This is a rundown of the predominant intelligent races on my fantasy version of Saturn, which is a sword-and-sorcery world loosely based on Classical mythology. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
Aranians are the oldest of Saturn’s intelligent races. Like their kin the Arthropoids, they are entomons, with multi-jointed legs and semi-flexible exoskeletons. Unlike the Arthropoids, they are only slightly humanoid. Their lower bodies are spider-like, with eight legs and large abdomens, while their upper bodies are more humanoid, although they have six arms and numerous eyes. Once long ago, they boasted a planet-spanning civilization; they were the first to develop philosophy and art, mathematics and astrology, architecture and literature. But in the apocalypse of the Day of Wrath, their civilization was annihilated, and today, the descendants of those ancient Aranians have largely forgotten about the glories of their once-proud people. Many Aranians, such as the Slavars, live nomadic existences, although a few settled Aranian nations, such as Anansazi and Ctenizan, still exist.
{Classical Mythology equivalent: Centaurs}
Arthropoids are entomons, insect-like creatures with semi-flexible exoskeletons, but are far more humanoid than their Aranian cousins. Most are of human height, with two legs and four arms, but a few are smaller, such as the ant-like Marwari, who stand roughly four feet tall, or the flea-like Zaoi, who are usually less than three feet in height. Most Arthropoids have wings, which allow them to fly thanks to their irridescent membranes, membranes which manipulate colour and permit flight despite the Arthropoids’ weight. Unlike the Dendryads, the Arthropoids are not a single species, but rather a collection of many species that are not capable of interbreeding. A wide variety of nations have been founded by the Arthropoids—the expansive empire of Marwar, the reclusive land of Aed, the militaristic Vazhka—and in a few places, mainly Naranj and Merinj, they live in harmony with the Dendryads. In the main, however, a state of war usually exists between the Dendryads and the Arthropoids, as the two “superraces” compete for control of Saturn.
{Classical Mythology equivalent: Myrmidons, Amazons}
Although Dendryads appear to be plants, they are not. They are instead phyta, a kingdom of organisms that split off from plants roughly 400 million years ago. Humanoid, like almost all creatures native to Saturn the Dendryads have six limbs, four arms and two legs. Unlike the Arthropoids, the Dendryads are a single species, although with astonishing diversity; their subraces are capable of interbreeding, but this usually requires divine intervention. Most races of Dendryads are sequential hermaphrodites: they change from male to female or female to male periodically throughout their lives. Over the millennia, the Dendryads have spread out across the surface of Saturn, forming mighty kingdoms and vast empires. Today, most Dendryads would assert that, even if their own nation is not particularly powerful, the greatest and most puissant of Saturn’s civilizations are still Dendryad. The most notable of these is Aquarium, the Golden City, the Light of the World, the last remnant of the Anthemite Empire and defender of civilization since Anthem’s fall ten thousand years ago. Other Dendryad kingdoms of note are Naranj and Merinj, Dzjanggakh, Mora, and Qoq. With the fall of Anthem, though, the Dendryad position is threatened by rising powers, most of which are either Arthropoid or Mykobold in ethnicity. On multiple fronts, the Aquarine Empire is challenged: by its ancient enemy Marwar, by the new and dynamic Swarm of the Azzuzzazi, by invading Slavars. Only time will tell if Aquarium can withstand this onslaught of “barbarians”.
{Classical Mythology equivalent: Dryads}
Mykobolds are the fungal equivalent of Dendryads. Shorter than the Dendryads, they prefer dark and moist regions of Saturn, such as deep caves, swamps, and the undergrowth of many of Saturn’s forests. This often brings them into contact with the te’Ythul (see below), often at the Mykobolds’ cost. Their relations with the other races of Saturn vary significantly depending on the tribe of Mykobolds and the counterparty: the Russulkas or Redcaps are mischievous bordering on murderous, the Troggoths of the subterranean empire of Troggoroth are insane cultists, the Kuba are peaceful shamans, the Lichens are undead necromancers who possess the rotting bodies of other races, the Gomphlins are friendly but isolationist, the Thallids have an ancient but proud scholarly tradition, and so forth. Recently, many tribes of Mykobolds have begun migrating from their traditional strongholds into the vacuum left by the decaying eastern half of the Anthemite Empire, creating new petty kingdoms for themselves and occasionally finding themselves as the ruling class over Dendryads. This has led to tension between the two ethnicities.
{Classical Mythology equivalent: Troglodytae}
The Coral Brains are not, strictly speaking, a race in the same way as the others. They are, instead, vast colonies of polyps that function as enormous neural networks. Once a single supercomputer that covered much of the surface of Saturn, the coral was shattered during the Day of Wrath and many fragments were ejected into Saturn’s atmosphere and beyond. Now the remaining pieces, which range in size from a few dozen meters across to dozens of miles, roam the skies of Saturn, kept aloft by careful channeling of colour which provides an antigravity force. It also fuels their computation. Some of them have seen their surfaces colonized by other races, but those settlers exist on the coral brains only at the brains’ sufferance. For at least a million years, the coral brains have been locked in a secret war with the Shimmering Demons, recruiting from the other races individuals and sometimes entire nations as pawns in their struggle to control Saturn; most notably, both sides have engaged the services of what remains of Anthem’s ceramic legions as foot soldiers.
{Classical Mythology equivalent: Genii Loci}
The te’Ythul, or Spawn of Ythul, are one of the most ancient and mysterious of Saturn’s races. These hulking giants, who can reach heights of thirty feet, are found only in humid and swampy areas, where the water in the air keeps their mucous-covered skins moist. Having arisen from the congealing, rancid blood of the thousand-mile-tall embodiment of primordial chaos Ythul when it spilled from his body on the Day of Wrath, the te’Ythul hid themselves in secret parts of the world, far from the other races towards which they were and are profoundly hostile. Many have become masters of manipulating the obsidian oil, giving them access to arcane and eldritch powers unknown and forbidden to the rest of Saturn’s peoples. A few have even taken to dabbling in anti-colour, a sinister and unholy force of unknown origins. With their dozens of tentacles, they are formidable and terrifying foes for any adventurers who encounter them, whether in the depths of the earth or secreted within foul swamps or roaming the dusk-shrouded undergrowth of Saturn’s rainforests.
{Classical Mythology equivalent: Cyclopes}
Syngnals are the messengers and servants of Phragma, the trickster goddess of magic. These small, seahorse-like creatures flit around, gradually influencing the course of Saturnian history in the direction Phragma would like it to go. Unfortunately for her, they aren’t very good at their jobs. Or maybe they are…
{Classical Mythology equivalent: Hippocampus}
Titanians and Uberonians are humanoids not native to Saturn; instead, they originated on Saturn’s moon Voeba. However, when Voeba was destroyed during the Day of Wrath, its inhabitants were forced to migrate elsewhere, to other moons. One group settled on Titan; the other, after finding their first choice of Hyperion unsuitable, eventually formed a new society on Rhea. Not being native Saturnians, they only have four limbs, rather than the standard six, and they have a higher level of technology than the Saturnians, boasting flying saucers, rocket ships, and rayguns. Since the Day of Wrath, they have been locked in a cold war for control of Saturn’s moons and rings, largely ignoring the planet itself, which they regard as inhabited by primitives. Of the two, the Titanian are marginally more benevolent, although both nations feel perfectly free to abduct Saturnians and probe them, or, in the case of the Uberonians, enslave them for their own amusement. This latter habit is frowned upon by the Titanians, who attempt to enforce what they call the “First Order”, which states that more advanced and sophisticated and, frankly, intelligent races are not supposed to meddle in the affairs of primitives, because primitives, with their primitive planet-bound brains, simply cannot grasp how dangerous even a single piece of Titanian or Uberonian technology can be to a witless primitive. That raygun? Put it down. That com-talker? Put it down. That belt buckle? Put it down! The Titanian Ring Patrol, with its stalwart band of Space Marshals, attempts to enforce the law on a largely lawless Ring system, but even they periodically break the First Order, usually because the Uberonians broke it first or because the primitives had already been exposed to advanced technology or because the captain really didn’t feel like following it.
{Norse Mythology equivalent: Ljósálfar and Dökkálfar}
The Shimmering Demons, like the Titanians and Uberonians, are not native to Saturn. In fact, no one knows where they come from, exactly. What is known is that they don’t seem to be entirely…here. Flickering in and out of perception, they are found throughout Saturn, usually as traders, but what they trade in is…odd. Want wealth? They’re happy to oblige, in exchange for a handful of twigs. Want power? Sure thing; you’ll just need to give them your happiest memory. Want immortality? It only costs a broken sword. Want true love? Not a problem—but you’ll be sacrificing all the messy complexity of a real relationship…which the demons are glad to take off your hands. It’s been noticed that people who deal with them come away from the transaction a little…flatter, somehow; a little more two-dimensional. Those of the demons who aren’t engaged in trade are busy measuring. They measure everything, absolutely everything—from the diameter of that tree to exactly how much of a “hero” you are--and when they aren’t measuring, they’re cataloguing. They catalog everything. Even people. They would classify you as a web-based amateur worldbuilder grade B+ (not to be confused with a web-based amateur worldbuilder grade B++). Would you be interested in being reclassified as a web-based amateur worldbuilder grade A---? They have an installment plan…
{Classical Mythology equivalent: none}

Hey and hi! I previously posted these Character Chats in order to fill the void when the comic was on involuntary hiatus, and I'm pleased to hear that it was received positively and people were asking for more. I couldn't really commit to it once the hiatus was over, since I've got a job and all. But good news, my whole team got laid off! I've got a lot more time on my hands now, so I think I'll keep this series going for a few weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays or so. If anyone complains about me surfing reddit at work during my notice period... well, what are they gonna do, fire me?
Today my giant novely ouija board has selected Prince Aaronev Tarvek Sturmvoraus. Our first Spark, and first main character, but somehow our third Valois out of five picks.
Tarvek is a member of the large and complicated Valois family tree, descended from our pal Andronicus Valois, the Storm King. He is the son of Prince Aaronev Sturmvoraus VI of Sturmhalten and an unknown mother, and the older brother of Anevka Sturmvoraus. He and Anevka share the same grandmother with the von Bliztengaard siblings and Violetta, making them all cousins. The Selnikovs may also be close family members, as their main residence is in Sturmhalten. Tarvek also calls Zulenna a cousin at one point.
The Storm King conspiracy among the Fifty Families was said to be fizzling out in the time before the comic, but the Mongfish family (i.e. Lucrezia) got involved and whipped them all into shape. Besides making most of the Knights of Jove Lucrezia loyalists, part of this involvment was ensuring there was a suitable male heir to the Storm King using Spark sceince, which ended up producing, at minimum, Tarvek and Martellus von Blitzengaard. The degree to which Tarvek's mother was involved and consenting is unknown. While we don't know how much was done, Tarvek is a powerful Spark, physically fit, and quite intelligent, so mission accomplished I suppose (though Tarvek does wear these tiny pince-nez around, so he may have poor vision - nice going, Lucrezia).
We don't have a family tree or anything, so we need to take the story's word that Tarvek's claim for being a direct heir of Andronicus is one of the most direct, if not the strongest overall. Two of the strongest claimants, Tarvek and Martellus, share a grandmother, so presumably their legitimacy is either through her or her late husband. Grandmama is once referred to with the title "Dowager Princess of Sturmhalten", it's possible Aaronev inherited his title as Prince of Sturmhalten by being her son. On the other hand, Tarvek also says that his descent comes down through his mother, so maybe she's Grandmama's child instead? Or it's wrong to trace back things to this set of grandparents after all? The family tree is thrown for another loop when Orotine declares Martellus a third-place heir rather than the commonly assumed second-place, so now who's in second place and how's that guy related to Tarvek's family tree, and... it's at this point I throw up my hands in exasperation.
Tarvek spent some of his early childhood as a political hostage on Castle Wulfenbach, being raised with other hostages by von Pinn. Tarvek recalls this time fondly, and in particular became good friends with Gil, whose identity was still hidden. When the two of them were hunting for secrets, hoping to discover Gil's lineage, they discover a red-herring left by the Baron. While Tarvek didn't buy it and tried to dig further, he got caught. Along with some snitching from Gil, this got him expelled from the Castle. Of course, everyone was spying abord the Castle, and Tarvek was just the only one kicked out. My assumption is that the Baron wasn't worried about Gil's identity being exposed, but didn't approve of Gil getting close with Tarvek for one reason or another and arranged to destroy the friendship.
He spent his remaining childhood in Sturmhalten, where he was wrapped up in family scheming, including Aaronev's schemes with the Other. Besides Aaronev, he also spent time with Anevka and Violetta during this period, and received some Smoke Knight training. He later goes to Paris for his higher education, where he was a good student and made friendships with influential young people like Colette and Neena. He was also involuntarily dragged into Gil's college adventures, where he became, uh, "acquainted" with disreputable characters like Bangladesh Dupree and Zola. He's called back to Sturmhalten after completing his education.
As a young adult, Tarvek's goals are initially to learn all he can from the Other conspiracy in Sturmhalten, destroy them afterwards, use this knowledge to overthrow the Baron, become Storm King, get the Fifty Families under control, and bring peace and prosperity to his new empire. However, Aaronev is in charge in Sturmhalten, and has different ideas. Tarvek detests his father and the Other conspiracy he's involved with, but cooperates with them to stay in their good graces and learn all he can. Tarvek attempts to act as a moderating influence on Aaronev, but Aaronev is too far gone to pull back. Aaronev ends up capturing nearly all the young female Sparks in Europa beneath the Baron's nose, and destroys them utterly trying to implant copies of Lucrezia into their minds, while Tarvek doesn't do much more than watch.
Aaronev eventually subjects his daughter Anevka to the treatment, nearly killing her. The Circus of Adventure happens to be in town, and as an expert on the Muses, Tarvek recognizes Tinka as a van Rijn original when she performs. Tarvek has his men abduct Tinka, and uses her as the basis for building a masterpiece clank which would connect to Anevka's mind and allow her to move and speak while her body was comatose. For what it's worth, he does try to pay the Circus after the fact, but they naturally ran like hell out of town. Tinka is eventually damaged beyond his ability to repair by Aaronev.
After this, he also conspires (or pretends to conspire) with Anevka to use her clank body's voice box to imitate Lucrezia's ability to command revenants, and use that ability to overthrow Aaronev and the Baron. When the Circus comes back to town with Agatha in tow, she's found out as Lucrezia's daughter at a show, with more beans being spilled later when Agatha's drugged with a truth serum. Aaronev tries to throw her in the Lucrezia-machine, but Anevka launches her coup right then, and finalizes her voice box by studying Agatha's own voice. Tarvek, having fallen for Agatha basically immediately, attempts to smuggle Agatha out of town under Anevka's nose, but the Geisters eventually get Lucrezia in her head anyway.
Tarvek, at this point, wants to integrate Agatha into his plan to use Other technology to usurp the Baron, which means keeping her safely at his side. This means both cooperating with Lucrezia to learn from her to begin with and protect Agatha's body, and also sabotaging Agatha's efforts at surrendering herself to the Baron for the greater good. One his deals with Lucrezia is making a clank head imprinted with a Lucrezia copy, designed to fit onto Avenka's clank body. Tarvek lures in Anevka for Lucrezia, and after some back-and-forth betrayals, eventually deactivates Anevka's head and puts her in storage, essentially killing her for the time being. Juggling Agatha, Lucrezia, and now a second Lucrezia proves too much for Tarvek once the Baron's troops arrive in Sturmhalten, and he ends up slashed in the gut, shot, and abandoned in the ensuing chaos.
Tarvek ends up in the Great Hospital in Mechanicsburg, as one of many of the injured from Sturmhalten. Violetta, who had been assigned to Mechanicsburg by Tarvek to keep her out of the proverbial firing line, manages to get him out of custody in the hospital... but inside of Castle Heterodyne instead, which is something of a lateral move. After connecting up with Agatha, Taevek comes down with Hogfarb's Respelendent Immolation, either due to traipsing about Castle Heterodyne of all places while wounded, or, Tarvek speculates, as a poisoning attempt from his own extended family. Gil is recruited to help with curing him, and after extensive bickering, infections, distractions, complications, and one apotheosis, he's back in good health. Tarvek attempts to help fix the Castle, and aid Agatha however he can, including fighting with Lucrezia and Vole, and attempting to strangle Zola. His bickering with Gil during this time mostly puts him on the defensive and has Tarvek trying to justify his actions, but he eventually does has a quiet epiphany.
He eventually gets grabbed by Other in a case of mistaken identity, and his quick analytical skills wind up placing him in charge of the Wulfenbach fleet's grand strategy temporarily - it's at gunpoint, but Boris assesses that he's really doing what's in the best interest of the Empire. He has to scurry off when Klaus comes onto the scene, placing him in a perfect position to recruit the Empire's Vespiary Squad and their weasels when Klaus turns on them. Notably, he risks life and limb rescuing a squad member, who he needs of course, but also Jorgi, who mostly annoys him. He sends the Vespiary Squad to hiding places abroad. As the battle for Mechanicsburg wraps up, Tarvek ends up stabbed with a poisoned dagger by Martellus just before the time-stop.
Post time-skip, Gil dedicates extensive resources towards getting Tarvek out of the time stop. Tarvek isn't able to do much before being kidnapped by the Immortal Library, and then kidnapped by Mister Obsidian on behalf of Grandmama. He does manage to breathe a bit in Paris, before being kidnapped by Mister Obsidian again on behalf of Seffie, to be sent to England. But en route aboard a pirate vessel, he's (shockingly) interrupted by a kidnapping attempt, this time for Grandmama again. Martellus sent assassins after Tarvek to interrupt the interruption, leading to bloody battle between Seffie's pirates, Grandmama's Smoke Knights, Martellus' Knights of the Hunt, and poor Tarvek. After being rescued by Gil, Tarvek flips the script, and he and Bang kidnap Gil instead, changing course to England.
In England, he can finally, you know, not get kidnapped for a bit. He decides to join Agatha in the Royal Society, and despite nearly getting strangled by Higgs, manages to reach Agatha and help work on curing her of Lucrezia, and curing Gil of Klaus. After interminable delays like a undersea cult, briefly seeing beyond time, punching Tweedle, and a revenant attack, they eventually pull it all off.
Later, in the war against the Polar Lords, Tarvek is essentially given the role of Gil's official treacherous vizier. On paper, helping the Empire helps keep him safe to further his own ambitions, but in practice, Tarvek seems more focused on doing good by his friends than anything to do with becoming Storm King.
Whew! And that's the short synopsis!
As a Spark, Tarvek's specialty is masterwork clanks in the van Rijn mold. His Anevka clank maintains full sentience even after any organic parts it was attached to died off, and continues to be used by Lucrezia to devastating effect. He also has a knack for rapid analysis, such as being able to understand the Wulfenbach fleet's strategy with just a glance. It's possible his political aptitude, scheming skills and ability to anticipate people's actions are a byproduct of his spark, but it may also just be the natural result of his upbringing. He is unusually composed for a Spark, and is very rarely seen in the Madness Place, and never for very long.
Beyond the Spark and his cunning, Tarvek also received some Smoke Knight training, making him skilled in martial arts and sleight of hand. That said, he'd prefer not to get in fights, and his first resort use his Spark or guile to get out safely (his second resort is just shooting them, with a gun). He also has a passion for fashion design, particularly lady's fashion.
Besides his conquer-Europa ambitions, Tarvek seems primarily driven to help and protect the people he loves, but his preferred tactics for doing so are often underhanded, or screw over people that he doesn't particularly love. Tarvek is the kind of guy who has to come to the conclusion that mind-control slavery is bad in general, rather than bad for people I know. He does come to that conclusion on his own, so kudos for that, but for a lot of people it's not even something you have to think about. Tarvek is also quick to use "they'd kill me if I tried, I had no choice" as a defense, but never quite understands that there was always a choice available he didn't consider - die trying. That all said, Tarvek is in generally improving his character over time, and wants to do the right thing, both in the "greater good" sense and doing right by other people individually, and finds himself frustrated at himself that he's often failed. I don't want to discuss Tarvek's ethics too much further here, since there's a great deal to talk about and this is supposed to be a discussion thread! Why do I have to do all the work?
Major Relationships:

• Agatha: Tarvek fell for Agatha pretty damn hard, internally logging her as "future bride", and even at his scummiest times in Sturmhalten was trying to act in her best interest, and just ignoring what she actually wanted and also fucking it up anyway. By the time of the Castle arc, Tarvek has mostly thrown away all of his own ambitions in favor of working for Agatha's, even in moments when he feels pretty hopeless about his actual prospects as a suitor. One major advantage in his court is that he's able to actually articulate his feelings like an adult.
  
• Gil: It's been a true roller coaster for these two, from friends to enemies to rivals to allies to secret lovers. It takes a great deal of bonding for their distrust of one another to fall away, and after the time skip Tarvek lists Agatha and Gil (and, by implication, Violetta) as the only people left he really cares about, and the two of them spend a lot more time hugging than you would have expected.
  
• Violetta: Tarvek spent a good deal of his childhood with Violetta, and earnestly tried to protect her. In natural early-Tarvek style, it was by ignoring her wishes and leaving her in the dark, but points for trying. They have a bickering siblings type of relationship, and Violetta is fine trash talking him despite the power imbalance between them. Tarvek is pretty disappointed that he's rebuffed when trying to sincerely express that he's glad she's alive, since she expects childish taunts out of him.
  
• Aaronev: Tarvek really hates Aaronev for all the horrible things he's done, especially for putting Anevka through the machine, and spends about two seconds mourning after he's killed. Tarvek had been play-acting as a loyal son for years, and it's a bit tragic that Aaronev bought his act wholesale - what little interaction we see suggests that Aaronev, scumbag that he is, did really like Tarvek.
  
• Anevka: Tarvek did not take it well when it seemed Anevka was going to die, and went to extreme measures to save her. But Tarvek doesn't assign the same level of personhood to the Anevka clank after the original Anevka dies (he's generally not the best at the whole "clanks are people too" concept), and eventually "kills" her by turning her off and throwing her head in a box, where she probably still remains if Sturmhalten hasn't been razed to the ground.
  
• Lucrezia: While most people hate the Other on a conceptual level, Tarvek has spent enough time with her to really begin to hate her on a personal level. He's aware of her foibles, such as her susceptibility to flattery, and tries to take advantage when he can. His more personal knowledge also makes him better able to detect when Lucrezia is taking over for Agatha than most.
  
• Higgs: Like many, Tarvek cottons on that Higgs has a secret in Castle Heterodyne. Tarvek does try to keep it under his hat and make excuses on his behalf, but can't resist teasing Higgs despite him being incredibly dangerous. Tarvek openly confronting Higgs about his identity later on nearly gets him strangled to death. Despite that, Tarvek and Higgs have formed a good rapport, and have solid mutual respect. He's even one of the people Tarvek pours his heart out to when he thinks Violetta is dead.
  
• Neena: Neena has a bit of a crush on Tarvek, and Tarvek for his part does some light flirting at the ball but otherwise doesn't think about her much at this point. It's an odd match for someone like Tarvek, since Neena is earnest, enthusiastic, and completely lacking in guile. Maybe that's exactly what someone like him needs - stranger things have happened!
  
• Martellus: As two men aiming for the same throne, Martellus and Tarvek are natural enemies. Tarvek obviously dislikes Martellus - and even gets a good punch in - but doesn't take any moves to stop Martellus' forward momentum, and makes no moves towards legitimizing his claim as Storm King beyond not being dead. His strategy may be to just give Martellus enough rope to hang himself with, but it may also show genuine disinterest in this whole Storm King business.
  

MAIN CLAIM: The entire concept of racism is irrelevant, and discussing it from whichever standpoint will lead to nothing.
REASONS:

1. Beliefs ≠ Actions — An individual has the right to make any sort of conclusions towards anything, since we're all equal, no one can claim moral superiority or enlightenment. With that said, actions that can result from racist beliefs are NOT unethical BECAUSE of racism but INDEPENDENTLY from it. EX: Murder (It's not racism that makes murder unethical), insults (it's not racism that makes offensive speech unethical), discrimination (It's not racism that makes treating another as inferior that makes that act itself unethical).
   
2. The notion of racism necessarily implies the existence of race — When anti-racist people speak out against racism, they do so refuting the core notion that "there are no superior races", this will lead to no results since it leads to it being a matter of difference of information and experience (Racists have, in their heads, good and tangible reasons to be racists that can be pointed out). HOWEVER, the rebuttal of this core notion has a VALIDATING effect for racists because it makes their main assumption that race exists LEGITIMATE. Since it's not that assumption that is being tackled the racist will comfortably believe that if the anti-racist had been through similar experiences they'd understand why a certain race is inferior. Meanwhile, if the concept of race was refuted as a whole, there'd be no space for those conclusions. One thing to be considered is that the existence of the race DOES necessarily imply superior and inferior (EX: if there are races, then there are groups that are genetically different, which means that they will necessarily have different IQs, one higher, one lower), at most it can be argued that this superiority and inferiority is context-dependant, but this does not matter for the racist who WILL use the info in those exact contexts.
   
3. Anti-racism oftentimes further propagates racism — A quick example is enough. When new movies, or other forms of media, come out featuring black individuals in prominent roles, many ardent anti-racists start dissecting the traits and plot points attributed to these black characters, to make sure there is no racism. This has a dehumanizing effect since it necessarily implies that are certain actions/behaviors/plot points that can ONLY happen to blacks if a racist screenwriter decides so. With anti-racism, the focus is constantly on race, taking the individual out of the equation and judging him solely through a racial viewpoint. I was watching a video by Metatron where he reacts to a video by an historian analysing a scene from the movie 300, the historian states that it is ableist for a deformed character to be represented as deceitful and a traitor. This is not about race but is a similar enough theme. What happens here is that the experience of the deformed character is completely dismissed (they have reasons to be deceitful) and its free-will completely ignored because the focus is on its appearance and body by the very people who criticise it. It's also implying that deformed people cannot be traitors. Why wouldn't they? If we're all the same?
   
4. It has an ostracising effect — Very often people forget that racists have REASONS to be racist. If they have had a disproportionate amount of bad experiences with people of a certain race, it's NATURAL to adapt to this experience with misguided conclusions. The same way that, on a larger scale, women can develop a generalised fear of men due to sexual harassment. When morality is brought to the topic, it further separates and alienates racists by DISMISSING THEIR EXPERIENCE. This is wrong because it's demanding that people be more rational than they are capable of on their own and invalidating their fears and natural adaptations, and all of this because people either seek the moral highground, want to virtue signal, or are lazy in actually tackling racist issues. No conflict will EVER be solved by further alienating someone by attributing to them immoral qualities. No one is born immoral, everyone is malleable. But treating them as monsters most certainly ensures they'll remain monsters. It is extremely counter-productive to alienate racists, as if one could solve problems of discrimination by preaching to those that are already converted. Needless to say, any actions need to be punished or rewarded accordingly, regardless of the person behind them.
   
5. It doesn't tackle the core issues — It happens INSANELY often that people reject actual facts about reality in order to avoid racism and bigotry. Using as an example the 13/50 statistic. This statistic IS real. People immediately want to hide or quickly "disprove" it away because of its danger, but again, this is counter-productive and lazy. If a racist sees this statistical fact, and sees that anti-racists delusionally reject it, his view WILL BE LEGITIMISED. Applying a moral layer to a matter of INFORMATION is a terrible, terrible idea. No one is immoral for trying to understand a statistic, but if they are treated as such, they will be such.
   

MY PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES:

1. The experience of racists should be openly validated, tackled and EXPLAINED. Carefully demonstrating what the 13/50 means for racists has, potentially, very positive effects. Not only could such an explanation, if done effectively, be enough to stop it from being used for racists conclusions, it could have the complete opposite effect and make racists more aware of the experience of blacks from the perspective of economical and societal issues (of which human GREED is the main source). This should be done WITHOUT any morality involved. It takes work, strength, courage, knowledge and reasoning, so of course it is harder than merely preaching, but it is the only thing that can work. It requires open-minded, detached and precise counter-arguments for the exact things racists say, instead of generalised moralistic statements or attempts and censoring.
2. There should be a wider spread of GENUINE black role models and positive actions, as well as history. This has, in my opinion, never be started and has had a counter-productive effect since what media has done is take away stories from caucasians, for example, and trade those with blacks, as well as constantly trying to force formulaic and generic examples of black strength that have no effect because they aren't true (EX: Wakanda). Whites have little access to true and inspiring stories from other cultures. A movie like "the boy who harnessed the wind", for example, which tells a real and authentic story about an african family, has 10000x more power than the modern "ACCEPT THAT OTHER RACES ARE GOOD AND YOU'RE A DEMONIC WHITE" media.
3. Make an actual effort to finally NOT SEE COLOR, which used to be the main goal. Even if others do see color, if you try to tackle it from their perspective, you won't win. Offer a different perspective, an alternative worldview, and don't challenge theirs. No one is special.

Hey guys! I'm hailing from PetSmart, so I don't know as much as you guys. I saw talk about this restructuring and someone mentioned they're getting rid of aquatics specialists. Is this true? I was offered a job personally by my local Petco and I was hoping to move into that position once a few people were moved around. I was looking forward to the specialist role since I wouldn't be stuck on the register every shift like I am at PetSmart, and I love animals and have saltwatefreshwater tanks. But if they're getting rid of that position I guess I'll work somewhere else 😭 thank you in advance!

In this post I'll give an update on one of the leading civil spoofing cases. I believe what is happening in the NWBO spoofing case is directly relevant to GME - spoofing a stock to support a naked short position. A successful outcome for NWBO will set out the roadmap for GME to follow.
The Case: Northwest Biotherapeutics, Inc v. Canaccord Genuity LLC, 1:22-cv-10185, (S.D.N.Y.)
Market Makers: Canaccord Genuity LLC, Citadel Securities LLC, G1 Execution Services LLC, GTS Securities LLC, Instinet LLC, Lime Trading Corp., and Virtu Americas LLC
TIMELINE
December 2019: The fraud section of the DoJ "...has concluded spoofing and market manipulation are widespread, so general deterrence requires harsher sanction." [3]
December 5, 2017 - August 1, 2022: Defendant Market Makers engaged in 2,849 episodes of spoofing NWBO stock with the intent to lower the share price. [4] NWBO sold over 274 million shares at manipulated prices during this time period. Id.
December 1, 2022: NWBO filed a lawsuit against seven market makers accusing them of repeated "spoofing", an illegal practice to manipulate the share price of a stock. [5]
Citadel Securities labelled the case a "malicious lawsuit [that] blatantly misrepresents how the market functions in an attempt to shake down the world's leading liquidity providers." [6]
February 16, 2022: The Wall Street Journal publishes an article entitled "Justice Department Targets 'Spoofing' and 'Scalping' in Short Seller Investigation." [7] Forbes claims that "The U.S. Department of Justice is targeting dozens of prominent short-selling investment and research firms in a sweeping federal investigation that has gone on since last year, according to several reports, with prosecutors probing potentially illegal trading tactics." [8]
March 24, 2023: Reuters reports that "Short-selling, the practice of seeking to profit off bets that a stock will fall, is a key focus for U.S. prosecutors, and there will be more activity by the Justice Department in coming months, a top department official said on Wednesday." [9]
July 12, 2023: Defendant Market-Makers in NWBO's case claimed that the alleged spoofing was "...bedrock market-making activity..." that is "..**.**routine, regulated market making activity in virtually every stock in every trading venue across the country..." [10] (emphasis added)
February 14, 2024: Judge Woods adopted in full the findings of Magistrate Judge Stein in the NWBO Case. The Court stated, in relevant part:
"The FAC [First Amended Complaint] contains particularized factual allegations evincing all the indicia of spoofing." [11] (emphasis added)
March 1, 2024: The Financial Times publish an article about NWBO's Case entitled "'Spoofing' case might draw back curtain on high-speed trading firms". [12] The article opens with "File under: huge if true." Id. The article closes with "...if Citadel Securities and its ilk are to beat this case and prevent a string of copycat suits, they will probably have to give the rest of us more of a peek behind the curtain." Id.
THE FUTURE
I believe the NWBO case is likely to move into discovery. Similar to the Harrington spoofing case [13], I believe the clients of the Market Makers that engaged in spoofing will be unmasked and they will receive document/deposition subpoenas. These Market Makers and their clients could be facing the prospect of a civil and criminal case. and even the prospect of covering a substantial and possibly illegal naked short position.
NWBO's lawsuit claims that spoofing is being done to benefit a naked short selling scheme:
"And like here, the plaintiff alleged that defendants sought to benefit from their spoofing by obtaining shares at below-market prices in order to cover short positions established through a related alleged scheme of naked short selling." [14]
These allegations of a naked short selling scheme are being brought forth via NWBO's lead attorney, Laura Posner. Some relevant background on Ms. Posner:
"Prior to joining the firm, Laura was appointed by the New Jersey Attorney General to serve as the Bureau Chief for the New Jersey Bureau of Securities – the top securities regulator in New Jersey. In that capacity, she was responsible for administrating and enforcing the New Jersey Uniform Securities Law and regulations thereunder, as well as managing and overseeing the employees who staff the Bureau of Securities. Cases prosecuted under Laura’s direction as Bureau Chief resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in recoveries for New Jersey residents and more than 20 criminal convictions." [15]
Are Market Makers and/or their clients using social media to suppress share price and support a potential naked short position?
There is a years long negative NWBO social media campaign on nearly every social media platform. One such platform, InvestorsHub, has nearly 25,000 message boards. [16] Of these 25,000 message boards the most read and posted on message board is NWBO, an obscure cancer vaccine company on the US OTC. A large percentage of the posts on NWBO's InvestorsHub forums are from admitted non-investors in the company that claim to be looking out for shareholders. These white knights protecting the retail have been at forums like InvestorsHub posting negative NWBO narratives for years on end. Maybe these are truly people taking time out of their day to look out for retail's best interest, or maybe they are part of the naked short selling scheme referenced in the NWBO case. I'm hopeful that both the civil and a potential criminal case get to the bottom of the question of whether there is a large unreported and potentially illegal naked short position in NWBO.
The more data we see via the NWBO spoofing lawsuit, the more questionable social media behavior we see, the more I believe we might have a significant naked short position in NWBO. It doesn't make sense to see such a comprehensive social media campaign and extreme amounts of spoofing for a measly 4.48% short interest (per Fintel) in a small obscure US OTC company.
GME
I believe the NWBO case follows the same pattern as what we've seen with GME - a large naked short position supported by illegal market manipulation via spoofing and a social media campaign. It will be interesting to see how the NWBO case turns out as I believe it will be directly relevant to GME. The NWBO spoofing case could set out the exact roadmap for GME to follow.
[1]https://cohenmilstein.com/case-study/northwest-biotherapeutics-inc-securities-litigation/… [2]https://nwbio.com/northwest-biotherapeutics-announces-marketing-authorization-applications-submitted-uk-mhra-dcvax-l-glioblastoma/… [3]https://mvalaw.com/investigations-and-regulatory-advice/latest-doj-spoofing-settlement… [4]https://cohenmilstein.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2nd-Amended-Complaint-NWBO-03182024.pdf… [5]https://cohenmilstein.com/biotech-company-says-citadel-other-big-traders-manipulated-its-stock-price-wall-street/… [6]https://ft.com/content/4fe0f032-07e5-41d7-ac85-cceb252129a3… [7]https://wsj.com/articles/justice-department-is-pursuing-wide-ranging-investigation-of-short-sellers-sources-say-11645019122… [8]https://forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2022/02/16/doj-investigates-short-sellers-for-potential-trading-abuses-including-spoofing-and-scalping/?sh=463ad05378fc… [9]https://reuters.com/markets/us/us-action-short-sellers-likely-next-few-months-doj-official-2023-05-24/… [10]https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.590344/gov.uscourts.nysd.590344.115.0_1.pdf… [11]https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.590344/gov.uscourts.nysd.590344.137.0.pdf… [12]https://ft.com/content/4fe0f032-07e5-41d7-ac85-cceb252129a3… [13]https://courtlistener.com/docket/46947528/harrington-global-opportunity-fund-limited-v-cibc-world-markets-corp/ [14]https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.590344/gov.uscourts.nysd.590344.123.0.pdf…… [15]https://cohenmilstein.com/bio/laura-h-posne [16]https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/hubstocks.aspx

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1. Health Information Specialist I

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This position receives/responds to provider inquiries on claim issues. Researches information by reviewing plan, eligibility, and authorizations to determine appropriate resolution. Works with CSC or RCM to identify areas of opportunity and recommend solutions. Completes special assignments and analyzes provider requests. Assists other departments and interacts directly with providers

• High School Diploma or the equivalent required

4.Inbound Sales Rep
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Applicants must reside from: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, or Wisconsin

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• Ability to complete mandatory paid training for 4 weeks - 100% attendance is required
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In order to work from home, our agents must have their own full-size or all-in-one desktop personal computer, or a traditional laptop personal computer that meets the minimum specifications listed in the sections below.

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• Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, or Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
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• Important Facts: MUST HAVE THESE FOR CONSIDERATION
  
• Ability to complete mandatory paid training for 4 weeks - 100% attendance is required
  
• Confirm that you have the equipment requirements listed below. This will be asked throughout the interview process and could affect employment status if not met
  

Vex was placed in a holding cell aboard the human vessel, with energy shielding that was impossible to penetrate. He spent the journey in contemplation, marveling at everything he had witnessed of humanity's capabilities. How had they achieved so much in so little time? There had to be more to their story that met the eye.
As the ship entered Earth orbit, Vex caught glimpses of the planet on the screen. Great sprawling cities sparkled underneath, far larger than any in the Krell empire. Powerful orbital installations dotted the skies, dwarfing even the Empire's largest shipyards. It was then that Vex began to understand, that his people were completely unprepared for the scale of humanity's advancement.
The ship docked at a massive orbital station, teeming with activity. Vex was escorted from his cell by armed guards, their weaponry far superior to even Krell special forces. They said nothing as they led him through gleaming corridors, giving Vex time to study the architecture and design. Everything was optimized for efficiency in a way that spoke of deeply ingrained engineering principles.
Vex was brought before Commander Holden, who wasted no time getting straight to business. "Admiral, I understand you came here on a diplomatic mission. But covertly entering our space shows your people don't view us as friends. Why have you really come?"
Vex knew honesty was his only option. "Commander, I will not deny that my council sees humanity as a threat. When I reported on what I witnessed, they ordered me to return covertly and assess your technology, to understand how you achieved so much in so short a time. But I have realized, that approach will only breed more suspicion between our people."
Holden considered this response carefully. "Your people fear what they don't understand. But attacking or stealing technology will not earn your Empire's safety. We seek peaceful relations with all space-faring civilizations. If your leaders are open to dialog, there may be a way forward that benefits all."
Vex nodded slowly. "I believe the same, Commander. My mission has given me a new perspective. With your permission, I would like to open direct channel with the Empire and relay to them what I have witnessed, and that dialogue is the wisest path."
Holden thought for a moment. "An open dialogue could be a positive step. But there must be transparency on both sides going forward. I am willing to bring your request to our leaders, Admiral. In the meantime, you will remain our guest. You and your crew will be treated well and want for nothing."
Over the next few days, Vex was given accommodations befitting his status. He spent hours each day observing and talking with humans, and came to respect their ingenuity, compassion, and drive. Humanity's rapid advancement was due not to any secret, but to maximizing individual potential through advanced education and societal support structures. It became clear how open exchange could uplift his own people in turn.
Vex was updated that his request had been approved, and arrangements were being made for a secured FTL QEC channel to address the Empire Council directly. The day finally came, and Vex stood before the transmission portal, steeling himself for what was to come.
Would the Council even believe the truth, or had fear gripped them too strongly? There was only one way to find out.
Vex appeared before the Council Chambers, met by a sea of wary faces. Grand Admiral Kaar spoke first. "Admiral Vex, we awaited your report. Have you discovered the source of humanity's strength so we can counter this emerging threat?"
Vex took a deep breath. "Honorable Council, my ship was discovered, and captured by human fleet as fast as we entered their space. Both me and crew have been treated well by out hosts, and I’m here to ask you for you permission, to open diplomatic talks with human leaders, to solve this political crisis we have caused
An uproar followed as Councilors debated this shocking revelation. Kaar held up his hand for silence. "Vex, you ask us to abandon everything we know for the word of this...alien species. Why should we not see them still as a threat?"
Commander Holden stared harshly at the gathered Krell Council members, through the quantum communicator. "Admiral Vex and members of Krell council, when your vessel illegally entered sovereign human space, we could have responded with full force. The only reason your ship, and crew are still intact is because I chose to show restraint."
Vex shifted uncomfortably under Holden's stern gaze. "Commander, I understand the violation of your borders caused concern. Our intentions were to gather information, not instigate conflict. Please understand our species is still coming to terms with humanity's overwhelming advantages."
"Empty words," Holden interrupted. "For all your talk of diplomacy, your Admiralty ordered covert reconnaissance with unknown objectives. How am I to take your word when your very first contact was done in shadows and deception?"
Grand Admiral Kaar leaned forward. "Do not lecture us human. Our mission was to ensure the security of the Krell Empire in the face of an emerging superior force. If your technology had fallen into the wrong hands the consequences could have been disastrous."
"And who decides what constitutes the 'wrong hands' if not us?" Holden shot back. "This is not some lawless frontier Admiral, it is organized United Earth space. We will not tolerate foreign powers skulking around our borders and facilities unannounced."
Vex raised a pacifying hand. "Commander, while the Council's decision was rash, no harm was done. Let us move forward in a spirit of open-"
"Be silent Admiral," Holden cut him off. "I have not granted you permission to speak. You Krell act as if you are entitled to do as you please in our space, facing no repercussions. Well you have severely miscalculated."
Kaar leaned forward menacingly. "Are you threatening us human? Your fleets would burn before ever reaching the Empire home world. Do not believe you hold power over us."
A steely glint entered Holden's eyes. "Is that so Admiral? Then perhaps a demonstration is in order." He turned to an aide. "Launch the prototype."
The aide nodded and spoke quietly into her comm unit. Outside the viewing ports, the black void suddenly erupted in blinding light. A ripple seemed to pass through normal space itself, distorting the stars beyond in its wake. When the glare faded, a massive object was visible, a 10 miles long cylinder,
composed entirely of some unknown silvery material. Kaar blinked in shocked disbelief. "What...what is that?" Holden allowed himself a thin smile. "The product of unconventional technological pathways, even your reconnaissance failed to uncover Admiral. Allow me to introduce, Starlight Drive prototype 1, humanity's solution to traveling between the stars without limit."
Vex fought to find words. "Commander...that technology violates all known laws of physics. FTL travel was theorized as impossible!"
"And yet here it rests before your eyes," Holden replied calmly. "Its drives can accelerate this vessel from a dead stop to five percent of lightspeed within an hour, before safely making the jump to FTL velocities. But its true power lies elsewhere."
He gestured to the aide, who input a series of commands. There was another brilliant rippling in realspace, and when it faded the prototype was gone, having vanished without a trace. Simultaneously, an alert chimed on the crew's sensor boards - the prototype had reappeared halfway across the known galaxy, less than a lightyear from the Krell home world.
"One must always be prepared to face the unforeseen," Holden said ominously. His gaze swept across the stunned Council. "Bear that lesson well as you reconsider any plans regarding humanity or our borders. Your infiltration will have repercussions, but that discussion can wait. For now, our message is delivered, do not test us further, Council members.'"
With that, he cut the channel, leaving the Krell delegates in shocked silence. Vex stared at the empty transmission field, a cold feeling growing in his core. It seemed humanity's true military potential was even more staggering than they could have possibly imagined. What other paradigm-shifting technologies did they possess in reserve? More worrying still was the steely gleam, he had seen in Holden's eyes during the demonstration, these Terrans would show no mercy, if directly provoked. Cooperation was the only path to survival, if the Council could be persuaded to set aside their pride and see reason before it was too late.
The Council debated late into the cycles, but the discussion was far from civil. Factions remained stubbornly divided in their views of humanity.
Grand Admiral Kaar voiced the loudest opposition. "These Terrans speak of cooperation, yet covertly infiltrated our borders, in the middle of talks. How can we trust such a technologically advanced species, not to see them as a threat?"
Another council member struggled to be heard over the shouts of agreement. "Honorable Council, while the infiltration was a misstep, their intentions appeared peaceful. Would it not be prudent to learn more, before making enemies of a potential ally?"
"Empty words," Kaar countered. "You have been blinded by these aliens. We must approach them with caution, not naivety."
Weary hours passed without resolution. Then Kaar proposed a sinister compromise: "Send delegates not for learning, but to spy on humanity's strengths and vulnerabilities. Only then can we properly defend our people from their looming threat."
The Council unanimously approved the covert mission, to neutral space near human core systems, under the banner of diplomatic talks. Despite some council members objections, plans were made to infiltrate humanity under false pretenses of diplomacy. Weeks later, the delegation departed, concealing their true hostile purpose under a thin guise of open mindedness.
Opposition council members could only watch helplessly, praying the delegates did not provoke humanity's ire, through deception and betrayal. Much now depended on the Terrans showing restraint, if the deception was uncovered, for second time.
If you want can support me on my YouTube channel. @ SciFiTime

Vex was placed in a holding cell aboard the human vessel, with energy shielding that was impossible to penetrate. He spent the journey in contemplation, marveling at everything he had witnessed of humanity's capabilities. How had they achieved so much in so little time? There had to be more to their story that met the eye.
As the ship entered Earth orbit, Vex caught glimpses of the planet on the screen. Great sprawling cities sparkled underneath, far larger than any in the Krell empire. Powerful orbital installations dotted the skies, dwarfing even the Empire's largest shipyards. It was then that Vex began to understand, that his people were completely unprepared for the scale of humanity's advancement.
The ship docked at a massive orbital station, teeming with activity. Vex was escorted from his cell by armed guards, their weaponry far superior to even Krell special forces. They said nothing as they led him through gleaming corridors, giving Vex time to study the architecture and design. Everything was optimized for efficiency in a way that spoke of deeply ingrained engineering principles.
Vex was brought before Commander Holden, who wasted no time getting straight to business. "Admiral, I understand you came here on a diplomatic mission. But covertly entering our space shows your people don't view us as friends. Why have you really come?"
Vex knew honesty was his only option. "Commander, I will not deny that my council sees humanity as a threat. When I reported on what I witnessed, they ordered me to return covertly and assess your technology, to understand how you achieved so much in so short a time. But I have realized, that approach will only breed more suspicion between our people."
Holden considered this response carefully. "Your people fear what they don't understand. But attacking or stealing technology will not earn your Empire's safety. We seek peaceful relations with all space-faring civilizations. If your leaders are open to dialog, there may be a way forward that benefits all."
Vex nodded slowly. "I believe the same, Commander. My mission has given me a new perspective. With your permission, I would like to open direct channel with the Empire and relay to them what I have witnessed, and that dialogue is the wisest path."
Holden thought for a moment. "An open dialogue could be a positive step. But there must be transparency on both sides going forward. I am willing to bring your request to our leaders, Admiral. In the meantime, you will remain our guest. You and your crew will be treated well and want for nothing."
Over the next few days, Vex was given accommodations befitting his status. He spent hours each day observing and talking with humans, and came to respect their ingenuity, compassion, and drive. Humanity's rapid advancement was due not to any secret, but to maximizing individual potential through advanced education and societal support structures. It became clear how open exchange could uplift his own people in turn.
Vex was updated that his request had been approved, and arrangements were being made for a secured FTL QEC channel to address the Empire Council directly. The day finally came, and Vex stood before the transmission portal, steeling himself for what was to come.
Would the Council even believe the truth, or had fear gripped them too strongly? There was only one way to find out.
Vex appeared before the Council Chambers, met by a sea of wary faces. Grand Admiral Kaar spoke first. "Admiral Vex, we awaited your report. Have you discovered the source of humanity's strength so we can counter this emerging threat?"
Vex took a deep breath. "Honorable Council, my ship was discovered, and captured by human fleet as fast as we entered their space. Both me and crew have been treated well by out hosts, and I’m here to ask you for you permission, to open diplomatic talks with human leaders, to solve this political crisis we have caused
An uproar followed as Councilors debated this shocking revelation. Kaar held up his hand for silence. "Vex, you ask us to abandon everything we know for the word of this...alien species. Why should we not see them still as a threat?"
Commander Holden stared harshly at the gathered Krell Council members, through the quantum communicator. "Admiral Vex and members of Krell council, when your vessel illegally entered sovereign human space, we could have responded with full force. The only reason your ship, and crew are still intact is because I chose to show restraint."
Vex shifted uncomfortably under Holden's stern gaze. "Commander, I understand the violation of your borders caused concern. Our intentions were to gather information, not instigate conflict. Please understand our species is still coming to terms with humanity's overwhelming advantages."
"Empty words," Holden interrupted. "For all your talk of diplomacy, your Admiralty ordered covert reconnaissance with unknown objectives. How am I to take your word when your very first contact was done in shadows and deception?"
Grand Admiral Kaar leaned forward. "Do not lecture us human. Our mission was to ensure the security of the Krell Empire in the face of an emerging superior force. If your technology had fallen into the wrong hands the consequences could have been disastrous."
"And who decides what constitutes the 'wrong hands' if not us?" Holden shot back. "This is not some lawless frontier Admiral, it is organized United Earth space. We will not tolerate foreign powers skulking around our borders and facilities unannounced."
Vex raised a pacifying hand. "Commander, while the Council's decision was rash, no harm was done. Let us move forward in a spirit of open-"
"Be silent Admiral," Holden cut him off. "I have not granted you permission to speak. You Krell act as if you are entitled to do as you please in our space, facing no repercussions. Well you have severely miscalculated."
Kaar leaned forward menacingly. "Are you threatening us human? Your fleets would burn before ever reaching the Empire home world. Do not believe you hold power over us."
A steely glint entered Holden's eyes. "Is that so Admiral? Then perhaps a demonstration is in order." He turned to an aide. "Launch the prototype."
The aide nodded and spoke quietly into her comm unit. Outside the viewing ports, the black void suddenly erupted in blinding light. A ripple seemed to pass through normal space itself, distorting the stars beyond in its wake. When the glare faded, a massive object was visible, a 10 miles long cylinder,
composed entirely of some unknown silvery material. Kaar blinked in shocked disbelief. "What...what is that?" Holden allowed himself a thin smile. "The product of unconventional technological pathways, even your reconnaissance failed to uncover Admiral. Allow me to introduce, Starlight Drive prototype 1, humanity's solution to traveling between the stars without limit."
Vex fought to find words. "Commander...that technology violates all known laws of physics. FTL travel was theorized as impossible!"
"And yet here it rests before your eyes," Holden replied calmly. "Its drives can accelerate this vessel from a dead stop to five percent of lightspeed within an hour, before safely making the jump to FTL velocities. But its true power lies elsewhere."
He gestured to the aide, who input a series of commands. There was another brilliant rippling in realspace, and when it faded the prototype was gone, having vanished without a trace. Simultaneously, an alert chimed on the crew's sensor boards - the prototype had reappeared halfway across the known galaxy, less than a lightyear from the Krell home world.
"One must always be prepared to face the unforeseen," Holden said ominously. His gaze swept across the stunned Council. "Bear that lesson well as you reconsider any plans regarding humanity or our borders. Your infiltration will have repercussions, but that discussion can wait. For now, our message is delivered, do not test us further, Council members.'"
With that, he cut the channel, leaving the Krell delegates in shocked silence. Vex stared at the empty transmission field, a cold feeling growing in his core. It seemed humanity's true military potential was even more staggering than they could have possibly imagined. What other paradigm-shifting technologies did they possess in reserve? More worrying still was the steely gleam, he had seen in Holden's eyes during the demonstration, these Terrans would show no mercy, if directly provoked. Cooperation was the only path to survival, if the Council could be persuaded to set aside their pride and see reason before it was too late.
The Council debated late into the cycles, but the discussion was far from civil. Factions remained stubbornly divided in their views of humanity.
Grand Admiral Kaar voiced the loudest opposition. "These Terrans speak of cooperation, yet covertly infiltrated our borders, in the middle of talks. How can we trust such a technologically advanced species, not to see them as a threat?"
Another council member struggled to be heard over the shouts of agreement. "Honorable Council, while the infiltration was a misstep, their intentions appeared peaceful. Would it not be prudent to learn more, before making enemies of a potential ally?"
"Empty words," Kaar countered. "You have been blinded by these aliens. We must approach them with caution, not naivety."
Weary hours passed without resolution. Then Kaar proposed a sinister compromise: "Send delegates not for learning, but to spy on humanity's strengths and vulnerabilities. Only then can we properly defend our people from their looming threat."
The Council unanimously approved the covert mission, to neutral space near human core systems, under the banner of diplomatic talks. Despite some council members objections, plans were made to infiltrate humanity under false pretenses of diplomacy. Weeks later, the delegation departed, concealing their true hostile purpose under a thin guise of open mindedness.
Opposition council members could only watch helplessly, praying the delegates did not provoke humanity's ire, through deception and betrayal. Much now depended on the Terrans showing restraint, if the deception was uncovered, for second time.

1) The contract situation: If we get Saros we're most likely signing him to an extension. I can't see the Leafs trading him at the deadline nor can I see them just letting him walk at the end of the year for nothing. This likely means we're looking at a contract between 6-8 years north of 8 million. This is problematic for a number of reasons:
a) Goalies tend not to age very well. Even generational/hall of fame goalies such as Brodeur, Price and Lundqvist to name a few have trouble playing past 35 whilst being elite and living up to their contract. Signing Saros to a long term contract would mean we're primarily paying him when he's past his prime. This is a big concern.
b) We've been developing Woll for 8 years, and signing Saros to a fat extension pretty much means we've relegated Woll as a secondary option or a trade piece. For someone whose shown so much potential and come up big in key moments, this just doesn't make a lot of sense. Granted, Wolls injury concerns are totally valid but it still doesn't mean we have to give up on him as a Starter entirely.
2) Saros' track record: There's no denying that Saros is a high end goalie, but I think he's being slightly overrated. He's started more than 40 games 3 times in his career, 2 of which were very respectable (but not other worldly) and this past season which was below average. This is in conjunction with a playoff record where he's been below average: -1.2 GSAA and of his 16 playoff starts only half of them have been qualified as a quality start. Playing Goalie in Toronto is extremely challenging and so far in his career Saros just hasn't shown he can carry a team in the playoffs.
3) The benefits of getting Askarov: I've seen people say Nashville would never trade Askarov but they were shopping him last year, and they're looking for a high end forward, so I think it's very realistic they trade him. There would be a lot of benefits if we traded for him instead of Saros:
a) He's on an entry level contract for the next few years which means we'll have 30M this offseason to reshape the team. That would allow us to sign 2 top 4 RD and a 2C like Lindholm and still have 10M to play with to fill out the rest of the team.
b) You can let him and Woll share the net and see who emerges as the true starter. Woll has shown he can make huge saves and play in big moments so having him go 50/50 with Askarov in the regular season and then take the net in the playoffs would be a great short term plan while Askarov gets more experience.
c) If Askarov flourishes and wants a bigger role we own his RFA rights so there's a lot more flexibility in terms of what we can do with him. With Saros, we'd be signing him long term, relegating Woll to a backup and hoping Saros works out. With Askarov, if he outgrows his role we have a good problem with two capable goalies and can flip one for other assets. The flexibility here can't be understated.
4) You dont need a bonafide top 5 goalie to win the cup: This isn't to say having one is bad, just that it's not necessary. With Goaltending, its about getting hot at the right time. Vegas won the cup recently with what was originally a 3rd stringer. Binnington came out of nowhere and carried the Blues in '19, likewise with Matt Murray in 16/17 for the Pens. In his short time here Woll has shown a tendency to just come up huge and make big saves. I remember there was a point this year where he'd stopped like 18-20 shots in a row in 3v3 over multiple games which is impressive when you consider those are all essentially high danger chances. Take that in conjunction with how he played in the playoffs and you can see my point about how you just need someone to make big saves and get hot at the right time, Woll can do that.
Having Askarov and Woll as a tandem would allow for a cheap, flexible option in goal that allows us to spend on other parts of our roster. We don't need either of them to be Vezina winners to have success, just to make key saves and not let a shitty soft goal in. The amount of cap room we would have by taking on Askarov and dumping Marner would allow us to fill every hole we've been talking about for years. We would also likely get other pieces back with Askarov which would help us out even more. If you get a player like Luke Evangelista you've suddenly replaced 45 of Marner's 95 points for 800k.
From Nashville's perspective, they're trying to win a cup and given they can add one of the best RW in the league without moving any contracts out, or removing a player from their roster that finished with nearly 100 points is exactly the kind of trade they'd make. They've wanted a high end forward for years and now they can finally get one, and they'd be trading from a position of strength to make it happen.
For Marner, he can go to one of the most beloved markets for players, get paid as much as he wants, have a low profile and still be on a competitive team.

When it comes to securing your cryptocurrency, the choice of hardware wallet is crucial. While Ledger has its supporters, especially those influenced by prominent figures in the crypto world, it's important to understand why Trezor, with its open-source software, is a superior choice. Here's a detailed and persuasive explanation that addresses the key issues with Ledger and highlights the advantages of Trezor.
Transparency and Security Open-source software means that the code is publicly available for anyone to review and audit. This transparency is a cornerstone of cryptocurrency, ensuring that the software is secure and free from hidden vulnerabilities. Trezor’s software is completely open-source, which allows independent security experts to examine the code and identify any potential issues. For instance, in 2017, the open-source community quickly addressed a potential flaw in Trezor’s system, reinforcing the device’s security.
Trust Through Verification In the cryptocurrency space, the principle is "Don't trust, verify." Trezor embodies this principle by allowing anyone with technical expertise to verify the security of its code. This means you don't have to rely solely on the company's assurances; you can see for yourself that there are no hidden backdoors or malicious code. This level of transparency is impossible with Ledger’s closed-source software, where users must take the company's word for its security measures.
Issues with Ledger
Lack of Transparency Ledger uses closed-source software, meaning the code is proprietary and not available for public review. This lack of transparency forces users to place a high level of trust in the company, which contradicts the decentralized and trustless ethos of cryptocurrency. Closed-source software can contain vulnerabilities or backdoors that only the developers know about, potentially putting users at risk.
Security Incidents Ledger has had several notable security incidents that highlight the risks of closed-source software. In 2020, Ledger suffered a significant data breach, exposing the personal information of over 270,000 customers. Although the breach did not directly compromise the hardware wallets, it raised serious concerns about Ledger’s overall security practices.
Furthermore, in 2018, a security researcher discovered a vulnerability in Ledger’s hardware wallet that could allow an attacker to install malware. Due to the closed-source nature of the software, it took Ledger several months to release a firmware update to fix the issue. During this time, users were potentially exposed to risk.
Potential for Data Release Ledger, as a closed-source company, can be compelled by legal authorities to release user data if subpoenaed. This means that in certain circumstances, your personal information and transaction history could be handed over to government agencies. Trezor, on the other hand, operates on an open-source model and is committed to user privacy. The open-source community would resist any attempts to undermine user privacy, providing an additional layer of protection against unauthorized data release.
Why Trezor is the Better Choice!
Adherence to Decentralization Principles Trezor’s open-source philosophy is not just about transparency; it is about adhering to the core values of cryptocurrency. Decentralization and transparency are foundational principles that ensure no single entity has control over the network. Trezor’s commitment to open-source software aligns perfectly with these principles, whereas Ledger’s closed-source approach introduces unnecessary trust in a centralized entity.
Community-Driven Security The strength of Trezor lies in its community. The open-source model means that developers and security experts around the world can contribute to its security and functionality. This collaborative approach ensures continuous improvement and rapid responses to potential threats. Ledger’s closed system, however, limits community contributions, potentially slowing down the identification and resolution of security issues.
True Ownership and Control By choosing Trezor, users are not just purchasing a product; they are embracing the principles of true ownership and control over their assets. The transparency and accountability of open-source software ensure that users have full control over their hardware wallets. This stands in stark contrast to Ledger, where the lack of transparency undermines the security and trust that users should be able to place in their wallet.
Conclusion While prominent figures may endorse Ledger, it's essential to look beyond endorsements and understand the fundamental differences between closed-source and open-source software. Trezor’s open-source nature provides unparalleled transparency, security, and adherence to the principles of decentralization. The issues with Ledger, including its lack of transparency, history of security incidents, and potential for data release, underscore the importance of choosing a hardware wallet that truly aligns with the ethos of cryptocurrency.
By choosing Trezor, you are not only ensuring the highest level of security for your assets but also supporting the principles of transparency and decentralization that make cryptocurrency revolutionary. Trusting in open-source systems means trusting in a community-driven approach to security and innovation, which is the foundation of a secure and trustworthy crypto ecosystem.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this text is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Please conduct your own research and due diligence. Do not blindly follow or listen to advice, even from wealthy individuals. Always make informed decisions based on your understanding and consult with a trusted advisor if needed. The views and opinions expressed in this discussion are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other individual, organization, or company mentioned.

Solana's journey is plagued by centralization concerns, casting a shadow over its purported decentralization. The network's governance is heavily concentrated in the hands of a select few, with vital decisions dictated by a centralized authority. This top-down governance model undermines the autonomy of network participants and raises questions about the integrity of Solana's ecosystem. Moreover, Solana's validator ecosystem is dominated by a handful of large players, forming de facto cartels that wield disproportionate influence over the network. These validator cartels collude to maintain their grip on power, stifling competition and centralizing control in the hands of a privileged few.
Solana has been fraught with repeated instances of network outages, undermining its claim of being a reliable blockchain platform. Let's scrutinize these incidents with meticulous detail:
December 2021 Outage: On December 8, 2021, Solana plunged into darkness as a major network outage halted transactions for over 17 hours. This downtime not only frustrated users but also highlighted the fragility of Solana's infrastructure, raising serious questions about its reliability.
September 2022 Incident: In September 2022, Solana was rocked by yet another debilitating outage, lasting for nearly 10 hours. Transactions ground to a halt, leaving users stranded and transactions in limbo. The incident underscored Solana's vulnerability to systemic failures and eroded trust in its ability to deliver on its promises of speed and scalability.
April 2023 Downtime: On April 12, 2023, Solana experienced another crippling downtime, lasting for approximately 8 hours. This outage disrupted transactions and exposed the network's Achilles' heel, further denting its reputation as a reliable blockchain platform.
Comparatively, networks like Ethereum and Bitcoin have maintained near-perfect uptime, standing as bastions of reliability and resilience in the blockchain space.
Centralization at its Core
Solana's purported decentralization is a facade, masking the reality of centralized control lurking beneath the surface. Let's dissect the centralization of Solana in granular detail:
Governance Concentration: Unlike truly decentralized networks where governance is distributed among a diverse array of stakeholders, Solana's governance is heavily concentrated in the hands of a select few. Vital decisions concerning protocol upgrades, network operations, and ecosystem development are made by a centralized authority, disenfranchising the broader community and undermining the principles of decentralization.
Validator Cartels: Solana's validator ecosystem is dominated by a handful of large players, forming de facto cartels that wield disproportionate influence over the network. These validator cartels collude to maintain their grip on power, stifling competition and centralizing control in the hands of a privileged few.
Protocol Changes: Solana's protocol changes are dictated by a centralized authority, bypassing the consensus mechanisms that underpin truly decentralized networks. This top-down approach to governance undermines the autonomy of network participants and erodes trust in the integrity of Solana's ecosystem.
Manipulation Rife
Solana's susceptibility to market manipulation is a pressing concern, with incidents of manipulation casting a shadow over its reputation. Let's unravel the web of manipulation ensnaring Solana:
Pump-and-Dump Schemes: Solana has been plagued by orchestrated pump-and-dump schemes, where coordinated groups artificially inflate the price of SOL tokens before dumping them on unsuspecting investors. These schemes exploit market liquidity and prey on the greed of speculators, leaving retail investors nursing heavy losses.
Wash Trading: Solana's markets are rife with wash trading, a deceptive practice where traders artificially inflate trading volumes to create a false impression of liquidity and demand. This manipulation tactic distorts market metrics and undermines the integrity of Solana's price discovery mechanism, eroding trust in its market dynamics.
Insider Trading: Solana's centralized governance structure creates fertile ground for insider trading, where privileged insiders exploit non-public information to gain an unfair advantage in the market. This unethical practice undermines the principles of fairness and transparency, sowing seeds of distrust in Solana's ecosystem.
Entanglement with Centralized Exchanges:
Solana's close ties with centralized exchanges further exacerbate its centralization woes, consolidating power in the hands of a select few and compromising its purported decentralization. Let's dissect the entanglement between Solana and centralized exchanges:
Exchange Collusion: Solana's listing on centralized exchanges is often marred by collusion between exchange operators and Solana insiders. Listing fees, market-making agreements, and preferential treatment create conflicts of interest that undermine the integrity of Solana's market infrastructure.
Market Surveillance: Centralized exchanges wield significant influence over Solana's markets, conducting surveillance and enforcement actions to maintain order and compliance. This centralized control contradicts the decentralized ethos of blockchain and exposes Solana to the risks of regulatory scrutiny and market manipulation.
Custodial Risks: Solana's reliance on centralized exchanges for custody services exposes users to custodial risks, including exchange hacks, insolvency, and mismanagement. Entrusting assets to centralized custodians undermines the principles of self-custody and financial sovereignty, compromising the security and integrity of Solana's ecosystem.
The Cartel Conundrum
Solana's centralized governance structure creates fertile ground for cartel formation, where privileged insiders collude to maintain their dominance and influence. These cartels wield disproportionate power over the network, stifling competition and undermining the principles of decentralization. In contrast, Ethereum's decentralized governance model fosters inclusivity and transparency, empowering the broader community to participate in decision-making and governance processes. This decentralized approach mitigates the risk of cartel formation and ensures that Ethereum remains true to its ethos of decentralization and open participation.
Conclusion
Solana's troubled history of chronic network outages, centralized control, market manipulation, and entanglement with centralized exchanges paints a damning portrait of a platform plagued by systemic flaws and inherent vulnerabilities. In contrast, networks like Ethereum, PulseChain and Bitcoin stand as pillars of reliability and decentralization, offering a safe haven for investors seeking refuge from the stormy seas of cryptocurrency. As the saying goes, forewarned is forearmed – and in the treacherous landscape of cryptocurrency, exercising caution is paramount. Solana's tumultuous journey serves as a sobering reminder of the perils lurking beneath the surface of seemingly promising blockchain platforms. Proceed with caution, for the path ahead is fraught with danger.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this email is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Please conduct your own research and due diligence. Do not blindly follow or listen to advice, even from wealthy individuals. Always make informed decisions based on your understanding and consult with a trusted advisor if needed. The views and opinions expressed in this discussion are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other individual, organization, or company mentioned.

𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘
An inclusive community driven FiveM server. We strive for quality RP, and looking for talented Media and Role-players! - Civilians, Police Officers, Criminals, Gangs, DOJ or whatever you desire!
→ Join our Discord to apply for our whitelist!
What Can Northside Jacksonville Roleplay Provide?
Northside Jacksonville can provide quality roleplay for those willing to join, we are opening jobs that can be owned and made personal by players such as yourself!
We have a few departments as we are rather small at the time but don't let that discourage you as we have some of the best leading these departments and we are also looking for players to own and lead some as well!
Our Departments Open
Department of Public Safety
→ Jacksonville Sheriffs Office (Looking for Staff and Command) → Dispatch (Looking for Operators and Command) → Jacksonville Fire Rescue (Looking for Staff and Command)
Civilian Positions
→ Civilian Business Owner(s) → Civilian Staff/Moderation
Other Organizations/Entities
→ State Attorney/Judges (Looking for Staff and Leadership)
And More!
Right now we are offering Four free business with a signup bonus of (1000000/100K) for any business related expenses free of charge!
Every position will come with a form of benefit(s) depending on what slot is filled. but we are looking for more then just these. If you have any ideas on work/departments you may request them in our support area.
We are also open to welcoming in Gang, Mafia and Cartel roleplay as we have a working Narcotics system put into place to improve roleplay for those involved!
Northside Jacksonville Looks Forward to hearing from you! leave any questions below.

So a few weeks ago at 2:47 PM, I had an ESL teachebusiness consultant from Ukraine reach out to me on LinkedIn who told me that the technical University in Kyiv, Ukraine where she was working at had a vacancy for a remote ESL teaching position that they needed to be filled. She sent me a link to the university where she worked at, along with a PDF listing the details of the job description. I'm unemployed.
My main concerns that I encountered with this consultant was that she wouldn't respond to my messages for several days at a time and lose interest in communicating with me as soon as I replied. Was I not replying fast enough to her messages? Like I'm frustrated that this consultant offered a job interview to me despite knowing the 10 hour time zone difference between us and how she sounded very urgent as if she needed the job filled asap, only to ghost me.
My background is a bachelor's degree in Information Management and 6 months of teaching ESL in South Korea with 2 years of working at a call center and work as a tutor.
I immediately responded to her one minute later at 2:48 pm and I told her "thank you. Yes, I am interested in this position." After spending 5 minutes editing my resume, I sent her a copy of my resume. However, she didn't respond to my message on LinkedIn or my email until 8 days later.
8 days later, she sent another message on LinkedIn and email saying "Hi OP! If you're still interested in the opportunity, I'd love to invite you to a job interview with our company. Could you provide me with several available time slots."
I responded 4 minutes later saying "Yes, I am available from 8AM to 10 PM as I live in the Pacific Standard Time (PST). However, I have a very flexible schedule so I can change my schedule if need be."
The consultant responded one minute later "Thank you, I'm thinking about which time slot to offer as we have 10 hour time difference.
I responded 1 minute later saying that it would be best to continue this conversation early in the morning as at the time she was messaging me it was 1: 24 AM in my time zone (pacific standard time) and that I needed to get some sleep. She didn't respond to my message, as all she did was send me a "thumbs up" emoji to my message.
I didn't get a follow up message the following morning, so 4 days later, I sent a follow up message saying "good day. I am following up about the time slot for the interview that we discussed last week."
The last message that the consultant sent me was "Hi OP! Unfortunately we have to stop the cooperation. Due to big difference in time, we can barely offer students. Thank you for your time."
She sent a final email saying "Hi OP! Your candidacy won't be considered further for this position. To keep in touch, I would offer you to join our teacher's club where we post teacher resources and material weekly."
I wrote an email and LinkedIn message saying "Thank you for letting me know. Yes, I am interested in joining the teacher's club."
However, she never sent me a follow up email about the teacher's club. Was this a scam? Would it be worth it to have joined the teacher's club?
So if she knew that the time zone differences was going to be a problem, then why did she even bother to reach out to me on LinkedIn and email to offer me an interview for the remote job in the first place? And why would she stop messaging me as soon as I immediately replied to her message?
Was I not responding fast enough?
Seems like she wasted both of our times. Cana anyone give me feedback as to what I did wrong or why this consultant did this?
​
​

𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘
An inclusive community driven FiveM server. We strive for quality RP, and looking for talented Media and Role-players! - Civilians, Police Officers, Criminals, Gangs, DOJ or whatever you desire!
→ Join our Discord to apply for our whitelist!
What Can Northside Jacksonville Roleplay Provide?
Northside Jacksonville can provide quality roleplay for those willing to join, we are opening jobs that can be owned and made personal by players such as yourself!
We have a few departments as we are rather small at the time but don't let that discourage you as we have some of the best leading these departments and we are also looking for players to own and lead some as well!
Our Departments Open

Department of Public Safety

→ Jacksonville Sheriffs Office (Looking for Staff and Command) → Dispatch (Looking for Operators and Command) → Jacksonville Fire Rescue (Looking for Staff and Command)

Civilian Positions

→ Civilian Business Owner(s) → Civilian Staff/Moderation

Other Organizations/Entities

→ State Attorney/Judges (Looking for Staff and Leadership)
And More!
Right now we are offering Four free business with a signup bonus of (1000000/100K) for any business related expenses free of charge!
Every position will come with a form of benefit(s) depending on what slot is filled. but we are looking for more then just these. If you have any ideas on work/departments you may request them in our support area.
We are also open to welcoming in Gang, Mafia and Cartel roleplay as we have a working Narcotics system put into place to improve roleplay for those involved!
Northside Jacksonville Looks Forward to hearing from you! leave any questions below.

Statisticians will tell you that most road rage incidents are instigated by younger people, and perhaps this is true. But I think there is a special, and very specific, type of road rage behavior that belongs to the boomer.
This morning, on my commute to work, I hopped onto the highway and started cruising North like I do every morning. Any time a car in front of me was going slower that me, I would move into the passing lane and scoot past them and then get back into the traveling lane. Enter Mr. Boomer. As I approached his vehicle, I turned on my indicator and started to move into the passing lane. When he noticed what I was doing, he also moved into the passing lane, just in front of me. At first, I thought maybe he had decided to speed up, as we were about to approach some rather slow moving trucks, so I didn't think much of it. But, just as we reached the trucks, the guy slowed down to match their speed. So, I was locked into a position where I could not pass in any of the available lanes. We stayed locked like this, with dozens of cars behind me, for several miles until two of the big trucks moved into the exit lane. And this is when Mr. Boomer started REALLY boomering.
Instead of moving over and letting everyone pass, he continued to camp in the passing lane. So, naturally, people started to move into the center lane to get by him. What did he do? He gunned it and sped, pedal to the metal speed, to catch up with the next group of slow moving cars, at which point he immediately reduced his speed to match theirs. As for me, I've seen this very thing too many times before, and I already had my sneaking suspicion about what he would do, so I just stayed in the passing lane behind him. He kept doing this every time the middle lane would open up. After about 10 miles of this, he FINALLY got over and exited the highway, allowing everyone else to accelerate up to the normal flow of traffic.
I couldn't help but to look over as I passed him to see what this A hole looked like. Sure enough: mid 60's and looked like he hasn't smiled since the Reagan administration.
And this was in no way an isolated incident. They pull this kind of crap all the freakin' time. What is it with these boomers and this particular brand of road rage? Anyone else ever notice this?

A little disclaimer before I get fully into it: This was my first real, long term relationship so a lot of things still don’t make sense to me, but I will try my best to explain everything clearly and fully.
Me (19M) and my boyfriend (19M) got together in February of 2023. We met through our job, and even before dating we were good friends for about 6 months prior. During this time in my life, I had just turned 18 and was struggling heavily with my self image, self worth, and the idea that a relationship was even a possibility for me. In fact, I would say i was struggling the most with relationships and men in general. When my boyfriend came along it honestly seemed too good to be true. We hit it off instantly, got along very well, and shared a lot of the same morals and values when it came to dating. Except for when it came to sex, but i’ll go more into that later.
For the first few months, I would say the dynamic worked out well between us. Then, he moved out of his parent’s and in with his best friend and her family, which consisted of her mom, dad, and brother. Since the beginning of the relationship, I wasn’t too crazy about his best friend. I do care about her and have empathy for her, but for lack of better words, my boyfriend kind of let her walk all over him. This seemed to get worse after they started living together. And, it became apparent that they did not see eye to eye on most things and wanted different things out of their living situation. She would get jealous anytime we wanted to spend time together alone, and often times would not let us be alone when I was at their house. This eventually was talked about between them and i will say, in the regards of giving us more space, she did back off. However, their living situation was still toxic. They would have disagreements, but ones that would never be talked about or worked through. In turn, my boyfriend would talk/rant to me about her, and I always agreed with his POV, but that was the end of it. He always said that it’s extremely hard for him to confront people due to his own anxieties and past trauma. I 100% understood this, as I struggle a lot with confrontation too, but when it came to the point of his friend putting stress on our relationship/on me and I would talk to him about it, he would say he understood but nothing would ever be done about it. I could’ve very well spoke up for myself against her, but I was terrified that he would be upset with me and it would cause problems for us. I know that’s unhealthy now but in the moment it felt like I just had to get over it.
Then, around OctobeNovember last year, his friend’s mom ended up kicking both her daughter and my boyfriend out over a very small misunderstanding involving transportation. It was one night that I was taking him home from work, and her mom thought she had to pick him up, so we both showed up to get him. She absolutely flipped out over this and used it as justification to kick him out. Then when his friend tried to defend him against her mom, she kicked her out too. She ended up going to live with her current boyfriend and mine came to live with me. At this point, I had moved about 45 minutes away from our hometown with my dad and step family. I was (and still am) working in said hometown, because I do like my job and most importantly the people I work with. My boyfriend could’ve gone back to live with his parents, but honestly, neither of us wanted that. In hindsight, that’s what should have happened.
Up until this past April, everything was okay with our situation. We were living and working together full time and considering he didn’t have a car or his license yet, I was his source of transportation. Something shifted inside of me though. I found myself not being excited about his presence anymore and also not having sexual feelings towards him anymore, which is highly unusual for me. I felt like I had hit a wall that I couldn’t climb over in the relationship. In that moment, I chalked it up to being a “simple” change in feelings and that we were just growing apart. This did not go very well when I told him. I didn’t expect it to, but I know that he wasn’t even trying to fathom how I felt in the situation and ended up being pretty hurtful about it. The first night after it happened, we had a lengthy conversation over text where he was essentially saying that I ruined him and broke him and that I couldn’t possibly have loved him like I said I did since I was doing this. He also said, and I quote, “You built me back up and made me believe I was finally having the life I deserved and then you destroyed me and left me worse than when you found me”. This of course made me feel immense guilt but I knew it was coming from a place of hurt and I didn’t let it weigh me down too much. He also said that I would never find a friend in him and that this was goodbye, and blocked me on all social media and my phone number. Even though I was the one to break up with him, this still hurt a lot because I did and still do very much care about him.
The next day, he reached back out and apologized for how he reacted and asked me if we could try space instead of a full-on break up. I agreed to this because the relationship really did mean everything to me and I genuinely loved him. I did make sure to tell him that I couldn’t make any promises about my feelings returning but that I would try. And I have. Since then, we have still been working together, just not on the same schedule as before, and he is staying with his parents back in our hometown. We still text on the daily because we both made the agreement that we didn’t just want to go back to strangers. We mainly just talk about work and life and what not, but not much has been said about our specific situation on either end. We both agreed that we needed space. We both also agreed to not really see each other outside of work because we both know it would just complicate things even more, especially if we were to still act like a couple and even more especially if we continued a sexual relationship. This brings us to current day.
It has been about a month of space now and although it’s hard to admit to myself, I don’t want to be back with him. After I’ve had time to think everything over, I’ve realized that I may have put up with more than i deserve/disregarded my self and my feelings for him. Sex was honestly not that important to him, but it always has been for me. It’s not all that I care about of course, but I found myself being told no more often than not. I found myself suppressing my true sexual feelings for him in order to comply to what he wanted. I am also the type of person who likes to try new things, and he was almost always opposed to it. For a while I told myself this was the right thing to do in order for us to work out. With all this being said, our sexual relationship was good and we both enjoyed each other in that way, but it was just very inconsistent.
I also now feel like we just started to want different things out of the relationship. We both needed our own personal space which was impossible at the time, considering we lived and worked together on the same schedules and I was his transportation to and from work and also to hang out with friends when he wanted to. We also have conflicting love languages, as mine is primarily physical affection and reassurance while his are more along the lines of quality time, gift giving, and sharing his interests. As far as the love languages go, I knew early on that they were not the same but I thought we had come to a place where they could coexist. I know now that it was starting not work out that way, and I think he felt the same too although I’m not 100% positive as I found it very hard to understand him and his feelings sometimes, as did he with me.
Like I said previously, he struggles with confrontation. Any time I had an issue with something he did that would upset me, it was usually met with silence and a simple apology or “I don’t remember that/That’s not what I meant.” It seemed like he was taking things as a personal attack rather than trying to understand where I was coming from. One specific moment sticks out to me. One night after work, his best friend wanted to see us before we went home, but she got off of work later than us , which meant we would have to wait around for that. I was very tired due to a long busy day and just wanted to go home as did he, but we stayed and waited anyways because he was afraid of her reaction had we not. I did not respond to this well, and I told him straight up that she walks all over him and that I felt he was not considering how I was feeling about the situation either. All i got in response was confused silence and a simple “I’m sorry.” I was not satisfied with this, and after telling him so, he said how he doesn’t know what else to say/doesn’t know how to communicate how he’s feeling. I ended the conversation there because I could see that I was getting nowhere, but I was still very visibly upset. After we left to go back home, he wouldn’t talk to me and just fell asleep on the drive. This caused me to start crying and after he realized and I reiterated my feelings, I was met with a little more compassion and “i’m sorry”s but then the conversation shifted and no more was said about it on either end.
There were also multiple times that I knew that I had upset him over various things, because he would start acting different (short responses, dirty looks, spending more time on his phone etc). But , when I would ask him what I did, he would just say that he’s fine and to not worry about it. For example, on Valentine’s day this year, I made a very inconsiderate joke about his size (even though it wasn’t true). I was trying to be funny and we both knew I wasn’t being serious, but it still was wrong. It did affect him and eventually he opened up to me and we talked about it, and i apologized profusely and all was resolved. But before that, his demeanor and attitude towards me completely changed and he was treating me very differently. Before we talked about it, I was unaware that the joke I had made was the cause of it, but he told me that he was upset about something I had said but told me it was fine and that he’d get over it, while still treating me differently. I didn’t respond to this well because I knew I had hurt the person I loved, and wanted so desperately to resolve it and make sure it never happened again, but until he brought it to light I was stuck in an intense self-hate/guilt trip.
I will say I don’t recall him ever using any of that against me, but communication is extremely important to me and I just wasn’t getting it. It was like , we always were fine together until the more serious issues came about (differences in intimacy desires, communicating our issues with each other , etc.)
It’s worth mentioning that I also struggle with self image/self worth, and a lot of anxiety/uncertainty. I forgot to include it earlier, but another reason the space is happening is because we lost ourselves in the relationship. We still don’t really who we are or what we want from life. I was constantly preoccupied with how he was feeling and how my actions affected him, and he was constantly preoccupied by turning to me for comfort and safety. I don’t blame him for that though, as I know that we have to fully love and know ourselves/know what we want first before making a commitment to someone else. That’s why I struggle so much with knowing if I’m making the right decision or not. I’m also scared that once I tell him, he won’t want anything to do with me anymore similar to how he reacted the first time. I will forever be grateful for the love that we shared and all the good he showed me and would rather have him as a friend than nothing at all, but I don’t know if that’s the reality. And if it’s not that’s okay and I know that, but I haven’t accepted it. I just want us both to be happy in life and live to our full potentials even if that means it’s not together. If you made it this far I’m sorry for the novel but thank you for taking the time to read. I may be the asshole here and if that’s the case, I will do better and I will make the right decisions. I just need a little insight. Thank you again for anyone who took the time.

I realize there are lot more things to try out then just play only sorceress every season, but that is what I do, until I am done. I always think to myself that if I like it, then I will try out other classes more than just what I had experienced during the beta, but I never get to that point.
In short,
positives :

• I have noticed much better performance which is the biggest plus for me
• Codex - great rework, although I am still not a fan of the system itself, because legendary items are really not legendary as they do not represent anything unique or special about them
• Masterworking - much better version of previous 5/5 blacksmith upgrades
• Helltides - better collection radius of cinders, mob density, more random spawns, threat level system
• Town adjustements - movement, vendor placement (I never minded this, but obvioulsy now it saves time)
• Tormented bosses - didn't get to them, but I like the idea of something player can work towards
• Tempering - I like this addition very much, but it brings problems with it. Most interesting are "secondary" effects such as chance to freeze, immobilize etc. which can diverse your build and allow it to function in a different way
• Monster highlights - undermines a little the art direction the game took, but it helps
• Visual clarity - not getting my screen covered with Necromancer's mud anymore is a great change
• NMD - affix changes

negatives : (not necessarily related to season)

• Tempering -
  • presented to us as a feature where we make choice to further customize our build and make it specialized in some way. That is the impression I got from campfire chat, but not from what I have seen in the game. In the game I see one option which is the best, second best and that's about it.
  • giving players tools to feel more powerful is understandable, but tempering effects together with masterwork are so strong that it makes most unique items (for sorc at least) unusable.
• Rare and lower quality items - maybe I am just missing something but I didn't find any use for them
• Chat -
  • I want to talk to people, ask questions or just read what people say
  • Finding a group for Duriel is almost impossible. Not finding a group and doing the boss solo makes no sense when I get 1/4 the reward from it. I will rather let those materials sink into the abyss of Eternal Realm than use them inefficiently
• Leveling -
  • it is so fast now that it definitely doesn't feel like a journey or something meaningful. I am getting D3 vibes and considering an upcoming DLC I don't see it changing the other direction. It's only going to speed up even more
  • on the brightside, apart from collecting a few aspects, there is nothing I can get during the leveling so better just get through it quickly
• Seasonal rewards - I have used one item (aspect) from all the rewards so I feel like the intention of giving us tools for specific builds is missing its mark. Even if I got useful item, it would be replaced during the leveling so fast that I don't see the point. And later on at a higher level, you don't need it, because you have everything and uniques are weaker than legendaries.
• Skill tree - is in my eyes the weakest point of Diablo. I could talk about each individual skill point and say what's wrong with it, but I want to keep it simple. One good example are final sorceress talents. They got so specific that there is no choice to be made. And if I play burning then I get 20[x] burning damage +2[x] per unique source of burning. So am I supposed stop for a second to summon hydra which then might hit one of many targets to which it adds 2[x] dmg? Or am I supposed to use firebolt as an enchantment slot? Or does it benefit just from multiple firewalls. I don't understand
• Paragon board & glyphs -
  • Now that tempering effects are so strong, glyphs along with paragon points / nodes got that much weaker. It almost doesn't matter what you pick there as long as you use 6 glyphs with active bonus effects. Interesting is that with rare glyphs being much weaker, magic glyph Slayer (damage to elites) can be used now
• Open world & Level Scaling - This might be one of those moments where you would say "you think you do, but you don't". But I would rather have places with locked difficulty.

Bugs -

• Force move doesn't work while channeling incinerate. I have to let go of both keys to press force move key again for it to work. Imo Force move should override everything and if there are any settings for it in game options, it should be set by default
• Flame shield enchantement should activate only upon recieving fatal damage but I think it activates everytime I lose 100% life in total. I am basing this on my feeling and observation. I did not care enough to test it

Final thoughts -

• Itemization - fundamentals are the same as they were
• When I play this game and there is a problem I want to overcome it by looking for a solution, but there usually is very little room for it. It feels like all is given with not much choice to be had. I don't use guides because I never needed to. I am not a youtube guide gamer. I am the gamer. My math skills are good and I want to use my brain and think about what is or isn't possible. To have something to think about when I am not playing. That is when I have fun.
• The paragraph above (planning and figuring stuff out) along with a good execution creates a challenge for me. Not infinite Pit /GR levels. That is grind
• I realize that what I want varies from what majority wants, but that is ok.

Still, S4 is overall a very good change. Best so far

South Dakota has its own particular brand of anti-Indigenous racism, and this is my take on it, as a white resident of Rapid City who lived on the reservation for over 20 years. To wit:
With some exceptions, most white South Dakotans are not openly and aggressively racially hostile. The days of “No Indians allowed” in shop windows are thankfully in the past. But a more pernicious strain of prejudice still permeates much of the culture. You hear it in conversations (or, at least, I do, when white people talk openly around me, assuming I am of like mind) and you often read it in social media postings, especially on news sites.
I’m not sure what to call the attitude in question, maybe “performative sympathy” or “passive-aggressive patronizing.” Basically, it’s when somebody laments how Natives in the state can’t “get it together,” can’t “get with the program,” can’t “get their lives on track,” can’t “give up alcohol/drugs,” etc. etc. (By “the program,” they generally mean assimilated American society.) This is usually couched in faux concern, as if the person saying it is genuinely puzzled and sorrowfully bewildered at this predicament. Often, a sad shake of the head will accompany this pronouncement.
The person in question, of course, rarely gives a care about Native people’s “plight,” and these pat statements are just a way of saying, “Oh well, what are ya gonna do with those folks?” and distancing oneself from the situation, shrugging and moving on to a happier topic of conversation. Why can’t “those people” get it together indeed?
When it comes up in a convo that I’m a participant in, I do my best to bring up the history of how things got to where they are today. I’m a history teacher, after all. I’m well-versed in the subjects of manifest destiny, colonialism, broken treaties, and the like. Usually their eyes will start to glaze over or they will start fidgeting and shuffling their feet, uncomfortable at the way the conversation is going, their mind doing its best to reject input that contradicts their view of the world, no matter how diplomatic and non-preachy I’m being. It’s not the tone that intimidates them and puts them off, it’s the very subject itself.
More often than not, after I’ve had my say, they will just mumble something along the lines of, “Yup, I don’t know how those people will ever get it together. It’s too bad,” as if I had never said anything. People’s sincerely-held beliefs are incredibly difficult to dislodge, as we all know. And being brought up white in South Dakota, unless your situation is significantly different from the norm, you get the same whitewashed story over and over, at home, at school, at church. You’ve heard it your whole life, and doggone it, it didn’t include big fancy words like “colonialism” that make people feel bad when they didn’t do anything wrong. So, the mind shuts out the competing information, stays closed.
And here’s the big secret that maybe you already know: If you don’t believe that history in any way informs the present (because it was “so long ago” or whatever), then the only other option is to – consciously or unconsciously – blame the people themselves. Think about it. If history doesn’t matter and generational trauma doesn’t exist and everyone is born at the same starting line, with the same obstacles stretching ahead of them in life, then the only possible blame for people not succeeding individually or collectively HAS to fall on the people themselves. This is the most pernicious aspect of South Dakota racism. At its root lies a belief that the reason why Native people have higher incarceration rates, lower graduation rates, higher rates of substance abuse, etc. etc. etc. is that the people themselves are somehow defective, somehow lesser. Lesser than whom? Lesser than the white majority.
This is white supremacy in one of its purest forms, but most people don’t recognize it as such. This white supremacy doesn’t necessarily wear a white robe or burn a tiki torch (although look at how they vote and they’re not far off), but it is an unearned superiority complex than many whites learn from a young age. “I don’t know what’s wrong with those Indians. What a pity,” with the implicit understanding that “we” are superior. How else can you explain our demographic superiority? Of course, you and I know the answer to that.
This is one of the single greatest obstacles to race relations in the state moving forward and true understanding and reconciliation happening. How can you understand a people when you see them as faulty, unable to progress, victims of nothing but their own indolence and failure to thrive? You have to put the blame for their lot in life squarely on their own shoulders because to do otherwise would mean interrogating your own state’s history and country’s history in a way that you can’t bear (not you, of course, innocent Reddit reader).
But you don’t want to hear about broken treaties. You don’t want to hear about stolen land. You don’t want to hear about historical trauma. You don’t want to hear about boarding school abuses. You just want a nice story where progress has always progressed and the white man brought the light of civilization into a dark continent and the light of the Gospel to the heathen. “My country, right or wrong” is just another way of saying that you take no responsibility for your country’s wrongs.
And “That was a long time ago” is the great hand-washing, the refrain of a people who dare not look into the mirror, dare not teach what really happened in the not-so-distant past. And so, you have a state where nearly all of the positions of power are held by whites, in government, business, school boards and administration, as well as nearly all the wealth in the state, all the best land, and you wonder how things got to be that way. But then you stop wondering because the questions it raises are too challenging. “Why can’t they get it together,” indeed.

I was abused growing up, terrified to be in my own home. Late thirties now and diagnosed with autism during the pandemic.
Went through years of behavioral therapy (DBT) in my twenties, which basically convinced me I wasn’t autistic but that it was all me manifesting bad shit through negative thinking. Now I know that’s not true. But the awful flip side is that means I can’t change my problems because they come from autism and I will have that for life.
I just can’t picture how to go on knowing I have a disability that makes most people I meet hate me. And I can’t change it. I’ll have it for life. The delusion that the therapists gave me that I’m “not actually different” and am totally normal and just need to think more positively, is gone. Add to that that I have no friends left since several died during the pandemic (one the same afternoon I got my autism diagnosis). All of the supports autistic people can have, either I’m too broke to even apply for or have fallen through. I hate myself and I hate my life. I don’t want to disappoint my partner who is very kind to me (although I can’t imagine why anyone would like, nevermind love me). I dont want to be here anymore.

I hope it get some support or responses. If your family really screwed over your life what did you do to get over the FEELING?
My family never put time into me or raised me so I had to pickup things on my own.
Last year I started getting on my feet and I moved. I did have a little hiccup along the way, but given where I came from that was improvement for myself.
However recently my family has really fucked me up and put me in a bad position. No of my family knows how to do anything, they are too overly involved, only worried about their concerns, and when you do actually need help they either play Casper the friendly ghost or become a rock.
I battle the feelings of the things I lost, having a true friendship severed, having to start all the way back over, and just lastly being human and going through an array of emotions.
Any help guys?