So there was a video uploaded by the name of "Darkest Hitman game" by a channel whose name I don't can't remember, neither find the video or other videos by them.
It was uploaded around 6-8 months ago and was a compilation of gameplay footage from levels of the game Hitman Contracts. It started with the main menu scene for 5 seconds and then showed the first level where its all bright, then switches to asylum, camera panning upwards to show hanging bodies, alarms blaring, then shows all the other levels. Even showcased the submarine level, the SWAT level, the butcher level. The background music used throughout the showcase was was Budapest Bath Hotel theme.
It may be weird was to why I am so fixated on finding this, or why I am even asking in this sub, but, not to sound dramatic, that video really had a different feeling, it was special, felt like a work of art, and I did not get a chance to save it. I hope someone here has watched it too, and better yet, saved it.

I 15F got a laparoscopy about 3 weeks ago. I had appendicitis and a ruptured ovarian cyst. I was treated, went to hospital, got surgery, and stayed for about 5 days then left in pain. I was only in pain for about 4-6 days after surgery including pain while peeing. All symptoms went away and i have been good till about 3 days ago i got that familiar feeling from surgery, a VERY strong pain in my blatter along with 2-3 drops of blood 🤔 Obviously i track my period and know this isnt the case, but i do workout occasionally and smoke (which i shouldn’t have after surgery but did anyways) i healed fine and now im feeling bad, does anyone think i should go to the hospital?

I decided to make a short post about how music IS haram, as someone who’s believed it’s halal my entire life until recently.
The Hadith
The main Hadith used to source that music is haram is the following;
“Among my ummah there will certainly be people who permit zina, silk, alcohol and musical instruments…” (Narrated by al-Bukhari ta’liqan, no. 5590; narrated as mawsul by al-Tabarani and al-Bayhaqi. See al-Silsilah al-Sahihah by al-Albani, 91)
How come now in today’s world there *are* people who permit musical instruments nowadays? Just like what prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said? Indeed there are no coincidences in the Quran. One argument against this Hadith is that the prophet (peace be upon him) is referring to musical instruments accompanied by zina, silk, oand alcohol, but that’s just not true because that’s not what he said. Another argument is that it’s okay to listen to musical instruments but not playing them cause of how for example you can’t drink alcohol but you can watch someone else drink alcohol. While this argument does have merit, this next Hadith kind of disproves it:
“And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. music) to mislead (men) from the path of Allah…” [Luqman 31:6]
It disproves the argument because it says purchasing music, not playing musical instruments.
—
Therefore, music is haram.
Now, how to quit music? Here’s a guide I wrote on another site.
ᯓ★ (step 1 - acceptance) ᯓᡣ? ! ༘⋆
first of all, you’ll need to accept that it’s haram. for so long I would specifically search for sources that say it’s halal instead of accepting the facts I naturally found. the hadiths clearly state it is and yes there is a chance it’s not, but it most likely is. you as a Muslim should take what it most likely is as your belief. this life is temporary but the afterlife will be permanent, do your best to go to jannah. take this: how come the hadith which says it’s haram was saying that there will be people who will consider musical instruments as permissible and there will be punishment for them, and musical instruments is what some people now consider as permissible? Indeed there are no coincidences in the Quran.
———————
ᯓ★ (step 2 - stopping) ᯓᡣ? ! ༘⋆
well, yeah, step 2 is where it begins. just.. stopping. at the beginning, just.. stop. don’t listen to music. you’ll find it easy at the beginning but then the silence might start to break you because you’re so used to having music in the background 24/7. when you’re at that point, don’t give in. just don’t. try listening to some nasheeds, nasheeds work great as a substitute atleast for me, and they are a great way I’m getting through this stage of quitting. and no, you don’t have to leave your favorite music artists, you can search for acapella versions of their songs and your likely to find some. while you won’t find every song, you can possibly upload some yourself using AI tools to extract vocals and uploading as podcasts however you may wanna look into copyright issues with that !!. acapella songs will inevitably not feel the same. you might find yourself craving the normal versions of those very songs but remember: all of this is for a reason, Allah knows best and you’re doing this for jannah. the songs that you’ll avoid in this world are the ones you can listen to in the next. though, here’s a tip, nasheeds fill in the gap of music better then acapella cause of the way vocals are placed in the background, so try to listen to them more -`♡´-
———————
ᯓ★ (step 2-2 - stopping for musicians) ᯓᡣ? ! ༘⋆
you can skip this part if you aren’t a music producer or musician or someone who wanted to learn instruments.
I recommend that you watch other videos and stuff for help on this as I’m really not the best person to give advice on how to quit music for musicians, but I’m putting this here anyways. this might be incredibly painful for you and I assume you tried to convince yourself it’s halal more then anyone else. if you’ve been learning instruments for years it might be really difficult to accept this but just put the instruments away and think. try to remember that this world is just a test. you’ll be able to play these instruments in the next world, and it may feel like all this effort in learning has been wasted but it’s not, you can use that effort in jannah inshallah. I personally have a guitar that I planned on learning but it has sat in my closet for a while, and now I know it’s gone to waste hurts me alot I won’t lie, I cried last night because of it. but I came to terms when I remembered what this is for, what IM for. life is a test and never forget that. it may be incredibly painful to quit, leave, and forget music especially for you as a music producer or musician, but it’s all worth it I promise you.
———————
ᯓ★ (step 3 - removing music from your ugc) ᯓᡣ? ! ༘⋆
ugc stands for user generated content. now you’ll need to remove the music from the content you have posted on sites such as youtube, etc. for youtube, look for tutorials on how to replace audios from already posted youtube videos, I can’t explain it in text lol. it’s really easy to remove audios from yt videos luckily. some other sites come to mind but I don’t have time to mention all of them, so just look for tutorials and stuff. the reason you need to remove the music from all ur ugc is because correct me if I’m wrong, the bad deeds of those who listen to the music from ur ugc will be on you.
———————
ᯓ★ (step 4 - avoiding music) ᯓᡣ? ! ༘⋆
now for avoiding music. music is EVERYWHERE and it’s incredibly difficult to avoid it. try to not go to restaurants and places that play music but if you can’t then just cover your ears, if you can’t do that then try to ignore it, and if you can’t do that then just try to not care about it and pretend it doesn’t exist even if it’s hard to ignore. when watching stuff like YouTube shorts, mute ur audio, check the video/sound if you’re pretty sure it doesn’t have music, unmute, then repeat.
———————
So uh yeah that’s it bye! Also feel free to argue against my points or correct any mistake I made. This is just my observation of music and Islam as someone who has had an obsession with music and as someone has believed it’s halal for a long portion of my life.

I’m in a weird spot with Kendrick’s music. He’s probably my number 3 behind Lupe and 3 stacks because I hear the talent but I don’t love all of his music. Something is just off and I don’t know what exactly. For a long time I thought it was the weird voices that he does but I don’t know. I WANT to love it but it doesn’t grab me.
You can see by my top 3 that I love lyricism and wordplay which Kendrick clearly has. But I’ve always felt Kendrick was slightly overrated and his wordplay and entendres weren’t on someone like Lupe’s level. I’ve always felt like he had too many bars that just didn’t mean anything and said weird shit like “my left stroke just went viral” that no one knows the meaning of.
But… I have a new theory that it’s because I can’t relate to his music. With Lupe it’s all politics, history, social issues on a large scale. With Kendrick you get the social issues but from a black perspective and I’m not black. I haven’t lived that struggle. I understand it in a way an outsider can but it’s different if you haven’t experienced it. Lupe and Andre don’t get that deep into those issues. I mean Lupe does sometimes but it’s more of a history lesson and you don’t get the soul and feeling you do with Kendrick. Lupe’s a professor and Kendrick is like a wise oracle or some shit. Kendrick is the embodiment of the culture.
I say all this because I want to make a genuine effort to get it. I’m smart enough to know that everyone can’t be wrong. Is it even possible if you can’t relate?

For context, I've been a faithful Mormon believer all of my life until the age of 45+. I live in Layton since 2003. I stopped attending in 2013, and my children (minors at the time) happily stopped attending too. I formally resigned in 2017. Haven't put a foot in a Mormon building of any kind in more than a decade. Haven't attended a Mormon tEmpLe in at least 15 years.
A week ago my youngest daughter, now a young adult who just finished her semester in AZ, came to spend a week with me before going to the East coast to spend summer with her mother. While I've answered all her questions about Mormonism whenever she has asked throughout the years, she doesn't remember much about it because the whole family stopped attending shortly after she was baptized. She was instantly curious when I mentioned the new monstrosity built in our hometown. Knowing it is still in its "open house" period I offered to go and visit it.

• We had to park at one of several designated parking lots several blocks away from the actual building. A shuttle picked the small crowd gathered there and took us to the disproportionate structure.
  
• The tour was procedural. Guides (which were Mormon volunteers of all ages, almost all of them looked hopelessly bored) were stationed all along the route inside the building's corridors to direct visitors in the approved directions.
  
• Short speeches were read or recited in certain parts. Known tropes were repeated (like the mirrors symbolizing eTeRnItY, etc). Something that resembled a Mormon testimony was said at one of the sealing rooms by a couple using the expected baby fundie voice (my daughter looked obliquely at me during that part with a cringe expression in her face).
  
• Many paintings on the walls representing a white Jesus talking, blessing, embracing, carrying, etc ethnic people, which is an obvious effort at ingratiating after more than a century of institutionalized racism.
  

Once the shuttle left us at our original parking lot and we were free from earshot, I asked my daughter what her impressions were. She thought for a few seconds and said "It was like a rich person bragging. Just showing off luxury." Then we engaged in a very refreshing conversation about the Mormon motivations for such a extravagant (and inexcusable) opulence, etc.
On my part, visiting a Mormon tEmpLe after a 15+ year hiatus allowed me to perceive it with fresh eyes, heart, mind; and (more importantly) with richer criteria. My impression is this: it felt like a one inch deep attempt at sacredness; a superficial attempt to display the image of spirituality through expensive materialism. There was no substance within those walls. No history, no content, no god, no love. Just expensive marble and expensive wood and expensive carpet. It was... an empty building.
Any Catholic cathedral, any museum, any library has so much more substance, content, essence, meaning than the ostentatious building we visited last week.
This is my report.

Hey All,
I (23M) 5’9 male, have been obese my whole life. In 2020 I decided to be healthier and I went from 250lbs (my highest) to 170lbs (my lowest). At the lowest my body had trimmed down significantly yet I still had love handles and a handful of lower belly fat. The issue is how I did this. I was in a rush and I understood the basics that if I eat less calories I’ll lose weight, and so in my head, if I eat extremely little calories I’ll lose a lot of weight, fast. For a solid 2 years I ate only 500 calories per day. Along with that, I did cardio 5-6 days per week, slow speed jog, for 30-45 mins where I burnt an average of 350 calories. In my diet I ate only protein, and very little carb, not even fruits. I was stupid and made a bad decision having not done enough research. I then joined the gym and got into strength training and surprisingly enough I still got fairly strong on very low calories.
The issue I have now is, back in October 2023, I got a new job. This was core downtown and as you can imagine there was lots to eat. For 30 days I had to be in person every single day, so I would come to work and eat like crazy, I’m talking a whole 12-1300 calorie meal just for lunch. And then I would go home and eat another dinner consisting of another 1200 calories. I was also going through heavy mental health issues during that period so I stopped going to the gym or working out entirely. In those 30 days, I gained about 20lbs and the habits continued, although they slowed down once i started working from home, I still ended up gaining another 15lbs.
Since then I have been on and off dieting, I am doing on and off exercise. I remain at 205. None of my old clothes fit anymore. I want to get back in shape. But I want to also live a healthy lifestyle. I currently eat about 800 calories a day, sometimes 1000. I try to do an hour long cardio session in which I burn 900 calories or close to it almost every day. However, I don’t want to eat 1000 calories only and burn them all of anyways. I need to fix my metabolism and get back to a normal diet.
Does anyone have any idea how I can accomplish this?

I will start with the list:

1. She WILL be getting rid of her dog.
   
2. Her and her BF are not to reprimand my children at all and they will be expected to come tell me or my husband if my children are doing something wrong.
   
3. There will be a list of people whom are not allowed at the house. (Their family and their friends)
   
4. Me, my husband and my children WILL be treated with respect at all times and I will not be treated like a child.
   
5. My husband and I will absolutely be put on the deed as the main deed holder before we move in.
   
6. If any of these demands are not held to the highest standard, I will be withdrawing.
   

Story: my MIL is getting up there in age. Not old (66) but her health isn't the best. She has recently asked us to move in with her because she can no longer work, has zero retirement fund and can't get around like she used to. She needs help and we are the only ones who can help her. She has until the end of the month to pay off $12k in back taxes before her home goes to foreclosure. My MIL by herself is a kick ass woman. I love her to bits. But she's a people pleaser to the extreme and it has absolutely made her fall in to situations that I will never be okay with putting myself in. Her boyfriend is 66yo "Mason". A felon, due to his continuous drunk driving charges. He just got out of prison last year after 6 years on the inside and he is already right back in to drinking all day, every day. He got drunk one night back 8 months ago and decided to go and adopt a 5yo Rottweiler Mastiff mix and then failed to make any attempt to train the animal. It is now food aggressive, kennel aggressive, toy aggressive and resource guards everything. He is aggressive protective over my MIL. So, the dog would have to go. Under no circumstances will I make an exception on this. My children are small (one crawling) and that animal will not get the opportunity to maul my children. Dog stays, we do not move in, period.
Mason also has an old school style of parenting and on more than one occasion has tried to father my children in angry, outdated parenting style ways. Hence why I said neither he nor my MIL will reprimand/discipline any of my children in any way, shape or form. I stated my name will be put on the deed prior to moving in because it will be me and my husband forking over the money to save their home and frankly, I don't trust Mason to not try and kick us out after we do so. So if we are not put as main deed holder, we will not be moving in and she can lose her home. As for the limit on who is allowed at the house: Mason has a family member who is a convicted pedophile (the girl was 4 years old - he went to prison for 13 years) that he hangs out with often. He seems to think that since the man is in a wheelchair, he is now "harmless". Absolutely not. He is not welcome at the home. As for them treating us with respect under all circumstances and not treating me like a child: there has been several times where Mason and my MIL have tried making decisions for me and my husband or told us what to do and I will not tolerate it. I will give more detailed info if you guys need it but this is the break down anyhow.
I presented them the list of demands yesterday and said either my demands are followed or this arrangement will not happen. Mason and MIL are both saying that the list makes them feel as though they are children/guests of their own home and feel like I've now decided I'm going to control their lives and have asked to make changes. As in, they want to keep the dog and have stated that we will just find a way to keep the dog separate from us (nope). Mason also wants his family member to be allowed here but has stated he will keep them in their portion of the house and away from my kids (nope). They also feel they should be able to reprimand and discipline my children if they are doing something wrong if it is "within reason" (nope. I told them they can speak to the parent and that's final. I said I'm not budging. My SIL seems to think I'm being ridiculous. AITA?

There’s a lot to learn when you’re new to RVing. After purchasing your RV and equipping it with the right gear, the last thing you want is to feel overwhelmed trying to select where to camp. So we asked the question: what are the best RV trips for beginners?
Of course, we have our own opinions, but we wanted to see what the RV community felt. We asked experienced RVers which destinations or campgrounds they would recommend for beginners. With over 150 replies, here are the top five answers:

1. Somewhere close to home
2. State parks
3. Good Sam Campgrounds
4. Your backyard
5. National parks

(Runner-up: Wal-Mart parking lot).

Why Stay Close to Home on Your First RV Trip as a Beginner?

The overwhelming majority of experienced RVers recommended sticking to somewhere close to home as a beginner. Their reasons were practical:

• You know where to go (home or familiar stores) if you forget supplies.
• You’re not far from your community if you need help.
• If something breaks down, towing your RV back to your house won't take long or cost too much.
• You do less driving and more time getting familiar with your RV.
• You won’t hurt your wallet on gas expenses if you overpack (which most first-timers do!)

Boondocking in your backyard is a great way to learn about your RV and its systems. Just remember: Depending on your RV, you’ll need potable water, a way to empty your holding tanks, and a proper power supply – 30 or 50 amps.

Which Locations Make For The Best RV Trips for Beginners?

We collected specific recommendations for those who want to venture out while staying close to home. These came directly from experienced RVers nationwide who were willing to share their favorite destinations for RV newbies.
Because we don’t know where home is for you, we organized this list of the best RV trips for beginners and organized them by region.

The Best RV Trips for Beginners in the Northeast

Bayley’s Camping Resort – Scarborough, Maine

Park Features:

• 512 full hookup sites
• 75’ pull-thru sites
• 44’ back-in sites
• Weekly entertainment schedule
• Recreation facilities
• Pools, restaurants, camp stores, and an arcade

Learn more or Book now.

Kennebec River Campground – The Forks, Maine

Park Features:

• Six secluded RV sites with electric hookups
• Full restaurant and brewery with deck seating
• Swimming pool and hot tub
• Bathhouse with hot, running water
• Easy access to the Kennebec River
• Base camp for whitewater rafting, snowmobiling, and other Maine adventures

Learn more or Book now.

Gettysburg Battlefield RV Resort – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Park Features:

• 250 RV sites
• 60’ maximum RV length
• Battlefield reenactment grounds, Olympic swimming pool, and stocked fishing pond
• Game room, general store, and ice cream parlor
• Canoe, kayak, and paddle boat rentals
• Themed activities, nature trail, and laundry facilities

Learn more.

Quechee / Pine Valley – Hartford, Vermont

Park Features:

• Full hookup RV sites (30 and 50 amp service)
• 85’ maximum RV length
• Off-leash dog park and activity field
• Bike, canoe, and banana bike rentals
• Heating swimming pool (open 5/27 to 9/5)
• Saturday hay rides, playground adventures, and family fishing at the pond

Learn more or Book now.

Cherrystone Campground – Cape Charles, Virginia

Park Features:

• Open seasonally from 4/1 to 10/31
• 181 full hookup 30 amp sites (87 wateelectric only 30 amp sites)
• 121 full hookup 50 amp sites
• Private beach, beach entry pool, and two Olympic-sized pools
• Lazy river, mini golf course, and four fishing piers
• Daily shuttle service into Downtown Cape Charles

Learn more.

Holiday Trav-L-Park – Virginia Beach, Virginia

Why They Recommended: “The place is pretty big (but tight, please know HOW to drive). It has seven pools, a bar, a restaurant, laundry, concerts, and a little trolley that will take you to the beach for even more entertainment.”
Park Features:

• 700 RV sites (full hookup and wateelectric only)
• Wooded, partly shaded, or open site locations
• Maximum RV length varies by site type
• On-site laundromat, Safari Cafe, and eight tiled comfort stations
• Trolley from the cafe to the beach and beyond
• Dog park, bike path, and convenience store

Learn more or Book now.

Virginia Beach Holiday – Virginia Beach, Virginia

Why They Recommended: “They just put in a lazy river and a brand new pool. It’s state-of-the-art!”
Park Features:

• Full hookup sites with 50, 30, and 20 amp compatibility
• 45’ maximum RV length
• Two heated pools, a lazy river, and a splash pad
• Trolley stop for exploring the nearby Virginia Beach waterfront
• Community bonfire, dog park, and electric vehicle charging station
• Bicycle, golf cart, and pedal cart rentals

Learn more or Book now.

New River Gorge Campground – Lansing, West Virginia

Park Features:

• Full hookup RV sites (30 and 50 amp)
• Views of ponds, sunsets, and nightly firefly displays (seasonally)
• Catch-and-release fishing
• Hiking and biking trails, swimming, and kayaking nearby
• Nearby rock climbing, rafting, and horseback riding

Learn more.

The Best RV Trips for Beginners in the Southeast

Wind Creek State Park – Alexander City, Alabama

Park Features:

• 586 campsites with wateelectric hookups
• 157 waterfront campsites and 268 full hookup sites with sewer
• Two laundry facilities at the marina and a bathhouse
• Archery range, fishing, and mini golf course
• Boat rentals, horseback rides, and zipline canopy tours
• Sunday services, swimming area, and outdoor pavilions

Learn more or Book now.

Everglades Isle – Everglades City, Florida

Park Features:

• 59 full hookup RV sites (30 and 50 amp)
• Concrete pads (waterfront and inland) with daily trash service
• Clubhouse laundry facilities and complimentary Wi-Fi
• Luxury clubhouse with drinks, food, billiards, movies, and more
• Fitness center, office space, and veranda seating
• Lounge area, salon, and spa

Learn more or Book now.

Orlando / Kissimmee – Kissimmee, Florida

Why They Recommended: “Orlando has the best prices all year round! It’s in close proximity to Universal Studios, Disney, Disney Springs, lots of attractions, several grocery stores, and restaurants. Target even ships deliveries there.”
Park Features:

• Full hookup RV sites with 134’ maximum RV length (30 and 50 amp)
• Bike rentals, mini pocket park, and access to the public bus service
• Dog park, outdoor pavilion, and fitness center
• Heated swimming pool, hot tub, and sauna (open year-round)
• Electric vehicle charging station and taxi service
• Jump pad and playground for the kids

Learn more or Book now.

Fisheating Creek Outpost – Palmdale, Florida

Why They Recommended: “The lots have much more space than most parks. You are not three feet from your neighbor.”
Park Features:

• 18,000+ acre wildlife management area
• 48 full hookup RV sites (5 of which are ADA-accessible)
• The swimming area at Depot Lake
• Large pond with two islands near the Camp Store
• Canoe rentals and Riverside Cafe (open seasonally)
• Large screened recreation area with central bathhouse

Learn more or Book now.

Big Lagoon State Park – Pensacola, Florida

Park Features:

• ~75 campsites (some RV or tent, some tent-only, some RV-only)
• 40’ maximum RV length
• Swimming, boating, fishing, and paddling
• Biking, stargazing, and geocaching
• Access to the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail
• Boat launch, playground, and amphitheater

Learn more or Book now.

Jetty Park Campground – Port Canaveral, Florida

Park Features:

• 358 total sites (variety of water-only and wateelectric hookups)
• Bathhouses and communal fire pits.
• Views of rocket launches from Canaveral Air Force Station
• Shuffleboard courts and horseshoe pits
• Daily arrivals and departures of cruise ships and submarines
• Camp store and nearby fishing pier

Learn more or Book now.

Smith Ridge Campground – Campbellsville, Kentucky

Park Features:

• 80 campsites (62 with water and electric hookups)
• Flush toilets, showers, fire rings, and potable water
• Kid’s playground and easy access to miles of hiking trails
• Frisbee golf course, boat ramp, and swimming beach
• Fishing pier, marina, and picnic areas

Learn ore.

Mountain Stream RV Park – Marion, North Carolina

Park Features:

• 44 full hookup sites (30 and 50 amp)
• 45’ maximum RV length
• Access to Buck Creek along two edges of the campground
• Five miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway
• Dog park, kid’s playground, and outdoor pavilion
• Camp store and bathhouse with showers and toilets

Learn more or Book now.

North Myrtle Beach RV Resort – Little River, South Carolina

Park Features:

• Oversized full hookup sites and a fully-stocked camp store
• Views of the nearby Intracoastal Waterway
• Swimming pool with a slide and splash pad for the kids
• 60-slip boat dock with observation deck
• Live music every weekend during the summer
• Food and drinks on the water at the Tiki Bar and Grill

Learn more or Book now.

Myrtle Beach State Park – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Park Features:

• 140 standard water and electric campsites
• 138 full hookup sites
• All sites are located about 300 yards from the beach
• 30-40’ maximum RV length
• Beach access for pets and bikes is restricted to certain time periods (see site for more info)
• Nearby access to birding, fishing, swimming, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and more

Learn more or Book now.

PirateLand Family Camping Resort – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Park Features:

• 748 full hookup sites
• Access to free Wi-Fi and daily trash pickup at each site
• Gated entrance with 24/7 patrol crew
• Eight climate-controlled bathhouses with toilets and showers
• Fully stocked camp store, outdoor chapel, and laundry facility
• On-site water park with Olympic swimming pool, lazy river, and more

Learn more or Book now.

Ocean Lakes Family Campground – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Park Features:

• 859 full hookup sites with free Wi-Fi
• 649 concrete pad sites with 45’ maximum RV length
• 19 total beach accesses
• Three-acre family fun center with game center, mini golf, swimming pool, and more
• Volleyball, shuffleboard, and basketball courts
• Nearby Ocean Lakes Nature Center Discover Lab with more than 10,000 shells and fossils

Learn more or Book now.

Anchor Down RV Resort – Dandridge, Tennessee

Park Features:

• 170 concrete full hookup sites
• All sites at least 50’ long by 18’ wide (sites differ by type and location)
• Basketball, gaga ball, pickleball, and volleyball courts
• Boat, jet ski, and golf cart rentals
• Leash-free pet park, beach area, and campground cafe
• Saltwater kiddie pool and large pool with waterslide (open Memorial Day to Labor Day)

Learn more or Book now.

Cherokee Dam Campground – Jefferson City, Tennessee

Park Features:

• 44 total sites (39 with water and electric)
• Views of the lake and mountains from nearly every site
• Sites require a two-night minimum stay
• The use of a water pressure regulator is highly recommended
• Nearby access to swimming and birdwatching
• Large public boat ramp nearby

Learn more or Book now.

Melton Hill Dam Campground – Lenoir City, Tennessee

Park Features:

• 61 total sites (35 with water and electric)
• Sites require a two-night minimum stay
• Two bathhouses with showers and flush toilets
• Designated swimming area
• Canoe and boat ramp access
• Free dump station access

Learn more or Book now.

Camp Margaritaville RV Resort and Lodge – Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Park Features:

• Full hookup concrete campsites
• Complimentary Wi-Fi and cable TV
• Nearby Fin City Entertainment Center with arcade, bowling, billiards, and more
• Nearby pool recreation area with water slides, lazy river, and kid zone
• Pet park, camp store, and kid’s playground
• Live entertainment, breakfast buffet, and barestaurant

Learn more or Book now.

Little Arrow Outdoor Resort – Townsend, Tennessee

Park Features:

• Luxury and standard full hookup RV sites
• Luxury sites with outdoor sink and cabana
• Standard sites with paved patios and fire rings
• 24/7 coffee lounge with playroom and movie/book exchange
• Zero-entry pool with grottos, hot tub, and splash pad
• 1-2 miles of quiet, peaceful hiking trails

Learn more or Book now.

The Best RV Trips for Beginners in the Midwest

Sycamore Springs Park – English, Indiana

Park Features:

• 30 and 50-amp sites with a 55’ minimum site length
• Full hookup, wateelectric, and primitive camping available
• Free firewood and fire pits on all sites
• Modern restrooms and shower houses
• Family-friendly camping with no alcohol allowed on the grounds
• Fishing, hiking and picnicking available

Learn more or Book now.

Lake Rudolph Campground and RV Resort – Santa Claus, Indiana

Park Features:

• Open season 5/1 to 10/31
• 146 full hookup 50-amp sites
• 110 full hookup 30-amp sites
• Gem mining, golf cart rentals, and take-out dining
• Swimming pool, dog park, and water park
• Free shuttle service to the theme park and water park

Learn more.

Grand Haven State Park – Grand Haven, Michigan

Park Features:

• 48-acre park with Lake Michigan to the west and the Grand River to the north
• 174 paved campsites
• Steps away from the beach and the river
• Scenic views of the Grand Haven pier and two lighthouses
• Boardwalk along the Grand River for fishing or walking
• Accessible playground, picnic area, and modern restrooms

Learn more or Book now.

Otsego Lake State Park – Gaylord, Michigan

Park Features:

• 155 campsites (split between the North and South campgrounds)
• Half-mile sandy beach with designated swim area
• Kayak, paddleboard, and canoe rentals for day-use
• Nearby access to the Iron Belle Trail for hiking, biking, and snowmobiling
• Fishing pier and boat launch
• Designated beach area for metal detecting

Learn more or Book now.

Itasca State Park – Park Rapids, Minnesota

Park Features:

• 223 drive-in campsites in two campgrounds (160 electric-only)
• 60’ maximum RV length
• Seasonal dump station available in the Bear Paw Campground
• Interpretive exhibits and year-round naturalist programs
• Two-hour excursion boat tours of Lake Itasca
• Nearby restaurant and cafe (open seasonally)

Learn more or Book now.

Silver Dollar City Campground – Branson, Missouri

Park Features:

• Full hookup sites (30 and 50 amp)
• Picnic table and fire ring at each site
• Kid’s playground and swimming pool (open 5/28-9/5)
• Nearby theme park, water park, and dinner cruises
• Clubhouse with supplies and an air-conditioned lounge with Wi-Fi
• Complimentary shuttle service into Silver Dollar City

Learn more or Book now.

Lake Mcconaughy State Recreation Area – Brule, Nebraska

Park Features:

• Seven developed campgrounds
• Reservable and first-come, first-served campsites
• Reservable beach camping in 17 designated zones
• Reservations required 5/20 to 9/10
• Archery range, swimming, and playground
• Boating, fishing, and hunting

Learn more or Book now.

Mt. Gilead Holiday – Mt. Gilead, Ohio

Park Features:

• 150 acres of walking trails
• Dog park, playground, and fishing ponds
• Golf driving range
• Zero-entry swimming pool (open 5/26-9/4)
• Golf course rentals, sand volleyball, and ‘The Bonfire Bar’

Learn more or Book now.

The Best RV Trips for Beginners in the South

The Woodlands RV Resort – Heber Springs, Arkansas

Park Features:

• 71 full hookup sites
• Five minutes from beaches, boat ramps, restaurants, and a golf course
• Easy access to hiking and biking trails
• Swimming pool, playground, and fishing pond
• Bathhouse, laundry room, and dog run coming soon

Learn more or Book now.

Sarah’s Seaside RV Oasis – Grand Isle, Louisiana

Why They Recommended: It’s the most laid back!
Park Features:

• Full hookup sites (30 and 50 amp)
• Family and pet-friendly
• Walking distance from restaurants, shopping, and bars
• Renowned for nearby world-class fishing and birdwatching
• Seasonal events like holiday decorating contests, seafood boils, movie nights, and more

Learn more.

The Best RV Trips for Beginners in the Southwest

Mather Campground – Grand Canyon Village, Arizona

Park Features:

• 327 primitive campsites with fire rings, a cooking grate, and a picnic table
• Flush toilets and drinking water spigots throughout
• Free dump station at Camper Services nearby
• Generators not permitted in Pine Loop (sites 265-319)
• Easy access to a paved walking and biking trail leading to overlooks and the visitor center

Learn more.

Tucson Lazydays – Tucson, Arizona

Park Features:

• 360 full hookup sites
• 73’ maximum RV length
• Pet-friendly sites, dog park, and dog wash available
• Two swimming pools, a hot tub, and a sauna (open year-round)
• Mini golf, bike rentals, workout room, and more

Learn more or Book now.

Caballo Lake State Park – Caballo, New Mexico

Park Features:

• Seven full hookup sites
• 98 water and electric (30 amp) sites
• 10 water and electric (50 amp) sites
• Three boat docks and two boat ramps
• Playgrounds and visitor centers with interactive exhibits for the kids
• Fishing, swimming, hiking, horseback riding, and more

Learn more or Book now.

The Best RV Trips for Beginners in the Northwest

Coloma Resort – Coloma, California

Park Features:

• 43 full hookup sites
• 45’ maximum RV length
• Sewer hookups are available at off-river sites only
• Calendar of naturalist-led activities available (summer months only)
• Exclusive riverfront access with nearby kayaking, tubing, and rafting
• Swimming pool and children’s playgrounds
• Wireless internet throughout the campground

Pro Tip: You must cross the Mt. Murphy Bridge to reach this campground. Here are the height and weight restrictions for that bridge:

• Max Height: 13' 6
• Max Weight for 2 Axle vehicles: 12 Tons (24,000 pounds)
• Max Weight for 3 Axle vehicles: 19 Tons (38,000 pounds)

Learn more or Book now.

Arrowhead RV Park – Cascade, Idaho

Park Features:

• 116 full hookup sites
• Easy access to the Payette River for fishing or paddling
• Shuffleboard and horseshoe pit for family entertainment
• Communal firepit on the edge of the river
• Recreation room with books, board games, and movies

Learn more or Book now.

St. Mary / East Glacier – St. Mary, Montana

Why They Recommended: “Beautiful views right from the park!”
Park Features:

• 75’ maximum RV length
• 30 and 50-amp sites
• Large hot tub, pool, and sauna (seasonally)
• Kayak rentals and easy access to the Lower St. Mary Lake & River
• Dog kennels and dog walking service (for when you want to explore nearby Glacier National Park)

Learn more or Book now.

Cape Blanco State Park – Port Orford, Oregon

Park Features:

• 52 electric hookup sites with water
• Easy access to wildlife viewing, fishing, and horse trails
• Beach access and hiking trails
• Flush toilets and hot showers
• Lighthouse and Hughes House for historical tours

Learn more or Book now.

Seven Feathers RV Resort – Canyonville, Oregon

Park Features:

• 182 full hookup sites
• 60’ maximum pull-thru size
• 55’ maximum back-in size
• Hotel and casino across the street
• Indoor heated pool and hot tub
• Fitness and media centers

Learn more or Book now.
Want to add your advice to our poll? Click below to join the conversation!
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=776034604566862&id=100064809877965&mibextid=WC7FNe
Which destinations would you recommend for first-time RVers? Share your tips in the comments below.

Hi Ya'll,
I recently graduated OCS and I have been bombarded myself in real life over what to expect with OCS. For context I went from basic training straight to OCS, and even graduated with honors. From the time of writing this post, it has officially been a month since I graduated. So here is a list of common questions I get and I hope I can settle some anxiety for all of you future 2nd LTs.
Warning: The cadre at OCS do read these reddit posts, so I won't be able to post answers to tests or events.

1. I haven't received a welcome letter, or a packing list. Where can I find it?
   • Fort Moore Officer Candidate School (army.mil) I would download and print the packing list and the ISAP. The ISAP acts more or less like a syllabus from college. It will give a rough understanding of the rules, regulations, and requirements for you to pass.
2. Is everything on the packing list required?
   • Yes. Try your best to follow the packing list to the letter. It is almost entirely dependent on the cadre and of course weather does play a part in their decision making. Some things you'll find you didn't really need or use throughout your cycle. For example, my cycle didn't use 550 Cord almost at all, but I used it to build a hooch, and secure sensitive items.
3. What if I don't have of the required equipment on the packing list?
   • When it comes to military equipment, try your best and bring what you can. I was never issued an IFAK before OCS or after. The cadre understand they have some coming from basic and those in-service. So if you have it, bring it. If not, bring it up to your cadre and they'll schedule time to get it issued to you.
4. Anything not on the packing list you recommend?
   • I would recommend the following: hand soap, bathroom spray, travel vacuum, wet-wipes, clipboard with compartment, pillow, very bright headlamp, multitool, and laminator. Hand soap because for some reason OCS had a hard time procuring it. Travel vacuum because you'll likely have 2 or 3 vacuums available to your platoon and having your own saves time. Wet-wipes to dust everything down. Clipboard with compartment for Land Nav as you'll be running with maps, marker, protractor, and your points so its best to have something safe and secure. Laminator for your papers because its Georgia and your papers can get wet. The pillows at OCS have this weird plastic cover on so if you want a better night sleep, get a better pillow. The headlamp is just in case, some classes inform the lumen limit while others don't, Land Nav is DARK so if you can find a lighthouse out there, do it. The multitool is just useful to have especially if you are out in the field.
5. Where can I find somethings on the packing list I am missing?
   • Luckily there is a company called Commandos who helped us out the entire time. They have an OCS purchasing list you can take advantage of. They even deliver that weekend at the footprint.
   • Visit: https://commando-military-supply-9d5038.printavo.com/merch/ocs-packing-list/
6. I saw you can bring your laptops? Is it required for classes? Can I opted in for a tablet or iPad?
   • You can bring a personal laptop primarily for recreational use after the duty hours. OCS will provide you with a government laptop that you'll need to use your CAC to access. Tablets and iPads are not considered laptops and will be confiscated like a phone. If the majority of your class as issues with the laptops, then the cadre may allow the use of your personal laptops.
7. What is your day-to-day look like?
   • Mostly on a non-physical or FTX event coming up you'll follow the following schedule: 0500 - wake up. First formation is at 0600, then you conduct PT until breakfast. After breakfast you will head to the classroom and stay there until lunch, return and stay there until dinner. After dinner, it will be the end of the duty hours and you'll roughly have 2 hours for personal time.
8. What are the most important categories/test to focus on?
   • Treat everything important. Every test you do not pass can put you at risk of being recycled, and it is up to you to catch up. For example while everyone is studying for tactics, you'll be studying tactics and history if you failed history. So save yourself the hassle and take every test seriously. The big 3 recycle event have been historically, Army History (70% to pass), Land Nav (4 points or more to pass (day and night)), and the 4-mile run (need to run in under 36 minutes regardless of gender).
9. How many retests or chances do you get?
   • You get 2 tries at everything before recycle. You get 2 tries again at the same test then you can be dismissed. For example: You are part of Alpha company. You failed history twice. You get recycled into Bravo company. You failed history twice again. You can be dismissed.
   • If you happen to pass history but fail Land Nav twice, then you'll be recycled into Charlie. If you fail Land Nav twice then you can be dismissed.
10. What is a recycle? What does it look like in OCS? Can you get dismissed?
    • A recycle is when you failed something twice and you get "recycled" into the next class. A recycle can occur for other reasons such as illness or injury. You can also be recycled for improper behavior or being "peered out". Every class starts up in a like a month (I heard they are changing that for even further out). So even though the cycle takes about 12 weeks to complete, if you get recycled you can expect more like 16 weeks or more. We had someone at OCS you has been with it for a year. You get recycled for repeat offenses, or do something majorly bad such as breaking the law, then you can be dismissed.
11. What is being peered out mean?
    • Throughout the cycle you are put into a platoon and then a squad. Your squadmates eventually all sit down and fill out a form to give the cadre who is the weakest link in the squad. Usually squads kick out the person they do not like. We had to kick out one person because they didn't mesh well within the squad and wasn't very kind. He would then get replaced with someone else who got peered out. Luckily after that one person got kicked out, the squad improved and we tried our hardest to keep it together. We still needed to peer someone out, but we kept tabs with them and invited them to a lot of our squad functions nonetheless as my squads grew to love and respect each other as a family.
    • If you do get peered out, unfortunately you get a spot report, moved to a different squad, and are at risk of being recycled if peered out again. Stay humble and help out whenever you can. I got the most respect from my squadmates as I stayed up late with them to help them with their STX lanes.
12. What is personal time like?
    • You essentially use personal time to workout if the PT wasn't enough, clean yourself, and prepare for bed. Yes if you have time, you can contact family and friends (when you get your phones), and if you have the time, play games. I don't recommend playing games as it distracts you from the mission of graduating.
13. What are the different phases like?
    • You are separated into 3 phases. Black, Blue, and White. You immediately enter black phase upon arrival with a traditional called "Gold to Black". Which is more or less a physical smoking session. During Black you are expected to run everywhere, not be able to drink coffee, have your phone confiscated (and given back on Sunday), and have less personnel time. Blue you get the ability to drink coffee again, and you have your phones returned and used only during personal time. During blue you get the ability to visit and explore the base (Fort Moore) and shop around. During white phase you get the ability to explore off-base (Columbus) and you get to wear civilian clothes. White phase if you leave off-post, you need to be in uniform, and on-base you can be in civilians.
14. Can you use your personal vehicle?
    • Yes, but you can only drive it during White Phase
15. How can I keep in contact with my family during black phase?
    • I recommend that you download WhatsApp or some other social media on your laptop and have your family members on it.
16. Can I visit the gym on base?
    • Yes during blue phase you can visit the gym. Rule regulates that you leave the footprint in uniform and change into appropriate PT uniform once at the gym and conducting PT.
17. What is the DFAC like?
    • The DFAC is better than basic training and offers snacks like cookies, granola bars, ice cream, and soda. They have a salad bar and the usual cycle of foods. They do have a "short-order" line which serves fries, burgers, hot dogs, etc. To stay in physical shape, I recommend eating your fruits and a side salad every meal. Drink juice, Gatorade, or water only. I only drank soda and the burger after an intense physical requirement like a long-run or a ruck march to regain my glucose and caloric levels.
18. Does Amazon deliver there?
    • Yes you can have other things delivered to the footprint. However, the Cadre are going to inspect it for food and other contraband. Just ask the cadre for the delivery address. It may take like 2 weeks for them to deliver it.
19. Any final advice?
    • Be helpful and noticeable amongst your squad but try not to bring attention to yourself from the cadre. Take everything seriously and give yourself proper rest and proper nutrition. OCS is not hard, but it can be if you let it get to you. OCS is designed to test your competency, commitment, and character. I luckily had an amazing squad, and I had a blast with them.

I want this to be an open forum so don't be afraid to leave anymore questions below. If the answer you are seeking is not above, then write the question in the comments, and I will try my best to answer you before you are sent off. Best of luck, thank you for your service, and be the best leaders your soldier's deserve.

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaV1RBavyh0llUbGNaCMTlLXQEB8I_e6q
Here's a playlist me and some friends put together, 120+ tracks, 6 hour runtime. Everything from Fallout 3 + 4, 76 radios + all the original songs from Misfits Project 1950 + a bunch of extras/expanded stuff that fits the theme (in our opinion). Originals in place of re-recorded songs (Like Ring of Fire, Country Roads) etc. If you have suggestions of songs to add, I'd love to hear them.

Here's my notes throughout the Google Marketing Live. Some stuff may be omitted and I phrased everything how they would have in the presentation (overly positive).

Google Marketing Live 2024

~Philipp Schindler – Introduction~
New era of AI
-A few years ago the conversation was: What is AI?
-Now the question is: What can AI do for me and how can I implement it as fast as possible?

15% of searches are new on Google every day
-This number has held steady for more than a decade
“The perfect search engine should understand exactly what you mean and give you back exactly what you need.”

AI Overviews

• People who use AI Overviews use search more
• Higher quality clicks/more time on site
• Rolling out to US

Trend 1 – T he “Exactly-What-I-Want” search
The volume of searches with 5 or more words grew 1.5x as fast

• Instead of “men’s running shoes”
• “how to pick the right running shoes for a runner beginner with high arches”

Trend 2 – Complex Search Made Easy
“What are good options for aa day out in dallas for kids? What are some options with ice cream shops nearby?”

Trend 3 – Search Beyond Words

• Search for things that are difficult to describe.
• 12 billion visual searches a month using lens
• 1 in 4 visual searches has commercial intent
• You will soon be able to search with visual

Circle to Search
Search anything on your screen with just a circle, highlight, or tap.

Trend 4 – Beyond Answers
Some people are not looking for answer, they are looking to explore, or be inspired.

• “Outfit Ideas”
• “Best Places to Eat with Kids”
• “Rainy Day Activities”

Rather than just getting a simple AI response, they will be getting a catered ai page specifically created for their request.

Small YouTube Blurb

• YouTube #1 most watched streaming platform
• 1B hours of YouTube on CTV daily
• Generative AI is the next playground for YouTube creators

Gen AI x Creativity

• Suite of tools for content creators

~Vidhya Srinivasan~
People have limitless options to browse across devices

• 2 out of 3 consumers say making purchase decisions requires more effort than ever
• Have to be on every surface consumers touch
  • Grab their attention
  • Show them you are their solution
• Google is supposed to be the matchmaker for consumers and businesses
• Showing the perfect ad on every surface is difficult

“This is where Gen AI will unlock enormous opportunities”

• Last year they were just getting started with images
• They’re applying the latest Gemini models to teach their other models
  • EX: teaching their algorithm about queries that have never been seen before
• Gen AI is still early-stage tech so they won’t get everything right
• Will become more powerful and helpful as they learn about your business

AI will influence the entire marketing cycle

• Creative
  • Building creative will only take days/hours
  • AI will draw on hero assets and create variations
  • Every ad will be a better match for each consumer’s intent in the moment
• Media
  • No trade-offs between precise targeting and growth
• Measurement
  • Real-time adjustments based on campaign results

"AI doesn’t have taste, it doesn’t have ingenuity, creativity, and strategic insights"

Google Search – Generative AI

• Search in new ways
  • More complex questions
  • Searching with images
• AI overviews will appear in search results when they are particularly helpful beyond SERPs
  • They will be stay focused on sending valuable traffic to publishers and creative
• More choice leads to more opportunity for advertisers
• The will be testing search and shopping ads being integrated into AI overviews
  • Not just above or below
• Match the ads, not just to query context, but also with the information within the AI overview
  • Example: “How do I get wrinkles out of my clothes without an iron”
    • AI overview gives tips
    • Within the AI generated blurb, a wrinkle free spray sponsored ad appears

~Sylvanus Bent~
AI Applications in Search Ads

• Ads in Visual Search
  • EX: You see a piece of luggage at the airport you love, but you don’t know how to describe it or what brand it is. Use visual lens to search for it, then sponsored product ads will show up within the results
• Every search ad is more than an offer, it’s an experience
• Exploring AI ads with recommendations across different verticles
  • EX: Search for “short term storage” – ad shows up, but now you can click into a new dynamic ad experience, where you can customize your needs.
• Takes the definition of a helpful ad to the next level

Conversational Experience in Google Ads

• Can give your URL to Google Ads to generate relevant assets
  • Helpful for smaller businesses

Power Pair

• Combination of Search and Performance Max campaigns
• Delivers the strongest ROI

Profit Optimization

• Making it a new goal in PMAX and shopping campaigns
• Maximize profit by optimizing bidding for gross profit on products

~Tim Frank – Asset Generation~
Advertisers who improve their PMAX ad strength to Excellent see 6% more conversions on average.

Creative Controls & Customization

• Brand Colors
• Brand Fonts – only closely matched
• Upload reference images for AI to generate based on

Additional Reporting & Controls

• Placement reporting and exclusions for YouTube
• Asset Level Reporting
  • Asset reporting for each creative asset

~Nicky Rettke – YouTube~
AI-Powered Video Campaigns

• Video Reach drive awareness
• Video View drive consideration
• Introduced Demand Gen
  • Reaches over 3 billion monthly users
  • Demand Gen will roll out to Display and Video 360 and Search Ads 360
  • Audience list threshold lowered to 100 users for Demand Gen lookalike audiences
• Over 40% increase in view through rate when utilizing vertical video
• Viewers can swipe left on shorts ads to go directly to a landing page
• Introducing animated image ads
  • Pulls images from your product feed and animates them in on unite
• Demand Gen with Product feeds
  • 33% more conversions at a similar CPA
• Shop while you watch

~Matt Madrigal – Shopping~
Product Studio

• Create custom scenes
• Change backdrops
• 2 new features
  • Create visuals that match brand style w/ reference image
  • Image to video
• Brand profile on search
  • To be rolled out in the coming months

Shopping Ads

• Will start highlighting key attributes and stuff from reviews
• 3D shopping ad formats
• Immersive Ad Experiences
• Virtual Try-On
• Video Highlights
  • Rolling out for beauty brands first

~Gaurav Bhaya – The Data Guy~
Good AI requires good data

• First party data delivers better results and helps protect your campaigns against privacy changes
• Collect, protect, and use your data.
• Google Ads Data Manager is now available to everyone
• Simplifies putting first-party management all in one place
• Have an active pipeline from all data sources to one place
• Measurement diagnostics is being introduced to Google Ads
  • Check Engine Light for your site
• Google’s goal is for us to not have to worry about first-party data

Measurement

• Generated Insights and Reports
• Generate a report with a prompt.
• Generated insights

Marketing Mix Models
Meridian is Google’s Open Source MMM and will be available later this year
tl;dr - very tasty nothing burger.

Hei, hi and hello!
I’m Onsie Onsfjord or Fjord feel free to call me whichever is not mind to me.
I’m a 26-year-old English Norwegian who’s mainly lived his whole life in the United Kingdom and graduated from university with a degree in Computer Networks and is now working as a DIE for the NHS (Digital Infrastructure Engineer).
Caught you off guard with that job title acronym huh? Yeah, trust me when I first started it had me in fits of laughter, but you get used to it after a while.
So a bit about me; - I’m an introvert and tend to avoid public crowds, events and such and just try to vibe with friends on a nice game of anything (which you’ll see below) - I’m an avid IT nerd and will most likely remain this way for my whole career as IT is my education and career at this point - On top of IT you guessed it I’m also a very big avid “gamer” I mainly play PC and PS5 games with my current interests being in Helldivers 2, Star Wars: The Fallen Order, and Jedi: Survivor amongst a few other things like WoW, CoD, SWTOR and so on. - I love learning, whether it be history, game lore, languages, cultures, etc. You name it, and I’ll probably be interested in it (Trust me, you give me a flag of any country, and I’ll be able to tell you the country’s name and political structure. - I’m also an avid book reader and you’ll most likely see my shelf full of different manga from all types of genres, I don’t particularly watch anime, I mainly read instead because I find it more “interesting” for better or not. (Not that I'm opposed to watching it) - I’m trying to learn to cook myself but not very good at it as my most recent attempt I ended up giving myself food poisoning so it’s sufficient to say you will have a big gamble if you’d like me to cook ha-ha. - I do watch football from time to time and do support a few clubs from around the world (mainly northern Europe, the UK, and the US) feel free to guess if you’d like! - I’m currently on a VLCD and have lost about 2 stone within 1 month which I’m super super happy about.
In terms of looks and such I’m what an average 26-year-old would look like who is 6’1/6’2 with a picture on request.
Please don’t judge too much as I’m still working on improving myself.
What am I about? I’ve always made it a goal to help, care for, and support those close to me, whether it be friends, old friends, or the equivalent of my family. They’ve been there for me, and I’ll go hell and back for them as they’ve stood by me through thick and thin, even through the loss of other close friends; they’ve picked me up and brushed me down and set me straight to which I will always forever be in their debt and have helped them being.
Whilst I’ve been shot and backstabbed by many of those who I thought were close to me I just try and see the positive and avoid the unnecessary drama and arguments as life is just way too generally short for that kind of stuff and we should all get along with each other in my mind.
What am I looking for? I apologize if this comes off as really picky - Someone in the realm of the US, Canada or Europe - Someone between the age of 20 to 28 years old - Someone who has an interest in IT, manga, gaming, and such (It’s easier to talk to people with the same interest I’ve found though you don’t need to work in IT at all) - Just be a kind honest individual who I can back and vice versa. Be there for each other.
I am looking for a monogamous and serious relationship and not a friendship, however, I’m fine with starting out as friends whilst getting to know each other etc.
The end? Well, I’d like to say that this was the short and sweet version of myself without giving much more away about me but hey hopefully you’ve stayed this far and if you have, I have a very small simple request for you!
If you do decide I’m someone you’d like to get to know and all of that stuff then when messaging me, please make a somewhat attempt of an introduction (I’m not asking for the mass of paragraphs or anything) just a hi, your name (doesn’t have to be your real name), where you’re from, how old are you, what you do, hobbies, etc and we’ll go from there!
Low-effort chats & messages will be removed also, so I know that you’ve made it this far please put your answers to this question (wrong answers don’t matter, it’s what is attempted counts)
“I was born in the winter on a remembrance day, which day was this?”
Take care and hope to see your message 😊

Hei, hi and hello!
I’m Onsie Onsfjord or Fjord feel free to call me whichever is not mind to me.
I’m a 26-year-old English Norwegian who’s mainly lived his whole life in the United Kingdom and graduated from university with a degree in Computer Networks and is now working as a DIE for the NHS (Digital Infrastructure Engineer).
Caught you off guard with that job title acronym huh? Yeah, trust me when I first started it had me in fits of laughter, but you get used to it after a while.
So a bit about me;

• I’m an introvert and tend to avoid public crowds, events and such and just try to vibe with friends on a nice game of anything (which you’ll see below)
• I’m an avid IT nerd and will most likely remain this way for my whole career as IT is my education and career at this point
• On top of IT you guessed it I’m also a very big avid “gamer” I mainly play PC and PS5 games with my current interests being in Helldivers 2, Star Wars: The Fallen Order, and Jedi: Survivor amongst a few other things like WoW, CoD, SWTOR and so on.
• I love learning, whether it be history, game lore, languages, cultures, etc. You name it, and I’ll probably be interested in it (Trust me, you give me a flag of any country, and I’ll be able to tell you the country’s name and political structure.
• I’m also an avid book reader and you’ll most likely see my shelf full of different manga from all types of genres, I don’t particularly watch anime, I mainly read instead because I find it more “interesting” for better or not. (Not that I'm opposed to watching it) - I’m trying to learn to cook myself but not very good at it as my most recent attempt I ended up giving myself food poisoning so it’s sufficient to say you will have a big gamble if you’d like me to cook ha-ha.
• I do watch football from time to time and do support a few clubs from around the world (mainly northern Europe, the UK, and the US) feel free to guess if you’d like!
• I’m currently on a VLCD and have lost about 2 stone within 1 month which I’m super super happy about.

In terms of looks and such I’m what an average 26-year-old would look like who is 6’1/6’2 with a picture on request.
Please don’t judge too much as I’m still working on improving myself.
What am I about? I’ve always made it a goal to help, care for, and support those close to me, whether it be friends, old friends, or the equivalent of my family. They’ve been there for me, and I’ll go hell and back for them as they’ve stood by me through thick and thin, even through the loss of other close friends; they’ve picked me up and brushed me down and set me straight to which I will always forever be in their debt and have helped them being.
Whilst I’ve been shot and backstabbed by many of those who I thought were close to me I just try and see the positive and avoid the unnecessary drama and arguments as life is just way too generally short for that kind of stuff and we should all get along with each other in my mind.
What am I looking for? I apologize if this comes off as really picky

• Someone in the realm of the US, Canada or Europe
• Someone between the age of 20 to 28 years old
• Someone who has an interest in IT, manga, gaming, and such (It’s easier to talk to people with the same interest I’ve found though you don’t need to work in IT at all)
• Just be a kind honest individual who I can back and vice versa. Be there for each other.

I am looking for a monogamous and serious relationship and not a friendship, however, I’m fine with starting out as friends whilst getting to know each other etc.
The end? Well, I’d like to say that this was the short and sweet version of myself without giving much more away about me but hey hopefully you’ve stayed this far and if you have, I have a very small simple request for you!
If you do decide I’m someone you’d like to get to know and all of that stuff then when messaging me, please make a somewhat attempt of an introduction (I’m not asking for the mass of paragraphs or anything) just a hi, your name (doesn’t have to be your real name), where you’re from, how old are you, what you do, hobbies, etc and we’ll go from there!
Low-effort chats & messages will be removed also, so I know that you’ve made it this far please put your answers to this question (wrong answers don’t matter, it’s what is attempted counts)
“I was born in the winter on a remembrance day, which day was this?”
Take care and hope to see your message 😊

About 4 years ago I went to work for a private cannabis startup. I worked as a staff accountant handling day to day transactions, underneath their CPA. Soon after starting I extended a loan of $100k to the company, for a 2-year period. About 1-1/2 years into the loan it was obvious (to me) the company was in real trouble, so I told the CEO I would be leaving the company and closing out the loan at the loan's maturity date that May. This was a 6-month notice. As things got closer and I could tell he was ducking the issue, so with 30 days until maturity I asked him point blank about my payoff. He said he'd "been meaning to talk to me" and that although I was owed the money, he didn't know where it would come from. This was a lie - I met with him face to face on a weekly basis to discuss A/P for the entire time I worked there, so he had ever opportunity to speak with me at any time, he just chose not to. Long story short is I quit that night and demanded my loan payoff at maturity, and even filed a complaint with the BBB since they were telling me I couldn't get my loan paid off but yet were still seeking new investors. Following the BBB complaint the company claimed they intended to pay me and tried to chalk things up to a misunderstanding. The loan matured and I received my check for $100k, deposited it, but the next day the funds were reversed from my account as the company had put a stop payment on the check. Prepared for the worst, I already had a lawyer lined up and they were served notice the same week. A week later I was wired the money plus interested for the extra days. I know this money came from the CEO himself as he'd been putting money into the company each month to keep it afloat. All told he has over $3m of his personal funds in the company when I quit.
So all was good for me, however there are well over 100 other investors in the company, roughly split between those who invested as capital and those who invested via short term loans. The company just closed almost half their stores, shuttered their cultivation, and turned over the company to a local group who is now managing it. They're on the verge of collapse and I don't see how any of the other 100+ investors are ever going to be made whole again, leaving me as the single person getting their money back from this entire mess. I feel like I'm able to walk away clean, but a few doubts linger:

1. If the company were to be determined to be a Ponzi scheme, could there be a lookback period that will allow them to try and recoup the money paid back to me? I remember hearing about people who got their money back from Bernie Madoff but were gone after because of this.
   
2. Since I worked there as a staff accountant (no decision making, that fell entirely to the CPA!), could I be deemed to have had any sort of insider knowledge? I really don't see how this would apply since I was only abiding by the loan payoff date that was agreed upon 2 years prior (unlike selling stocks) but lots of people are soon going to lose lots of money and I expect some resentment coming my way.
   

This was in the state of Maine.

There is a curious dynamic at work in politics these days. Trump does not appear to be trying to court voters to his standard. If he were, he would be reaching out to Nikki Haley voters and trying to moderate his stances. Instead, he is rejecting her voters and doubling down on extreme positions. Rather than trying to appeal to swing voters, he seems to be trying to whip up his right-wing base to engage in violence on his behalf. In Minnesota on Friday, Trump echoed fascists when he told supporters, "No matter how hateful and corrupt the communists and criminals we are fighting against may be, you must never forget this is not a nation that belongs to them. This is a nation that totally belongs to you. It belongs to you. This is your home, this is your heritage." Saturday, at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association in Dallas, Texas, Trump floated the idea that he could throw out the constitutional amendment limiting a president to two terms. “You know, FDR 16 years—almost 16 years—he was four terms. I don’t know, are we going to be considered three-term? Or two-term?” he asked the crowd. Some yelled, “Three!” In the same speech, Trump told attendees that the Second Amendment “is very much on the ballot” in November, and he urged gun owners to vote and to “be rebellious.” Then he told the crowd that Biden’s actions were such that if he “were a Republican, he would have been given the electric chair, they would have brought back the death penalty.” This evening, Trump’s Instagram account posted a video of what a newspaper would look like after a 2024 MAGA win. Under the headline “WHAT’S NEXT FOR AMERICA?” were the words “INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED DRIVEN BY THE CREATION OF A UNIFIED REICH,” a clear reference to fascism and German dictator Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich. It is not clear to me how anyone can any longer deny that Trump is promising to destroy our democracy and usher in authoritarianism. But it is also not clear that he is still a figure that any but the extremes of his base will follow to that end. Hence his emphasis on turning them to violence. His lies have become increasingly outrageous. On Friday he told a crowd in Minnesota that he won the state by “a landslide” in 2020 even though he actually lost it by more than 7 points. At the NRA annual meeting, Trump claimed that his former physician told him he is “healthier” and “a better physical specimen” than the famously athletic former president Barack Obama. At that same event he boasted that he won 31 club golf championships; the day before, he boasted that he won 29. Significantly, he continues to insist that the area around the courtroom is like “Fort Knox.” “There are more police than I’ve ever seen anywhere because they don’t want to have anybody come down,” he said today, “There’s not a civilian within three blocks of the courthouse.” But this is, quite simply, a lie. Virtually no one has turned out to support him. As conservative lawyer George Conway noted today, “There is virtually complete freedom of movement around that courthouse.” Social media contributor Eddie Smith, who filmed the handful of Trump protesters in New York today, put it more colorfully. After noting that “MAGA’s not repping in New York,” he added: “Wait a minute! You guys hear that? There is a mouse pissing on a ball of cotton in China. That’s how quiet it is out here.” Republican lawmakers are stepping in where Trump’s base followers are not. Republicans attacked as unfit for office 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server. They tried to impeach current president Biden on unfounded accusations that he took bribes from foreign countries. Now they find themselves forced to defend a man who is currently the defendant in a criminal trial that is showing that his associates acted like a criminal gang. As Tom Nichols put it today in The Atlantic, that defense is partly because they are afraid of their own voters. Nichols also called out those “now circling Trump like the cold fragments of a destroyed planet” who “resent the people who stuck to their principles.” Those MAGA Republicans lawmakers are, like Trump, trying to gin up anger with lies. Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), who went to Trump’s Manhattan trial to support him on Thursday, told Jesse Watters of the Fox News Channel and later posted on social media that “[t]hey’re trying to keep cameras out of the courtroom so that the American people don’t see what’s happening.” Former federal prosecutor Ron Filipkowski noted in response that “New York has banned cameras in courtrooms since June 30, 1997.” The most important of their lies, though, is that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and that to protect the 2024 election, it is imperative to police the election. This is the same tactic Trump used in 2020, claiming exactly four years ago that “they send in thousands and thousands of fake ballots.” Those lies have resulted in a huge increase in threats against those whom MAGA perceives as an enemy. Danny Hakim, Ken Bensinger, and Eileen Sullivan reported in the New York Times yesterday that last year, threats against federal judges increased 150% over 2019: 450 federal judges were targeted. Since 2018, threats to members of Congress have increased by 50%, with more than 8,000 such threats last year. More than 80% of local officials also say they have been threatened or harassed. MAGA lawmakers refuse to say they will accept the results of the 2024 election. On Saturday, Wisconsin senator Ron Johnson refused to commit to that fundamental tenet of our democracy. On Meet the Press on Sunday, Florida senator Marco Rubio also declined to say he would accept the election results. Those vying for the Republican vice presidential nomination, including North Dakota governor Doug Burgum and South Carolina senator Tim Scott, have refused to say they would accept the results. Their tactics are working among the Republican base. A CBS News/YouGov poll released this weekend showed that only 47% of Arizona Republicans say they will accept the results of the 2024 election no matter who wins. An equal number—47%—say they will challenge the results if the other side wins. That result is not symmetrical with the Democrats: 82% of them say they will accept the results, while only 14% say they will challenge the results if their opponents win. But people are pushing back against the MAGA narrative. On May 15 the Texas Tribune and ProPublica published a story by Jeremy Schwartz about Courtney Gore, a woman who ran for a Texas school board to combat pornography and critical race theory in the schools, only to find there wasn’t any. When she told the public, her former colleagues turned on her. “I’m over the political agenda, hypocrisy bs,” Gore wrote. “I took part in it myself. I refuse to participate in it any longer. It’s not serving our party. We have to do better.” Steve MacLaughlin, a meteorologist for NBC 6 News in Miami, reported on a new law Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed into law last week that will remove references to climate change from state law. “On Thursday, we reported on NBC 6 News that the government of Florida was beginning to roll back really important climate change legislation and really important climate change language in spite of the fact that the state of Florida, over the last couple of years, has seen record heat, record flooding, record rain, record insurance rates, and the corals are dying all around the state,” MacLaughlin said. “The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change, and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority it once was. Please keep in mind, the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands: the right to vote. And we will never tell you who to vote for, but we will tell you this: We implore you to please do your research and know that there are candidates that believe in climate change and that there are solutions, and there are candidates that don’t.” On May 17, former lieutenant governor of Georgia Geoffrey Duncan noted on Amanpour & Company that Trump had done less for rural voters than any other president in modern history. “At the end of the day,” he said, “we just cannot get into the business in America of electing dishonest human beings to represent us…. The world’s watching us. I’m hoping we get this right.” Tonight, Sarah Matthews, who was deputy press secretary for the Trump administration, wrote: “Trump’s continued use of Nazi rhetoric is un-American and despicable. Yet too many Americans are brushing off the glaring red flags about what could happen if he returns to the White House. When someone shows you who they are, believe them.” — Notes: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/19/trump-nra-convention-dallashttps://www.rawstory.com/trump-threat-biden/https://nymag.com/intelligencearticle/the-nra-is-weaker-than-ever-how-much-does-that-matter.htmlhttps://time.com/6979795/trump-receives-nra-endorsement-urges-gun-owners-vote/​​https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-minnesota-4f7ebfe7a2e1949d38a7c9894616a985 https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-2024-rhetoric-germany-antisemitism-31002afb91b642c0314223d19e51f427https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/marco-rubio-joins-republicans-hedging-accepting-election-results-rcna153011 https://presswatchers.org/2024/05/trump-choosing-not-to-testify-in-his-defense-should-be-a-banner-headline/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/19/us/politics/political-violence.htmlhttps://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4675594-florida-meteorologist-ron-desantis-climate-change-roll-back/https://captimes.com/news/elections/top-wisconsin-republicans-mixed-on-accepting-2024-election-results/article_2ae8f1e4-1538-11ef-a217-d7802fd5a882.htmlhttps://www.reuters.com/world/us/donald-trump-fire-up-supporters-nras-annual-us-gathering-2024-05-18/,accepted%20the%20influential%20group's%20endorsement)https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2024/05/the-maga-memory-hole/678435/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/15/texas-granbury-isd-school-board-courtney-gore/X: BidenHQ/status/1791469492440072359RonFilipkowski/status/1792195770374099083samstein/status/1792188951920361645HueyRey/status/1792635408506912824mkraju/status/1792515853314904293gtconway3d/status/1792548740525363276eddsmitty/status/1792573721615434037atrupastatus/1792626209118884346BidensWins/status/1791609511435714795BidenHQ/status/1792209690664845569BidenHQ/status/1791946911340999113CarlosGSmith/status/1792207611733172238Tim_Walz/status/1791620309105119419BidenHQ/status/1791949552469082444AccountableGOP/status/1791661408641298808SarahAMatthews1/status/1792760772193374274

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-20-2024

So to start this off I just want to say I’m aware I’m in no position to feel the way I’m feeling and that I’m toxic and all of this is very messy. Now for the clarity: Me and my boyfriend have been together for about 3 years now going onto 4. Me and him have been through so much together. The first year we dated he had gotten into an accident that left him in the hospital for 3 months. We spent so many nights together there and there were endless obstacles that we had to face along the way. It was a very stressful time period but well needed as me and him have never been closer since. I (21 F) took care of my boyfriend (23M) for about a year afterwards give or take. I got to learn his personality all his likes and dislikes. I’ve seen all the good and the bad and the cute and gross and vise versa. Our feeling grew a lot quicker for each other too as time went on and as we had to work with his new disabilities. All the more things I fell in love with. His determination And willingness to learn and conquer is very inspiring and a clutch for me. Recently as of a year ago I had my own place for the temporary as I was caring for family and trying to help everyone get back on their feet. Prior to I was living with my boyfriend, it was a big place for just 3 people and an interesting experience to say the least. Over time I needed up taking in my best friend of 6 years. He’s always been in and out of my life as his family has moved often and far. Well his father had kicked him out and next thing I know he’s on my couch. I didn’t want to be the asshole and tell him to leave, as the place I was staying in was not actually mine (I was renting and the homeowner was very strict and nasty and didn’t allow guests as she was renting without papers) so I gave him 3 days. I had 2 teenagers in the house that I was caring for without much help beside my boyfriend helping with rides here and there and thankfully some groceries when I asked. My best friend at the time (we’ll call him S) was very willing to go out of his way to help me. I would come home frome 12 hour shifts and the house would be clean and the fridge stocked. He had a very close relationship with the children and hey really looked up to him. He was more than supportive of my rough situation and went from being a 3 day couch-hopper to a huge supporter in my life and a live in roommate. This went on for a month until we had both gotten drunk one night and ended up hooking up. This is where it gets really messed up. This went on for about a month, helping with the kids, being there for me, and providing, all whist my boyfriend was on vacation. The night me and S hooked up my boyfriend was in the Bahamas on my 21’st birthday. I was upset that day and it was just me and S that hung out at home, which led up to everything. I know it’s not any excuse and I’m still trying to work past all my delusions lol. Sooner than later my boyfriend found out and I had to cut ties with S for the sake of my relationship. It’s been about a year since everything has happened and I am back living with my boyfriend and everyone has gone their separate ways. Throughout this year S has been texting me and reaching out to me on social media. I do still miss him and I hate that everything happened the way it did and all ended with us no longer speaking because he was my best friend for years prior to. I miss not having to not ask for help and I miss the relationship with the kids being strong without me having to push anything between anyone or be encouraging. With S I never had to ask for anything he just knew what had to be done. He knew what I needed. There’s also in bewteens I got from him that I don’t get with my boyfriend and I hate that cause my boyfriend IS the person that knows me better than anyone else. Since his accident though his life now has limitations. He’s not as cuddly as he once was and can no longer be rough or play fight and none the less have proper intercourse anymore. There’s just been a lot surrounding everything and now since I’ve had a year to reflect I. Have realized that I miss S and all those little things. I still love my boyfriend and since he had left me the one time(he left me for a month) after finding out between me and S… I have never wanted to feel that feeling like I was going to loose him ever again. I’m to emotionally attached to him and he’s a wonderful person. I know I’m just fucked up lol. I did text S back at one point and he told me how he felt used and I apologized as much I could but I know that my sorry will never pick up the pieces for him. me and S had each others backs during everything and always have I hate that he hates me now cause I could never feel that way towards him ever. He told me he had fucked 4 other girls the time we were talking and hooked up and that he now has a girl friend that he’s trying to work things out with . She’s already aware of me as he told her and she asked that he don’t ever contact me ever again. He still tries to text me on social media and even goes out Of his way to get updates from my family . I know we both still care about eachother and I still love him but I hate doing everything from a distance and out of each others lives but we both also still have resentment for one another and let alone in committed relationships. So now I’ve been suffocating in thoughts lol I’ve been so confused as to Why everything even happened but I also hate the thought that I miss it. This is just a vent post and if you read this far I really appreciate the time being taken out of your day or night and any advice would help🥺❣️

Hello folks,
I won't tell my whole backstory of my pcos etc. I've been diagnosed with it, struggling as all of us. The list goes on.
I've been doing keto twice now for my pcos. The first time I did it for 3 months and had my first period in two years after just 6 days. It lasted roundabout half a year after.
In the beginning of this year I did the same. My period came after 5 days and stayed for two months (I stopped keto after 3 weeks).
Keto seems to work wonders for me. Now I haven't gotten it in a while again. My testosterone keeps increasing again. I was wondering if it's healthy/sustainable to do keto just once a month for like 6-7 days, bc of my pervious experience. Then I'd just continue as normal and do it again after 3 weeks to keep the cycle going. - yet idk if this is sustainable and if I should do it, so if anyone has advice I'd highly appreciate it :)
(Repost bc no one really answered me :(---)

I've recently had the battery replaced on my Pixel 6, but now it's having some sound issues. Everything works fine except for the system sounds. I can't hear my alarms, ringtones or notification sounds for the standard Google apps, but I get notificationsfor other apps, such as WhatsApp. Music plays through Spotify etc. The top speaker seems to be fine, but I can't hear anything out of the bottom speaker. I can hear all the sounds OK when I've got my headphones or speaker connected. I've checked all the settings and they look OK, and I've played around with the other sound settings to make sure there's nothing off there. Is this a common problem? I suspect the bottom speaker was damaged or disconnected when the battery was changed and the system sounds only play through that, but I'm not expert. Does anyone know if that sounds plausible? I'm not worried, the phone is still under warranty, but I'm off on holiday in a couple of days so will be unable to get it fixed for a few weeks. Thanks