Their are different types of hosting, including shared hosting which has the least price and the one I prefer for medium size websites plus can be bought on per year plan and per month plan, secondly virtual private server(VPS) hosting and this is used for big websites better than shared hosting but a little expensive , dedicated hosting offers high level of security and performance of your website, cloud hosting offers flexibility and scalability, managed WordPress hosting is best for the performance of website, colocation hosting provides secure data center housing, reseller hosting allows you to resell hosting services ,free hosting is available for small projects, lastly cluster hosting and grid hosting offers high availability for demanding applications. As the technology is increasing more hosting are introduced but these are the main one and mostly used.

I was watching a video this morning from a YouTube channel called EconClips. It was about price systems : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xem0BPe3MNU&t=334s
I won't explain it here as this would make things quite long. The point made, as you can expect, is that regulations are bad, free market is good and non-intervention is great. They specifically explained this point using an analogy with innovative vs less innovative farmers.
The implicit assumption in this video is that consumers always act in their best self interest, and in so doing encourage producers from producing more or better, thus lowering prices and/or increasing quality.
The reasoning is of course sound if the axiom "consumers always act in their best self interest" is true. Everybody wants increasing quality, lower prices, more innovative techniques, etc.
But as much as I like austrian economics, ie sound money, free enterprise, etc... I am a bit skeptical of this idea that consumers always act in their best self interest.
Let's take a similar example to the video with farmers.
A group of farmers decide to use chemicals that are very efficient and greatly increase their yield. They can thus lower their prices and flood the market with their cheap cereals. Now the issue is that those chemicals are extremely harmful to humans, but the effects when ingested in small quantities only appears over a long time. The timeframe is still just enough that this is remains a health hazard, meaning you get sick before reaching your average lifespan.
I am doubtful whether consumers, even if made aware (perfect information) of the nature of the products, would prefer buying the more expensive cereals. After all, there is a market for cigarettes and drugs.
What then is the government to do? Spread more awareness through media and propaganda? Directly step in?
I know that those who are libertarians on top of being austrians will tell me that after all, the state has no business telling people what to do with their lives. If they want to poison themselves with cheap cereals, that's their informed decision.
It is also a philosophical dilemma: what is, what determines a consumer's best interest? I do not believe the consumer himself is 100% of the time equipped with the tools to carefully ponder his options nor is he always conscious of his own self interest.
Are experts better suited then? That's pretty much what we have in our societies right now, ie bureaucratic regulations. But bureaucrats can be lobbied and although their job is supposedly to care for the collective, they are corruptible human beings and their interests do not necessarily align with consumers.
Thoughts and opinions?

Hi, I am from the Philippines and my boyfriend is from Singapore. He recently got promoted but needs to move to the UK. I can travel to Singapore easily since it doesn't require a visa and the tickets are affordable. However, it will be difficult for me to visit the UK because I need a visa, and I'm not sure if my application will be accepted since I don't earn much.
I can travel to Singapore because I have previous trips there, and since it's expensive to fly to the UK, I'd want to stay for a month if possible. If anyone has been in a similar situation, I would greatly appreciate any advice on how I can migrate to the UK or get a visa. We're not engaged, so I don't know which type of visa to apply for. I'm considering working or studying, but the latter seems expensive, for working, not sure if this make sense to share it but I graduated Psychology, currently working as a VA, got a small business and still preparing for BLEPP. Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.
TL;DR: My boyfriend, who is from Singapore, is moving to the UK for work. I’m from the Philippines and need advice on how to migrate to the UK or get a visa, especially since we're not engaged and my income is low.

Hello entrepreneurs,
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I'm here for any questions about financial health, stress testing, or anything else you're curious about. How do you currently manage financial unpredictability in your business?
Looking forward to your thoughts and a great discussion!
Thanks for checking it out!

Believe it or not, offshore bookkeeping offers more than just a scenic backdrop. In today's global economy, businesses are setting sail towards offshore solutions for their financial needs, and the advantages are as vast as the open sea. Therefore, it is essential to know how it can help you achieve your financial goals in life.

Offshore Bookkeeping: What's the Buzz About?

Offshore bookkeeping is when you hire a team in another country to handle your financial record-keeping tasks. Some people might worry about sending financial data abroad, but the benefits often outweigh any concerns.

1. Cost Efficiency

One of the biggest perks of offshore bookkeeping is cost savings. Thus, outsourcing your bookkeeping services to countries with lower labor costs, you can significantly reduce your expenses. It’s like getting top-notch financial assistance without breaking the bank. Here are some sample scenarios:

• Labor Cost Savings. For example, a small consulting firm in Australia can save money by outsourcing bookkeeping to countries like India or the Philippines, where labor costs are lower.
• Reduced Overhead Costs. Offshore outsourcing minimises overhead costs associated with in-house staff, such as office space, equipment, and benefits.
• Access to Specialised Expertise at Lower Costs. Offshore firms provide access to specialised expertise in accounting and specific industries at a fraction of the cost of hiring locally.
• Scalability without Increasing Costs. Offshore bookkeeping allows businesses to scale services according to their needs without incurring additional costs.
• Risk Mitigation. Diversifying service providers geographically reduces the risk of disruptions due to local issues, ensuring continuity in bookkeeping operations.

2. Time Savings

Outsourcing your bookkeeping tasks frees up your time to focus on core business activities. Instead of drowning in spreadsheets and receipts, you can invest your time and energy into growing your business. Therefore, offshore bookkeeping helps you work smarter, not harder.

3. Access to Expertise

When you opt for offshore bookkeeping, you gain access to a pool of skilled professionals who specialise in handling financial matters. These experts are well-versed in the latest accounting standards and technologies, ensuring accurate and efficient bookkeeping help for your business.

4. Scalability

As your business grows, so do your bookkeeping needs. Offshore bookkeeping provides scalability that allows you to expand or scale back your services according to your requirements. Whether you need help with day-to-day transactions or year-end financial reports, offshore bookkeeping has you covered.

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Offshore bookkeeping offers flexibility in terms of service options. Whether you need full-time support or occasional assistance, you can customise your bookkeeping services to suit your business needs. It’s like having a financial team that adapts to your schedule, not the other way around.

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By outsourcing your bookkeeping tasks, you can focus on what you do best—running your business. Leave the number crunching to the experts while you concentrate on delivering value to your customers and driving growth.

Offshore Bookkeeping with Alli Accounting

Remeber, offshore bookkeeping isn’t just a trend; it’s a strategic move for businesses looking to streamline their financial operations. With cost savings, time efficiency, access to expertise, and enhanced security, offshore bookkeeping offers a plethora of benefits. So why not explore this option and give your business the bookkeeping help it deserves?
Offshore bookkeeping with Alli Accounting provides businesses with a reliable solution to manage their finances efficiently while reducing operational costs. Our team of experienced professionals ensures accurate recording of financial transactions, including accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and general ledger entries. Reach out to us to learn more!
Believe it or not, offshore bookkeeping offers more than just a scenic backdrop. In today's global economy, businesses are setting sail towards offshore solutions for their financial needs, and the advantages are as vast as the open sea. Therefore, it is essential to know how it can help you achieve your financial goals in life.

Offshore Bookkeeping: What's the Buzz About?

Offshore bookkeeping is when you hire a team in another country to handle your financial record-keeping tasks. Some people might worry about sending financial data abroad, but the benefits often outweigh any concerns.

Hey there guys! I'm a first gen girl from North India in class 12 cbse from a middle class family of 7. Im putting this info here only for 2 days b4 deleting. Guys it would be very helpful if u can chance me and tell me what I can do to improve(advice me here or on pm ) . Im not posting this on chanceme due to the toxicity there . My school is basically a school where people have very little interest in applying abroad there is no counselor and very limited knowledge but yeah couple of teachers are supportive mainly prep for jee or neet is done here. So there are no clubs or extracurricular activities of any kind I have done this all on my own).
Major: physics Uchicago ed1 Sat:1580(800 math) Grades 9-96 10-92 11-70 ( this happened due to bouts of pneumonia and typhoid throughout year due to which I couldn't go to school and even missed a few exams . There was also heavy grade deflation)(this is my applications weakest point pls advice me about what I can do . I'll be mentioning this in sop and my teacher will also mention this in lor) 12-96(expected) AP: my school doesn't provide and they are expensive af Financial aid: no ( loans and external scholarship maybe I'll ask for 18-20k/yr from uchicago cuz coa is 97k/yr)
Awards and honours 1. Research paper award (international) 2. Conrad challenge top50
3.ioqm

1. aknowlegment by hon' PM Modi for continued efforts to bring improvement in society ( also got acknowledged by ministry of education)
   
2. School academic distinction 9-10
   

ECS

1. 2. 3. All three are research papers 1 on math reviewed by UIUC prof and 2 on physics (astro) that have also been acknowledged by iiser profs
2. Astronomy app
3. Braille and sign language educator at local school have held initiatives and workshops as well as working on making a free course right now
4. Research with iit prof ( ongoing)
5. Research project - an innovation hailed by ministry of health and iit profs.
6. Tutor for underprivileged children for 4 years
7. Book on physics (250+ pages still writing)
8. Mun and debates or a research project I'm doing this summer
   Essays i must say are nice ( I'm a good writer as well as quite into philosophy)
   

Letter of recommendation - my teachers love me and must say the draft of my chemistry teacher lor is a piece of art. And I'm hoping if iit prof will also write me one.
So yeah this is it. I know I was a bit vague it's because I didn't wanna get doxxed. PS I have also built a small electromagnetic particle accelerator at home. 🌟

During World War II, Great Britain took away most of the rice grown in the Madras Presidency to feed their soldiers,leading to a severe shortage of rice. To address this shortage, they started importing rice from Burma (present-day Myanmar).
When the Japanese invaded and occupied Burma, rice shortages became worse as the supply from Burma got cut off. Idlis got banned in Malabar region. Most restaurants during the day could not procure enough rice to sustain their business either.
Eventually, the British came up with a crazy idea to convince the South Indians to eat wheat because they could get wheat from Punjab and the North West provinces.
However, there was one small problem. South Indian women were not keen on spending three hours in the kitchen for every meal to prepare chapatis when they could prepare rice in just half an hour.
To this, the British came up with a solution in the form of wheat that could be cooked exactly like rice and would also utilize the cheap waste product of flour mills.
This was Rava or Semolina.
The British in their best propaganda spreading way, ran campaigns claiming that rava was more nutritious than rice and that Madras will not starve. They also ran free cooking classes. They convinced restaurants to invent new dishes using rava.
Yagnanarayana Maiya, the founder of Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, popularly known as MTR invented rava idly in the absence of rice. To replace Pongal in restaurants in the Madras Presidency region, upma was invented.
Upma, a humble dish born out of ingenuity to survive in challenging times, today represents such vast history. Made with a range of vegetables and some nuts, the dish is nutritious and over the years has helped women manage cooking while working full-time, becoming quite the silent supporter of feminism across South India!
Source: https://masalalab.in/2024/02/21/how-the-british-made-us-eat-upma/

Kadillac Kirk had been a good friend of mine for several years. I had met him through friends from The Spring Stage; and he never had anything to do with The Imp, which is why he didn’t appear in the Married Mary saga. Mary would have totally thrown herself at him, and Kirk would have definitely “thrown it in her.” He loved the ladies and often remarked that there was no such thing as an unappealing woman, nor was there anything sweeter than finding the pearl of passion in an outwardly plain dame. Fortunately for Kirk, he never met Mary. This was probably fortunate for Mary as well, seeing as Kirk was a confirmed bachelor and he would have probably broken her fat heart.
Kirk was an older guy. Not MOE old, though. He was in his early forties, but he easily passed for a carefree dude in his 30s... not that he lied about his age. I only mention this trait to juxtapose Kirk’s genuine youthful air with Moe’s unconvincing youthful farce. Kirk dressed normally, avoided stupid jargon, and never busted out gimmicks like tarot cards or spells. He just existed, behaved affably, and people liked him for it.
He drove a classic 1962 Cadillac El Dorado convertible with red leather interior, and he lived in a charmingly quaint (and ridiculously expensive) neighborhood. How he made his fortune remained a mystery, but he never bloviated about his wealth. He just threw spectacular parties and people showed up. And, to my knowledge, he never tried to lure women into bed with his money (although I’m sure he got his fair share of boom-boom thanks to his digs and his wheels, even if the gold-diggers denied their monetary agendas).
Kirk was legitimately handsome. He was a drummer, he had a full head of black hair, he was clean-shaven, he worked out, and he knew all the hidden gems in Wellsprings. So why hadn’t I tried... or even desired to date him? I don’t know. I just didn’t feel drawn to him like that. He felt like a cool uncle and he had, thus far, never done anything to change my perception. Plus, the age difference weirded me out a little. Kirk didn’t look forty; but knowing that he had so much more life experience than I did created a power imbalance that would have creeped me out if we’d been dating. As buddies, I just felt supremely cool riding in his Cadillac, smoking Fantasia cigarettes, and hitting the speakeasies and jazz clubs I would have never known about if it weren’t for Kirk’s connections.
And he had been a good person to talk to about my romantic woes. He never lecherously suggested that I should date him, and he gave the type of tempered advice that only comes with lived experience. But he often lightly mocked me for my crush on Dennis and he did a hilarious impression of Smegal popping too soon over his “precious.” So when Mary “got me back” by doing whatever she did with to Dennis, I called Kadillac Kirk and told him the drinks were on me if he’d be my designated driver for the night.
Why hadn’t I called Whisky??? Well, A) Kirk was way more fun to hang out with, at least from my past experiences up to that point. And B) I needed to bitch about a boy, something I couldn’t do in good conscience in front of a guy I was dating. So I put on the sexiest plunging halter dress I owned, applied heavy eye makeup and spikey accessories, braved a pair of stilettos, and sashayed out to Kirk’s convertible. I felt like a badass rock star. I probably looked like a try-hard hooker.
Kirk: Daaaaay-um! Somebody really did do a number on you, huh? I know you said you were upset, but the gents are gonna be writing thank you notes to that fat girl and that butt-fucking hobbit.
Me: I just need to feel pretty and numb. And I trust you to keep me from making a fool of myself.
Kirk squeezed my shoulder. “I’ve got you. You do whatever you need to do to get rid of these demons.”
He sparked up a J and offered me the first puff. I gladly accepted. He took one puff of his own, but said that the rest was mine since he didn’t want to drive stoned. See? He was responsible! Weed wasn’t legal in California yet, so I got a little bit baked before I stashed the sativa in the glove box and wrapped a scarf around my hair like a starlet from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Kirk sped out of the parking lot and said he was taking me to a downtown hotel that was hosting a party that night in their lush lobby.
Kadillac Kirk pulled up to the main entrance, paid the valet, and then opened my door. I was wobbly from the weed. And I had stupidly decided to wear heels. You can get high or you can wear high (heels). You can’t have both. Not if you’ve repeatedly injured both ankles (as I have). I had to take Kirk’s arm to keep from keeling over. “Can people tell I’m stoned?” I whispered. Kirk replied, “Nobody’s paying any attention to anyone else’s intoxication. I promise you that much.” I nodded, steadied myself, and strutted alongside my very cool friend, feeling a little more confident.
A live jazz orchestra was playing Cole Porter as we entered the lobby. Everything sparkled. The music was even more intoxicating than the spliff had been. “Just One of Those Things” brought tears to my eyes since the lyrics hit every raw nerve regarding the Dennis debacle. But I smiled. It might sound mental, but being distraught over a trash fire of a one-sided romance was exhilarating. Immature, for sure. But also exhilarating. You see, that kind of sadness doesn’t hurt. Not really. It stings. It leaves little bruises, but it’s very safe to wallow in because you haven’t actually lost anything. Melancholia over that which you never had is as sweet as it is bitter; and that type of twisted splendor is rivaled only by Stendhal.
“Here's hoping we meet now and then. It was great fun, but it was just one of those things.” I sang along with the band, and a fat tear rolled down past my melancholic smile and onto my chin. Kirk brushed it aside. “Too close to home?” I wiped away the remnants of the tear’s journey from eye to chin and smiled a more genuine smile. “The perfect distance from home. Shall we get drinks? Remember, I’m buying.”
Kirk: No, no. This is your time to heal. And I’m here as your pal, not your chauffeur. What would the lady like?”
I pretended to barf. Kirk knew I hated it when he got overly formal and overly attentive. So he did it just to mess with me. “Shot of vodka,” I replied.
Kirk: How many?
I thought briefly. “FIVE.”
Kirk: Five to one, baby. One in five...
Me: No one here gets out alive.
Kirk: Are you able to hold yourself upright, or should you come with?
I took a seat on an ornate, damask-upholstered chaise lounge. “I’ll be okay. And I was kidding about the five shots.”
I sat there lost in the music for a while. I thought very little about Dennis. Even less about Mary. And not at all about Whisky (whom I had shagged less than a week ago). My mind danced through the ornate lighting in the hotel lobby, and I suddenly felt the need to join the hoity-toity guests on the dancefloor!
Kirk returned with four shots of vodka. Two for him, two for me. That was quite reasonable of him. He knew damn well that I couldn’t handle five shots, but he also knew that I was in a... state. One that called for more than a single shot. I raised a both miniature glasses to “No more ninnyhammers or hairy-footed lovers.” Kirk did his hilarious Smegal impression, we double-toasted, and downed the shots. The band launched into “Let’s Misbehave,” and I kicked off my stilettos and made a beeline for the dance floor.
“There’s something wild about you child that’s so contagious. Let’s be outrageous! Let’s misbehave.” Kadillac Kirk swept me up, twirled me around, and dipped me as we both sang along with the lyrics. I wasn’t swooning for him, but I was enthralled by the moment. The music, the dancing, the combination of booze and bud... so I kissed him as he pulled me back to my feet. And he kissed back. In a way that Dennis never had. In a way that Whisky’s beard wouldn’t permit. I didn’t feel the visceral sensations that I’d felt when Dennis had kissed me, but it felt nice to feel desired. And then I noticed that other guests were watching us and applauding. Now, that was a dopamine rush if ever there was one!
I gently broke away from the embrace, high-fived Kirk and returned to the chaise lounge to put my stupid shoes back on. He followed me and smashed his face back onto mine. I pulled away and laughed. “It was a moment,” I told him. “I appreciate the dance, and that kiss was the perfect finale. But it’s not happening again.”
Kirk: Not to worry, Valerie. I know you. I knew all along that we were performing, and I was more than happy to be your scene partner.
Me: And dance partner! Those were some excellent moves! I didn’t know you had ballroom training.
Kirk: You name it, I’ve mastered it. Another drink for the lady?
I pretended to barf again. “Not yet. I’m not sad right now. Do you mind if I just sit here and enjoy the music?”
Kirk: Ah. My kisses do have healing properties...
I flipped my hand up at him. “Knock that shit off, bro. I wanted to hang out with you because I trust you not to get weird. Even if I get weird, I know you have the maturity to balance me out.”
Kirk: Are you calling me old???
Me: No. I’m calling you rational, responsible, and respectful.
Kirk: Well, now. If you can articulate an alliterative statement that fluently, then you clearly aren’t drunk enough!
I dismissed this comment as a joke. And he did indeed knock off the flirtation. We had a perfectly pleasant time chatting and dancing (no more kissing, though). And then I noticed a girl I knew from Into the Woods entering the lobby. She’d played Florinda and I’d played Little Red. I called her name and waved enthusiastically. She waved back. And then her date entered. It was D.E.N.N.I.S. I sank into the chaise. Kirk caught on immediately. “The hobbit???” he asked. I nodded silently. “You wanna make out again?” he enthused. I shook my head. I had to go say hello to Flo. And I had an idea...
I crossed the lobby, smiled, squealed, and hugged her.
Florinda: Lil’ Red! It’s been forever! So glad to see you!!! This is my friend, Denny.
Dennis was shifting uncomfortably. I extended my hand. “Nice to meet you. I know your date from Into the Woods. I bet she could tell you some entertaining stories about that show...” Flo laughed out loud, well aware of the many misadventures to which I'd referred. Of course, she might have been laughing because Dennis never, ever listened to anyone else's stories. He was too busy telling, re-telling, slightly altering, and exaggerating his own.
Dennis: C’mon, Val...
Me: Oh, you’ve heard of me? Small world! You guys picked a great night to come here. They’re playing Cole Porter, and the band is delovely!
Florinda (appearing oblivious to the iciness between me and Dennis): Have you seen Prince Big Bad (Scumbanger) lately?
I laughed. “Last time I saw him, he was hitting on some nasty fat chick at The Imp.”
Flo and I both scoffed at the pervy pest. Into the Woods was where I’d initially met Scumbanger. He played The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince. Again... typecasting. There’s a whole essay in my brain about my first encounter with the pest, during which he quoted the song that he sang to me in the show, “Hello, Little Girl.” But it gets into some pretty uncomfortable territory because he made me feel excited. Well, excited and scared. Nothing of note happened during Into the Woods, but our odd interactions did kind of set the stage for some extremely regrettable events during that Cats cast party.
I excused myself, saying that I needed to get back to my friend. And then I leaned in and said in a hushed voice to Flo, “Watch your ass with that one. If he’s the Denny I’m thinking of...” I gave her a look that only another female would be able to read. Her eyebrows shot up and she nodded. Dennis continued to shift as though he were trying to hold in a massive dump. “BABE! Uh...”
Flo apparently answered to that moniker as well. “What is it, Denny? Don’t worry. That was just telepathic girl talk. You apparently have a reputation...”
Dennis: Different Denny. I assure you I’m a pious gentleman.
Me: Ah. My mistake. Well, then. You guys have a good time! Nice to meet you, Denny. Great to see you, Flo!
I hugged Flo again, gave Dennis a curt nod, ignored the scent of mandarins and mountain air, and returned to Kirk.
I collapsed on the chaise lounge, exhausted from holding back the rage. I had no right to be mad at Florinda. I hadn’t seen her in three years, so how was she supposed to know that I’d had a thing with Dennis? Hell, I couldn’t even be mad at Dennis because the last time he and I had spoken in any meaningful way, I’d told him that I was no longer entertaining my crush on him. So why was I surprised to see him dating??? And why had he never taken ME out on a date like this??? And why wasn’t I smitten with Kadillac Kirk who HAD taken me out on a date like this, was an objectively excellent kisser, and a bona fide BALLER? What was wrong with me???
Kirk suggested going down the street to a quaint little bar and then sobering up at a diner closer to my apartment. I numbly nodded and followed him in silence for a few blocks. He assured me that I had “turned several heads” on the way to the new location, but I neither cared nor believed him. This wasn't the type of numbness I'd been aiming for. Now I needed to get schnockered. “Five shots of vodka, please.” Yes, I was serious.
Kadillac Kirk, my reliable designated driver, ordered only a beer and watched in something across between astonishment, concern, and delight as I slammed all five shots in rapid succession. I half expected to immediately retch all over the bar. But I felt fine. I half expected to immediately lose consciousness and wake up in the hospital. But I remained coherent. How I’d managed to take in that much hard liquor and suffer no direct consequences, I’ll never know.
I think I wanted to suffer. I wanted to either feel nothing at all or to feel a sickness bad enough to distract me from the scorching sting that pulsed through my being when I realized that I had lost the abstract notion I’d been addicted to this entire time. Hope. It wasn’t Dennis himself I couldn’t quit. It was that drug called hope. The hope that maybe, just maybe Dennis would give our romance a fair chance. The hope that maybe, just maybe he would make peace with himself, get his mind out of his crotch, and enjoy some agenda-free togetherness. The hope that maybe, just maybe he would stop bloviating about his admittedly impressive accomplishments for five fucking minutes and ask about my life. I had my own reasonably impressive accomplishments, even if they paled in comparison to his. A proper suitor would have enjoyed hearing about them.
But seeing him out with another woman, a woman who had no reason to parade her Dennis escapades before me as some means of revenge, a woman he was clearly courting of his own volition... My hope had died. It died before I’d had time to wean myself off it. Now I had to mourn the loss of hope, which is a very tricky brand of grief to navigate. Vodka wasn’t the answer, but it was what I had to work with. So it would have to do.
After enough time had passed without vomiting or collapsing, I asked Kirk to bring his car around to the bar so that I didn’t have to walk two and a half blocks drunk and in heels. He nodded and dramatically leaned in for a kiss. I recoiled. “DUDE! I told you. The moment has passed.”
Kirk: I beg your pardon. I misread your eyes. Thought I saw a green light...
Me: It’s fine. I just want to go home while I’m still feeling okay.
Kirk: Of course. Your chariot will be here soon.
He skipped off to fetch his Cadillac and I noticed that the lights in the bar were beginning to dance a bit. This should have been concerning. But then I realized that I was giggling. Wait... What? Oh shit. Sure, I was drunk from those shots. But what I was feeling in that moment wasn’t drunkery. It was stonery. Kirk probably misread my face because my pupils were dilated. Not from desire, but from drug use.
Some of you might be thinking that I was a bad friend for not introducing Lucy, an old dude connoisseur, to Kirk. Well... I did. Several years before the events of this story. He adored her. She, on the other hand, thought he was immature. And she wasn’t wrong. Lucy was astute when it came to sussing out a person’s true nature. Far more astute than I. Her initial assessment that Kirk was immature is about to be vindicated. Stretch those cringe muscles! It’s almost time for pie...
I somehow managed to get to his car. I honestly don’t recall how I got there. Did one of the bartenders carry me? Did some kind patron allow me to lean on him? Had Kadillac Kirk carried me out? I’m not sure. But my memory ceases to be fuzzy about halfway to the 24-hour diner. It might have been the very same 24-hour diner where Mary pulled her... shenanigans. I’ll never know.
Kirk: Would you say that you’re more drunk or more stoned?
Me: STONED. Definitely stoned.
Kirk made some sort of grunty noise and reached for my thigh. I slapped his hand.
Kirk: Stoned but not amorous? That’s rare.
I started laughing rather unkindly. “You’re a fucking horndog! I thought you were my safe straight male friend, dammit.”
Kirk: I solemnly swear that your safety is my primary concern, my stoned beauty.
I pretended to throw up.
Kirk: So... You’re not horny. But are you hungry? The diner I’m heading to makes this Maple Walnut Pie with the most sumptuous... sensual cream and exquisite drizzling of...
Me: Ew! Stop trying to bang the pie. Bro. Are YOU stoned? (Then I remembered the question.) Yes, I’m hungry. But I don’t like nuts. I’ll have banana cream.
Kirk made that repulsive grunty noise again. “Uhhhhh... Mmmmmm. Cream. Yessssss. Yes, we’ll be there in just a minute.” He was squirming in the driver's seat.
Me: GROSS, DUDE! If you’re gonna be like that I’ll just order HASH brows. Get it? Hash??? (I giggled uncontrollably.). You can’t make that sound nasty.
Kirk: Forgive my jokes. I think my blood sugar’s a bit low.
As Kirk parked, I began to wonder how I might get away with walking shoeless into the diner. The stilettos had to get off my feet. At least while I was walking. And Kirk was kind enough to give me his socks and wear his loafers “island style” into the establishment. Okay, that was gallant of him. Maybe he was going to behave himself for the rest of the evening.
I wasn’t terribly talkative as we sat down, and he expressed concern for my emotional well-being. I wasn’t coherent enough to explain what was happening to my emotions and I wasn’t sure I trusted him with my deep, dark secrets at that point. So I shrugged like a sulky teenager, ran my hands over my messy, windblown hair, and mumbled that I was “just hungry.” And right on cue, a very kind, slightly older waitress with a sweet southern accent stopped by to take our order.
Kirk: Ah, yes. We’ll have two cups of black coffee. And we’ll share a slice of that delectable Maple Walnut Pie.
Waitress: Oh, honey. That pie is scrumptious! I take it you’ve been here before?
Kirk: I have. This will be her first time to taste the splendor.
I hated to be a killjoy, but I interrupted and said to the waitress, “Ma’am? I’m sure the Maple Walnut is excellent, but could I please get a slice of Banana Cream? And a big glass of ice water?
Waitress: Sure, hon! Banana Cream’s just as yummy! I’ll be right back with those coffees and that big water.
Kirk was sucking on the tip of his forefinger and shaking his head a bit. “You’re passing up so many sensational... sensual...”
I put my forehead on the table and growled. “You swore you’d stop being nasty!” I held this #headdesk pose for quite some time before I finally lifted my head... only to see that Kirk was still sucking his fingertip and staring at me like a wild animal. “Pleeeeeease be normal,” I whined. “It’s been a really weird night for me.”
Kirk: Indeed. Many surprises. You know... You’re like titanium. Your flame burns so fast and so bright, if a guy doesn’t get in there while the iron is hot, he’ll never get another chance. I was too slow.
What the...? I was pretty sure he was wrong about titanium burning quickly. I’m no chemistry wiz, but my dad and my oldest brother are both big-brains when it comes to physics and chemistry. So I picked up some things just listening to them talk. Accurate or inaccurate, Kirk was being creepy again. He’d never been creepy towards me before, although I’d seen him act like this with other women. Usually with staggering success. Why????? His money. It had to be his money. Kirk was a nice-looking man, but holy shit... No amount of good looks could save this creep show.
And then, our sweet waitress sat down our coffees, my water, and the two slices of pie. After I gulped down a whole bunch of water, I grabbed a fork, prepared to quell my munchies... and then I froze. Kirk was quickly flicking his finger back and forth across the top of his pie. And moaning. He noticed my wide-eyed stare, smirked, sucked the tip of his thumb, picked up the plate with both hands, and began flicking his tongue across the tip of the triangular pie slice. And moaning some more. Well, there went my appetite.
Kirk took his middle finger and jabbed it into the crustless vertex of the pie slice, then he began pumping it in and out like a piston, and flicking his thumb across the increasingly demolished top layer of whipped cream. He gasped this time. People were starting to stare. His pointer finger joined his middle finger in the piston action, and he replaced his thumb with his tongue. Between flicks of the tongue, he groaned, “Oh yeah, baby... Let me taste you,” but it was kind of hard to understand him.
And I was either about to run to the back office, tell them that I was in danger and needed a police escort home... OR I was about to burst out laughing at the spectacle. Kirk continued... He removed his fingers and gregariously licked pie filling off of them. And then he started sucking his fingertips again, switching from middle to pointer, middle to pointer and emitting a delighted little, “Mmmmmm” with every suck.
Finally, he jabbed his fingers back into the utterly destroyed pie, lowered his face into the mess and lapped loudly and passionately, moaning, grunting, and mumbling “Come on, baby. Come on. Mmmmmm. Come on.” I could see the waitress and some dude in a suit heading over to the table, so I sank down in my seat, partially covered my face, but continued to watch the train wreck. At last, Kirk shuddered violently, he splatted his entire hand onto the plate and rubbed furiously. And then he locked eyes with me. He sucked the tip of his thumb one final time and said, “You...” There was a long pause during which Kirk lovingly stroked the mess he’d made. “You... are the pie.”
I don’t hang out with Kadillac Kirk anymore. But he’s still a bachelor, ladies!

Hi, I am from the Philippines and my boyfriend is from Singapore. He recently got promoted but needs to move to the UK. I can travel to Singapore easily since it doesn't require a visa and the tickets are affordable. However, it will be difficult for me to visit the UK because I need a visa, and I'm not sure if my application will be accepted since I don't earn much.
I can travel to Singapore because I have previous trips there, and since it's expensive to fly to the UK, I'd want to stay for a month if possible. If anyone has been in a similar situation, I would greatly appreciate any advice on how I can migrate to the UK or get a visa. We're not engaged, so I don't know which type of visa to apply for. I'm considering working or studying, but the latter seems expensive, for working, not sure if this make sense to share it but I graduated Psychology, currently working as a VA, got a small business and still preparing for BLEPP. Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.
TL;DR: My boyfriend, who is from Singapore, is moving to the UK for work. I’m from the Philippines and need advice on how to migrate to the UK or get a visa, especially since we're not engaged and my income is low.

Hi, I am from the Philippines and my boyfriend is from Singapore. He recently got promoted but needs to move to the UK. I can travel to Singapore easily since it doesn't require a visa and the tickets are affordable. However, it will be difficult for me to visit the UK because I need a visa, and I'm not sure if my application will be accepted since I don't earn much.
I can travel to Singapore because I have previous trips there, and since it's expensive to fly to the UK, I'd want to stay for a month if possible. If anyone has been in a similar situation, I would greatly appreciate any advice on how I can migrate to the UK or get a visa. We're not engaged, so I don't know which type of visa to apply for. I'm considering working or studying, but the latter seems expensive, for working, not sure if this make sense to share it but I graduated Psychology, currently working as a VA, got a small business and still preparing for BLEPP. Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.
TL;DR: My boyfriend, who is from Singapore, is moving to the UK for work. I’m from the Philippines and need advice on how to migrate to the UK or get a visa, especially since we're not engaged and my income is low.

I dont know how to phrase this so I'm just gonna do my best. Some backstory is probably needed. I've been working for a retail store for 3 years now as the GM, I also worked there for 2 years in college which is why I landed the job when I left corporate office life. Relevant parties are my previous bosses Alison and Dirk* (names will be changed), who hired me at the suggestion of my predecessor (who worked there 25 years and also had the ol adhd), sold the business but not the building in late '21 so are effectively the LL's, Aaron, the current owner and my boss, who bought the store in mid 2023 after a secondary owner flipped it, and my bf David who works at the store pt for extra cash with the blessing of all owners past and present bc we keep our relationship outside of work and he's a damn hard worker.
So, Alison and dirk were like...not really around? And they didn't know how the backend software worked so they just kinda left me to my own devices so I fell into some pretty awful habits, mainly that I'm super territorial and if something isn't done I just do it myself or that since I wasn't given direction or goals my days just kinda became "idk clean the shelves and take the trash out" which had led to my staff liking me but not necessarily respecting me. And I spent so much time with sales reps bc I had to work alone all day, so much so that my best friends are all industry cohorts, bc I had NO oversight outside of A&D coming in, chastising me about new products I'd ordered, and fucking off. I could go weeks wo seeing them. Let me be clear, the store had money coming in, it looked great, the books mostly balanced (a&d notwithstanding) and I have always taken immense pride in my little pocket of locally sourced product. Every product was handchosen by me, I sell the shit out of it on the floor, I'd post us on socials, I'd regularly run spreadsheets to make sure our margins were competitive and made sense, I wasnt fucking around all day but I had no sense of direction, I was treading water with no shore in sight. My staff will be the first to tell u I don't ask them to do anything I'm not willing to do so I would scrub the toilet or empty the mousetraps or organize the stock area.
So all that to say, Aaron bought a failing business that I didn't even know was failing (and not due to anything I'd done, it was failing from the top) bc they never told me anything, I submitted my reports every month and checked the sales but I was never given metrics or told what metrics needed to be met just "keep the place operational". I'd ask for access to Moneris to make sure we were charged correctly and got shot down. Id ask what our overhead was so i could figure out how much we could afford for payroll and id be told "thats confidential", just keep it barebones. And understandably Aaron wants to turn that around, but he needs me to get on board and I want to so badly I know he can see that so hes working so hard to shift my mindset and help me grow into the leader he thinks im capable of and I know he gets so frustrated with me bc he has adhd too and he knows I'm like SO GOOD AT MY JOB if I'm given clear goals and deadlines but ive had a routine ya know? And then we've been sold twice in 2 years and all the chaos that comes with structural changes and different expectations. He's throwing every tool in the book at me right now bc he can see I'm struggling.
And that's where david becomes relevant bc he actually went to him over the weekend and asked him what HE thought would help me bc he obviously knows me better than anyone and my dumb ass bf done gone and said "we need to come up w a plan for best operating practice and maybe shed benefit from leadership coaching" so now that's been put in my plate on top of everything else which is like FINE but I'm not baking him any bread or sharing my pulled pork w him anytime soon. When i told David that aaron mentioned their convo he said "ummm that was not the outcome i was expecting" and he knows i fully expect him to help sort out the mess he just threw on my desk. So now my boss has asked me to find an executive function coach and he will pay for 4 consultations so I can implement some systems for time management.
Yall we thrive on routine I know this and he's working w me to meet me where I am so I wanna make the best of it so all that rambling to say - have any of u ever done this? Did u benefit from it? What types of questions should I ask in the consultation before I decide on one? Have u tried it? Did it work? Please bless me w ur wisdom ladies adorned w the crown of adhd I'm actually overthinking this and really stressed but I need to have an Appt set up by Friday (bc he knows how much I love deadlines lmao I told on myself) please help thank u. Also if anyone knows of any checklist software for retail that they use that is inexpensive or free that I can implement for my staff to do daily checklists, like maybe there's one ur company uses for u that's helpful plz let me know ok love u all
Tldr my boss wants to get me a coach to help structure my day and need advice

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

A data analyst course can benefit a wide range of individuals and professionals across various industries and career stages. Here’s a breakdown of who can benefit from such a course:

1. Aspiring Data Analysts

• Students and Graduates: Those who have completed or are pursuing degrees in fields such as mathematics, statistics, computer science, engineering, economics, or related areas can enhance their employability by gaining practical data analysis skills.
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1. Current Professionals

• Junior Data Analysts: Those already working in entry-level data positions can benefit from advanced courses to deepen their knowledge, learn new tools, and improve their analytical techniques.
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1. Industry-Specific Professionals

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1. Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners

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1. Academics and Researchers

• Researchers: Academics and researchers in various fields who need to analyze large datasets to support their research findings and publications.
• Educators: Teachers and professors looking to incorporate data analysis into their curriculum or improve their research methods.

1. Anyone Interested in Data Literacy

• General Enthusiasts: Individuals with a keen interest in data and analytics who want to enhance their understanding of how data can be used to solve real-world problems and drive decision-making.

Benefits of a Data Analyst Course

• Skill Development: Learn key data analysis skills, including data cleaning, statistical analysis, data visualization, and the use of tools like Excel, SQL, Python, R, and various data visualization software.
• Career Advancement: Acquire the qualifications and expertise needed to advance in your current role or transition to a new career in data analytics.
• Informed Decision-Making: Gain the ability to make data-driven decisions, improving efficiency and effectiveness in your current job or business.
• Increased Employability: Enhance your resume with a highly sought-after skill set, making you more competitive in the job market.
• Practical Knowledge: Apply analytical techniques to real-world problems, gaining hands-on experience that is directly applicable to various professional scenarios.

Overall, a data analyst course provides valuable skills that are applicable across a wide range of industries and roles, making it a versatile and beneficial investment for many individuals.

In the dynamic terrain of business, having access to capital is essential for growth, innovation, and survival. Among the myriad of financing options available, Unsecured Business Loans in Hyderabad emerge as a powerful tool for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
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For startups and small businesses with limited assets, unsecured business loans level the playing field by providing access to much-needed capital without requiring collateral. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned small business owner, unsecured loans offer a lifeline for growth and expansion.
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Instead of relying solely on collateral, unsecured business loans prioritize your creditworthiness and business performance. Lenders assess factors such as your credit score, revenue history, and business plan to determine your eligibility, giving deserving businesses access to funding based on their financial merits.
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Unsecured business loans typically offer higher loan amounts compared to personal loans or lines of credit, making them ideal for businesses with larger funding needs. Whether you’re looking to expand your operations, purchase equipment, or hire additional staff, unsecured loans provide the capital necessary to fuel your growth.
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Unsecured business loans are a force to be reckoned with in the business world, offering unmatched flexibility, convenience, and accessibility for entrepreneurs and small business owners. With their myriad of benefits and borrower-friendly terms, unsecured business loans reign supreme as the go-to financing solution for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Dive deeper into our website today!

The world conspired in the best of ways to bless me with a whole bunch of new games at once and I happened to be able to get in a lot of plays quickly with them.
Always get an idea of who's talking before you take anything away from these reviews/impressions. Maybe we're really different people. I've been in the hobby for 10+ years. I've played a lot of games. I love interactive and mechanically unique games. I worship Reiner Knizia. Some of my favorite games are Tigris and Euphrates, Spirit Island, Race for the Galaxy, Agricola, Battle Line, and Oath. My favorite games of last year were Stationfall, Ra (reprint), and Zoo Vadis.
Okay, let's go!
Cascadito/Cascadero - Is this a Pokemon Red/Blue scenario? No! There's room for both halves of this pair of Knizias in a collection. I think Cascadero is the better game, but Cascadito slides onto our table more easily. I'm a bit of a believer in the Moneyball theory of games (does the game "get on base" (to the table)?) so, that matters!
Cascadero - 4 plays at 2 players - First, the production is perfect. Svelte box that's easy to pack, wooden pieces, great graphic design with built in rules reminders by Ian O'Toole, and a striking cover make this a joy to play. If you enjoy the general waves hands of Irish Gauge, you're going to love how this looks.
Cascadero requires a little patience, but I think I'm starting to see a heart of gold down in there. As a Knizia tile-layer, right away, this game is, unfortunately, going to get compared to some of the greatest games ever made. Games like Through the Desert, Samurai, Babylonia, etc. I say unfortunately, because I don't think you'll love this game on the first play. That's because I think the default/starter side of the board is less interesting. If you're familiar with games, do yourself a favor and flip to the farmer side as soon as possible. Even then, Cascadero is subtle. When played best, it's a quiet maneuvering of cubes up to just the right spots on tracks with pieces on the board in all the right places that build a little lattice of opportunity. Not just one combo ready to score, but a set of circumstances that hedge on an opponent's move. Paths are everywhere, and you're using them in just the right ways to get across a double score gap or to slip into a fold in the track that gives an extra bonus. I feel like the review circuit doesn't usually play games enough times to appreciate this one, and maybe it's subtle to a fault. It isn't great when you hear "it gets good on game 4", but I'm four games in and usually that's the point where I'm bored of most games. With this one I'm excited to play more.
Cascadero is great!
Cascadito - 5 plays at 2 players - Do you like My City? Do you like My City: Roll and Build? I do. I probably wouldn't list them in my favorite games, but they are such great weeknight-with-the-partner games that I appreciate them all the same. Cascadito isn't billed as a campaign game, but rather as four maps. Maybe a 4 game campaign doesn't sound long enough, but I'm busy. 4 games sounds like something I can do. If you've played Cascadero, map 1 is the less interesting version of that game. Stick with it though! Like My City, you get the joy of seeing Knizia riff on an idea. We enjoyed each subsequent map more and more and we could see ourselves replaying #3 and especially #4. In fact, on map 4 we kept looking at each other's sheets during the game - on a roll and write! I like that.
Cascadito is good!
Spectral - 6 plays at 2 players - I'm pretty picky about deduction games, especially as board games. As someone who has put hundreds of hours into Picross and sudoku I need there to be a good reason why I'm using my precious time with my friends on something that is usually so solitary. So far, I've really only liked The Search for Planet X. While it isn't known as a particularly interactive game, my friends and I have played it so competitively that we look for any scrap of information that might give us the edge, and the publishing system cranks up the incentive to take some leaps of faith in a tight race.
When I heard about Spectral I was excited - an interactive, bidding based logic puzzle - cool! Six games later, I haven't really figured out how to interact with my opponent. While The Search for Planet X has clear moments of intention to watch for (publishing papers), it's really hard to tell when your opponent is acting with intention or just exploring in Spectral. You also don't have those little clues like what your opponent is scanning for or researching like in Planet X to build some kind of theory around. The game is a breeze to play, yet barely leaves room to grapple. So maybe the interaction isn't super strong, but how's the logic puzzle?
Boring. Imagine playing sudoku, but the logic restrictions were only for rows and not also columns, or within squares. You can do some deduction with the curse cards, but the treasure cards (12 of the 16) are all essentially equally informative and don't allow for much in the way of chains of deduction. You can do a little bit with probabilities of where treasures are likely to overlap, but it rarely feels worth it to pursue when finding curses provides a much more reliable benefit.
I want to be wrong about this game. Please, someone argue this one with me.
Spectral is okay. If you play it once or twice, I think you'll have a good time, but I don't see it having legs.
Slay the Spire - I've had this game for less than a month and I think I've put in maybe 50 hours at the table with it at this point. I've played with people who have 1000s of hours in Slay the Spire - they have loved it. I've played with people who have never played Slay the Spire - I see them playing Slay the Spire on Steam the next day and asking when they can next come over. People who usually duck out of a game night at 10pm are still at the table at 1am.
I was really worried it would be bad. I wondered, why not just play the digital game? But here I am, holding the box and knowing without a doubt, this object sparks joy. Have you ever experienced a solitary piece of media, obsessed over it, and then gotten a chance to experience it together with other fans? Maybe something like watching Game of Thrones with friends after reading the books. It feels great to share in something you've loved. That's how Slay the Spire has felt. But it's not just that, as evidenced by the friends that have never played the digital game and still loved it. It's just a damn good deck builder, and the whole system of knowing exactly what the enemies are going to do before they do it goes over so well here. It's so apparent that this translation was a labor of love and so much has gone into preserving the spirit of the game. I love it.
Slay the Spire is excellent!
Leviathan Wilds - played the first 3 Leviathans solo and at 2 - I backed this as a Shadow of the Colossus fan, and hoped for the best. I'm honestly blown away by how much this game has exceeded my expectations. First, there's something about this game that feels so complete and efficient. There's no Kickstarter bloat. It's in a very understated, retail sized box. The game just gets so much out of each component. It feels like the people who made it have made a lot of games before (and they have!).
I have trouble finding mid-weight 1-hour co-ops that I like. I love co-ops like The Crew at the short and sweet end and Spirit Island at the epic and heavy end, but the games that hit around the Pandemic range have never appealed to me. There often seems to be too much upkeep and setup, and not enough to keep me interested in sharing a puzzle with other people.
Leviathan Wilds is sooooo easy to set up. Setting up a Leviathan involves opening a spiral bound map book and laying out five cards. Processing the enemy turn involves flipping a card and later doing what it says. I don't play solo games, pretty much ever, but I'm playing this solo because it's so damn easy to run.
The moment to moment gameplay has been a blast. The systems are very open and freeform and the cards are multi-use, so there's often this feeling of scrapping together just the thing you need from odd parts - burning this card, eating this mushroom, falling here, etc. The movement system really leans into the mechanics of Shadow of the Colossus and allows for a creativity and freedom while reinforcing the theme. Every game we've played has been tight and we've failed a few times. I like that. My only complaint was that the enemies will sometimes do "swift" moves that resolve before your turn so you don't have much of a chance to react. I didn't realize until a game or two later that you can still use skills on cards to react instantly which might be an easy rule to miss. I've felt much better about "swift" since learning that. I'll definitely be backing the announced small expansion for the upcoming reprint. What a pleasant surprise.
Leviathan Wilds is excellent!
Harmonies - 6 plays at 2 players - This game has been called a Reef killer, an Azul killer, and a Cascadia killer. I own all those games! So, what's the body count at my table? Well, first off this game is lovely. The art is beautiful, the spatial puzzle is quite satisfying, and the playtime is breezy (especially at 2). It is most comparable to Reef in that you are arranging and stacking pieces in configurations for points, but there's a second layer of tile arrangement, similar to Cascadia's habitats, that's always present, no matter what cards come up. The Azul comparison is probably due to the drafting of tiles from a central market. So, what's the outcome?:

• Reef - Dead. Harmonies gives me a similar spatial puzzle in less time, in a smaller box, with better art, and it feels more thematic (I want to make homes for all my animals!).
• Cascadia - Dead. (although I was tired of it already). I find the game to game strategies in Harmonies to be more diverse and I don't feel like I have an algorithm to follow like in Cascadia (Is there a tile that increases two habitats? Can I fit a fox between my other groups of animals?).
• Azul - Alive. It's a stretch to compare the two games, but the drafting portion is far more interesting in Azul with the combining pools of tiles. Azul sits with Carcassonne in this perfect zone of being a gateway game that starts out gentle and puzzley and more you play it the more cutthroat it becomes. This isn't Harmonies, but...

Harmonies is excellent. I wouldn't be surprised if its the best gateway type game of the year. I do think it could slow down significantly with more players, but I tend to play something more interactive beyond 2.
Dro Polter - Too many plays to count and at all player counts - I think this is Oink's cutest production yet. The chunky wooden ghost, the tiny bells, the little set of treasures you'll hold in your hand. If you like frantic dexterity games, this is great. You can explain the rules in about 2 sentences and it's very non-gamer friendly. The cleverest bit is how you have to hold onto points in the form of tiny bells and if you drop them you lose them. It's an excellent system of handicapping the leader that often turns to laughs. It's mostly a novelty, but if you can introduce it to a few different groups of people, it feels worth it. Great with kids too.
Dro Polter is great!

Choosing the right body mist involves considering your personal preferences, the occasion, and the season. Here are some tips to help you select the perfect body mist:

1. Identify Your Preferences

Fragrance Families: Determine which fragrance families you are drawn to, such as floral, fruity, woody, fresh, or oriental.
Scent Strength: Decide whether you prefer a light, subtle scent or something a bit more pronounced.
Ingredients: Look for ingredients that you like or want to avoid (e.g., natural vs. synthetic, allergen-free).

1. Consider the Occasion

Daily Use: For everyday wear, opt for a light, fresh scent that is not overpowering. Citrusy, floral, or aquatic notes are great choices.
Special Events: For evening outings or special occasions, you might want a more sophisticated or stronger scent. Look for body mists with deeper, richer notes like vanilla, amber, or musk.
Sporty or Active: If you need something for the gym or outdoor activities, choose a clean, refreshing scent that can help you feel invigorated. Minty or marine notes can be excellent here.

1. Seasonal Considerations

Spring/Summer: Light, refreshing scents are ideal for warm weather. Choose fruity, floral, or citrusy body mists that feel cool and invigorating.
Autumn/Winter: Warmer, cozier scents work well in cooler weather. Opt for mists with spicy, woody, or gourmand notes that provide a comforting feel.

1. Test Before You Buy

Patch Test: Spray a small amount on your wrist to see how the scent interacts with your skin chemistry. Fragrances can smell different on different people.
Wear it for a Day: If possible, wear the body mist for a full day to see how the scent develops and how long it lasts.

1. Check the Ingredients

Natural vs. Synthetic: Decide if you prefer natural ingredients, which are often gentler on the skin, or synthetic ingredients, which can sometimes offer a wider range of scents.
Sensitive Skin: If you have sensitive skin, look for hypoallergenic or dermatologist-tested options.

1. Brand and Reviews

Reputable Brands: Choose body mists from reputable brands known for quality products.
Customer Reviews: Read customer reviews to get an idea of the scent’s longevity, how it smells, and how others have experienced it.

1. Packaging and Portability

Size: Consider the size of the body mist. Smaller sizes are more portable and convenient for on-the-go use.
Spray Mechanism: Ensure the spray mechanism is user-friendly and disperses the mist evenly.
Summary
Identify your scent preferences: floral, fruity, woody, fresh, etc.
Match the occasion: everyday, special events, sporty activities.
Seasonal suitability: light and fresh for warm weather, warm and cozy for cool weather.
Test the scent: ensure it works well with your skin and lasts long.
Check ingredients: opt for natural or hypoallergenic if needed.
Research: consider brand reputation and customer reviews.
Practicality: consider size and portability for your needs.
By following these tips, you can find a body mist that perfectly complements your style and needs, providing a refreshing and enjoyable scent experience.

Choosing the right body mist involves considering your personal preferences, the occasion, and the season. Here are some tips to help you select the perfect body mist:

1. Identify Your Preferences

Fragrance Families: Determine which fragrance families you are drawn to, such as floral, fruity, woody, fresh, or oriental.
Scent Strength: Decide whether you prefer a light, subtle scent or something a bit more pronounced.
Ingredients: Look for ingredients that you like or want to avoid (e.g., natural vs. synthetic, allergen-free).

1. Consider the Occasion

Daily Use: For everyday wear, opt for a light, fresh scent that is not overpowering. Citrusy, floral, or aquatic notes are great choices.
Special Events: For evening outings or special occasions, you might want a more sophisticated or stronger scent. Look for body mists with deeper, richer notes like vanilla, amber, or musk.
Sporty or Active: If you need something for the gym or outdoor activities, choose a clean, refreshing scent that can help you feel invigorated. Minty or marine notes can be excellent here.

1. Seasonal Considerations

Spring/Summer: Light, refreshing scents are ideal for warm weather. Choose fruity, floral, or citrusy body mists that feel cool and invigorating.
Autumn/Winter: Warmer, cozier scents work well in cooler weather. Opt for mists with spicy, woody, or gourmand notes that provide a comforting feel.

1. Test Before You Buy

Patch Test: Spray a small amount on your wrist to see how the scent interacts with your skin chemistry. Fragrances can smell different on different people.
Wear it for a Day: If possible, wear the body mist for a full day to see how the scent develops and how long it lasts.

1. Check the Ingredients

Natural vs. Synthetic: Decide if you prefer natural ingredients, which are often gentler on the skin, or synthetic ingredients, which can sometimes offer a wider range of scents.
Sensitive Skin: If you have sensitive skin, look for hypoallergenic or dermatologist-tested options.

1. Brand and Reviews

Reputable Brands: Choose body mists from reputable brands known for quality products.
Customer Reviews: Read customer reviews to get an idea of the scent’s longevity, how it smells, and how others have experienced it.

1. Packaging and Portability

Size: Consider the size of the body mist. Smaller sizes are more portable and convenient for on-the-go use.
Spray Mechanism: Ensure the spray mechanism is user-friendly and disperses the mist evenly.
Summary
Identify your scent preferences: floral, fruity, woody, fresh, etc.
Match the occasion: everyday, special events, sporty activities.
Seasonal suitability: light and fresh for warm weather, warm and cozy for cool weather.
Test the scent: ensure it works well with your skin and lasts long.
Check ingredients: opt for natural or hypoallergenic if needed.
Research: consider brand reputation and customer reviews.
Practicality: consider size and portability for your needs.
By following these tips, you can find a body mist that perfectly complements your style and needs, providing a refreshing and enjoyable scent experience.

Lending in the realm of real estate has evolved into a multifaceted and dynamic landscape, where strategies and insights are paramount for success. Therefore, commercial real estate lending is a crucial component of the financial sector. Lenders must adapt to these changes, employ advanced strategies, and gain deeper insights to thrive in this dynamic landscape. Success in this field requires a keen understanding of market conditions, risk management, compliance with regulations, and the ability to embrace innovation and technology.
Commercial Real Estate Lending: Top Six Tactics
Commercial real estate lending is a crucial component of the financial industry. It’s vital for property transactions in businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or a newcomer, grasping commercial lending intricacies is invaluable. Here are six tactics for navigating the evolving industry.

Know Your Market

Before entering commercial real estate lending, understand the market. Commercial properties include offices, retail centres, warehouses, and residential buildings. Each sector has its unique characteristics and risk factors.
Begin by researching the local market. What’s the demand for commercial properties in your area? Are there any specific trends or niches that are gaining traction? Knowing your market can help you make ideas in lending decisions.

Assess Borrower Creditworthiness

Assessing creditworthiness is crucial when lending for commercial property transactions. You’ll want to examine their credit history, financial statements, and business plans. A strong borrower with a proven track record is less likely to default on their loan.
Additionally, consider the property’s income potential and market value. Well-maintained properties in prime locations reduce associated loan risks by generating revenue.

Understand Loan Types

Commercial real estate financing options vary to accommodate diverse circumstances. Some common types include:

• Traditional Mortgages

Traditional commercial mortgages resemble residential loans but suit commercial real estate. They offer structured, long-term financing for business-oriented property purchases. Terms and conditions cater to the unique needs of commercial enterprises.

• SBA 504 Loans

SBA 504 Loans, managed by the SBA, benefit small business real estate. These loans offer competitive rates and favourable terms, making them appealing to entrepreneurs. They invest in commercial properties to support their business operations.

• Bridge Loans

Bridge loans offer short-term financing, bridging property purchases, and long-term arrangements. These loans offer flexibility and liquidity for swift acquisitions. They aid real estate investors as they secure more permanent financing.

• Construction Loans

Crafted construction loans fund the building or renovation of commercial properties. Funds disbursed to finance commercial real estate development and enhancement. Borrowers rely on these funds to cover the associated expenses. During the construction phase, interest is only paid on the part of the funds drawn.

Mitigate Risk

Commercial real estate lending involves risk, but there are ways to mitigate it. Diversify your portfolio by varying property types and locations to reduce risk. Additionally, consider requiring personal guarantees or collateral to secure the loan.

Build Strong Relationships

Nurturing relationships with borrowers, real estate experts, and lenders is valuable. Networking within the industry can offer valuable insights and potential investment opportunities. Additionally, it provides access to a broader pool of borrowers.

Stay Informed

The commercial real estate market is dynamic, with evolving economic and regulatory conditions. Staying informed about these changes is essential for making informed lending decisions. Subscribe to industry publications, attend conferences, and engage with experts to keep up-to-date.
Exploring Commercial Real Estate Lending: Strategies and Insights 4

Conclusion

Commercial real estate lending requires meticulous planning and strategic decision-making. Success hinges on understanding the local market and assessing borrower creditworthiness. Understanding various loan types is vital for success in commercial lending. Diversification and industry relationships enhance risk mitigation in commercial lending.
In today’s digital age, platforms like PropertyListHub have emerged as invaluable resources. They offer access to many investment opportunities, connect lenders with potential borrowers, and provide real-time market insights. Utilising these tools with conventional lending expertise empowers you to make well-informed choices and prosper in commercial real estate lending.
Remember, success in this arena often hinges on adaptability and staying informed about market trends and regulatory changes. You can position yourself as a knowledgeable and successful commercial real estate lender by continually learning and evolving your approach.has evolved into a multifaceted and dynamic landscape, where strategies and insights are paramount for success. Therefore, commercial real estate lending is a crucial component of the financial sector. Lenders must adapt to these changes, employ advanced strategies, and gain deeper insights to thrive in this dynamic landscape. Success in this field requires a keen understanding of market conditions, risk management, compliance with regulations, and the ability to embrace innovation and technology.

Commercial Real Estate Lending: Top Six Tactics

Commercial real estate lending is a crucial component of the financial industry. It’s vital for property transactions in businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or a newcomer, grasping commercial lending intricacies is invaluable. Here are six tactics for navigating the evolving industry.

Know Your Market

Before entering commercial real estate lending, understand the market. Commercial properties include offices, retail centres, warehouses, and residential buildings. Each sector has its unique characteristics and risk factors.
Begin by researching the local market. What’s the demand for commercial properties in your area? Are there any specific trends or niches that are gaining traction? Knowing your market can help you make ideas in lending decisions.

Assess Borrower Creditworthiness

Assessing creditworthiness is crucial when lending for commercial property transactions. You’ll want to examine their credit history, financial statements, and business plans. A strong borrower with a proven track record is less likely to default on their loan.
Additionally, consider the property’s income potential and market value. Well-maintained properties in prime locations reduce associated loan risks by generating revenue.

Understand Loan Types

Commercial real estate financing options vary to accommodate diverse circumstances. Some common types include:

• Traditional Mortgages

Traditional commercial mortgages resemble residential loans but suit commercial real estate. They offer structured, long-term financing for business-oriented property purchases. Terms and conditions cater to the unique needs of commercial enterprises.

• SBA 504 Loans

SBA 504 Loans, managed by the SBA, benefit small business real estate. These loans offer competitive rates and favourable terms, making them appealing to entrepreneurs. They invest in commercial properties to support their business operations.

• Bridge Loans

Bridge loans offer short-term financing, bridging property purchases, and long-term arrangements. These loans offer flexibility and liquidity for swift acquisitions. They aid real estate investors as they secure more permanent financing.

• Construction Loans

Crafted construction loans fund the building or renovation of commercial properties. Funds disbursed to finance commercial real estate development and enhancement. Borrowers rely on these funds to cover the associated expenses. During the construction phase, interest is only paid on the part of the funds drawn.

Mitigate Risk

Commercial real estate lending involves risk, but there are ways to mitigate it. Diversify your portfolio by varying property types and locations to reduce risk. Additionally, consider requiring personal guarantees or collateral to secure the loan.

Build Strong Relationships

Nurturing relationships with borrowers, real estate experts, and lenders is valuable. Networking within the industry can offer valuable insights and potential investment opportunities. Additionally, it provides access to a broader pool of borrowers.

Stay Informed

The commercial real estate market is dynamic, with evolving economic and regulatory conditions. Staying informed about these changes is essential for making informed lending decisions. Subscribe to industry publications, attend conferences, and engage with experts to keep up-to-date.