The bellowing ring of the galleon's bell cuts clear through the clouds before its prow does, the baby blue sky joined with the rich umber of a hull following a long series of Clang... Clang... Clang. A careful eye might notice the gashed rips of claws in the half-drawn sails, but not many eyes are careful. Excitement has been the watchword of the day, the restlessness of the Guildhall practically bubbling over in confirmed anticipation of the vessel's arrival. Regardless of what might be below decks and upon newly minted charts there is one price coveted above all earned by the returning crew: Stories. More vital to your guild than any cargo is what that ship brings everywhere it goes. The bellowing ring of the galleon's bell cuts clear through the clouds before its prow does, the baby blue sky joined with the rich umber of a hull following a long series of Clang... Clang... Clang. A careful eye might notice the gashed rips of claws in the half-drawn sails, but not many eyes are careful. Excitement has been the watchword of the day, the restlessness of the Guildhall practically bubbling over in confirmed anticipation of the vessel's arrival. Regardless of what might be below decks and upon newly minted charts there is one price coveted above all earned by the returning crew: Stories. More vital to your guild than any cargo is what that ship brings everywhere it goes. Wonder*.*
Hi! I'm Ellory (They/she), DM of 8 years, and I'd like to be yours! DnD 5e was my very first exposure to TTRPGs and since then I've enjoyed a great many systems, but always will 5E have a very special place in my heart. I believe that the PCs are the main characters of the story that we all tell together, guided by my own work of set dressing and plot writing. I asked my players if they had anything to say for my DMing abilities, so I'll let them speak for me!

Reviews!

• "I've always believed that the single most important rule of any tabletop game is to have fun, and Ellory has mastered this rule. She's a top class Dungeon Master who has provided me with some of the greatest tabletop memories I've ever had. They've crafted some of the most heart pounding action, soul jerking sorrow, and joyous celebration I've felt at the table." -Tyler
• "Ellory is, by far, the best DM I have ever had. I have been playing at their table for 4+ years in a wide variety of systems and settings - a 1.5 year long campaign in a home-brewed world in DnD 5e, a 2-year-long campaign of Vampire: the Masquerade, and a variety of one-shots and short campaigns in other systems. I will likely continue to play at their table for the next decade or longer. I have played with a number of different storytellers and dungeon masters, and none of them have ever demonstrated the same level of care for the enjoyment of their players, nor for their world. Their voice-acting is varied, their passion for the story is noticeable, and their flexibility to account for players' desires is impressive." -Kaitlyn
• "Ellory's style of DM'ing immerses you in worlds that are vibrant, detailed, and dynamic. Every NPC in their games feels individually unique, with their own motives and plans, making interactions deeply engaging and often leading to unexpected twists and turns. Ellory manages to strike a perfect balance between long over-arching storylines and player agency. The plots are compelling and well-structured, providing a sense of purpose. However, they never impose these narratives at the expense of player freedom. Choices matter, and player actions have a genuine impact on the world and its inhabitants. Each player's decisions is woven seamlessly into the broader narrative, making every game feel like a collaborative storytelling effort. Most importantly, after being a part of Ellory's games for years, I still look forward to every session and always leave having had a great time. If you're looking for a great DM whose sessions you eagerly anticipate each week, look no further." -Tanner

Game Details!

As is my wont, I've gone and made another fully fleshed out setting for a brand new group of players to experience. You will play as the explorers at the horizon, agents of The Cartographer's Guild. Maps are very important when you have to worry about another island, however distant, on a collision course with your house. And while map making is less than dramatic, the real main event is the exploration of never-before-seen chunks of land that haven't seen a soul in generations. Forgotten tombs and harrowing dungeons, isolated villages and monster nests await our intrepid voyagers, getting rich off of history before it kills them.
There's a fair bit of lore that would make this ad far and away overstuffed. If you're interested to learn the lore of creation, see a glimpse of history, and examine the 5 detailed cultures of the world, feel free to peruse this drive folder! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/117zEVINT4h8qY4dkA3O5EU9J2VDrXPNY?usp=sharing
Generally speaking, our format of play will involved downtime at the Guildhall with our characters unwinding from the last expedition and preparing for the next. From there, exploration will ensue with brief but enriching and immersing random encounters until a plot encounter is discovered. Following its resolution our heroes will return to base and so the cycle repeats, with some glaring exceptions when player decision calls for it.
I have a handful of ideas for an overarching narrative, but our final choice will be made collaboratively and in accordance with player interest and backstory considerations.
I accept any and all classes from officially published material, though your selection of lineage/race will be more limited to fit the lore of the setting. Your options will include:

• Humans, the Tribe Undivided
• Dwarves, the Tribe of Earth
• Drau-shi, the Tribe of Water
• Rani, the Tribe of Fire
• Elves, the Tribe of Air

Even the familiar names of the above list do have occasionally significant alterations from the PHB to reflect their unique standing in the Shattered Skies.

Logistics & Requirements!

This game will require payment to the Game Master at a rate of $20 per session excepting absences and session zero delivered through Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle.
Roll20 will be used for the purposes of tactical combat encounter maps, dice rolling, and character sheet management. Discord will be used for voice and video communications. I will be using my camera for our sessions so I can talk with my hands and face alongside my voice, and I would encourage you to do the same! I have a server made and prepared for this game.
My timezone is CST, and I'm entirely available on Saturday to make a session time work around whatever our schedules allow for. I'm partial to evening start times myself. I'm hoping our (free) session zero can happen on the 25th and we can begin play properly on the 1st of June.
If you're paying for sessions of DnD it's a fair assumption you're over the age of 18, and I would prefer you're at least that old. Exceptions can be made, but my games tend to be adult and include elements of occasionally disturbing horror.
I expect y'all to have fun, and if that involves drug or alcohol use for you I'd ask the dial to be set to somewhere around 3 out of 10. I've been known to have a glass of wine during sessions but never anything more.
Safety tools will be utilized to maintain a safe environment where everyone is having comfortable fun. Lines and veils will be established, and mine is an open table. If you knowingly violate a line it is grounds for ejection without refund. There is a certain amount of emotional trust we give our players and our DMs when we play this game, and it will not be betrayed.
Furthermore, this is an explicitly LGBT friendly space. I'm queer in multiple ways and queer identities will be portrayed in the NPCs of the world. If either of those things are deal breakers for you, please look elsewhere for a game.

In Closing!

If this game has piqued your interest, shoot me a message on Reddit or find me on discord at "teslazoa"!

So, I've been feeling really bored of a lot of the Pokemon showing up in events and raids lately. I really just want to save my coins up for Global Go Fest, since I love the Eeveelutions, and want to shiny hunt those in raids. I play for free though, so my only way to do that is coins. I know each area has a "cell" in the game or something right? and in that area, if it has a certain amount of stops, one has to be a gym. So why have the locations of the gyms be set like that? I know people vote for locations, but that doesn't really matter when after all these years, people play gyms just as toxic as when the game first came out. I'm a team Instinct player, and some days I get less than 20 coins, because team Mystic players still have no manners as a collective I guess, I spend a long while taking out their tanky Pokemon that have been in there for a full day, start walking away, and 5 mins later, they have reclaimed it. People with a gym right by their apartment building instantly knock me out whenever I take it even though they live there. One time someone in there even cheated, glitched out the gym, turned it white so I couldn't add Pokemon with the "gym currently being attacked" message, stayed like that until near midnight when of course it turned blue again!! The library has a gym and I've never ever seen it any colour other than blue and it's always full of 6 tanky mons that are berried up at all times. Why do players like this get full monopoly and a fixed gym location? It really makes gym control impossible for certain teams in certain areas. I really think to counter this gyms should randomly generate new Pokestop locations once a month or so. especially in more residential areas.
thoughts on this? I know Niantic probably won't change a core mechanic that has been there since launch but it's still nice to throw ideas around I suppose!

I am hoping someone can help me out with this. It seems like it should be a super easy thing to do, but I can't seem to figure it out. I am starting to think that I don't fully understand how the investment funds in my 401K work. I had assumed they were basically ETFs, and that if I googled the name of the fund I would be able to figure out what the stock ticker is for it. But every time I try to do it for any of the funds I have access to, the share price is different than what Voya says it should be. So that makes me think I am not looking at the right thing. One thing I did notice is that Voya refers to it as price per unit, not share. So maybe there is a conversion in there I am unaware of? Here is the break down, there are 4 funds I am currently investing in. All of them have a unit price listed as of 5/20/24. I will list them below. If anyone has any idea what the ticker is for any of these, or another easy way I can monitor them I would really appreciate it. I am trying to avoid using the Voya app unless I need to make changes because the thing is a hot mess.

• State Street S&P 500® Index Non-Lending Series Fund Class A - 479.786060
• Jennison Large Cap Growth Equity - 63.232800
• BlackRock Emerging Markets Index Fund F - 12.048214
• State Street Global All Cap Equity Ex-U.S. Index Non-Lending Series Fund Class A - 22.048515

Ideally, I would like to be able to just add the tickers for the above (if they exist) to a watchlist on my TOS account so I can just see how things are going at a glance. Any help or other suggestions would be appreciated.

(Authors Note: Im quite new to writing and any advice is highly appreciated. Otherwise hope you enjoy.)
&nebsp;
The many nations of the galaxy prided themselves on their colossal power. So did the Drö‘al, a species about 6m in height and about 70cm in width. One of the tallest species in the galaxy they were also known for their projects of mega-engineering building eccentric structures ranging from Dyson-swarmes too Spinning black hole generators, but most mind numbing were their fleets.
Made up of a apparently minuscule number of only 972 warships one would first assume their status as a galactic super power was only due to their mega-engineering capabilities and tide to them, economical power on the galaxies market, but that assumption would be wrong.
The vessels the Drö‘al built were hulking „Battleships“ more than capable of taking on one or if conditions were favorable two fleets and still being operational for the next engagement. These „Battleships“ were often dozens of miles long. Titans made up of imposing plasma batteries, advanced particle accelerators and deadly railguns plastered on every available square inch of hull. All weapons systems more than enough to easily flatten mountains from orbit and if fully let loose shatter the crust of planets and make them become uninhabitable. Adding to their offensive capabilities was the fact that the Drö‘al „Battleships“ had thick hull plaiting at its slimmest points about 70 feet and at most up too 120 feet in width.
These facts made the Drö‘al „Battleships“ a death sentence for anyone unlucky enough to go against and secured the Drö‘al‘s place in the hierarchy of the galaxy.
As a display of this power, but also to further relations between every civilization and Drö‘al government. The latter held a competition wherein each nation were to design one space ship of their technological capabilities to go against every other nation‘s ship in all out battle. With everyone fighting for themselves.
It was a holographic simulation, that took place in realtime where nations could express their naval and engineering power to their own people, to bolster morale, as well as garner the respect of fellow nation states.
This competition had been held over 58 times now and was a spectacle each cycle to behold. The ships, that took part in the simulation were controlled by a naval crew made to control the ship in a simulated star system of random choice.
With it being an even battle between the Drö‘al and other three other galactic super powers. The Kelron, Winlo and lastly the Zup.
Though having won the last competition the cycle before the naval and engineering team of the Drö‘al was determined to achieve victory this time as well having built on their current „Battleship“ design and equipping it with a new amour and upgraded weapons systems, that would even rival a super nova.
It was then to no surprise of their own, that the Drö‘al managed to at times easily hold their own in the simulation with the Zups „Scuirk“(Moon Cracker) being their closest competitor up until the last battle against an upstart faction called „The United Human Nations“.
The „humans“ had built a small unassuming raven black ship. Having no apparent weapons systems and all in all taken as a joke by the other competitors. So it came as a surprise too everyone, that it had survived the simulated battle for so long. More so when the Drö‘al „Battleship“ started to loose amour integrity which became invisible black dust.
First at an unnoticeable rate as it tried to locate and evaporate the human ant, that had hid in the chaos of battle.
Then the longer the Drö‘al searched for the Human „Dropship“ the faster the depletion of their amour went by. Exponentially eating up the thick amour of their metal titan.
This made the Drö‘al naval personal in control of their ship panic as they fired on everything which remotely looked like the human „Dropship“ radar signal, but all they hit was dust and echoes.
Thinking they were being destroyed by some type of infrared laser deployed by the human vessel they searched the entire spectrum of the simulation up and down, but their sensors yielded no useful result. Nothing out of the ordinary.
The Drö‘al cursed human ship design while firing at all available targets in the simulated star system hoping they would eventually hit the fly buzzing around their eyes, but again no human ship was hit.
In their panic the Drö‘al naval did not fathom the true idea of what the human engineers had come up with while firing wildly until their ships total destruction as the amour integrity loss became hull loss until nothing was left im the simulation, but black dust.
Which ended up forming a small human „Dropship“ with the Name of „Size doesn‘t matter“ in bright white letters. A nanite swarmer ship and pride of the human navy.

16-minute read.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NATO and Armenia strengthen cooperation in defense education

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

source,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the army concludes exercises for commanders

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

video shows the new payment terminals in Yerevan subway station

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

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

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

Germany wants to purchase an Armenian man

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

I am hoping someone can help me out with this. It seems like it should be a super easy thing to do, but I can't seem to figure it out. I am starting to think that I don't fully understand how the investment funds in my 401K work. I had assumed they were basically ETFs, and that if I googled the name of the fund I would be able to figure out what the stock ticker is for it. But every time I try to do it for any of the funds I have access to, the share price is different than what Voya says it should be. So that makes me think I am not looking at the right thing. One thing I did notice is that Voya refers to it as price per unit, not share. So maybe there is a conversion in there I am unaware of? Here is the break down, there are 4 funds I am currently investing in. All of them have a unit price listed as of 5/20/24. I will list them below. If anyone has any idea what the ticker is for any of these, or another easy way I can monitor them I would really appreciate it. I am trying to avoid using the Voya app unless I need to make changes because the thing is a hot mess.

• State Street S&P 500® Index Non-Lending Series Fund Class A - 479.786060
• Jennison Large Cap Growth Equity - 63.232800
• BlackRock Emerging Markets Index Fund F - 12.048214
• State Street Global All Cap Equity Ex-U.S. Index Non-Lending Series Fund Class A - 22.048515

Ideally, I would like to be able to just add the tickers for the above (if they exist) to a watchlist on my TOS account so I can just see how things are going at a glance. Any help or other suggestions would be appreciated.

I think the RB landscape in the NFL lately is a bit of a mess for fantasy purposes. This year is even tougher to gauge due to several big off-season moves, along with a few notable rookie RB's drafted to enticing situations.
The top 6 tiers in my ranking encompass who I believe are most likely to end the season or have the potential to end the season as the RB1 on their team. Non-Rookies up to this point in my rankings will have an asterisk (*) notated next to their name. The more asterisks, the riskier drafting this player is in my eyes. Risk can be due to age or injury concerns, strength of schedule, offensive line ranking, being on a new team, or overall expected competition for touches.
A player in Bold means I have no problem drafting them where I expect their ADP to be, or I just flat out like them and their talent. A player in Italics means I will look to avoid drafting them for a myriad of reasons.
Lastly, the number of asterisks next to a rookie represent how likely I think they are to be fantasy relevant this season.
Tier 1 - The 3 RB's most likely to finish as #1

• Christian McCaffrey
• Bijan Robinson
• Breece Hall

Tier 2 - Elite talent in great a situation with high upside and little risk

• Jahmyr Gibbs
• Saquon Barkley\*
• Derick Henry\*
• Jonathan Taylor
• Josh Jacobs*
• Kyren Williams**

Tier 3 - Either safe picks who lead the backfield handedly or have great upside

• De'Von Achane**
• Alvin Kamara*
• Isiah Pacheco
• Joe Mixon
• Raheem Mostert*
• James Cook*

Tier 4 - I expect their numbers to be volatile, their ceilings capped, or they likely have competition for touches

• Rachaad White***
• Kenneth Walker*
• Travis Etienne Jr.**
• Rhamondre Stevenson**
• James Conner*
• Zack Moss*
• Aaron Jones**
• D'Andre Swift\*
• David Montgomery
• Najee Harris\*

Tier 5 - Likely end the season as the RB1 on their team or apart of a 2 headed monster type of backfield

• Zamir White**
• Tyjae Spears\*
• Javonte Williams\***
• Jaylen Warren\*
• Tony Pollard\**
• Brian Robinson Jr.*

Tier 6 - I do not have complete faith these guys have end the season as the RB1 on their team

• Devin Singletary*
• Gus Edwards\**
• Chuba Hubbard**
• Austin Ekeler**
• Ezekiel Elliot*
• Jerome Ford*

Tier 7 - Best handcuffs or rookies most likely to take the RB1 spot by the end of the season

• Jonathan Brooks**\* (We don't know if he will be 100% healthy/recovered at the start of the season)
• Rico Dowdle
• Trey Benson**
• Antonio Gibson
• Chase Brown
• Zach Charbonnet
• Blake Corum\*
• Keaton Mitchell
• Ty Chandler
• Nick Chubb (No timetable for return)
• Kimani Vidal*\*

Tier 8 - Not a bad late round dart throw for one of your last bench spots

• Kendre Miller
• Marshawn Lloyd\*
• JK Dobbins
• Jaylen Wright*
• Bucky Irving*\*
• Audric Estime*
• Elijah Mitchell
• Khalil Herbert
• Dylan Laube*\*
• Tyler Allgeier
• Tyrone Tracy Jr.*
• Clyde-Edwards Helaire

Is it possible to beat a pokemon game while using only type disadvantages. This rule only applies to choosing your starter (if possible), any rival battle, any gym leader, evil teams admins/boss, and the elite four. This rule does not apply to random encounters or the run of the mill trainer.
This could also be a good idea for a challenge for MandJTV VS. PM7.

The protagonist is a young teenager girl who has either a new stepmother or her dad is dating a woman. She has a stepsister (I think step?) who she's always compared to named Laura who the stepmom pulls out of school to take shopping. At the end of the movie the stepmom buys a new outfit for the protagonist that's clearly supposed to be like slutty and french inspired (I think there's a beret?) and the dad freaks out that the step mom is trying to corrupt her so they break up. At the beginning of the movie they're all at a lake. Any ideas?

Not a true story!
Hi my name is Yuki and I have a brother and his name is Duri and he is a basketball team and this is how made a bond with his basketball team ok well umm so from the beginning when i was 11 ok i’m going to school I said you mean we are going to school said Duri yeah yeah whatever let’s go to school don’t act like you are the oldest remember so what if you are one year older it means that i am the more responsible child no just cause you are the oldest does not mean that you are the more responsible child oh yes it does no it does not oh really who takes care of you who takes care of the house fine you win but .…never mind let’s not get distracted Yuki said ok whatever at school I wonder what Yuki was about to say I was to scared to say that I was getting bullied can I go to bathroom yes you may Duri thank you Duri wash’s his face oh hey Duri you are working with Jey sweet hey Duri over here hey bro what’s up with the mood nothing just some weird stuff happened ok let’s work on the project later oh hi Jey hey Yuki how are you? good you? Perfect and what is up with Duri hi what are you talking about just a funny video yeah it super funny whatever let’s go get lunch ok but what is lunch today fries or chips btw they are in a private school ok thank you for telling me your welcome hello am i not here do you think that you are not here? No cause you are talking to me so then what does that mean? That i am here exactly Jey yeah yeah whatever I’m sorry can we go to the cafeteria please yes let’s go I’m hungry me too I hate waiting in line it’s always long I know right ok thank god that I’m not the only one think’s that oh yeah you and Duri have a basketball game today yeah we do at 4:48 pm you remember of course I do and it ends at 6:00 pm wow that’s a long game isn't well I’m coming to it we want us to win this game Yeah we will do our best for everyone
At the game ok you can do this I know you can ok everybody follow my lead yes sir! Captain am I going to be on the court yes you are going to be on it right now okay I’ll be right there come on guys is everybody where they are supposed to be Yes! Ok then let’s start calm down Jey pull yourself together you got yourself into this and there is no pulling back Rowan oh it’s Rowan he’s also Duri’s friend he is a first year in basketball and Duri is a second year so he is almost in high school PASS TO ME ROWAN Duri and Jey are both 12 and they are second years in basketball so they really good at it and practice everyday plus there’s going to be new characters in a bit don’t mess this up PASS THE BALL TO ME here we GO COME ON JEY I KNOW YOU CAN MAKE US WIN! I...made it YES you did amazing out there Jey thank you captain your welcome well we need to go now we will anyways meet her out there yeah true I’m coming after they went to the locker room man my legs hurt don’t blame you same here so are we going Celebrate Yes but we need one more person to celebrate And who is that going to be My sister she can be a little mean Her name is Yuki she'll introduce herself to you I am excited to meet her I bet you she's also excited to meet youI'm shy so I don't think I will talk to her that much come on man she is not going to kill you you all know that I do NOT talk to a lot of people but she is kind to people SO don’t need to be scared from her OH YES I DO NEED TO JEY NO YOU DO NOT HEY STOP IT THE BOTH OF YOU NOW what’s taking them so long I wonder if they will like me or hate me well I’m going to need introduce myself
Hi Jasmine Hi Yuki, how are you today?Good and bad Why?A girl made fun of me man I just wish that the world could be better you know yeah I do a lot so much that you would not Believe It Hey sis hey Duri this is my team team this my sister Yuki Hi Yuki Hi let me introduce myself I’m Yuki and I’m one year younger than Duri and I CAN be mean to the people WHO are mean to me so you don’t need to be scared from me and I want to introduce my friend Jasmine hi I’m Pleased to meet you all I am Yuki's friend and we have been friends for 4 years 4 years wow you guys must Know a lot about each other By the way I have a question when did you meet by the way I would like to know well I was doing a race with some other kids and Jasmine asked if she could join and I tripped in the middle of the race and she helped me up and all the other kids left me cuz they want to win the race and she helped me and I thanked her and We became friends And look at us now Those kids were Sad when they figured out that she fell and that they didn't bother to help her and they were a bit angry at themselves and then I told them to stay away from her cuz if you don't be nice to her then just get out of here
And that is a true story you could just ask me her brother for 11 years And Yuki has favor to ask you guys I would like to know why you join the basketball team My name is Lev And I joined the basketball team cuz it was my passion and I liked it when I was a child so that's why I Joined the basketball team I am Tyga I joined the basketball team cuz my brother used to do it and he taught me how to do it and it kind of was fun for me and he taught me he's really cool tricks and he just made it way more funner and easier to learn so I was happy cuz he taught me a lot of things So that's why I joined the basketball team I am Liam and I joined the basketball team cuz I joined multiple other sports and they were just kind of boring to me and I just didn't do basketball so I tried it out basketball cuz I thought it would be fun and nice to join basketball and would be a nice passion to do cuz I haven't tried it yet and I tried it I was bad at the beginning very bad and five months later I started shooting and I was very good at defense so that's why I joined Hi my name is Lucas and I joined the basketball team cuz my story is kind of like Liam's I used to play soccer and then I got kicked out cuz I was very bad at it and I was very good at using my hands so I decided to join the basketball team I hated the fact that I was terrible at the beginning and I was bare8ly good at using the hands for shooting and it was just like that for a few months I don't know how much it was I don't remember and I met Duri and the others and they taught me a bit how to shoot and I'm here now I’m Rowan I joined the basketball team cuz I wanted to play it with Duri And the others plus they taught me a lot of new tricks that's our stories thank you for sharing your stories guys but we sould go to the restaurant yeah we sould go.
after they went to restaurant and celebrated man I’m stuffed same don’t blame ya time to go back home seriously it’s 5:00 PM you kidding man but it was nice meeting you all today I had so much fun with you guys I hope we can do this again sometime later yeah I will try to get some free time I’m off friday let me check yeah i’m off friday what about you guys i’m also off friday I think everyone is off yeah I think so to so we meet again friday after school ok sure why not can I invite Jasmine ummm sure why not I think it will be more fun the more the merrier when they all go home I’m home where were you? You said that you were going to a basketball game we had to two games you went to celebrate didn’t you SO YOU DIDN’T EVEN COME TO MY BASKETBALL GAME hey wait I’m sorry my boss didn’t let me come to it LEAVE ME ALONE ok I will sometime later hi welcome who did she bring now hey Rowan can we come in …..fine come in. why did you guys come well friends are always there for you right come on you know we are there in the right time you can say no but you know it’s true yeah I know it’s true but how did you know that i’m upset your mom told us oh ok well thank you guys for coming to comfort me I really appreciate it your always welcome Rowan.
Well bye see you guys friday at 7:00 AM bye see ya friday GOOD MORNING DURI AHHH WHAT THE HECK omg why so Early in the morning it’s 7:00 a.m. just go back to bed and that's a no cuz it's Friday stupid did you forget we have to go to Train for basketball with the others Oh my God but why so early in the morning it's literally 7:00 a.m. can you stop being annoying I'm not being annoying you are because you're out of bed and wash your freaking face and then we Gotta Go the basketball court for training I was ready to go to Tell mom she whoop Out of bed if you don't want that to happen then get out of bed and wash our face I have the most annoying sister in the world okay fine but just go get ready in then I will get ready right after you cuz I don't take 5 hours to get ready I don't take 5 hours to get ready for your information I don't okay but you do you with that messy hair look at it it's like a freaking tornado My hair is not a tornado talk about yours in the morning Can you just get dressed please we Gotta Go Fine just leave the room ok 30 minutes later Okay I'm done finally okay now let's go because I don't have time for this and waiting for you to get done I was done 10 minutes ago Is there a problem yeah we're 10 minutes late cuz of you You hate it so much there's the door Oh ok let's go She doesn't understand a single thing Don't forget it's from 7:00 till 1:00 pm At the basketball court hey Yuki hey Duri hi hey oh you guys are here Hello I got invied to help you guys train WHAT! Yup you do know that it is hard to do all of this by myself
After everyone got to the basketball court, Ok everyone listen up Yuki and Jasmine is going to tell you guys have to work on. Ok so Lev,Liam and Rowan have to work on offense Tyga,Lucas,,Jey and Duri have to work on defense ok get to work. After training for 6 hours You will be doing this training for 3 months. WHAT ONE DAY WAS ENOUGH Look around Yuki the courts floor IS FILLED WITH SWEAT AND IS NOT JUST THE FLOOR BUT ALSO US you wanna get better right ? Yeah but this intense TO intense Liam said then went to get his water yeah Tyga said gasping for air can you at least make it 4 hours fine you want 4 hours you will get 4 hoursTHANK YOU a bit of the pain is gone nice i guess you guys still have to do this for 3 months my legs are in so much pain see you guys tomorrow at 7:00 hey Yuki can I to you yeah give me a sec…. Ok what is it? You have a bruise on your head what no i don’t tell me are you getting bullied……. Y-yes but please don't tell Duri ok but I can help you how? After telling her his plan WHAT YOU WANT BE MY FAKE BOY- shhh you do know that Duri will kill you yes here it’s my number I’ll tell you the rest on text ok after they all went home hey hi so your plan is to be MY fake boyfriend yes that's my plan do you realize how Duri is going to kill you when he finds out that YOU are my boyfriend well fake boyfriend yes i do so how about you keep this a secret just between you and me huh even if we do don’t you think that he might find out? I don’t know how to answer that of course you don’t why would you huh oh right you don’t know anything! Can you stop being so mean NO i will meet you tomorrow at school ok fine see you tomorrow see you at school the next day so what do you say? I say that I don’t agree with any of this but I was forced to do this so ….I-I will be…your..your girl-friend ok a deal is a deal so you know if you tell Duri I will die so how about you not tell him please with whip cream and a cherry on top ugh fine I won't tell him thank you or you can tell him you just have to tell him why yeah he will still kill you either way hey whatcha talking about AHHHHH OMG WHAT ARE YOU A GHOST OMG LEV ? sorry Lev said in a sorry tone YOU BETTER BE what's with the mood I’m not a morning person oh that makes a lot of sense anyway Rowan Duri wants to see you why to be exact Rowan said with a nervous tone yeah why Yuki said worrying i don't know he didn’t say why well i'll go with him okay Lev said before he left do you think he found out no he wasn't in the room at the time you sure YES MY GOD just how am i not dead bro you're going to be fine

Admittedly I probably haven't been progressing as quickly as they might have been hoping me to since there's a laundry list of projects they need me to helm and up until now they've been short staffed, but considering this is my first actual sysadmin role I was hoping they'd give me some degree of slack.
My manager and I were work shopping ideas on expanding the C drive for one of our servers, and due to how the RAID was configured the solutions we came up with to avoid risking data loss were 1) download and license a third party partition manager or 2) format and move the entire data drive to a new partition, then format the old partition and hope it didn't mess up sharing and security permissions too much.
Manager then asked me to take a screenshot of the prices to license the full version of the partition manager and send it to him so he could forward it to our VP. I accidently sent the screenshot directly to our VP in Teams instead of my manager, and he immediately replies with "this sysadmin was a questionable hire".
Instantly gutted. There's no doubt in my mind either that he meant to send that to my manager and not me. For a few minutes I did nothing but just stare at what he sent while the memories of every moment I ever felt inadequate at my job or imposter syndrome came rushing back like a tidal wave. My manager noticed something was up with me but he likely assumed I was just eager to wrap up soon and get home.
Ultimately we wound up licensing the full version of the partition manager and the server issue was resolved in less than a half hour. But for the last several hours I've been fixated on his message, and frankly I'm at a loss. I don't even wanna go in tomorrow because I can't stomach the idea of sharing office space with someone who's not afraid to admit he thinks I suck at my job and regrets taking a chance in hiring me. I wish I could go back in time a month and chosen to stay with my old job.
Should have taken up goat farming instead.

I’m in my early 40s, and I’ve been a RN for about 10 years. I was one of the older students in my nursing school class, and nursing school was probably the most difficult thing I’ve voluntarily undertaken in life. I got through with grit and the acceptance that “C’s get degrees.” Not easy for a life-long perfectionist.
I started out working in a specialty med/surg unit, and I struggled so much with time management, which ended up being the impetus for an ADHD diagnosis (which would have been helpful to know about during school). I then worked in ambulatory surgery as a staff nurse, charge nurse, and nurse manager.
I didn’t hate any of my jobs. But I definitely job hopped to the extent that my BFF lovingly describes me as, “my nurse friend who always has a different job.” Sometimes it was burnout, sometimes it was a promotion, and sometimes I feared for my license.
My most recent job change was from a manager role back to a staff nurse. I was prepared to take a pay cut, but a market rate adjustment worked in my favor and I ended up making more money in my new role. But even better, my new role is it. I’ve always been an adrenaline junkie-type nurse, and I took a risk by accepting this role as part triage/part educatopart clinician in a very chill clinic. I worried I’d be bored, but instead, I get to work with an amazingly cohesive interdisciplinary team. I actual get to know and spend time with and advocate for patients with complex needs. (I’m trying not to doxx myself, so let’s say it’s a clinic for people with sickle cell. It isn’t, but it’s chronic and debilitating.) I learn something every day, I get to do detective work, and the attendings ask my perspective and ideas. I also don’t go home to ruminate about the day and then crash on my bed.
My new gig isn’t perfect, and it isn’t my intention to brag, but I wanted to offer a perspective about how you can do things “the wrong way” and end up exactly where you didn’t know you needed to be. Hang in there, friends.

First off, my apologies for this very long post...It's hard for me to word this out as my communication skills are very bad.
My therapist told me I need to work on the two above so I bought a workbook on each of them. So far I am working on the Assertiveness workbook. I am having a lot of analysis paralysis with trying to understand the concepts and was wondering if anyone had an idea on how to approach this.
According to my workbook this is the definition of Assertiveness: Not a strategy for getting your own way, but instead recognizes you're in charge of your own behaviour and decide what you'll want to do and not do and accepting the consequences and the responsibility for your actions (same for others). Similar to having a sense of agency. There is no attempt to take control from one another. When you are being assertive, you're making a deliberate and conscious choice.
Boundaries, I haven't dived deep into it, but fro what I am getting: it's something YOU do and not others (a.k.a. it's not about changing the other person) (i.e.) if you call me during work hours, I will not pick up. or if you call me names, I will walk away from the situation.
This sounds like it is heavily subjective and depended on person to person then. One of the examples in workbook, word by word: "Rather than say our coworker shouldn't be handing us her own work (controlling her behavior), we can simple inform her that we won't be doing it (controlling our own way)" ^so from what I understand, you can have boundaries and apply assertiveness but can still be seen as a jerk, rude, problematic? I.e. a kid saying no to their parent. Employer to boss, or person with higher authority. You just have to be ready to accept the consequences of your deliberate, conscious choice (possibility of getting arrested, fired, etc.)
So tying into applying stoicism + virtues. I am thinking the same thing, that it's all subjective at the end of the day? One of the ones I am thinking about is JUSTICE. Example: going through an unfair breakup and the other person is stone-walling you. So you want to take matters on your end and speak of the unfair treatment even if it means going to the other party's side (friends, family). Some people might think that it's unhinged or doing too much, but what if it helps give you that closure or aligns with your understanding/BELIEFS of what JUSTICE is? (very SUBJECTIVE)
Like this is quite extreme, but justice also implies that it relates to morality too, but there are factors like culture, religion and personal experience that shapes one's morals. For example one part of the world, maybe it's moral to execute someone who was a murderer or raped someone. So if I carried that belief while claiming to want to practice stoicism, is that right?
I am just confused on the whole black/white, right/wrong/, effective/non-effective. How do I see gray in all of this? It's causing a lot of confusion, sorry for my long message and if this might not make sense as I am trying to rewire a lot of old toxic behaviours from my upbringing. I am worried that I may be practicing stoicism wrong (still in the introduction phase), because I have had people close to me tell me sometimes I think I am being fair, but then I was actually controlling and demanding, which I seriously was unaware (due to cognitive distortion, being a late-bloomer, my toxic upbringing, etc.) So I am grateful for my friends for bringing awareness to my "unfair" judgements.

We all know the kid is a “troll”. The sad part is that 17 y/o olds are making a name for them selves doing these antics. Nobody actually has a problem with the fucking kid. He has no idea what he is doing (his brother probably does). The sad part is that we accepted that these new forms of generating popularity through antics is becoming a new norm for fame.
After having a run of truly funny, goofy and interesting people we resort to this, it is just disappointing. We have seen enough of these kind of negative emotion evoking people generating attention on the internet. We just never thought we would see them on this podcast. Because we thought this pod was better than that.
But at the end of the day, if the pod understands the criticism, and moves on from it, who cares. Just please people are tired of these matan/fresh and fit/tate/ jake paul types. thats why we went to seek out real funny content like bad friends.
Also as fans pls just dont interact with them. They just see numbers. All they want is more comments and interactions. They know that is all that counts to become famous today. No morals and no ethics.

Here’s a story about a crazy incident that took place years ago that I decided to write out in a sort-of poem/rap.
Cruisin' home from up north with a couple of kids One's name was Nick, we had stayed at his crib He cracked open a water, had a couple of sips Said "I'm over it" and tossed it out of the whip What he nearly hit was a biker at our six Now the biker's pissed..big guy..probably 6 foot 6, and thick Has a spiked metal helmet, wants to rip off our dicks Maybe beat us with sticks Maybe cut us to bits Then go home and get blitzed Not a care that we're kids
Got in the lane next to us and started to scream Had a girl on his bike to add to his team After yelling obscene things, they started to leave We began to think we would get away clean
The biker turned right, good luck like the clover Until Nick screamed some shit and it started back over
The guy turned around, on the hunt like a hound By now, he was ready to smash Nicks face to the ground I pulled into a place, but there was no one around Another problem...there was no way out
See, the only way out was the way I came in And by the way we were parked, it wasn't an option He got off his bike and started walkin' Angry as hell, if with gun he'd be cockin' Ready to bust caps in each one of our noggins Locked all the doors, adrenaline rushin' Right up to my door is where he was flockin'
To our left was a field, looked flat from a distance Had to make a decision, and it had to be instant
Didn't want to die, so I threw it in drive Wasn't high, just a guy tryna survive
In the middle of the field was a bit of a ditch Came up so fast, I couldn't see it The front of my car took a nice little hit We were thrown all around, it was scary as shit But not even a scratch, no first aid kit
We had to keep going, no time for me slowing Drifted into the road, and with traffic we're flowing Left in the dust, this biker I was showing Should've left us alone, we really had to be going.

Hello!

At the beginning of the year, we kicked off a series of events to celebrate... well a number of things! The subreddit growth is insane, so we hit 10 million subscribers while we were just finishing up celebrating 9 million...

But we started that celebration with a new Essay and Video contest! I'm happy to announce that after a long series of deliberations, we're ready to announce your winners! First and foremost, I want to congratulate everyone on producing such wonderful submissions. I and the other judges absolutely enjoyed reading/watching them, and I hope this encourages you to create more. I'm always here for what limited guidance I can give.
Reminder: Prizes are funded through Reddit's Community Funds program! The top 3 positions will receive gift cards to Crunchyroll's (formerly RightStuf) store! Please, I would love to see what you're going to purchase with them.

Writing Contest

1st Place: In This Corner of the World: Agency, The Past, and The Paths We Did Not Choose by VelaryonAu

VelaryonAu hits it out of the park with this essay. It stays true to the theme, starting strong and continuing that quality until the end. Much like Suzu's life, it expertly moves from point to point, example to example, all the while using succinct and pleasant prose. We all enjoyed every second of reading this piece and we think you will too. VelaryonAu wins a $200 gift card.

2nd Place: Gunslinger Girl and Confronting the Posthuman by paukshop

Paukshop delivers an essay that exemplifies the reason why we keep the themes for these contests vague, with it being a clever examination of a beloved classic under a unique lens. This is probably one of the best structured essays we received, clearly laying out step by step how each relationship in the show may evoke different interpretations of the posthuman. Its broad coverage and almost academic nature earn it 2nd place, winning a $100 gift card.

3rd Place: Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Eternal by baquea

As expected from a fan of Madoka Magica, and much like the show itself, this essay is dense with meaning. Baquea's prose ebbs and flows—sentences sometimes stretching out into labyrinthian snakes or curving back around into pointed statements. Regardless of what you think about the show or the writing style, this essay makes itself heard. Its clear passion and depth of knowledge towards the subject earns it a $50 gift card.

Videos

1st Place: Heavenly Delusion: Body Horror, Gender, & Transformation by thedman1954

This video is not only laser focused, it utilizes the video format pretty near to its fullest potential. The subject matter is exciting and engrossing, and it serves to be a vessel for the feel of the show itself. Editing is a strong point, using slick transitions and title cards to further illustrate key points. A nearly flawless entry earns it first place and a $200 gift card.

2nd Place: Blue Reflection Ray ( I Want to Change!) by thegajumaru

Thegajumaru's "[Blue Reflection Ray] I Want to Change!" starts off in a peculiar way, but I think one of the best things about the video format is that you can experiment and be eclectic and maybe... go off on a completely non-anime tangent about Star Wars before jumping into your real topic of Blue Reflection Ray. The most notable thing about this video is just how watchable it is. It flows from point to point with ease—both the editing and script leading the viewer along, almost unbeknownst to them just how entertained they are along the way. This addicting quality earns thegajumaru a $100 gift card.

3rd Place: Grief in To your Eternity by paukshop

Pauk digs into a core concept of To Your Eternity in this video, following the throughline of our main character almost literally carries his grief for his friends and family with him. My personal notes on the video mention quote, "it's quite to the point and the point is strong," and in a sea of videos that are stretched out as long as they can for monetary's sake—it's a breath of fresh air. One of the hardest things to do in a contest like that is coming up with a concept that fits/subverts the theme, but pauk combining literal as well as metaphorical transformations, as well as adding a small personal touch, really elevates this video. He gets a nice $50 gift card for his efforts (in addition to his essay win!).
That's that! Congratulations to our winners, but also to everyone who managed to sneak in a submission. Please view the round-up of EVERYTHING here. I love seeing well thought out posts to the sub, whether that be in essay or video format. If you have any ideas on how to encourage this content, let me or the rest of the mod team know. Oh and also, if you submitted an entry and would like some brief notes on what we thought, message the moderators or PM me!
Winners, expect to receive a PM asking to confirm some information, and then accept your prize!
Thanks all!

As we're preparing for The Final Shape, I wanted to take a few minutes to look back on the year of LF, from its rocky start to Into the Light, and ask: for each season, what was your favorite thing or what did you like?
For me, it was
Defiance: Avalon mission

• While the exotic didn't shake up the sandbox, I liked the "hidden puzzle" aspect of finding the nodes in the EDZ, going into the Vex network.
  
• It was nice having a nice callback/resolution to Ashir Mir and his story (we finally got to see his metaphorical lake).
  
• The mission could be a slog on Legend, which turned a lot of people off to it
  

Deep: Deep Dives

• I really like the idea of the progressing difficulty.
  
• The buffs to choose along the way were cool too - pick something that more fits in my playstyle, and helps keep subsequent playthroughs less repetitive.
  

Witch: The Tarot Deck

• While probably a controversial pick, I loved the idea of the Tarot Deck because it felt a way to have "random" buffs/modifiers each time you entered the activity. The downside was memorizing the names/symbols, but it was cool to customize the pool of buffs based on your playstyle.
  
• Shoutout to Imbaru Engine because I love puzzles, and that was a fun one to progress.
  

Wish: The Coil

• Echoing Deep Dives, I love the "progressively harder" activity - AND it feels super rewarding. Getting into that chest room was very satisfying and provided an abundance of endgame materials.

What were your highlights from each season?

Hello, I have a unique situation that I would love some opinions on.
I just finished my sophomore year at a top20 school majoring in economics. I’m unsure what I want to go into as I was unsuccessful to land a IB internship during the 2025 recruiting cycle, so I’m now looking to go into consulting.
Anways, I landed a WM internship in the Midwest (where I’m from) earlier this spring, and this has been my plan for the summer since then. However, I was recruited to play football out of high school, but I decided not to because my heart wasn’t in it at the time. Ever since then, I’ll see the football players on campus walking around and wish I decided to play it. Eventually, after discussions with the coach, I got the chance to walk on the team, which requires me to be on campus all summer and not be able to work this WM internship.
This leads to my other conflict, which is I’ve had a bad knee for years. I’ve been unsuccessful rehabbing it in the past, so I wasn’t sure if I could even play football, which is why I didn’t make a decision right away. I told myself I was going to wait until I FULLY rehab my knee to commit to football, so I haven’t told my WM internship that I was no longer planing on working the position in the case that my knee wouldn’t heal. This was the case for many months, as my knee wouldn’t heal, so I came back to the Midwest and worked the first week of the internship (which I have enjoyed so far)
However, this last week my knee also made significant progress, and I was able to complete a pain free football workout yesterday making me believe my knee is healed. Now I’m thinking about quitting the internship to go back to campus and live out my dream of playing college football.
I also have a remote search fund internship on the side (which isn’t nearly as good, but still some experience) so it’s not like I’ll not be working SOMETHING while playing football.
Anyways, I was wondering if you think not working this internship is a bad idea for my career path, and if quitting after one week is a bad look given my circumstances. Sorry for the length post, just wanted to explain the whole situation.
Thanks

Hi all, bit of a silly question from me since I'm new to this topic.
Im eyeballing a property that will be going up for auction, it's in a bit of a state but I think I could make it habitable, intention isn't for profit/renting but purely to renovate it so that I can have some family stay there.
The only issue is I've never taken part in a property auction so wanted to know some tips I should know before I even think about this idea. Do I need to have property auction specific conveyancers? Do I pay them upfront the full amount quoted? How would I have them lined up before I go out for bidding? Would I just ring up and say something along the lines of "I'm putting your name down as my solicitor, I'm going to be at a property auction"?
I'm quite new to this, I get they might be silly questions, but if I don't ask I'll never know.
For info I am in England