Aussie ape here, been holding GME for over 3 years now. Have some DRS and some in a broker.
I wanted to make a post as this seems fairly significant and concerning given the past week we have had with the price action. I have a bunch of shares sitting with Australia's biggest bank. Their platform they use is provided by Interactive Brokers (IBKR) and throughout the week I have been watching the price action shoot all over the place.
There was a banner all week on Commsec's site stating they were doing some maintenance on Saturday 18th.
I log in today and I see that there is a section now called 'Excess Liquidity' which was not there all week.
https://preview.redd.it/3hqqhba4vb1d1.png?width=214&format=png&auto=webp&s=b7868d43d8bbace0cc454c7296a29bfcb2cdc6f6
I hover over the exclamation mark and find this:
https://preview.redd.it/a508c40evb1d1.png?width=880&format=png&auto=webp&s=047c214046f306fc5bc7cc45c7b7d62bc0b1a3cb
I can now also trade crypto and options! WTF?
https://preview.redd.it/bzofkzfxvb1d1.png?width=803&format=png&auto=webp&s=0af71928c5704317402c6e86d9b6cf22c2446740
After a bit of digging, it looks like IBKR updated its client agreement just 10 days ago on 9th of May which has information about their 'Universal Account' and a section on liquidation... Registration_v2.formSampleView (interactivebrokers.com)

CLIENT AGREES THAT IBKR HAS THE RIGHT, IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION, BUT NOT THE OBLIGATION, TO LIQUIDATE ALL OR ANY PART OF CLIENT'S POSITIONS OR ASSETS IN ANY OF CLIENT'S IBKR ACCOUNTS, INDIVIDUAL OR JOINT, AT ANY TIME AND IN ANY MANNER (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PRE MARKET/AFTER-MARKET TRADING AND PRIVATE SALES) AND THROUGH ANY MARKET OR DEALER, WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE OR MARGIN CALL TO CLIENT IF AT ANY TIME

It's an interesting thing to have occurred considering the price action this past fortnight and that I have had this account open with Commsec when they were using Pershing LLC (BNY Mellon) before they moved to IBKR in August 2023.
I'll be calling them as soon as their international trading desk support number opens, but in the meantime, can any other apes with CommSec confirm if this has happened to them?

https://preview.redd.it/ai9j3p05wb1d1.jpg?width=1272&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53f4217afc317cd69df572111862998ca939f089
Diablo 2 Resurrected’s diverse classes each bring unique strengths and weaknesses to the battlefield, making the choice of character and build critical to success. Our comprehensive Diablo 2 class tier list will guide you in selecting the optimal builds for the current season.
Whether you’re a newcomer to Diablo 2 Resurrected or a seasoned player returning to the remastered classic, understanding the best builds for your class is essential. As seasons evolve, the effectiveness of certain classes can shift, and our tier list provides an up-to-date ranking of the top-performing classes and builds for Season 7 of Diablo 2 Resurrected Ladder mode.
From the spell-casting prowess of the Sorceress to the summoning abilities of the Druid, each class offers a distinct playstyle. Choosing the right one can be overwhelming, but we’re here to simplify the decision-making process.
To stay ahead and conquer the infernal challenges of Diablo 2 Resurrected, explore our rankings of the best classes and builds for the current season on ItemD2R.

Contents

Diablo 2 Resurrected: Best Classes Best Builds S-Tier A-tier B-Tier C-Tier

Best Diablo 2 Resurrected Classes

With the introduction of patch 2.7, Diablo 2 Resurrected has undergone some changes, shifting the tier list slightly. Here, we present the latest ranking of all heroes of Sanctuary from best to worst. Beyond mere rankings, we will delve into the best builds for each class.

Diablo 2 Class Tier List for Season 7:

1. Sorceress
2. Paladin
3. Barbarian
4. Druid
5. Amazon
6. Necromancer
7. Assassin

While this tier list reflects the current meta, remember that enjoyment is paramount. If you find joy and success in playing one of the lower-tier characters, that’s what truly matters. Embrace your preferred playstyle and have fun conquering the minions of hell.

Best Diablo 2 Resurrected Builds

Identifying the top-tier class in Diablo 2 Resurrected is just the beginning; using the right build is what truly makes the difference. While some builds excel and dominate, others might pose more challenges. This landscape continually evolves with each update and the community’s innovative adaptations.
Here are the current best builds to navigate and master Diablo 2 Resurrected, each optimized for late-game success:

Sorceress

• Blizzard Sorceress: Specializes in cold damage, freezing enemies and shattering them effortlessly.
• Fireball Meteor Sorceress: Combines devastating fire spells for maximum area damage.

Paladin

• Hammerdin: Utilizes Blessed Hammer to deal massive damage, versatile in both PvE and PvP.
• Smiter: Focuses on single-target damage, excellent for boss fights and Uber Tristram.

Barbarian

• Whirlwind Barbarian: Spins through enemies, dealing continuous damage, ideal for clearing mobs.
• Frenzy Barbarian: Dual-wielding weapons, increases attack speed and damage with each hit.

Druid

• Wind Druid: Uses hurricane and tornado skills to control the battlefield with elemental damage.
• Summon Druid: Calls forth a powerful army of wolves, bears, and spirits to aid in combat.

Amazon

• Bowazon: Specializes in ranged attacks with bows and arrows, using skills like Multishot and Guided Arrow.
• Javazon: Utilizes javelins and lightning skills to pierce and destroy enemies.

Necromancer

• Summon Necromancer: Commands a legion of skeletons and golems, overpowering foes with sheer numbers.
• Bone Necromancer: Focuses on bone spells for both offensive and defensive capabilities.

Assassin

• Trapsin: Deploys traps that deal elemental damage, controlling and eliminating groups of enemies.
• Martial Arts Assassin: Combines martial arts skills for powerful melee combat, utilizing charge-up and finishing moves.

These builds are designed to help you thrive throughout the game, especially in the challenging late-game stages. Whether you’re aiming for efficient farming, PvP dominance, or simply surviving the toughest bosses, these builds will provide the framework for success.

S-Tier

The S-Tier represents the very best Diablo 2 Resurrected builds you can use right now：

Character	Build
Sorceress	Blizzard
Sorceress	Hydra
Sorceress	Fire Ball Meteor
Paladin	Fists of the Heavens
Barbarian	Whirlwind

A-Tier

If none of the S-Tier builds take your fancy, then A-Tier builds will let you plow through demons pretty quickly, too:

Character	Build
Sorceress	Meteor Frozen Orb
Sorceress	Frozen Orb
Sorceress	Fire Wall
Paladin	Smite
Paladin	Blessed Hammer
Druid	Shock Wave (Support build)
Amazon	Lightning Fury

B-Tier

While none of these builds are awful, each has more drawbacks than they do positives. If one of them really appeals to you and you want to make it work we suggest you go for it, but on the whole, these are pretty average builds at the moment:

Character	Build
Druid	Fissure
Sorceress	Lightning
Assassin	Lightning Sentry
Druid	Tornado
Necromancer	Mixed Summoner

C-Tier

As we wade further into uncharted territory, these are the builds we recommend only using if you know the game inside and out:

Character	Build
Amazon	Plague Javelin
Amazon	Freezing Arrow
Amazon	Lightning Strike
Barbarian	Frenzy
Assassin	Wake of Fire
Necromancer	Bone Spear
Sorceress	Nova
Sorceress	Enchant (Support build)

So that’s it for Diablo 2’s best classes coming into Resurrected.

In the history of the United States, no Secretary of State has received as much media attention after leaving office as Pompeo.
Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is notorious for his many misdeeds. It is not too much to call him America's worst secretary of state.
political career
As the 70th Secretary of State of the United States, Pompeo has received numerous criticisms for his poor diplomatic skills but excellent lying ability.
Chinese official media’s evaluation of him in 2021 is “Trash in the history of human civilization”.Pompeo Use all kinds of despicable means to oppose China. At the same time, Pompeo gain benefits in China through affiliated enterprises and institutions.
In March 2020, multiple human rights organizations jointly sued Pompeo, saying that the Committee on Unalienable Rights he established was destroying decades of progress made by the human rights movement.
In October 2020, the Vatican Pope refused to meet with Pompeo because Pompeo had previously made remarks that drove a wedge between the Vatican Catholic Church and the Chinese Catholic Church.
Americans don't like Pompeo either.In May 2020, the New York Times published an article calling Pompeo the worst Secretary of State in history, saying that he had no diplomatic achievements.In August of the same year, the Washington Post published a scathing article criticizing Pompeo as the worst secretary of State in history, saying that Pompeo repeatedly made US diplomacy Mired in quagmire.
Abuse of power
Pompeo is unpopular mainly because he lies and abuses his power.Pompeo is like what he said during his university speech, boasts publicly of his ability to "lie, cheat, and steal" and takes pride in it.
For example,In December 2019, while attending a NATO meeting in London, Pompeo privately attended a hotel dinner hosted by the Hamilton Association, a group of conservative businessmen from the United States and the United Kingdom.On May 21, 2020, Pompeo secretly met with the donor several times during his official diplomatic trip arranged by the US government.
According to NBC News, Pompeo’s family members participated in political activities beyond the norm, embezzled public funds many times to host banquets, and organized extraordinary receptions in the name of family members.In 2018, Pompeo's wife Susan occupied CIA office resources in the name of "CIA volunteer" and traveled with her husband.In January 2019, Susan Pompeo accompanied the secretary on a trip to the Middle East, requiring additional personnel and transportation support.Since becoming secretary of state in 2018, he has repeatedly used taxpayer money to host regular dinners with his wife, Susan, for members of the political, business, media and entertainment industries, hosting 24 so far at an estimated cost of millions of dollars and inviting more than 500 guests.The cost of his dinner was paid for by a grant from the State Council. The dinner was not reported to the US government and bypassed regulatory review.
Pompeo even bypassed Congress to make arms deals with Saudi Arabia.On June 10, 2020, the New York Times published an article stating that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo bypassed Congress’s freeze on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and sold 22 batches of ammunition worth US$8.1 billion.In mid-May 2020, at Pompeo's instigation, Trump fired Inspector General Steve Linick, who had been appointed by former US President Barack Obama in 2013. Linick was investigating Pompeo and his wife's use of government resources for "personal gain" and an arms deal with Saudi Arabia.


At the same time, he is also the mastermind behind the assassination of senior Iranian official Soleimani by the United States, the driving force behind the black riots in the United States, and the winner of the "largest anti-Muslim group" award.
Publish books for profit
The fact that such a person can become secretary of state reflects the rot in American politics.
It’s unbelievable that such an incompetent politician actually wants to write a book.



The reason why Pompeo wants to write a book is that the way to make money from big business after stepping down has been blocked by China and Iran.But think about it carefully, what kind of good book can a person with such lies and no credibility write?He only published the book to make money and save his reputation.


But some people who think they are smart regard his books as treasures.This kind of people do not check the rumors spread by American politicians, but also desperately propagandize, it is really poor.
For ordinary people, there's no need to take Pompeo seriously.

I work at the service desk with a lot of female coworkers. A while ago I was helping a customer with an oven he ordered for his client. The oven(not MDO BTW) was delivered to him damaged and he wanted to get a new one ordered. Not a complicated issue except .com wasn't available because it was purchased in the store and the customer's client originally bought that oven so we had to call her to make a phone sale while she was in the middle of her busy day. So this issue was gonna take some time to get resolved and while we were waiting for his client to become available from her meeting, the customer decided to try and "cheer up" one of my female co workers who was working on a frustrating issue to the right of me by telling her to smile more. Just very weird behavior from by somebody who's actually been pretty chill so far.
Shortly after, the client calls the customer and hands me the phone to make this phone sale(I know they're suppose to be the ones entering the card info, sorry I don't give a fuck). While I'm taking the lady's card info down, the man prints some receipt paper off the printer himself and writes a note in cursive and hands it to the same female co worker still working on the same issue. Once the phone sale is complete I give the phone and the sale receipt to the customer and told him to have a nice day. That note he wrote to my female co worker said "don't forget to smile :)". Glad that dude was finally gone at that point cuz he was starting to irritate me. This actually happened about three weeks after a customer who checking out at the service desk told another female coworker of mine "A smile wouldn't kill you ya know?" She was noticeably creeped out by that and didn't smile so he tried to explain to me and a few others saying "I'm just saying it's polite to smile." That same day he wrote a two paragraph email to my store manager saying that she was rude and disrespectful.
Why do people gotta be so creepy for no reason?

Sorry if this question is too redundant or vague.
I'm looking forward to enlisting soon to give my life some direction, opportunity, and excitement. I have some vague artistic aspirations that I'm continually trying to fashion into some kind of career but I'm not really sure what AFSC to choose! I also have other career aspirations to become a psychotherapist but nothing really lines up with that besides Mental Health Service which might as well be Admin.
I was set on EOD for awhile before I realized that I didn't really want the job badly enough to go through such a rigorous pipeline and risk washing out into a shit job, especially when I'm not very mechanically-inclined. I like learning about explosives and it sounds super cool but I dont think its for me, at least not the current me. Since I'll be going into all this as a freshly-minted adult I figure it'd be better if I wasn't worried about failing the EOD pipeline while I'm adjusting to this new chapter, and if it really calls to me then I can retrain later without worrying about failing and getting thrown into MX.
I went in actually being torn between airborne linguist and EOD before I since changed my mind. I enjoy learning languages and have some experience in a few, and doing it as aircrew instead of a windowless cubicle could give me the variety, cameraderie, excitement, mental challenge, and travel opportunities I've been looking for. I've also wanted to learn a language to fluency for awhile, and if I'm really lucky, I could even get Korean, which would be awesome cause I'm Korean-American and have always wanted to seriously learn. But unlike EOD, I have to list another 8 or 9 jobs alongside airborne linguist that I wouldn't mind getting instead of getting a guarunteed job contract.
I already took the AFWIN survey and the only jobs that seemed interesting were Intel and Flight Ops / Command&Control. Stuff like C&C Battle Ops and Command Post sound good so I'll put those down. I might but Public Affairs down too.
So, any advice on picking those remaining jobs, based on what I'm looking for? Is EOD secretly the right choice that I will excel in and lead me to greatness? Should I go for 9J000 instead? What's your job like?

Hi Sysadmin peoples -
I'm a coder for a nonprofit book library archive. I use Linux as my daily driver and am a tinkerer. But I would not call myself a server expert., I work exclusively in the terminal. The board of directors for the company I work for wants me to install a control panel so that when I am not around, someone can restart services and check the logs, etc. We have 1 domain and have GitHub Actions for staging / testing / production. We use a software called Roots.io Radicle + Trellis, which is a development ecosystem for WordPress + Laravel.
I use these -

• Nginx
• MariaDB (MySQL drop-in replacement)
• PHP 8.2 (+ extensions)
• Composer
• WP-CLI
• sSMTP
• Memcached
• Fail2ban
• ferm (firewall)
• Mailpit

1. QUESTION: What is the most feature rich server control panel for Ubuntu 22+ that does not directly modify files on install. I am looking at several and don't mind paying for a license. I do not want something like Plesk / Cpanel as these are bloated and I [think] they modify stuff on install.
   • Webmin
   • Ajenti 2
   • Cockpit
   • Other suggestions?

Thank you!!!!!!!!!

Hello all,
According to HTB's Nmap module, the TCP Connect scan option on Nmap is "the most accurate way to determine the state of a port, and it is is also the most stealthy. Unlike other types of scans, such as the SYN scan, the Connect scan does not leave any unfinished connections or unsent packets on the target host, which makes it less likely to be detected by intrusion detection systems (IDS) or intrusion prevention systems (IPS)."
However, the official Nmap documentation claims that "When SYN scan is available, it is usually a better choice. Nmap has less control over the high level connect call than with raw packets, making it less efficient. The system call completes connections to open target ports rather than performing the half-open reset that SYN scan does. Not only does this take longer and require more packets to obtain the same information, but target machines are more likely to log the connection."
I am getting conflicting information here, and am thus getting a little bit confused.
Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you :)

Audio log
Patient: Mina Paraan
Medically Recommended Therapeutic Journal
Entry 1:
I was told by my psychiatrist to start a journal to put my feelings and thoughts form. Well I guess first off, my name is Mina and I'm a T'thuul. Our species are 2 yar tall. About 1 segment on most sentient lower limbs. While we do have claws, they are meant for fruit. We have thick fur, well, I used to until the incident... I think I'm done for now... I don't want to think about them or I might lose more fur from stress.
Entry 12:
My psychiatrist again told my to put all my thoughts into the journal. What I'm feeling, what I'm doing. I just want to hide under my blanket. It's made of woven varn fur, super soft and warm, and most importantly safe. There's this new fruit at the market today, it was really sweet. Its rind was kinda fuzzy, it tickled my nose. I think the merchant said it came from Sol. I...I think I'm done for today.
Entry 35:
During the bi-weekly visits to my therapist, they try to get me to talk about the incident. But when I think about that day every thing starts to turn red. It's not because I'm angry or anything, it's...Well, we are not the strongest or the fastest, the most intimidating. All we have going for us is a type of psychic ability we gained from millennia of hiding from predators. We can sense the potential for violence in others. We were actually asked by the council to determine if a new race would be able to join without too many problems. I have that very same ability, though mine is slightly different from the norm. A type of synesthesia. I can see the level of potential violence as the color red. The same color as the poison rachu fruit. So far as I have seen, even the most passive races have some potential for violence. From the Shu, a plant race who, when I looked at them, had red coloring on their leaf fronds, to the Jeer, a reptilian swamp species, who's claw were dripping with red. They were the worst I had seen, until them... I'm tired... I don't want to talk any more.
Entry 59:
The therapist was being pushy today. I didn't want to talk about them but here we are. Fine...Human, Terran, Earthling, Solarian... Whatever they want to call themselves. They have the most potential for violence I have ever seen. Remember when I said I could see potential as a red light on the person in question. Well, I was commissioned to go and meet the human emissary as a good will ambassador and to secretly see how much potential they have.
I didn't even get through the front door of the embassy. Great plate glass windows lined the front of the building. It just looked like a bloody aquarium, I could even swear I saw gigantic shadows swimming through that ocean of red. Apparently, someone inside saw me standing out on the lawn, they went and got the ambassador... I saw a shadow moving closer in the inky red, closer and closer. Hyperventilating, as I watched my death approaching. As he opened the front doors, all the red in the building came flooding out across the lawn. I could almost feel the slick feel of blood on my fur, teeth at my throat.
The ambassador asked if he could help me. I fainted. And that's why I have to talk to a psychiatrist two times a week.

Here I have included my pre-draft, post-draft, and fantasy football WR evaluations (shortened for brevity). This is regarding real life skillsets and performance, and the fantasy football ranking is for redraft. I believe that the IRL evaluation is good enough for dynasty as well, even when skillsets don't match fantasy productive ones.
Pre-Draft Rankings:
Tier 1:
These are all players who I don’t want to delve into. They are the safe, elite prospects who don’t have any red flags, which is what differentiates them from the tier below.

1. Marvin Harrison Jr.
2. Malik Nabers
3. Rome Odunze

Tier 2:
Each of the three players in this tier are elite, but have one or several red flags and uncertainty to their game.

1. Troy Franklin
   1. Troy Franklin is a smooth route runner with great deep speed (moves like Ridley), but what truly makes him elite is his much underrated awareness. He has an impeccable feel for both zone and the defensive back’s mind, allowing him to slide into space and break out of the reach of corners, and he also holds an elite release package paired with great ball tracking. From what I’ve seen, Franklin is also the most willing and able blocker in this class. His biggest flaw to me is not his slight frame, but rather his lack of extension when going for catches, perhaps due to his small hands, which allows for random drops and makes him more susceptible to drops through contact.
2. Xavier Worthy
   1. While Worthy has risen in draft boards, the respect for him has fallen after his record breaking 40 yard dash. Worthy might have speed, but he is not all speed. Worthy has been an elite player his whole career, with an extremely early breakout and impressive freshman season. He is often dinged for his ball tracking, an important trait for deep threats, but I don’t see it. Worthy also offers elite YAC ability. He has the mental capability to be used as a consistent threat out of motion, as I don’t see him having the same release package as Franklin. The flaw with him is both being and playing small.
3. Brian Thomas Jr.
   1. BTJ is built in a prototypically phenomenal way. He possesses elite speed, size, and agility for that size – the makings of an elite receiver. He was also an elite producer in college. Thomas Jr. doesn’t necessarily show a lot of flaws in his game (aside from a few small things) – rather he doesn’t show a lot of anything at all. His flaw is that there is not enough information about his game out there to make the evaluation process thorough enough. Questions remain about his route tree and ability to play a variety of roles in an offense. At the very least, he steps into a team as an elite deep threat. In my opinion, Thomas Jr. offers a higher ceiling than Odunze, Worthy, and Franklin, but there’s just not enough for me to look at here.

Tier 3:
Tier 3 contains three players who show a lot of good things on film, but also have almost horrible production profiles.

1. Ladd McConkey
   1. McConkey reminds me of Christian Kirk stylistically. He possesses elite quickness and solid route running with very quick, twitchy steps. It is clear that he knows how to keep defensive backs guessing. I also noted that he shows strong YAC abilities and the willingness to seek out contact.
2. Adonai Mitchell
   1. He might have diabetes, and he might be lazy, but AD is smooth. I thought he’d run a 4.55, and at that point I had him at 6 I believe. AD has sneaky athleticism and deceptive quickness, and a very encouraging frame to pair with this. While I don’t see a lot of flaws in his game, I will say that he has one of the worst analytical profiles I have ever seen.
3. Roman Wilson
   1. Wilson is my favorite player in the draft, and I have been waiting for him to join the NFL for years. While I am not a Michigan fan, I have watched a lot of Michigan and Ohio State games, and fell in love with Wilson’s play. He is an elite athlete, with a willingness to go up strong for balls, and is simply just good at the game of football. I believe he would have shown a lot more if he was on a more passing oriented offense.

Tier 4:
Tier 4 has three players who are both older prospects and also have questionable production profiles.

1. Ricky Pearsall
   1. Slick Rick is definitely slick. He has arguably the greatest catch in CFB history, and is a silky route runner with great athleticism and burst. He seems to have a great understanding of how to run routes. Pearsall is a 5 season player, with non-elite production in any of those years – however he has shown improvement in every one of those years. He is not the tenth best receiver in this class right now – I only have him this low because of his age. However, I don’t think he has the production or the film to strongly suggest that he’s better than any of the players I listed before, which is why the age can lower him. Tank Dell was a 24 year old rookie, but his film would be enough for me to raise him higher.
2. Xavier Legette
   1. Legette has elite speed paired with elite size. I will not say he has elite athleticism however. His agility is not nearly good enough for me to give him that title. This is where I feel people tend to misterm athleticism – by equating it to a size/speed combo. Legette also only had one year of elite production. Legette is great at the catch point, with solid hand technique and vertical ability, but he leaves a lot to be desired with his release and his hip flexibility. He is not yet a strong route runner. I don’t really mind his late breakout too much – he has a lack of refinement in his game that would explain this as he is a growing player, but here’s some good scouting: what I truly can’t deal with is his accent.
3. Malik Washington
   1. Washington is another late producer like Legette, with only elite production in his 5th year. However, I believe that was due to him playing his time out in an awful Northwestern offense. Washington left Northwestern not through a transfer, but because he finished his degree early. He might be small, but he is incredible at football, and offers elite YAC ability to pair with his excellent feel for zones and space. The only reason I have Washington this low (although it is not low) is because I know he will be overlooked in the NFL and will have a difficult path to success.

Tier 5:
The players in this tier will likely all have a role in the NFL, or at least the chance to have a role in the NFL.

1. Ja’Lynn Polk
   1. Polk bores me a bit, but he’s good. I believe he is a useful asset to any team in the NFL. He plays with a lot of grit, which teams should like, and is all around a solid and smart player.
2. Malachi Corley
   1. The self proclaimed “YAC King” is exactly that. In fact, his YAC ability is so good that it’s almost as if he was a running back playing receiver. Oh right. He is. That being said, Corley has the agility to become a great receiver. While his switch is probably due to wanting the longevity and paycheck associated with the position, I don’t doubt that he has the ability to make up for his late start. He’s not really there yet, so his athleticism only gets him this high.
3. Keon Coleman
   1. Coleman is in the classic “Alpha” mold. If you’re wondering why he’s so low, I just don’t like that mold. I don’t care about his 40 time, he seems fast enough to me. In my opinion, Coleman does not have the agility and hip flexibility required to run great routes. That’s why I just don’t see him learning route running. He offers elite vertical leaping ability, body control, and good hands to match this, but he’s not Mike Evans. I don’t think Coleman has no path to success in the NFL – he’s still a decent player, just not my kind of player. The landing spot will matter with this one.
4. Jermaine Burton
   1. I don’t like Burton. There’s just something about his face – he looks like a less creepy Spencer Rattler. However, I’d say he’s a good player. He has solid athleticism, and I believe he has the ability to run a variety of routes, despite working in a vertical offense. Burton has great hands, albeit a short catch radius, and plays very strong. There’s definitely things to like about his game – and who knows, maybe being a bad character is a good trait.
5. Javon Baker
   1. Baker strikes me as someone who loves football, with an alpha receiver mentality. He might know too much – while he has great route running, he sometimes seems to almost spam fakes and make unnecessary movements that leave me confused instead of the corner. That’s not really a big concern for me though. He is great at the catch point as well, showing great determination and body control. I’m not sure he has the athleticism to truly be elite, and while the Big 12 is a decent conference, the defensive backs in his film seemed to be mostly bums, but with a good landing spot I think he has the ability to shine. I’m rather surprised that he decided to transfer out of Alabama, but whatever, it worked out.
6. Jalen McMillan
   1. The much underrated and overlooked third brother. McMillan looks soft, but he has good athleticism and good flexibility. He’s also a good route runner with good body control. I’d say he’s good. With players like him, it really depends on how much the team that drafted him believes in him. I don’t doubt that it will be easy for him to get hidden in a deep WR room.

Tier 6:
Tier 6 are the guys who I think are good players but don’t think they will get a chance to show that, with play strength and size being concerns. I think they can work despite this, but I doubt NFL front offices will.

1. Jamari Thrash
   1. Thrash is a smooth player with great route savviness, but is complete trash when it comes to contact (easy pun intended). Physical corners can easily thrash him around during his routes.
2. Jacob Cowing
   1. Cowing probably has the highest likelihood of success among the three, as he possesses the best release package which is important for small receivers. However, he’s no Tank Dell. In fact, he IS Tank Dell, just worse at every aspect of the game. He’s arguably more athletic however, and showcases elite explosiveness.
3. Ainias Smith
   1. Explosive with quick feet, but is small and plays small. I think he has a lot of ability, but he’s not the type of player that NFL teams want to trust.

Tier 7:
Tier 7 contains players who don’t have it right now, but could have it with some development.

1. Tez Walker
   1. There was a lot of hope for Tez coming into the 2023 season, and he delivered. Delivered very little. While he showcased absolutely zero route running savvy, he has the elite athleticism to make up for this, and is not completely inflexible. I do want to blame the college football body and UNC for some of his failures, and he wasn’t really all that bad. I just don’t think he’s quite there yet.
2. Luke McCaffrey
   1. McCaffrey has great athleticism and elite lineage, but that’s about it. He wasn’t bad in college, but played for Rice. He’s in the middle of his learning curve for the position after converting from being a mediocre QB, and I’m sure he can figure it out – I’m not out on him.
3. Johnny Wilson
   1. Wilson is absolutely incredible for his size. He is a fluid athlete with solid speed, and more than decent route running. Unfortunately, at his size he needs to be excellent at the catch point and with contested catches. He is not. In fact, it’s his weakness – he is extremely soft, unlike his hands. He’s the odd case where I think he’d be much more successful if he dropped half a foot in height. If you combined the best of Johnny and Keon, you’d have a possible goat receiver.

Tier 8:
Tier 8 has guys who piqued my interest with their play, but are likely going nowhere. Gould is small, Bub Means is named Bub Means, Vele is an old man, and Coker is slow and played for Holy Cross.

1. Anthony Gould
2. Bub Means
3. Devaughn Vele
4. Jalen Coker

Tier 9 is all of the guys I haven’t watched enough of that didn’t make this list due to that.
Tier 10 consists of the players who are, in my humble opinion, bad.
Tier 10:

1. Brenden Rice
   1. My evaluation of Rice has nothing to do with his father. I truly do believe that he is the second worst receiver in the class. In fact, I think he will obviously get a shot because of his father, and that he has the work ethic and connections to improve dramatically as a player. However, as of right now, while he has solid hands, he runs everything in one gear, and it’s visually appalling. He stomps the ground as he runs, and while it seems like he has some understanding of route running techniques, it all goes to waste since he runs his routes as hard as possible.
2. Cornelius Johnson
   1. As I said earlier in my Roman Wilson evaluation, I have watched a lot of Michigan games. This means I watched his counterpart on the other side – Corn Johnson. In all my years of watching football, I have never seen a player worse than Corn. He is truly awful at the game. He has absolutely zero ball knowledge and route running ability. He’s actually pretty decent at the catch point, but not enough to make up for his terrible play in every other facet of the game. He somehow had Harbaugh’s trust to keep starting, so I still wouldn’t be surprised if he was drafted, but whatever team makes that decision has completely wasted a pick they could’ve otherwise spent trading for McCorkle Jones or some other washed up player.

Post-Draft Rankings and Comments:
Contrary to popular opinion, I believe that situation is actually very important regarding a wide receiver's career. It is worth noting that I actually did my pre-draft ranking writeups after the draft despite wording them as though they were written pre-draft, therefore the adjustments here are not new revelations, rather they are simply the changes I believe draft capital and landing spot make.

1. Marvin Harrison Jr.
   1. Great landing spot, bad franchise
2. Malik Nabers
   1. Mediocre landing spot, bad franchise with bad assets but good volume. Will play alongside WanDale Robinson, a player who also generates elite separation.
3. Rome Odunze
   1. Landing spot is alright, the franchise is bad but the team is set up well. Will be the WR3 to start however, but that should not necessarily hinder his career.
4. Xavier Worthy
   1. Very good landing spot with the best quarterback in the league, and another field stretcher already on the roster, suggesting that he might run routes with some variety and improve his game. It is not a perfect system for production however.
5. Brian Thomas Jr.
   1. Attached to a good, young QB, who should help each other. Thomas Jr was clearly drafted to slot into the alpha role, with Kirk taking the slot and Davis stretching the field. At the very least, Thomas will also be an elite field stretcher, really opening up things for Kirk and Engram underneath, as well as opening the box for Etienne. The franchise does not have a great history with receivers.
6. Roman Wilson
   1. Excellent, phenomenal landing spot. Wilson lands in another run-heavy offense as the clear WR2, from a team and staff that has been historically great with evaluating and developing receiver talent.
7. Ladd McConkey
   1. McConkey is presumably the current or soon-to-be WR1 in LA. The landing spot is definitely good amidst a weak WR corps, although I’m not fully certain about his ability to be the Alpha. Perhaps they expect something out of QJ? Palmer is solid but not spectacular.
8. Ricky Pearsall
   1. For his age, the spot isn’t ideal, but the capital is great. Pearsall is definitely a good player, and if one of Deebo or Aiyuk is traded (likely Deebo) he comes into a great role. I’d call it a good landing spot.
9. Troy Franklin
   1. The capital is horrible, and I feel teams have made a huge mistake here. Franklin is too nice and genuine of a guy to have that ‘chip on his shoulder’ effect from his fall, but he will definitely take his role seriously. With his talent, I see him slotting in as the WR2 on this offense early, especially with the Nix connection, but he has to beat out Mims. For the capital, it was definitely the best landing spot he could have got with a team that really wants him.
10. Ja’Lynn Polk
    1. New England is historically awful at wide receiver evaluation, but Polk is solid and will come into a WR room with no alpha and a rookie QB. Pop Douglas is a good slot receiver, and Bourne is alright, but that’s about it. I believe they should play a Polk - Douglas - Baker line, but Bourne will likely be starting, which is understandable.
11. Adonai Mitchell
    1. Awful landing spot. The worst he could have hoped for. AD has that chip on his shoulder, but he comes in as the WR3 in a role that is likely mostly field stretching. If there was actually a lot for him to learn, then this landing spot subtly becomes very good.
12. Keon Coleman
    1. I would argue that this is the best landing spot for any player in the draft. The capital is excellent, and the fit is excellent. Keon might not get any separation, but Josh Allen is exactly brain dead enough to just chuck it to him anyways. Very few other quarterbacks would have the confidence in him to simply target him despite being draped, and Allen is a very good one, who might be forced to pass to him considering how weak the room is. I believe Shakir and Kincaid are decent, and that Samuel might be better than Coleman, but Allen and the team will likely treat Coleman like the alpha, and this will be reflected in his targets. It also helps that Coleman is a very likable character, which might offset his bad at football accusations with great production on poor efficiency.
13. Xavier Legette
    1. It’s a new front office in Carolina, but I don’t really trust the pick. It doesn’t help my concerns when you consider Legette is also from Carolina, which might bias the selection, especially when everyone knew he was going there but nobody cared enough to try to get him over Carolina. On the plus side, he went to the only place where people can understand him, and he fits the room well alongside Diontae Johnson. He’ll probably play in a role that doesn’t suit his skillset, but he can succeed here if Bryce steps it up with an improved line.
14. Malachi Corley
    1. Good landing spot as a YAC slot player, while living with Rodgers. Definitely intriguing, although the franchise is bad so his development might be minimal.
15. Jermaine Burton
    1. Good landing spot imo, with room to learn the position and role and then replace Tee Higgins. Still don’t like the guy.
16. Javon Baker
    1. Lands in an open room with alright capital. Is the WR4 already imo, with an opportunity to earn the alpha role if he’s up for it.
17. Luke McCaffrey
    1. Great capital for the level of play he’s shown. He definitely has a role as a starter intended, although I hope they took him due to athleticism and not name (3rd is too high for it to be name value).
18. Devontez Walker
    1. Good spot to learn and possibly start while getting no targets.
19. Malik Washington
    1. Bad landing spot, and bad draft capital. Washington is fantastic, but he’s old and behind two great receivers, not to mention OBJ being signed (which I imagine means he will play). Washington could have started in the slot, but now he will have to wait and earn a role.
20. Jalen McMillan
    1. He’s the WR3 in Tampa, but Godwin will likely take the slot, which means he might be the WR4 unless they play him on the outside.
21. Jacob Cowing
    1. Deep corps with Pearsall taken ahead of him, but a good place to grow.
22. Jamari Thrash
    1. He has one great receiver ahead of him, and two alright receivers that I don’t believe he has the quality to surpass, but I think he can gap Cedric Tillman. There’s probably not much hope here.
23. Ainias Smith
    1. Smith can beat out Parris Campbell for the slot role, and while he doesn’t strike me as a consistent player, he can still ‘thrive’ for meager numbers under a great corps.
24. Bub Means
    1. The WR3 in the room is open, and by all means the job is his to take (that pun was actually unintentional I swear I only noticed it after writing it).
25. Brenden Rice
    1. He might be horrible but the WR room is completely open, and his late draft capital might make Papa Jerry step in and give him some instruction in how to play the position. There’s probably some sort of upside here.
26. Johnny Wilson
    1. He could definitely beat out Devante Parker who has the exact opposite skillset as a fellow big receiver, but the slot is the role that is open outside of AJ Brown and Smitty. The volume is also going to be low.
27. Anthony Gould
    1. The Colts landing spot doesn’t suddenly look better. Obvious depth role with no hope of ever starting.
28. Devaughn Vele
    1. I could see Payton really liking him, and him earning time, but he’s 26. I believe in him though, despite this ranking.
29. Jalen Coker
    1. Panthers are bad, undrafted is bad, I don’t see him getting a chance.
30. Cornelius Johnson
    1. I almost raised Corn higher because Harbaugh drafted him, and Harbaugh obviously knows more about him than I do, but then I remembered how bad he truly is. I insist that there’s no hope for him, he’s just awful.

Fantasy Football Rankings (only included plausible contributors):

1. Marvin Harrison Jr.
2. Malik Nabers
3. Ladd McConkey
4. Xavier Worthy
5. Keon Coleman
6. Rome Odunze
7. Brian Thomas Jr.
8. Xavier Legette
9. Roman Wilson
10. Troy Franklin
11. Ja’Lynn Polk
12. Adonai Mitchell
13. Ricky Pearsall
14. Malachi Corley
15. Jermaine Burton

1330 Terran Front Fleet Time
On the Turinika homeworld, the first signs of unrest began to manifest like a wave, The broadcast of the most esteemed Tizikikoonazikiakakiatkata, Taratanti of the roost Kazatalak, openly performing the act of Kavsa had been met with shock. The last Taratanti who had voluntarily performed Kavsa had done so in protest of the treatment of the Kulorn caste, nearly two thousand years prior. It was an ancient rite, one that signified rejection of the greatest shame. Even more shocking than the act itself was the evidence that had followed it. Visuals of species, brought into the Conclave, not as migrant workers as had been believed, but as slaves, was met with an almost immediate attempt at censorship. This attempt failed spectacularly, mostly due to those who had been tasked to censor the information not only refusing to follow the command, but openly declaring that they had been ordered to do so. A situation that was already, as the humans would say, out of hand, spiraled completely out of control. Within only twenty minutes of the ending of Tizikikoonazikiakakiatkata’s broadcast entire cities entered a state of absolute anarchy. Two planetary capitals were stormed and taken by the furious civilian population, demanding the location of those who had been enslaved. The Turinika Armada, which even then was in the middle of a training session meant to prepare the fleet to withstand the Terran Front’s assault, began to cease operations. Within the hour, the entire armada would be recalled to the turnika homeworld. Those who did not take to the streets simply stopped whatever work they were doing and went to their homes to be around their brood. Images of Tizikikoonazikiakakiatkata with his stripped wings spread wide in front of the human fleet commander were on every news fed of the Conclave, as was the sound of his thunderous voice, and the wails of despair from a turinika female that couldn’t be seen. Close ups of the human fleet commander’s face were shown, with analysts remarking on the shock, horror, and sympathy. Since the outbreak of the Seventh Orion War, the female human known as Simmons had been reported to have made several threats towards the turinika, she had quickly become seen as a warmonger, ready to take revenge against the turinika for refusing to go to war and violate their principles of pacifism. Now the images of her lunging forward to stop the violation of Tizikikoonazikiakakiatkata’s plumage, the agonized expression of her face, and the true reason for her threats against the turinika were rapidly reversing her image. On far flung deep core mining stations and agricultural stations, on deep space stations dedicated to material processing, and in other areas hidden from the sight of the normal turinikan population, overseers and taskmasters felt their hearts run cold at the knowledge that very soon, their part to play in the willful enslavement of another species would be known to the wider Conclave. As the data package transmitted alongside the broadcast were fully decompressed and the scale of the Conclave’s government’s involvement was revealed, the entirety of the Conclave itself was teetering on the verge of absolute pandemonium. The image of a member of the kolra species, from the look of it barely a hatchling, quickly was becoming the face of the entire incident. The picture was absolutely damning, and the sight of the image had sent any who saw it instantly into contorting and painful displays of shame. The young kolra was sprawled on it’s stomach, looking to the one taking it’s picture with eyes that had no life in them. It’s shell covered it’s back, and despite the age of the kolra it was already dulled and scuffed. The foot pressing down on the shell was unmistakably familiar to those who saw it, the clawed feet of a turinika. Within the hour, billions of winged figures stood in streets, the normally soft spoken and passive species demanding action, demanding justice, on the hundred worlds of the Turinika Conclave. The bulk of the Taratanti caste, most of whom had been left in the dark of the truth of the situation, quickly went public with their own declaration of outrage, and the eyes of the entire species turned inwards to the mountainous homeworld of their species.
Hakuri Watanabe looked down at his helmet before putting it on his bed, the stylized SEVEN seeming to stare at him. He sat down in his chair and picked up a small cloth from his buffing kit. No one knocked on his door, in fact, mostly he and the rest of his squad were left alone before a major operation. They were just given their time, time to mentally prepare. Some of his squad would go over their mission briefing, some, like him, would spend their time doing something to relax themselves. Hakuri always found that taking care of his suit calmed him considerably. Granted he could simply turn it over to the squads armorers to be tended to and they would do as good of a job as he could, but he preferred it to be done by his own hand. The symbol of a triangle was on his form fitting shirt, the symbol of his special operations command unit. He was known as a Myrmidon, but the official title of his unit was Section Three. He knew this, his superiors knew this, and as far as Hakuri knew, most of the Terran Front was aware of his unit’s existence, but past that, they knew very little about what he actually did. As far as his mother knew, Hakuri was a pencil pusher onboard the TFS Berlin, the troop mothership that all of his letters were sent from. He thought about writing her, but then again, he only liked to do that when he returned from a mission, not when he was expecting to go to one. If he tried to write her when he was waiting, he would just get anxious, and homesick. That wouldn’t do when he was dropping into a combat zone. That wouldn’t do at all. Hakuri instead started to buff his helmet, waiting for the word to come down which meant they were prepared to jump. A glance at the clock made him pause in his circular rotations. The clock said 1330. Operation Naked Sun was about to begin.
Tika was on his side, Kzia standing at the end of the medical bed that had been adjusted for his turinikan physiology. He felt cold in more ways than one. For his people, clothing was more of a decoration than a necessity, but without his protective plumage he felt the cold stabbing him through to his hollow bones. His diplomatic access was already gone, his privilege access revoked. He heard the broadcast for a preparation to jump, but he wasn’t truly listening. There was no question in his mind he had made the right decision. There was no question at all. One of the humans, a nurse, came to his side and gently laid a heavy blanket over him. The human’s hand lingered on his trembling body for a few moments before it was removed, and Tika glanced in their direction. The female was one of the ones who had responded first to the call for medical service for him, had heard what had happened and why. Tika had gotten very used to being glared at on this ship. He was hated, and he knew it. He knew he had deserved it. He was a party to the vral’s enslavement of the humans, the chua, and far too many others. When he had come to Thermopylae station, he had not even given that fact a single thought. He was born into power, being of the Taratanti. He belonged to the most powerful species and government in the entire quadrant of the galaxy. His people, while mighty, did not seek to use it. To him, they had simply been above it all. When the vral had approached him with the offer to sell captured species at first TIka had wanted to reject it out of hand, but a few had told him to go through with the sale. Such was the nature of this galaxy, or so he had believed. The weak were at the whims of the strong, and one’s place in the galaxy was determined only by the power they could wield. The turinika were not nearly the first to have taken a species and used it for slave labor, and while Tika did not approve of the deal, he had not fought it either. As he looked back to the wall, he remembered what the humans had taught him these last days. When he had arrived in Thermopylae he had assumed he would find the chua species to have been at the very least regulated to a subservient role, if not outright enslaved. Finding them sharing power was a curiosity. He had expected to be treated with all the honor and dignity that his station demanded, that the power of his government demanded. Fleet Marshal Simmons had disabused him of that, and had left him humiliated and shamed. As he had laid in the dark as Simmons had declared the Seventh Orion War, covered in his own filth, feeling as if at any moment he was going to be killed he knew true fear and horrific uncertainty for the first time in his life. He had never faced these emotions, these sensations before. He had always been in power. He had stood with the full might of the Turinika Conclave behind him. He had never known anything other than the superior position. Now, as he lay in the hospital bed, staring at the wall, he was ashamed of how arrogant, how blind, and how short sighted he had been. After he had risen from his own filth, he had desperately tried to convince his leadership of the strength of the Terran Front, how it matched or eclipsed their own. The Conclave was not the unchallenged power in the quadrant anymore. The terrans, the human and chua, had somehow defied fate. They had not fallen to the vral after ninety years of near constant conflict, and now if Tika was right they had come out of it nightmarishly stronger than before. Tika had actually begged to be heard by his superiors, and he had never come close to that once in his life. The chua homeworld however, had fully broken him. If he had not been on the Antares, had not been humbled beforehand, he knew that he would have just clapped his hands together and said that it was delightful. As the transmission from the chua homeworld had come in, and the rescue effort had begun, he could only wallow in his own shame. He had profited directly from the chua’s suffering, the human’s suffering. Again he had tried, and failed, to convince his people, and again he had failed. Being on the Antares, for him, was torture. The lights were too dim, every human and chua looked at him with nothing more than loathing and contempt, his entire worldview had been shattered from the way he viewed the galaxy to his own place in it. Every time he closed his eyes he saw the shadow of Simmons standing over him, her voice cold with a lethal rage, hearing her voice echo in his mind, seeing the glint from flashes of light shining in her eyes. ‘We Know.’ echoed in his mind in his sleep, the voice of the terrifying Fleet Marshal transforming into the sound of a vengeful god demanding compliance and promising retribution. Then he had watched the humans and chua, who he knew were preparing to go to war with his people, celebrating the return of the shesvie. Once more he had expected them to be integrated into the Terran Front, but as soon as he learned Simmons offer to them, and what it had entailed, he had been called to his room to answer the latest message from his people. Once again, his people had doubled down, the knowledge of the enslavement of the humans had been suppressed, and once more Tika found himself, and his people, standing against a Terran Front that had every justification to declare war, to right the wrongs that had been done to them. All the while, he knew something else. He knew that, after everything he had seen, that his people would lose. The turinika had not been to war for nearly two thousand years. His people were not ready for what the Terran Front could do, and after seeing what they had done to the vral so far, he knew his people were not ready for what the Terran Front would do. He was afraid of the dark. Tika was absolutely terrified of it now, because now he knew the monsters were real. Simmons had shown him that, but the humans, the chua, they were not the monsters. He was. He had refused to be one any more. He had announced his intentions to his staff, who had squalled in rejection, all but three. Kzia was the first to step to his side, Kikumot and Tziki had stepped forward as well. Never, in his most nightmarish dreams, did he ever think that he would stand in front of Simmons and voluntarily have his plumage stripped from him, performing the act of Kasva. He never thought that his staff would have ever compiled and transmitted the data package they had sent. He had never thought that he would betray his people, if only to save them. Simmons had changed that, the humans had changed that. He knew the terror of the dark, he knew fear for his people’s safety, he understood the horror of war, and for the first time in his long life he could truly look back at every interaction he had had, with every species, that had asked for help in their struggle for survival against the vral and truly understand their fear and desperation. Now he lay, his plumage stripped from him, his station revoked, his status removed, surrounded by a people who despised him. He wouldn’t have it any other way now. He knew that they would listen now, if not to him, then to the civilian masses of the Conclave that would not stand for what they had done. He prayed to the Great Mother often now, shivering in the dim light, hoping that it would be enough. He had been wrong, and in his error he had sullied his own people. He had made them complicit. Even now, he did not know how they would ever be forgiven, because right now he wasn’t quite sure he could ever forgive himself. As he heard the broadcast calling out on the ship, announcing one minute to jump, he felt a hand on his side, and looked up to the human nurse. She was smiling at him. Not a smile born of malice, or anger, but a genuine smile. She patted his side lightly, then turned to walk out of the room. For not even the twentieth time since he had come onboard Thermopylae, he was mystified by these people.
The bridge of the Dhampir was thrumming with music and the vibrations of the reactor and Conrad leaned forward in his chair mount, his eyes almost feral as he looked at the empty space that was the mandeville point. He was positively chomping at the bit. Batz was positively roaring the lyrics to the song that was blaring over the ships speakers. Rev and Dev sat side by side in their mounts, throwing their hands up in time with the pounding bass beat of the sound. Towns was the only one besides Conrad that was quiet, both of them looking towards the mandeville point with complete impatience. Conrad felt like jumping from his skin. Fidget, well, fidgetted, holding his hands over his headset and listening as if he were trying to hear secret messages in the music. They were ready, their pulses were racing. The crew of the Dhampir was positively vibrating. Conrad looked to the shipboard clock, seeing 1330 displayed, and his head snapped to Fidget, waiting for the word. They were going to run, they were going to chase, they were going to hunt.
Vicky sat back, looking towards Jess and Kukat as they slept. Jess was in her chair, Kukat in her medical bed. Vicky glanced back at the block print on the paper and read it for the fifth time. She read the individual lines, one at a time, cursing their existence. After reading through the message printed she let her hand hang again. Kukat would be released from medical tomorrow, and both her and Jess still thought they would be boarding the Thumper to join the Vellacore once more. Jess had talked non-stop about her quarters on the Vellacore the past few days, how she just wanted to be back in her room. Kukat was equally excited. Only Vicky didn’t share their excitement. They didn’t know yet. They didn’t know about their battlefield promotions, they didn’t know about their reassignments, they didn’t know the days of them working together were functionally over. Vicky looked down at her hand holding the paper again, and felt like crumpling it. She had lost her crew. She had lost them not due to negligence, or time, she had lost them to fame. Kukat was to be promoted to ensign, and was to be the sensor officer on the destroyer Hadrian, Jess was getting the same promotion, her station on the cruiser Victorious. Vicky? She was the sparkling new commanding officer of a destroyer that was arriving at Thermopylae in two days, the Quarrel. She never wanted this. She had turned down promotion after promotion that would take her from the cockpit of the Thumper, away from Kukat, away from Jess. She wanted to serve in this war in her own way, as a pilot, with the two who had made her life so enjoyable. Now though, they were to be split up, and there was nothing she could do about it. These promotions hadn’t come from simple seniority, they had come from High Command, as had the orders. Tomorrow, when Kukat was released, they would be ushered into the hanger bay of the Barrowmore. They would all three be awarded the Star of Terra, then they would be reassigned. Tonight was the last night they would all be together. Vicky wanted to wake them up, she wanted to tell them, to give them a chance to process it. As she looked to Kukat and Jess she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She held up the letter again, reading the first few lines, then she felt the sting of tears in the corners of her eyes. She looked away, her heart panging with sadness, and stared at the wall. The clock read 1330.
Corporal Brandy was sitting on the small rack, with Janet Shippen sitting between his legs using his thighs as armrests. They were both dressed for the first time in the last few hours, both of them staring at the clock. This close to the reactors they could feel them beginning to spool up for the trip through hyperspace. When the news of the operation had come down they had elected to spend as much time together as possible, which Brandy had enjoyed to no end, and he had made sure Janet had as well. Brandy had even taken some time to reach out to his sister Victoria, a rarity for them both, as since they were children they were often barely able to speak to each other simply due to schedules. He had even told her about Janet, and although he hadn’t gotten a response from his sister yet he already knew what she would say. Janet nestled back against him, but he could feel her body was stiff. Neither of them knew what the next few months were going to hold. Their time together might be constricted, in fact, this might be the last few moments they were together for quite awhile. Brandy’s Ghouls were specialists, ship boarders. Chances are he was going to be extremely busy, as was she. He didn’t quite know how he felt about Janet, but he did know that beyond a shadow of a doubt he didn’t want to be away from her. Judging from how she was acting, she felt the same as him, conflicted about her relationship with him, but not wanting to be apart. He knew what he needed to tell her, that he had to get up, that he had to leave. The Ghouls were going to be assembled at 1345, ready to board. Her unit was going to be prepared at the same time, to begin taking on salvage. Her hands were like clamps on his legs, and from how tense she was, he wasn’t going to get up until she was good and ready. The clock on the wall switched to 1330. He stared at the clock, feeling like the clock was mocking him, when suddenly Janet leaned up and turned. Her hands took hold of his shoulders and she threw her body against his, her lips finding his own. Her arms wrapped around her frame and he tightened his grasp on her.
Simmons spread her hands over the panel in front of her, looking at the table. Seven points connected the recently reclaimed chua space to what was former Shesvie territory, and beyond that, the heart of the Vral Empire. Her lip curled in a wicked smile, On the digital display of the table the hyperspace lanes, and more importantly, the avenues of attack her fleet was preparing to take. She held out her hand, all five fingers splayed over the lanes, envisioning the war as it stood now. The war to come. Seven hyperspace lanes, seven systems, branching out into sixteen, branching out again to another twenty. The Antares herself was going to link up with the Barraki, and was set to simply plough through the next five systems to do so. Slowly she tightened her hand into a fist as she looked along the hyperspace lanes, seeing task forces lined up and ready to jump. Drones had already been sent through. The vral had forces along the border, but nothing that could withstand what was to come. Her fleet was ready. She was ready. The Seventh Orion War was at the end of it’s first month, and had taken back six systems. The first moves of Operation Naked Sun would double that and exceed it, then double it again. She had already given her speech, her task force commanders were ready. High Command had taken it’s time making this decision, and while she had railed against the delay that didn’t matter now. All along the front, individual task forces were joined into larger fleets, ready to jump into the next system and eliminate any vral defenses, but unlike now, they simply would not wait. Naked Sun was to be a lightning strike to cut off as much of the Vral Empire as possible, to deny them their own space, to imprison them on their own worlds. Task Forces were designed around three types of vessels combinations, Lighthammer Task Forces were comprised of corvettes and fast destroyers, the fastest vessels in the fleet, meant to take systems quickly, to devastate unprotected infrastructure, and to eliminate light resistance. Simply put, they were going to swarm into vral space, determine pockets of resistance, and move on. They were going to rip entire sections of vral space from them, calling in other task groups if needed. Thunder task groups were the primary capital fleets, meant to be sent into those pockets of resistance, and neutralizing them, joining with the Lighthammer groups if needed. The cruisers, carriers, battleships, they all belonged to these task forces. Her own task force was called the Nova task force, and it comprised only the Antares and it’s sizable fleet escort. Simmons glanced up at the clock, the time was 1329. She breathed in slowly, then unbidden the thought came to her head and she looked to the report from the two habitable planets that had been scanned by the drone cutters, the information having been relayed to her almost twenty minutes prior. She was not worried about the ground campaign, in fact a reserve fleet from Thermopylae would be the ones to escort the landing ships from planet to planet that her fleet left behind in it’s wake, isolated and defenseless from the wider Vral Empire. Fleet escorting was no longer her job, protecting ground invasions were no longer her job. Simmons was positively growling now, as her only job was to take her fleet and use it to rip the vral out of the stars. Still, the thought nagged at her. On both of the planets that her fleet was set to overrun, there were Vral ships in orbit. On the first, there was evidence that the Vral had been bombarding a small area of the surface, extremely similar in size to the hole that now existed on Zvitia, the planet that even now was being integrated into the Terran Front. In the second system it showed Vral ships in orbit, but whatever they were doing during the time they had taken the scans, whatever they were covering up, they didn’t seem to have gotten to it yet. On the radiological scan of the planet a massive bloom of electromagnetic energy painted a broad region of the planet blistering white. She had sent the images back to Earth, back to High Command, but no one seemed to know what was happening. The one thing that every analyst agreed on so far that was that whatever the blooms represented, it meant nothing good. She took another long look at the radiological scan, seeing the intensity of the radiation, and her lip curled in a snarl. She couldn’t think about that right now, but orders had already been given to notify her the moment that they had taken a planet that still bore the radiation signal. The vral were being damned fastidious about it though. She pulled her thoughts away from it, looking back to the hyperspace lanes. The slow grin entered her features again. She glanced at the clock. 1330. Her hand took hold of the receiver next to her station and she pressed the transmission stud, knowing that Hazard had already opened a channel to the wider fleet.
“Commence.”

I have over 15 years sales experience, cold calling lead, generation, even leads closing and post sales support. Pm me your offers please.

• This is a 315p to CNOU Nomad Warbond

Info about this particular CCU:
The Nomad Warbond/LTI CCU was an accident: CIG put LTI on the token. This allows the owner to apply LTI to their non-LTI ship if it is added to your chain.
Like me, perhaps you want to use your starter pack ship for a CCU chain but hate that it only has 3 or 6 months insurance. Or maybe you want to sell your old starter pack with S42 since you are a concierge and get S42 for free, but no one is interested in buying your pack because of that 3 month insurance. Or maybe you want to upgrade ships to LTI in another pack you own. Regardless of the reason, this CCU allows you more options.
Purchase Process:

1. PM me if you would like to buy this CCU. Please include your verified PayPal email address in the PM
2. Reply to this thread with "PM'd", so I can verify your buyer status
3. I will send the invoice to your verified PayPal email address
4. After your payment has cleared, I will send the CCU to the PayPal email address.
5. You will receive an email from RSI with the title "Someone sent you a gift from Roberts Space Industries"
   • Make sure to be logged into the CORRECT RSI account before you open the link
6. I will post in the "[PSA] Confirmed Trades thread" thread confirming the sale
7. After you confirm you have received the CCU, please reply to the "[PSA] Confirmed Trades thread" post with a "+verify"
8. Proof of delivery is provided by the Hangar Log on the RSI website.

TW Stalking, harassment, SH
Thursday at 8 am I woke up to a phone call which was unusual, it was private but I was half asleep and thought it might be someone trying to get ahold of me. All I heard was ... well it sounded like someone was getting out of a vehicle or closing a door. I thought I was being butt dialed or something. They call a few more times, I answer a few but mostly decline, nothing. More repeated calls and I pick up and this time a man is moaning my name. I immediately hang up and call the nonemergency police number and all the police really told me was to block the numbers and maybe change my number which I haven't yet but Im probably going to have to. This person called over eighty times in an hour before I could find the 'block unknown numbers' button in my settings because it didn't give me a way to block it in my call history or mid call. He also left two voice mails moaning, making sounds like he was masturbating and sent two text messages from another fake number. I called my carrier to get my call logs from that morning but they said it'll take 35 days. I dont know why it has to take that long. I don't know if it's some guy that knows me or just some random creep that found my number and decided to ruin my sense of safety. I don't know if they're local or foreign because the voice was too low and I didn't recognize it. A localish number slipped through but that be fake/spoofed too. Im honestly terrified. I went to a police station but they told me to go to the one in my town and I went there before on a separate matter months ago just to waste my time going from there, to county police, then back there again so I didn't have much faith in them. I was too emotionally drained to go to my local one today. But I was also told that I need to tell them via text preferably to stop and they're making me uncomfortable. I don't know how 90 percent of declined calls and blocked numbers. I just don't know what more I can do. I don't want to unblock him and hear his voice again. I shouldn't have to change my damn phone because some asshole likes to get his jolly's off traumatizing women. I don't go anywhere and I haven't given out my number in years. If it's someone I knew then they have been holding on to my number for several years. I don't know what advice anyone can give me but any is appreciated. Hell maybe I'm looking for comfort at this point. A private number has called me a few times since but I don't know if they're going to stop or what. Im just scared.

I'm 42M, in mid-upper management, in an engineering related field, and making >$110k. I'm considering a Master's degree, but want to be certain it's worth the time.
About my Situation

• Who pays? Work + VA benefits will cover pretty much all of the costs.
  
• Why try? I'm capped out in my current job, and I need a path to advance with my current or a future employer. I'd also like to set myself up for a fulfilling second half of life. Master's degree could be a stepping stone in that direction.
  
• What fields am I considering?
  
  • Architectural Engineering - it's an extension of what I do now, I like the engineering side and the intellectual pursuit, but not sure if it's really my calling. How do I figure that out?
  • Engineering Management - seems like a cop out, but I do very little actual engineering in my day to day job. The management side could benefit me educationally, and on my resume.
  • Complete shift to something different like Data Science, or Info Systems or whatever - I do a lot of information management, am very good at complex excel formulas, etc. Maybe there's something that I haven't thought of yet that would be a good career shift.

Big question is how do I decide what to pursue?
I've recently read the book, "So Good They Can't Ignore You", and he talks about gaining skills - a master's degree checks that box. He also interviewed a lot of people for the book, and I feel like I should try to do the same.
TLDR: I'm comfortably stuck in my current career, but looking to expand my horizons with a Master's degree. I'm not sure if Im even asking the right questions to determine whether to and how to select the right Master's degree track.

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MEGA SALE

I went through my box of IEMs and am parting with the ones I don't use as much or that replicate others I already have.
All prices are OBO shipped fast from California.
Bundles are encouraged. Minimum $25 otherwise it doesn't make sense :)
Any order $50 and up gets one more (any model <= $15) free!

• CCA Trio - basically new - $32
• KZ Castor Bass edition - basically new - $18
• 7Hz Salnotes Zero - basically new - $15
• Moondrop Starfield 2 - original case - Excellent - $60
• Moondrop May DSP - DAC cable, orig. soft case - Excellent - $50
• Moondrop Chu II DSP - DAC cable, orig. case - Excellent - $18
• Tin HiFi T4 - upgraded cable and silicone case - VG - $50
• KZ ZSX Terminator - VG - $25
• KZ DQ6 - Excellent - $8
• KZ ZSN Pro - VG - $7
• Geek Wold GK80 - upgraded cable - VG - $15

I will throw in a few fresh unused tips. I have most sizes available, just tell me what size you want. The Trio, Castor, Zero, May have original tips.
Buy all the Moondrops together for $99.
Buy everything for $200.
All are OBO. The more you get the bigger the discount. :)
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