The night was bone-chillingly cold. The slightest whisper of a breeze nipped at my exposed ears and drafted unpleasantly within my overly large winter coat. The black, barren trees stood unmoving like sentinels bearing ominously down upon either side of the sleet-slick street, which was lit only by dim street lamps that, other than creating a dull yellow reflection on the otherwise unlit pavement, seemed to do nothing against the oppressing dark of this fateful December night.
I had passed through a wrought iron gate twenty minutes before, the gate that separated a cozy subdivision from this eerie, undeveloped stretch of road that seemed to be dropped in the middle of the forest. I could think only of my warm, lively hearth and a nice, hot cup of tea between my palms, which now, instead of being pressed against warm porcelain, were being stabbed by my untrimmed fingernails as I tightened my fist onto the leash and plunged the other still deeper into my coat.
This night was the culmination of weeks of investigation on a missing person’s case turned sour. A man named Arthur Smith had reported his four daughters missing, then hung himself three days later when we couldn’t find anything. Oddly, Arthur’s body went missing from the morgue shortly after. The only trace left was an incredible amount of flies, and we were displeased to see that every drawer was leaking a mixture of blood and embalming fluid because the refrigerant pipes burst. When we opened them up, the neck of every corpse had been slit.
Eventually, through good detective work, we were able to connect some dots, and that led us to where we were now: We were now on a manhunt for a suspect that was last seen at a gas station about a mile up the road, not two hours earlier. We checked a network of cameras to see that he had headed for the woods, grabbed the hounds, and here we were.
My colleagues and I were spread around in different parts of the forest with the police force’s seven bloodhounds. I got stuck with Old Ben, the force’s droopiest and most seasoned canine. He was partially blind and notorious for not obeying commands. He didn’t even respond to a dog whistle, which was why some of my colleagues thought his hearing was shot. I doubted this theory, though, because sure enough, when somebody whispered the word “biscuit,” Old Benny perked up and started wagging his tail.
Another ten minutes found Old Benny and I at the end of the once seemingly endless street, with the streetlamps and pavement stopping abruptly at the edge of the woods, which had not entirely swallowed up a bulldozer. Old Ben stopped and sniffed the air for a moment, then plunged down a path in the woods to our right. It was a dirt path, not two feet wide, overgrown and partially washed out, making it an unpleasant and muddy journey from here on out.
…
My flashlight was now the only source of light illuminating our way. Its beam slid over roots and rocks that jutted out of the path at odd angles and briefly swept over the nearest trees, bringing them out of the shadow for a moment. I felt claustrophobic as they bore down upon me and upon the path. The only sound was my deep breathing, my sloppy footsteps, and Benny’s blundering in the mud about ten feet in front of me.
The path turned in such a way that I could see faint moonlight up ahead, but a cloud soon covered the moon and removed the slight comfort its light had provided. I continued following the curve of the path, and pointed my flashlight up ahead. Suddenly, everything was pitch black, as my flashlight had just gone out without a flicker. I was especially annoyed because firstly, I had just replaced the batteries earlier that week, and secondly, I caught a glimpse of the dark outline of what seemed to be a small cottage up ahead, which was now invisible in the darkness.
To my surprise, Benny stopped as soon as the light went out, which made it easy for me to replace the batteries with the ones that I always carried around in my service belt. To my dismay, Benny did not continue walking when the light flickered back on, even when I started tugging on his leash. He simply sat in the mud and peered at the cottage in the distance, which I knew for a fact he couldn’t see. The cottage was incredibly run down, but I couldn’t see much more, as it was just at the edge of my flashlight beam.
I began feeling uneasy when Benny started whimpering and backing away, tail between his legs. Our dogs were trained to bark when they found something, not stand still, and certainly not whine and back away. Old Ben had never been a skittish animal; I had never seen him act like this before. I peered back at the cottage, suspecting something more sinister than I was originally prepared for.
I tied Benny loosely around a nearby tree, so he could pull away if need be, pulled out my handgun, and continued on. Not fifteen seconds later, I was hit with the smell of blood and wet dog, and heard whimpering to my left. I told Benny to stay, and turned to find him where I left him, about twenty yards behind me, looking at me like I was insane. I bent down and examined the source of the noise, only to find one of our bloodhounds laying just off the path and covered in a mixture of mud and its own blood. It was missing its hind legs and was shivering badly. I cursed and dispatched it with a quick slit with my utility knife, then unclipped its collar and stuffed it into my pocket before turning away. I did not want to alert the suspect of my position. I grew worried about the location of my colleagues, as our dogs were trained not to run off. I also wondered what kind of predator would have taken only the hind legs of an animal. I tried not to think about it as I continued on.
As the cottage grew nearer, I was able to make out a few broken windows reflecting my light back at me. Through these I was able to see that the inside of the cottage was pitch black, the darkest black I had ever seen. I walked closer still, and I couldn’t stop looking into the darkness of the cottage. The darkness was so potent it seemed to be spilling over the window sill into the crisp night air. I felt consumed. My heart began pounding within my chest, and I felt colder than ever as I stepped toward the gravel path that led around to the left of the cottage. The sudden change in surface and the sound of my feet crunching upon the gravel seemed to break my trance, and I shuddered.
I didn’t know why I had felt so trapped, and I didn’t like it. Something was definitely wrong with this situation, and my feelings of dread intensified as I followed the gravel path around to the front of the cottage.
A dripping noise interrupted my thoughts and temporarily washed the dread from my mind. I paused. I determined it was coming from the direction I was headed, but I couldn’t see the front door yet as the porch was draped with ivy. I was suddenly hit with the putrid smell I knew all too well: the smell of death. It hit my nostrils like a truck and returned my feelings of dread all at once. I shined my beam to the front steps.
There was a dark, red liquid trickling gently down the steps, pooling under the porch: blood. I looked up onto the front porch, now visible, and saw the torso of a man hanging from his neck about three feet away from the front door. His legs were nowhere to be seen, though there was a blood trail leading into the house, and his glistening entrails swayed sickeningly with the light breeze. Blood was pooling below him, trickling down the steps, and down through the cracks in the porch. It had begun coagulating, and dark swirling orbs rotated in the puddle each time a drop splashed down. I looked up again at the carcass and recognized the man as our suspect. There was frost beginning to form at the edges of his mouth and over his glassy eyes, but his exposed entrails were still steaming. Furthermore, the blood dripping from his wound was still deep red in color. The back of my neck prickled and I knew this man had not been hanging for very long. No, not very long at all.
I raised my pistol and nudged the front door open. I was again hit with the smell of death, though now much stronger, so strong I could scarcely draw breath. The inside of the cottage was unbelievably dank, and the darkness seemed to eat the quivering beam of light I pointed out in front of me, so I couldn’t see ten feet forward.
I heard a sharp crack and I bolted my gaze to my feet. I had just stepped on a human rib. Suddenly the cottage came alive with creaking and shuffling. I heard flies buzzing all around me. I heard a raspy rushing noise to my right. I shined my flashlight to where I thought the noise was coming from, but all I saw was a bloodstained floor and darkness out in front of me. I took a step toward the noise, and the beam of light revealed the glistening mangled corpse of a man, missing most of his skin, hunched in the corner of the cottage. His whole torso was heaving, and I saw the rushing noise was coming from the base of his throat, where a large gash was opening and closing with every breath, spraying flecks of fluid. Maggots wriggled out of his wound, and black purge fluid trickled from his soupy eye sockets, his missing nose, and his gaping mouth. He was missing most of his teeth, and one of his cheeks was rotted through.
I was frozen in place with fear, until, to my horror, the man’s mangled arm rose and reached out to me. At this I aimed and put a bullet through his partially exposed skull, splattering a putrid mist on the wall behind him. Instead of slumping over, as I prayed he would, the man slowly levitated into an upright position as though controlled by a puppeteer. Skin began regrowing around his legs, his torso, and eventually his skull, which sprouted two bloody horns out of his forehead. This being had the likeness of Arthur Smith, though I sensed it was no longer him. I placed two rounds into his torso, and the being staggered, but the bullet wounds simply closed with sickening squelching sounds. I backed away slowly, and he simply stood in the corner and leered at me with burning black eyes and a disconcerting grin.
I continued to back away slowly, placing one more round between his eyes. His head jerked back, but still it healed and he seemed unbothered. I bolted around and headed for the door. I jerked the handle but it wouldn't budge. I tried kicking it down, which was something I was very practiced at, but still, the rotten oak planks held fast against my will. I turned around, back against the door, firearm at the ready, and stared into the blackness. Everything was quiet once again. Despite the temperature, cold sweat beaded upon my brow and dribbled down my neck.
Suddenly I felt a rumbling that seemed to come from the very depths of the Earth. A splitting and splintering sound came from what I presumed was the center of the cottage, and I was soon showered with bits of wood and stone that nicked my exposed skin and drew droplets of blood. I noticed my back was no longer pressed against the back of the door, though I was not moving. The floor seemed to be carrying me slowly in the direction of the noise. I was frozen in place, and found that I could not change my trajectory.
My flashlight beam found the edge of a large hole in the floor. I saw dark, root-like tendrils sprout from the hole and rush across the floor with the sound of scraping and splintering. They then returned to the hole, and they had within their grasp six bare human bodies, which I horrifically realized were those of my now former colleagues. I watched in horror as their pale naked bodies were folded, torn, ripped, and broken in the churning earth. The sound of tearing flesh and cracking bone was deafening and filled the darkness of the cottage. The mass of mangled flesh formed into one chunky, glistening mound in the center of the hole. It began pulsing and rising, and horrible screams rang in my ears. I watched in horror as the mass formed a humanoid figure that rose up ten feet out of the hole and bent over against the ceiling. It was facing away from me, but its raspy voice seemed to mix seamlessly with the screams directly in my ears.
“The churning of earth, the tearing of flesh, the cracking of bone”
At this it let out a booming laugh that reverberated in my skull and shook the foundation of the building. The cottage once again came alive, but now more than ever before. Shutters were opening and closing, floorboards were rattling, flies swarmed in a huge mass around and around the room, blocking the beam of my flashlight and obscuring my view of the figure. I felt my legs quiver along with the rest of the cottage. I looked down at a red book with its pages fluttering in the still air. I dove for it and slammed it shut, and the cottage grew still. I paused for a moment, but the giant figure began turning towards me. I bolted around to see that the door was now open, but the hung corpse was clinging to the top of the door frame, now very much alive. Its entrails were still swinging freely from its short leap, and the rope lay severed and frayed upon the ground.
I paced towards the door, dumping the rest of my magazine into the corpse, which to my relief fell to the ground with a squelch. I hopped over the body and sprinted out the front door, away from the cottage, down the dirt path. I could still hear the screams of the damned faintly in the distance, and the earth began rumbling once again underneath my feet. I continued running back along the path, trying not to think about what I had witnessed. I paused for a moment to catch my breath, and shivered in the now relentless sleet.
The pounding of the earth became the distant rumble of thunder in the distance. By the time I had gotten back to the paved road, I was soaked to the bone in cold sweat and freezing rain, and I was covered up to my thighs in mud from the path. My coat was snagged and torn in places from the splinters of wood and from branches along the path.
When I finally got back to my car, I saw a leash leading underneath it, and found Old Ben, crouched below, tail between his legs. I scooped him up and plopped him in the passenger seat, entirely disregarding the former cleanliness of my car, as it was now covered in mud and dog hair. I cranked up the heat and sped off towards the station to report what I had witnessed.
…
We never did find that cottage again. Other guys went back to where I was and failed to find the path, but they did find the dismembered bodies of my colleagues hidden under the bulldozer at the end of the street. I was charged with the deaths of my colleagues and was thrown into a mental institute, but I don’t mind it much. There are people here that are far more insane than I am. The worst part is my occasional perception of a distant rumbling, and during thunderstorms I’m a whimpering mess.
I have been disciplined three times for writing symbols on the walls that I can’t get out of my head. I draw them in my blood so they stand out more and resemble what I see. I have found that once they are on the wall, they stay out of my head. Unfortunately, I haven’t finished writing them all out yet. The first time I started I got really close to finishing, but then I found myself strapped to a hospital bed.
The worst part of my new existence is the nightmares. I am plagued by images of my former colleagues: their pale dismembered bodies, the sound of cracking bone, their blood on my hands, their shrieks of pain, and the taste of flesh.

Hello once again :D
This is just a topic that has been sometime now in my mind to asses. So here is refutation of this claimed prophecy, and i might not take the "traditional" aproach to it. But i still try to show how ambigous and general the claimed prophecy is.
CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE “BEDOUINS TALL BUILDING” PROPHECY
Introduction:
The prophecy attributed to the Prophet Muhammad concerning the construction of towering edifices often interpreted with a focus on contemporary urbanization trends, particularly in the Arabian Peninsula. This critical examination delves into the historical context, socio-economic analysis, and academic perspectives to highlight several weaknesses and inconsistencies in interpreting this prophecy as a definitive indicator of the world's impending end.
Historical Context and Interpretation:
The hadith frequently cited in this context is found in Sahih Muslim, where it is reported that the Prophet Muhammad said: "You shall see the barefoot, naked, destitute herdsmen competing in constructing tall buildings" [1]. Scholars and believers have linked this prophecy to the rapid urbanization and economic growth of traditionally nomadic societies, like those in the Arabian Peninsula, citing cities such as Dubai and Riyadh with their iconic skyscrapers.
However, it is crucial to understand the context of this hadith. The reference to "barefoot, naked, destitute herdsmen" indicates a dramatic socio-economic transformation rather than merely an architectural trend. Historically, the Arabian Peninsula has experienced numerous cycles of wealth and poverty. The Nabateans, for example, built monumental structures like Petra long before the advent of Islam [2] . Thus, the construction of tall buildings can be seen as part of a broader historical pattern rather than a unique or unprecedented event.
Ambiguity and Vagueness:
One significant issue with using the prophecy of tall buildings as an eschatological sign is its inherent ambiguity. Tall buildings, defined by their vertical prominence, have existed throughout history. The ancient Egyptians constructed the Pyramids, the Romans built towering structures like the Colosseum, and medieval Europe saw the rise of cathedrals with soaring spires. Each of these could have been interpreted as "tall buildings" in their respective eras.
Moreover, the phrase "competing in constructing tall buildings" is subjective and lacks specificity. While modern skyscrapers indeed represent a competition for height, the human ambition to build higher has been a constant for millennia, driven by technological advancements and urban planning needs rather than a divine signal. Historian Lynn White, Jr. noted that the drive to construct monumental buildings is a universal phenomenon found across various civilizations throughout history [3]. This suggests that the desire to build tall structures is an inherent aspect of human societies rather than a prophetic fulfillment.
Technological and Economic Factors:
The development of tall buildings in contemporary times is primarily driven by technological progress and economic factors. Advances in engineering and materials science have made constructing skyscrapers feasible and cost-effective. Urbanization, population growth, and limited land availability in cities necessitate building upwards to maximize space. These factors are rooted in practical human needs and capabilities, not necessarily in fulfilling a prophecy.
Additionally, globalization has led to significant investments in urban infrastructure worldwide. Cities strive to build iconic structures as symbols of economic power and modernity. This global trend is motivated by economic competition and urban development strategies rather than prophetic fulfillment. Economist Edward Glaeser argues that skyscrapers are a natural result of economic incentives and the need for efficient land use in urban centers [4] .
Prophecy and Self-Fulfilling Nature:
Another critical aspect to consider is the self-fulfilling nature of prophecies. When a prophecy is widely known, it can influence people's actions and decisions. In the case of the tall buildings prophecy, awareness of the hadith could subconsciously or consciously motivate individuals in the Muslim world to engage in constructing tall buildings as a means of economic and social progress. This creates a circular logic where the prophecy appears to be fulfilled simply because people are aware of it and act accordingly.
Theological and Scholarly Perspectives:
Islamic scholars have varied interpretations of eschatological prophecies, often emphasizing metaphorical or moral lessons over literal predictions. Prominent Islamic scholar Ibn Khaldun, in his seminal work "Muqaddimah," stressed the importance of understanding the socio-political context of prophetic traditions and cautioned against overly literal interpretations [5]. His insights suggest that such prophecies should be viewed within the broader tapestry of human history and development. Certainly, here is an expanded discussion on the perspectives of scholars regarding the tall buildings prophecy, incorporating various theological and scholarly viewpoints.
Also modern Islamic scholars continue to debate the significance of the tall buildings prophecy. For instance, Dr. Yasir Qadhi, a prominent Islamic scholar, has discussed the prophecy in his lectures, highlighting that it is part of a larger set of signs meant to convey moral and ethical lessons rather than precise future events. He emphasizes that these prophecies should inspire Muslims to reflect on their spiritual state and societal responsibilities rather than to fixate on specific architectural developments [7].
Sociological Implications:
The sociological implications of prophecies, particularly those related to urban development, are profound. The construction of tall buildings in the modern era is closely tied to national pride, economic development, and globalization. Sociologist Saskia Sassen, in her research on global cities, points out that skyscrapers often serve as symbols of a city's status and economic power [6] . This perspective underscores the idea that the proliferation of tall buildings is more about human ambition and progress than fulfilling a divine prophecy.
Additionally, emphasizing tall buildings as a prophecy can have socio-political ramifications. It may influence policy decisions and urban planning in Muslim-majority countries, potentially diverting resources from more pressing social and economic issues. This focus on eschatological signs can also affect public sentiment and behavior, leading to fatalism or a sense of inevitability about the future, which can hinder proactive efforts to address contemporary challenges.
Conclusion:
When scrutinized critically and through an academic lens, the tall building's prophecy reveals significant ambiguities and lacks a concrete basis for being considered a legitimate prophecy.
Historical context, the subjective nature of what constitutes a "tall building," and the technological and economic motivations behind skyscraper construction undermine its reliability as a legit and non-self fulfilling prophecy. Instead, the proliferation of tall buildings should be viewed through the lens of human progress, technological advancements, and urban development, rather than as a prophetic prediction that lacks objective basing.
By examining the prophecy through historical, sociological, and theological perspectives, it becomes clear that the construction of tall buildings is a complex phenomenon influenced by numerous factors beyond the scope of a singular prophetic tradition.
References:
[1] Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 1.
[2] Nabateans and the history of Petra: Nabatean Civilization (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabataeans).
[3] White, Lynn Jr. "The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis." Science, 1962.
[4] Glaeser, Edward. "Triumph of the City." Penguin Press, 2011.
[5] Ibn Khaldun, "Muqaddimah," 1377. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn\_Khaldun).
[6] Sassen, Saskia. "The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo." Princeton University Press, 2001.
[7] Qadhi, Yasir Shaykh Yasir Qadhi The Signs of the End of Times, pt 1 - Introduction and the Early Fitnas

I used a Macbook M2 at a previous company and now that I am purchasing my own laptop, I was wondering if anyone could offer insight as to what the best option would be for someone that is on a very tight budget. I know it won’t be an M2. I can’t even afford the 2020 MacBook Air M1.
I need a laptop for now and then maybe in 1-2 years can upgrade to the best option for me or get one through work.
I use excel and google drive a majority of the time. Standard web browsing for pulling reports and email.
I’ve looked at Lenovo and HP. I’m not savvy with computer specs😕 Just looking for help and advice. TIA!

This is my first office job, and therefore the first time I’ve gotten an employee review. However, a lot of the things brought up in the meeting weren’t true and seemed to be brought up to pad the small mistakes I’ve made.
For example: my employer wrote that I had assumed a certain task didn’t need to be done until July without asking. But that’s not what happened. I got the email about the task at 10 AM. This task was labeled 2024-2025 FY (we work at a university so our FY ends in June). My boss approved my work on the task at 1 PM and I immediately responded asking if this should be done during the next fiscal year or not. I didn’t assume anything.
And a lot of things were little questions people had about my work that I would’ve answered and resolved quickly if I had been asked about them directly.
It feels vindictive, especially since I was given a warning for it. But idk if this is just bureaucratic paperwork stuff or if it’s something I should contest. I did contest these points on the report, but idk if I should be doing anything else? Any advice?

Context, last year I was head over heels for a girl who put little to no effort into the relationship in return, I was conflicted by her actions and our experiences all the while i was reading 1984 by George Orwell. I wrote this at a desk in a school hallway in isolation.
Genre: General essay?
14.5.24
To my love,
I’m stuck sitting in isolation with absolutely nothing to do. I’ve crammed so much of 1984 into my head that I’ll need to push some of it out. 1984 is a lot to read. Maybe it’s the way I read it or maybe it’s the pacing but sometimes I'll be reading it and find myself relating to it in a way. A quote stuck with me;”He pulled her round so that they were breast to breast; her body seemed to melt into his.” It reminded me of way back in the abandoned Asda stairwell when I melted into her- semi-conflicted between love and lust. After the stairwell got closed off; I felt as though I had lost a part of me too. I even found another stairwell but I knew it wouldn't be the same. It would feel forced, like how I turned her into me so that we could face each other. Sure it wasn’t with the intention of making out but it wasn't thought through first- almost impulsively. In1984, a couple pages later, it speaks about the kisses turning hard; unlike the smooth, butter-like melt they were before. I can feel that. It’s almost vivid. I feel as though after the thing with Austin, everything kinda crashed. When [NAME] had red hair, it was almost like she was infatuated with me. When she dyed it back to normal, I felt as if I had lost that. I could be delusional but when she said she hated who she was with the red hair, it kinda stuck with me. Overall, It’s very on-off. One moment I find myself fantasizing about marriage; the next, I see myself breaking up with her on the horizon. But after that first DM on insta, I promised myself it wouldn’t be a repeat of everyone else, she wouldn’t be a lesson or a test, she would be the practical, the real fucking thing. The one who kept me up at night simply with the thought of her. Is it bad if I relate to WInston? Lost and conflicted within society and using writing and reading as a means of escape. It isn’t necessarily illegal but the stuff I write feels like it could be critiqued in a way that makes it resistant- pushing against the normal methods of writing. Actually, I despise Winston. He let temptation overcome him. Sure, his environment may have dictated him into fantasizing rape but I still think that shit’s inexcusable. He still thinks fondly of it afterwards when having sex as well. Orwell is so fucking good at writing though. How can someone write so vividly that I have to stop, think and reflect upon my life and experiences. I think I’ll show [NAME]this paper. I’m not 100% sure she’ll read it; my feelings tend to be insignificant to her. But if someone wrote something about me, I’d be ever-so-curious to find out their perspectives. I also find it quite funny how Winston blabbers on to Julia about death but she abruptly shuts him up. Maybe that’s why she wanted me to read it (I need to stop yapping about death in situations where it’s uncalled for). When I write this, it’s like I’m texting her but she isn’t texting back. Or it’s like when I say something drunk with the drowsiness of fatigue and she reads it in the morning and that shit doesn’t hit the same AT ALL. I still remember when she was in Nottingham and we called the entire night. A part of me hopes that next time she calls (if she even does) we will get back into the swing of things and we can rebuild that bond. But for it to happen, I need to take a step back and stop being so fucking high maintenance. I’m constantly writing. My head has an endless flowing dialogue of words waiting to be scribed but not all of them do. Sometimes it feels like i feel too much; I feel so much; so much so that it numbs me to feeling. I’m not sure if you can relate but it’s like bubble wrap almost. Pumped up with feeling, any other emotion bounces right off. Or like a mental paracetamol, that kind of numbness. When [NAME] said that paracetamol burns holes in your stomach; I guess that's why when I feel numb, the words pour right out. Mental paracetamol should be a coined term. I feel like Shakespeare when I say that. Actually, right now, I feel like I’m in a void, a medium almost. A confined corner; trapped by the constant sounds of expensive dress shoes slamming against the hallway floors. I hope she reads this. I hope anyone reads this. I am seeking attention even in solitary confinement. I guess it’s inevitable for “just another kid with ADHD''. I think I’d like to write a book for her. Not in a puppy love-esque way; instead to make something she can enjoy. I’d have to binge a fuck -tonne of feminist literature to make it work. I’d have to live, breathe and regurgitate Sylvia Plath just to make something enjoyable for her (I’m kidding of course). (Not really). I’ve written so much- this could probably count as a fucking book. I’m not sure where she would even find the time to read this. She’ll probably lump it alongside the Smint container (filled with poems for her) to read when we break up. I think perspective changes a lot about a book. It’s not entirely how a book is written; instead, it’s about how you approach it or how you are introduced to it. I’ve been very pessimistic and pushy-away-ey recently. Regardless, I won’t cross anything out unless it’s a typo. I think it indirectly shows progression of a character especially when it’s in the form of hypophora almost. I want to write the best book ever and then die and have no-one read it. I think that's more significant than writing a shitty book and campaigning and promoting and all this consumerist bullshit. If you were proud of your work, you wouldn’t promote it, you would let it find its reader. For me, I’d put it in those tiny bird box community libraries that no one uses. Therefore, if someone craved my work, they could find it in a place they wouldn't look for it. Not for my book to gather dust on a tall decorative bookshelf. This is a bit of a rant i know. SOmetimes I’ll yap and let the words flow instead of actively writing them. Writing words is the worst way to write. You need to apply emotion and let the words unravel themselves. At least, that’s how I write, critique it however the fuck you want. I was once told that my writing is like a conversation- you know the ones where the other person keeps blabbering and you can’t get a word in. I don’t read enough to know if it’s unique or not but I know why I do it. It’s like I’m conversing with myself. I might throw a name in there or add some direct address. This might be breaking the fourth wall a bit but i guess the entire nature of this essay is. I need to read over my writing one day- I hate to do it but I think I’d learn a lot about myself if i did so. My writing feels a little bit lost at sea. It’s very jumpy from one topic to the next- like scrolling on tiktok. Also, I think there's a mix of me searching for empathy via slight victimization and undertones of slight narcissism. I’m probably over analyzing but I like my writing. Me personally, i get lost in the labyrinth of the lines and curvature of the letters. Will i regret writing so much? I mean sure, I guess a part of me will live on forever in my writing. But, then again, it’s wasting my life. I’d like to live- living is not writing. Living is not reading. To live is to experience with every sense possible. If I see, I am not living. If i smell, I am not living. But, to hear, to smell, to feel, to see and to taste simultaneously is to live. When living isn’t enough, I can understand why people resort to reading and writing. It’s ever-so-simple. I wish I can see [NAME] soon though. I’ll wish for it at 22:22 if i have to. Or on a shooting star. Or maybe even on a stray eyelash. I miss you[NAME]. I was going to say “I crave you” but that’s too sexual and comes with a million connotations. Saying “I require you” is too formal and needy. I think I should stick to the usual. What if i didnt say “I miss you” but instead I said “I miss your warm and enveloping embrace.” Maybe then she would text back.
This is fucking delusion,
From yours truly,
Raffy

I've just completed my re-read of all of Stormlight in anticipation of the WaT coming out later this year. To say I'm excited for the new book would be an understatement.
Throughout my time reading Sanderson's works (Stormlight first then Mistborn Era 1+2, then everything else), I had largely considered Rhythm to be the weakest of the Stormlight series, with rating being something like Oathbringer as a 9.5, WoK a 9, Words of Radiance 8, Rhythm 7.
On my re-read however my view of Rhythm improved markedly and several of the issues I had originally seemed to fall away:

1. Kaladin repeats his storyline from the first two books.
2. Navani's storyline with Raboniel felt like lore dumping instead of the slow trickle discovery that worked so well in the Way of Kings
3. Venli's flashbacks are so boring that Eshonai actually just takes them over.
4. Szeth straight up murdering Taravangian is just written off by Dalinar, etc.
5. Kal's big 4th ideal moment is so convoluted they need to bring in time-slowing, speaking across continents and is separated by so many other moments that it loses all tension of Kal falling after Lirin

1st: The first was my biggest complaint. I had always thought Kaladin just replays his arc from the first novels, but on re-read, he is actually learning to grow beyond his old coping mechanism: his men and Bridge 4. Needing to fight and protect them was the identity he created to deal with being enslaved and watching of his squad being murdered by Amaram, but he's growing past that now.
2nd: On re-read I really really appreciated the Navani-Raboniel relationship more and feel like I glossed over this too fast in my first read. Raboniel ends up being a great character and a very interesting looking at someone utterly desperate to escape the prison of a life she is placed in by this eternal war. Navani's appreciation for her near the end after ending her daughter's life and her scenes with Moash were after all.
3rd: Conversely, this one seemed to be an even stronger take than before. Venli's chapters really just felt insufferable to me. I realize her story is about the awful things that happen with a literal child being forced to be responsible for the survival of her people, but her storyline just doesn't feel believable, especially the scenes in Kholinar where she just does everyone's bidding while igniting a war that effectively dooms multiple nations.
4th: This one....really doesn't make sense to me. I hope this is something addressed in WaT, but Szeth walked into Taravangian's room and just murdered a prisoner. We the reader know that Taravangian escaped and took up the shard of Odium, so never actually died....but Dalinar in the Radiants legitimately thing he murdered an elderly prisoner in cold blood with no authorization or process of justice. Dalinar immediately sending him on a mission to Shinovar with Kaladin seems insane given these circumstances.
5th: On re-read I liked this scene much more than I did in my original read, but I feel like it was just overdone so much. Dalinar's forgiveness scene in Oathbringer I think was the perfect template for Kaladin falling through the storm. It would have been better for him as a character to overcome his unwillingness to say the Fourth Ideal on his own, but even if he needed Dalinar to help him, then it would have been better to keep his entire falling plot within a single chapter instead of chopping it up so much. The constant jump cuts really ruined the tension of his fall and his return.
That was really just a stream of consciousness on the books as I finished them, but a few theories I have:

1. Kaladin is re-walking the same paths that Tanavast walked long in the past. In WoKs Kaladin almost ends his life at the HONOR chasm, presumably where Honor was splintered. The Stormfather later tells Dalinar that Tanavast loved humans and died protecting them. My guess would be Tanavast made a promise to protect both the Singers and the Humans, and was torn apart trying to honor both of those promises much like Kal was during WoR trying to protect Elhokar while also agreeing to help his murderers. More on this right below.
2. In Mistborn era 1, we are continually led to believe Vin will be the Hero of Ages, but in the end Sazed takes up both shards to form Harmony. Scadrial at the time was plagued by so many environmental disasters that the person to take up the power of the shards needed to be wise enough to use the power to remake the world itself: a task that Vin would have been incredibly ill suited for. I think a story conclusion is very similar in Stormlight, the true problem Roshar faces is the cycle of eternal war that destroys the planet and its people of both Singer and human descent. The person to eventually take up Honor / Odium / Cultivation etc. must be someone who can legitimately bring an end to the war and find a way to peacefully coexist. Kal so far seems like the best example, Dalinar is intent on leading the Radiants as a military force to oppose Odium directly, while Kal has had significant time with the Singers and humans of every kind, and he sees them as no different from each other.
3. Odium's offer to Dalinar near the end of the book, where the contest of champions is hashed out seems to have some spoilers: Odium: "Though I will be able to focus my attentions on sending agents to the rest of the Cosmere, using what I've conquered here as enough for now." as an addendum to the terms Dalinar demands if he wins. In Mistborn Era 2 we see two groups that are agents of Odium (the Skybreakers and the Iriali) operating on Scadrial. This seems like it indicates that Dalianr will be victorious and Odium will focus on sending agents to other planets and systems.
4. Dalinar: "I intend to be my own champion, I'll have died if you win." Odium "Yesssss, you will have. And you will give your soul to me. You Dalinar will join the Fused. You will become immortal." Human Fused are confirmed then. Who do we know wanted to become immortal and was generally a huge asshole who caused most of these problems? Gavilar. My pet theory is Gavilar will be Odium's champion when it is revealed that Odium made him a Fused after Szeth killed him. Gavilar being Odium's champion is a great explanation for why we start every single book looking at Gavilar through a different perspective in the prologues and will be a great emotional moment for Dalinar to face off against Gavilar one final time. No one else seems like it will have the same emotional weight as Gavilar, bringing a random Fused we've never heard of to get stomped by Dalinar would be anti-climatic while Gavilar could be an excellent twist for the series with lots of pontential foresadowing left to us in the prologues.

Monster wall of text, but just tons of thoughts as I just finished the novels again yesterday.

Today’s one page challenge is for The City in the Clouds by J.B. Williams. Finally, a requested challenge, rather than the usual cycle of me finding a story and the person being triggered that I did so. At 234 pages and a whopping price tag of $20.99 for a paperback, it’s a wonder why it looks untouched. Flip some burgers for an hour to pay for this… whatever it is. I was told the editor is good, so let’s see how he gummed up the works.
The rules of the one page challenge are simple: I go through the first page of the book(about 300 words or 3 paragraphs) and say where the average reader would stop. These reviews are short, sweet, and to the point (unlike most of these books). The main things we look for are things like tension, a hint at the plot existing, good feng shui, a feeling like the blurb is accurate, a lack of obfuscation, and the story fulfilling its role as a story. As we go along, I’ll explain why readers love or hate certain elements and we’ll see what straws break the camel’s back.
The title, The City in the Clouds, makes me think of fantasy, but it’s meant to be sci-fi. Clouds symbolize knowledge beyond our reach or something like daydreaming, treated as water in air(mystery in knowledge). Saying the title this way makes it seem like the focus is the city itself, which would be cool if it was something like a dystopian or utopian story. Maybe a tech noir or detective story, but… it’s not. This story is actually about a woman, and it’s a comedy, completely conflicting with the genre in two ways.
I didn’t want to say this but Huston… we’re already having problems.
The ebook cover is a drawing of curly haired woman staring at the camera like she’s constipated, while the paperback version is of an anime girl holding a gun and looking like she has diarrhea. Both versions have her in a suit, with a giant gas planet behind her. Both have similar fonts for the title and name, but the ebook version is so blurred and darkened that it reads like a secret message; the physical version being slightly less blurry. If I saw this on a shelf, I wouldn’t recognize this as a book or know what it was called. I find it strange because the back of the book is very clear, given a blue box for clarity, and has a sun with a red sky that would have made more sense than these frumpy women.
I guess the title and name are made illegible because we’re supposed to zoom our eyes straight to the blurb:

Robin Alia Brook is considered a loser. She works at customer service for one of the largest companies in humanity's interstellar empire, gets stood up on dates, and accidentally kills people. Then when her ex-online boyfriend gives her the winning vacation lottery ticket to the famed habitat, The City of Clouds, she reluctantly accepts it.
Upon arrival, she is greeted by the massive, beautiful gas giant Bellona, and all the glamour and prospects of expansion for the famous habitat. And it is the beginning of a celebration, too! For the election of the new habitat captain! But the celebration and vacation are ruined when pirates attack, seeking the captain's riches.
They are ruthless, they are bloodthirsty, and they won't stop until they get what they want. Unfortunately for the pirates, Robin is really good at accidentally killing people, and with her is a rag tag team of a pilot recruit, an egotistical journalist, a veteran photographer, and the captain himself.
It will be a long battle for The City of Clouds, and the outcome is unknown, but one thing is certain... This is the worst vacation ever.

Slight grammar issues here and there, but most wouldn’t notice that “ex-online boyfriend” would mean the boyfriend was online and not anymore. The delivery is a little bouncy, almost appropriate, but doesn’t give much tone from how much info it tries to cram in. Something I noticed is that very little sci-fi is mentioned, with the only thing giving a sci-fi vibe being the idea of traveling to another planet. If this was a vacation to an island, very little would change from how it’s described. Like the title and name on the cover, a lot of what makes this book a book is hidden from us, in plain sight.
At this point, the average reader would probably not give it a shot, unless the idea of pirates and an ironic Die Hard premise is their cup of tea.
No prologue, no maps, no glossary, just a simple chapter 1 to greet us. Ok, I’m liking this already. I know this is a small thing, but the simplicity of just starting a story is a blessing that should be the norm, and isn’t. I haven’t read a single word and this is already the best OPC so far. Yes, it’s that easy.
Don’t ruin the experience with all your fancy try-hard nonsense and the reader will be in hog heaven.
We are told the planet, sector, system, and date. Very effective in establishing the sci-fi element in this single aside, which also lets us know it’s 400 years in the future. The planet is named Andromeda, which is a well known galaxy, so if this is in that galaxy, I assume it’s going for a “New York, New York” type of gag. The editor did a good job, with the first page establishing a scene in a restaurant. What he messed up on was… everything that’s not the scene itself, which makes up 90% of the words.
The protagonist, Robin Alia Brook has her day off described as “shot in the face”, being delivered in present tense and this has it come out awkwardly. I say this because the second sentence is past tense, then it shifts back to present, back to past. This is why people stick with past tense to avoid the headache, and present tense is now used as a hipster novelty to act as if things are more important because they’re happening as they’re written. Most readers just find it as a distraction and it causes something niche to become more niche in the process. The first paragraph ends with us being told that she’s in a restaurant that is 500 feet under the sea, of a planet called Andromeda.
She is to be dining, but she is NOT dining because her date didn’t show. Cue the audience gasping, because this is a travesty. The part that really kills this opening is the sentence “She is currently obtaining nutrients through Poseidon's generous supply of free lemons water and cheesy garlic biscuits.” This was the perfect chance for worldbuilding, to express something futuristic and fresh. Instead, it tied itself to Earth, talked about mundane food like lemon water, and it didn’t use any of these for a punchline.
This is meant to be a comedy, but is absent of comedy. We don’t need a bunch of humor in the first paragraph, but we do expect a comedy to present a tone that can lead to humor occurring. Every scene for a comedy is a setup for gags and punchlines. Much like horror, the scene is built around the mood, which is brought to a peak around half way. The introduction of a comedy book is going to hold a joke in relation to the entire book.
I believe the blurb when it says this Robin character can kill things by accident, because this book dies right after she’s introduced, around the second paragraph. The third paragraph changes the subject to be about other people in the restaurant, acting as a distraction that leads to infodumps of Robin’s outfit and such. I understand that the “joke” is that this woman is stood up on her date and we are to feel her anguish, but the reader shouldn’t be suffering through the opening this soon. Starting here is either far too late or far too soon. If anything, this is something I expect in chapter 2 or something we hear about as she’s on her way to Bellona.
A good way to put it is that this scene is a non-sequitur done in order to give fashion statements, with the important exposition ignored for window dressing.
The average reader needs tension to get sunk into a sci-fi story, because this is a planet we don’t know about with a character we’ve never seen before. What is the point of having this restaurant so deep underwater? There is a city underwater? She has a job, but where does she work? At the Krusty Krab?
Non-sequitur is a distraction that removes us from the scene and the plot to explain things that don’t serve a purpose to either. If I changed the first sentence to only hold what was part of the scene, it would be the characters name and nothing more. To strengthen an opening like this, we would have to set it up for a punchline, reinforce the sardonic tone, and tie the scene with the situation. The first sentence would go like:

Five hundred feet below the sea’s surface, Robin could not stop drinking.

This will give the impression that she’s getting drunk, while attaching her drinking to the sea outside, giving the impression that she’s drowning. But even then, I wouldn’t start here, I would begin with a comedic amount of assurance that she’s going to have her date show up, then the next scene is her waiting with this. That, or I would have her doing the walk of shame, allowing the plot to begin sooner when she gets her golden ticket, which would be like:

The ocean floor outside was slowly swallowed by darkness as the elevator pod took Robin away from Poseidon.

Here, we have a moment for her to think back to the situation, and the word “darkness” gives hint to her current feeling about the restaurant. This is a setup for the punchline that follows, already skipping the failed date and able to move forward to the poster she sees in the elevator. Movies tend to do this type of exposition with the main character telling the situation to another person, who is helpless to escape. That can add more humor and make the main character express their personality quirks. The goal is for less opening to be used up for non-sequitur and to focus it on moving forward in relation to the plot.
For a story like this, the rejection comes from a lack of being straightforward. We can always fix up a sentence and how it sounds, but this doesn’t mean much when the bones are disjointed. Thankfully, for this one, a lot of readers are used to openings like this from online serials, so there is hope that a lot of it will get a pass. It’s that first hump that it has to get over in order to shine. Sadly, for little Robin, that hump was not achieved, so her journey through the city in the cloud might as well not exist.

With the addition of the 30-win nuke contracts, many of us have an occasional shot at dropping a nuke even if a 5 win streak is out of reach. I'm an above average but non-demon player who has done both nukes this season and wanted to share some tips to help others get their first nuke.
General:

1. The lobby is everything. Nuking in a 0.6KD lobby where half the enemies don't shoot back is 100x easier then nuking in a 1.4kd lobby where there are multiple sweat teams hawking you down. I highly recommend getting your squad on early in the morning for easy lobbies, and check for sweats in the pregame lobby / report menu (crim+ ranked or nuke skins/emblems/calling cards). If you see sweaty players, back out and requeue.
   
2. If you don' t have a solid squad, try to find some experienced nukers to help you out. There are a lot of sketchy people out there and those who will ask for $ for carry "services", but there are also some solid discord communities of people who are happy to help just for the fun of it and to get their nuke count up.
   
3. Don't pick up the contract if you get a bad start. If someone in your squad dies off rip, or you don't collect much cash (resurgence), or all of the helicopters are taken (BR), just chalk the run and don't waste the contract.
   
4. Watch at least a few up to date nuke guides on youtube so you have a complete understanding of the steps involved, strategies, and optimizations. I won't cover those here since they are well-covered elsewhere.
   
5. Make sure everyone knows their jobs. Don't wait until you are in the middle of a run to discuss who is holding elements, etc. At the same time, everyone should have an understanding of all roles so they can fill in and stay flexible if someone else dies.
   
6. Accept that most nuke attempts fail. This is hard to swallow, but important for your sanity. Nuke runs involve a ton of randomness, and a run can go out the window for one of many reasons. Don't become too mentally invested in an attempt.
   

Big Map specific:

1. I had more success with faster runs, move quickly to get all of the elements and arm before the zone forces other teams to you. We armed our first successful nuke during 3rd zone.
   
2. You can shoot down the PU helicopter from a far distance, especially if you have a javelin launcher. Everyone should have a javelin loadout that they can optionally pick up. Drop the javelin and buy your second gun once the chopper is down.
   
3. Once you are at bomb site, use any spare time you have to shoot down any redeploy zips you can see. This will slow down teams that are trying to fly to you to disarm.
   
4. Drop a portable buy station near the bomb site. Use it to buy back teammates and spam streaks on the bomb after you arm.
   

Resurgence specific:

1. Only run contracts on Rebirth, and only do them once you have access to the easter egg phone. The phone takes time off the element timers and gives you cash, both of which are a huge help.
2. The element timers are longer for each additional person in your squad. Quads is probably the hardest size to do, and I personally thing duos is the easiest.
3. You must arm the bomb with at least one enemy alive. This is a huge pain because you often end up in a situation at end game where you can't kill the last enemy while you still need to plant the elements and arm the nuke. Once it is armed, you can kill the final enemy and you will automatically get the nuke without waiting for the 2 minute timer. People can grief you by suiciding to end your nuke run.

Contract notes:

1. Contracts / wins may or may not carry over to next season. Previously, they reset for each season, but I confirmed that wins did carry over last season. I have heard conflicting information on contracts carrying over. No one can know for sure unless activision makes a statement.
2. You can stack wins towards a 30 contract while already holding a contract. Your wins do not go to waste, at least not until you have two contracts stacked up (60 wins).
3. If you get a 5 win streak, you can stack a 30 win contract on top of it, but if you already have a contract when you get the 5 win streak, you will not get another contract.
4. You can continue to play games normally while holding a contract, it will not be consumed until you pick it up during a game.
5. Your teammates can see you contract now, but they cannot pick it up.
6. Once you pick up the contract, that is your one shot, there is no way to cancel it or redo it, you will need to earn another contract for another attempt.
7. Special modes do not count towards wins or streaks (loaded resurgence).
8. BR wins/streaks are independent of resurgence wins/streaks.
9. Wins/streaks carry over across squad sizes. For example winning 2 BR solos then 3 BR quads consecutively will give you your 5 win streak contract.

Hello everyone,
Today I bought the Ultimate Edition of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey via Uplay and was able to play it for 4 hours on Amazon Luna (since I have access through Amazon Prime).
However, I noticed a problem: When the output language is set to, for example, German or French, the lips of the game characters do not move at all during dialogues (I am not talking about lip sync, but rather that the mouths of the characters remain closed the entire time). In English, everything is normal.
Now my question is, has anyone here had the same experience, so can confirm or deny the problem? Has anyone perhaps already found a fix for this issue?
Furthermore, is there any way to contact the developers or Amazon Luna support directly so that this problem can be reported?

The four elements of creation. Fire, water, earth and air, comprise the characteristics of all that is within the visible and the invisible universe. Seen on the elemental square. The characteristics of each element is described by their image and likeness. For example: Fire is dry and hot, water is wet and cold. Air is wet and hot, and earth is cold and dry. All created things (creatures) have an image and likeness - that manifest in the visible and invisible universe. For example, one may have a cold demeanour, a dry sense of humour, a hot appearance or idiomatically, be a wet rag.
These four elements were created by God and denoted in the book of Genesis. In the first chapter of the Bible, Genesis one. The statement God “calls” is written five times in regards to naming his creation. (1) The light was called Day, (2) the darkness was called night, (3) the firmament was called Heaven, (4) the dry land was called earth and (5) the waters were called seas. Looking closely through the lens of the LAW OF CORRESPONDENCE. We observe that each naming ceremony written in the first book of Genesis denotes one of the four elements. With one additional element - ether - attributed to the darkness.

I swear I remember reading a book about parasites with several interesting chapters showcasing reasons why we actually need them, and one of them talked about a town (I think?) that started experiencing problems/people were getting sick because their water was TOO clean/purified and it threw peoples’ microbiomes off or something. Was that a real thing/place where something like this happened?? Any help identifying the book would be appreciated too!
I’d also just love to know in general if this is a real concept and any specific examples/cases of this happening, because whenever I try to Google it I just end up getting results about the Flint water crisis!

• At 4yo (No joke) I would throw kisses/kiss/hug people I got infatuated with. No matter if known, or just met in public and generally guys. One day, however, my Ma & I were walking through a public park as we passed a group of teens/young adults - including a "beautiful dark-skinned young woman with long black hair". According to my mother, the second I saw this woman, I immediately let go of her hand: Running after the young woman and grabbing HER hand instead. According to my mother I had an "intense smile and stare about me" like she never saw and, ofc threw kisses after her, once dragged away
• At 8yo, I'd read my mother's "big books" (I always forget the name, sorry). They included folklore, legends etc. along with beautiful A3-prints of paintings accompanying the stories. I. Was. So obsessed with the drawing of serene women. Big, small, thick, thin, mortal, nymphs...till this day, I wish I could kiss one.
• At 10yo, I played an online MMORPG. The MMORPG included a "dating" function, but all the male players seemingly acted like assholes. In true Ouran Hostclub Fashion, I decided "I bet I could be a better boyfriend than all of these men!" and created a male character. My online "relationship" lasted 1-2 years
• 11yo: Had a small petty meltdown over Kim Possible ending up with Ron Stoppable. "But Shego is way prettier!" :(
• At 13-14yo, my Pa dragged me to an art-convention. One of his mates drew very realistic pin-up drawings of women -gifting me a postcard as a joke. I kept that Postcard till I moved out at 19yo.
• 14yo: First "gay panic" cause of how attracted I was to a classmate. Imagine a 14yo Marilyn Monroe, incl. the absolute photogenic qualities. Which I am simply highlighting, cause this girl could also draw and I stared at her perfect portrait every time I passed the art-wing of my school.

Anyway, these are just a few examples. Obv. there are more 14+, but obv. most assholes that spout this "oh no LGBTQ+ are groomers" rhetoric, believe that kids below 10yo+ are straight white slates till "tainted". A thing which...as you can see...is pretty bullshit.

Hello! I have a Master's in Library and Information Science and I was previously a school librarian for five years. The current political climate in the US (with certain populations wanting to ban books and make my life hell) forced me to find other employment. I came home sobbing every day for six months because things were so awful. I now work as an Academic Advisor at a R1 University (salary $46,000 in LCOL southern state). I am getting burned out by this job after just over 18 months; I don't understand what our purpose is, and I am tired of the menial tasks. Everything we tell students is public information, and we are supposed to regurgitate this information to students with ZERO creativity or deviation. For example, I just finished checking all my students grades for the past semester and telling little Johnny to change his schedule if he failed a class. Keep in mind, these students are 18-24, they should KNOW when they failed a course. I am 27 and I just feel very lost. I do not want to go back to traditional school if I can help it. I want to look into other careers, but I do not know what to look for or where to start. Please help.

Hi all, new Tyranid player here, I own a leviathan box and have access to another one that a friend has. I was wondering if you can get a decently functioning 1000 pt list out of these 2 boxes or do I need to source more models? If so, any example lists? I Frequently play against space marines and guard for reference.

Almost every job I’ve had there’s always that one person that will jump at any opportunity to report their coworkers for every perceived infraction. These people get a sick pleasure out of putting other peoples employment in danger.
I work at a nursing home and I’ve recently discovered we have another one of those people in the staff. Examples:
There is a large bird cage with many colorful birds that fly around and is very nice to look at. Some of the residents like to sit and watch the birds for a while, this is very common. I was told by Betty that she wanted to watch the birds after lunch so I wheeled her over to the cage and planned to check up on her in about 20 mins. Well come to find out this staff member reported me for “neglecting the residents”. I explained to my boss and she knew it was a bullshit report. But WTF?!?!
Same person reported my coworker for “yelling at the residents”. Most of these people have hearing loss and not everyone can afford hearing aids so we have to speak loudly, not yell. My coworker is the most gentle guy I’ve met, he would never yell at them.
The same person reported another coworker for “putting inappropriate TV channels on”. There is a common area with a big TV that we usually put the news on or some PG sitcom for them to watch. Turns out the “inappropriate” channel was an ad for the real housewives that came on during commercial break.
I’ve learned to stay tf away from this person and only communicate when absolutely necessary. But wtf is wrong with these types of people? Are you so sad and bored in your life that you have to threaten peoples employment to feel better about yourself?
TLDR: people at work who report anything and everything to get people in trouble

Ever-shifting Short Seller Claims

The short sellers attacking RILY in 2023-2024 have been relentless (currently 57% of float sold short per FinViz), with an ever-shifting list of wild accusations.
It's sickening to watch them compile a never-ending list of baseless wild theories and claims to support their short positions, which are demonstrably false. But as each is proved false, they pivot to new claims, and/or change the goalposts.
The sheer volume of shifting claims makes it hard to track how despotic they are with their "platform," and how many falsehoods they've spun. Even for someone who watched it in real-time, for almost a year

Compiled & Debunked

Sunlight kills vampires. To that end, I've compiled a list of (i) claimants (ii) claims (iii) reality (iv) definitive source proving reality.

Why Did They Target RILY?

One of the most vocal short sellers, Nate Koppikar (who also introduced Marc Cohodes to the "opportunity") has a fund Orso Partners. Based on their SEC registration document, this is their investment thesis:
"The Account’s investment objectives are to achieve capital appreciation primarily by identifying and selling short marketable equity securities of underfollowed and complex companies with misleading or corrective disclosures through a research-intensive process. The Account employs a short-biased investment strategy with an emphasis on primarily small to mid-cap companies that are underfollowed and complex (i.e., companies with market capitalizations of less than $5 billion which the market does not yet have a wellformed bull and/or bear perspective)."
RILY fits their description. The icing on the cake was the relatively large market cap, and the relatively small float. Given extremely high insider ownership (32.9% of shares per the proxy), and limitations on when and how insiders can trade, the "free float" of the stock (i.e., the shares that regularly trade) is very small for the size of the company. Moreover, the setup would only get better - given insiders have consistently used their free cash to buy additional shares hand-over-fist (further reducing the float).
That meant, with relatively small amounts of capital, the short sellers could shove around the stock price. That ability to move price opens another profit avenue - taking large derivative positions (buying puts, and selling calls), and shoving the price (or allowing it to drift up) to profit all along the way. It looked so good, the stock has been the highest-shorted on the US indices for several months. Even after the release of the 10-K, shares remain "hard to borrow" with elevated borrow fees.

Debunked Claims

The claims made by vocal short sellers could fill a book. Most were outrageous and fanciful when they were proposed. Virtually all have objectively debunked. This isn't a comprehensive list, as their claims are too numerous and varied. But it paints an illuminating picture.
With a track record this poor, one would expect the short sellers to exit - rather than continuing to spin new narratives. Perhaps the continued attacks are their exit strategy to avoid bankruptcy... Well, #Bullish.
With the highest short interest of all US stocks (albeit likely decreased from the highs of ~76% of the float), I think this is more than ripe for a return to fair value - or well above, if a short squeeze occurs.
Note: this sub disallows image posts. There is a similar post in the RILYStock sub which contains virtually all source images for the claim in the comments (too many images to embed in the post). The source images are illuminating.
Note that the list below deliberately excludes three types of posts/claims from the short sellers:
A) Juvenile personal attacks and attempts to character assassinate and dox a long list of people (RILY CEO, RILY new hires, RILY clients, Marcum the auditor, Marcum's lead audit professional, any firm or individual publicly posting a bull thesis on RILY, etc.).
B) Those that make no objective claims, but simply exist as a product of malicious degeneracy (like pictures of roasted pigs in ovens labeled Bryant Riley the CEO, photoshopped pictures of the CEO in prison chains next to convicted felons, video of an obese woman barely able to walk being gored by a bull labeled Mrs. Riley the CEO's wife, etc.).
C) Those that are impossible for short sellers to know, and impossible to objectively verify (e.g., Marc Cohodes claiming a single RILY trader front runs the CEOs personal short trades in front of clients taking following the firm's bullish advice on those stocks, to guarantee profits).

Claimant	Claim	Reality
1) Wolfpack	Wolfpack “RILY will record investment losses of up to ~$700 million in 2023” FALSE 10-K	FALSE
2) Wolfpack	“new loan to CORZQ will work out just as badly as the last and end in default (again) before June 2023”	Repaid in fullFALSE , early, on 1/6/2024.
3) Wolfpack	“The coupon rate on RILY’s seven issues of baby bonds ranges from 5% to 6.75%, which we believe to be far too low to compensate investors for the existential risk that accompanies these securities.”	Full redemption FALSE of May 2024 came early. Far more than sufficient cash to cover debt payments.
4) Wolfpack	“According to our analysis, 4 of RILY’s largest 7 corporate borrowers with outstanding loan balances of $295.3 million are at a high risk of default, or in the case of CORZQ, is already in default.”	Core Scientific IncExela Technologies Arena Group Holdings FALSE a. . repaid early and in full ($111MM of the “risk”) b. repaid term loan in full ($55.8MM of the “risk”) c. debt retired in full ($99MM of the “risk”). Publicly disclosed in the most recent 10-K for each company (search for "Riley" in the filing)
5) Wolfpack	“RILY’s NAV is Far Below the $1.1 Billion Minimum NAV Requirement That Is Required for the Nomura Credit Agreement Putting RILY at Risk of Collapse in 2023”	is in full compliance FALSE RILY with the Nomura credit agreement. Moreover, reflecting the strength of the relationship, Nomura even granted a no-fee extension when the 10-K filing was delayed. Also see 10-K for current status.
6) Wolfpack	“Over $200 Million of the Goodwill and Intangible Assets on RILY’s Balance Sheet is Attributable to its Telecom Rollup, which is Centered on Dial-up and DSL Internet:” - criticizing them as dying businesses with no value	extremely valuableFALSE Segment is . From just 2020 to 2023, the communications segment has returned over $212.2MM in adjusted EBITDA.
7) Nate Koppikar (TheFriendlyBear) + Bill Abbate Jr. (JrAbbate), Various	RILY committed fraud with loans and closing the FRG acquisition. "The fact $RILY closed the FRG deal while hiding the Kahn loan - an all PIK defaulted loan backed by $FRG shares - is a Hall of Fame worthy act of fraud. I thought after Enron/Sarbox we couldn't have something like this happen in US markets."	FALSE A law firm led an internal investigation, and an independent external investigation both found “The review confirmed what the Company previously disclosed: that the Company and its executives, including Bryant Riley, had no involvement with, or knowledge of, any of the alleged misconduct concerning Prophecy.” “The results of the independent investigation confirmed that the Company and its executives had no involvement with, or knowledge of, any of the alleged misconduct concerning Mr. Kahn or any of his affiliates. This independent investigation was conducted subsequent to the Company's February 22, 2024 disclosure of the internal review performed with the assistance of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as outside counsel.” Also see 10-K
8) Marc Cohodes (AlderlaneEggs), ParrotCapital, Bill Abbate Jr. (JrAbbate), Various	The 10-K will never be filed. They can't produce audited financials.	Audited 10-K FALSE was filed. Delay was due to Audit committee fulfilling its responsibilities and proactively conducting investigations (internal and external).
9) Marc Cohodes (AlderLaneEggs) + Nate Koppikar (TheFriendlyBear) + Bill Abbate Jr. (JrAbbate) + ParrotCapital	Sullivan and Cromwell knew about Massive Fraud, and did a "sham investigation"	Sullivan and Cromwell FALSE is one of the most respected law firms, in the US and worldwide. "Sullivan & Cromwell continues to lead all law firm advisers in announced and completed global deals in 2023, according to Bloomberg and LSEG. The Firm advised on global announced deals totaling more than $345 billion, representing a 12.1 percent market share, per Bloomberg, and on completed global deals totaling more than $431 billion, representing a 16.9 percent market share, per LSEG." They're not compromising themselves for a relatively small client.
10) Marc Cohodes (AlderLaneEggs), Nate Koppikar (TheFriendlyBear), Bill Abbate Jr. (JrAbbate), Parrot Capital	Marcum is enabling Massive Fraud	MarcumFALSE is a respected audit firm, and 13th largest by revenue. "Marcum LLP advanced into the Top 15 in the 2023 Vault Accounting list of top-ranked accounting firms. Marcum climbed six levels to the No. 13 ranking overall and earned a ranking of 14 in prestige. The Firm also won Top 20 rankings across all Practice Area, Quality of Life, and Diversity categories, including several new classifications added this year."
11) Marc Cohodes (AlderLaneEggs)	Nomura is enabling Massive Fraud	NomuraFALSE is a global financial services company, and the oldest brokerage firm in Japan. They operate in a highly regulated industry. They're not putting themselves on the line for a relatively small client.
12) Parrot Capital	"The list of $RILY enablers is massive: Marcum LLP, Sullivan and Cromwell, Seeking Alpha, Holbrook Holdings, $AX Axos Bank, Many, many more."	FALSE There's no global conspiracy whereby these companies - all respected law firms, auditors, banks, and media outlets - are collectively colluding to enable RILY to commit fraud. Requires only two brain cells and one functioning synapse to know there's no grand collusion cabal between these disparate companies.
13) Marc Cohodes (AlderLaneEggs), Jonathan Weil at WSJ	Franchise Group shares used to secure Kahn loan: "It is unclear whether Kahn pledged the same shares twice—to both Prophecy and B. Riley."	stated by the company UCC search FALSE As , Simple disproves this. UCC # 202302295747
14) Marc Cohodes (AlderLaneEggs)	“Bryant Riley is on the Road, telling people the ‘audit partner at Marcum left’ and that ‘I have made mistakes’ “	hit the 5yr SEC ruleFALSE Marcum audit partner was working on the audit the whole time; the original audit partner had , so he was never working on this year’s audit.
15) Marc Cohodes (AlderLaneEggs)	"So it turns out James La Rocca was Fired by MarcumLLP If nothing was wrong with prior $RILY Audits, why is he gone? This will be great in discovery of what exactly went on.	hit the 5yr SEC ruleFALSE Marcum audit partner was working on the audit the whole time; the original audit partner had , so he was never working on this year’s audit.
16) Koppikar (TheFriendlyBear)	“So Bryant Riley did disseminate MNPI back in March” in response to Cohodes claim that he told people the Marcum partner left	5 consecutive yearsFALSE Cohodes claimed Bryant Riley was telling people the Marcum auditor left. Koppikar called that disseminating MNPI. Cohodes statement was false (and thus Koppikar's derivate claim is also false). A different auditor worked on RILY, as Marcum follows the SEC rules; the lead auditor can only serve the client for . As such, Koppikar’s derivative claim of disseminating MNPI is false.
17) Koppikar (TheFriendlyBear)	“He appears to still not be familiar with the voting interest model of consolidation… why is a life science and tech partner signing an extremely complex investment company / broker dealer audit ???” i.e., auditor is unqualified	Marcum is a highly respected auditorFALSE The auditor is fully qualified. ; they don't hire unqualified people, or assign them to clients they're unqualified to audit. RILY is continuing to use Marcum as the 2024 auditor.
18) Marc Cohodes (AlderLaneEggs)	"Now that the $RILY dividend is going away, this omission is serious stuff"	reduced 24Q1FALSE The dividend did not go away. It was from $1.00/share to $0.50/share, to allow them to opportunistically allocate capital. 23Q4 and

There are too many source images for the claims above to embed in a reddit post, and this sub doesn't allow images in comments. Images can be seen on a version of this posted to a sub that discusses RILY in the comments (~55 images). All claims can be sourced on the various social media venues and websites utilized by the short sellers. Other sources include: https://wolfpackresearch.com/research/rily/ and here https://friendlybearresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/RILY-Analyst-Day-Questions-12_11_13-Final.pdf and https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/2cpgaejc45gocvoqb1ngg/corner-office/how-b-riley-garnered-the-biggest-short-interest-of-2023 and https://www.wsj.com/finance/how-an-unremarkable-deal-became-a-big-threat-to-a-small-investment-bank-f819a169 . https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/304196 form ADV. This is not financial advice. All claim summarizations reflect my interpretation of the short seller claims, and should be verified against original sources, along with all counters.

Okay okay, so I’ve been thinking about this really hard for a few days now, and I want to know what books you thought you would love because it seemed like they checked all the boxes for you, and why you didn’t love them or what perhaps even DNFed them! I’ll start.
Agnarr’s Teacher by Jenifer Wood.
After reading the description I thought to myself “Gee myself, this seems a lot like Ice Planet Barbarians but even better! Let’s read this!” And dove in. Here is a list of what reminded me of IPB.

• alien romance (kinda, the aliens are called orkin)
• abducted by bad aliens and dropped on a cold planet
• Fated mates
• seemingly loving if not slightly naive mmc

Here is a list of additions that made me very interested and excited!

• anxiety rep! The fmc is a teacher who has a history of anxiety and is on meds for it, as well as being very open about mental health! We love to see it!
• the lot of the human women were dumped for a variety of reasons that all boil down to being “undesirable”. That leads me to believe a bunch of other conditions could be represented in future books!
• the story seemed a little lower stakes than IPB, being mainly about the FMC’s journey to another tribe to get a certain herb used to treat anxiety. The mmc joins her because he’s fast in love with her. Not a problem.

You see, my problems lies in characters making decisions (or really only one) that seemed wildly out of pocket. (Take this with a grain of salt, I DNFed because I had a really hard time believing this)
The FMC has Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD henceforth). She is medicated for GAD. Medication is not magic and does not fix everything, and she has been without it for an unclear amount of time, but at least three days. It’s very likely out of her system. Anyway, she wakes up in an admittedly cozy room, but with an orc child staring at her. Instant panic for me (someone with GAD). Okay, it’s a child, she’s a teacher, she loves children and manages to keep it together and speak to the child. Gets kiddo to go get his mom. Great, fantastic. In my head I’d rationalized that the bad aliens did the language thing already, coolio, but she still hadn’t come to the conclusion she wasn’t on earth. Skip past some mild anxiety about possibility being captive or maybe this was some fucked up team building thing for work? Apparently her boss is weird. Comes to the realization she’s not on earth. (I would have fucking passed out, how THE FUCK is this woman still standing. A stronger woman than me.) Proceeds to hear sword fighting, gets spooked but checks out the window and ogles one of the orcs doing the sparring and listens in on their conversation. The whole thing is pretty rationalized through all this, very “I’ve been in therapy for years and know how to organize my thoughts in scary situations” of her. We love it! Kiddo comes back with his mom and she is a very kind woman who explains things to the FMC, who has been a champ up til she is told there’s no way home. She finally passes out from panic. When she wakes up she’s back in bed and the kind woman is still there, worried about her. She helps the FMC and explains some more things, the FMC tackles the “do yall have mental health care here” convo like a champ, and the orcs are pro mental health! Great! Again, we love to see it! I’m seeing myself in this fmc so much, and I’m really starting to like her, I’m feeling very represented! The FMC asks to go for a walk alone to clear her mind, and kind orc lady says “yeah! There’s a safe path surrounding the village, stick to it and you should be fine, the sentries keep the village safe and there are no predators lurking in the woods so take your time!” FMC gets dressed in new clothes, goes walking. Cut to MMC, the orc she was ogling and coincidentally the one who put her back in bed when Kind Orc Lady called for help. He felt something when he looked at her! GASP fated mates?! Yes but no, but like yes. Technically unclear, but we know how these things go. ANYWAY! He’s chopping down a tree to clear his mind because the village elders were all “mmm, let’s let these women wake up first, then we can explain things to them, introduce them to the world and let them decide what to do.” (Low female population and declining female birth rates have made the men excited at the possibility of new potential mates) (mmc agrees with them despite being desperate for a mate) so anyway he’s a warrior and not good and cutting down trees safely. Fmc is walking on the path and the tree falls ON HER!!! I repeat THE TREE FALLS ON HER!!! This guy runs to check on her after hearing her scream, starts hacking at branches with an axe to get to her, and then slows down when he realizes she’s okay! Yay! She is upset and yells at him, I would too if I just had a tree felled on me. Then they kiss? And in her head she thinks about how her “good Christian upbringing” wouldn’t condone this? I guess? Let’s fucking go? I guess??? I’m all for sexual liberation, but in her situation, not being awake for more then ten hours MAX, having just been abducted, finding out aliens are real, finding out you are “undesirable” to said aliens, being dropped off on a strange planet, then being told you can never go home because they don’t possess the technology to do that (she loved her job and I assume her students, so it’s not like she has nothing to go back to), all on top of having GAD? I’m so sorry but no amount of time spent collecting coping strategies in therapy and no amount of medicine could keep me lucid. I’d be in a spiral, if not passed out. And you’re telling me she’s down to fuck? Like they don’t actually, she gives a very enthusiastic blowjob, then gets shy when he wants to reciprocate (I get it sis, me too) so he just fingers her. BUT STILL!!!! Idk it was too fast. I like fast burn and I can very often suspend my disbelief but that really bothered me? I’m down to examine why and see if I need to re-evaluate some things about my own beliefs. I don’t think I hold it against the characters or the author, I think I just saw myself in the character so much that I basically just inserted myself, and when she did something that perhaps did suit her character but definitely was not something I’d do, I checked out.
So! Have you ever had an experience like this? What books did they involve? Let me know!

I have a collection of comic books from Marvel, DC and Independent publishers in 4 large comic book boxes and 2 small boxes. Comics have been kept in a smoke free and pet free house. All books are in Very fine to Near Mint, no torn books and are modern age. there's roughly 51 trade paper backs and 1,350 comic books in this lot. All books in the photos are included in the lot, plus boxes they come in. Asking $750 for the entire lot. Cash or Paypal.
Located in SF East Bay, Castro Valley area. No shipping for these
Here is a link to a partial list of what's in this lot of comics: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1peU-pXmYqUSk7jdBGKeIKXuo_9y9Q-UJ/view?usp=sharing
Link to some pics: https://imgur.com/a/zRxm4Z5