Three guys one hammerhr

Hello all, I am flying from the USA to Zurich and am planning to take a train up to Europa-Park. I'll be there from June 9-11 where I have to fly from Zurich to Venice the evening of the 11th. As such, I'll have 2-2.5 days to enjoy the park. I have yet to book any hotels/tickets as my flight was just confirmed yesterday. None of the park hotels are available currently, so looks like I'll have to unfortunately miss out on the early entry.
What would be some general tips for an enthusiast like myself? I'm a single guy in my 20s who can speak a little German. I intentionally am trying to learn very little about the park to try to give myself as fresh of an experience as possible, but general tips such as what rides to do first or maybe food places to look at would be appreciated (no spoilers please).
My other question would be on bookings, do you guys have any hotel recommendations? I'm also wondering if it would be worth it to visit Rulantica on the first/last day or spend all my time in Europa-Park. Price is, of course, a concern, but not a major one if I'd get a much better experience/value for spending a bit more. I would 100% buy a fast pass (or equivalent) for example if they had one for sale.

I had a truck I was building. It was a running V6 truck, I put together a V8 for it. Had a guy lined up to buy the V6 for $300, he heard it run and everything. I pulled it and he never paid.
Unable to show any buyers it ran, I listed it on Facebook for $200, reduced it a month later to $150, and another month later to $100.
Finally someone wanted it, said he had some cracked heads on his and just needed to get it going again. He also said he was kinda broke and blah blah blah, please deliver it. I put $40 in my gas tank and drove three hours to him just for the sake of getting it gone. He paid.
Before I got home I received photos of a completely torn down engine block and heads saying that my engine was total trash and I need to bring him his money back and get all the pieces.
Um, no.
He proceeded to blast me in every single group he could saying I scammed him and sold him an overpriced junk engine. I legit had to delete everything I was selling and wait a while because I was getting hateful messages on things.
Super annoying! Either he was trying to pass off his dismantled engine as my good one and get a refund, or he was dumb enough to tear it down for no reason and couldn't reassemble it.

Fxk cancer
How are you guys coping? We miss them a lot.
For me, I want to do the things she wanted. I want to make her proud-er. And if one day, I get to have what she had, I’ll also fight it like she did. I love her so.

My roof has been finished for about a month, although there are indefinite plans for one small cosmetic adjustment. I haven't paid these guys $1, despite offering to on multiple occasions. They keep blowing me off, despite my 40K balance. Is this normal? I'm starting to get paranoid.
We had a contract, city permits, inspections, etc. Last contact was on the 9th of this month, and they have my email, phone number, and obviously my address. Are there any potential "bad" reasons for taking so long to collect?

16-minute read.

pro-West party leader says they met PM Pashinyan and discussed a referendum to solidify Armenia's shift to EU

KHZMALYAN (European Party of Armenia): The referendum is our suggestion and demand. We presented it to Pashinyan and expect a response within a reasonable timeframe. We advised making a public statement soon. A referendum would also make Pashinyan's job easier by allowing the people's will to decide Armenia's direction.
REPORTER: How did Pashinyan respond?
KHZMALYAN: He suggested the meeting be held in a closed format so I can't reveal all details. We hope that our voice, our offer, our demand, was heard. If we do not receive a positive response, we will take measures by employing the same methods currently used by anti-European forces [the ongoing protests led by pro-Russian ex-regime]. We will take to the streets and demand a referendum for Eurointegration if necessary.
REPORTER: How long are you ready to wait before taking action?
KHZMALYAN: A few months. Georgia will hold parliamentary elections in October, and Moldova will hold a similar Eurointegration referendum - also in October. The U.S. will hold presidential elections in November which will be important for Armenia's future. Even if the worst scenario unfolds in all three countries, Armenia must stand firm and not take a step back. Armenia could become the leader in democracy in all of Eastern Europe if you consider the situation in Georgia, Hungary, and Slovakia [pro-Russia populist leader]. Armenia could receive an unprecedented level of assistance from Europe under those circumstances.
REPORTER: Did Pashinyan say he plans to leave CSTO?
KHZMALYAN: We did not demand specific dates but we urged him to complete all these processes this year, preferably by November.
REPORTER: Did Pashinyan agree?
KHZMALYAN: The participants of the meeting are under the impression that we were able to present convincing arguments but time will show what actions he takes. The government functions very poorly but nevertheless, they are doing something, they are taking steps.
REPORTER: On May 9, Bagrat Galstanyan gave Pashinyan 1 hour to resign but it's May 21 and he is still here. Why wasn't the opposition able to remove him?
KHZMALYAN: The 3 former presidents and their surrogate forces, backed by 30 years of power, were unable to bring forward a figurehead, a single ideology, that could win the hearts of the people. They used various political technologies, they switched between black and white robes, and they extended the 1 hour to 7 days, but none of that helped because the Armenian people hate them more than they hate Nikol Pashinyan.
REPORTER: You used to be a lot harsher on Pashinyan but something appears to have changed in your tone after your recent meeting with him. What is the reason?
KHZMALYAN: We were able to present our demands and the timelines to accomplish them. Unlike the archbishop and the former regimes surrounding him, we did not give "one hour" for Pashinyan to accept our demands; we did not make ultimatums. We believe the current government is carrying out and will carry out the will of the people to overcome the status of a Russian colony and join the ranks of free nations. We did and do see steps [taken by the government] towards this; we cannot ignore this. We saw the Strassbourg, but also Moscow. We saw the [April 5 meeting in] Brussels, but also [the recent meeting between FMs in] Almaty. We are told this is an attempt to "balance" and we understand where they are coming from, but our factions speak on behalf of over 60% of Armenians who view Russia's policies as deadly for Armenia. We expect concrete actions and we have formed a platform to continue this work; there will be petitions and other actions from us. We are ready to assist Pashinyan, who may be constrained due to ongoing negotiations, by being the public voice and saying the things he cannot say. We will continue to work, to pressure, to influence, to demand. Our meetings also continue abroad. We will press on until we reach our goal - the Eurointegration of Armenia. //
Several prominent Western-oriented political parties recently formed an alliance to promote Armenia's Eurointegration.
video,

Pashinyan appoints a ruling party member as a deputy head of the newly formed Foreign Intelligence Service - the Armenian "CIA"

After the 2020 war, Pashinyan said Armenia will need a modern intel agency to gather information and analyze foreign threats, while the NSS -- described as historically a "pro-Russian" agency by many -- will focus on internal matters.
source,

Pashinyan met the deputy head of the United States CIA to discuss bilateral, international, and regional issues

A delegation led by David Cohen is in Yerevan. Cohen also met NatSec Armen Grigoryan.
source, source,

Armenia's Investigative Committee chief hosted U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

Qyaramyan and Yoder discussed bilateral cooperation, the recent retraining for Armenian agents and technical assistance, cooperation between law enforcement agencies of Armenia and the United States, anti-narcotrafficking, and the fight against gender-based violence.
Yoder also met Armenia's Interior Minister Ghazaryan to discuss the ongoing police reforms and formation of new divisions, the fight against narco-trafficking, technical assistance for rescuers, and retraining courses. Yoder emphasized effective cooperation, noting that the achievements within the framework of sectorial reforms are exceptional. The US wants to expand the agenda of cooperation.
source, source,

Armenian army officers continue to take part in NATO exercises titled Regex 2024 held in Moldova

GOOGLE TRANSLATE: The exercise is organized with the support of the NATO Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy, and aims to train the military according to Western standards for planning and conducting exercises, crisis management, strengthening and assessing the level of interoperability of forces in a multinational environment.
We remind you that the exercise "Regex 2024" consists of several workshops during the current year. The first workshop took place between February 16 and March 1, and the second between 22 − April 26, 2024. //
source, source,

NATO and Armenia strengthen cooperation in defense education

Armenia's defense ministry representatives recently visited NATO headquarters to discuss NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) for Armenia.
NATO: The DEEP programme is an excellent tool to support Armenian military education system reforms and strengthen the country’s cooperation with NATO.
ARMENIA: With the support of DEEP experts we implemented major changes in all levels of our educational curriculum at Military Academy, starting from cadets up to the most senior levels. It helped us to establish cooperation with many international partner institutions.
source,

Armenia is an emerging destination for UK and global investors: Armenia's Ambassador to London Business Matters

👔 Armenia is committed to building a knowledge-based, export-oriented, and inclusive economy.
👔 Armenia is diversifying its growing economy with pioneering sectors, creating ample investment opportunities.
👔 Armenia’s investment legislation grants equal treatment to foreign investors
👔 There are no restrictions on remittances and repatriation of profits, free exchange of foreign currencies and no limitations on staff recruitment
👔 The country’s favorable business climate and ‘open-door’ policy is also reflected in international reputable rankings where Armenia is ranked one of the highest in the region.
👔 Although Armenia has a relatively modest internal market, it offers different models of economic cooperation and serves as a gateway to major world markets
👔 Armenia has maintained a high level of cooperation with the EU through CEPA
👔 Armenia and UK will soon have a CEPA-like agreement
full article, source,

Turkey modernizes an Azerbaijani Su-25ML jet with guided bombs and Teber missiles

It uses KGK laser guidance for missiles and increases the reach to 110 km.
source,

Pashinyan's Chief of Staff hosted the French Ambassador to discuss defense, economy, infrastructure, and humanitarian topics

... also the upcoming events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Charles Aznavour.
source,

Parliament Speakers of Armenia and Ukraine discuss the situation in the South Caucasus and Ukraine

source,

Q&A with ruling party MP Vahagn Alexanyan about the ongoing protests led by pro-Russian opposition

REPORTER: You continue to criticize the "holy movement"...
ALEXANYAN: The what now?
REPORTER: ... the "holy movement", by calling it a "pagan" movement. What is the ruling party's stance and do you discuss this internally?
ALEXANYAN: Of course we do, although I don't think Kocharyan's decision to name this movement "holy" is helping them. It's comical.
REPORTER: Do you have proof that Bagrat srbazan is [tied with Kocharyan]?
ALEXANYAN: Bagrat Galstanyan is surrounded by the entire political team of Robert Koharyan, he was a member of Kocharyan's 2022 protests and gave similar speeches he gives today, he received a praise from Russian propagandists, and he was named by a Russian propagandist Aram Gabrielyanov as a potential candidate for a new protest movement just a few months prior to these events, so it's beyond reasonable doubt that Bagrat Galstanyan is part of Kocharyan's team.
REPORTER: You were earlier accusing Galstanyan of being a Russian agent, and now Kocharyan's agent?
ALEXANYAN: Same thing.
REPORTER: The opposition gathered many thousands of supporters on May 9. What does the size of the crowd indicate?
ALEXANYAN: It was similar to Kocharyan's final rally before the 2021 elections. And?
REPORTER: The opposition created a video of "Pashinyan's lies" and broken promises. Will you respond?
ALEXANYAN: The clip itself is a lie and manipulation. For example, one of the supposed lies was Pashinyan's promise of an amnesty for overdue fines and penalties. You are a journalist, you tell me, was there an amnesty or not?
REPORTER: Pashinyan had also said that POWs could wait "just a few more months" and that he wouldn't "sacrifice Armenia's sovereignty" in exchange for bringing them back sooner. Why aren't they back?
ALEXANYAN: Dozens of POWs returned home in December, and efforts continue to bring back the rest. Literally 1-2 days before the POWs' return, the opposition claimed that the POWs were "forgotten" by the government. "Ոչ մի բան չեք անում:"
REPORTER: What about the Nagorno-Karabakh leadership?
ALEXANYAN: There are efforts to return them as well.
REPORTER: Why did the police form a wall to block entry to village Kirants [for nonresidents]?
ALEXANYAN: I think the NSS said they had to take action to prevent interference with the border work. From what I can tell, the protest leader himself went there yesterday and returned only 15 minutes later so there wasn't a big desire to stay there apparently.
REPORTER: They plan to hold a big rally on May 26 where they might nominate Bagrat srbazan as the PM's candidate to replace Pashinyan.
ALEXANYAN: Why not go straight for [alleged narco baron] Mihran Poghosyan [who publicly praised the protests]?
REPORTER: There appears to be a consensus around Bagrat srbazan after a meeting between several forces.
ALEXANYAN: Consensus minus one, where "minus one" is the people. Or to be more precise, "minus two", because the Constitution also prohibits Bagrat from serving as a prime minister. Congratulations on an initiative that's dead on arrival. It's absurd. They suggested replacing the Constitution to allow a dual citizen to serve as PM. Okay... To get Canadian citizenship you have to take an oath to serve the best interests of Canada. To allow dual citizens to serve as PM in Armenia we have to accept for the PM to have loyalty towards another state. The alternative is for the candidate [Bagrat] to admit that his word [oath to Canada] wasn't worth a dime. Երևի մատերը խաչ արած ա երդվել։
REPORTER: But don't you think you are manipulating because Galstanyan received Canadian citizenship just to be able to serve in the church in Canada? He didn't go there to live or conduct business.
ALEXANYAN: It doesn't matter why he went to Canada. He is a citizen of Canada and took an oath. Even religious leaders with dual citizenship cannot become prime ministers. I don't have an issue with him being a dual citizen, but it limits his office options. He still hasn't renounced his Canadian citizenship even after all these talks about a possible nomination.
REPORTER: Galstanyan said he is ready to renounce it as soon as there is a need for it.
ALEXANYAN: In other words, he seeks "guarantees" that he will be the candidate in order to renounce it?
full,source, source,

opposition churchman Bagrat Galstanyan demands the Armenian government compensate the damage done to the church during USSR and "return" the properties "legally belonging" to the church

This was said as a response to the critics of the church leadership who accused the church of turning into a political party and suggested taxing the church like a business.
BAGRAT: We have 19th-century churches that were forcefully confiscated and turned into ruins. The properties of the Armenian church must be returned to the church. The area of Moscow Cinema belongs to the church, half of the Katoghike Church was demolished and belongs to the church, and part of the items in Matenadaran were taken away from the church. Instead of threatening us with taxes, they must think about how they plan to return our properties, fully renovated and ready for service.
source,

the church is actually paying taxes but they do have some exemptions

The church paid $1 million in income taxes last year.
There are tax exemptions to import certain goods deemed for charity. They also don't pay property tax, and taxes on income generated from the sales of ceremonial accessories. The latter two are the frequent targets of church critics.
source,

Armenia's Constitutional Court has a vacant seat. Pro-Russian opposition criticizes Pashinyan's ruling party for favoring a "George Soros-linked" judge who worked for U.S. State Department.

A Serj-era judge is leaving the Constitutional Court after receiving a job offer elsewhere so one seat is vacant. It is the judiciary's turn to nominate a CC judge, so hundreds of judges recently held a meeting and voted for Judge Balayan as their candidate. Balayan's father was a CC judge during Kocharyan's tenure. He was accused in the Wikileaks report of having inappropriate deals with President Kocharyan. Pashinyan's ruling party did not vote to approve Balayan. This led to a second gathering of hundreds of judges where they voted to nominate Judge Khachaturyan as their candidate. The parliament summoned him for Q&A on Tuesday.
SPEAKER: We invite the representative of the judiciary to present their nominee for CC.
JUDICIARY REP: 267 judges voted. Judge Davit Khachaturyan, a member of the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation, won the majority votes.
2000-2005: [blah blah blah]
2003-2006: Legislative Assistance Project Manager at Southern Caucasus Anti-Drug (SCAD) Program, sponsored by European Union and implemented by United Nations Development Program
2006: Program Assistant at U.S. Embassy in Armenia, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)
2007-2013: U.S. Embassy in Armenia, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Legal Specialist
2014: Academy of Justice of the Republic of Armenian-Russian, Vice-Rector and Lecturer
2015-2016: Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Program “Strengthening Health Care and Human Rights Protection in Prisons in Armenia”, Legal Expert
2016: EU project “Development and Strategic Studies”, Expert on Judiciary and Human Rights field reforms
2015-2017: EU project “ENP Progress Reports and Assessment Reports on Armenia´s Compliance with GSP+ obligations”. Expert on Rule of Law/Justice.
2013–2020: Law Faculty of Yerevan State University. Lecturer. Development and teaching of courses for the Master Program: “European Standards for the human rights protection in criminal proceedings”, and “Professional Skills of a Lawyer”
etc.
OPPOSITION MP: The ruling faction earlier chose not to confirm the appointment of Judge Davit Balayan; they obviously prefer Davit Khachaturyan. Can you explain why you didn't mention that Khachaturyan served on the board of directors and later as the president of the board at George Soros's Armenia-based Open Society Foundations? How will this record impact his work at CC?
JUDICIARY REP: I presented parts of his professional activities available on the court's public platforms. You can ask the candidate directly.
OPPOSITION MP: The Soros Foundation publicly listed him as a member so I don't understand why it's being hidden now. In your opinion, how will his work at the Soros Foundation affect his impartiality?
JUDICIARY REP: The majority of judges chose him and it's up to Parliament whether to confirm or reject.
RULING MP: Was the voting held in a closed session or can you see how each judge voted?
JUDICIARY REP: It's a closed format. My duty here is to present the candidate. [basically, leave me alone I'm just doing my job]
RULING MP: Why not make the court voting and internal discussions more transparent for the public to see so we will have fewer conspiracy theories on why one judge was preferred over the other?
JUDICIARY REP: I share the view that it needs to be as public as possible but the majority of judges voted to keep the session closed to the press.
RULING MP: Just because the discussions and the vote were behind closed doors that doesn't mean it was anti-democratic, but still, it's better to publicize the process. We hope to see a change in this approach.
JUDICIARY REP: The ballot casting will always be secret and I think that's the right approach in order to allow judges to express themselves without constraints, but I agree that the discussions and speeches should be public. Either way whatever we discuss behind closed doors always reaches the press so in practice there isn't really a major transparency issue there.
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: First, every part of my biography has always been public and part of public discussions. Second, I have always voted in favor of making internal discussions open to the press; it's the best way to avoid incorrect assumptions. Full speech here.
OPPOSITION MP: Congratulations. The ruling party intends to approve your candidacy just as they voted for you in the past for other positions. In all of those instances, you didn't mention your work at the Сорос Foundation. Now, a very interesting coincidence [drumroll... are you guys ready for this bombshell?], during the same time while you worked at Сорос foundation, in 2006-2013, you were also a U.S. Embassy employee [got 'em]. //
Nikol Pashinyan has resigned.
Tavush stretches all the way to Russia.
Bagrat srbazan becomes the Supreme Leader of Historical Soil & Water and the Generalissimos of Slow-Melting Candles... and of course removes the speed cameras from highways.
OPPOSITION MP (continues): With this biography, how do we know you are not an agent of foreign influence?
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: I was not an "employee" at the Soros Foundations. Other famous figures have served on the Board [mentions a famous doctor]. Everyone who was part of the Board had duties but it was not really an "employment". As for my simultaneous work with the U.S. Justice Department, there was no conflict with my membership or presidency at the Board because the latter was fully a public activity and we were only given a symbolic sum to compensate for our expenses; we are talking about less than $100/mo. I will let you be the judge regarding an agent of influence. There is a lot that's missing from my biography that read here [lists some boring constitutional research work, etc.].
OPPOSITION MP: You keep being "promoted" by the ruling party without having the chance to finish your terms. The longest job you've ever held was at the Сорос Foundation - 8 years. The brother of the head of the Anti-Corruption Committee, who is about to join the CC, cannot be impartial. Again, what guarantees can you present that you are not a [Western] agent?
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: Your expectation for guarantees stems from the assumption that the [Open Society Foundations] were engaged in activities other than the ones they were actually engaged in. I won't present any "guarantees" because there is no "threat" to begin with. As I've said, that part of my biography has always been discussed publicly and the activities were public and covered by the press.
RULING MP: In your speech you spoke about the judiciary in the U.S. and brought examples. The U.S. doesn't have a Constitutional Court. Don't you think we should also merge the Constitutional and [Cassations Court] with the upcoming referendum to have one Supreme Court with corresponding chambers?
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: I support having one unified body like in the U.S., or clarifying the duties to prevent each body from interfering with the other. Lengthy answer.
OPPOSITION MP: A person [in Kirants] received permission [from USSR] to build a house and live in it. Then the [Armenian] government told him there was a mistake [after the clarification of borders]. Some 50 years after this incident, what would your verdict be in this case?
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: I understand the context. This issue is the task of the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and we cannot interfere in each other's institutions. I assume there will be a peace agreement eventually that will be sent to the Constitutional Court for examination, therefore I will refrain from making prejudgments now in order to be allowed to take part in future processes.
full video, source, source,

anti-corruption: Armenian authorities conclude that luxury Dubai property belonging to former regime MP's relative was not obtained illegally by him therefore will not be sized as part of an asset forfeiture case

Mher Sedrakyan (Tokhmakhi Mher) is a Serj-era MP whose family is going through an asset forfeiture case worth ֏7.5 billion ($19.3 million) that includes 22 real estate properties, cars, and company shares registered under his name and the names of immediate family members.
Additionally, investigative journalists recently found a luxury property in Dubai registered under the ex-MP's relative. Authorities have concluded that he is not the true ownebeneficiary of this Dubai apartment, therefore it won't be seized.
source,

the army concludes exercises for commanders

Context in May 14 news digest. The defense ministry says they have noted improvements and deficiencies and will take steps to correct them.
source,

Defense Minister Papikyan visited the frontlines and the newly built fortifications: PHOTO

The army continues to dig, asphalt, and build.
source,

Armenia's Foreign Minister met the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency during an international forum

ROSSI: Effective cooperation has been established between Armenia and the IAEA. We discussed several issues on the bilateral agenda, oncology and radiation medicine, safety, and reliable operation of the Armenian NPP.
MIRZOYAN: We plan to extend the lifespan of Metsamor NPP until 2036 while exploring new opportunities.
source,

Armenian lawyers went a strike on Tuesday to protest a bill that would move them from a turnover tax-based system to a VAT-based taxation

Context on the gray economy and why the government wants to gradually abolish the turnover tax system in May 2 news digest.
A group of lawyers said on Tuesday that their 5% turnover tax [for annual turnover under ֏119M] will become 10% this year, and in 2025 they will be required to switch to a 20% VAT/18% profit tax. The cost of legal services for many clients could increase by over 38%, they warned.
The Ombudsman and the Justice Ministry reportedly oppose this bill by the Finance Ministry.
source, source, source, source,

video shows the new payment terminals in Yerevan subway station

They plan to replace all gates next month. The Soviet-era tokens (zheton) are being replaced with QR codes, an app, and later - bank cards.
All stations will have payment terminals to purchase QR tickets. It prints out a paper with QR. Telcell's app lets you buy a ticket and instantly get a QR on the phone's screen.
Seniors who can't use "high-tech" can approach the token sellers and get a QR paper instead of a token.
video,

Yerevan will host an exhibition on Charles Aznavour’s 100th anniversary

Hundreds of rare artifacts will present the life and legacy of the legendary artist.
Location: National Museum-Institute of Architecture
Date: May 22-July 22
source,

Germany wants to purchase an Armenian man

Dortmund Borussia is interested in the services of Armenian national Edward Spertsyan as a replacement for departing Marco Reus.
During this season, midfielder Spertsyan has played 32 matches, scored 11 goals, and made 7 assists. His ass is worth €18 million.
source,

I somewhat understand ‘red pill’ guys. Not every single thing ofc but some things are just harsh truths.
For instance, you see how guys have this dream type (gorgeous but not out of their league, intelligent but not too smart that it’s intimidating, sexy but naive in bed, feisty but shouldn’t talk back, knows her worth but will still take your bullshit, extroverted but doesn’t go out, housewife but shouldn’t ask for money, career woman but should make less money, submissive but not a pushover, loving but not clingy, virgin but shouldn’t care about your hoe past, be loyal but understand men have no discipline etc. list could go on forever). Who am I to say a guy can’t dream?
Even girls have a dream type, if we were really honest with ourselves. And it’s also quite extensive, contradictory and impossible to really attain.
So I think we should all become ‘red pill’ advocates. Accept our dream type just does not exist. I don’t mean settle, I mean change what constitutes as a relationship.
For instance, be honest. Is loyalty necessary in a relationship? Why be tied down to one person for life? Considering most married couples are cheating anyway.
Is it necessary to live in the same house with someone for 40 years honestly? We couldn’t even stand our own parents for 18 and those mfs literally birthed us.
Sex is the driving factor of romantic relationships, can we admit that. Like, when you think of falling in “love”, isn’t it like 70% crazy amazing sex and 20% intimacy? Don’t a good number of people stay in bad relationships cause the sex is transcendental?
Also, why does being with someone equate giving up your freedom? Like people get so miserable once they get into a relationship, their entire personality and behaviors just immediately change.
The ‘red pill’ is a bitter one to swallow, but it’s realistic at least. For both genders, your goal should be to make bank 💵 not a delusional happily ever after fairytale.
Lakini, I’m not saying I’m right. I’m just soliloquizing. It’s also 3 am 👀
What do you guys think? About this or any other random opinions.

https://reddit.com/link/1cxnl37/video/9nhnewbajv1d1/player
Hello everyone! As I've posted before, I've been basically learning tabla through online videos, no guru (yet). Could you give me some feedback on my bols? I don't modulate the baya yet, just some beginner kaydas and paltas. In this video I show a couple of themes and a speed exercise. I use three and one finger tite, three finger tirakita, tin and tun. I would love to have these down before moving onto harder stuff. I'd appreciate some pointers :) thanks all!

The Abrahamic religious cults claim there is a God, and their reasoning is as follows: God is all good, powerful, and all-knowing. Additionally, this God can directly interact in our universe if you close your eyes and pray with submission to God.
I believe these three reasons make sense actually. God is just good. God is so good and loving, that approximately 400,000 children on earth are diagnosed with cancer every year, to which they and millions of their family members are forced to suffer at the thought of their child dying for no apparent reason. God is so loving of all of us, that millions of people also contract diseases, suffer through the pain associated with them, and die from them every year. God is so GOOD, that slavery and rape victims in this world exist at all. But most importantly, this caring, loving God shows his love for you and I by reminding us of how we may know some people that have been shot or blown up as a result of global conflicts.
But wait a second, those ALL exist because HUMANS did them, NOT God, right? Because God gave us free will apparently. Okay, so humans are responsible for these, but this POWERFUL God that is apparently aware of absolutely every single occurrence in the universe chooses not to intervene and stop such horrible things, but I still need to worship him deeply? Homage to this type of God!
So yes, the evidence is clear. This God that exists is one that is clearly a narcissist-fueled, jealous being that for many years has enjoyed his power trip. The only way that we can say this God isn’t a major psychopath is if it’s freely-admitted that this God is NOT all-knowing or all-powerful.
Or, the other possibility: God does NOT exist.

I think people are smelling me because I heard a very faint comment as I walked past the woman but i am not 100% sure what if it was actually said. we haqve cubicles and the cubicles create little halls where you pass people on intersections.
Also, I had to get some official papers with other new co workers ( i am new, too), we had to sign in and I was 2nd to 5 people. I was called last, even though I signed in 2nd and I was with a group of 3, who had to wait for me because i wasnt called. And i wanted to queston that but I was too embarrassed since its infront of everyone. There, we had to sit on a row of seats to wait and I sat in between people, one thaat I WAS WITH from work. And the girl ended up changing seats once the guy with us got up when he was called to the front of us. On our way back to the office, the two girls kept looking at me weird or when I spoke she made a face.
It doesn't help I already feel insecure about my appearance and one of those girls already disliked me from the very first time she saw me. Now she has another reason to dislike me. I feel so scattered brain and stupid at my job because all I think about is I smell or what if I am smelling as they get super close.
I am doing poorly at memorizing a shit ton.
One lady who was helping me at my job, was close to me to show me something and she said she was goign to get something i need. I waited 10 minutes and went to go look for her and she was sitting in her desk and said OH I was trying to message you for you to come get them. I am not sure what that all means. She was getting something for me after helping me for 5 mins but I think she smelled me after and didnt want to go back to the room I was in to give it to me. She couldnt even message me because I am new. She was trying to get ahold of people to tell me, and its not even that far.
Well fuck, after today, i damn near bursted in tears in front of my manager. I had to restrain myself because she was training me still (alone in that room) and i think she sensed I wanted to cry. She probably thought it was because I wasnt getting the material. Which that made the whole experience worse, but its the fact that i feel like an outside, like I am unlikeable and hated towards, looked like I am disgusting. I hate my life and i actually want to kill myself

I've been feeling really lonely lately and the fact that I'm still a virgin gets me down bad. I just wish I was a normal person. I work part time at the mall and it's so hard seeing happy couples everywhere and hear my co-workers talk about their relationships. I've been crying every night now and my mum has noticed and is really worried about me. I don't want her to worry or be a burden on her. I'm at the point where all my peers are getting engaged and married, and I haven't even gone on one date. I just want to fade away into the darkness, never to be heard from again. Sometimes I have fantasies about moving to Tibet and becoming a monk, just so I would have a valid excuse for being celibate. I get especially jealous of younger guys that have amazing sexual experiences, especially in college. It's embarrassing to be a 25 year old virgin when there are 20 years olds in happy relationships and having sex all the time. This pain, loneliness, and constant crying to myself is affecting my work, mental state, and has caused me to flunk my semester of school (again for the 3rd time). I just can't seem to get out of this pain, it seems theres only one way to escape it but I'm too much of a wuss to go through with it....

I 37F went on a first date with a guy 41M and I still like him, a lot, in spite of the first date being not amazing. Some of my married friends had pretty perfect first dates. I never had a good first date, even for wonderful relationships. First dates for me are always awkward, odd, or a little embarrassing. I can't remember a first date ever that was magical. Regardless, I have had some good relationships. My friends have said I need to be better at recognizing things immediately, as I'm now late thirties and wanting to settle down. I met a guy I like. He was really respectful and enthusiastic about setting up our first date. He has been going through a lot personally, including a parent dying, and kind of overshared on the date. He's been divorced for a couple of years now, but he overshared quite a bit about that, without me asking, and a few other issues he's having too. Traditional advice says this is not good for gaging interest on a first date? I still like him for many other reasons (what we have in common, interests, personalities, etc). but, his oversharing did cause me to dial things back a bit, as it was our first date, so I declined a second drink at the bar, and made some compassionate remarks about situation with his ex...Weirdly, I feel like he does like me and is just in an odd place and felt he could trust me which is why he shared a bit much. I followed up with a text to see if he might want to catch up again. I'm not sure if I'm the weird one for still wanting to see him, or if I should be more put off by all of this. I'm looking for the one to settle down with. I'm also wondering if anyone has had a first date similar to this that resulted in a positive dating experience or partnership down the line?

I’m trying to make a gift for one of my teachers that I wish that I hade chosen as my teacher, let’s call him Mr.ActuallyGoodAndChillTeacherThatOnlyYelledWhenForcedTo, and the gift for Mr.ActuallyGoodAndChillTeacherThatOnlyYelledWhenForcedTo is a tin foil stickman that is colored to look like him! One small issue I found was actually markering the tin foil while it wasn’t smoothed out was impossible because you can BARELY see the marker in those it’s bitsy crevices, so I thought I’ll just smooth it out, but I don’t know how to smooth it out. So I went to ask google, and googles answer involved a tin foil ball. So I went to ask YouTube, same exact response. So I am extremely desperate and have decided to ask you guys! Look, I’m just panicking because I told him I was going to be able to get it finished by tomorrow and I don’t want to make him sad and I’m just really stressed, so sorry if it sounds like you guys are my last resort, even though you are I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being a nuisance.
(Edit: I haven't EVER heard him yell.)

Hey guys. The last month or so I’ve really dived into the world of investing and it’s been very eye opening to say the least (I’m going to be a millionaire one day wtf? lol jk but fr). I’ve been maxing my 401k up to my employers contribution, and almost have my Roth IRA maxed out. I ignored the HSA for a little bit because I didn’t quite fully understand its power, but I will now be hoping to max it out this year as well. I will have to switch healthcare plans during open season later this year, so I was wondering if it is possible for me to still max the HSA this year? I’m not sure what the deadline is for the HSA— I know with the Roth you can invest in it up until April of next year. Do I need to try to invest in as much money as possible between November and December?

I am going to put this at the start so no one wastes their time; don't expect a reply every day, it will probably average more like once a week.
Now, sometimes, on my days off or on high mental health days, it can be a couple of times a day, but that isn't something I can promise on a regular basis.
If that isn't going to work for you, that's fine. Just you have been warned upfront.
I won't ghost you, though. If it ever comes up that it will be less than once a week, I will communicate that. That shouldn't be the case, but emergencies come up from time to time, or things at work get extra hectic (when inventory comes up or holidays in particular) sometimes.
I am open to suggestions.
-+-
About Me;
●Female (and that is what I mostly play).
●In my early 30's.
●Role-playing for almost 20 years.
●I like to use face claims, and sometimes I'll make visuals for outfits and stuff, too.
●I like to write profiles for my characters, just a habit left over from the InvisionFree/ProBoards days.
●I usually match the length of my partner, but sometimes I'll go longer or shorter.
●I like tropes, especially the Gloomy/Sunshine pairing and the Good Guy/Bad Guy pairing.
●Full Time Manager at a Department Store.
●Central Daylight Time/GMT-5.
●Discord is Elinoire
Wanna know anything else? Feel free to ask.
Requirements;
●Play M if you plan on doing romance. Any gender is fine for anything else. Doesn't matter your real life gender.
●Be over 18, the closer to 30 the better.
●Use past tense and third person.
●Have patience and be understanding.
●Be willing to give a small profile of your character if you don't use face claims.
●I am not a perfectionist, but please at least spell things correctly.
-+-
While I have a lot of fandoms I want to try, I'd prefer OC's over canon characters for the majority, so assume that's the rule unless stated otherwise since I do have a few ideas with Fandom Canon/Canon and Canon/OC.
Unless a particular pairing is stated, these don't necessarily have to be just romance or whatever. We can do any genre. I do really like romance and will probably default that as my main idea, but if you aren't up for that, just say so before we start plotting.
Fandoms I Want Right Now;
Strike Out means I've already filled it.
Star Wars; particularly the SWTOKOTOR timeline.
Fallout; I have OCs for FO3 and FONV, but I'd be willing to try any timeline. I've played FO1, FO2, FO3, FONV, FO4, and FO76. I've also finished the show. I have my own ideas for a Fallout Florida as well, including a Universal Studiosknock-offf known as Hubris Studios that is used as a giant Raider base run by a toy/comic themed group.
Cyberpunk 2077; I haven't played the tabletop version of it, but I've played the video game and watched the Anime.
Harry Potter; I don't mind doing the Books era, but I like the idea of doing something from the Victorian era or something from 1920-1960. Modern would also be okay. Can be school based or just world based, so we could play students or play Aurors or anything from the world. Lemme know you consider Canon for modern timelines, though!
-+-
Heavily Inspired (or Fandom) Pairings; (I’d play the BOLD character)
☑ means keeping the original actors as the Faces
☒ means NOT keeping the original actors as the Faces
☐ means keeping the canon characters as the original actors' faces but not the OC
●Colin/Penelope (Brigerton) INSPIRED; [☑] Vampire “Colin”/Human “Pen”, a lot would stay the same, but a lot would change, too.
●Rick/Evie (The Mummy) INSPIRED; [☒] Original characters/versions of the Originals, but same storyline (maybe with tweaks or updates, we can discuss it).
●Malak/Female Revan (KOTOR) FANDOM; [☒] Particularly before the game takes place, maybe back when they were still in the Academy or early on during the first war.
●Kandomere/Female OC (Bright) FANDOM; [☐] I loved this character, and I think it would be fun to play out some stuff between him and a sunshiny Human character. Plus, I love the world of Bright.
●Daryl Dixon/Female OC (Walking Dead) FANDOM; [☐] Basically, this would be my own version of Beth Greene aka Lillibeth “Lilli” Greene. It would stay probably 100% Canon plot wise outside of a certain obvious death and would start during the time Daryl and Beth were out alone and go from there.
-+-
Other;
Pairings;
●Grumpy Slytherin/Sunshine Chubby Hufflepuff
●Racist Elf/Human
●Vampire/Human (I can play either)
●Light Side Jedi/Grey Jedi (I can play either)
●Sith/Light Side Jedi
●RaideVault Dweller
●Intelligent Supermutant/Human Wastelander
●Disfigured Large Knight/Sweet Petite Royal (inspired by Hound/Sansa, but I don't like how young Sansa is).
●Negan(TV Show Ver)AU-Reverend(OR)Sheriff/Female OC-Prostitute WESTERN AU
●HadesAU-Crime Boss/PersephoneAU CYBERPUNK AU
●HephaestusAU-BikeChlorisAU-Florist MODERN AU
●Frankenstein's MonsterAU/Human Outcast ANY AU
AU Options (<- similar time before or after ->);
●Cyberpunk
●High Fantasy
●Sci-Fi
●Modern
●Western
●<- Medieval ->
●<- Regency ->
●<- Victorian ->
●1920s-1930s
●1940s-1950s
●1960s-1970s
●1980s-1990s
●Gothic (Southern, Appalachian, Midwestern, South Western, etc)
If nothing here interests you, but you think we'd do well together on another idea, feel free to lemme know what you have in mind.
Some of my inspirational media right now to get an idea;
1883
28 Days/Weeks Later
AHS (especially Asylum and Freak Show)
Alien
Anything Anne Rice
Anything Guillermo Del Toro
Anything Michael Crichton
Blade Runner
Brigerton
Bright
Cyberpunk 2077/Edgerunners
DnD
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Elder Scrolls
Fable
Falling Skies
Fallout
Game of Thrones/House of Dragons
Harry Potter
Hellboy
Indiana Jones
Jonah Hex
Last of Us
Lord of the Rings
Mad Max
Matrix
Our Flag Means Death
Outsiders (WGN Show)
Peaky Blinders
Pitch Black/Riddick
Preacher
Primeval (UK TV Show)
Red Dead Redemption
Sons of Anarchy
Star Wars
The Mummy
The Walking Dead
True Blood
Universal Monsters
Vampire: The Masquerade
West World
Witcher

My husband and I are getting divorced and we have three children.
He worked as a solo mechanic and did not report about 85% of his income while we were married. He’s done transmission changes, windshield replacement, rotated tires, oil changes. One year he made over $105,000 and most of it was cash.
We did financial discovery and he sent tax returns that say he only made $27,000 and I’m like: “For real?”
During his deposition he said: “I don’t take cash.”
“Not ever?”
“Maybe to do an oil change but nothing significant.”
So I hired a PI who texted him and said: “Can you change my transmission for $2,500?” He said “Yes.” She said: “Can I pay you in cash?”
He said “yes.”
A few days later I have a video of him accepting $2,500 and counting it out in front of her and doing the work.
Will this be sufficient enough to question his financial records and show that he definitely takes and does not report all of income?

Part one here
Processing img x6m52qzvk71d1...
The Continental Phase (1233-1260)
Combat resumed in 1233 when an Orislan warship, while patrolling the straight between Orisla and Elshore, strayed too close to Elshorn coastal defense fleet and was destroyed (it is hotly debate if the ship was off course or was probing or scouting). This phase of the war took its name for the fighting that would consume much of Eoci.
Despite the close geographic proximity of Orisla and Elshore to one another, strategists of both nations concurred that direct attack would incur unacceptable losses, and instead they and their allies pursued other routes. The principle fronts on the continent ended up being the Tolmik Successor States in the west and Old Eoc in the east. Fighting also raged in Orisla and Elshore’s colonial holdings in Samosan, Devoni, and again in Ordivia, where Elshore landed an army to ally with the remnants of the native Ebirri Empire. The Century War thus became the world’s first truly global conflict.
The Continental Phase of the Century War caused a loss of life on a scale that had not been seen since the Great Dying. Thousands upon thousands of soldiers were killed in the fighting, and the civilian casualties were similarly high. Armies careened from battle to battle, ravaging the countryside for supplies. This phase of the war was also defined by revolutions in military technology. The flintlock rifle made its debut to terrifying effect, proving far more lethal than previous firearms. The power of flintlocks was such that quicksteel wielding knights struggled to withstand them, leading to revisions to drill and tactics that resulted in the first juggernauts. These new technologies and tactics were unevenly distributed as the conflict played out, often resulting in mismatched forces opposing one another.
The Continental Phase was nearly thirty years long, and in that time countless battles took place, punctuated by periods of disquiet and maneuver:

• The Tolmik Sucessor States saw some of the densest and fiercest fighting. Great armies of infantry collided on floodplains and in mountain valleys, invariably with devastating results for nearby settlements. One state, Catobl, changed hands fifteen different times as Orislan, Elshorn, Tolmik, and Beringian forces clashed over control of the region.
• The rolling fields in the south Old Eoc played host to numerous cavalry battles as both Beringia and Skrell attempted to traverse the plains in order to knock one another out of the war. The Beringian steppe horseman, descended from the Auroran empire of old, proved especially formidable on this front.
• The Serrations, a set of three Skrellish bastion forts on the border of Skrell and Old Eoc, were besieged for nearly a decade by Elshorn forces. The men of the forts endured near daily bombardments, and sometimes resorted to eating their own dead when resupply was unavailable.
• The north of Old Eoc and the Gaping Gulf were both subject to intense raids by warships.
• In Ordivia, Elshorn and Ebirri forces waged a guerrilla war to retake control of Great Tooth, striking suddenly before retreating into the jungle. Much of this campaign was organized by a knight named Caiseon, who would go on to have a later phase of the Century War named after him.
• In 1238, a rumor started that the king of Orisla had promised parts of Haepi to Tolmika in exchange for Tolmika’s support in the war, causing riots to brake out in several Haepian cities that were brutally suppressed by Orisla. The rumor was in fact true, though Orisla refuses to officially acknowledge it to this day.
• The bloodshed devastation caused by this phase of the war inspired several popular works of poetry and song, including “All Blood is Red,” and “The Little Widow”.
• On home fronts cross Eoci, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and wives struggled to hold communities together as the death toll grew. Some turned deeply patriotic in the face of the war, while others prayed for peace.
• Queen Lariska of Beringia was one of the only heads of state to lead from the front. While she scored many personal victories, she was eventually fatally wounded in battle, which destabilized her nation.

The Continental Phase of the Century War ultimately ended with a second ceasefire in 1260. The door for peace was opened when the government of Beringia was overthrown by a coup after the death of their queen. The new government (which was tied to the southern steppe peoples) suggested that Beringia might drop out of the war. Elshore, unwilling to continue the fight without Beringia, proposed a truce with Orisla. In truth, almost none of the nations could continue fighting for much longer, as unrest grew at home and resources ran thin. But for the dishonor of having been the first to float peace, Elshore was made to agree to give up her overseas colonies.
After 27 years of conflict and countless lives lost, the Continental Phase of the Century War was over. It was the most intense warfare the region had ever seen. Few could imagine that even this carnage would be surpassed within their lifetimes.

https://www.flipkart.com/acer-nitro-5-ryzen-9-octa-core-5900hx-16-gb-1-tb-hdd-512-gb-ssd-windows-11-home-8-graphics-nvidia-geforce-rtx-3070-an515-45-gaming-laptop/p/itm408df8e77c256
I got this laptop three years ago. Came with a 256gb SSD and 1tb HDD. I have one slot left, and upon contacting Acer I was told the max capacity I can add to the slot is 512gb. Is this a hard set limit or are they just reading off a manual to me? Anyone with the same laptop who has dealt with the same issue? Please help. TIA.

(My profile is tagged N-S-F-W because I also post these in dirtyr4r since some have actually had luck finding something serious there. Figured it's worth a shot, haha.)
I'm searching for the kind of wonderful woman who shares most of my interests below in addition to her hobbies and interests, who's also goofy, likes to playfully insult each other, and also believes in open and honest communication. I believe with that, we can work out any problems when they arise. 💛
• I'm a gamer, car guy, and maybe one day, a musician too. I enjoy anime, nature, going on little adventures, swimming, traveling... I wanna see the world with you before all the beautiful sights are gone. - Current games I've focused on lately is Helldivers 2 and Deep Rock Galactic. If you wanna play those together, that would be awesome! I would also eventually like to play other things together like Stardew Valley, Minecraft, Terraria, etc. - My taste is music is nearly everything except country and today's rap. To name a few bands/musicians I really love: Led Zeppelin, Arctic Monkeys, Tame Impala, The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, Queens of the Stone Age, Mac Demarco, Them Crooked Vultures, and Metronomy.
• I want to dance with you. In the living room, bedroom, back yard, in the park, almost anywhere. I enjoy doing romantic things and expressing my love. I love deep conversations that distract us from the passing of time.
• I'm a dog person because my allergies chose to target cats for whatever reason, so there's that. 😅
• I'm monogamous and don't have children currently, but they're in my future plans, probably within the next 6 years. I want to spend plenty of time with, well it might be you, and enjoy the best of life as a couple, and then as spouses, traveling and whatnot, before we start a family. 🤗
• I'm really hoping to find someone who's also into dirty humor (amongst other forms of humor) and has mutual...interests 😏 so we have even better compatibility in the bedroom (and sometimes away from home too). I usually have a high labido, but I only want to get intimate when we're both comfortable and ready. 👉👈
• Specs for those who would like them: - 6 feet tall (about 183 cm). - 219 lbs and dropping (about 99 kg). ~ My figure is very dad-bod at the moment, but apparently it comes with a nice ass (so I'm told). ~ This is close to the most I've ever weighed, and I'm not happy with it. I'm targeting somewhere around 170 lbs (about 77 kg). - Brunette/dirty blonde, kept relatively short. - Blue eyes. - Caucasian.
• I have learned the hard way that I do have a type. I used to date outside that type, and it only led to hurt feelings, so I don't want to repeat that. That being said, my type is Caucasian or East Asian ranging from petite to average body type. I don't love going to the gym, but if you have or want a membership I would be open to going together. 😁 I apologize if my preferences differ from who you are. You're all beautiful people, regardless! Please love yourself and enjoy the time you're given in life! 💛
Chat with ya soon! 😁

Hi guys! I haven’t been on reddit for a while but coming back here because I think i have read a few fics with the canon divergence in ep 4 where kate tells edwina about her and anthony before he proposes. Does anyone know which ones to reccomend? (I’m getting back to reading on ao3 to be honest haha 😂)

So me and my girlfriend [19F] have been together for nearly a year now and we’re best friends for 2 years before that, she’s always gotten along with my friend group however she doesn’t have many friends so ive never spoken to any of them or cared to get close to them.
over the past month i’ve noticed my girlfriend and my friends have gotten extremely close, especially to my closest friend who i’ll call john. i trust both of them with my whole heart and didn’t mind them being on calls together as it would always be on a group chat i was also on and had free will to join the calls if i wanted to. until recently me and my girlfriend were going through a rough patch and she started going to my friends for advice, at this point i noticed whenever i would join the calls she would go extremely quiet and they would stop talking. Little does my girlfriend know john would tell me everything she was saying to him and of course would ask me what to say to her as he’s not a couples therapist.
This got so extreme that she would overthink and tell john and another guy i’ll call tom everything about what she’s feeling and thinking. bare in mind she hasn’t spoken to me once about this and doesn’t know that john and tom are telling me everything. a couple days ago she made a separate te group chat without me on it simply to talk to my friends about me and our relationship, this started to stress out my friend and put pressure on them they don’t need but at the same time they want to be there for her and try to get past this rough patch in our relationship.
so they had spoken on this group chat one time and on that call. She proceeded to yell at them and basically tell them off for trying to help her even though she was the one going to them for help. It kind of confused me and them when they told me this because it just didn’t make sense since she was the one going to them for help with and tried to blame them for helping her. But again little , does she know that what they were saying to her was coming from Me and the advice they were giving my girlfriend would actually be from me.
after this call, it ended up in me, telling my friends to just tell her to speak to me instead of them because it’s not their relationship and they can’t help with it. This ended up in my girlfriend half trying to communicate with me but also she lied to me about it, and obviously I already knew that she was lying by this point as she tried to say that this all happened on text, but I already knew that it was on a call. Eventually, she opened up to lying and said it was on a call, but obviously this made me really mad. anyways, since then, as far as I know she hasn’t gone to my friends for help, but she still continues to be really close with them and have calls with them every single day, but as far as I know they don’t cool on that group chat without me anymore, but at the same time, I know that she goes to tell my friends things before. She does me which I don’t know if it’s just me like overthinking or being crazy, but I just feel that it’s wrong for my friends to be knowing things about my own girlfriend before me
sorry this is really long but it feel it feels so good to get this off my chest. I don’t expect people to read all of this or actually respond. If you do I just wanna know am I in the wrong for being mad, that my girlfriend is close with my best friends.