, Márquez will undoubtedly be the one chosen. The rider from Cervera (Lleida) has eight world titles, 85 victories and 141 podiums to Jorge Martin's one title, 16 wins and 46 podiums, while Enea 'the Beast' Bastianini has one title, 11 victories and 43 podiums. There is no comparison, indeed.

Ducati's move

As the Grand Prix races go on and 'Martinator' continues to perform as he did last year, when he deserved to be promoted to the position of Bagnaia's wingman (“if they didn't sign him then, why would they sign him now, when they have Marc at their fingertips?” as one of the team bosses of the MotoGP grid told El Periódico), many are convinced that Ducati, which does not need MM93 for anything, as it wins races with a handful of riders, only wants to keep the best rider of all time under its umbrella (electronics work miracles) and prevent the decisive Márquez, who has already shown in recent months to have recovered his voracity and riding skills, from joining the ranks of any other competitor.
All the sources consulted by El Periódico affirm that Dall'Igna is tremendously in love with the elder Márquez, proud, among other reasons, that the best on the grid is, they say, burning with the desire to ride the real official Ducati, as he now rides last year's bike. The Borgo Panigale guru, who, last year, was in negotiations with Honda, is the most influential person in the structure of the Audi-owned factory and, therefore, his opinion is vital for the closing of the deal.
El Periódico is in a position to state that the World Championship and, of course, Liberty Media, the new owners of 80% of Dorna Sports, the organiser of the two-wheeled competition, would be happy to see Márquez opt to strengthen the KTM team, sponsored by Red Bull, the long-time sponsor of MM93. What is more, a source close to the top of Dorna does not understand why the Austrian firm, with whom the Catalan idol made his 125cc World Championship debut (he was champion on a Red Bull-sponsored Derbi), is not stepping up its approach to Márquez, who last Thursday acknowledged that he was talking to all the brands.

Perfect marriage

"It's the perfect marriage," said the source, "as it would be a beautiful and spectacular way to come full circle: to debut and 'champion' with KTM in 125cc and to conclude your successful career with the same factory, taking it, who knows, to the top of premier class. It is clear that for the World Championship organisers to have Márquez as a Ducati rider is not comparable to presenting a 'team' on the grid with the all-time champion and Pedro Acosta, 'the shark of Mazarrón', who everyone considers, right now, the heir of the eight-time world champion.
Now that's a tremendous clash: Marquez-Acosta versus the Ducati squad. Such a change would alter and brutally encourage the championship, the attendance of spectators, the take-off of the audiences and, above all, the media coverage of a World Championship, which has just been sold to an American investment fund for a whopping 4.2 billion euros.
Many in the MotoGP paddock are wondering what Ducati can offer Marc Márquez, compared to what the millionaire tandem formed by Red Bull and KTM could offer him. Nobody believes that the Borgo Panigale firm, which, I insist, does not need MM93 to win, would offer a million-dollar contract to the Catalan, while the energy brand that sponsors him could help the Austrian factory to raise a handful of millions to sign him.
Not only that, but Ducati has no reason to go crazy once they have strengthened their two-time champion team with the current Gresini Racing Team leader. That would mean that Márquez would become just another member of the Italian firm, surrounded by Italians, while Red Bull's media, marketing, television and networking apparatus, capable of sending a man into the stratosphere (Felix Baumgartner, 2012), could help Marc to achieve one of his dreams: The red tide in the stands at all the circuits of the World Championship is the same as the one that accompanies the Dutch F1 champion Max Verstappen, whose orange fans populate the grandstands of all the circuits of the single-seater World Championship.
Those who are voting for the deal (Marc Márquez's move to Red Bull KTM) to become a reality are not looking at contract reasons or anything like that. True, the Austrian brand has several riders under contract, including South African Brad Binder, one of the last riders in the sprint race yesterday, and Australian veteran Jack Miller, but, at the end of last season, it had to make room for the 'shark of Mazarron' in its structure and it did it quickly and efficiently.

KTM wants to win now!

"KTM, my friend, is a factory that has won the world title in all the competitions, categories and specialities in which it has decided to compete at the highest level and, for the moment, only MotoGP resists it," commented to El Periódico, in Le Mans, one of the best engineers of the premier class.
"And now," the same technician went on to explain, "we have all been able to see, especially with the portentous Pedro Acosta, that his bike is ready to fight for the big title all year round in the hands of a rider with experience, courage, determination and hands like Marc, while the 'shark' is growing." There is nothing better for this Murcian talent than to be at the side of Márquez, who has spoken highly of him since he appeared in Moto3.
In addition, the Márquez brothers' manager, Jimmy Martínez, is a former and experienced senior executive of the Red Bull company, which means that he has plenty of contacts to guarantee not only a good contract but also the technical and human conditions, that is to say, the recruitment of the reinforcements needed for his pupil to rebuild, perhaps, his 'paddock' family in the Red Bull KTM.
The experts only have a couple of 'buts' to all this conjecture. One, that Marquez should fall in love with the KTM as he is in love with the Ducati. And, two, if the signing were to happen, Marc would have to re-adapt to a new bike, different from his old Honda and his current 'Desmosedici'.
But none of these 'buts' seem insurmountable, when it comes to the best in the world, who in the fifth race of the season was already rubbing shoulders with the best, ready to win, as he proved yesterday at Le Mans.

Prayer
Lord GOD, It's You we need more than anything. You have taught us that seeking You and Your Kingdom first, will also cause us to be provided with all that we need. Not for earthly prosperity, no; but for Your Kingdom of Love to come here on earth, and Your will to be done here, as it is in Heaven: so that all of your children may be fed and cared for. Help us to seek You and Your Kingdom, here and now, and help us to Love others as You loved us. In Jesus' name, amen!
THOUGHTS and COMMENTS In our previous readings we have seen how Adonijah sought to become king, as well as seeing those who agreed and followed Adonijah, including long-time partner of David's in battle, yet thorn in his side, Joab. Today we begin to see how their plans will fare, as well as the hopes of the prophet Nathan and David's wife Bathsheba.

1 Kings 1:28-40 New King James Version

²⁸ Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. ²⁹ And the king took an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, ³⁰ just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.”
³¹ Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever!”
³² And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. ³³ The king also said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. ³⁴ There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ ³⁵ Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”
³⁶ Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. ³⁷ As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” ³⁸ So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. ³⁹ Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” ⁴⁰ And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.
QUESTIONS

1. At King David's granting of her request, Bathsheba bows down and says, “Let my lord King David live forever!” Why did people say this to kings? Especially when it is plain here in the case of granting his successor, that King David will not live forever?
   
2. Or will he?
   
3. Why does King David put Solomon on his mule?
   
4. And why is it a mule, and not a horse? Was this a thing back in those days? Or is there another significance to it being a mule?
   

Feel free to leave any thoughts, comments, or questions of your own!
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey." Zechariah 9:9

I am a girl in her early 20s. I am not new to mental illness related issues but my issues have always been internalized. My anxiety was internal, anything going on was managed in my mind. It wasn't the healthiest but it was what I was used to.
About two years ago my anxiety became so intense that my body would react seemingly out of nowhere and for no reason. Sometimes I'd have no reason to have such a spontaneous physical reaction. My heart picks up in pace, I can see my pulse in my neck, I start shaking, my chest tightens, I can't breathe and my legs get wobbly. I could be enjoying a tv show and all of the sudden I have a panic attack and my boyfriend has to escort me somewhere to lay down to help my heart rate go down. Sometimes he spends upwards of an hour stroking my hair or sitting with me. It feels very real, and how it feels makes me feel even worse and causes things to get worse. A slight increase in my heart rate makes me anxious, which makes it increase even more.
It feels like I'm dying. I'm not delusional, I know it's not possible I'm having a heart attack, or a stroke, or a brain aneurysm every day or two. Which makes it incredibly frustrating because I know in my mind as it's happening that it isn't a life or death situation, but it feels so intense some part of my brain just freaks out. It's led me to checking my BPM on my phone often, blood pressure machines, taking photos of my face to make sure I'm not having a stroke, pinching the same parts of each side of my body to make sure I'm not going numb on one side. I even say complicated sentences over and over to make sure I'm not having a stroke. I feel my pulse often, count it manually if I feel my phone doesn't do a good enough job. All is basically futile because nothing will convince my brain I'm not having my 100th spontaneous heart attack of the month.
I am a logical person, people commend me for my ability to be impartial and reasonable. I am the kind of person people go to when they need someone to speak on their behalf and to set things straight. Which makes the loss of control I'm experiencing extremely disheartening. It's impossible to explain to others and it's impossible to stop. No amount of reason helps because I KNOW I'm not dying of a triple heart attack, but its "happening". I typically just sit in a hot shower until I feel fine enough to sleep it off, and sometimes if I'm with my boyfriend at home he will sit with me even if I tell him it's fine, and most of the time I'm caught off guard and just have to lay down wherever I am and wait.
It's not a physical problem. I know that for a fact. I had a CAT scan done and other than a few odds and ends that most people have wrong with them that they'd never know about for their entire life, I'm in tip top shape. Almost every category was labeled "unremarkable". I have direct confirmation, doesn't matter.
Anyways, I came here because I spent the night convinced I was having a stroke because my face felt a bit numb. I just got out of my hot shower that I sat in for an hour and I'm off to bed. Felt really stupid once I calmed down and then felt frustrated, then very disheartened. Just a bit of a vent.

I bought the noise VS 102 buds a couple of weeks ago and one of the earbuds(right side) doesn't seem to be charging at all. I've been charging the case all day long and the case doesn't stop blinking. I was wondering if there's a noise official center in Bangalore where I can use the warranty as well.i couldn't find it anywhere

The insult "you lack media literacy" is bandied about more often than ever and I contend there is no objective way to determine which side is accurately representing the deeper themes of any given media.
For my primary example I want to use this:
In an interview with The Sunday Times, the British actor, 52, said that the film is not intended to glamorize the relationship between his and Ortega's characters. "It's not saying, 'Isn't this great,'" Freeman said. Musing that stories about difficult subjects can be tainted by association, he added, "And that's a shame."
I contend in any debate of the highest order of intellectuals there is no way to ultimately determine who is right or wrong in this. Whether it glamourizes or appropriately depicts the abuse as a warning.
The reason I want my view changed is because of arguments over other movies like Poor Things versus Cuties, and Barbie versus Sound of Freedom. Because there has to be some logical exit from the endless accusations. Please know I intentionally did not watch Miller's Girl - yet - in order to maintain an unbiased opinion.
What do I have to keep in mind while watching it to know the truth of the matter, is it glamourizing abuse or does it serve as a meaningful warning?

Based in Australia
A recruiter cold contacted me about a job last Thursday.
It's not exactly what I want to do (which is marketing) but it seems like a role where my marketing skills are transferable to this role and its close enough that I could still enjoy it and get my marketing fix.
The recruiter also told me I'd be getting $2.5k a year more than the place I've recently quit from.
So it's kind of a marketing job, might be a good way back into the industry, and it pays a little more than I was getting.
I went for a first round interview online on Tuesday, it went well and then I had a second round face to face interview yesterday (Thursday).
I got told they had other candidates to interview and that I'd hear back next week if I was to be offered the role or not.
I didn't feel as confident as I did in the first interview because it seemed like the skills I felt cross over, might not actually fit that well and I figured if any of their other candidates knew more than I did about the role, then I wouldn't get the job.
I talk to the recruiter after my f2f interview and let him know how I felt. He tried to reassure me by telling me that I was the "best candidate for what they are willing to pay"
Hmmmm... okay doesn't make me feel super confident that they are paying the standard wage for the position but it's more than what I was getting right? So still a step up for me.
I hear back today (Friday) from the recruiter that I've been offered the role.
However today, while he's offering me the role, he tells me that actually it pays $500 less a year than what I get now.
When I ask if they could match it, he says it's not worth him asking them about it and told me something about a yearly Christmas bonus which would be more than the $500 anyway. 2k but I think he said something about it being dependant on company performance.
But I'm wondering - why would he not know how much they were offering?
Especially because when he told me about it today, it seemed like the company had explained it to him in a very specific way about why it would be that amount.
The way he brushed it off as not being worth him asking them for the $500, doesn't sit well with me either. Like he tried to push for more but they wouldn't budge at all.
Does it seem like they are just interested in me because I meet their price point and not actually that they think my skills match up enough?
Is a week from go to woah rushed to anyone else? Especially because it was a cold call from a recruiter?
I've recently quit a role, and I'm in a position where I'll be okay if I don't take this one.
So should I just wait?
I also rushed into my last job where a recruiter convinced me to take the role and I hated it for the whole year I was there.
So I'm trying to figure out if I'm just a bit jaded or if this is a weird scenario to anyone else.
Thanks in advance for your answers!

Asalamualikum everyone. I hope you are all having a wonderful day. I have been following this subreddit for some while now (without actually having a Reddit account). Finally decided to make a Reddit account too, and I just need some help with what I am going through because I am indeed confused.
I 21M, have been talking to this potential 21F for the past 4 months now, things are going well and both have let parents know about each other, I have mentioned Nikkah to my parents and she has mentioned it to her parents too. Parents on both sides are a bit hesitant and saying we are a bit too young and are yet to get done with exams and all but they aren't completely opposed to the idea.
She is a beautiful girl, very intelligent and mature too. A few things I really like about her are that she is very responsible (takes care of her home alone and studies too) and caring, and actually respects all the boundaries I have set for our communication (she is foreign and for her shaking hands and even hugging is normal, but Ive told her I don't do that because its Haram and since then shes stopped doing it with other guys too like she used to just because its Haram to). Another thing is that she barely gossips or backbites and is always willing to communicate and talk through any issue. AND listens to understand rather than just answer. Honesty, respect, never playing the victim card when they’re in the wrong and taking accountability and willingness to better themselves are some other things I really liked about her. During the past 2 months life has not been easy for me but she has always trusted me and has believed in me and stayed with me even though she could have chosen to leave. She always mentions that she is really impressed by my character and has admitted that she's fallen in love with me being respectful, gentle, calm and that has made her feel safe and secure and apparently feminine too. I like that because she did not look into wealth, grades, beauty, and all as these things may fade away some day but prioritized character over everything which always stays. Prioritizing character also shows that she values the same things for herself too and is always working to be a good person. She also compliments me (prob a lot more than I do) and takes initiative and shows that she is interested too, rather than me just doing all the chasing. I myself am sometimes surprised that how and why does someone likes me this much when I am probably in one of the worst places I have been in life personally. She also tries to learn new things, and to improve herself religiously, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Shes also very trust worthy and has kept secrets really well and advised me in those matters to the best of her ability. Also she has interrupted a good conversation because its time for salaah multiple times, and once she met me with her sister and it was time for Maghrib prayer, so she told me to go offer salah even though her sister continuously insisted that I should OFFER IT LATER AS QAZAA with ISHA.
With that being said what actually bothers me is that there's A VERY EVIDENT difference between how practicing we both are, like for me Islam is the number 1 priority, and ALTHOUGH I am not perfect myself and commit a lot of sins and even sometimes struggle with whats fardh I STILL VALUE AND PRACTISE a lot more than she does. She however says she's been learning and I inspire her to learn more about Islam (she always mentions that I am willing to change everything for you), I dont want her to change for because of me tho I WANT HER TO DO THINGS FOR ALLAH SWT. Like for e.g she got to know that having male friends is not okay, but she still keeps contact with them and interacts very freely with other males too, and once asked me if its okay to go out with male friends alone, and I said Islamically it isnt. So she did not listen to that, but just said I would not go because if you went out alone with female friends (which I would never btw, Ive never had female friends ever) I would be jealous, so I expect you to be jealous too if i go out so I wont go. And there I felt like she did this not because its Haram but because I may feel bad. Other than that her family is also very anti-Islam, like she realized its fardh to wear hijab and I was soo happy about it too, I mean I never told her to but she said she found out its Fardh so she would do that and even did for 1-2 days but when her mom got to know, she forced her to remove it and not wear it again. So these are some things that are confusing me because for me its simple, YOU GOTTA DO WHAT Allah has commanded and even if you like it or not you should be doing it because selectively choosing parts of religion is not okay, which she tends to do a lot. Male friends, and interacting with males soo freely is also something that worries me, Ive gone through this reddit and everyones mentioned that it is a red flag. She says she will cut contact will all of them after nikkah but it makes no sense to me that IF YOU HAVE SET A TIME to end that friendship than why does it exist in first place. Me personally I have never had any female friends, and always interact with the opposite gender respectfully so theres a mismatch there too. And other than that I feel like theres some mismatch in values and morals too, and I dont think people change and you got to accept them for who they are right now, but she says shes changed so much since last year and since meeting me (which idk what to do about) and that she will be willing to change anything for me. But SHES BEEN BROUGHT UP in an anti-islamic family and always been told to keep religion away and its a personal thing, how can she change all what has been taught to her. And I dont think it is fun to teach someone your values and morals and what you think about every other thing, you just expect them to have a similar thinking to you (maybe im wrong here, but that sounds too taxing to me and from what ive seen on this sub reddit a human wanting to control someone’s behaviour and way of thinking is a MASSIVE red flag, so I dont want to be that RED FLAG). Their family is also a lot different to mine too, mines a lot more conservative and theirs is a lot more on the liberal side and I think that could be a problem too maybe in the future, and like when discussing the marriage ceremony I told her that my family would not prefer a mixed free gathering, instead we always have a segregated gathering however family members can be together, to which she said her family would probably not like that and she too would not want a seperate gathering. So its just some things like these that have been making me think over things. She also thinks that i am a bit too overprotective and resitrictive AND IVE never even been that way, I just act like how I normally do.
I dont want to have a long talking stage with a potential, since I think its not the best of things to do, shes the first girl I have EVER talked to with the intentions of nikkah and she says I am the first guy she has talked to who is actually willing to take this initiative too. I just want to decide what to do about this because I dont want to fall in any kind of haram, or do anything wrong/unjust, and neither do I want a LONGG TALKING STAGE (i mean 4 months is already a lot imo). I would be really happy if you people could suggest what should I be doing in this situation, and maybe suggest some questions or topics that I should be talking to her about to clarify things and to know more about who she actually is rather than who she is willing to be in the future. Also any advice related to this situation will BE VERYY HELPFUL THANK YOUUUU. JazakAllah, May Allah bless all you youu. Ameen

And I’m scared shitless now. Because I actually feel better. After 2 1/2 years of failed treatments, millions of appointments, too many medications, and knowing nothing but pain that feels like my entire right side of ribs are all broken, on fire, and being stabbed all at once (CONSTANTLY), I’m scared of the pain relief I’m feeling. I’m scared to get my hopes up that this relief will last anything longer than a day. The most relief I’ve ever had has been for a day, after a 4-hour ketamine infusion. Then the pain returned. And we tried another 4-hour ketamine infusion (which suck ass but I’ll always try literally anything for relief), and even after the second one, the response had diminished. I barely felt any relief for a few hours. I’m so scared to get my hopes up right now, but I’m also trying to be positive and not manifest failure myself. I do understand I’ll likely need them regularly for continued relief. But obviously I can’t get them every day. I’m just desperate for this relief to last like AT LEAST 2 months. I could do this every 2 months (I should add my clinic is 4 hours away so I have to make that trip for any procedure/PM appointment). How do I try to stay positive and manifest success with this treatment when all I’ve known is heartbreaking disappointment? I almost feel medical PTSD. I’m just so terrified to do anything that might magically snap me back into my pain (even though I know that’s not how it works). I’m just worried I’m manifesting my own failure. I have way too much anxiety to have chronic pain, it’s not fair (I’m sure that can be said for many of us lol). Anyways, sorry for the long rant. Any words of support or advice from people who have been in similar situations and/or felt the same conflicting and chaotic feelings would be most welcome 🤍