I (25F) from London met a guy from Porto, Portugal through Instagram in 2022. We both traveled to Malta at different times, and he found me through a tagged picture. He liked a bunch of my photos and eventually DM'd me with compliments after I followed him back.
Initially, I didn't think it would amount to anything serious, but after months of consistent interaction on Instagram, I started getting to know him. We talked about the potential of dating, considering that London isn't far from Porto by flight compared to other parts of the UK, like my hometown in Scotland.
We spoke every day, and he flew to London to visit me in February. I even started learning Portuguese. Our dates went great, and we felt chemistry in person. Although English isn't his first language, he communicated well but sometimes struggled to express himself fully in conversations, which was easier for him over text.
We began dating exclusively, and he mentioned wanting to make me his girlfriend at the right time. However, he lost his job towards the end of 2022, which was tough. Despite his situation, he still wanted to meet in London, and we planned for me to visit him in Porto in May 2023. Unfortunately, things went wrong. He was still unemployed and often late picking me up, leaving me to spend two days alone. One of those days, he took his roommate’s grandma to the hospital. I paid for some of our meals, but I sensed he felt pressured.
Sadly, on the second day, I found out my close aunt had died unexpectedly, which I told him about, and I was understandably down. Despite that, I tried to make an effort. However, as the days went by, he started picking me up late, and we spent less time together. Porto was beautiful, but I traveled there to spend time with him.
I'm not confrontational and hate awkward situations. After speaking to friends and family, I messaged him before our last day together, expressing that I felt we hadn't spent enough time together. He responded that just because I was on holiday, it didn’t mean everyone else was. This hurt me, and I dropped it. Our last date felt awkward, and I avoided a goodbye kiss. I felt horrible that night, unsure if I should talk more about it.
Back in the UK, I was annoyed and waited for him to contact me. I sent voice notes expressing my unhappiness and the need for better communication if we were to continue our relationship. He didn't respond, and after a week, I sent another message about him ignoring me. He then unfriended me on Facebook. I was heartbroken and blocked him to move on. I eventually unblocked him earlier this year but never really got over him.
Recently, he liked a lot of my pictures but didn't say anything. I’ve been thinking about our situation and realize that communication was hard, compounded by the language barrier and long-distance dating. For a long time, I questioned whether his intentions were even genuine. It’s affected my confidence in getting back into the dating pool.
I'm not sure if I want to get back together, but I do want to speak to him. I’ve followed him on Instagram, and he followed back, liking more pictures. I don't know whether to wait for him to finally message me or if it's best for me too.
Any advice would be appreciated.

I (25F) from London met a guy from Porto, Portugal through Instagram in 2022. We both traveled to Malta at different times, and he found me through a tagged picture. He liked a bunch of my photos and eventually DM'd me with compliments after I followed him back.
Initially, I didn't think it would amount to anything serious, but after months of consistent interaction on Instagram, I started getting to know him. We talked about the potential of dating, considering that London isn't far from Porto by flight compared to other parts of the UK, like my hometown in Scotland.
We spoke every day, and he flew to London to visit me in February. I even started learning Portuguese. Our dates went great, and we felt chemistry in person. Although English isn't his first language, he communicated well but sometimes struggled to express himself fully in conversations, which was easier for him over text.
We began dating exclusively, and he mentioned wanting to make me his girlfriend at the right time. However, he lost his job towards the end of 2022, which was tough. Despite his situation, he still wanted to meet in London, and we planned for me to visit him in Porto in May 2023. Unfortunately, things went wrong. He was still unemployed and often late picking me up, leaving me to spend two days alone. One of those days, he took his roommate’s grandma to the hospital. I paid for some of our meals, but I sensed he felt pressured.
Sadly, on the second day, I found out my close aunt had died unexpectedly, which I told him about, and I was understandably down. Despite that, I tried to make an effort. However, as the days went by, he started picking me up late, and we spent less time together. Porto was beautiful, but I traveled there to spend time with him.
I'm not confrontational and hate awkward situations. After speaking to friends and family, I messaged him before our last day together, expressing that I felt we hadn't spent enough time together. He responded that just because I was on holiday, it didn’t mean everyone else was. This hurt me, and I dropped it. Our last date felt awkward, and I avoided a goodbye kiss. I felt horrible that night, unsure if I should talk more about it.
Back in the UK, I was annoyed and waited for him to contact me. I sent voice notes expressing my unhappiness and the need for better communication if we were to continue our relationship. He didn't respond, and after a week, I sent another message about him ignoring me. He then unfriended me on Facebook. I was heartbroken and blocked him to move on. I eventually unblocked him earlier this year but never really got over him.
Recently, he liked a lot of my pictures but didn't say anything. I’ve been thinking about our situation and realize that communication was hard, compounded by the language barrier and long-distance dating. For a long time, I questioned whether his intentions were even genuine. It’s affected my confidence in getting back into the dating pool.
I'm not sure if I want to get back together, but I do want to speak to him. I’ve followed him on Instagram, and he followed back, liking more pictures.
Should I wait for him to break the ice, or should I reach out?
Any advice would be appreciated

11-minute read.

Armenia's military industry is developing

HOST: The share of the domestic arms industry in the armed forces has been rising in recent years. The state has decided to create easier conditions for the development of the industry.
HIGH-TECH MINISTER (Mkhitar Hayrapetyan): Whatever is possible to produce in Armenia with the use of Armenian scientific potential and manufacturing capacities should be done domestically to minimize reliance on imports. The myth that Armenian producers are incapable of creating high-quality products has been shattered.
At the moment, there are ֏170 billion ($438 million) in contracts signed between the defense ministry and 27 representatives of domestic industry. We expect to bring it to ֏190 billion ($490 million) by the end of this year by involving two more companies.
Most contracts are about communication tools, control systems, radio-electronic warfare tools, drones, modernization activities, etc.
LEONID NERSISYAN (expert): It's not a secret that hefty investments were made in the manufacturing of drones. We've also seen a production of 122 mm and 82 mm shells; it's necessary to expand to 155 mm because we are purchasing new [Indian] artillery that uses those.
HIGH-TECH MINISTER: (1) The state is enacting legislative reforms to make the industry attractive for investments. (2) We are promoting R&D for new technologies and the generation of new ideas. We are financing research activities, the creation of prototypes, and their experimentation. The chain ends when a company's product passes the state experimentation process and enters serial production.
HOST: In 2018 the scientific-research budget was ֏2.4B. Today it's ֏4.1B ($10.6M), with an additional ֏1.5B dedicated for prototypes.
MHER MARKOSYAN (expert): We need more laser tech experts. The state must cherish mil. industry employees and encourage young scientists to gain experience.
HIGH-TECH MINISTER: As part of the 2024 budget, we do have a component to train and retrain industry experts. New specialists must enter this industry.
MHER MARKOSYAN: The war in Ukraine has made it more difficult to import components. Something that would normally take 1 week now requires 5 months. There are also horrible logistics problems. We do find solutions to import products but these solutions are expensive.
LEONID NERSISYAN: Even countries under the UN's embargo are able to import weapons so it's a matter of price. For example, it turns out that 70% of the electronics inside North Korean missiles are American.
HOST: Some Armenian manufacturers have reached international levels and could soon begin to export their products. However, there are logistic complications here as well. For example, in 2021 Armenia faced difficulty transporting the mockups of larger weapons to the Abu Dhabi expo [Moscow forced the jet carrying Armenian products to be unloaded and kept delaying the cargo's transfer to Abu Dhabi].
video,

the National Academy of Sciences has received a device that uses powerful lasers to melt metal and ceramic dust to create 3D objects for space and other industries: VIDEO

video,

India's Ambassador about defense cooperation between India and Armenia

AMBASSADOR: Our defense cooperation is proceeding very well. Defense cooperation is not only defense technical cooperation, but also we are looking at capacity building. On both fronts, we are proceeding very well.
REPORTER: During a joint press conference with MOD Papikyan, the Greek Minister spoke about the possibility of Armenia-Greece-France-India quadrilateral cooperation in the defense area.
AMBASSADOR: All 4 states have very good relations but at the moment it is still premature to talk about a quadrilateral format. But yes, there are convergences.
REPORTER: The Indian government said it's going to appoint Defense Attachés to Armenia and several other countries to strengthen the military links. What can you tell us about this?
AMBASSADOR: PM Modi has a very clear-cut policy and initiative of “Make in India”, including in the defense sector. We are now seeing that many countries in the world are buying Indian defense equipment. Defense Attachés are being posted to coordinate the process.

... India's Ambassador about AM-IN economic ties and trade

REPORTER: What was the volume of trade last year, and what trends are seen in the bilateral export and import markets?
AMBASSADOR: The $200 million trade we made was far below the potential. India is the Pharmacy of the World with more than 60% of the vaccines worldwide coming from India, including those supplied through the WHO and other mechanisms like GAVI. So we see more potential here. Both sides are working towards increasing the import of Indian medicines and vaccines into Armenia. We are also looking at the high-tech sector.

... India's Ambassador about Pashinyan's "Crossroads of Peace" trade unblocking project

REPORTER: The Government of Armenia proposed the “Crossroads of Peace” logistics project. There were opinions that it matches with India’s vision in the South Caucasus. What is India’s opinion on this initiative?
AMBASSADOR: When countries need to prosper, connectivity is the key. And connectivity is something that we, in our own region, have been working very closely with our neighboring countries. So similarly, we find that for any region, if you want to move to the next level of prosperity, you need to have connectivity projects. Naturally, we see this “Crossroads of Peace” project of the Armenian government in that light, that it would be a win-win situation for all the regional partners. So indeed for us there is no other way than to have more connections between countries, whether it is in terms of roads, railways, etc. We look at it positively and enthusiastically.

... India's Ambassador about international trade through Iran's Chabahar port

REPORTER: India plays an important role in the development of Chabahar port. You mentioned that the prospects of facilitating the use of Chabahar port for Armenia are being considered as well. What are those possibilities?
AMBASSADOR: The Chabahar port is jointly developed by India and Iran. In our discussions with the Armenian side, they have manifested an interest in using the Chabahar port. Armenia's Minister of Territorial Administration visited the Chabahar port in December. We are waiting for the details from the Armenian side and we will consider it once we receive concrete proposals.
REPORTER: What role can Armenia play in the development of a communication route from India to Chabahar to the Black Sea?
AMBASSADOR: This goes back to my comment about connectivity. Armenia being a landlocked country definitely needs more connectivity projects. If it materializes, I think it would help Armenia to overcome the fact that it is a landlocked country.
full,

experts at the European Training Foundation will assess Armenia's secondary vocational education system

The European Training Foundation is a European Union agency that helps transition and developing countries harness the potential of their human capital through the reform of education, training and labour market systems, and in the context of the EU's external relations policy.

A group of experts have arrived for the May 21-23 assessment. They will hold consultations with state agencies, students, employee unions, and others.

by 2030, 90 percent of school and college graduates should be able to find jobs and work according to employers' requirements.

source, source, video,

Yerevan and Paris reached an agreement to cooperate in urbanization, transport, and waste management over the next 3 years during a visit by Yerevan Mayor Avinyan to Paris

source,

Yerevan subway is diching Soviet-era physical zhetons (tokens) as part of transport reforms and switch to a universal payment system

OFFICIAL: We are updating a total of 49 entrance gates; it will be completed next month. You'll be able to use the old gates with tokens for now. Soon you will pay with a QR code, Telcell mobile wallet, bank cards, etc. ... last week over 15,000 passengers used the electronic payment methods.
source,

Yerevan municipality launches a process to move garbage containers underground

A public tender is launched to design a pilot program. In October the city said they studied the international practice for collecting the trash from underground bins and found two methods: lifting the bins to allow Yerevan's existing tech to collect the trash, or remove the bins. The latter would be more expensive.
video, video,

government launches the construction of two roads for Tavush border village Kirants: VIDEO

PASHINYAN OFFICE: The 3 remaining coordinates of Kirants were pinpointed with the use of a computer and the border posts will be installed later. The rest [another 8 posts in Kirants] are already there. The good news for Kirants is that around 25 hectares of land that have been unreachable for 33 years will be returned to the village. The border resembles the 1976 line.
As we said earlier, yes, there is a need to build a bypass road, which can be accomplished in 2-3 months. We will also rebuild the road between H-26 and Acharkut and Kirants, which is an alternative road for Kirants. As for property issues, the volumes are small and the government will compensate in such situations. //
The 3 remaining border posts were reportedly installed in Kirants on Monday. Here is how the road issue will be addressed:
Azerbaijan is located between Kirants and Sarigyugh villages. Kirants is currently connected to Sarigyugh with two roads: a direct connection through the interstate road, and a secondary road that connects Kirants to nearby Acharkut before reaching Sarigyugh.
Approximately 300 meters of the direct road falls under the Azerbaijani side, so the government will build a 750-meter bypass road parallel to it. Preliminary construction activities have begun; they are working on the details.
As for the secondary road passing through Acharkut, the government has begun rebuilding and widening it to allow cargo trucks to use it.
So there are currently two construction projects, with one connecting Kirants to Sarigyugh directly, and the second connecting Kirants to Sarigyugh through Acharkut. Both roads are expected to be ready in 3 months.
video, source, video, source, source, video,

Final battle? The opposition co-leader Bagrat Galstanyan will hold a "decisive" massive rally on May 26 to oust PM Pashinyan

GALSTANYAN: Պատմե’ք մարդկանց մայիսի 26-ի մեր հանրահավաքի մասին, այն վճռական է լինելու: //
Former mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marukyan called for Pashinyan and the ruling party to resign. "այլևս անելիք չունեն, նրանք պետք է հեռանան"
source, source,

Serj Sargsyan's HHK party co-leader is against forming an anti-Pashinyan alliance with Edmon Marukyan and Sasna Tsrer

Edmon Marutyan's LHK, Ruben Vardanyan's Aprelu Yerkir, and the Sasna Tsrer (BEVER) whose followers committed terrorists attacks on police stations in 2016 and 2024 have decided to join the ongoing anti-Pashinyan protests led by Kremlin's favorite Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan.
HHK's Edward Sharmazanov is against forming an alliance with Edmon Marukyan's LHK because they did not actively campaign against Pashinyan's reelection in 2021.
As for Sasna Tsrer, they committed attacks on police stations and called HHK "evil", so Sharmazanov is against working with them.
source,

update: threats after bribes

One of the several low-income residents of Vanadzor who last week reported receiving bribes to join the former regime's ongoing anti-Pashinyan protests says someone called and threatened their family for reporting the bribe to the police. Authorities are investigating the call.
source,

a fight broke out between protesters and students who refused to join the "Holy Struggle" led by Archbishop Galstanyan

AUTHORITIES: On Wednesday we received reports about a fight between the students of Yerevan's Manuk Abeghyan School and protesters. The participants engaged in a fight, disturbed peace, and used slurs. Eight students (all under 18 except for one) were detained.
SCHOOL DIRECTOR: It started after a group of protesters used loudspeakers to encourage our students to join them. After realizing that students didn't want to join, they began to hurl insults at the students. Several students left the building and a fight broke out in the backyard.
source,

82,000 Armenian drivers take advantage of a new law that absolves them of old citation debt if they pay 50%: VIDEO

It was part of a package law that slashes the size of future traffic citations by almost half if the driver pays electronically within the first two weeks of the violation. Some 21,000 drivers have already signed up at police.am to get a discount on their future citations.
It's meant to reduce the financial burden on drivers, the paperwork burden on police, and improve the payment discipline.
source,

Armenian poet and 18th century TikToker Sayat-Nova's statue is unveiled in Turkmenistan during an international forum of Culture Ministers: PHOTO

photo,

Armenia circulates gold collector coin dedicated to Charles Aznavour’s 100th anniversary: IMAGE

Obverse: monument to Charles Aznavour in Gyumri
Reverse: portrait of Charles Aznavour, the number 100 in the form of stylized musical notes, piano keys and microphone.
Minted in Poland. The coin is worth ֏10,000 ($25).
source,

International Criminal Court wants to arrest Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant, and the Hamas leadership

PROSECUTOR: On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel, and Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence of Israel, bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 8 October 2023:
(1) Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as a war crime
(2) Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health
(3) Willful killing, or Murder as a war crime
(4) Intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as a war crime
(5) Extermination and/or murder, including in the context of deaths caused by starvation, as a crime against humanity;
(6) Persecution as a crime against humanity
(7) Other inhumane acts as crimes against humanity
full statement, official video 4:57, source,

Iran's President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian die in a helicopter crash while returning from a meeting with Ilham Aliyev to inaugurate the opening of a new dam on the Iran-Azerbaijan border

Shortly before the crash:
RAISI: Maybe someone doesn't like our meeting and joint successes with Azerbaijan. It doesn't matter to us. The important thing is that we implement together whatever is in the best interest of our people. The enemies do not want progress in Azerbaijan and Iran, but we believe that any progress in Azerbaijan is our progress, any threat to the borders of both countries will be a loss for both countries.
ALIYEV: Today the world is witnessing how great the friendship is between Azerbaijan and Iran. We support each other in all international structures and will continue to in the future. No one can divide us. //
Memorial services will be held in Yerevan's Blue Mosque on Thursday.
source, source, source, source, source, Kremlin's conspiracists, source, source,

Azerbaijani dissident activist Arif Yunusov about Iran helicopter crash

REPORTER: Will there be radical changes in Iran after the death of Raisi?
YUNUSOV: I doubt it. The real power is in the hands of Khamenei. Now there are reports about his son [replacing him in the future]. As for the internal disturbances caused by opponents, as you know, there are periodic waves in Iran. These protests are sometimes ethnicity-based. If in the past it was Azerbaijanis, today the protests are by Kurds. There is also the youth that's tired of being ruled by religious mullahs. The death of Raisi doesn't change anything in internal or foreign policies. They will just change the President's last name.
REPORTER: I have a feeling Iran will soon blame Israel for the helicopter crash.
YUNUSOV: I have already seen that on Iranian Telegram channels but official Tehran won't rush with that. They will conduct an investigation and conclusions will be made. If Tehran blames Israel, then there must be good evidence for it because credit where credit is due - Iran usually conducts such investigations quite well. If you remember the liquidation of the father of Iran's nuclear weapons, Israel still denies participation but Iran found enough evidence that Israeli agents used the territory of Azerbaijan to infiltrate, carry out the project, and return through Azerbaijan. Let's wait and see the conclusion of the crash investigation. The accusations by Telegram channels and analysts "don't count".

... Arif Yunusov about AM-AZ border delimitation

REPORTER: Is the ongoing Tavush-Gazakh delimitation really a bilateral process, as Baku claims?
YUNUSOV: No. The U.S. is still interested in the delimitation process and influences both parties behind the curtains. There was a high-profile Azerbaijani visit to Washington. Although the official press release didn't share details, we can safely assume they discussed the AM-AZ relations. If this delimitation continues in spite of Russia that means the U.S. is currently a moderator in this process. This is not purely a bilateral process despite Aliyev's efforts to present it that way.
REPORTER: Is the U.S. a guarantor that the delimitation won't end in Tavush?
YUNUSOV: Not a "guarantor" but the U.S. is the force that is really trying to accomplish something and is actually doing something. The full demarcation will last a long time. The main objective of the U.S. at the moment is the signing of an AM-AZ peace agreement. I don't think they'll be able to sign it before November, however.
REPORTER: How is the Azerbaijani public reacting to the border delimitation?
YUNUSOV: Positively. People truly want to have a demarcated border. The Azerbaijani regime often mentioned "Western Azerbaijan" and the return of Azeris there, but in reality, nobody in Azerbaijan took that seriously because they all understood it was an attempt to pressure Armenia. As soon as information came that the border was partially delimited, it was met with a positive response by the public. The Azerbaijani public understands that it's normal for Azerbaijan to gain and lose control of territories during this process, just as we did during the delimitation with other neighbors.
full,

Hello, not sure if I used the right terminology but basically I'm trying to buy some clothes off shopee vn and I'd like some help buying and shipping it to the UK, I'd really appreciate the help. Thank you!

Edit: Literally after posting this did some checks and turns out the proxy pass needed to be the ip of the docker interface for authentik not the exposed url - i think - its working now anyway
But ill leave this here should it help
************************************************************
So i had this working on my internal network then forgot i was tunnelling into my LAN when trying on an external device.
So ive followed the ibra guide and the geekcircuit guide along with others on Youtube. It should work but im either getting an 'offline' in NPM or error 500.
so my config:
NPM:

authentik = auth.domain.co.uk https - 10.10.10.13:9443 < works and accessible online homepage = homepage.domain.co.uk http - 10.10.10.13:3001 < works and i can access online 

Authentik:
Applications:

name - homepage slug - homepage providers - homepage all others default 

Providers:

name - homepage Authentication flow- default-authentication-flow (Welcome to authentik!) Authorization flow - implicit forward auth single app external host - http://homepage.domain.co.uk all rest default 

Outposts:

name - authentik Embedded Outpost type - proxy intergration - local docker app selected authentik host - http://auth.domain.co.uk 

NPM config:

Upgrade WebSocket if requested, otherwise use keepalive map $http_upgrade $connection_upgrade_keepalive { default upgrade; '' ''; } Increase buffer size for large headers This is needed only if you get 'upstream sent too big header while reading response header from upstream' error when trying to access an application protected by goauthentik proxy_buffers 8 16k; proxy_buffer_size 32k; Make sure not to redirect traffic to a port 4443 port_in_redirect off; location / { Put your proxy_pass to your application here proxy_pass $forward_scheme://$server:$port; Set any other headers your application might need proxy_set_header Host $host; proxy_set_header ... Support for websocket proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade; proxy_set_header Connection $connection_upgrade_keepalive; authentik-specific config auth_request /outpost.goauthentik.io/auth/nginx; error_page 401 = u/goauthentik_proxy_signin; auth_request_set $auth_cookie $upstream_http_set_cookie; add_header Set-Cookie $auth_cookie; translate headers from the outposts back to the actual upstream auth_request_set $authentik_username $upstream_http_x_authentik_username; auth_request_set $authentik_groups $upstream_http_x_authentik_groups; auth_request_set $authentik_email $upstream_http_x_authentik_email; auth_request_set $authentik_name $upstream_http_x_authentik_name; auth_request_set $authentik_uid $upstream_http_x_authentik_uid; proxy_set_header X-authentik-username $authentik_username; proxy_set_header X-authentik-groups $authentik_groups; proxy_set_header X-authentik-email $authentik_email; proxy_set_header X-authentik-name $authentik_name; proxy_set_header X-authentik-uid $authentik_uid; } all requests to /outpost.goauthentik.io must be accessible without authentication location /outpost.goauthentik.io { proxy_pass https://auth.domain/outpost.goauthentik.io; ensure the host of this vserver matches your external URL you've configured in authentik proxy_set_header Host $host; proxy_set_header X-Original-URL $scheme://$http_host$request_uri; add_header Set-Cookie $auth_cookie; auth_request_set $auth_cookie $upstream_http_set_cookie; proxy_pass_request_body off; proxy_set_header Content-Length ""; } Special location for when the /auth endpoint returns a 401, redirect to the /start URL which initiates SSO location u/goauthentik_proxy_signin { internal; add_header Set-Cookie $auth_cookie; return 302 /outpost.goauthentik.io/start?rd=$request_uri; For domain level, use the below error_page to redirect to your authentik server with the full redirect path return 302 https://authentik.company/outpost.goauthentik.io/start?rd=$scheme://$http_host$request_uri; } 

Okay, I know this is a super weird thing to want to find, but a large portion of online content I consumed as a child was Breyer Horse videos that were uploaded to YT. I was a huge horse girl (and still am), so, the toy horses caught my interest. These videos hold so much nostalgia for me, which is why I'm so devastated that I can't find what might've been the 1st two Breyer Horse Videos I ever watched on YT. Some of the humor is outdated/problematic, but the video still holds a special place in my heart due to the amount of nostalgia I have with it. I can't for the life of me remember what the titles of these videos were and I've tried literally every freaking thing I could think of to get some sort of results on YT, but to no avail. I can't recall the channel name either, but the video starts with a horse named Flika (model: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7cAAAOSwaxdlMbk5/s-l400.jpg ) introducing herself and giving the viewers a tour of the stable, which was a well made stable. The teens who made the video outdid themselves with the size and details they put into it. She introduces the characters one by one. One of the characters she introduces is a young tween girl (I can't remember her name, but the doll had braided either dark brown or dark red hair and freckles) who was being dragged by a Clydesdale foal (model: https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/jwcP5IyhLMZCKjsGHaPd2JlBTvVTL_SZR-ccN7-Yc7GpkYz_EFAW8a76ThKqJaJ_4HEzkCsl2l0nxZl9WI5D9qWVTgSpVjMtO5g2mPViZV77CbujT3ts02_AZFGichixJt8ON-vx ). Flika tells the camera that the child is someone they all hate and she whispers to the foal "Drag her until she gets hurt, okay?" And then another horse chimes in (can't remember the model, but I'm pretty sure it was a buckskin/dunskin) saying "Or until she dies." Flika also introduces us to a blonde-haired doll character who somehow managed to get herself stuck in a ladder and throughout the video she's suffocating. Shortly after, the video cuts to the arena, where one of the horses (I'm pretty sure it's the same horse from before, but again, I can't recall what model it was) calling to Flika, telling her there's a turtle in the arena (the turtle was a sparkly sand-filled small sea turtle plushie with black bead eyes). And there's another blonde doll character (the queen of the stable, I suppose) who wore an up-side-down trophy on her head, speaking in a "distinguished" British accent, saying "Ah yes, get that wretched reptile out of here."
Now, it's been years since I've watched this video and I've been trying to search for it for a good while now, but there were a lot of random skits squeezed into this 6-20-minute video (I can't remember how long the video was) and I can't remember the order of the skits went in, but here's what I remember:

• A male doll finds a magic 8 ball, he sarcastically asks it a few chaotic questions and the things he asked end up coming true (e.i. Asking if he was gonna rain bouncy balls and if he was gonna be bitched-slapped by a screaming Banshee). But when his human gal friend tries it, nothing happens.
  
• A white horse (model ???: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/rvQAAOSwpbhlyXg-/s-l1200.jpg ) interrogating his stablemate (model: https://www.breyervalueguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/LonesomeGlory_akhalteke.jpg ) because he is convinced he was the one who stole his feed.
  
• A fortune-telling horse (I can't recall the model, but this is where the outdated/problematic humor comes in) with a stereotypical Indian accent giving out absurd fortunes with his "crystal ball" which was just a snow globe. Such as 1 horse (can't remember the model) was gonna be sacrificed to the "bodies" (aka the creators' unused Breyers that were stacked in piles in wooden boxes) and another was going to be eaten by the Snow Cucumber (which was just a mini mint green pool noodle with white circles glued to the sides).
  
• A mare (can't recall model) gets her head stuck in a blue bucket, walks into the ladder that the human doll is still stuck in, bucket falls off, mare sees the human suffocating and runs in the opposite direction, screaming. Human in a pitiful serious voice goes "Someone help me please."
  
• An adorable little donkey (model: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/xUkAAOSwKCJmDdCs/s-l1200.jpg ) advertising for a rubber ducky called "Hippie Duck" while someone walks back and forth in the background, barefooted
  
• A talent show, 1 of the acts had 2 Friesian Horses singing "We are burning, burning in the fire!" over and over again (I can only remember 1 of the models and it was this one: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/07/81/af/0781af36074ad3e039a9ea52dd7c3df5.jpg ) and the other was a parodied version of Justin Bieber named "Jumping Bieber," who sung a mashup of "Miss Mary Mack" and "Baby" by Justin Bieber (Model ???: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BDsAAOSwHOZkjTlc/s-l1600.jpg )
  

The video ends with a girl doll panicking and running away from the Screaming Banshee, a mare running away from the Snow Cucumber, and the white horse chasing after the Akhal-Teke stallion after finding out he was the one who stole his feed.
I can recall very little from the bloopers video. All I can remember from it is snippets of the creators ruining their lines and/or being clumsy and laughing their lungs out with a country song playing over the video. If anybody can help me find this, I would be so SO thankful because these videos were comforting to me as a child and I've been ITCHING to go on a nostalgia binge-watch of all the videos I used to watch.

I recently purchased a Watch 4 Pro and while all of the health apps are working, there is one that I cannot seem to be able to activate. Sleep Breathing Awareness. Huawei has advised me that this is a feature on the Watch 4 Pro and also the GT4 series. What happens is that when I try to access through the Health App it verifies the Huawei ID, syncs, and then goes to a screen which says "wear a supported wearable to sleep to get results and suggestions" tapping the top right gets me " Currently linked device doesn't support this feature. Connect or add a wearable"
I am in the USA, the watch was purchased from the UK and the Huawei ID I'm using is UK. As I said, all other features of the watch are working including faces, ECG,Sleep, Heart rate, Oxygen levels, stress levels. skin temp, arterial stiffness. It is just sleep breathing awareness that is missing.
Any suggestions please, I even tried using a proxy in the UK but to no avail. And Huawei is not the most helpful or prompt in responding.

Let's start with the first thing: IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television.
The idea of IPTV is to revolutionize how we watch TV by delivering programs and videos over the internet. For sports bettors, this can streamline enjoying your favorite sports.
The key, though, is finding a provider that offers stability, a variety of sports channels, and streams without interruptions.
Best IPTV Providers for Every Sports Betting Need

• StreamHut.tv: Renowned for its premium service, StreamHut.tv offers over 23,000 channels, impeccable customer support, and extensive sports coverage.
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• XtreamHD IPTV: Perfect for sports enthusiasts with global sports streaming and over 55,000 HD channels, ensuring you never miss a game.
• IPTV UNBLOCK: Focused on the UK market, this provider offers high-definition streaming and playback of the last 7 days, ideal for catching up on missed matches.
• KEMoPIPTV: Compatible with a wide range of devices and reliable during address changes, ensuring you stay connected to your favorite sports no matter where you are.

I recommend to look for free trials to ensure the service meets your expectations before deciding on one!

Hi all
Am slowly upgrading my setup, which is currently a Sage (Breville) Barista Express. I have a niche zero arriving today and I will likely buy a Lelit Bianca within next 12 months.
Given challenges de-scaling the higher end machines I’m trying to get my water game sorted pre purchase.
I’ve watched James’ “hidden” video on water and am aware that using TDS as a proxy for scale generating minerals isn’t fool proof, but it gives a reasonable guide.
I now have a zero water system, and my tap water measures a TDS of c.285, using the tds meter that comes with zero water. I am planning to blend my tap water with this filtered water as I’m aware fully filtered water after is also not good for machines/espresso.
What approximate target TDS should I aim for with my blend of tap (London, UK) and filtered water.
Thank you

Hi all
Am slowly upgrading my setup, which is currently a Sage (Breville) Barista Express. I have a niche zero arriving today and I will likely buy a Lelit Bianca within next 12 months.
Given challenges de-scaling the higher end machines I’m trying to get my water game sorted pre purchase.
I’ve watched James’ “hidden” video on water and am aware that using TDS as a proxy for scale generating minerals isn’t fool proof, but it gives a reasonable guide.
I now have a zero water system, and my tap water measures a TDS of c.285, using the tds meter that comes with zero water. I am planning to blend my tap water with this filtered water as I’m aware fully filtered water after is also not good for machines/espresso.
What approximate target TDS should I aim for with my blend of tap (London, UK) and filtered water.
Thank you

I want to watch the rest of the series but the later seasons seem to only be in UK. I don't really understand how a VPN or proxy server works. Is there a website that doesn't need me to be in UK?

I've heard it said plenty of times that if the aid gets cut off, then Israel will be left vulnerable to Iran's proxy militias, but why can't the governments supplying these weapons threaten to withhold it if they don't stop killing civilians? You would think that with regards to the UK and the USA, where the incumbents are losing votes in an election year, they would want to capitalise on this, so why isn't it happening? Why are these countries so stubborn in providing military aid to a country that is killing massive amounts of civilians?

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Title.
We have a group of 5-6 friends and we usually play and end up 3-4 each friday.
2 of them are newer and are still getting used to MTG. Myself and the rest of the group have been playing for 2-6 years, we're somewhat competitive but our rules are pretty simple: No infinite combos, No proxies.
Outside of that our decks are pretty straight forward, we all play staples and whatnot.
I mostly play Yuriko or Edgar Markov Vampire Tribal. Most decks are pretty strong but get real momentum on turn 3+.
One of them has a relatively cheap Fynn, the Fangbearer deck.
Holy shit!
Turn 1: 1 drop 1/1 deathtouch Turn 2: Fynn drop + attack = 2 poison counters Turn 3: +1-2 additional 1/1 deathtouch drops (more if sol ring or other mana ramp because green)
By turn 4 it can get pretty devastating, had an enchantment that made creatures with low power unblockable, he could basically 1 shot anyone at that point. He also rocks proliferate so even if you lock Fynn down, he can sometimes just proliferate and kill everyone after a few turns if the game ends up being a drag.
I know most people will say just remove him or counter him, but turn 2-3 removal is often not possible. Also, if our pod happens to have 1-2 of our newer players, they dont really have time to see shit coming haha.
What would you do in this situation? Build a bit more around removal? Most games we can manage him and focus him, but with deathtouch, it almost seems like removal is the only way to go. We still love playing against it and see it as a challenge. It's funny as the deck costs pennies compared to some of our other decks lol.

In anticipation for Indy Neidell’s upcoming series where he’ll be doing a real time coverage of the Korean War (1950-1953), I’m wondering how many people in the world at the time of when the Korean War was being fought thought that this small regional conflict in East Asia could potentially escalate into WW3 especially considering that China got involved, there’s an coalition of allied nations fighting on behest of the ROK, the Soviets sent in fighter pilots dressed in DPRK/Chinese flight suits, and General MacArthur threatened to create a “sea of radioactive cobalt” alongside the Manchurian border using nuclear bombs previously used in WW2. Obviously in hindsight we now know it was one of the first proxy wars in the Cold War between the US and USSR but I’m genuinely curious how many people, especially WW2 veterans, in the early 1950s thought that the Korean War would escalate into yet another major global conflict considering 5 years earlier the deadliest war in human history just recently ended. Feel free to include perspectives and media from as many nations as possible (e.g. USA, USSR, East Germany, West Germany, UK, France, Japan, China, etc.)

A thread for new collectors to ask basic questions of the community.
Frequently Asked Questions below!
A longer version of the subreddit rules is here.
For questions specifically concerning bootlegs or vendor legitimacy, please ask in the Bootleg Megathread.
NSFW & Spoiler Guidelines

• For Self Posts: include a bolded NSFW note next to links in that post.
• For Links to sites/images: If the figure is NSFW, or the website has any NSFW content (including ads) be sure to tag your post NSFW and use the appropriate link flair.

Bootlegs
Any collection posts containing bootlegs, comments advocating buying bootlegs, or links to sites selling bootlegs, recasts, or unlicensed merchandise will be removed.
People often ask about the legitimacy and/or safety of a number of websites which sell large resin statues. The more commonly-asked of those deal primarily in resins from studios which do not have a license from the Japanese IP holders to produce merchandise. Therefore links to those sites are not permitted here. Another sign is if MyFigureCollection doesn't list the either the statue, its manufacturer, or the shop it's being sold on.
MyFigureCollection
My Figure Collection is like MyAnimeList... but for figures! Their database includes thousands of items which been produced during the last couple of decades, along with reviews of shops and other helpful articles. One can also list their own collection and post gallery photos.
Shops

Retailers:
AmiAmi HobbySearch Mandarake (sells rare figures) Good Smile Company Online Shop (often has exclusives) Good Smile Company US shop Crunchyroll Store Hobby Link Japan (aka HLJ) Solaris Japan (MFC partner) BigBadToyStore (MFC partner, US retailer) Big in Japan (also has proxy service) Tokyo Otaku Mode FigureHaven Archonia (EU) Yorokonde (EU) Figuya (EU) Gamersheek (UK) Jungle
List of retailers on MFC
/AnimeFigures' List of Retailers
Community Guide to Shopping in Japan

Blogs/News:

Nekomagic (News/Previews) NyaaFigurines (Reviews/Releases) Kahotan's Blog (News/Reviews) Figma Blog (JP)

Buying & Shipping

1. What’s the best place to buy my anime figures from?
That’s going to depend a lot on what works for you, but most people around here buy them from Amiami, Big in Japan, Hobby Search, HobbyLink Japan, or Tokyo Otaku Mode. If none of those work for you for whatever reason, there’s a list of reputable retailers in the sidebar that you can check out at any time. Be extra careful when ordering figures from websites like Amazon or ebay, as there are a lot of bootlegs on those sites. Don’t be afraid to ask in our Bootleg Megathread if you’re unsure.
2. What differences are there between the shipping options I get from most Japanese shops?
Below is a rundown of the main shipping choices you’ll get at most retailers. Keep in mind that if an order is large enough you will be forced to use one of the more expensive options, as SAL shipments have lower size and weight restrictions.

• Unregistered SAL: Sometimes referred to as uSAL, is usually the cheapest method. It does not come with any tracking or insurance. Usually takes up 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• Registered SAL: Sometimes referred to as rSAL, is insured for the declared value up to 6,000 yen. It comes with a tracking number and usually takes 2-4 weeks for delivery.
• EMS: This method of shipping is much faster than either SAL options, usually arriving within a week of shipment. EMS shipments are insured for the declared value up to 2,000,000 yen.
• Airmail
• E-packet
• Surface: Shops don't offer this very often. It's an actual cargo ship and slow as a result.
  
• DHL: Becoming more available as an alternative to EMS on AmiAmi and other sites. Can be less expensive than EMS and of comparable speed, but may be more reliant on the specific geographical area being shipped to. The price is also determined by the size of the box. Offers their own tracking.
  

3. I placed two+ orders for figures at different times. Will my items be shipped together, or will I have to pay shipping twice?
Most shops will ask you to pay shipping on a per-order basis, but here are some that will allow combined shipping:

• Amiami: You can combine orders here, as long as the orders ship in the same month. It doesn’t matter if the item is new or preowned. Any preorders that are set for that month can also be combined with other orders for that month. However, be aware that if the preorder gets delayed, Amiami will remove that item from that month’s shipment and place it on a new order. To combine orders on Amiami, use the “Combine Orders” feature under “My Account”.
  
• Hobby Search: Hobby Search will let you combine orders that release in the same month, but you cannot combine in stock items with preorders. If you want to combine multiple preorders, or multiple in stock items, you can do so using the “Order Recombination” feature on your account page.
  
• HobbyLink Japan: At HLJ, you have the option to send paid orders to their “Private Warehouse”, where you can store them for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to ship the items, you simply select which items to ship and HLJ will combine them into one shipment for you. To use this, just select the “Private Warehouse” option as shipping when you order.
  

If you’re unsure about whether or not a shop we haven’t listed will combine your orders, please refer to their individual FAQs.
4. When will I get charged for my preorder?
Most Japanese shops charge you once the item is in stock and ready for shipment. When that happens, they will send you an email asking for payment. Some shops (mostly overseas ones), will allow you to pay for the item up front though, if you’d like. A few with that option are:

• Big in Japan (Japanese store)
• Tokyo Otaku Mode
• Anime Island
• Crunchyroll

Keep in mind that overseas stores will likely get the figure a few months after Japanese ones, so pay attention to the release date stated on the website you are buying from so as to avoid that confusion.
5. Should I expect to pay customs fees when importing figures?
That depends on where you live. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Australia: 10% GST is now assessed up front.
• Canada: Minimum declared value for charges is around CAD$20 for regular shipments, and CAD$60 for gifts (gifting something only seems to lower the declared value by about CAD$40, not deplete it completely). When using Amiami, try their Small Air Packet option. It comes with tracking, gets there in about the same time as EMS, and is better at avoiding customs.
• European Union: As of 1st July 2021, VAT has to be paid on all goods imported from outside of the EU. Retailers are supposed charge VAT for purchases under €150, however many Japanese retailers currently do not, so VAT will be charged when your order arrives in the EU. Orders that are >€150, VAT and duty will be charged by your local customs.
• UK: As of 1st January 2021, VAT is to be charged by retailers for orders <£135. However, customs isn't currently charging VAT on parcels valued at <£135, even if the VAT hasn't been paid. Goods >£135 will have their VAT and duty calculated and charged by customs.
• Mexico: Minimum declared value for customs fees is USD$300 for shipments by post, and USD$50 for shipments by courier.
• United States: A shipment has to have a declared value of USD$2,000 before customs starts hitting you with fees, so you most likely won’t have to worry about them at all.

6. The figure I want is an exclusive, how do I go about ordering one outside of Japan?
You have three options for this:
A. Big in Japan is known to stock exclusive figures and ship to other countries. Usually the price is higher because they build in their proxy fees, but it’s easier than worrying about using a forwarder or proxy service. If you live in the US, Crunchyroll, Right Stuf, and Tokyo Otaku Mode also get exclusives sometimes, but out of the states the shipping can get expensive.
B. Forwarding Services: A forwarder is someone who you ship an exclusive item to so that they can forward the package on to you, usually for a flat fee + shipping. When using a forwarder you still make the purchase yourself, and enter their address into the shipping field. When the box arrives at the forwarder they will then stick your address onto the package and send it on its way.
Some popular forwarders are:

• Big in Japan
• Tenso

Be sure to read each sites instructions on forwarding carefully!
C. Proxy Services: With a proxy, you tell them what the item you’re looking for is and they will purchase it in your stead. This is handy for when a company doesn’t accept foreign credit cards, or you’re having trouble navigating a Japanese website.
Some popular proxies are:

• Big in Japan (Won’t proxy for Yahoo Auctions)
• From Japan

Again, be sure you thoroughly read through each sites proxy instructions.
7. I see a bunch of really cheap figures that ship from China on ebay. Are those okay to buy?
Generally, no. They’re most likely bootlegs. If you want a second opinion on that, feel free to ask in the Bootleg Megathread that’s always stickied at the top of the sub.
8. What’s a bootleg, and how can I avoid buying them?
A bootleg is a counterfeit figure often made using rejected molds of the official product. They are usually priced significantly lower than the genuine article, and in order to make their profit, bootleggers use lower quality materials and have less attention to detail- resulting in a substandard figure.
The Bootleg Megathread that I mentioned in question 7 is a great tool to avoid buying any bootlegs. It has a few tips and tricks to avoiding them to begin with, and a few more on how to spot them if you’re worried you might already own one.
9. Does anyone know when figure X is going to be released? How do I know if it was delayed?
My Figure Collection (sometimes referred to as MFC) does an excellent job of staying on top of information like release dates and delays. If you’re curious about an upcoming figures release date, check there first. This information can be found directly under the “Releases” section on a figure’s entry. If you only see a month and a year in that section, it means the release date has not yet been announced by the manufacturer, and there is still a chance the figure could be delayed.
If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.
10. The figure I want is long sold out at normal retailers! What’s the best place to pick it up in the aftermarket?
A list of reputable retailers can be found under the “Shops” section of the /AnimeFigures sidebar. They all sell legitimate products, and many of them also sell figures second hand. However, the most frequently suggested second hand sites are Mandarake and Amiami- who has a preowned section that they update every night save Sundays and Japanese holidays around 1PM JST and again around 6PM JST.
AmiAmi grades their pre-owned items on a letter scale. The general consensus from buyers is that their ratings are conservative, so unless the item and/or packaging is specifically indicated as having significant flaws, pre-owned items from them are usually in at least as good a condition as their rating suggests.
Note: When you search Mandarake, you’ll get the best results by using the Japanese characters for whatever you are searching. If you don’t know them, you can find them on MFC by clicking on any of the “details” in that figure’s listing.
11. Amiami has a figure I’m interested in labeled as “For sale in Japan only”. Does this mean I can’t order it without a proxy or forwarder?
No, you can still order it. Amiami’s English site has that warning on many items, and it’s mostly meant to inform you that this product was made for a Japanese market, and as such, will have Japanese speaking/writing in it- so don’t expect any instructions to be in English. If Amiami doesn’t want foreigners buying a certain product, they won’t even list it on their English site.

Displaying Your Figures

12. What display cases do you recommend?
If you live near an Ikea try out one of these:

• Klingsbo
• Billy (Often used with Morliden doors (now the HÖGBO and glass shelves.)
• Detolf: Formerly the go-to choice for inexpensive display cabinetry, the Detolf was first made flimsier around 2020 and then essentially phased out of the name, to become the BLÅLIDEN. Knockoff versions of widely-varying quality are commonly found on other shopping sites these days, though.

*If you decided on a Detolf, you might find that there is a lot of wasted space. Here are a few tutorials on raising the shelves or and adding extra ones in.

• Using metal clips
• Using acrylic supports and PVC pipe

If you don’t live near an Ikea, Amazon has a few display options, though they are more expensive. Also keep an eye on your local Craigslist (or your country’s equivalent) and stores near you that are closing up.
13. What lighting do you guys recommend?
Ikea’s Dioder LED strips were discontinued after a long run. A current version is the Vattensten, if you're inclined to buy your case and lights at the same time.
LED strips have become very commonly available in recent years; most hardware and home furnishing stores carry a selection now. Just make sure that the lights don’t get too hot!
14. What are those clear plastic boxes that I see under everyone’s figures in their collection posts, and where can I get them?
Those are called risers. Most of us use standard acrylic risers like these. Some other, easy to find things that have been suggested are:

• Plastic picture cubes
• Card Deck Boxes
• If you’re feeling adventurous, try making your own!

Check your local hobby store for the first 2 options, or your local hardware store if you want to make your own.
Another common suggestion is to visit The Container Store if you have one near you. They have a lot of things to choose from that can suit a variety of needs. Be sure to check out their standard acrylic risers, their Amac boxes, and the various display cases they sell (baseball cases, mini car cases. hockey puck cases, etc).
15. Should I keep my figures sealed?
That is, of course, up to you really, but here are a few things to keep in mind when debating this question:

• Keeping it sealed can actually damage your figure. PVC figures usually have something called plasticizer in them, and that plasticizer needs to be able to breath. If a PVC figure isn’t exposed to oxygen, after a period of time the plasticizer starts to break down and form a sticky substance on the surface of the figure. Simply opening your figures and taking them out of the box prevents this from happening. If you happen to find plasticizer goo on one of your figures, Kahotan has a handy guide for dealing with it.
• Unlike some other figure markets, keeping an anime figure sealed won’t raise its value by a whole lot. In fact, because of the plasticizer problem mentioned above, your figure could actually be in better condition if you open it versus keeping it sealed.

Finding the Right Figure(s) for You

16. What are "scales" and "prizes"? What is the difference between them?
Those are classifications for figures based on a few factors.

• "Prizes" are generally more simply produced figures which are intended to be given as prizes for playing arcade games. They are inexpensive and lack the detail of scale figures, though some prize figure lines have standouts which may approach lower-end scales in quality. That is uncommon and often depends on the individual figure.
• "Scales" are called such because they are nominally designed to be proportional to the dimensions of the character which they are based on. They are generally of much better manufacture and materials than prize figures, allowing for more detail in painting, accessories, or complex poses.
• "Trading" figures appear in gashapon machines or as blind boxes on shop counters, often as sets which include multiple characters. As suggested by the class name, the randomness encourages trading. They are usually very inexpensively-produced, though as with prizes, some series are better than others.
• "Non-scale" encompasses a variety of other categories. It is often used to describe poseable figure lines such as figma and Nendoroids.

In recent years producers such as Good Smile Company attempted to further bridge the gap between prize quality and scales by introducing figure lines which are intended to be moderately-priced while retaining a higher level of detail than the typical prize figure, to varying levels of success.
17. There are so many figure companies! Who makes good figures?!
Obviously this is a very subjective question, but as a general starting point, here are a few well renowned figure companies:

• Alter
• Max Factory
• Good Smile Company
• Kotobukiya (usually hit or miss for people. Use your best judgement based off of the prototype)
• Flare
• Stronger

18. I really love “series X / character X”- how can I check if any figures were ever made for it?
My Figure Collection can be your best friend here. Simply do a search on the name of the series or character using the search bar located at the top right of the screen, and all associated figures pop up!
Alternatively, if you’re looking at a figure’s MFC entry, most of the text under the “Details” section can be clicked on and used to run a search.
19. How can I commission a custom figure?
None of the major figure companies (Alter, Kotobukiya, Good Smile Company, etc.) will take a commission for a single figure. This thread has a few websites in it that you can check out, or you can look into garage kits. Some kit painters would be willing to resculpt, frankenstein together, or otherwise modify kits for the right price.
If you're looking for help completing a garage kit, /brushforhire may be useful.

Keeping Up with New Announcements

20. How can I keep up with figure news (announcements, updates, etc.)?
Most people use a MFC combined with any or all of the following news sites:

• Neko Magic
• Alter’s Blog (In Japanese)
• Kahotan’s Blog (Only GSC and their sister companies)

Many figure companies are active on Twitter, so following them there is recommended for quicker news.
To use MFC for this I’ll quote question #9.

If you make an account on MFC you can also subscribe to comments, changes, and pictures via a checkbox on the right hand side of a figure’s listing. Subscribing to any of these things will allow MFC to send you an email anytime the subscription in question updates. Subscribing to “changes” is a great way to keep up with release dates and delays, among other things.

Most companies have one or more Twitter accounts. Some examples: Good Smile Company sales, Good Smile's USA branch, Max Factory, AmiAmi Hobby News.
21. Everyone’s excited about something called Wonfes….. what the heck is that?!
WonFes (short for Wonder Festival) is a biannual figure expo where many figure producers (both large and small) show off new sculpts and updates to figures already under way. Most companies save their most exciting announcements for WonFes, so we all look forward to the expo whenever it rolls around! Winter Wonder Festival is usually held in February, while Summer Wonder Festival is usually in July. The event has also spread to Shanghai, in the late spring.
22. One or two (or 15) figures were announced at WonFes that I’m really excited about! How can I keep track of their progress once the event is over?
MFC is always really quick about getting new WonFes announcements (or any others throughout the year, for that matter) listed in their database, so we suggest using that. To find a figure from the event you can search any number of things, including the name of the character or the name of the show. You can also use the tag search to search “WonderFestival 20xx_[season]” to see all items announced at that event.

Update: marking this as solved. I don't know what caused the lock out - I'm 100% certain I only entered my password once. "Resolution" if it counts: I'm thankful I had the DSfinder app installed on my ipad through which I was able to see "IP Blocking" settings and managed to unblock the IP address of my PC. Had forgotten I had installed it on that device. Don't think it contributed to the issue as again, device is WiFI only and never open the Synology app. Just massively relieved!
Hi All,
Would appreciate some help here. I'm really confused what's going on.
Background
I last logged into my DSM 2 days ago on my PC. Just tried to log in right now and something odd happened, I'm used to signing in by entering my password followed by 2FA code even though it's my personal device. This time on attempting to sign on to my admin account, after entering my username I received a message to validate my log in using the Synology Secure SignIn app instead of entering a password. I do not have the app. I tried another non-admin account, still the same message. Upon attempting to log in with a password, instead I receive a message saying too many failed attempts have been made to log in and the IP address has been blocked. To be clear, I had not made any prior attempts from my personal device (it was sleeping until about 5 minutes before I attempted to log in). Although I couldn't access my DSM account, I was still able to access my mapped network drives. I tried to restart my PC and tried to log in again, but same result, and this time no luck with accessing mapped network drives either.
Edit to add: I never log into my NAS through any other devices besides this PC in my home network.
Existing Security
My NAS is exposed to the internet only via Plex. It is port forwarded so not the standard 32400 and behind a double nat. Plex has a secure password and also has 2FA.
I have firewall rules set up so only can be accessed in my country of origin UK, and after 3 or 5 wrong attempts I believe it blocks the IP. Prior to this I've never had any attempts made on my NAS.
I have my original admin account disabled, and the new one is super obscure. My password is beyond what is reflected here: https://caltechsites-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/imss/images/2023_Password_Table_Square.original.jpg
In addition, I haven't logged into my authenticator app on this device.
Oddities
One of the drives I have is dedicated to media. I'm still able to access this through Plex. I run Plex through docker and I am still able to access this through my NAS IP address.
Edit to add: I have DLNA enabled on my NAS, I'm able to access media through this as well (including through my PC).
I have another laptop that was also sleeping. I've just switched it on, it is still connected to my mapped network drives and I can access the majority of them (different limited access credentials), but none of the content is blocked by any means. I never attempt to log into DSM through this laptop. Only the initial mapping of the drives.
I've not received any emails notifying that I've been hacked/my content has been locked until I pay
Synology assistant isn't having luck finding the Synology NAS on the network at all either.
Maybe related
I've requested a speed upgrade from my internet provider. They've sent me a new router and asked me to plug it in within 5 days. I've not done this yet and was actually logging into my DSM account to double check all my settings prior to switching out.
If you're still reading, thanks so much!
At this point I'm clueless if it's something malicious or not. I'm going to run Malwarebytes overnight on my PC. Is there a chance that a change at my ISP side could result in the above?
I'm thinking worst case scenario I've been hacked, but let's say I have a keylogger on my machine, is it possible for them to break into my NAS based on my passwords alone? My 2FA is always from my personal phone and I don't log into that on my PC. Really not sure how else they could have gotten access, and again, no emails or anything, nothing has been zipped.
Would appreciate your help / suggestions on what I can do here please!
Thanks!

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