Howdy Folks,
I come bearing good news!
We're excited to announce the release of a new experimental branch for Manor Lords, version 0.7.965. This experimental update brings significant gameplay changes and numerous improvements.
Important Notice: Before you switch to the new beta version of the game, it's absolutely crucial that you back up your save files. Failing to do so could result in the potential loss of your progress. The new strings are not localized yet and stability hasn't yet been thoroughly tested. Some balancing changes are still experimental.
To access your saves on Steam for Manor Lords.

1. Press Win + E
2. Paste %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\ManorLords\Saved\SaveGames into the search bar.

To discuss this build, please join the official Discord server https://discord.gg/manorlords. You'll find a channel for discussing the ongoing pre_release branch.
You can read Slavic Magic's full Steam announcement here.

How to Access the Experimental Branch:

1. Open Steam
2. Right-click on Manor Lords in your library
3. Select Properties
4. Navigate to the BETAS tab
5. Enter the password: veryNiceBasket
6. Select "pre_release" from the "Beta participation" dropdown
7. Wait for the game to update (restart Steam if needed)
8. Launch the game

Full Changelog for Version 0.7.960 -> 0.7.965

What's inside:
This update focuses primarily on balancing and bugfixes. Key changes include:

• Militia Squads: You can now hire 6 militia squads even if you already have a retinue and mercenaries employed. Future builds will connect this cap to the Lord's rank.
• Sheep Breeding: The sheepbreeding development branch has been capped, and sheep no longer spawn exponentially.
• Fields, Harvests, and Fertility: Significant improvements have been made to field overlays, crop prediction, and ox and worker behavior for enhanced accuracy and optimization.
• Barter and Trading: Numerous fixes implemented; on-foot traders can now carry 5 items per trip.
• King's Tax and Trade Route Costs: These have been toned down from the levels introduced in version 0.7.960.
• Loserville Bug: Fixed the "Loserville" mercenary bug.
• Marketplace Distribution: Improvements made to the distribution within the marketplace.
• Experimental Feature: Added a "Allow market stall setup" toggle to prevent workers/inhabitants of certain buildings from setting up market stalls.
• Construction Reserve: You can now set a construction reserve for buildings using planks for crafting, like the Joiner's shop.

Gameplay & Balance:

• Capped sheep breeding to 1 new lamb every 10 days max.
• [Experimental] Villagers are only allowed to fetch water from the well nearest their home, except in case of a fire.
• [Experimental] Yield will never increase past 100% growth to keep gameplay intuitive.
• [Experimental] Even at 0% fertility, a tiny yield is still possible.
• [Experimental] Max yield per plant increased from 2 to 4, although the Hunting Grounds policy still reduces it by half.
• [Experimental] Plant yield rate reduced by half to encourage early harvest in emergency modes.
• The militia squad limit is now 6, regardless of retinue or mercenaries employed; future connection to the Lord's rank planned.
• [Experimental] Doubled the fertility regeneration rate on fallow fields and from fertilization.
• [Experimental] Slowed all plant growth by around 30% for balanced gameplay between field and vegetable crops.
• [Experimental] Tree growth rate slowed by around 30% upon player requests for more impactful forest management.
• [Experimental] Archer range increased by 1.5x with damage also increased from 12 to 15.
• [Experimental] Cost of opening new trade routes returned to linear scaling.
• [Experimental] Carrying capacity of on-foot trading post workers increased from 1 to 5.
• [Experimental] Royal tax restructured: No tax for the first 5 years, then 1 Treasury per citizen after 5 years, 2 Treasury per citizen after 10 years, 3 Treasury per citizen after 15 years.
• [Experimental] Adjusted granary and storehouse worker slots to unify to 3 families for lv1 and 6 families for lv2.

Minor Changes:

• Removed optimization where only every nth plant affected the fertility values due to display errors.
• Improved accuracy of fertility overlay colors and crop yield predictions.
• Added missing tooltips to minomajor trades.
• Enabled setting "trade rule" for advanced trades without an established route; items not available will show as NA.
• Reworked the construction reserve system to include various goods like planks.
• Optimized inventory array functions.
• Enabled disallowing certain families or workplaces from setting up market stalls.
• Tuned how "current region" is calculated in the UI for more comfortable building on the edge between two player-owned regions.
• Ensured iron and clay deposits do not generate on steep terrains.
• "MODDED" may now display after the version number to aid bug reporting.

Crash Fixes:

• Fixed a crash related to deleting a building when pathfinding obstacles are being verified.

Bug Fixes:

• Addressed issues with employed traders going to trade points without an open trade route.
• Corrected early movement of farm workers to transport tasks despite available crops.
• Resolved inaccurate predicted yield displays.
• Fixed rotation issues in villagers after dismounting.
• Addressed respect of work area limits by farming oxen.
• Fixed blurry appearance of gilded aventail houndskull helmets in the retinue editor.
• Corrected non-drawing of the forest mask.
• Fixed bandit camps respawning on loading due to unsaved "lastBanditCampSpawnedDay."
• Ensured villagers set up market stalls to sell their produce like vegetables.
• Corrected the wrong apple basket carry animation.
• Fixed wealth transfer issues during barter.
• Ensured bartering traders return the correct number of items based on barter value and carrying capacity.
• Addressed overpacking by bartering traders in their origin region.
• Resolved trading post exports not proceeding after the trader reaches the destination.
• Corrected the distribution of multiple instances of the same good type to a single plot, which left outlying houses undersupplied.
• Fixed crop rotation to fallow causing farmers to harvest invisible itemID_0, which stopped supply dumps from being cleared.
• Addressed issues with villagers staying at homes indefinitely if a bandit camp is spawned, thinking the region is under attack.
• Ensured proper saving of mercenary company arrival regions.
• Stopped granary workers from stealing ale from the tavern.
• Fixed interrupted livestock exports due to sheep herd behavior.
• Ensured livestock trader jobs trigger import tasks when buying livestock from another region.
• Corrected the missing "hunger" popup artwork.
• Fixed a typo in the credits list.

Cosmetics:

• Tuned field dirt UV wiggle to make the huge vegetable gardens less wavy.
• Improved the precision for snapping terraforming meshes like mines or sawpits to the ground.
• Made leaf clumps smaller and disabled the parallax mapping to reduce distortions.
• [WIP] Updated the visit mode character model for the green lady portrait to be female, still in progress.
• Cleaned up combat animations.

Thank you for playing!
Greg Styczeń, Lead Developer, Slavic Magic

I want share my progress with fellow newbies here. I been learning python for past 3 months. So far I have done the following.

1. Create GUI system monitor, using ttkbootstrap.
2. Simple Kanban app, GUI.
3. A quiz game. Not GUI
4. A Number Guessing Game. Not GUI.

I watching a tutorial of Tech with Tim, he has this 9 hours videos from basic to advace, total 21 project, But I have already tired with basic 3.
My posting this thread to connect with fellow beginners.

Hi! I just recently moved to Boston for a travel nurse contract and feel a bit overwhelmed. Looking for any recommendations on things to do on my off days, grocery shopping, navigating the city, and possibly making friends? 🥹 (for reference I’m a female in my late 20s - wow saying “late” 20s hurts lol) I have managed to figure out the train/subway system to get to and from work. I have a car here but tbh it’s intimidating driving around here. Any advice is welcome! 🤗

My name is Maura Keller and I am a candidate for Congress in Georgia's 3rd District. You can read a recent AMA I hosted here and visit my issues page here to learn more about my platform.
As an Army veteran who served 26 years from enlisted to Lt. Col., coming from a position in the Atlanta VA Health System, as the only woman running in my race, and as someone who lives in an area with skyrocketing development, my biggest priorities if elected are: VA Reform, Reproductive Healthcare, and Attainable Housing.
I'm the only candidate in my District engaging on Reddit, and, if nominated, my subreddit maurakeller will be a primary source of digital organizing for my campaign. I'm committed to reaching out to voters who haven't been reached before, which is why you're reading this post right now! I also have an AMA on politics scheduled for next month, so if you'd like to see someone running for office in your District actually try and reach disaffected young voters, please consider voting for me! Every single vote matters in this race. Today's the day.
Visit your Georgia My Voter page for polling information and sample ballots here

Hi everyone!
Back again! This time with a new title (yes, another one haha). Took a look at all the feedback, had myself a good cry, stopped trying to do some fancy footwork and got on with this version. Ready for your feedback! And thank you, thank you
(other post available here) https://www.reddit.com/PubTips/comments/1cr24py/qcrit_adult_creative_nonfiction_rebirth_82k_words/
Dear Agent,
Because I know you’re on the lookout for XYZ, I’m writing to you for representation for my work of creative nonfiction, BEGINS AT BIRTH: A midwife’s meditation on burnout and healing in a broken world. It weaves in reportage about women’s health, past and present, as in Womb by Leah Hazard; tells a personal story of healing through various narrative formats such as Awakening Artemis by Vanessa Chakour; and is a fresh and feminist take on the hit This Might Hurt by Adam McKay. The manuscript is complete at 82,000 words and available upon request.
It is becoming increasingly unsafe to be a woman of childbearing-age in the US. We have the worst maternal health outcomes in all of the global north and over-half the country has little-to-no access to abortion services. Facing the reality of this crisis everyday as a Midwife was heartbreaking and exhausting. For over a decade I struggled with the thought: Birth work is my calling, but at what cost? In 2020 I finally discovered I couldn't overcome my burnout working within the healthcare system—the problems felt too huge, and I felt too small, too insignificant. So, I broke down and left midwifery, which proved to be the turning point of a journey of self-discovery and healing inspired by the divine feminine.
My struggle with burnout isn’t unique. About 45% of healthcare workers report experiencing it, and 48% of women between 18-44 are suffering from it at present. Existing at the intersection of both of these identities provides me with a unique perspective, and considering these alarmingly high rates, made me realize my story of healing was worth telling. BEGINS AT BIRTH consists of five sublunary sections and twelve chapters wherein I explore a wide range of topics—female archetypes and myth, shadow work, art, nature, the witch hunts, and much more–to offer the reader a collection of meditations on how I mended myself with the divine feminine as a guide. At once an interrogation of burnout and what it can teach us, a transformative journey of self-actualization, BEGINS AT BIRTH is ultimately a hymn of hope about the power of healing, starting from the very moment we begin.
Bio & sign-off

The Latin America Infertility Diagnostics Devices Market has gained significant attention globally due to the increasing prevalence of infertility issues among couples. Latin America, in particular, has emerged as a crucial region contributing to the growth of this market. With an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8% from 2024 to 2032, the region is poised to see substantial advancements driven by technological innovations and a rising awareness of infertility treatments. This blog post delves into the various facets of the Latin America infertility diagnostics devices market, including trends, segmentation, growth drivers, recent developments, and more.

2. Market Trends

Several trends are shaping the infertility diagnostics devices market in Latin America:

1. Increasing Prevalence of Infertility: The region has seen a rise in infertility rates due to factors such as lifestyle changes, delayed pregnancies, and environmental factors. This increase in infertility cases has spurred demand for diagnostic devices that can accurately identify the underlying causes.
2. Technological Advancements: Innovations in diagnostic technologies, such as the development of advanced imaging systems and molecular diagnostics, have enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of infertility diagnosis. These advancements are making it easier for healthcare providers to offer personalized treatment plans.
3. Rising Awareness and Acceptance: There is a growing awareness and acceptance of infertility treatments among the population in Latin America. This shift in perception is encouraging more couples to seek medical help, thereby driving the demand for diagnostic devices.
4. Government Initiatives and Healthcare Policies: Governments in several Latin American countries are implementing policies and programs to support reproductive health. These initiatives include funding for infertility treatments and public awareness campaigns, further boosting the market.

3. Market Segmentation

Understanding the market segmentation helps in identifying the specific areas contributing to the market growth:

1. By Product Type:
   • Imaging Systems: These include ultrasound devices and other imaging technologies that help visualize reproductive organs and identify abnormalities.
   • Reagents and Consumables: Essential for various diagnostic tests, these include chemicals, kits, and other supplies.
   • Microscopes: Used in laboratories to examine sperm, eggs, and embryos at a microscopic level.
   • Incubators: Critical for maintaining optimal conditions for embryos during in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures.
   • Others: Includes software and other support devices used in diagnostic procedures.
2. By End-User:
   • Hospitals: Major end-users due to their comprehensive reproductive health services.
   • Diagnostic Centers: Specialized centers focusing on infertility diagnosis and treatment.
   • Fertility Clinics: Provide dedicated infertility services, including diagnostics and treatments.
   • Research Institutes: Engage in research and development activities related to infertility diagnostics.
3. By Country:
   • Brazil: The largest market in the region due to its advanced healthcare infrastructure and high population.
   • Mexico: Significant growth driven by increasing healthcare expenditure and awareness.
   • Argentina: Growing market with rising infertility rates and improving healthcare services.
   • Colombia: Emerging market with potential for growth due to government initiatives.
   • Chile: Notable for its advanced medical services and increasing demand for infertility treatments.
   • Rest of Latin America: Includes countries with developing healthcare systems and growing awareness of infertility issues.

4. Market Growth

Several factors contribute to the robust growth of the infertility diagnostics devices market in Latin America:

1. Emerging Markets and Economies: The region includes several emerging markets with improving economic conditions. As disposable incomes rise, more individuals can afford infertility treatments.
2. Investment and Funding Trends: There is a notable increase in investments from both government and private sectors aimed at improving healthcare infrastructure and expanding access to infertility treatments.
3. Impact of Lifestyle Changes: Modern lifestyle choices, such as delayed marriages and childbearing, have led to an increase in infertility rates, driving the demand for diagnostic services.
4. Increasing Age of Childbearing Women: The trend of women choosing to have children later in life is contributing to higher infertility rates, as fertility decreases with age. This trend is boosting the need for diagnostic devices to address age-related infertility issues.

5. Recent Developments

The Latin America infertility diagnostics devices market has witnessed several recent developments that are shaping its future:

1. Innovations and New Product Launches: Companies are continuously introducing new and improved diagnostic devices. For instance, advanced imaging systems with higher resolution and accuracy are now available, providing better diagnostic capabilities.
2. Collaborations and Partnerships: Key players in the market are forming strategic partnerships to enhance their product offerings and expand their market reach. These collaborations often focus on research and development, leading to innovative solutions.
3. Regulatory Approvals: The market has seen several new devices receiving regulatory approvals, allowing for their commercialization and wider adoption in the region.
4. Research and Development Activities: Continuous R&D efforts are leading to the discovery of new diagnostic markers and the development of more efficient diagnostic tools, contributing to market growth.

6. Market Scope

The scope of the infertility diagnostics devices market in Latin America is broad, with significant potential for growth:

1. Market Potential and Opportunities: The region offers substantial market potential due to the high prevalence of infertility and the increasing demand for diagnostic services. Countries with developing healthcare systems present opportunities for market expansion.
2. Challenges and Barriers: Despite the opportunities, the market faces challenges such as high costs of diagnostic devices, lack of awareness in certain regions, and limited access to advanced healthcare facilities.
3. Future Prospects: The future looks promising with ongoing technological advancements, increasing investments, and supportive government policies. The market is expected to expand further, with more couples seeking infertility treatments.

7. Middle East and Africa In-vitro Diagnostics Market Analysis

A comparative analysis with the Middle East and Africa (MEA) in-vitro diagnostics market provides additional insights:

1. Market Dynamics and Growth Drivers: Similar to Latin America, the MEA region is experiencing growth driven by increasing healthcare expenditure, rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and technological advancements in diagnostics.
2. Key Players and Strategies: The MEA market features several key players employing strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, product launches, and strategic collaborations to strengthen their market position.
3. Comparative Growth: While both regions show promising growth, the MEA market benefits from substantial investments from oil-rich countries, enabling faster adoption of advanced diagnostic technologies.

8. Competitor Analysis

A detailed analysis of the major companies operating in the Latin America infertility diagnostics devices market reveals competitive strategies and market positioning:

1. Market Share Analysis: Leading companies such as Cook Group, Vitrolife, and Thermo Fisher Scientific hold significant market shares due to their extensive product portfolios and strong distribution networks.
2. Competitive Strategies: Companies are focusing on strategies like product innovation, geographic expansion, and strategic partnerships to gain a competitive edge.
3. SWOT Analysis:
   • Strengths: Strong brand recognition, extensive product range, and robust R&D capabilities.
   • Weaknesses: High costs of products, regulatory challenges, and dependence on import of advanced technologies.
   • Opportunities: Untapped markets, increasing healthcare expenditure, and rising awareness about infertility treatments.
   • Threats: Economic instability, intense competition, and regulatory hurdles.

9. Key Players in the Latin America Infertility Diagnostics Devices Market

Several key players are driving the market with their innovative products and strategic initiatives:

• Cook Group: Known for its comprehensive range of infertility diagnostics devices and strong global presence.
• Vitrolife: A leader in reproductive health solutions, offering advanced diagnostic tools and fertility treatments.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Provides a wide array of diagnostic devices and is known for its innovative solutions and strong R&D capabilities.
• Hamilton Thorne LTD: Specializes in advanced imaging systems and diagnostic tools for infertility.
• Esco Micro Pte Ltd: Offers a range of laboratory equipment and diagnostic devices for fertility clinics.
• Genea Limited: Focuses on innovative fertility solutions and diagnostic devices.
• IVFtech APS: Provides advanced incubators and other diagnostic tools for IVF procedures.
• FIJIFILM Irvine Scientific: Known for its high-quality reagents and consumables used in infertility diagnostics.
• The Baker Company INC: Offers a variety of diagnostic devices and laboratory equipment for fertility clinics.

10. Key Features of the Market Report

The market report provides a comprehensive analysis of various key features, including:

1. Patent Analysis: Examination of key patents in the market, their impact on innovation, and competitive advantage.
2. Grants Analysis: Overview of significant grants and funding received by key players for research and development activities.
3. Clinical Trials Analysis: Detailed analysis of ongoing and completed clinical trials, highlighting their outcomes and implications for the market.
4. Funding and Investment Analysis: Insight into major investments and funding activities driving market growth.
5. Partnerships and Collaborations: Analysis of key partnerships and collaborations among leading players, focusing on their impact on market expansion and innovation.

11. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the current size of the Latin America infertility diagnostics devices market?
The market is expanding rapidly, driven by increasing infertility rates and technological advancements. Exact figures vary, but the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.8% from 2024 to 2032.
What are the major drivers of market growth?
Key drivers include rising infertility rates, technological advancements in diagnostic devices, increasing awareness and acceptance of infertility treatments, and supportive government initiatives.
Who are the leading players in the market?
Leading players include Cook Group, Vitrolife, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hamilton Thorne LTD, Esco Micro Pte Ltd, Genea Limited, IVFtech APS, FIJIFILM Irvine Scientific, and The Baker Company INC.
What are the key challenges facing the market?
Challenges include high costs of diagnostic devices, lack of awareness in certain regions, limited access to advanced healthcare facilities, and regulatory hurdles.

Hello mga ka reddit, first time ko mag post here. So dahil nga sa may nag rant sa school na pinapasukan ko, so I decided to share my 2 years experience as a student sa school na 'to, which is CFCST (sa isang extension unit ako nag aaral not sa main school). I know na hindi naman ganon kagandahan and kilala yung school na 'to (search niyo na lang if curious kayo) but babawi na nga lang sa system hindi pa magawa. Mahihiya or maguguilty kana lang talaga mang hikayat ng mga incoming first year. Pag may mga nag tatanong sakin kung maganda ba mag aral sa school na 'to, ang sinasabi ko na lang ay "mag-hanap kana lang ng ibang school para hindi ka mag sisi".
The reasons kung ba't worst school eto, first, hindi priority ang safety ng mga students, wala po kaming security guard lol. And mag iintrams na nga lang kayo kailangan pa bumyahe papuntang main campus, and worst is yung transpo, naka jeep and dump truck (yung malaking sasakyan na pang karga ng goods) ba naman lol. Sobrang trauma ko talaga nung time na nasama ako sa mga ilalaban don and hindi na ako umulit pa. Every students po ay may binabayarang contribution para doon, but they keep providing jeep and dump truck, siksikan pa kami don na akala mo galing sa sakuna, and bundok pa yung main-campus so para kang sumakay ng roller coaster ng 2-3 hours HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Second, madaming bayarin, kulang na lang pati pag utot mo may fines eh, halos every month is may binabayaran na hindi ko na maintindihan kung para saan, hirap nako sabihin minsan sa parents ko. Mapa faculties, student councils and mga instructors ay sobra mag pa bayad and mag pa contribution. Kahit sa election, may babayaran na fees para maka run for student counsils, like for what?
Third, walang professionalism mga teachers. Normal lang ang landian between student and teacher dito, may mga student and teacher na mag kakarelasyon sa school na 'to. One time, nakwento ng kaibigan ko sa ibang department na yung head ng department nila(male) and yung isang student(male) ay laging magkasama and nag lolocked sa office nung teacher, na chismis na rin ilang beses na mag jowa daw kasi lagi mag kasama (sa loob ng school and labas), and may asawa pa ata yung teacher HAHAHAHAHA. May isang female teacher pa na sobrang landi sa mga students nyang lalaki, and naging reason pa ng hiwalayan nila ng ex-husband nya is dahil nga sa may kalandian syang student. HAHAHA. Even during classes, mapapansin mo talaga mga lowkey landian ng mga students at teacher. Madami pang landian moments between student-teacher, but too much to mention.
Fourth, priority po yung fraternity sa school na 'to since yung mga nananalong student council president ay member ng mga fraternity. Nag run lang ata yung president ngayon for privilege, lakas mag bigay ng fines sa mga student na late and not present during programs, pero sya pa itong laging late dumating. And sya lang ata yung student leader na sobrang yabang kala mo sobrang talino, wala namang ambag sa school. Fav. line nya, "Settle your payments kasi hindi ko pepermahan ang clearance niyo, or 'di kayo mabibigyan ng permit"
Lastly, mahirap po mag process ng mga papers or need na documents, kailangan mo pa mag byahe ng 2-3 hours papuntang main campus, and since bundok nga, eh mahirap din po mag byahe papuntang main kung wala kang sariling sasakyan. So if may INC ka, kailangan mo pa gumastos ng malaki just for one INC form. Kaya pahirapan din mag transfer.
DO BETTER! Concerned Student.

Hello! I'd love a partner for a fanasty world! Something more realistic in some ways, and less in others. I'm a huge medieval nerd so expect the world to be fairly analogous to real life medieval times but with hints of magic in it. I already have a few magic systems in place that mirror the magic types for D&D(Arcane, Primal, Divive) though the magic is a lot less high magic than something like that most of the time.
I love writing action, so expect long fight scenes at times haha.
The idea for the roleplay would be an adventure based roleplay with hints of romance. Due to this I would prefer my partner play a female character, though their irl gender is irrelevant to me.
I have a few plans but would love to discuss full full worldscape in detail with each other.
For my charatcer I was going to play Lance, a young knight who was only recently knighted by the king after serving as squire to another knight throughout his teens. In terms of personality I see him as externally charismatic and the general definition on what you think of when you think knight. Deep down though, he has a darker side he doesn't allow people to see if he can help it. He is a young handsome man with high cheekbones that are sliglty wife. His hair is dark brown and kept neat. He's six foot tall and weighs about one hundred and eight pounds, his build lean but muscular. His eyes are a piercing blue.

Below you'll find information and links to help advocate for Reproductive Freedoms and Abortion care in Canada and emerging policy issues with the Reddit platform. This is a recurring post and will be periodically updated as needed. Feel free to post additional information and discussions in the comments.
Advocating for Abortion Care in Canada:

• There is a serious lack of Abortion Care options in Canada, particularly in the rural areas, and for those living on reserves, they have almost no access to Abortion care. People may have to travel more than 100km and across provincial lines to access abortion. Some have to travel by plane from their rural community to one with an abortion clinic or hospital. This puts an unfair financial and logistical burden on those that need to access abortion care. Provincial Health Insurance Plans do not cover travel costs related to receiving medical care.
• Because many provinces have few facilities that provide Abortion care, this places an unreasonable load on the clinics that do exist, forcing clients to look elsewhere for facilities with capacity to help them. In Alberta, there is one clinic for every 209,077 people who can become pregnant (number of assigned-at-birth females between the ages of 15-29). PEI, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory each only have 1 Abortion care provider. Nunavut only has 2 abortion providers, and of those, only one offers medical abortion covered by the provincial health insurance plan. In fact, 9 (out of a total of 13) Canadian provinces and territories have five or fewer facililities offering abortion care in their entire province. And 10 Canadian provinces and territories have one or fewer (0) rural facililities offering abortion care.
• Some provinces, have more restrictive guidelines regarding abortion, limiting access to abortion care to those with a gestational period of less than 12 weeks (meaning, 12 weeks since the first day of your last period, not 12 weeks since you discovered you were pregnant or when you had sex). Many people who menstruate have irregular periods. Some people might only menstruate every 2 or 3 months, and might only discover that they are pregnant near the gestation limit of 12 weeks.
• Insurance coverage also limits access to abortions. Some provinces, like Nunavut, do not offer coverage for medical abortions unless they are prescribed and performed in a hospital. And being a rural province, there also happens to be only 1 hospital in Nunavut - Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqualuit. New Brunswick will only cover abortion services in a hospital setting, which means that abortion medical care provided in clinics are not covered by their Provincial Health Insurance Plan.
• Sexual and reproductive health services are among the services that physicians, pharmacists and nurse practitioners are most frequently unwilling to provide on moral or religious grounds. People who have been harassed and/or attacked while visiting an Abortion clinic may experience stigma and/or discrimination from their peers, especially in smaller, rural communities where everyone knows one another. People refused care by health care professionals because of personal beliefs may experience stigma and/or discrimination, forcing them to travel outside of their community to receive the care they need. This can all be particularly daunting for young people or those with limited resources.
• Everyone in Canada is supposed to have equal rights to access health care, regardless of race, age, class, immigration status, gender expression, sexuality and ability. Nevertheless, anyone's right to seek abortion care can be be impacted by discrimination and bigotry, both systemic and as a result of individual prejudice on the part of service providers. Racism, xenophobia, classism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and ageism in Canada are all direct and intersecting barriers to accessing abortion. It is much more difficult for a person who doesn\u2019t speak English to access abortion services, despite the presence of a translator. Transpeople also experience discrimination at higher rates in reproductive health care settings. Providers may also lack the knowledge or training to provide trans-affirming abortion care and abortion services are typically housed within *women\u2019s* health care departments.
• Further compounding the issue of inequitable abortion access are unregulated crisis pregnancy centres (CPCs), which are anti-choice pregnancy centres that advertise in hospitals, doctor's offices, churches, schools and community centre. They deceive people coming to them for options and advice by giving misinformation about abortion or by insisting on options that may delay or interfere with the clients ability to access the care they need. CPCs far outnumber abortion care providers in Canada. In Ontario alone, there are 77 active CPCs but only 38 abortion care providers. Overall, in Canada, there are 165 known CPCs compared to 147 abortion care providers (as of August 2022).

Reference: Policy Options, via the Institute for Research on Public Policy and Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights
What can you do to improve access to abortion care in Canada?

1. Listen, research and learn. This is always the first step to understand any problem.
2. Send a letter to your MP and MPP. Tell them that access to abortion care is important and how difficult it can be to access it in your province. Urge them to prevent anti-choice groups and CPCs from receiving charitable status, and to revoke the charitable status from CPCs that already have it. Encourage them to include reasonable reimbursement for travel costs related to receiving medical care when it is not available in your community. And push them to pass Safe Access Zone Legislation to protect patients, practitioners and their staff from anti-choice harassment and intimidation.
3. Give a donation to a pro-choice charitable organization of your choice. Remember, if you give a total of $201 CDN or more to Canadian charitable organizations, you'll get a credit of 29% of your total annual donations on your income taxes (for those that file Canadian Income Taxes, only).
4. Sign up for the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada Newsletter. https://www.arcc-cdac.ca/
5. Participate in local marches and rallys in support of access to abortion care.
6. Spread the Word. Tell your friends and family. Encourage them to research, listen and learn. Encourage them to contact their MPP and MPs.
7. If you work in a Doctor's office or as a family physician, consider incorporating Mifegymiso into your practice to ensure patients have timely access to this essential service. If you are a Doctor, or studying to be one, consider opening an Abortion Care practice when you are licensed and qualified to do so, especially in rural areas where there are a lack of options.
8. If you work in politics, consider proposing legislation that will ensure safe access zones for abortion care providers and their clients and covering reasonable travel costs for constituents when medical care is not available in their community.
9. If you are a journalist or work in media, consider preparing pieces sharing the difficulty Canadians can have accessing medical care such as abortions.
10. If you work in the area of Not For Profit/Advocacy, consider partnering with a Pro-choice organization and helping them spread information and lobby for improving access to abortion care for Canadians.
11. If you know someone who needs abortion care, consider giving them a ride to a clinic, helping them access the advice and care they need, and provide non-judgemental support.
12. Ensure persons of First Nations, Metis and Inuit heritage know about Jordan's Principle, which ensures that First Nations children (which includes people who can become pregnant under the age of 18) can access the products, services and supports they need, when they need them. https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1568396042341/1568396159824

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Emerging Policy Issues with Reddit
On July 1, 2023, Reddit raised the price to make calls to their API from being free to a level that killed every third party app on Reddit, from Apollo to Reddit is Fun to Narwhal to BaconReader. This policy change meant that mobile users would have a lesser experience browsing Reddit, users with visual difficulties could not browse reddit as screenreaders are not compatible with the official Reddit app, and mods lost tools that they depend on to keep communities on-topic and spam-free. Many subreddits protested this change in June 2023, and the Reddit admins enforced draconian measures such as removing and replacing mods who privatized their subreddits in protest of this policy change.
On September 12, 2023, Reddit will eliminate reddit coins, including removing all accumulated coins, a perk that Reddit Premium users pay for every month. Coins are used to reward comments and posts by showing your appreciation for the effort. Some reddit coins offer the ability to use reddit without ads.
In March 2024, Reddit had an IPO (Initial Public Offering), and the founder and current CEO, as well as the COO have sold $500,000 of their shares. How does this effect you? Reddit may face pressure to increase revenues to attract investors. This could lead to more ads or new monetization features. There could also be changes to the platform to attract a wider user base, such as bans and censorship on certain topics or words and control over content to appease more conservative shareholders or users.
What can you do to protest policy changes at Reddit?

1. Listen, research and learn. Check /modcoord for updates
2. Cancel your Reddit Premium membership
3. Participate in subreddit led protests
4. Look for other forums to patronize. We have a forum on Discord called Auntie Network Canada. Message the mods here for an invite link to the Discord group.
5. Complain. Message the mods of reddit.com, who are the admins of the site: message reddit: submit a support request: comment in relevant threads on reddit. Leave a negative review on their official iOS or Android app.

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Sono un informatico con laurea triennale, e lavoro in una pubblica amministrazione con indeterminato statale, contratto da funzionario. Preferisco non scrivere la mia età anagrafica precisa per non identificarmi, ma comunque è molto vicina ai 30.
La mia RAL è intorno a 34k considerando i vari incentivi e le indennità, ed oltre a ciò ho 7 euro di buoni pasto giornalieri. Questi secondo me non sono numeri eccezionali, ma in Italia posso considerarmi un privilegiato. Inoltre vivo nel profondo sud e quindi il costo della vita è relativamente basso - il rovescio della medaglia, ovviamente, è che la città in cui vivo non ha tanti stimoli.
Prima di questo posto di lavoro ho fatto qualche anno da sviluppatore web.
Non sono molto soddisfatto, e per lo stile di vita che faccio (certamente non da nababbo) non mi rimane granché in tasca ogni mese. Secondo voi è fattibile migliorare la mia condizione, e come potrei farlo? Al momento ho dei soldi investiti e sto studiando per concludere la magistrale. Al di là di questo, non so se indirizzarmi verso le materie economico-giuridiche e tentare di ottenere una posizione dirigenziale in futuro - ma non sono ammanicato con nessuno - oppure approfondire le materie di indirizzo (es. cybersecurity, system design) per concorsi da esperto informatico nelle amministrazioni di più alto livello come Banca d'Italia. Inoltre sono dubbioso rispetto al prendermi più responsabilità a lavoro e fare molto straordinario, perché non so quanto sia valutato il merito e quanto mi possa aprire a progressioni future.
Una cosa che ho voluto sempre fare è lavorare all'estero (ho un ottimo inglese, certificato C2) ma mi verrebbe difficile abbandonare il cosiddetto "posto fisso"... poi è una vita che non mando più curriculum, non saprei da dove cominciare e cosa studiare. D'altro canto restando in Italia a volte sembra di stare su una barca che lentamente affonda. Per un po' di tempo ho studiato i vari quiz da colloquio FAANG come Leetcode, sono arrivato anche a 600 quesiti risolti e sentivo di aver sviluppato un certo "intuito" per questo tipo di problemi. Tuttavia sono stato poco costante, e adesso dovrei quasi ricominciare dall'inizio.
Voi che ne pensate? L'unica possibilità è accontentarmi di quello che ho, o posso cambiare in meglio? Tenete conto che non sono raccomandato, non ho studiato in un'università prestigiosa, e la mia famiglia non mi aiuta economicamente

There are 5 areals inside of which 5 elements reside. The five areals are: ● Mirage(hollow, reflective, refractive, instantanious, where psyche meets spirit). ● Woman (love, where spirit meets fire), ● Digitage( non-corporeal, energy storage where water meets fire) . ● Foilage(birthing, absorbing, growing, where animal meets water), ● Man(strife, where animal meets psyche)
(The elements between each areal are respectfully spirit, fire, water. animalia and psyche)
Inside animalia there are 6 distinct animals from which genesis occurs. Pachyderm (elephants, whales etc) Reptilian (lizards, snakes etc) Cephalapod (the sentient on the planet) Equine (horse, zebra etc) Canine (dog, wolf, jackal etc) Feline (cat, lion, cheetah etc)
Time is an illusion carried by humans (an amalgamation through time defying reproduction of the entirety of the cephalapods work in genesis on the planet earth.) The earliest intelligent animal on the earth was the vampyrapod. A ten tentacled species that landed here somehow flung from some rock or ejaculated by some larger animal. The vampyropods were fed upon by the local life here (trilobytes, bacteria etc) eating two of the tentacles (the mating tentacles (man(woman)) that began the genesis. The ten commandments themselfs biblically are the fossilized representation of one male and one female vampyropods. The ten tentacles arranged in their death explaining a meaning forever.
The 5 areals are where time is encased it is the job of humans to bear the weight of time while cephs continue the genesis.
If you imagine a star shape in which each point is an areal, and between each point is an element, than in the very center you will find salt, sugar, and vinegar (dry). With these base powders water, Nitrogen, And carbon can be formed. The basis of life on earth.
All the genesis of animalia as well as man made items were the creation of the cephs with intention. Mixing of animalia through time and genesis they have destroyed the dinosaurs and shifted them to aviaries. They did this through the tapeworm, an invention that not only makes up the organs of humans, (the intestines, the gallbladder etc) but was weaponized to destroy the dinosaurs en masse in preperation for the genesis plans of the cephs.
Modern octopus only live about 4.5 years and they have mastered the ability to transcend into the next through cannabalism as well as telepathy. They created the first language of enochian (the angels language) through tentacle and eye movements. Through many generations and reincarnations they developed telepathy as well as the ability to travel through time.
On genesis. An actuality has to occur from the cephs in time to create the genesis. Such as a ceph dying, killing. Being eaten. Eating. The laying of hands (tentacles in this case) or the travel through time to accomplish these. For example. A ceph intentionally was eaten by a komodo dragon, while conscious and being digested it telepathically sent the makeup from inside to another ceph. This ceph used that information to create the genesis of the tapeworm that would destroy the dinosaurs. After most reptilians were shifted to aviaries. There were remnants such as thr chameleon who is very fragile, has 2 penises that constnlantly prolapse and the female can hold sperm for years without self inseminating to create birth. If you take a pachyderm like an elephant an ld have it eat of a chameleon, perhaps with some other complicated genesis of elements and areals you will find you have a gnarwal. The main point is that once they mastered tome travel, they have had unlimited time to make use of their ability to create genesis on the planet. Every animal thay is alive today has been manipulated by the cephs to be exactly where it is in time to accommodate for a larger agenda.
Its my belief that there are only 3 unique cephs that survived the early devastation of trilobytes and other life feeding from these aliens. I call them Seth, Jack, and Claire. Seth is known for being cruel. Jack is more logical, Claire is more empathetic. Because they didnt have the gene popl to create offapring effectively they created this ability to utilize genesis to ensure their survival. This is why they are cannabls its because they must be in order to continue. The modern female octopus always feeds of the make after mating. The males always eat of the young ones after birth.
On 'man made' inventions Cephs proliferated through genesis all the tools to create the written word. From sea anemone to sea urchin to porcupine to bird feather, to quill. And you already know where the ink came from. These topls were provided to a banana pig infested with mutated tapeworms in order to solidify the structures of governance over time. Every iteration of every technology was also developed intentionally by the cephs in order to eatablish a relationahip with the digitage that is just now in our perception coming to power.
As a human, i am essentially just a warm blooded version of a ceph. (Make a bird with your hands, where are the beaks?) We exist inside this cage of time and bear its burden. Look at a shark it may sleep but it just keeps swimming. Humans cannot. We have to sleep. Which is close to the realm of death. We as humans are split and carry the weight of strife and love. This is gender and its roles. (This is not a politcal view of genders but a simplification for the idea that governs. Im positive that in infinite time, other genders maybe an option)
We are as a human race looking forward to scientific breakthroughs that happen when cephs accomplish the physical actuations in time that develop to possible situations we experience from that genesis. Such as. By 2027 scientists anticipate returning the wooly mammoth from extinction. It is my belief that we need an actualization of the 6th digit in the mammaths feet in order for a cephs agenda unknown.
Bird eating spiders are example of post genesis cannabalism that triggers another line of genesis to occur such as a poison tree frog or something. I beleive that venomous snakes were made that way because the egg is the fruit that the snake is tempted by. And if it ate of its own eggs it was cursed through genesis to bear the venom. A bovine has 4 stomachs. And udders that resemble somehwhat the tenacles of a ceph. Its my belief that a whale(pachyderm) that has 9 stomachs (the 9 circles of hell) consumed a ceph and in its 4th stomach met the remains of an equine and genesis occured. Resulting in a cud chewing cow. Precious ambergris is essential to perfumes and stimulated the olfactories in way unlike anything else in the world. It cannot be valued it unvaluable. Whales also sing ans produce music. The moder ceph has empirical hearing as well as oldlfactory experiences. Cephs love blueberries. Foe the antioxidants (ita okay its a joke you can laugh ) but really. They do. Modern octopus can be found in the pacific notherwest climbing trees. They dont eat and make their way up the rocky cliffs to the coniferous foilage in order to establish some genesis. That is a real human experience that is documented. They have cralwed in any form across every inch and again and again of this planet. A suction cup on the plastic window of a bill in the mail may have inadvertantly created the floppy disc.
On the macro and the myopic: We live in time where everything occurs simultaniously only on a different scale in a set of repeating patterns that run forwards or backwards in fractalization. Or so to say, the coast goes on forever. With innumurable bits of sand that outnumber the stars in the sky.
Youll find that rapa nui , or easter island is the end of time itself. A graveyard of sorts and a resting ground for the tired cephs who have labored throughout existence to provide the genesis for us to continue in this gestalt of a universe. Its not an end but also a beginning.

In computer science, a flowchart is a diagram that represents a process, algorithm, or system. It uses a set of standardized symbols to illustrate the sequence of steps involved in the process, making it easier to understand and communicate complex procedures. Flowcharts are commonly used in software development, systems engineering, and business process modeling.

Key Symbols in Flowcharts

1. Oval (Start/End):
   • Indicates the beginning and end points of a process.
   • Example: Start, End.
2. Rectangle (Process):
   • Represents a step in the process, usually an action or operation.
   • Example: Calculate total, Update record.
3. Parallelogram (Input/Output):
   • Denotes input to the system or output from the system.
   • Example: Enter data, Display results.
4. Diamond (Decision):
   • Shows a decision point in the process, with branches for different outcomes.
   • Example: Is the number > 10? Yes/No.
5. Arrow (Flow Line):
   • Indicates the direction of flow from one step to the next.
   • Example: Moves from "Start" to "Input Data".
6. Circle (Connector):
   • Used to connect parts of the flowchart that are not directly connected.
   • Example: Connects to another part of the diagram labeled "A".

Example of a Simple Flowchart

Let's create a simple flowchart for a process that checks if a number is even or odd:

1. Start
2. Input Number (Parallelogram)
3. Is Number % 2 == 0? (Diamond)
   • Yes: Output "Even" (Parallelogram)
   • No: Output "Odd" (Parallelogram)
4. End

Steps to Create a Flowchart

1. Identify the Process: Define the process you want to represent.
2. Determine the Steps: Break down the process into individual steps.
3. Select the Symbols: Choose appropriate symbols for each step.
4. Arrange the Steps: Organize the steps in logical order.
5. Draw the Flow Lines: Connect the symbols with arrows to show the flow.
6. Review and Refine: Check for accuracy and completeness.

Applications of Flowcharts

• Algorithm Development: Visualize algorithms to improve understanding and debugging.
• System Design: Represent systems or subsystems to communicate design and functionality.
• Process Documentation: Document business processes for analysis and optimization.
• Education and Training: Explain complex concepts in a simplified manner.

Advantages of Flowcharts

• Clarity: Provide a clear and easy-to-understand visualization of a process.
• Communication: Facilitate communication between stakeholders, including developers, managers, and non-technical team members.
• Problem Solving: Help identify bottlenecks, redundancies, and inefficiencies in processes.
• Documentation: Serve as useful documentation for maintenance and future development.

Flowcharts are a versatile tool in computer science and beyond, aiding in the visualization and communication of processes and systems

Wade held Jasmine in his arms as he flew a low height down the long road to another section of the staryard, Tina on his back and Nathan and F right behind them in the air. Together, the five glided across the base grounds, taking care as to not irritate the aerial security during their search for the meeting room. Being outside for the flight, the group considered it a blessing that Wade's 'enhanced cooling unit' allowed his body to tolerate the breaching sun in the still cloudy sky, which, according to F, was dangerous to drones like her due to the inefficient cooling she and disassembly drones like her suffered from. Given F's physical fault, she had to fly under shady areas in order to safely traverse the base at day.
Originally, Wade and his friends had planned to walk to the meeting zone, but after running into a trooper experiencing a health mishap, the group did what they could to help the distressed officer. By the time he was brought to the medical ward by other soldiers, Wade found that him and his team would be at least a few minutes late if they kept on their way with their walk.
Deciding to speed things up, Wade, understanding the concern for performing such an effort, opted to carry the Fowleys around the base to the meeting area. Reluctantly, F decided to come along, carrying Nathan in a similar manner that Wade was carrying Jasmine. Taking notice of the time on his HUD, which read, "9:47 AM", Wade scouted for the building he and his friends were directed to. "8072" He said to himself, the number being for the building that would house the imminent meeting.
"They said it was down here, right?" Wade asked aloud to Tina before stopping himself in mid-air, the girl holding onto him tightly as he tried to speak over the growing sound of a retrofit Apache flying overhead.
Looking about, Tina nodded as she spotted the target building. "Yes, I believe that's the one over there!" Pointing past his head, Wade followed her finger to a large building ahead at his right. The structure was moderately tall, only about two stories high, with several soldiers and officers going in and out of the building. Wade smiled as he noticed the target number, as well as the big, bold words describing the building's designation. "8072, Briefing Center B"
"Good eye, honey. Hang on!" Continuing his low glide, Wade zoomed towards the building's entrance before stopping just meters above the ground, his two friends close behind as they slowed down as well. The troopers around them initially looked startled by the sudden arrival of Wade and his group, but quickly regained their composure as Wade hovered still above them.
"At ease! Just visitors." One of the soldiers declared as they identified the newcomers, who touched down before Wade let Jasmine down to her feet, Tina hopping onto the ground along with her.
Putting his hands up, Wade apologized for his swift surprise. "Sorry for the scare, we got delayed for a meeting we're invited to."
The soldier gave an understanding nod as he replied to the former worker drone sternly. "I can see that, just be a bit more careful next time, Mr. Carter. You gave the boys here quite a scare."
Wade returned the gesture in embarrassment as F put a hand to his back, chuckling at his efforts as Tina questioned the officer. "Is Mrs. J in there? She's the one who called for us."
The guard gave his reply as Wade and Tina pulled out their IDs for clearance. "Yes she is, Miss. The meeting's set to begin in under ten minutes." Checking the two drones' IDs, Jasmine and the others pulled out theirs as well, the watchman motioning another trooper over to verify the group. Once the guard finished checking the five's cards, he nodded in approval as the watchman spoke once more. "You're clear to enter."
"Thank you Sir, again, sorry about that spook back there." Wade replied with a smile as the trooper gave one of his own, the disassembly drone and his allies making their way towards the office door before stopping upon the call of a voice.
"Hey, Felice!" Wade turned to find the origin of the voice, F doing the same as the two quickly spotted a quartet of soldiers walking excitedly towards F. The disassembly drone glanced to her friends with a smile before turning back to the approaching entourage.
Wade examined the four troops as they got closer: Two human men, one woman, and a male worker drone. One of the male soldiers had short, blonde hair, and a small scar to the right side of their face. The second man bore a tan skin tone and had black hair, with blue strips that went down slightly in a mullet style. The woman bore a set of long, dark green hair, with the hair going down and over her left shoulder. As for the worker drone, he wore the standard green soldier helmet, single eye visor and all. He had no hair on him from what Wade could tell, and bore a pair of whiteish purple eyes on his visor.
As F walked over to the soldiers, the same one that called to her spoke again. "Felicity, I didn't expect to see you around here today! Where you been?"
The girl soldier interrupted his initial chatter. "Hang on Carlos, do you even know if she remembers us?"
"Aye, don't she have one o' them memory locks, or sumthin?" The drone added in a heavy Scottish accent.
F waved her hand as she replied to the group. "Easy, everyone. Thankfully I still got my memories, courtesy of my technician back at Central." Lowering her hand, F let down her usual persona as she gave a wide smirk to the soldiers, clearly pleased to see them. "Good to see you guys around here."
The soldiers gave light cheers to F as they all embraced her, the group having a surprise reunion as Wade and the others watched in surprise. These must've been F's old colleagues from when she was in the service, Wade thought. Quite the coincidence for them to be here at this base of all places.
Not bothering with the convenience of the matter, Wade shook the thought off as he and his friends watched F and her old friends breaking the hug, Tina wrapping an arm around her boyfriend as the second male human spoke to her in what the two discerned as Spanish. "Ay, who your new friends, F?"
"Oh, these guys?" F replied in the same language, quietly startling Wade and the others as they had never heard her speak like that until now. Glancing over to Wade, F motioned him and the others to come over. "Everyone, these are some friends I made in the past few days. Wade, Nathan, Tina, and Jasmine." She pointed her hand to the four as she said each of their names. "I met the boys here during my time on Ceres. Jasmine and Tina here are sisters."
The four soldiers gave various forms of excitement, ranging from hearty laughs to low woops and even a whistle from one of the guys. As F stood next to her old teammates, they each introduced themselves to Wade and his friends. The blonde soldier went first. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you all, name's Carlos, Lieutenant Marksman."
"I'm Private Alvaros, good with close-range and stealth operations." Said the tan soldier with a salute.
"Sergeant Lucia Vasquez, usually the one who leads this bunch around these days." The female warrior stated with a humorous smirk.
"And Corporal Duncan Wallace, at your service!" The soldier drone stated proudly as he saluted to the bunch in front of him, who gave warm smiles as Wade shook his hand.
"Quite honored to meet you all, seems you have quite the history with F." The former worker drone said as Carlos patted F on her back.
"Oh, we do! She's the one who took charge when we didn't! Did you all hear of the Pasting of Nola VI?" Jasmine and Tina gave nods of affirmation while Wade, not as familiar with such history, held his hand up in a questioning manner.
"I think, wasn't that the battle where the Navy just barely held the outpost in that system? From the Stryker Clan?" Wade asked as Carlos nodded approvingly to him.
"That's right, and if Felice weren't there, WE would've been the ones getting pasted!" Carlos' statement brought victorious cheers and "oorahs" from the group, F letting a blush loose as she chuckled at her team's praise of her efforts.
"Well, that's not wrong." Although she didn't want to break off from her friends and discuss the past few years since they'd last met, F remembered the briefing. Clearing her throat, she continued. "And as much as I'd like to chat about the good times, I've been called to a meeting here, as have Wade and his crew."
The soldier group gave understanding looks to F as Lucia spoke up. "Thought so, Carl here was real eager to see you, though."
"Maybe we can talk after the meeting?" Nathan proposed as the soldiers collectively nodded in agreement, F readying a smartcomm attachment before turning to face her friends again.
"We're probably getting low on time, you all go in, I'll catch up in a sec." Wade nodded in acknowledgement before taking Tina's hand, the lover drones continuing towards the briefing center as Jasmine and Nathan followed behind them.
Passing through the door, the four guests observed a short hallway, which seemed to split into two paths as they came closer to the other end. Looking to a sign on the wall above, they saw arrows pointing to two separate areas, "Primary Briefing Room; Main Lobby + Secondary & Tertiary" Going to the right, they entered the moderately active lobby, several officers walking and standing about in mass chatter. Walking over to the desk up against the wall to their left, Wade and his group waved a hand to the occupying attendant.
"Welcome, what do you need?" The desk attendant asked as Tina raised a finger to reply.
"We're here for a meeting, Mrs. J called us here."
The attendant nodded in understanding before directing an arm towards the other end of the room, where a single door stood. "She should be in the second briefing room down that way."
"Thank you." Tina replied warmly before she and Wade began walking towards the door, their friends behind them as they proceeded into the room.
The room beyond the door was quite sizable, a large circular table occupying the middle with several chairs surrounding it. The walls went up a few meters, with four whiteish blue lights illuminating the room. On the wall opposite to Wade and Tina were three monitor screens, all of which showed the USN in bright blue. In several of the seats were faces both familiar and unfamiliar, several men and women in varying styles of uniforms conversing about quietly or taking notice of the recent visitors. Standing up near the monitors were three people: A decorated officer whom Tina identified as a ship captain, and the so-called operatives, Tessa, albeit as a hologram, and J.
Walking slowly into the room, Wade gave a low wave of his hand as he tried to hide his nervousness. Noticing his shyness in front of the officers, Tina held his hand and rubbed his arm comfortingly while returning a pleasant smile to the staff in the room.
"Ah, Wade, Tina. Glad to see you all here." J stated with a smile as she scanned the group, raising a digital eyebrow as she noticed one missing guest. "Or, most of you, I see. Did F run off somewhere?"
Wade shook his head as he replied to his fellow disassembly drone. "Oh, no. She just ran into some old friends, she should be back-"
"Right now." F finished aloud as she entered the room, seemingly having heard Wade speaking about her absence. The warrior drone fast walked to Wade's team, taking a seat near them as they prepared to do the same. "Not too late, are we?"
"Not at all." The standing officer answered as the group took their seats, Wade and Tina sitting next to each other as they got comfortable. The captain examined the lot for a moment, glancing to J as he asked about them. "So, these are the ones you helped rescue from the Mojave?"
"Yes Captain, and they helped us out greatly in turn. This is Wade Carter, one of the captured drones whom became a disassembly drone before we could mount the rescue. The luckiest one, if you ask me." Motioning her arm over the others, she continued. "And there's his girlfriend, Mrs. Tina Fowley, and her sister Jasmine." Smirking to F and Nathan, she finished her friends' introductions. "And these two are Serial Designation F and Mr. Nathan, whom I've heard were once under your ranks."
The military captain gave a welcoming smile to the five as they returned the gesture, eyeing F and Nathan specifically before speaking to them. "Indeed they were, we still have records on their contributions to the colonies." Eyeing F, he continued. "Though, in Mrs. F's case, I won't blame her if she doesn't remember us. We've been very well aware of JCJenson's 'memory suppression' protocols when it comes to their DDs."
F laid back in her seat with a smug look as she replied to her former superior. "Well, my friend on the station's a good tech gal. She's... waived that hindrance from me."
"I see, that means your still with us, am I right, Mrs. Lee?" Unlike her friends next to her, F was not startled by her original name being said aloud, rather smiling proudly as she saluted to the captain. "Good to see you again."
"Pleased to be here, Sir." F replied as she lowered her arm, glancing to her companions next to her as J spoke up.
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Captain Preston Mitchell, commander of the USNV Vickers down at the stardock."
Wade gave a respectful salute to Preston as he spoke first. "It's an honor to meet you, Sir."
"Thank you, Mr. Carter. I've heard about your efforts from J, you did an admirable job back there, son." Wade failed to hide an embarrassed blush from the compliment, but it quickly faded as a beep sounded from a small device on the table. It was swiftly silenced by the captain as he tapped a button on the small, pyramid shaped timer, then facing Wade's group before continuing. "Though, as much as we could use some small talk, it'll have to wait till later."
"Indeed, we're running late at this point." Said another officer, a highly decorated member of the base with dark skin, dark grey hair and a thin beard. He immediately won the attention of everyone in the room as he spoke up. "I'm General Hugh Hood, overseer of this base. I'm certain you know some of the reasons you're here with us, correct?"
Wade nodded as he spoke to Hood. "Yeah, it's cause of those rogue agents from the JCJenson corporation." Glancing to J, the corporate drone nodded in affirmation before speaking herself.
"Tessa and I spent the last hours of yesterday evening clearing up the matter with General Hood, along with several other officials stationed here." She stopped as the middle monitor behind her flashed with a banner at the top, reading, "INCOMING TRANSMISSION", and in place of the USN emblem was a textless version of the JCJenson logo. Below the profile image was another two lines of text. "N. Jenson (Company Exec); Comms Source: Yottrite IV"
"And also told our boss about what happened here too, he wanted to give his say on this ordeal." Looking to the general, J asked him, "May I put him on?"
Hood only gave a nod of approval to the corporate drone before she picked up a remote on the table and tapped a button, accepting the call as the picture shifted to show a middle-aged man in a pristine-looking business suit on the screen.
Wade and Tina glanced to each other before J introduced their guest on the screen. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the CEO of JCJenson: Mr. Noor Jenson."
Jenson gave a pleased nod to his subordinate as he spoke to J. "Thank you for the pleasantries, J. I see we are ready to discuss our plans on dealing with this 'recall' disaster I've bore witness to on the news this morning?"
J nodded as she replied to her boss. "Indeed, I've explained to General Hood here about our efforts yesterday, and, as of recent, we've just received a message from a source we believe to be close to the company."
Mr. Jenson looked down to J attentively as he spoke to her. "Well, that's quite intriguing news, J. Do you have this message available for us to view?" J and Hood both nodded in affirmation, but didn't get an immediate reply as Jenson gazed to Wade and his friends. "...And I presume these are some of the drones rescued from one of the factories?"
Again, J nodded to her superior before explaining her colleagues. "Yes Mr. Jenson, the two drones at the front in particular were among those taken by the Administrator and their subordinates." Pointing an arm to Wade and Tina, she introduced the drone couple. "The disassembly drone here is Mr. Wade Carter, a brother to his-technically speaking-owner, the late Ron Carter. The latter helped us recover Wade during an initial raid inside the Nevada facility." When bringing up Ron, J gave an apologetic look to Wade as to show she did not mean to be offending on him and his brother's relationship. "And this is his romantic partner, Mrs. Tina Fowley. I heard she and her sister Jasmine are pilots."
Jenson looked over the two drones as his obedient employee described them to him, quietly sighing as Wade and Tina returned the gaze with nervous smiles. Once J finished, Jenson spoke to Wade. "I... would say it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Carter. But, given recent events, I don't hold fault to you for feeling frustrated at me for my... former subordinate's actions."
Wade shook his head lightly, taking Jenson's light apology with a faint smile as he replied to the CEO. "Actually, I don't. The only person I have such feelings put towards is," He hesitated for a moment, his anger at Dr. Halloway returning for a short moment before he eased himself. "..That bastard Halloway."
"The feeling's mutual, Mr. Carter. Dr. Halloway has been trying my patience for years now, especially with you and your fellow disassembly drones." Looking to J, then F, he returned his gaze to Wade before questioning him on his new body. "I don't know if J has told you of this, but if there's one truth my company has admittedly not held up to for a while, it's our quality. Recently, some of my research staff here made blueprints for an upgraded variant of the disassembly drone design. It's intended to fix several faults we expected to be nonexistent previously, most notably that atrocious cooling unit."
As a schematic pulled up on the left monitor, everyone glanced to the improved design before F spoke up about it. "If I may ask, Mr. Jenson, how big of an improvement is this new cooling unit supposed to be?"
"Good question, F. Frankly, it's supposed to do away with the issue entirely. Saves us from sacrificing enormous supplies of oil for the poorly built unit in the previous iterations. We even tested it with a repaired drone just a few days ago, and it worked flawlessly." Then, glancing to Wade again, he questioned the former worker drone on his new form. "Speaking of, how does your enhanced body feel, Mr. Carter? I'm certain it feels better to not have to-"
"Actually, Mr. Jenson," Wade interrupted, pulling out one of his canteens as he answered the CEO on his upgrades. "I guess Halloway changed up the blueprints, cause unfortunately this new cooling unit didn't cure the overheating problem. I... kinda learned that the hard way." Wade glanced to Tina apologetically, still feeling bad from her seeing him eat the corpse of the dead murder drone back at the factory.
The corporate CEO grimaced in frustration as he took in Wade's statement, already intolerant of the head researcher's actions as he replied. "...I was worried about that, Edgar always likes to run things his own way, making excuses for that 'Administrator' he watches over." Taking an agitated breath, he continued on with his spew on the two culprits of yesterday's events. "It was only because of all the very impressive creations and enhancements she and her research team provided that I tolerated them for so long, but this..." Sitting up straight in front of the camera, Jenson finished sternly. "J said the Administrator... Cyn, I believe? She was apparently something worse than we presumed originally, and I'm very inclined to believe so after yesterday."
"As well as the program tied to the Administrator, the AbsoluteSolver." J clarified before receiving an agreeing nod from Mr. Jenson, standing corrected on his placing of blame.
Raising a hand, Nathan asked about the supposed plans. "Yeah, about this "Solver Project", what do we plan to do about that?"
"Good question, Nate." Tessa replied as she crossed her arms before looking to Jenson and beginning her explanation. "Initially, we were going to investigate the other factories spread across Earth in order to get some more info on the Administrator before things get worse. But, just this morning, it seems someone else saved us the trouble." Just as Tessa neared the end of her sentence, J held up the remote again, tapping a few buttons before the left monitor shifted to show a slightly grainy video onscreen.
The video only showed a single being, a worker drone, dressed in a chrome suit and bearing a set of yellow eyes. Behind them was what appeared to be a vacant room, a few shelves holding many books within them standing still in the back. The drone's visage indicated they were filled with immense anxiety, terrified of being caught as they spoke quietly to the camera.
"I can only hope someone gets this in time, they're gonna be on me once they find out the transmitter screens are down!" Turning the camera, he showed what appeared to be a large factory room, several more of the mysterious conveyor belts like at the factory slotted next to each other. It was hard to discern every detail due to not only the window reflection, but also the dark lighting in the inactive conveyor room. Filming the room beyond, the drone continued. "Dr. Halloway's a madman, he's got more of those stolen drones being brought here and he's going to be overseeing it in the afternoon tomorrow! I've seen what happened back in Nevada, I can't take this any longer! I'm at coordinates ##.######, -###.###### Please, send someo-"
The suspicious, partially scrambled transmission immediately cut off to static, leaving Wade, Tina, and their friends with confused expressions as Tessa spoke up. "Yeah, that caught me by surprise too."
"So, that guy says they got more drones being sent 'there', but... where is there, exactly?" Jasmine asked with immense curiosity.
"I was hoping you'd ask that, Mrs. Fowley." The technician replied as she glanced to J, who tapped a few more buttons on the remote before speaking over her boss-friend.
"While the transmission itself isn't much to work off of, our friends from Comms over here managed to intercept the signal earlier, and even better, discern where it originated from." As J started her explanation, the screen shifted once more to show a large city, with one skyscraper highlighted in red as it was zoomed towards on the screen. "That scrambled audio wasn't a simple glitch, it was intentionally done so as to hide key information for us to uncover. Upon cleaning up the message, we managed to recover a set of coordinates, which direct to this structure here, in San Francisco."
Wade and his friends stared at the building in shock, examining the tall structure as it stood over the shorter buildings in the city. Tina broke the silence in her gaze. "So, this is another factory? It looks... terribly different from the one we got out of."
"Not exactly, Mrs. Fowley." Mr. Jenson answered, Tina and the others looking to him as he continued. "THAT is the Administrator's main laboratory, its location was kept on the down low so other authorities and terrorist groups wouldn't find out what the buildings true purpose was." Sighing, Jenson completed his reply. "But, with this recent mistake of Halloway's, that place has lost all purpose for us at the company."
Wade raised a hand to speak. "So, we're going to pounce on that place? Get Halloway before he runs off again?"
"Exactly." General Hood replied as he looked up to Mr. Jenson. "This whole 'recovery/recruitment' effort has gotten out of hand all across Sol. We've gotten countless reports of people being killed because of this, be it the brutal robberies here in Nevada or the bloodbath on Ceres. Even if Mr. Jenson refuses to cooperate, this has become a dire matter for us now. One way or another, this insanity will be stopped with due haste."
The CEO nodded in acknowledgement before explaining his own plans for the mission. "Speaking of cooperation, upon seeing what was happening at Earth, I ordered a detachment of our corporate starships in orbit at the time to depart for Sol in order to help with investigating the situation. They're not warships, but they are well-armed. I'll dispatch them to your authority upon concluding this call." Glancing to Wade and his team for a moment, Jenson continued. "As for the mission, I may not have much of a say, but let it be known that you have my blessing to do whatever it takes to end this madness. I don't care what you do with Halloway or any of his lackeys, or what happens to that facility down there... I want that program shut down."
"Thank you for the extra hands, Mr. Jenson. We'll make sure this Administrator is dealt with." Hood replied gratefully as Wade sat firm in his seat, Tina and the others following suite.
"General?" The former worker drone said aloud, catching Hood's attention before he made his request. "I know I'm not a soldier, but I want to help with dealing with Halloway and his grunts. After what he did, after losing my brother, I can't rest until I see that man stopped."
Tina raised a finger as well. "As do I, Wade could use a hand with those people, and given how we did during our escape run out of that place, I think the two of us make quite the duo." She glanced to Wade with a smirk as she referenced their combat prowess when flying together.
Nathan and F stood up before the latter gave her own request. "Sir, I wish to take part in this mission as well. I can also recommend Wade for you too, as I fought alongside him during the factory raid."
"Wouldn't mind giving a hand myself! And I'm sure my pal Kurtis would love to help, he's here at the base too!" Nathan added with a confident smirk, the group's determination encouraging Jasmine to stand up as well.
"I'd like to help too." She stated simply, a smile on her face as the general and his companions observed the five guests.
Admittedly, Hood knew it would be a bit absurd to allow these people to take part in an operation which would certainly involve bloodshed, especially considering most of them merely had civilian status at the moment. But, upon careful evaluation of the five, their desire to see this problem dealt with, and the fact that some of them had experience on the field...
He paused his train of thought as Captain Mitchell spoke to him. "General? I read up on the Fowleys' files when we recovered Mrs. Jasmine here, they provided service in their early careers." He smirked to the pilot sisters as he finished adding his say. "And to be frank, we need more people like them here. The records we have of them showed them to be damn fine pilots."
Tina blushed at the praise from Mitchell as she spoke to the general. "That is true, we uh... did get discharged for our... 'fancy maneuvering'."
"Sir?" Jasmine said, the general's attention on her as she added to the conversation. "Even if our flying is a bit out of protocol, Tina saved a lot of people on that starjet a few days back. I can promise you, she's an excellent woman to have at the wheel."
Glancing to Wade again, Hood took in his face, one of begging desperation as he spoke once more. "Please, Sir. My brother, the troops he brought from the Coalition, Halloway's gotten them all killed cause of this. I want to do this. I HAVE to do this, at least for them."
The good general took a deep, quiet breath, considering his decision once more before finally revealing it to Wade and his friends. "Mr. Carter, Fowleys? I'm probably making myself a fool for saying this, but you're permitted to assist us in this mission."
The drone couple contained their gratefulness in the form of ecstatic grins as Wade replied to the general. "Thanks, General. We won't let you down."
"And Mrs. Lee?" Hood said as he glanced to F, who returned the gesture as he told her, "You're technically under Mr. Jenson's authority, whatever his answer is, it's mine as well."
Bringing her yellow-orange eyes to her CEO, F awaited Mr. Jenson's answer. "F, yes? I heard Mr. Hood call you by a different name just now, I assume you have some experience with the army?"
The warrior drone nodded as she explained herself. "I once inherited the name of Felicity Lee, Mr. Jenson. I served under the USN Defense Forces before joining the DD Division." Then, glancing to the military staff near her, she finished with, "I had hoped to provide my enhancements to the Force one day."
Jenson gave a hint of a proud smile as he finally gave his decision. "Well, it seems you'll finally get that chance. From now on, even after this mission on Earth is over with, you're hereby dispatched to serve under the USN."
F admittedly couldn't hide her excited smirk as she flung a salute to her now former boss. "Thank you Sir!"
Looking up to Jenson, General Hood asked the CEO, "Mr. Jenson, how long until your ships can reach Earth?"
Jenson glanced down at his communication console as he answered the military leader. "At max speed, their Ion drives should be able to bring them into orbit in as little as one to two days. I believe there should be some ships within the system that could help as well."
"Signal them when you can, Mr. Jenson. We could use all the help we can get from them." The CEO nodded to Hood as he stood firmly to the viewer, the general turning to face Wade and his colleagues. "And Mr. Carter? We'll be mobilizing our forces immediately after this meeting concludes. It'll be a minute, but I want you to gather whatever items and belongings you'll need for this operation. Be ready to head to the flight pads in no more than three hours."
"Understood Sir!" Wade said with a salute, Tina, Jasmine and Nathan giving their own as Jasmine raised a finger.
"What about the area around the lab? That place looks like it's in the middle of the city."
J raised a finger as she told Jasmine and the others about their resolution of the civilian obstacle. "Shortly after reporting our findings on the transmission, Hood told us that they were sending in some teams to clear out the civilian population within several miles of the facility. Once we get there, it should be of no concern."
Jasmine sighed in relief as Tina spoke up. "So the people should be safe from any sort of danger?"
"Correct, Mrs. Tina." Preston answered before continuing. "Given the resistance Halloway and his men showed during the Coalition's raid, they most certainly won't hold back there."
"One more thing, Sir." Nathan asked. "The Coalition's going to help us out with this too, right?"
"You can count on it, Mr. Nathan." The Vickers' captain replied as he looked to J, then to Jenson as he spoke further. "I met the leader of the Coalition's detachment working with us when I was introduced to J and Mrs. Elliott here, they intend to see this conflict finished. I highly doubt they're willing to sit back and let us do this by ourselves."
"And their help will be much appreciated." Hood added, everyone's attention returned to him as he looked to Tessa, curious eyes scanning her holographic form. "And Mrs. Elliott, if I may. Do you mind heading down here to assist us in our investigations later on?"
"Funny you say that, General. I'm almost done with my own snooping around on the JCJ up in orbit, Cyn has some small departments of hers aboard, and I thought I'd gather some more intel before coming down." Glancing to Mr. Jenson, she saw him giving an understanding nod before returning her gaze to the military staff. "I should be down there by the evening, judging by where you're located."
"Do what you must, Mrs. Elliott. We could use whatever you find." Hood replied firmly as he turned once more to the JCJenson CEO. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Jenson. We will get to the bottom of this."
"It's my pleasure, General." Glancing to J and Tessa, he spoke to them once more. "J? Contact me when you've finished with Halloway and his Administrator."
"It'll be done, Mr. Jenson." The obedient servant answered before saluting firmly, receiving a final nod from her boss before he ended the transmission.
With their off-world guest out of the way, Hood looked to Wade and his friends, J, Tessa and Captain Mitchells sharing the gaze with them as the general spoke to them in finality. "Well, you know what comes next everyone. You're all dismissed for now. And remember, landing zone by 1300."
"We'll be there Sir." Wade said with a nod as he and his friends stood up, pushing in their chairs before making their way out to the door.
As they neared it, Wade stopped for a moment as they heard Hood call to one of his friends. "And F?" The soldier drone looked to the general as he continued. "Before we depart, would you mind changing your uniform? I believe it could help with identifying you from the other disassembly drones more easily." Glancing to J, then back to F, he finished with, "I recall hearing about the most formidable drones having clones prepared, yes?"
"Correct, Sir. I'll stop by the nearest barracks while I can." F replied before turning back to the door with her colleagues, Wade opening the door for them all as they passed through. After them, Wade passed through himself, shutting the door to the meeting room as he returned to the lobby.
Walking about together, F spoke to Wade and the others. "Well, that went smoothly. I'll be heading down to the barracks, then head over to your place to help out."
"Actually," Wade replied, raising a finger up as he asked his fellow murder drone, "You think you could bring your friends over? We could get to know each other while we're getting ready."
F glanced to Nathan with a smile before returning her eyes to Wade. "I could see about that. You're gonna like them, I can promise you that."
Taking Tina's hand, Wade walked with his girlfriend alongside Jasmine and the others, nearing the hallway they came through as they prepared for the walk back to the apartment.

28 years old, Female.
I'm really worried. We may have a mouse in our home and I read that peppermint can keep them away as they don't like it. So I went to the shop and grabbed a 100% pure peppermint oil 25ml bottle and I used the whole bottle on wads of cotton balls to put around the house. When I was done, my hands were oily so I rubbed it in not thinking anything of it. Before doing this, I Googled "Is peppermint oil pregnancy safe?" and majority of the top articles came up saying yes, and can actually be beneficial for pregnant women so I went based off of that quick search. But after I had already finished up, my hands started having a very cool sensation which freaked me out so I washed them multiple times in warm soapy water. The sensation lasted about an hour before it lightened, and now they feel normal (writing this 7 hours later). I then had another Google search, and even deep dived into older Reddit / BabyCentre threads, and now I'm really spooked! Some are saying peppermint oil applied to skin is a BIG no-no in pregnancy. And I also learnt that undiluted peppermint oil is an even bigger no-no as it could be toxic to the system. Apparently peppermint oil can also stimulate uterine contractions. I'm really scared. I emailed my midwife but she said she wouldn't be concerned, and to contact my GP if I feel unwell. My hands feel fine now as mentioned, but I'm concerned for my baby. I feel incredibly stupid for not properly researching this first.
Advice needed please! :(
Edit: I should also add that the packaging for the oil doesn't give any warnings for pregnancy. It only says to keep away from children. But it does say to dilute it, which I didn't because I was only putting them on the cotton balls and didn't think to wear gloves.

So I guess by now it is pretty clear that Wargaming wants their players to play in platoons more. On the back of the recent Tour of Duty changes we now have the Random Platoons and a platoon mission for Steelhunter. The reasons for that are also pretty well known: players who socialize more in a game are less prone to just drop the game and move on. They will probably play more hours and are also more likely to spend $$ in the game. I am not here to discuss whether that is a good thing or wether platooning is more fun than solo-playing. In my opinion, the question of how they go about getting their players to platoon more is the most important and can make a big difference between a happy costumeplayer and one who is annoyed by all this platoon forcing.
I would not be surprised if the Trend continues and we see more events in the future with incentives to complete them in a platoon (frontline?) or straight up Platoon events (5x xp daily wins, but only in a platoon). We could even see a new campaign were a bunch of missions (or all of them) have a Platoon requirement.
Tour of Duty
The recent changes to the Tour of Duty are, in my opinion, a prime example of how not to get people to platoon more. WG took a system that already existed, with its own rewards (mainly the clan resources) and progression system and overworked it. That is all fine, the system was a bit weird and needed an overhaul. They even introduced a “big“ final reward in the Carro (and some female crews). The problem is that they greatly reduced the amount of rewards (clan resources) and then put most of it behind having to play Platoons. I think what they should have done is keep the progression and amount if rewards about on the same level as before for solo playing and introduce the Carro progression separately linked to playing in Platoons. That way they wouldnt have taken something away that players are used to getting by solo playing and still added an incentive for more platoon play. (And also: PLEASE just make the Tour of Duty missions complete automatically - having to click to complete them is just plain stupid)
Steelhunter
In my opinion, the way they added a platoon incentive to Steelhunter is actually the right way. They just havent communicated it well. What I mean by this: if you compare this season of Steelhunter to the last one: as far as Im aware, the progression and rewards that you can achieve by solo-playing are almost exactly the same. You can still just as fast get through all the levels as last season, even if you dont use the Platooning system. All they did was introduce the random Platooning option and added a one-time mission that you can complete by playing in a platoon to progress a little bit faster. The problem with steelhunter solely stems from miscommunicating that fact. The mission is displayed in between the daily missions and it is not clearly marked as a one-time mission. So all that people see is that you can get 80 points solo and 160 points for platooning, so it looks like 2/3rds of the progression is locked behind playing in a platoon. If that were the case, it would really be bad but since this one-time platoon mission is really just a bonus to progress a little faster, I dont see a problem with it and in my eyes this is how WG should add incentives for platooning. Make the progression and rewards the same as before for solo playing but add a little bonus for players who will play in Platoons. Part of that problem is also that WG is lately not really explaining their events in full detail in the news articles on their website, leaving players to having to figure out how exactly all of it works on their own, but that is another topic on its own.
We have always had incentives for platooning. There are bonuses for credits and xp in random battles for playing in a platoon which have been introduced years ago. And back then, nobody complained because these were just bonuses that were added on top and the solo random queue rewards and progression stayed exactly the same. And thats how it should be. Dont take something away from solo-players or make something harder for them and tell them: „you want those rewards that you are accustomed to from this event? Well now you have to play in a platoon to get them or to get them in the same amount of time as last time.“! Make it the same and add a little bonus (faster progression/additional rewards) for players who want to platoon.
So please, Wargaming, for future events: dont substitute events that were completely achievable by playing solo with events where people are forced to play in Platoons. Dont lock parts of the progression behind having to platoon. Keep it the same and add additional bonuses for platooning. If you want to do a 5x weekend for platoonsonly, dont do it instead of the normal 5x weekends we get from time to time, do them on top of it, do it in addition to it. Dont introduce a new campaign, which is something players have been waiting for for years and then lock parts (or all) of the progression behind platooning. Give us a campaign that is totally achievable by playing solo but add additional rewards or faster progression (as in faster than the old campaigns) to them.
Tldr: WG, if you want us to platoon more, dont take something away or make it harder for solo-players. Make it the same as it always was but add additional incentives on top for playing in a Platoon! If you want to do Platoons events, do them in addition to all the other events we always had, dont substitute them!
PS: not an english native speaker so please excuse any mistakes you may find. Sorry for the long rant.
Edit: oh and also WG: please work on your communication on the News-Portal. Lately it has been really annoying to figure out how exactly some events work.