Bbc bite size science

My Advice As a 2024 High school Graduate
My last day of Senior year is tomorrow and I have a few things I wanna say to those of you still in middle school/ high school.
Things I believe I did well - and things I believe you should do well too :)
• Push yourself out of your comfort zone - whether that be by taking a hard class or doing that activity you’re iffy about. You can always drop something if it’s too hard but it’s better to start and fail than never try. I took AP Chem my junior year and it kicked my ass, but in the end it was my favorite class in high school and I passed the exam :) Science rocks.
• This is SOOOOO cliche, but please, do something you actually like in high school. I participated in activities I actually cared deeply about and was able to talk about to other people as well as write about in college/ scholarship applications. I got into a top university and a bunch of scholarships. Just make it a priority to do things you like - no matter what it is - and be a leader in it.
• Be friendly to everyone, yes, even the people you despise. Honestly, you never know who will be able to help you down the line. The treasurer at my school is notoriously mean and I actually made the effort to get to know her and speak to her kindly. She then waived all of my school fees so I didn’t have to pay anything. And not just because they can do something for you but because being kind is just what’s right.
Things I wish I did/ did better - don’t be like me!
• Tell my best friend about my feelings for him. I’ve loved him for 4 years and have always been too shy/insecure to say anything about it. And now he’s going away for university, we’ll never be together like we were in high school again. Just bite the bullet and move on, not worth the tears lol. But oddly I don’t necessarily regret this decision. (Wish I would’ve had just ONE boyfriend at least lmao)
• I wish I was less insecure. People do not care about you like you think they do. This sounds harsh but there’s freedom in this truth. Wear what you want, don’t cover your smile when you laugh, take that picture (because when you graduate - or in 20 years - you’ll wish you had that stupid photo of you from Freshman year)
• Fixed this cursed sleep schedule and formed better habits. I have an abomination of a sleep Schedule. I get 4 hours on average and have no idea what it’s like to feel well rested. Since I’m always tired I don’t go to the gym and yeah - downward spiral. Health is the most valuable thing you can possess, treat yourself kindly.
Good luck everyone!

TL;DR: PC building newb is wanting to build a PC that can handle regular tech job remote tasks, play pc games at a good frame rate (70-80), and overall run nice.
Hey everyone,
After years of not having a desktop, I decided it’s time to build a PC. I’ve never built a PC before, but being a computer science major I think it could be a good experience given that hardware is not the focus of my major; plus I just think it would be cool to say that I built my own PC. And I’ve been wanting to go back to PC for a little while now.
Keep in mind, I am completely new to this stuff, particularly what the best parts to buy are given what I’m looking for. There are multiple micro centers in my home town, but wanted to do the proper research and get a variety of opinions between micro center workers and the PC community. That way I can really make an ideal desktop for what I want.
Also, I’m sorry this is a lot. I’ve been wanting to do this for years and now that I’m committing to it, I really don’t want to mess it up all because I didn’t do the proper research. Heres some context of what I’m looking for

• Budget- Preferebly $1000-1500. But willing to go a little over if it’s really worth doing so for a part (example: one graphics card is $200 but the next one up is $275-300 and will support games for a much longer lifespan than the $200 one. Let’s put the threshold for this at a $100 increase). Absolute maximum is $1750

5-6 (ish..?) year life span-: This could be a ridiculous amount of time, but if it’s possible to do so with the following preferences at the budget I provided, what are the parts that will do so with minimal part replacement?
-Working Remote- I want to be able to sufficiently be able to work from home. Many tech jobs are beginning to follow a hybrid or even fully remote format. In the case that I run into that throughout my career (which seems very likely), I don’t want to run into any non internet connection issues that could raise issues when working remote such as freezing, or slowness due to many apps being open at once (VS code, Remote Desktop, chrome with a good amount of tabs, etc.).
-Windows (which ever version is best in case it isn’t the newest one)- probably a way too obvious thing to include but hear me out. Ive been strictly Apple and have not regularly used a windows device in 8 years. Both great operating systems in their own ways, but one of my main motivations for doing this is that I’ve realized over time that I definitely miss using Windows for many reasons. That being said, I do not know if there is a preferred version of windows 11 versus the latest one, if even the case.
-Gaming- (play just about all games at 60-70fps): Similar to using windows, another motivation I had for doing this is PC gaming. Before I stopped using windows in 2017, I had built a decent sized library on steam and was a pretty avid PC gamer but still played a little console. Switched to only console and, same as windows and mac, both are great for different reasons. But for years I’ve been itching to get back into games like Skyrim, counter strike, and the blizzard library (probably weird choices to say nowadays but remember, I’ve been out of the PC world for 8 years). Along with that, I want to try out all of the great pc games that I’ve come out since that I haven’t had the chance to play and the games that will continue to come out. Overall, I want a build that will be able to play all these titles at a consistent frame rate similar to let’s say Elden Ring on Xbox Series X, with good graphics (but not anything over the top).
-Wi-Fi support- I’m not too sure about this one, but more wanted to ask if this is worth investing into or not if it costs extra.
-Smooth- could be obvious, but I want an overall very smooth user experience. I’ve used a MacBook Pro 2020 edition for a couple years and overall I’ve been happy with the experience. But the one thing that I absolutely hate about it is how much it freezes up on me when I’m in the middle of doing something. Not necessarily very often, but it happens and it’s very annoying. I understand that this is going to become inevitable overtime, but overall I want a reliable and convenient user experience.
Again I’m sorry that this is a lot. If you have any questions please let me know and I’ll get back to you asap

I’ve had two bettas die in the past month from dropsy. For both it came on quickly and treatment (Kanaplex- I tried epsom salt, but he started acting weird so I took him out) didn’t help- I didn’t try to treat the second one that got it because I caught it too late, and also because he had a massive tumor in his stomach- stomach was always huge from day I got him and he had an inability to gain weight. Both died within two weeks of contracting disease.
Info on both fish-
Both had heater and filter, 78 degrees. Both had large amounts of live plants. Tank sizes were both five gallons. I fed them 6 pellets of Bug Bites every day, fasting every 2 days since both had bloat problems. They both got weekly 30% water changes. Both lived with shrimp, who they seemed to not eat. No tankmates besides the shrimp and a bunch of MTS. Water was good during both of their deaths- Reddi had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5 nitrate, iirc, and Daffodil had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 10 nitrate- I found Daffodil rather late, which may have contributed.
Extra info- Daffodil was a rescue from someone who could no longer take care of him- I think he was a Petsmart fish. Reddi was brought by me from Chard56 on Aquabid. I had Reddi, the first victim, for a year, and Daffodil, the second and the one with the tumor, for about 3/4ths of a year. Reddi also had many small tumors on his finnage, and constant bloating issues that didn’t seem to be curable by fasting. Both had fins longer than their body and spent a lot of time stagnant- both had trouble swimming and reaching the surface. I have since decided to no longer buy halfmoons as a result. I still take them as rescues from people who can’t take care of theirs, though.
What am I doing wrong? Please tell me. I’m terrified.

Hello everyone,
I am a recent graduate from the Master of Public Policy Program at U of C. I wanted to share my experience of this program for those who may be thinking about applying.
TLDR: The program offers some great opportunities for networking and jobs/internships, but it can be a difficult experience for those without an economics background or who may be working full/part time.
Quick background about myself. I did my BA in Sociology and Minor in Economics. I spent two years at the MPP program. Yes, the program is only one year long, but I took an internship with the Federal Government at Environment and Climate Change Canada, so I extended it to two years. This means I have been in two cohorts, and have therefore been privy to both cohorts' complaints about the program. What I write is a personal account as well as a summary of what I have heard from others.
First, the good stuff.
Networking This is where the program really shines. You will get an opportunity to meet some real heavy hitters in the policy field, ranging from ex-cabinet minsters, authors, and high-ranking public servants. Some notable people in my cohorts were Janet Brown and an exclusive event with the Governor General (sadly, I was unable to make it to that one).
The teachers themselves are also great resources, and many of them are really well respected and known in there field (for example, Duane Bratt, Blake Shaffer, and Trevor Tombe). The cohort size is small, so you will have lots of opportunities to develop relationships with the instructors.
As well, the program prides itself on admitting a diverse cohort from varied backgrounds. Both cohorts I was in were fantastic. Generally, everyone is really kind and get very chummy with each other by the end of the program.
Job Opportunities This is the second best aspect of the program. Quite simply, if you graduate, you will get a job/internship. I have not seen a single person struggle to find a position after the MPP program. You will get sent job opportunities daily in the winter term, and the program has access to the APIP program - an internship program with the Alberta Government that is exclusively available to the policy students at U of C and U of A.
On top of that, if you choose an interesting capstone project, it is not unheard of for a professor to want to work with you to publish it after graduation, and they will perhaps even recruit you as a research assistant.
Capstone Your experience with the capstone will be highly dependent on your supervisor. If you have an unresponsive supervisor, you will probably have a bad experience. However, the capstone itself is very open in terms of what you want to write about and how. There are requirements - it has to be policy-focused, has to use a methodology, etc. -, but I did not feel at all limited by these requirements.
The capstone itself is not very long either - spanning only 8,000 words maximum. This means you will have lots of time to start and finish. Make sure you establish a good working relationship with your supervisor early. I suggest meeting up in person the first few times, then moving onto zoom meetings and emails.
Now the bad stuff
Work Load This is probably unsurprising since it is a one-year program., but when I say workload is heavy, I mean it is HEAVY. You will be working all the time, and you will never feel caught up. If you are the type of student to do all the readings and show up to class always prepared, you will be miserable; the program is only survivable by triaging your work to the most important assignments and letting your grades suffer strategically.
The nice thing is that the cohort suffers together, which is great for bonding. Admin and the professors can sometimes be understanding, but they tend to not budge on the amount of work assigned. If you are working a job, or if you have any other large commitments, I suggest you do not apply, or you break those commitments prior to starting.
Classes Don't get me wrong, some of the classes are great. The communications class, the decision analysis class, the first semester political science class are all well structured and interesting. However, the vast, VAST, majority of classes are poorly executed. The professors are often unhelpful - expecting that you figure out things on your own and coming off as annoyed that you are asking for help - so don't expect to get a clear answer from them at any point.
Further, the program is VERY economics focused. Now, I did my minor in Econ, and there are lots of Econ majors that apply, but if you have not solved a math problem since high school, I promise you will be in for a rude awakening. I cannot stress this enough: if you go into this program you will be doing economics, and that means math. Further, if you did econ in your undergrad, you will probably find the classes to be boring.
Anyways, that sums up my experience. If you have any questions, I will answer in the thread. I hope this helps those who are thinking about applying to the program!

Hey everyone, I’m new to here actually.
I'm a computer science student, and I'm looking to get an iPad Pro. I've recently found two deals that I'm considering:

1. 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro 128GB for $779
2. 11-inch M2 iPad Pro 128GB for $669

I've heard that the 11-inch model has better battery life, while the 12.9-inch model offers more screen real estate. I'm a bit torn between the two. I'll be primarily using it for note-taking. For context I have a MacBook Pro 14 for programming and stuff.
What would you recommend? Is the extra screen size worth the additional cost and potential decrease in battery life? Or should I go for the newer model with better battery life?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance :)

Hey everyone, I’m new to here actually.
I'm a computer science student, and I'm looking to get an iPad Pro. I've recently found two deals that I'm considering:

1. 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro 128GB for $779
2. 11-inch M2 iPad Pro 128GB for $669

I've heard that the 11-inch model has better battery life, while the 12.9-inch model offers more screen real estate. I'm a bit torn between the two. I'll be primarily using it for note-taking. For context I have a MacBook Pro 14 for programming and stuff.
What would you recommend? Is the extra screen size worth the additional cost and potential decrease in battery life? Or should I go for the newer model with better battery life?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance :)

Sorry about format, as I'm on mobile. I'd get some snacks and a drink, cause this is gonna be a decent sized one. This is pretty much about my entire life. Also, I have mental health and sometimes add too many details to things. I kinda over share, so apologise if that happens. Me(F) my mom(F) sister(F)
My entire life, I have felt less than when it comes to my mom. It's pretty obvious my sister is the favorite child. Ever since she was born, I was put on a back burner. Then my brother was born, and it got even worse. (My brother is an amazing man, so I don't fault him for anything at all. He's pretty much my unofficial child. I will die for him.) When I was 3, my bio dad died. I did get checks every month for survivors checks, but when I turned 18, I never saw any of it. I understand that she needed it for me while I was a minor, but once I turned 18, it was supposed to actually go to me. I was still in my last year of high school, so it didn't stop til I graduated. If I would have gotten those checks, I would be way farther in life. My mom got with my siblings dad when I was around 4 or 5. That's where the abuse came in. She got pregnant with my sister, and pretty much made me the clown. My sister's dad was a Dr*g addict, and would go on binges, leaving me home alone to watch my siblings, while Mom was at work. I was 6 at this point. Granted, she did call the police and he got charged with 3 counts of child endangerment. (My brother was born at this point). Then, she stayed with him, even though he left us like that. When I was 9 was when I found out about my dad. She wasn't even going to tell me about him, but she had to, cause my grandma filed for grandparents rights. Mom didn't even tell me. Siblings dad is the one to sit me down. That's when my mental health started to really show. I was 9 and finding out the man that I called dad, wasn't actually my dad, and my real dad is never meet cause he's dead. My soul broke that day. Fast forward a few months and I get a puppy for my birthday. It pooped in the house, and G(siblings dad) was so irate, he left the puppy outside in the middle of the night, during the winter... He killed my dog. It was maybe 15° F that night. I woke up the next morning to mom telling me the dog ate paint off the wall ... She did, but the bite marks were there from a week prior. I was 9, not stupid. I saw through her lies. Fast forward again. They end up separating. He had gotten upset, then kidnapped my siblings taking them to a completely different state. He finally came back, and was in jail for 6 months. After he got out .. she got back with him. The final straw happened a few years later. When I was probably 8-10 can't remember exactly how old, I was having issues with my math homework. I have major dyslexia with numbers(can't remember the actual name) and math was my worst subject because of that. I was frustrated cause I just couldn't understand the math homework, so I crumpled the paper. (I was a kid. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I did.) She got up, and started to hit me. She was smacking my arms, and had me pinned down to the couch. I turned my head and she hit my nose hard enough for it to gush blood. (Granted I could flick my nose and it'd bleed, but I digress). Then, I had "played" with a belt with her and G, and one of them(can't remember who) was hitting me with another one. I didn't understand at the time, but we was all smacking each other with belts, tryna hit the others the hardest. (My lord I just realized how bad that actually was.) I went to school the next day, and had a few welts on my arms. Went to the nurse for some ice, and got asked who did it. I explained what happened, and cps got called. I didn't know, but I got home and got screamed at by G. He was in my face, so close I could smell his breath and feel his spittle hitting my face. Then my mom said it wasn't them, but my sister who scratched me. (It wasn't a scratch. It was a welt clearly from a belt.) There's probably more, but my brain made me forget to protect my sanity. Fast forward, she is finally away from him. Then she gets with my now step dad. I was 12 at the time. He was an okay guy. He has 5 kids. Well, of course I was the built in babysitter. I am the oldest out of all 8 of us kids. I wasn't allowed to hang out with friends as much as I should have been growing up, cause I was always the one to be the second parent to them. That's when my mental health started to get severe. I started self harming at 13. It would get so bad. Nothing of significance really happened between then til I was 16. (That I can remember. Thanks brain for protecting me.) I get into highschool. Freshman year. I'm finally able to start hanging out with friends more often. I end up having sex(I was coerced, wanted to wait til I was on bc, but I finally gave in. Shouldn't have, but it's whatever. I'm over it now.) Wasn't on birth control and didn't wear a condom. Had a scare I may have been pregnant. Mom finds out, gets a test and takes me to my grandma's to take it. She berates me in front of my grandparent and my aunt and cousins. Thankfully it was negative. Fast forward to when I was 16. Got my first job. Finally I'm old enough to make my own money. Well, I can't even spend my checks the way I wanted to. Majority of them went to her. I gave her prob 85 percent of my checks. I wanted to save for a car. Couldn't. (Not that it mattered. Didn't get my license til I was 23... I'm 27 now.) Kept getting my temps, only to never practice. Yet, when my sister is 18, she takes her out to drive and helps her get her license. But, whatever. Finally I graduate, and all I get is a gift card(I'm thankful of course. I'm not stingy, I just have envy from all the things my sister got, that I didn't.) Sister got a full blown party. Every single person I have been romantically with, she would put in my head that they aren't good enough. So much so, I thought I would never be with someone who genuinely loved me. (I have that now, so shout out to my amazing fiance.) I'm still cutting on a daily basis at this point. Cut from the ages of 12 to 20. I'd still be, if I wasn't with my fiance. (I was didn't sewer slide myself and actually did it right this time, anyway. Tried 5 times. Thankfully I failed each time.) I have bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression and ADHD. Not once did she take me to get health. She always dismissed me when I would try and talk to her about it, so I just kept to myself. It took my fiance's mom to take me and get me the help I needed. I barely graduated cause I just didn't care in 9th and 10th grade. I felt like I wasn't going to live past high school anyway, so why should I care? 11th grade comes up and working had actually given me motivation to keep going. (Plus I started smoking the devil's lettuce, so I was feeling better mentally.) Turn 18 and I move out. Ended up losing my job I had then, and go down a spiral. I got addicted to alcohol and pills for a couple of weeks. Not enough for withdrawals, but it was still bad. Thankfully I woke up one day and realized what I was doing. (I'll give her this, I called and she immediately came to get me so I could get out of that situation.) Fast forward more, I move out again, but just down the street. I'm now 19 and start dating my now fiance. We have been together 8 years and I barely talk to her anymore. Esp this past year. I don't really message her first anymore. I've gone 6 or more months without talking to her. Shoot, without talking to anyone in my family. Fiance's parents get me the mental health I needed. Get diagnosed with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. I've told Mom I have bipolar since I was 16 and she just dismissed me, saying it's my hormones. (Jokes on her) About 4 years in, she starts telling me I need to find someone else to be with. He isn't good enough for me. (Yeah, like the rest weren't. No one is good enough for her.) It gets to the point I had to tell her and my sister both to stop, or I was gonna cut them out of my life completely. (Should have, looking back, but we learn.) They stop for a while. Sister is now showing her true colors. She's a narcissist and gaslighter, just like her father. She cannot own up to her mistakes, what so ever. She gets into an accident, not her fault. She gets into a fight she started, not her fault. Can't hold down a job, not yet fault. (I've had trouble holding down a job as well, but I'm getting better. I finally got diagnosed with ADHD and am in meds, so I'm not feeling impulsive as bad. Id switch jobs pretty frequently, due to the better sounding one. It's still affecting me to this day, but I'm seeing a change in my mind. Just gotta push through a bit more. Not blaming it on my ADHD, but the disease doesn't make it easier.) Mom has gotten sister a job with her at every single job she's had the past 4 years. Sister ruins it for mom, cause sister can't stand mom not paying attention to her, or doing everything for sister. Sister has bad anxiety, and uses it as an excuse to keep mom working. Sister wants all the pay of being a manager, without actually doing the manager duties. Sister always tells me I need to dress better. Says i "need to look more presentable and not like a slob". I wear skinny jeans and a Tshirt usually. Frequently, I'll wear sweats if I'm just going to moms and not going out. I like being comfy. Constantly criticizing me for every single thing I do. Finally mom says she realizes how bad she has treated me throughout my life. I forgave her a long time ago. Gets to the point mom says she wouldn't have anything to do with sister, if she wasn't her kid. Thought things were gonna change. Clearly not. Mom and sister both get another new job, the same job. Again. It's like nothing has changed since that conversation. Still barely talk to her, and everything. Last time I hung out with them, it was for only 3 hours. THREE HOURS. yet, I had anxiety and panic attacks from that small amount of time, for the next 3 days... I can't do this anymore, but I feel SO freaking guilty for even considering this. I love my mom and sister. I want them in my life, but I can't keep feeling like this. My mental health is always needing to be restarted after being around them. It's like I go back to that 12 year old me and want to self harm all over again. I'm now almost 10 years clean from it. There is no longer any scars, and I'm happier now. I just can't help but to feel I should just suck it up and "get over it". I know this is rediculously long, so if you've read this far, thank you. I just need some other people's perspective that isn't biased and I feel you guys are the best chance for that. I'm really struggling on what to do and feel so guilty for even typing this stuff out. My worst fear is disappointing her, yet I do every day. I also really hate confrontation. I'll do whatever it takes to avoid it, but I just can't anymore. I've always wondered how life would be if my dad was alive. I don't remember him, but I can still say I miss him. I miss the opportunities that I didn't get growing up.
Thank you guys. I'll take whatever you guys throw at me. I just want to see if my feelings are valid or not. This is literally causing me pain. I need help.

So I don't even blame Cece for saying no I'm not going to make more full-size entrees just so he can take two bites and it'll go in the trash. That's bullshit. I get that's the formula of the show, but it's fucking stupid. Even if he does like a dish, he's still not going to eat it all, because he's ordered 7 other full-size entrees that he also needs to take 2 bites out of.
And then when he says "Lunch....was HORRIBLE. I'd be EMBARRASSED." Like bitch WHAT LUNCH did you fucking have? You took 2 bites out of 3 or 4 things, that's like 200 total calories you just took in, and you're calling that your "lunch"? WTF?

Chapter 3
Hurricane Georg.
Our first contact with the new world was a colossal hurricane. Veins of lightning shattered through the black, swirling clouds. I had just tried to calm the nerves of the ship when I saw Suri sitting in the hall beneath the control room.
She was in a lounge corner with her suitcase opened and her supplies scattered across the small table. The little light from the window illuminated her drawing for me to see over her shoulder.
The black and white sketch began at the bow of the ship. The figure of a man in facing the open ocean. Ahead of him, the familiar despair of Hurricane Georg. The man had his back towards the artist, but his stature sailed through the fierce storm without worry. His gaze only in the beautiful sight of home on the other side.
Her pencil began to etch the details of his crewmans jacket, "You have a gift, Suri. Truly, you do."
She was ahead of me, she did not jump or gasp as I had expected, "Thank you, Capi. I saw you in the reflection. Im hard to get the jump on."
"Then this shouldnt surprise you," I smiled and approached her table. "My capi stars are on the right side, "I stepped back and tapped my shoulder."
Disappointment inked her face, darkening her mood, "Dam."
I laughed and pulled up a chair. She had captured the view from the window perfectly and I made a point to tell her. As we talked the storm outside began to fade. The world around us was healed and the worries of yesterday had never existed.
Her eyes were near black, in color, and her skin was incredibly warm. Physical characteristic were useless to determine where a person was from, but 500 years ago, she would have fit at home with the people of the Middle East. Had I been a different man, her beauty and brain would make a perfect partner.
The longer I stared, the darker the world around us became. Until she broke my gaze and looked shocked at something through the window.
"Did you see that?"
"No, what was it?"
"I-Im not sure..." her face drained of color as the harsh rocking of the storm was interrupted by something else. Suri and I were flung off our chairs onto the floor, her supplies pelting us as they flew through the air. I tried to stand, but my legs were too soft to make it easy.
I struggled to a kneel using the bolted-down desk. Suri gasped and I looked down. The longer I looked, the itchier it became. Once more the world grew darker and I only had enough energy for a simple joke.
"Mr. Morgs was right about those things."
"Gud morning, Capi!" Ennay cheered from the wall-mounted screen.
I struggled to sit myself up. I was in the infirmary, only Ennay was there to greet me. My jacket was gone. All I had on was a white t-shirt and grey shorts.
"Officer Angelhart had your attire taken to be cleaned," Ennay chimed in, "Today is Wednesday, sir, 4:13am. Its the morning after you lost consciousness."
I thanked him and asked him to catch me up on the happenings in the passed half day.
"The reality is unclear, Capi, but Helmsman Archer believes we were attacked by a... a sea monster, sir."
"Archer? Hes no storyteller. Why?" I swung my legs over the bed, "get him down here or tell him im on my way."
Ennay surprised me with his fast response, "No. Sir, We had a breach. Ms. Aziz told the Doctor you had severed and artery during a spell of turbulence. The New Horizon had actually made contact with something what breached the hull. Damage Control responded in 4 minutes and were quick to contain flooding. However, we sustained a second breach."
Before he could continue, I dropped back onto the bed, "Whats the status?"
"On the New Horizon? Operational. A few sections had to be permanently sealed until we are out of this storm."
"And Damage Control?"
Ennay did not respond as quickly as he had been. It felt like an eternity before he told me, "6 casualties," the room fell completely silent. I couldnt even hear my heart beating, "5 fatalities. Sergant Franccigo Blanco is recovering in Infirmary 4C. He is unconscious, but has sustained gruesome wounds. Officer Angelhart declared a S.O.E. to assume your position. Otherwise,..."
"Yes, yes, the prosthetics. I hate that system."
"Well, sir, you are able to disable it."
"What?"
"Its not a very common scenario, but since we are not in International Sea, the law requiring your presence does not necessarily need to be enforced."
I sat back and thought for a second, "Ill discuss it with Dr. Mally. Where are they all?"
"Dr. Mally is in Infirmary 4C with Sergant Blanco. Officer Angelhart is your office filling out an incident report for both your accident and the breaches."
"Thank you, Ennay. Tell Max I am on my way and then let Dr. Mally know I will meet her shortly."
"Of course, sir."
My office was silent except for the fan gently spinning from the ceiling. Across from me was a young man, mid-twenties, with dusty blond hair. His uniform was perfect, he has even removed his hat on the perfect beat upon entering the room.
The appearance and demeanor any ship captain would be beyond proud to accept on his ship. It had just been dumb luck that he had lost both of his eyes to shrapnel sealing off the lower corridors during the state of emergency yesterday.
I poured Mr. Blanco a drink, 2444 Geoff Russel - The Hearty Mans Drink. I needed to finish the incident report, but Id never ask a man to relive what he had without a bit of buzz to his bite.
"So, Sargent Blanco, I-"
"You can call me, Fran, Capi."
"And you can call me Santago, for tonight anyway," I continued my questions. I tried my best to stay shallow and not dive deep into the pain Fran had endures just hours ago.
We talked about the 5 fatalities.
"Did you... see... them die?"
The gauze replacing his eyes stared at me, blankly. His face was uncanny, unhuman. Like the man inside may actually have been a 6th dead body.
"No," he quickly took a drink, "I did hear them, though. They yelled and screamed for me to open the door. I- I couldnt see. I thought the sea water had poisoned me somehow. I kept rubbing and rubbing my eyes hoping to get whatever radioactive stuff out of my head..." He took a breath. He was remarkably calm. Agitated, of course. But calm.
He continued, "I looked through the window on the bulkhead and the last thing I saw was Aleks staring back at me. His eyes were... he was calling out for me, I am sure of it. But something got him and he was sucked out."
"I am so sorry, Fran," I tried to write as quietly as possible to not remind him of the formality, "Do you know what got him?"
He finished his glass. As he set it down, he missed the table. The cup did not shatter, but it had jolted Fran from his memory. He lost his composure.
He started yelling at me about a horrific beast he had seen. How Aleks, Private Aleksander Igorsen, had been encased in blood and black sludge. He swung his hands wildly at the table in a rage, but had only managed to knock over a lamp.
Pity does not begin to describe what I felt watching him. Like a bleeding animal continuing to run from the wolves despite not knowing he was already surrounded. In him, I saw death. I saw anger. I saw fear. I saw what he was feeling imaging the creature that killed his men.
I grappled with him, trying to make my location known and always talking to him. I was not some monster from the unknown blackness set on hunting him and he needed to know that. He continued to struggle until I had completely engulfed his whirlwind into a hug. The screams turned to cries and then to whimpers.
After some time, I dismissed him back to his room and instructed Ennay that he was on suicide watch. Sergant Franccigo Blanco had earned a promotion or a permanent dismissal, whichever he wanted, but I needed him to take time to himself before I reminded him where we are.
The storm was intense, but at least it was consistent. By Katzs reckoning, we are approaching the halfway point of this hurricane. We had entered it 51 hours ago and Katz had said we are another 50 away from clear skies.
Unfortunately for all of us, Katzs theory was not seen through.
It began with our solar panelling being severed from their operating power banks. That was not a major issue, hydropower was our primary source. The issue arose when the New Horizon began to spin.
I had radioed the Helmsman demanding why we are weighing anchor, but the anchor was still resting above water. He said no one dropped the anchor. Something else entirely had us. We rushed to every window, every pane of glass to search for whatever it was that was stopping us.
Ennay spoke out, "Capi, Major Gorlammi has spotted our snag at 129 degrees. Nearest viewpoint is Residential Room L3D, assigned to L-"
I ignored the rest, I needed to see what was in that window. Luckily for me, Lucy Partridge was not home. I burst through the door and, for the first time, I saw a behemoth of a serpent-like creature sticking out of the water. I could not see a head, nor tail. I also had no idea if what I saw was the body or an appendage connected to some inconceivably large beast.
After enough time, I manage to figure out one of the ships heavy guns had pierced the creature and was holding us together. Our best bet was to either rotate the gun and hope its dislodged or to remove the gun entirely.
I relayed this information to Ennay to alerted the Gunner Teams and Damage Control. Yet, none of them would be given the chance. In the distance, silhouetted by sparks of lightning the size of the ship, I saw the head of the creature. It must have been miles away, but the size was unparalleled. Its head leaped from the water and swiveled back towards us. It was like a colossal eel. Flashes of light showed through its skin like veins until it sent a surge into the gun and into the ship.
The lights went out across the boat. The only light was the occasional flash from outside. It was completely dark, but I knew it was still coming for us.
I ran out of the quarters as emergency lights slowly burned. The hallway must have been 100 feet long before Id reach the staircase, but when I was halfway through, my feet left the ground.
I felt weightless for a moment. The lights burned out and all around me was darkness. My heart was incredibly slow or maybe time had slowed. I felt the doorframe to Mrs. Partridges room snap against my elbow. There was no pain. I didnt even feel pain when glass cut across my back as I was hurled through the shattered window.
I crashed into the water, it must have been hundreds of feet below me. I was in shock. I looked around and all I saw was darkness. Then, suddenly, all I saw was light. The eel sent a pulse through its body and for the first time I saw the monster entirely. It surrounded the ship above water, coiled all about the waves, and entangled the entire ocean as deep as I could see.
This is not a colossal eel surviving a hurricane.
This colossal eel is the very being causing the hurricane.
A cosmic terror named Hurricane Georg.

Name: Cat Cat Fruit, Model: Nunda
Type: Mythical Zoan
Description: The Cat Cat Fruit, Model: Nunda, is a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that grants its user the ability to transform into a Nunda hybrid and a full Nunda at will, a creature from African mythology.
Abilities and Powers:

• Nunda Transformation: The user can transform into a hybrid form that combines features of a large cat-like creature with formidable physical attributes. In their full Nunda form, the user resembles a massive, feline beast with sharp claws, powerful jaws, and a thick, poisonous mane.
  
• Poisonous Breath: The user can exhale a toxic breath capable of incapacitating or killing enemies upon contact, making them highly dangerous in close combat situations.
  
• Enhanced Strength and Agility: In both hybrid and full forms, the user gains enhanced strength, agility, and speed, allowing them to move quickly and silently despite their large size. They can pounce on prey with incredible force and agility, akin to a large feline predator.
  
• Unrivaled Digestive Abilities: The user possesses the ability to bite through and digest nearly anything, enabling them to consume and process even the toughest of materials.
  

Usage Examples:

• Stealthy Assassination: The user can utilize their silent movement and poisonous breath to stealthily approach enemies and incapacitate them with a lethal dose of toxins.
  
• Combat Maneuvers: In combat, the user can employ a combination of swift strikes, powerful bites, and toxic breath attacks to overwhelm adversaries and gain the upper hand in battle.
  
• Versatile Hunting Tactics: The user can adapt their hunting tactics to various environments, utilizing their enhanced senses and agility to track and ambush prey effectively.
  
• Environmental Adaptation: The user's feline instincts and physical capabilities allow them to thrive in a wide range of environments, from dense jungles to open savannahs.
  

Weaknesses:

• Vulnerability to Anti-Toxin Measures: While their poisonous breath is a potent weapon, adversaries with resistance to toxins or access to antidotes may mitigate its effectiveness.
  
• Limited Maneuverability in Confined Spaces: Despite their agility, the user's large size may hinder their movement in narrow or enclosed environments, limiting their ability to evade attacks or pursue targets.
  
• Exposure to Water: Like many Devil Fruit users, the user is vulnerable to the debilitating effects of seawater, which can nullify their abilities and render them powerless in aquatic environments.
  
• Standard Devil Fruit Weaknesses: The user is affected by the standard weaknesses that apply to all Devil Fruit users, including the inability to swim and the loss of their abilities when in contact with Seastone or similar substances.
  

I'm starting to get back into cycling after decades. In my 20's I was a Cat 2 track and Cat 3 road racer. Bought a used Litespeed T5 and really love it! It's geometry feels so familiar and comfy to me as it's like the frames I used to race. I'm also fascinated by all the new science and technology of cycling (like smaller chainrings, wider tires, e-shifting, etc.), but that's a topic for another day.
What I'd really love is a better saddle for comfort, yet one that's looks proper on a road/racing bike. I know all about toughing it through saddle sores until my ass gets used to it again, but I figure there has to be some advancement in the saddle department since the 90's when I was fast and fit.
If it helps, I'm closer to linebacker size now and losing weight. I'll never be the 170 lb. racer I was, but I'll be just fine where I end up for my age. Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

Hey everyone, first time posting here. I’m about 30 sessions in on an Icewind Dale campaign I’m running for my home table. One of my players is a Paladin for the church of helm that may have broke his oath. I wanted to reach out to you guys for some feedback on if he broke his oath and what to do next.
A quick summary of his story is that the church of helm he grew up in is in somewhat of a negative place in the world. In recent years the church of helm has shrunk in size and those left just act like guards for their cities (think wall guard from attack on titan). He is on a quest to accomplish a grand feat and become the “Grand Prior” or new face of the Church of Helm. By undergoing the grand quest to fight end Aurils reign, he is attempting to bring the view of the church to a more positive place.
One of the main things he learned in his years of religious training is that lycanthropes and similar monstrosities are a danger to society and go directly against what Helm stands for. When he took his oath, he vowed to cleanse the land of Aurils evil and all the monstrosities that threaten the people of Tentowns.
During my last session my players were ambushed by a group of werewolves. These werewolves have a strange strand of lycanthropy that was influenced by a group of hags that worship Auril (remember this for later). During this encounter my groups Paladin contracted lycanthropy from a bite attack. I had this roll for the lycanthropy save be private so no other players knew the outcome. He rolled a natural 1 on the save against it. The next hit he took brought him down. He then rolled a failed death save. On his next turn he rolled a natural 1 on his next death save.
At my table we roll a special die that steers the overall narrative at times which we call a “scrawl save”. Whenever a player is called to roll this die it usually maps out how things are going to go for that players impact on the world or how the parties luck will be for the next session or two. These “scrawl saves” are usually very important and campaign altering rolls. The die only has marking for a critical success, success, failure, or critical failure, no numbers.
Since this was a thematic moment which was about to be the first death in this campaign, I allowed my Paladin to roll a scrawl save to see if this new mutated version of lycanthropy would kick in and save the Paladin like a parasite protecting its host. He rolled a success. I had him pop back up at 1hp in his werewolf form. The party then protected him and ended the fight.
My Paladin saw the roleplaying aspect of what happened and went with it. He was trained his whole life to despise the thing that saved his life and he became. Does this mean he broke his oath? Since He became a monstrosity and spawn of the evil power he swore to his god he would destroy I am conflicted with how to set up the next steps for him. What do you guys think I should do with this going forward? Any advice is welcome.

Hey everyone, first time posting here. I’m about 30 sessions in on an Icewind Dale campaign I’m running for my home table. One of my players is a Paladin for the church of helm that may have broke his oath. I wanted to reach out to you guys for some feedback on if he broke his oath and what to do next.
A quick summary of his story is that the church of helm he grew up in is in somewhat of a negative place in the world. In recent years the church of helm has shrunk in size and those left just act like guards for their cities (think wall guard from attack on titan). He is on a quest to accomplish a grand feat and become the “Grand Prior” or new face of the Church of Helm. By undergoing the grand quest to fight end Aurils reign, he is attempting to bring the view of the church to a more positive place.
One of the main things he learned in his years of religious training is that lycanthropes and similar monstrosities are a danger to society and go directly against what Helm stands for. When he took his oath, he vowed to cleanse the land of Aurils evil and all the monstrosities that threaten the people of Tentowns.
During my last session my players were ambushed by a group of werewolves. These werewolves have a strange strand of lycanthropy that was influenced by a group of hags that worship Auril (remember this for later). During this encounter my groups Paladin contracted lycanthropy from a bite attack. I had this roll for the lycanthropy save be private so no other players knew the outcome. He rolled a natural 1 on the save against it. The next hit he took brought him down. He then rolled a failed death save. On his next turn he rolled a natural 1 on his next death save.
At my table we roll a special die that steers the overall narrative at times which we call a “scrawl save”. Whenever a player is called to roll this die it usually maps out how things are going to go for that players impact on the world or how the parties luck will be for the next session or two. These “scrawl saves” are usually very important and campaign altering rolls. The die only has marking for a critical success, success, failure, or critical failure, no numbers.
Since this was a thematic moment which was about to be the first death in this campaign, I allowed my Paladin to roll a scrawl save to see if this new mutated version of lycanthropy would kick in and save the Paladin like a parasite protecting its host. He rolled a success. I had him pop back up at 1hp in his werewolf form. The party then protected him and ended the fight.
My Paladin saw the roleplaying aspect of what happened and went with it. He was trained his whole life to despise the thing that saved his life and he became. Does this mean he broke his oath? Since He became a monstrosity and spawn of the evil power he swore to his god he would destroy I am conflicted with how to set up the next steps for him. What do you guys think I should do with this going forward? Any advice is welcome.

Hey everyone, first time posting here. I’m about 30 sessions in on an Icewind Dale campaign I’m running for my home table. One of my players is a Paladin for the church of helm that may have broke his oath. I wanted to reach out to you guys for some feedback on if he broke his oath and what to do next.
A quick summary of his story is that the church of helm he grew up in is in somewhat of a negative place in the world. In recent years the church of helm has shrunk in size and those left just act like guards for their cities (think wall guard from attack on titan). He is on a quest to accomplish a grand feat and become the “Grand Prior” or new face of the Church of Helm. By undergoing the grand quest to fight end Aurils reign, he is attempting to bring the view of the church to a more positive place.
One of the main things he learned in his years of religious training is that lycanthropes and similar monstrosities are a danger to society and go directly against what Helm stands for. When he took his oath, he vowed to cleanse the land of Aurils evil and all the monstrosities that threaten the people of Tentowns.
During my last session my players were ambushed by a group of werewolves. These werewolves have a strange strand of lycanthropy that was influenced by a group of hags that worship Auril (remember this for later). During this encounter my groups Paladin contracted lycanthropy from a bite attack. I had this roll for the lycanthropy save be private so no other players knew the outcome. He rolled a natural 1 on the save against it. The next hit he took brought him down. He then rolled a failed death save. On his next turn he rolled a natural 1 on his next death save.
At my table we roll a special die that steers the overall narrative at times which we call a “scrawl save”. Whenever a player is called to roll this die it usually maps out how things are going to go for that players impact on the world or how the parties luck will be for the next session or two. These “scrawl saves” are usually very important and campaign altering rolls. The die only has marking for a critical success, success, failure, or critical failure, no numbers.
Since this was a thematic moment which was about to be the first death in this campaign, I allowed my Paladin to roll a scrawl save to see if this new mutated version of lycanthropy would kick in and save the Paladin like a parasite protecting its host. He rolled a success. I had him pop back up at 1hp in his werewolf form. The party then protected him and ended the fight.
My Paladin saw the roleplaying aspect of what happened and went with it. He was trained his whole life to despise the thing that saved his life and he became. Does this mean he broke his oath? Since He became a monstrosity and spawn of the evil power he swore to his god he would destroy I am conflicted with how to set up the next steps for him. What do you guys think I should do with this going forward? Any advice is welcome.

Firstly, my professional teacher will do textbook and workbook exercises/activity with me and but she will only verbally correct my sentences. I’ve requested her to type any corrections in the chat box but she will forget so unless I specifically request her during the lesson, “please type this down”, she will only verbally say the correct sentence… I’m not sure if my expectation is too high.. :/
Also, teachers, do you expect a high beginner student to read something new out loudand be able to process and understand it immediately? I have lots of trouble with reading a sentence that I’ve never seen before and also processing what it means immediately. That is the expectation of my teacher as if I take time to process what is written she will say ‘what do you mean, you have to understand WHILE you’re reading it out loud’. I find this immensely difficult especially with large paragraphs of text. I am focused on pronunciation and getting the words out right that I need time to process what the words mean..
Edit: I pay her 28USD for a 50 min lesson. I'm not expecting her to write down all my free talking corrections but rather only grammar activities. The activities aren’t many either, altogether probably around maximum of 9-10 questions like workbook bite sized cloze type sentences. I’m not asking her to type everything too, only ones I stuff up or find a bit out of my comfort zone.

Just wondering my chances for ivy admission - my top schools are Yale, brown, Dartmouth, and Barnard. For background, I'm upper middle class, white, a girl, and have legacy at UPenn. Medium size public high school (1300 ppl). Applying for government/poli sci and Spanish literature
Academics: 1) 35 ACT (35 English, 36 science and reading, 34 math) 2) 3.97/4 UW (2 A- in math... noticing a pattern?) 3) Full IB diploma program with 4 HLs (economics, English, math, and history) then AP gov (5) and AP stat (4)
Honors: 1) 3 dedicated to debate tournament wins, national rankings (top 20), and speaking at an event ab social Justice and debate 2) Mock trial states qualifier semifinalist 3) global seal of biliteracy for Spanish
ECs) 1) big leadership position in nat'l level debate community service org 2) debate captain (2 yrs) and good at it (went tiostates and nats (x2) for debate, states for speech) 3) state director of nat'l nonprofit dedicated to increasing youth civic participation and education (interview politicians, publish voter reg and specific issue info, etc) 4) write questions for and moderate my school board candidate debates 5) mock trial captain (2 yrs) and treasurer who ran first ever fundraiser (3) and only team member to have 2 roles on both sides in club history (#team player) 6) merit scholarship to move to Spain and study Spanish for summer before 11th grade 7) pilot! and I've run multi-year inclusivity and community-building initiatives at my flying club + mentored newer students 8) minor stuco leadership position (cochair PR committee) 9) babysitter for 4 years, like 8 hours a week 10) I have a redbubble sticker designing business for 4 years (100+ sales in 8 countries!)
Be viciously honest pls! I'm just curious lol I won't take it personally

Hey hey people, my summer break before senior year just started and I want to talk with some new people who aren't too busy and that hopefully stick around longer than just a day or two. Feel free to msg me if you want a friend to text/call regularly, preferably around my age and in US Eastern time or something close. I like all kinds of music and food, I have 3 dogs, I play piano, and I love games (If you want to play bedrock MC together I'd totally be down, too) so let's chat about anything! Also I am hoping to go into a science or tech major so if you share a passion in that stuff then let’s definitely talk.
I can get along with about anyone as long as you can kinda match my energy, so feel free to just be yourself! Anyways, I'm rambling, so shoot me an interesting message! (just please don't start with a "hi" and nothing else, something about yourself like age, gender, and a fun conversation starter are great haha) I promise I don't bite :)
I definitely prefer discord or snap if you have it, but if not then it's all good lol