Overall, the procedure went pretty quick. Maybe 20 minutes. I was put under with MAC.
My symptoms of gastritis started about in March. I started feeling some intermittent pain two inches above my belly button and sometimes to the left. I also experienced some burping, but that has somewhat decreased. CT scan was normal (except for ovarian cyst), as well as the ultrasound.
Upon discharge, I was provided with the following:
FINDINGS:

• The Z-line was regular and was found 40 cm from the incisors.
  
• The examined esophagus was normal.
  
• Diffuse and patchy mild inflammation characterized by erythema was found in the entire examined stomach. Biopsies were taken with a cold forceps for histology.
  
• The examined duodenum was normal. Biopsies were taken.
  

IMPRESSION:

• Z-line regular, 40 cm from the incisors.
  
• Normal esophagus
  
• Gastritis, characterized by erythema. Biopsied.
  
• Normal examined duodenum. Biopsied.
  

Apparently, the biopsy report takes 1-2 weeks. I have a follow up appointment in June to go over my results. The waiting part is always the hardest for me.

Last updated 5/21/24 (Any updated servers at bottom)
Anyone stumbling upon this: About 3 months ago I literally went through every single community server, empty/full/whatever, and added any that sounded interesting, and didn't have crazy ping to Favorites (My region is Northeast US (NJ), FYI). I repeated the process twice. There are still a bunch of good ones out there (I've also had many solid ones in my favs for quite some time) I don't know if anyone cares but been around since Beta & have run a server before.
For reference:

• Good servers (to me): Emphasis on not being a dickhead, actually gets players, if running custom content it has to be tastefully done, not bloated & tacky, ping <100, anti-teamstacking measures
• "Bad" servers/what will not be here ( again this is just my opinion, also a couple exceptions ): Instant Respawn, 1 map or game mode only, more than 32 players, RTD, "friendly"/no combat servers, unmoderated racist/toxic BS
• Servers/settings I'm indifferent towards: Crits/Nocrits, Vanilla vs. Custom, Average skill level, 24 vs. 32 player, NSFW sprays, centered around niche/"weird" fandoms, Bullet/Damagespread, Class limits

Scroll down a few lines to my "To keep it simple..." header for the best ones. The following link is a much fuller list:

• Green line ones are my seal of approval
• Pink line ones I either haven't checked out as much but seem to be ok, or have 1 big issue or 2 I think holds them back from being fully recommended
• No underline = probably seemed interesting, haven't checked out at all, or never gets full

Full server list: https://i.imgur.com/qY2gCH9.png

To keep it simple, I think the best ones right now (for me are):

tiny kitty's girl pound - friendly community, runs really solid, nice-looking custom maps, Meme Maps Wednesday is a blast, always has people in it, just be wary of nsfw furry sprays (yeah I know...put cl_spraydisable 1 in console to disable)
1st server: 74.91.115.12:27015 2nd server: 74.91.113.115:27015
OPRAH's PETROL STATION - Friendly community, always has people in it, no goofy Instant Respawn which has no place in payload yet half of all community server owners see fit to do that, pre-round scramble
108.181.63.51:27015
-EOTL- Payload - same deal
74.91.114.223:27015
redsun.tf - This community is the poster child for tastefully modded custom game modes, and is very active. It's very well maintained & polished and even though I may not enjoy every game mode I've been very impressed by this server network (esp. as a former highly-modded community server owner). The EU one fills up most of the time, and I deal with the ping because it's a cool community (it even runs a Battle Royale mode that is surprisingly well-made). Their server "shop" is extremely impressive with the amount of customization available (Taunts, player skins, custom voicelines). I'd recommend downloading their asset pack here as it's fairly sizeable to DL upon server connect:
EU (actually gets players): 141.95.28.56:27015 US: 66.206.13.139:27015
Trigger Happy Gamers (EU) - Trigger Happy Gamers have been around forever and even though they are in the UK I deal with the ping to play with them because they are an awesome, fun, friendly community. Their main server gets reliably full from around 1 PM - 3 PM EST every day, and on the weekends a little longer. Their Nocrits server also gets full Saturday
main: 87.98.254.85:27015 Nocrits (gets full Saturdays @ 1 PM - 2 PM): 87.98.254.85:27025
Fucked in the Head - Another community that has been around forever. To be honest, they have equal respawn on Red & Blu, even for Payload, which I hate with a searing passion, HOWEVER, the regulars are entertaining af and give off vibes of drunk buddies goofing off and not giving a fuck that it almost offsets it. It's also decently populated.
216.52.148.223:27015
Skial Payload & Casual servers * - I never got the hate for this server network, decent spawn times, Halloween mode year round, no power tripping admins, feels like a bunch of randoms having a good time. You can also equip any weapon or cosmetic. The Payload+ EU in particular has some really chill/cool regulars, Dustbowl+ US some interesting/funny peeps. Payload US generally decent also. Their Autoscramble is also on point.
Payload+ EU 91.216.250.226:27015 Payload+ US 91.216.250.11:27015 Dustbowl+ US * (has become very stack-prone lately) 91.216.250.12:27015 ~~~~~
~Trying to get the word out that unlike their other servers, Casual is very barebones- no Instant Respawn, no RTD, normal map pool:
Casual NY 91.216.250.34:27015 Casual US 91.216.250.40:27015 Casual LA 91.216.250.21:27015 ~~~~~ Harvest (32-pl), also: 91.216.250.18:27015 ~~~~~
If you are super super new, their server network might be worth checking out, even if RTD, 2fort & other weird mods aren't my cup of tea: https://www.skial.com/servers/
Uncletopia - Pretty standard Casual experience except the skill level is generally higher, though it seems to be evening out honestly. And tbh from my experience people in these servers seem pretty cool. If you're looking for Vanilla I'd say this is your best bet.
https://uncletopia.com/servers
Southern Cross Gaming (Rainbow Swirl in particular) - Stumbled across this & played 1 round with these guys running a cool custom mode but apparently they run stock maps as well as custom maps/game modes. Their rules had a huge emphasis on keeping it fun & being respectful and everyone seemed really cool & laidback. It was full at peak time on the weekend. They also have other servers, even in other games & seem to have been around awhile:
IP: furfortress.com:27016 Site: https://www.scg.wtf/servers#team_fortress_2
ciggyland 18+ LGBT+ Furry server run by puppygirls
Funny, chill vibes, lots of custom maps. Seems to get full around peak time. Another diamond in the rough I discovered recently.
74.91.115.82:27015
Bad Weapon Rehabilitation (Vanilla US)
A really solid rebalancing of all weapons in-game. Nothing really feels overpowered or underpowered anymore, also fun things like flames stay on surfaces & I think spy or engy can radar enemies within a few feet or something to his team? It's really fun and gets full. Here's the site with IPs and stuff (The US server gets full around peak time, esp. on weekends)
(Yes this is the website): http://74.91.126.159/
redstar.gg - Arena server, the owner ComradeYazoo seems pretty dedicated to starting it up and I hop in whenever I can. Believe it or not it's still very fun with little people but it's gotten pretty packed a couple times. It also has like every good custom arena map, and scrambles if a team wins 3 in a row. North America I believe.
204.12.240.186:27015
Step in the Arena - Another Arena server I see get randomly populated on Saturday into Sundays around 11 P.M. - 2 A.M. EST. Probably missing a Discord announcement or something from a group of buddies.
172.240.237.2:27015
The Furry Pound - Some people list this one as one of the best non-UT for Vanilla TF2, however the one time I decided to give it a try I was met with some weird overly dramatic BS happening in Voice chat, and I heard someone else give a similar criticism the other day here. BUT, I've also seen people say they're ok. Might depend on what players/admins are on maybe, IDK:
Main server: thefurrypound.org:27015
shounic trenches (100-player TF2) - This goes against everything in my being but it's so unique and while not my cup of tea it's definitely a bunch of others'. Some maps such as pl_dbz_b5 & pl_dustbowl were created for this player count & people seem to have a lot of fun there. Again, I think 100 players is too much but I can't argue with how popular it is.
45.62.160.71:27015
UGC High Tower servers - They run no carts, so it's the TDM High Tower everyone's always dreamed of. They also run Instant Respawn and on any other map I hate that setting with a searing passion but because it's reworked as TDM I feel it actually improves the gameplay (put "high tower" including the space, and without quotes in the search box for a list of 'em in the following link):
https://www.ugc-gaming.net/servers/tf2/
UGC also runs other servers which I cannot vouch for but might be worth looking into.
Tropic Crisis Official Servers (NA, SA, EU)
These are the official servers for the Tropic Crisis project which is very very cool. I looked up their stats and most get full around standard peak hours.
Atlanta 155.138.213.202:27015 São Paulo 216.238.106.29:27015 Minsk 86.57.152.101:27025 Buenos Ares 45.235.99.105:27038
UEAKCrash's House of Nerds - official server of the mapmaker responsible for several very fun official maps. Runs a lot of very cool custom maps, Gets full on Fri, Sat night (must have a Discord/Twitch announcement I'd assume).
74.91.124.162:27015
Wolves Den - I'm going to make an exception to the "no "friendly"/non-combat server" thing (even though people seem down for combat ~50% of the time) because everyone just always seems to be having fun here. If you want to just screw around on interesting trade-type maps this is the place. Plus they have hilarious custom player models like velociraptors. (Has RTD)
162.248.92.33:27015
Samwiz1's Stupid Server - Another server I feel obligated to mention despite feeling like it's too much personally. Very goofy and people seem to have fun there.
173.237.52.135:27015
Swoocehut 2024 Workshop - Seems to be tied to a Discord as far as getting full, but runs a lot of custom maps apparently:
149.28.248.101:27015 Discord: https://swoocehut.com/discord Map rotation: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2802508136
swagtown epic maps only no random crits 18+ - Suggested by someone on Steam Discussions. Looks alright- seems tied to a Discord as far as getting players, but got full last Tuesday @ standard peak hours. Looks like it runs stock & custom maps.
79.127.234.193:22136 Discord: [https://discord.gg/DTH3sMWsH8](discord.gg/DTH3sMWsH8)
TF2's Official VS Saxton Hale LOOS - 'Nuff said. Very laidback goofy atmosphere.
205.178.177.24:27027
GFL Clan (maybe???) - Someone said these guys are chill too, though I hate 2fort with a passion:
https://gflclan.com/forum/26-team-fortress-2/
Kogasatopia if you're desperate. They run some really fun mods, and solid (especially good gimmicky) custom maps, but their community is 4chan edgelords that like to say racial slurs. However their server is almost always full of people. Again, if you're truly desperate. Just mute chat & voice I guess by entering this in console (replace with 1's to re-enable)- hud_saytext_time 0;voice_enable 0
74.91.116.171:27015
The Weeabootique if you're desperate. Pretty much the same description as above. Mute chat & voice by entering this in console (replace with 1's to re-enable)- hud_saytext_time 0;voice_enable 0
198.245.61.57:27015
Custom Weapons servers (including a guide to the best one via TF2Classic)
More Arena Servers
pic of a dog

Just noticed there was game data / assets for two unplayable set 11 champions. Thought some people might find it interesting.
Shyvana
Splash Art Texture Fake Tooltip Cost: 4 Traits: ??? Role: Magic Tank
Ability:

Fury of the Dragon Goddess
Taunt. Stop attacking and gain 120 Armor and 120 Magic Resist for 4 seconds. Afterwards, deal 100 / 150 / 1200% magic damage to all enemies and grant 5 mana to all allies within 2 hexes.
Damage: 100% / 150% / 1200% AP Armor: 200% Armor Magic Resist: 200% MR

Small Gnar
Splash Art Texture Fake Tooltip Cost: 2 Traits: Warden, Dryad Role: Attack Caster
Ability:

Boomerang Throw
Throw a boomerang at the current target, dealing 88 / 131 / 197 physical damage in a line (4 Hexes), and 88 / 131 / 197 physical damage plus 30% true damage on the way back.
One Way Damage = 175% / 175% / 180% AD True Damage Ratio = 30% AP

Another random tidbit is that Kobuko seems to be just be called Fortune Yordle internally.

I have two questions. They're probably dumb, but I'm still learning all the systems in this game. I've only been playing seriously for about a week now. Thus far, I've been setting up a bunch of smaller, closed factory systems (a handful of bio generators connected only to the machines that are utilizing them).
Right now, I'm in the process of setting up my first coal power plant (3 water extractors and 8 coal generators).
My first question, would there be any benefit to connecting these smaller closed systems into a larger, more unified power grid? I would assume that it's not advisable, because blowing a fuse would result in EVERYTHING shutting down, instead of just the machines within a small section of the map. Is there some potential benefit that I'm overlooking?
Second question: I'm wondering if there's an easy way to measure how much total electricity is being generated within a series of connected machines and generators (without counting up all my generators and machines and doing the math manually.) Is there an attachment/meter that I can attach to a power line, that will display the total amount of generated energy, the total being consumed, and the difference/efficiency level? I know there's external tools that can help with planning a production line, but I feel like having an efficiency meter would make a lot of sense, as an in-game item/buildable.

Getting my roof replaced post hail storm. Researching about roofs and attic ventilation; I think this 1972 house is under ventilated but would like a reddit opinion.
Approx 3000 sq ft L-shaped ranch house (so lots of roof). It has six "750" vent boxes along the back side of the roof and "soffit vents about every 6 feet" (unknown size, not documented better than that)
I have 2 roof bids, one will replace roof with new 6-count 750 boxes. Other qoute will remove 750 boxes and install ridge vent along entire roof line.
However, everything I read says not to outsize the exhaust over the intake into the attic. To see how bad it is now, I did some measurements this afternoon to see how hot it really is. My attic has about 5" of cellulose and about another 7-9" of blown in fiber glass on top.
Here's what I recoded with my handy dandy laser thermometer (I knew I'd use it more than once!).
3:30 PM
Ambient temp 87F Feels like 91F
Wind south 9MPH gusts 23 MPH
Temp when I first opened attic 141F
For reference, North facing house brick in the sun 98F
North roof shingle in the sun 132 F
North attic decking inside attic 140F
For reference, south facing house brick in the sun 113F
South roof shingle in the sun 148F
South attic decking inside attic 146.5F
West roof shingle in the sun 116F (trees on this side of the house)
So what I don't understand is whether that attic temp is expected seeing how hot the shingles are. Things I read say it should be 20F hotter at most over ambient temps in the attic but I'm unclear how that's possible.

https://archive.is/gRT7s
A proposed tax on high-value real estate transactions to pay for affordable housing would add an estimated 3,210 affordable homes in Massachusetts over five years, according to the governor’s administration – a drop in the bucket of the state’s 200,000 housing unit shortage.
Despite only adding about 1.6% of the units needed to chip away at housing demand, the policy may be causing a delay in one of the biggest bills lawmakers are poised to tackle this session, which includes other proposed policies and capital funds that may do more for the state’s housing shortage.
Healey’s $4.1 billion housing bond bill – which she is marketing as the largest-ever state investment in housing in Massachusetts – includes the tax policy change in an outside section that would clear the way for additional local levies on property sales without any additional approval needed from Beacon Hill.
Under the proposed local option, any city, town or regional affordable housing commission can adopt a real estate transfer fee between 0.5% and 2% on the portions of a sale above a certain amount with a vote of their local legislative body. The threshold would be either $1 million or the median single-family home sales price for the county, whichever is greater. Revenue from the transfer tax would fund local affordable housing efforts and the preservation of existing public housing stock.
The administration’s estimate that this policy could generate 3,210 affordable housing units over five years is based on an assumption that 50% of Massachusetts’ cities and towns would adopt a 1% tax, then put that money toward subsidizing housing at about $350,000 per unit.
Based on fiscal 2022 transactions, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities found that 53 municipalities in central and western Massachusetts had zero transactions above the $1 million threshold. Another 96 municipalities would have raised less than $100,000 in FY22 for each 1% levied.
Eighty-four communities could have raised over $1 million in fiscal year 2022 with a transfer tax, including a dozen between $5 million and $10 million. Revere and Somerville could have raised $10 million to $12 million, Cambridge $28 million and Boston $70 million for affordable housing with a 1% levy.
At least 11 cities and towns – Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Amherst, Chatham, Concord, Nantucket, Provincetown, Truro and Wellfleet – have sent the Legislature home rule petitions seeking permission to launch real estate transfer fees. Supporters say the measure is desperately needed to help more people to be able to afford to live and work in those communities.
Another policy included in Healey’s housing bill to authorize accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, by right in single-family zoning districts, would produce more than three times the amount of units across the state, compared to the transfer tax.
Supporters say ADUs, which are smaller buildings or apartments on the same property as a single-family home, offer additional housing for larger families with adult children or older parents, but they can be difficult to get permitted in some communities.
Officials said that based on adoption rates in New Hampshire and California, the permitting reform could lead to production of as many as 10,000 units in Massachusetts in five years. The bill includes other policies meant to spur housing production – including setting a new simple majority voting threshold for inclusionary zoning ordinances and creating a streamlined process for dispensing state land toward housing purposes – as well as unlocking over $4 billion to support production, preservation and rehabilitation of more than 65,000 homes, according to Healey’s office.
Still, House Speaker Ron Mariano indicated last week the controversial real estate transfer tax has slowed down deliberations on the bill that Healey filed over seven months ago.
Mariano said the transfer tax is “not as popular as I thought it might be” within his chamber.
“I’ve been listening to a lot of members. A lot of comments about the taxation issue, around the transfer tax. And so it’s slowed me down a lot,” the speaker told reporters last week. “I’m gonna have to really weigh the measure of where that would, what would happen in the chamber if we brought that up.”
The News Service asked Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll for a reaction to the speaker’s comments about the transfer tax as she left the Mass Union of Public Housing Tenants lobby day on Monday morning.
“I mean, we really support the affordable homes bill, all of the policy provisions that are in it, and we look forward to working with leadership and frankly everybody in the delegation to try and get it over the goal line,” she responded.
Asked how she would pitch the transfer tax to representatives who may not be on board, Driscoll noted that the policy is local-option, so cities and towns would not be forced to enact the new tax.
“We think it’s a real tool for local communities who want to be able to invest in affordable housing within their boundaries,” she said. “Having these resources is critical to that, and we frankly really appreciate the flexibility that communities will have to choose to accept this transfer fee. It will be a local option for cities and towns.”
Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus emphasized that revenue generated from the transfer fee could also be used to preserve existing housing.
“We think it’s an important tool, and today we’re talking to public housing tenants,” Augustus said in an interview after the Monday morning Mass Union of Public Housing Tenants event. “We specifically said in the legislation that communities that decided to opt into a transfer fee would spend it on affordable housing creation, preservation or public housing. And we see in some communities that there are great partnerships with their local public housing, and they make capital investments ... So we think it can also be a way to preserve and improve the public housing stock in communities through the transfer fee.”
Senate President Karen Spilka sidestepped a question this weekend over whether she supports a local option transfer tax. Spilka, asked in a television interview whether she supports Healey’s pitch to allow municipalities to impose the real estate transfer fee, said her chamber is “still debating it.”
“The housing bill hasn’t even come to the Senate yet. The House is doing it first,” Spilka said on WCVB’s “On The Record,” which aired Sunday. “We are working on some pieces, but I think that we need to look at whatever we do with the eye of ensuring that we continue to build housing in every corner of the state and make it more affordable for residents.”
Spilka, asked by OTR host Sharman Sacchetti whether the $1 million threshold for the transfer tax proposal was “set too low” considering the volume of Massachusetts homes that are worth more than that amount, did not directly answer.
“That will be a big discussion and debate among the senators, so I’m waiting to hear from the Senate,” Spilka said. “We haven’t had that debate and discussion yet, so we’ll see.”

I often closed the park with Thunder Mtn. The ride itself is often a loud cheering and hollering party with other evening guests. It varied, but each time was always vocal and fun.
There are other evening crowd, park closing hotspots. Haunted Mansion, an iconic and vintage setting for this experience. The wait line is often a walk on. You're in the first room, then elevator, then hallway with other people. They're often animated and enthusiastic at night. So if you're in the mood for that, this spot is reliable.
I wondered if Jungle Cruise had the same at closing. I hoped so, with the CM tour guide being like the party MC. But in the few times I tried, it was a regular vibe for that ride.
Runaway Railway seems to have a park closing following. The crowd's been like that at closing time, when I was there. I don't mean planned gatherings. More of a natural excitement in the air, about going on one last ride before walking down Main Street to exit the park.
And there's the train that travels around the DL park. The last ride, shortly after closing, will pick people up at each statoin. But won't let them dismount until the Main Street station. Many guests familiar with this like to exit the park this way.
And of course, Main Street, which is open for another hour. Emporium and other stores. Hanging out in the front area, surrounded by the train station, fire station, and other notable structures.

Hi everyone,
I have a suziki swift, I believe it is a 2020 model and it is relatively new. Where i work, we have these absolutely dealy speedbumps that unless you go 2 mph over you get air time. They are somehow within the legal limits as we have had to check multiple times because of the amount of people who come in complaining that their exhaust pipe has come off going over the speedbumps. I wish I was exaggerating about this but it is an almost weekly occurrence.
Anyway my car is making squeaking noises as it drives. It has been suggested to me that this is the suspension going, and obviously with the amount of pot holes around, this does not help. Off point but my mate measured a pot hole on a main road, that has a speed limit of 60, and the pot hole was 48 cm deep 😭.
I was wondering whether this squeaking could be due to something other than the suspension. it is mainly just the back of the car that squeakes, but as we all know, replacing the suspension on the car is mega money, so was just hoping if anyone knew or thought it could be anything else.
Thank you!

Sorry for the noob question but not sure how to do this. I have a three column data source where column A is the measure Sales Quantity, then column B is the customer name and column C the quantity amount. At the minute the data looks like this
​
Column A Column B Column C
Sales Qty Customer A 5
Customer B 10
Customer C 8
And so on. I want to do a Sumif formula on the data but to do that I need the description Sales Qty to be repeated against each line how do I get the description to be repeated against each line so its there when I automatically refresh the table and I'm not having to paste special blanks each time. Thanks in advance for your help
​
​

Today marks a milestone in Chicago’s transit evolution with the grand opening of the Edgewater Metra station. This new addition promises to enhance service efficiency and improve connectivity across the North Shore, offering significant benefits for commuters and the local community.
State-of-the-Art Facilities for a Modern Commute
The Edgewater station is equipped with contemporary amenities designed to improve the commuting experience. It features a large, covered platform, digital real-time information displays, comfortable seating, and comprehensive accessibility measures, including elevators and ramps in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
In line with Metra’s commitment to sustainability, the station incorporates eco-friendly technologies such as LED lighting and a rainwater collection system for irrigation, contributing to reduced environmental impact and operational efficiency.
Improving Connectivity and Reducing Travel Time
Strategically located between the Uptown and Rogers Park neighborhoods, the Edgewater station is expected to significantly cut down commute times for North Shore residents. It offers a vital new link to downtown Chicago, making daily travel smoother and more efficient for both work and leisure purposes.
The station also integrates seamlessly with existing bus routes, creating a comprehensive transit network that facilitates easy transfers and improved overall connectivity. This development is anticipated to promote greater public transport use, reduce road congestion, and contribute to a decrease in carbon emissions.
Economic and Community Benefits
The opening of the Edgewater Metra station is poised to bring substantial economic benefits to the local area. Enhanced transit access is expected to attract new businesses and investors, driving job creation and economic growth. Additionally, the improved accessibility is likely to increase property values, benefiting homeowners and the community at large.
Local leaders and residents have warmly welcomed the new station. “The Edgewater station is a transformative project that will serve as a catalyst for economic development and community growth,” said Alderman Harry Osterman. “This is a significant step towards building a more connected and thriving Edgewater.”
Future Prospects
Looking ahead, Metra plans to build on the success of the Edgewater station with further enhancements to the region’s transit infrastructure. Future projects include increasing service frequency, modernizing existing stations, and expanding parking facilities to accommodate growing ridership.
In summary, the inauguration of the Edgewater Metra station represents a major advancement in Chicago’s public transportation network. With its modern amenities, improved connectivity, and positive impact on the local economy, the station is set to become a key asset for the North Shore community, offering long-term benefits for commuters and residents.
For more details on the Edgewater Metra station and its services, please visit Metra’s official website or contact their customer service hotline.

Mets (21-26) @ Guardians (31-17)

First Pitch: 6:10 PM at Progressive Field

Team	Starter	TV	Radio
Mets	Adrian Houser (0-3, 7.44 ERA)	SNY	WCBS 880, WINS 92.3 (ES)
Guardians	Xzavion Curry (0-0, 0.00 ERA)	BSGL	WTAM, WARF1350 (ES)

Game Preview
Sub Rules Message the Mods 2023 Streaming Information

Line Score - Bases empty, 2 Outs, Bottom of the 6th

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
NYM	0	0	0	0	2	2				4	9	1	5
CLE	0	0	3	0	2	2				7	7	0	2

Box Score

CLE		AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA
CF	Freeman, T	2	2	1	1	1	1	.220
2B	Gimenez	3	0	0	0	0	0	.267
3B	Ramírez, Jo	3	1	2	3	0	1	.259
1B	Naylor, J	3	0	0	0	0	1	.249
LF	Brennan	3	1	1	0	0	0	.230
DH	Manzardo	2	0	1	0	0	0	.194
PH	Fry	1	1	1	2	0	0	.338
RF	Rodriguez, Jo	3	0	0	0	0	2	.000
C	Naylor, B	2	1	0	0	0	1	.168
SS	Rocchio	2	1	1	1	0	0	.212

CLE	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	P-S	ERA
Curry	4.1	7	2	2	0	2	66-44	1.93
Sandlin	0.2	0	0	0	1	2	13-8	2.35
Hentges	1.0	2	2	2	0	1	16-11	3.38

NYM		AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA
SS	Lindor	3	0	1	1	0	0	.195
1B	Alonso	2	0	1	0	1	0	.238
LF	Nimmo	3	0	1	0	0	2	.220
DH	Martinez, J	3	0	1	0	0	1	.313
CF	Taylor, T	3	0	0	0	0	0	.250
RF	Marte, S	3	0	0	0	0	1	.257
3B	Vientos	3	2	2	1	0	0	.375
2B	McNeil	3	2	2	2	0	0	.241
C	Nido	3	0	1	0	0	1	.246

NYM	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	P-S	ERA
Houser	5.0	6	6	6	1	4	72-49	7.88
Diekman	0.2	1	1	1	0	2	16-11	3.86

Scoring Plays

Inning	Event	Score
B3	Brayan Rocchio doubles (9) on a ground ball to right fielder Starling Marte. Bo Naylor scores. Brayan Rocchio to 3rd.	1-0
B3	Tyler Freeman doubles (8) on a line drive to left fielder Brandon Nimmo. Brayan Rocchio scores.	2-0
B3	José Ramírez doubles (8) on a line drive to right fielder Starling Marte. Tyler Freeman scores. José Ramírez to 3rd. José Ramírez advances to 3rd, on a fielding error by right fielder Starling Marte.	3-0
T5	Mark Vientos homers (2) on a fly ball to center field.	3-1
T5	Francisco Lindor singles on a sharp line drive to left fielder Will Brennan. Jeff McNeil scores. Tomás Nido to 2nd.	3-2
B5	José Ramírez homers (12) on a fly ball to right center field. Tyler Freeman scores.	5-2
T6	Jeff McNeil homers (2) on a fly ball to right center field. Mark Vientos scores.	5-4
B6	David Fry homers (5) on a fly ball to right field. Will Brennan scores.	7-4

Highlights

Description	Length
Adrian Houser against the Guardians	0:07
Bullpen availability for Cleveland, May 21 vs Mets	0:07
Bullpen availability for New York, May 21 vs Guardians	0:07
Fielding alignment for New York, May 21 vs Guardians	0:11
Bench availability for New York, May 21 vs Guardians	0:07
Bench availability for Cleveland, May 21 vs Mets	0:07
Fielding alignment for Cleveland, May 21 vs Mets	0:11
Starting lineups for Mets at Guardians - May 21, 2024	0:09
Breaking down Xzavion Curry's pitches	0:04
Measuring the stats on Mark Vientos' home run	0:12
The distance behind José Ramírez's home run	0:13
A deep dive into José Ramírez's home run	0:11
Measuring the stats on Jeff McNeil's home run	0:11
Visualizing Jeff McNeil's swing using bat tracking technology	0:11
Brayan Rocchio plates Bo Naylor with a double	0:28
Tyler Freeman plates Brayan Rocchio with a double	0:29
José Ramírez's RBI double	0:28
Tyler Freeman's sliding catch	0:29
Mark Vientos' solo home run (2)	0:27
Francisco Lindor scores McNeil with a single	0:18
Xzavion Curry K's Starling Marte to start the 5th	0:08
Nick Sandlin limits the damage in the 5th inning	0:10
José Ramírez's two-run home run (12)	0:30
Jeff McNeil's two-run home run (2)	0:26
David Fry's two-run home run (5)	0:29

Updated at 7:52 PM.

Streams
Tracker	MLB.com	Game Graph

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Mets (21-26) @ Guardians (31-17)

First Pitch: 6:10 PM at Progressive Field

Team	Starter	TV	Radio
Mets	Adrian Houser (0-3, 7.44 ERA)	SNY	WCBS 880, WINS 92.3 (ES)
Guardians	Xzavion Curry (0-0, 0.00 ERA)	BSGL	WTAM, WARF1350 (ES)

MLB	Fangraphs	Reddit Stream	IRC Chat
Gameday	Game Graph	Live Comments	Libera: ##baseball

Line Score - Runner on first, 2 Outs, Bottom of the 6th

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
NYM	0	0	0	0	2	2				4	9	1	5
CLE	0	0	3	0	2	2				7	7	0	2

Box Score

CLE		AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA
CF	Freeman, T	2	2	1	1	1	1	.220
2B	Gimenez	3	0	0	0	0	0	.267
3B	Ramírez, Jo	3	1	2	3	0	1	.259
1B	Naylor, J	3	0	0	0	0	1	.249
LF	Brennan	3	1	1	0	0	0	.230
DH	Manzardo	2	0	1	0	0	0	.194
PH	Fry	1	1	1	2	0	0	.338
RF	Rodriguez, Jo	3	0	0	0	0	2	.000
C	Naylor, B	2	1	0	0	0	1	.168
SS	Rocchio	2	1	1	1	1	0	.212

CLE	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	P-S	ERA
Curry	4.1	7	2	2	0	2	66-44	1.93
Sandlin	0.2	0	0	0	1	2	13-8	2.35
Hentges	1.0	2	2	2	0	1	16-11	3.38

NYM		AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA
SS	Lindor	3	0	1	1	0	0	.195
1B	Alonso	2	0	1	0	1	0	.238
LF	Nimmo	3	0	1	0	0	2	.220
DH	Martinez, J	3	0	1	0	0	1	.313
CF	Taylor, T	3	0	0	0	0	0	.250
RF	Marte, S	3	0	0	0	0	1	.257
3B	Vientos	3	2	2	1	0	0	.375
2B	McNeil	3	2	2	2	0	0	.241
C	Nido	3	0	1	0	0	1	.246

NYM	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	P-S	ERA
Houser	5.0	6	6	6	1	4	72-49	7.88
Diekman	0.2	1	1	1	1	2	22-13	3.86

Scoring Plays

Inning	Event	Score
B3	Brayan Rocchio doubles (9) on a ground ball to right fielder Starling Marte. Bo Naylor scores. Brayan Rocchio to 3rd.	1-0
B3	Tyler Freeman doubles (8) on a line drive to left fielder Brandon Nimmo. Brayan Rocchio scores.	2-0
B3	José Ramírez doubles (8) on a line drive to right fielder Starling Marte. Tyler Freeman scores. José Ramírez to 3rd. José Ramírez advances to 3rd, on a fielding error by right fielder Starling Marte.	3-0
T5	Mark Vientos homers (2) on a fly ball to center field.	3-1
T5	Francisco Lindor singles on a sharp line drive to left fielder Will Brennan. Jeff McNeil scores. Tomás Nido to 2nd.	3-2
B5	José Ramírez homers (12) on a fly ball to right center field. Tyler Freeman scores.	5-2
T6	Jeff McNeil homers (2) on a fly ball to right center field. Mark Vientos scores.	5-4
B6	David Fry homers (5) on a fly ball to right field. Will Brennan scores.	7-4

Highlights

Description	Length
Adrian Houser against the Guardians	0:07
Bullpen availability for Cleveland, May 21 vs Mets	0:07
Bullpen availability for New York, May 21 vs Guardians	0:07
Fielding alignment for New York, May 21 vs Guardians	0:11
Bench availability for New York, May 21 vs Guardians	0:07
Bench availability for Cleveland, May 21 vs Mets	0:07
Fielding alignment for Cleveland, May 21 vs Mets	0:11
Starting lineups for Mets at Guardians - May 21, 2024	0:09
Breaking down Xzavion Curry's pitches	0:04
Measuring the stats on Mark Vientos' home run	0:12
The distance behind José Ramírez's home run	0:13
A deep dive into José Ramírez's home run	0:11
Measuring the stats on Jeff McNeil's home run	0:11
Visualizing Jeff McNeil's swing using bat tracking technology	0:11
Brayan Rocchio plates Bo Naylor with a double	0:28
Tyler Freeman plates Brayan Rocchio with a double	0:29
José Ramírez's RBI double	0:28
Tyler Freeman's sliding catch	0:29
Mark Vientos' solo home run (2)	0:27
Francisco Lindor scores McNeil with a single	0:18
Xzavion Curry K's Starling Marte to start the 5th	0:08
Nick Sandlin limits the damage in the 5th inning	0:10
José Ramírez's two-run home run (12)	0:30
Jeff McNeil's two-run home run (2)	0:26
David Fry's two-run home run (5)	0:29

Attendance	Weather	Wind
	83°F, Partly Cloudy	4 mph, In From CF

HP	1B	2B	3B
Todd Tichenor	Emil Jimenez	Cory Blaser	Manny Gonzalez

Updated at 7:54 PM.
Remember to sort by new to keep up!

"You should go to Hallett. We went last year and it was fun. A good track for Miata's"
My friend Gerry the Texan who along with his team brings several Miata's to races all over from Road America to Houston to Seibring. It's a great bunch of people who are having a blast racing Lemons. He told me that and it got me to thinking. We wanted to go to a new track this year and after the disappointment at Barber going somewhere and having some fun sounded good. Also Hallett is noted for having a smaller field so we could be competitive. I always say that Barber is more like a pro level Lemons race in that it attracts the faster and better prepped teams. Road America was like that too.
But first we have to fix the car. As typical, we wait until the race is almost upon us to start. There's the matter of how bad the car is bent from the last race where Manny hit the wall. They thought it was good but we need to check this.
After pulling the rear sub frame in hopes of replacing it we learn that a 90 is a bit different than a 91 subframe or a 2001 subframe. Supposedly it all interchanges but after looking over the differences, Youngest adds a few reinforcements at places the internet gurus say are the weak points and we put the rear end together and put it back in the car. Then we check the alignment. To my great surprise the rear camber and caster is spot on. I was shocked, but the crew did a great job that night fixing the car while it was up on jack stands. Using just a tape measure they got the car really close. Toe was out but the borrowed porta powers got the bent subframe where it needed to be.
We changed the oil and brake fluid, bled the system where we took the rear apart to drop the subframe.
Another project we attempted was to swap in a larger fuel tank. Manny who has been helping with the repairs found a article on the internet that said you could bolt in a NB fuel tank out of a 2001 or so Miata and gain a gallon of fuel capacity. Yeah, that is not possible. The tank has a hump where the car does not and would involve cutting a hole in the car which would be a bit noticeable. Not worth it for such a little gain. Good news is I now have two extra NB tanks if anyone needs one. A gallon would not seem to be that much but we are still dreaming of two stopping the car at certain tracks, stretching our mileage to only stop every two hours and 25 minutes and make a seven hour day with one less stop. It's not all about raw speed, strategy can make a difference. One less stop per day could potentially add ten laps in a weekend of racing at certain tracks.
After we got the subframe in and the car aligned Youngest pulled it all apart again. He was not happy with the bushings holding the rear differential in place. The rear has to move a bit so it is not solid mounted, it actually can pivot a slight bit. He felt the bushings holding it were letting it move too freely.
Once again we put the car back together.
All during this time Manny and FabGuy have been working hard on a new car. Manny got a little crazy on Co-part. First one Miata shows up at our shop. Then another. Then another. I started joking with the guys "Hi I'm Manny, I might have a Miata addiction". Yeah. So after a lot of looking we have three wrecked cars, one being a automatic that was absolutely destroyed. It had zero good body panels and even the front subframe was pushed back where it had got up on something in a wreck. I think the only things we saved off that car was a rear axle, engine, transmission and the hard top which was cracked but usable.
We then robbed enough body parts off of one to put on the other so we ended up with a mostly maroon car with a drivers side red fender, red door and silver hardtop. I say we but all we did at the shop was to take the cars apart, everything else went to Manny's garage where he and FabGuy installed the cage and built the car. They did bring it over a time or two to put in the air to install a few parts or when we aligned it. The build and fitment were top notch on the car, lots of nice parts went in, like a better seat and belts than we use on our Miata. Like most builds they were literally bolting parts to it the night before we loaded the car to head west.
Finally both cars are prepped and it's time to get on the road. Manny has a business where he uses two rollbacks and moves cars mostly to and from car lots and auction lots. So he gets the newer one of the two trucks and shows up at the shop Thursday morning. RacerGuy and I are already there and have hooked our camper to RacerGuys truck. I am leaving my trucks at home, but taking our race trailer and our camper. The plan is to hook the camper to RacerGuys diesel F250 and hook the race trailer to Manny's newish Chevy 4500.
The plan nearly goes off the rails when Manny shows up and I get to looking at his truck. Being in the business I can't not help but look at tires. His drives are terrible, two are bald, one is soft and one showing wire. I go to air up one of the bald ones and it's not having it. Air is leaking out as fast as it was going in. In Manny's defense his employee was driving this truck and Manny had not seen it in weeks. I had already loaded tire tools and extra spare tires for every truck and trailer in the caravan except RacerGuy's truck and I would have got a spare for it too if I had thought about it. With nothing else to do, we all jump in and start busting tires. Forty five minutes later we have four new drives on the truck and we are in a much better spot to make the long drive. I hadn't done any big truck tires for a long time, sold that part of the business. Still got it, just like riding a bike.
We find I40 and start clicking off miles. Manny has already told us the limiting factor which is that GM put a really tiny fuel tank in his truck so we are forced to stop every 160-180 miles for fuel. It slows us down but it's not all bad, we find a roadside BBQ joint that looks like a camper up on blocks that has a huge parking lot and a ton of customers lining up. Of course we try it out, the best BBQ comes from little places like that, not the ones with massive buildings.
We cross Arkansas and I think it was the first time I ever went that way westbound on 40. Came back the other side when we brought the box truck back where we bought it in California. We finally make Oklahoma and bent north to go to Tulsa. Did not see the Tulsa King anywhere, stopped in a Super Walmart and stocked up on groceries for the weekend. Hallett is in the middle of nowhere, so we are planning on eating at the track.
We get there and make our way into the paddock. This will be the first time we have every camped inside the track. They have a cross over with gates that close during when the track is hot and a tunnel for access when the gates are closed. The tunnel looks kind of tight, I'm happy to not test the posted height limits. It says our trailers should fit. Yeah we will wait.
We hustle to get the camper leveled and the generator cranked up. For the next three days it will run non-stop to keep the fridge cold and our lights on. We run the a/c but for the most part temps are very nice.
The next morning we are up and on the road after the drivers meeting. We go to Pawnee, take in some sights then hit Stillwater for some parts and pieces at a hardware store. We also gas up all our empty gas cans so we are ready for race day.
Back at the track Manny and Fabguy are unloading their car off the back of the rollback. It was nice carrying one and towing one car. They go out and practice a bit, come in and make some changes then go out again. It's a new build and everyone has realistic expectations about the car. We are all expecting issues as it takes a while to find the weak spots and fix them.
We get our car out and practice. We send three of the four drivers out and have them run a few laps. I'm about to get ready and go out when RacerGuy comes in and says he felt something pop. We get to looking and the adjuster is gone off the alternator. Look a little more and the bolt has broken off in the alternator. So we have a spare motor in the trailer but it is missing the adjuster. Looks like we need the adjuster, the bolt and the alternator. We make a few visits around the paddock to look for parts but none of the other Miata teams have what we need. Youngest goes into the trailer and in a small miracle finds the adjuster laying under the spare motor loose. He and Coach head into Tulsa on a parts run while Manny agrees to put me into their car for a few laps so I can get a feel for the track. I've watched a hundred laps on Youtube but nothing is like actually driving the track. I go out and don't push things too hard. It is a very worn surface with some patches, particularly in the groove of turn two. Manny's car drives a lot different than ours, you can really tell you have more power and grip. Their tires are a lot wider as well as having 30-40 more hp. They have been working on the car all day and just finished taking off the lines where they installed a remote oil filter, they were not Lemons grade and were leaking.
Just before dark Youngest gets the parts on the car. We also install a helmet blower, we are going to try to use the air to defrost the windshield. All reports indicate rain is coming Sunday.
Then it's dinner time. Our friends from Minnesota have brought pure Lemons art down in the form of a Chrysler Magnum wagon powered by a slant 6 that is mid mounted. It is a engineering feat and runs out nicely. Adam the team leader and I have been planning and they are cooking for us for tonight and we are cooking for them Saturday night. They show us up by putting on a feed with steaks and salad. I'm feeling bad about the fact we are serving hamburgers, coleslaw and potato salad the next night. It was great.
Saturday morning dawns and we are up and moving around. I give up waiting on a shower as the line is too long inside and try the outdoor shower. It has no roof, just walls. It was ok. The next morning I tried it again and it was freezing, no hot water!
I skip breakfast and get ready to get in the car. I want to get on the grid early as I still am not feeling great about the track. The laps in Manny's car did not give me much to make me feel really attuned to the track as I was learning both the car and the track at the same time. I want all the practice laps I can get in our car. The line up is me, Youngest, Coach and then RacerGuy bringing up the finish for the day. FabGuy is gridded about ten cars behind us and he is under team orders to take it easy to start the race.
We get out and start doing pace laps. Soon enough it's green and the race is on. A few laps in Fabguy blasts by me. So much for taking it easy. Going into turn 2 I see a car off track. I mean he's not a little off the racing surface, he's 150 feet off the corner and just about in the tree line. I wonder what happened there. I am starting to get the hang of the track and pick up some speed. Then I mess up early on and miss the line completely going into turn 9 from 8 and run off the track. I fire the car back up and quickly exit and head to the penalty box.
"what happened?'
"I missed the line and ran out of asphalt and talent all about the same time"
The judge kind of laughs, "keep it on the track" and sends me back out. Youngest has made it to penalty and looks the car over from my adventure in the dirt and grass and gives the go ahead. If you are going to mess up do it right at the entrance to pit road, it really cuts down your time off track!
I run clean the rest of the stint. I tiptoe around the corner I went off but run hard the rest of the track without pushing so hard I get off again. Then Youngest, then Coach. We are having one of the best days we have ever had at the track. Besides my adventure off track no one else has messed up. Our stops are clean and quick. Our times top to bottom are very similar and consistent. Something strange is happening. We are in the top 15 overall and since we managed to get put in B class we are doing very well. Only 50 cars at Hallett this weekend, the smallest Lemons field we have ever competed against.
Fabguy pulls off to go to the gas pumps. We are fueling on pit road but they are going to just fuel at the pumps this race. They aren't planning on winning anything so why go to all the trouble of getting all your gear on and doing hot pit stops? Fabguy comes off a little hot and the officials come over to tell them they were over the ten mph paddock limit. Manyy drives the car up to the penalty and Fabguy comes up and they are told they are good to go. Later Manny gets off the track and goes to penalty. They start in on him not serving the penalty for going too fast in the pits. "we served that penalty" The judge goes off "do you really want to argue about this" Later when they realize the team was right and the previous judge had not marked it off the offenders list before going on break. In a first the judge apologizes to them.
With about two hours left in the day their Miata is towed off. The engine is super hot and will not crank. All signs look bad. Later it cools off and will crank, but cranks with ease, signs of a engine that has lost all compression. Their weekend is done and Fabguy heads out to get a headstart on getting to work early Monday. The rest of us will pull an all nighter after the race Sunday.
I start doing the math and realize it's going to be very tight. We make our calcuations based on a normal 7 hour race day. Today is a 7.5 hour day which is a bit longer than normal when racing Lemons. I figured out the stints and got it wrong. We realize our mistake and run Coach a bit longer before we put in RacerGuy. It's going to come right down to the limit of our fuel mileage. We start planning dinner and cleaning up the paddock with about ten minutes to go when all the sudden we realize the car is not out there. We run to the pumps and find Racerguy there. He ran out and limped the car to the pumps but could not get all the way there. By the time we get the car pushed around to get fuel the race is over for the day. I feel like a total idiot, I could have ran another five minutes easily in the car in the morning and not had this problem.
But the good news is that somehow even after I went off the track and and then we ran out of gas was that we were still very good on the day. We had enough of a lead on the car behind us in Class B that we still had a 7 lap lead even after running out of gas. Even better our paddock mates in the Chrysler are putting a shellacking on Class C as well. Their Magnum wagon is running a Richard Petty scheme, they all have uniforms and the requisite trademark Petty cowboy hat and STP logos, only this time it means "Slow Through Paddock" signs and all. They actually shouted this out when doing the morning driving meeting when they were going over the rules. "STP, Slow through Paddock!" every time the officials discussed that rule in the drivers meeting.
We put everything away, rain is moving in. We are in shock about how well everything is going. Surely we will find a way to loose this race tomorrow. Will other cars be faster in the rain? Will we shoot ourselves in the foot and have poor driving and get multiple black flags? Will something break on the car which has been running great all day long? And who the heck is this Coach guy? All that and more when we wrap up this in the next part of this story. Stay tuned!

Sharing this experience since I was scouring through threads and google trying to find info on when ovulation came for different people after chemical pregnancy. I thought it happened two weeks ago I had several days of small LH rises and then back down. Body was obviously trying to ovulate. My temps have been lower this entire cycle than last and didn’t have a clear bbt jump since they were kind of all over the place. I measure with Oura/Natural Cycles. I was taking pregnancy tests already thinking I was around 9-12dpo. Finally got a blood test and it was negative. Here’s the kicker - I took a few opks the last few days just out of curiosity and noticed yesterday “wow that’s a dark line!” But had heard that sometimes early pregnancy can cause opks to darken so was thinking that must be what’s happening. Thank god I got the blood test to clear things up or I wouldn’t have know that I’m ovulating now! I only wish I had figured this out a few days ago since I missed about 3 days of opk testing so not sure exactly l when it began to rise but hubby and I will get to BDing tonight and the next few days and keep our fingers crossed. So for anyone in similar shoes- it does eventually happen. Was not expecting it to be a month and a half later and that waiting is excruciating. But it must finally be happening now! 🥳

Hey all! This is my first post in the group and I am looking for some help in terms of my measurements.
I have breastfed 2 babies, which has significantly deflated my breasts. I have the longer hanging, saggy tissue that I find a struggle to find a bra that holds me up and in.
My measurements are as follows (in cm):
Underbust loose: 81.5 Underbust snug: 78.5 Underbust tight: 75
Standing bust: 95 Leaning bust: 110 Laying bust: 101
Calculator results:
Suggested Starting Size: 32FF/G in UK sizing
My problem I am facing is that I currently own a 32 band it doesn’t feel tight enough. I feel as though I will never find a bra that fits my new, saggy empty tube socks!!

In the United States, the political landscape is predominantly dominated by two major parties: the Democrats and the Republicans. From the fiery debates on Capitol Hill to the polarized opinions of everyday citizens, it's easy to see these two entities as fundamentally opposed forces. However, a deeper examination reveals a more nuanced picture. Despite their apparent differences, the Democrats and Republicans are, in many ways, two sides of the same coin. Here’s why:

1. Shared Corporate Interests

Both parties are heavily influenced by corporate interests. Campaign finance plays a crucial role in this dynamic. Major corporations and wealthy donors often contribute to both parties, ensuring their interests are represented regardless of which party is in power. This symbiotic relationship results in policy decisions that favor big businesses and the wealthy elite, often at the expense of the broader public. Whether it's tax cuts for the rich or deregulation that benefits large corporations, both parties have shown a propensity to cater to their benefactors.

2. Military-Industrial Complex

When it comes to defense spending and foreign policy, there is significant overlap between the two parties. Both Democrats and Republicans support substantial military budgets and have a history of engaging in military interventions abroad. The bipartisan consensus on maintaining American military dominance often leads to prolonged conflicts and high defense expenditures, reflecting a shared commitment to the military-industrial complex.

3. Policy Continuity

Despite the rhetoric of change that often accompanies elections, many policies remain consistent across administrations. For instance, economic policies that favor neoliberalism, such as free trade agreements and deregulation, have been pursued by both Democratic and Republican presidents. Similarly, issues like mass surveillance and the war on drugs have seen continuity across party lines. This persistence indicates a fundamental agreement on certain policy frameworks, despite superficial differences.

4. Incrementalism Over Radical Change

Both parties tend to favor incremental reforms over radical changes. While Democrats may push for more progressive policies and Republicans for more conservative ones, both often avoid making significant structural changes that could disrupt the status quo. This can be seen in the handling of healthcare reform, climate change, and social justice issues. Instead of transformative solutions, both parties frequently opt for measures that tweak the existing systems without fundamentally altering them.

5. Political Elitism

The leadership of both parties often comes from a narrow, elite segment of society. Career politicians, many of whom come from wealthy backgrounds, dominate the upper echelons of both the Democratic and Republican parties. This creates a political class that is somewhat insulated from the everyday struggles of ordinary Americans. The focus tends to be on maintaining power and privilege rather than addressing the root causes of societal issues.

6. Media and Narrative Control

Both parties exert significant influence over mainstream media, shaping public perception and discourse. Media outlets, often aligned with one party or the other, contribute to the polarization by emphasizing partisan perspectives while downplaying the similarities. This controlled narrative keeps the public engaged in the partisan divide, diverting attention from the deeper systemic issues that both parties perpetuate.
While the Democrats and Republicans present themselves as distinct and opposing forces, a closer inspection reveals substantial similarities in their operations and objectives. Both parties are entrenched in a system that prioritizes corporate interests, military expenditure, and incremental change over radical transformation. This symbiosis maintains the status quo and often undermines the pursuit of significant social, economic, and political reforms. Understanding these parallels is crucial for those seeking to navigate the complexities of American politics and advocate for genuine change.

Credit to u/SpacePaladin15 for the NOP Universe.
Hey, I hope everyone's doing well!
Today we return to the namesake of this fic, an actual lesson about animals. This one focuses on Koalas! One of Australia's most recognisable critters. I hope you enjoy.
It's hardly worth mentioning, seeing as I'm an infrequent poster at the best of times, but I'll not have another chapter out for a few weeks due to limited free time and devoting most of my writing time to an upcoming ficnapping. Be sure to look out for that!
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Memory transcription subject: Rysel, Venlil Environmental Researcher
Date [Standardised human time]: 8th September 2136
“Koalas!”
Bernard’s energised voice boomed through the air as the classroom's monitor flickered into life, images of this paws lecture topic popping up one after the other until the entire screen was filled with a collage of furry quadrupeds.
Squee! I’ll never get tired of this, it’s all so cool!
As usual the sight of something new stirred immediate discussion, hushed murmurs swelling into vibrant discourse in little more than a heartbeat. Most of the class swiftly huddled together into small herds to bounce ideas around while the rest opted to stick to the solace of their own thoughts as they took in the display.
I’d be quite happy in either situation, though seeing as Sandi had already sunk into deep concentration and Kailo had peeled off to talk with Ennerif and Solenk, it seemed the decision had been made for me on this occasion. Wasting no more time on idle inspection of the people around me, I focused my full attention forward, eager to form first impressions before the lesson began in earnest.
Now then, time to make some educated guesses. What traits does this animal have? I wonder if I’ll get any right this paw?
Professional assumptions went paw-in-paw with the lectures, examining and coming up with hypotheses about the specimens was only natural. Recently however, I’d started to make a little game of it to make things even more interesting than usual. A veritable bonfire of ideas had been set ablaze within me, fueled by my newfound knowledge of Earthen wildlife. Every flash and spark of the flame was a fresh theory I could try to apply to the lectures. It was an invigorating exercise that further stoked my unceasing wonderment.
So far I’d only done this once during the previous class and, to my disappointment, I’d not done too well.
I was right when I guessed that chickens were omnivores, but wrong in my assumption that they could fly. And that red thing on their head, the um… what was it called? The comb! Yes, the comb. I thought that was to attract mates, but it regulates body heat instead. It’s fascinating. Oh! Stars damn it I’m rambling!
I bapped my tail against my leg, the soft thud being just enough to snap me back from my runaway thoughts before I went completely wall-eyed. I was becoming more and more accustomed to getting lost in my own head while remaining conscious of the fact; it was happening so frequently now that it was pretty much impossible not to. Now I was able to pull myself back to the world around me without having to rely on someone else shaking me out of it. Most of the time anyway.
Sandi still keeps an eye on me, and Kailo even decided to help out once without being too snide about it. Anyway where was I? Oh yeah, Koalas.
Glancing at the furred animals, two things immediately stood out. Firstly, their eyes were in a more central position on their face. And second, all the images showed them being on or close to trees. There were other noteworthy observations of course, such as the Koala’s prominent nose and rounded features, but they fell to the wayside as I honed in on these points first.
Hmmm… ok. I already know to discount the idea that they’re predators just from eye position, so let’s get that thought out of here. Maybe omnivorous? Herbivore? Agh no, I can’t just guess that for the sake of guessing, that’s the same problem! Hrm, it’s tough making these assumptions now that everything I thought I knew has been turned on its head.
Nevermind, I’ll focus on the other thing. All the trees make me think they’re arboreal, that seems to be a reasonable assumption. I wonder what else they-
Clearing his throat, Bernard broke my concentration, his call for attention silencing the murmuring conversation and redirecting everyone's focus to the lecturer's podium.
His gaze panned across the room as he waited for everyone to settle, a beaming smile lighting up his face, “As ever I’m delighted to see you all get so into the subject matter from the get go. I’m looking forward to hearing what you were discussing should you wish to share. For now though, how about we get started, hm?”
A chorus of merry bleats rang out from across the audience, ears and tails flicking happily in agreement. Bernard's grin grew in tandem with the class's fervour, clasping his hands together enthusiastically as he launched into the lesson, “Excellent! Then let’s get started.”
The pictures on screen dissolved away until only one remained, enlarging to cover the entire monitor with the fluffy grey face of a Koala peacefully reclining in the crook of a tree.
“Ah, there we are,” Bernard’s baritone timbre drifted through the room as he looked up at the image, his own tone reflecting the relaxed attitude of the animal on screen, “He looks so comfortable doesn’t he? Perfectly at peace with the world, not too surprising considering they sleep almost 20 hours a day. A full paw!”
A wave of beeps and gasps rippled through the herd, punctuated by a single yawn-dressed comment from Rova, “A full paw? Hwuuu… jealous.”
Her drowsy remark elicited several whistling giggles from the herd, Bernard's own jovial chortle joining them as he turned to face her, “Late evening Rova?”
I twisted a little in my seat, panning an eye in Rova’s direction just in time to see her bleary eyes bulge open and her ears shoot up, now intensely aware of the fact she hadn’t been as quiet as she thought she had.
Sitting up abruptly, she hastily tapped down errant tufts of wool that’d flared in surprise as she composed herself, though her nervousness at becoming the centre of the class's attention was still plain for all to hear, “Uh- I um… achem, a little bit yes, um- …sorry. Lokki dragged me out to a movie viewing in the rec centre. It went on pretty late.”
A melodramatic bray from the other side of the room drew everyone's ears away from Rova to the now aghast Lokki, paw splayed across his chest in faux indignation, “Dragged you? Well excuse me for trying to broaden your horizons with human movies. That’ll be the list time I- …Ahaaaa…”
Lokki’s theatrics were cut short by a heavy yawn of his own, a swell of whistling laughter rolling through the herd as vibrant bloom lit up his snout, a sight that elicited a particularly amused bleat from Rova.
Turning away from the duo I looked back at Bernard, pleased to see that he was chuckling along with us. Behaviour like Lokki’s would never have been tolerated in my school and university days but, in stark contrast, Bernard revelled in it, the liveliness of his students fueling his own bombastic style of teaching. It was a pleasant change of pace having a teacher who let us all be ourselves in class; provided we weren’t too disruptive to the lesson plan.
Speaking of which.
His laughter still rumbling through the air, Bernard clapped his hands to pull everyone's focus back to him, “Ok, ok, let’s get back to it then shall we? Rova. Lokki. Hopefully the two of you can stay awake long enough until you can grab yourselves a coffee.”
As the class settled down and the last few giggling beeps petered out, Benard pointed a hand to the screen, “So, the Koala. Let’s start simple shall we? They are herbivorous marsupials native to the eastern and southern coasts of Australia. Easily recognised the world over, they are a well known and beloved symbol of their homeland, along with other animals such as the Kangaroo and the Emu. The former of which you might remember from one of our earlier lectures.”
Indeed I did remember, along with how angry Bernard had gotten after some speh-head had derided the Yotul after he explained how he held specific disdain for such attitudes.
Uuuggghh… I never want to see him angry again. So chilling.
I shook my ears in an effort to dismiss the unpleasant memory, panning my eyes back to the monitor to try and distract myself by inspecting the Koala’s physical appearance once more. Thankfully, by some Star's blessed intervention, Bernard had the exact same idea.
“Koala’s are rather squat in stature, ranging around sixty to eighty-five centimetres in length and weighing little more than fifteen to sixteen kilograms at their full size. As you can see, the fur of this fellow before you is a lovely silvery grey, but their fur can also sport a chocolaty brown hue as well. Arguably the most distinctive part of their appearance is their head, being rather large for their body size and having rounded ears, a large nose, and a pair of small eyes. These are often brown but variations do occur.”
It didn’t slip past my notice that Bernard didn’t bother to point out that the Koala’s eyes were forward facing. I didn’t think he’d simply forgotten, so perhaps he just felt it wasn’t necessary given that he’d already stated it was herbivorous. Either way, no one stuck up a paw or tail to question him.
“Now this will hardly be surprising considering how long they sleep, but Koala’s are largely sedentary and it’s rather easy to see why when you have a look into the contents of their diet.”
With the press of a button the Koala on screen was replaced by images of vibrant green vegetation. Soaring trees and flowering shrubbery weaved together across landscape framed pictures pulled admiring trills from the herd, the diversity of the plant life being shown standing as a reminder that it wasn’t only animal life that flourished on Earth.
After giving everyone the chance to take in the picturesque scenes, Bernard casually hammered that point home, “This is eucalyptus or, more accurately, a choice selection of more than 700 plants belonging to the eucalyptus genus, though the Koala itself favours 30 of them in particular.”
700!? Stars…
Realising that my ears had drooped in my momentary awe, I twisted them back to tune into the lesson, only for them to splay out in shock at the next words to come out of Bernard's mouth.
“The leaves of these plants are the primary food source of the Koala and there are a couple things worth mentioning when talking about these plants. For starters they do not have much nutritional or caloric value, leading to the Koala’s low-energy lifestyle. Additionally, they contain toxic compounds.”
A shiver instantly ran through the herd, ears flicking rapidly in confusion and alarm followed by a few quizzical whispers. It didn’t take long for someone to decide to give a proper voice to the murmuring.
“Excuse me Doctor. Did we hear that right? Their diet is made up of toxic flora?” Vlek’s grumbling incredulity cut through the herd's mutterings with ease. Until Kailo’s recent change of heart, the fifty something rotation old blonde Venlil had been a close second in terms of scepticism. Mercifully his rebuttals had always been relevant questions as opposed to ranting diatribes, so he at least remained on topic if nothing else.
Bernard nodded in confirmation, smiling back at Vlek while absentmindedly twirling the end of his moustache, “You heard me right, they do indeed consume plants that are toxic. Just not to them.”
Any worry or uncertainty still clinging to the herd was swept away by the provision of the glaringly obvious answer, leaving me chuckling inwardly at the oversight.
Ah of course! The plant might be poisonous but they’ll have evolved to deal with that. Stars… I’m so used to expecting the unexpected with Earth that I didn’t even consider the simplest solution.
“I see, thank you Doctor,” Vlek replied, a tinge of interest still audible in his tone, “I assume they’ve developed some adaptation to become immune to the harmful effects?”
The question immediately evoked a smirk from our teacher, but he hurriedly suppressed it while bobbing his head, “They have indeed. There are several factors that aid in their digestion of eucalyptus leaves without succumbing to the plant's baleful properties. The first is a part of the intestinal tract called the cecum. It contains a microbiome that allows the Koala to digest the eucalyptus. Coupled with this is an enzyme in the Koala’s liver that helps them break down the toxins. They are also capable of sniffing out the plants with the least amount of toxins, ensuring that they ingest as little as possible.”
Pausing for a breath Bernard looked back at the screen before turning to face us, another grin curling at the edges of his mouth as he continued with his explanation, “This is mostly for adult Koala’s, because while their young also possess these same adaptations, they don’t just go straight to munching through foliage right after being born. No, they need a little help making that jump and getting a stomach full of all that good gut bacteria. It’s nothing bad, but those of a sensitive stomach may wish to prepare themselves for this next part.”
Bernard’s assurances did little to assuage the concern that his warning had foisted upon us. Having been exposed to so much of the weirdness Earth had to offer everyone always ended up on edge whenever Bernard gave advice like this, even if he did say it in jest.
What strange nonsense thing do Koala pups do then? Judging by the way he’s acting it probably isn’t something as simple as drinking milk from the mother. Hmmm…
“So,” Bernard began, snapping us from our pensive stupor, “Young Koala’s, known as joeys, have a gestation period of thirty-five days on average, which is approximately forty-two paws. Once born they travel from the birth canal to a pouch in their mother so that they can continue to develop and grow. In the pouch the joey finds and latches onto one of two teats and these provide the newborn with a steady stream of nourishing milk. It spends the next six to seven months growing in the pouch, its eyes, ears, and fur all developing as time goes on.”
Okay, interesting. But this is exactly how I thought it’d go. What’s different?
The unexpected normalcy of the Koala’s birth and growth cycle had calmed everyone's nerves, only to be replaced with an air of suspicion as we waited with rapt attention for Bernard to drop the other claw and upend our expectations like he always did.
Not wanting to keep us in further suspense he forged ahead, the tempo of his voice picking up as the smile started to crease his face once more, “Now to make the switch from milk to eucalyptus, the mother also feeds the joey a substance called pap. It comes from the cecum I mentioned earlier, and contains all the gut bacteria required to help the young Koala in making the switch to eucalyptus.”
He stopped and looked around, searching us for a reaction to what I felt was a rather bland statement of fact. What was it he was saying without actually saying? Koala pups drink milk to mature and then include this pap substance so that they can start eating plants. I don’t see what-
The cecum is part of the intestine.
I blinked.
I blinked again, the intrusive interruption scouring my brain clean of any other thought bar the one it’d just implanted itself in the forefront of my mind.
Oh stars. They-
“They eat their own poop!?”
The shocked bleat shattered the peace of the room to reveal that most if not all of us had come to the same tail curling conclusion. As the hall filled with unrestrained vocalisations of disgust, an ‘Ugh’ over here and a ‘Blegh’ over there, Bernard’s own bellowing laughter joined the throng of voices.
“Ha! Everytime! Each and every time. Clearly it doesn’t matter if my students are Human or Venlil. Whenever someone learns about the Koala’s dietary development the reaction is the same!”
Pleased with himself beyond reason, Bernard chuckled away while the rest of us grappled with this ghastly reality. While there were plenty of animals that feasted on things that ranged from simply unappealing all the way to the stomach churningly grotesque, I’d never heard of an animal that actively consumed the excrement of its own species. Benefits aside, the prospect of having to do that to survive to adulthood sent a shiver of revulsion down my spine.
Ewww… Stars, I hope I forget this feeling by 2nd meal. They’re serving sturen and magamroot stew later. I was really looking forward to it.
With the herds mood beginning to temper Bernard tapped the podiums controls, removing the verdant collage of eucalyptus to display several similar yet distinct environments, still chortling merrily to himself in the process, “Ok then, with that little foray into their diet complete, why don’t we look at their habitat in more detail? As you might imagine given their diet and arboreal nature, Koala’s live in forested regions, and can be found in tropical and temperate zones. About a century ago they were classed as a vulnerable species, however efforts were made to turn this around and increase their numbers. Sadly the largest factor in their decline was human activity, as the fertile lands that gave rise to their bountiful forests were coveted farm land for our settlements.”
It was strange to hear Bernard so matter of factly admit to humanity's negative impacts on other species. He’d alluded to such things in the past but always with an air of caution, carefully pawing the line between honestly answering a question while not painting humanity as uncaring and destructive. AKA, the ‘predators’ we’d all initially expected them to be.
Perhaps his comfort in making such admissions was a reflection of the class's comfort with him, for no one so much as batted an ear. Even Kailo, who I would’ve expected to jump at the chance to use this as a prime example of predatory danger, only flicked an ear in stern yet silent concern.
A cough from Bernard drew my attention back, a new picture on screen that showed a forest from a bird's-eye view. Drawn across the image were around a dozen ringed areas, some bordering one another while others overlapped to some degree. It took me a moment, but I soon recognised that what I was looking at was a map, the rings representing what I assumed to be territories. And it didn’t take much effort to guess who each one belonged to.
“From habitats we move onto behaviours, so let’s start with territories. Koala’s are solitary animals. Yes, despite being herbivores. Considering they’re only awake for roughly four hours of the day I can hardly blame them. Lots to do and not a lot of time to do it. Jokes aside, once they mature they are quite independent, carving out a little slice of land for themselves, as displayed in this example, called a Home Range. That is not to say they go it alone and leave everything else behind however. Rather, as shown in the map behind me, they live in their own space while still being part of a larger social group.”
With another press of his pad the picture was updated to show one of two symbols in each segment, along with a key to the side of the map displayed in helpful Venlang. A quick glance told me that the symbols were representing whether the territory belonged to a male or female of the species.
“As you can see there is quite a bit of overlap between different Koala’s territories. It is in these areas that most of the socialising takes place between neighbours. The trees in these locations represent the few areas where intrusion across territories is acceptable for the sake of social interaction. Outside of that the Koala’s stick to their own territories for the most part, with the exceptions of Koala’s who are passing through, attempting to become part of the social group themselves, or dominant males who sometimes go off into another Koala’s range. But how do they know where one range begins and another range ends you might ask? Well, this brings us onto the next part of the lecture. How do Koala’s communicate?”
Wiping away the map from the monitor, Bernard loaded up a video of a Koala sitting in a tree and pressed play. Head held high, the Koala’s body shook as it belted out a reverberating call into the wilderness that could only be described as a garbled combination of a car engine failing to turn over mixed with the hiccups of someone with a particularly sore throat.
That’s how they sound? Oof that must be rough on the lungs.
I clearly wasn’t the only one to share such a thought, because I clocked Sandi tracing a paw along her neck as the noise went on, ears fluttering in discomfort at the noise.
Bernard himself cleared his own throat as the video came to an end, minimising it and replacing it with another image of a tree with a Koala rubbing up against the bark, “I think they’ve got me beat on who’s got the deeper voice!”
His joke garnered several amused beeps, a rare reaction that caused a beaming smile to shine across his face at lighting speed, “Oh you’re too kind. I’ll be here all week. Now where were we? Oh yes! Communication. As you’ve just heard, Koala’s are capable of loud low pitched bellows that can carry over vast distances. These express everything from ‘Hello I’m over here’ to ‘This is my turf, stay away’. Bellowing is more common in the males than the females, opting for shouting matches as opposed to outright fights when it comes to asserting dominance. Other vocal expressions include grunts, wails, and snarls if they’re acting particularly angsty. Mother and joey pairs also communicate through gentle clicking, squeaking, and murmuring sounds. And there’s one more thing worth mentioning. Something they have in common with Humans and Venlil when it comes to emoting.”
Really? They do something we do?
Curious, I pressed myself against the desk, straining as close as I could to once more scrutinise the Koala’s features. Not a lot stood out to me at first, the grey marsupial not sharing many similarities with a Venlil that I could identify.
Ok think. We show emotion with our ears, tails, and our wool on occasion. They don’t have tails so it’s obviously not that. Wool standing on end is more a reaction than a conscious expression. So it must be the ears then.
To my quiet satisfaction, my hunch was soon validated by Bernard, “As well as their vocalisations, Koala’s are very emotive through their facial features. Just like humans, they use their mouths and lips to show how they feel, but these tend more towards the aggressive side of the scale than what you might see on a human. Regarding yourselves however, Koala’s utilise their ears in tandem with their mouth movements when showing strong emotion.”
I was delighted to hear that my assumption was correct, a little happy flick twisting out through my tail and bapping against my chair with a muted thump against the plastic.
Hehe yes! Got one right!
“Now then, we are getting close to lunchtime so I’ll finish this segment off with something I think you’ll find particularly interesting. Diplomacy.”
Perplexed mutterings followed in the wake of the bizarre inclusion to the lecture, my own thoughts being dominated by bewilderment as I tried and failed to make sense of how the two could possibly be related.
Why would Koala’s, or any animal for that matter, be linked to diplomacy? Hmmm...
I could understand dispatching exterminators to deal with a predator issue as a show of goodwill, that at least includes animals, but Humans aren’t like that so I think I can safely scratch that off the list.
Maybe the humans who live in that region benefited from Koala’s in some way. Could they have gotten something from them? But what?
Hopefully not what the pups get from their mothers.
Agh no! Begone awful intrusive thoughts. Blegh! I don’t need that in my head.
As I wrestled with the short-lived revulsion inflicted upon me by my Star's damned subconscious, Bernard placed a new image on screen, one that was decidedly different from all that had preceded it.
On screen were more than a couple dozen pictures of humans. Some were pictured alone while others congregated in large groups while cameras surrounded them from all angles. Across all the images, I noted two common themes. First of all, a solid majority of the humans were wearing formal wear similar to what I’d seen worn by UN representatives on TV. If the gaggle of journalists in the background of the photos didn’t already confirm my suspicions, then it was this similarity which made me conclude they were all people of some importance. Likely politicians judging from context clues.
Secondly, each of the individuals was interacting with a Koala in some form. Some cradled one against their chests while others were feeding it eucalyptus leaves or pellets of some kind. One of the assumed politicians had become an impromptu bed for a snoozing bundle of fur, a gleeful smile spread across their face as they lovingly gazed down at the sleeping Koala in their lap.
As I continued to stare at the assorted photos something clicked into place, a sudden spark flickering into life. A burgeoning light of comprehension that flared and swelled with every wide-eyed breath I took. Some things still escaped me, things I hoped would soon be explained, but in staring at all of the humans happy smiling faces, I was struck with an instant of pure understanding.
If someone, say a Nevok for instance, offered to gift me a creature that was common to them but which might exotic and breathtaking to a Venlil, how could my feelings not be swayed? How could I walk away from that encounter and not have grown closer to them as a result?
“Koala diplomacy,” Bernard waved his hand up at the monitor, a slight reverence in his tone, “My favourite kind of soft power diplomacy. Where political leaders take photo ops with Koala’s and, on occasion, the Australian government loans Koala’s to other nations for a time to bolster positive relations. It certainly helps that Koala’s are a beloved animal worldwide, drawing large crowds and revenue for countries fortunate enough to host the adorable critters.”
The truly alien concept predictably sparked instant discussion in the herd, two polar opposite schools of thought swiftly cementing themselves as the most popular opinions. Simultaneously, I heard one voice trill excitedly while another scoffed at what they clearly saw as a ridiculous and offensive notion.
“Squee! That’d be so cool! I’d love to get the chance to see a Liri from Coila. Remember the Rainbow Boa? Think of that shimmering effect and colour but put it on a bird! Ah! I’ve only heard their song on video. It’d be a treat to hear it in person!”
Ooo! I’ve read about them! I’d love to get up close to one.
“Loaning. As if animals are property to be hoarded and traded? Pugh! Another predatory trait the humans don’t want to acknowledge for what it is.”
Ugh, typical. Jump right to the worst possible option.
However, despite my dismissal of their disparaging fumings, an uncomfortable thought pressed upon my mind. While it was plain to see how much humans cared for the Koala, it didn’t change the fact that humans did keep animals as property just as the scornful herd member had said.
This begged a rather important, disquieting question. Aside from keeping some animals as cattle, a stomach tightening minefield I had no desire to step a claw onto right now, how else did humans keep other creatures. And how did they treat them?
Before I was fully conscious of doing it my paw was in the air, the question primed on my tongue.
Noticing my elevated paw Bernard pointed at me, smiling warmly, “Yes Rysel? What’s on your mind?”
Sorry Bernard. I hope this one’s not too awkward for you to answer.
Flicking my ear in appreciation, and waiting for everyone to settle enough so that I could be heard, I voiced my concerns as neutrally as possible, “Thank you Doctor. I uh, just had a thought. We know that humans keep certain animals for… particular reasons, and we know why. From how you’ve spoken about Koala’s I think it's fair to say that the same cannot be said for them. However, this makes me wonder, what other reasons do humans have for keeping animals and how do you treat them?”
A flash of surprise blinked across Bernard's eyes but vanished so quickly that it felt like I’d imagined it. Had he not expected such a question? Maybe he was just shocked that it’d been me who’d ended up asking it?
Stars, am I so predictable that no one expects me to ask difficult questions?
Unfortunately, a quick glance at my deskmates seemed to prove that to be the case, as both Sandi and Kailo were looking at me with differing degrees of astonishment flapping in their ears.
Well speh.
“A very good point Rysel, certainly one that’s worth raising. Yet another example of you all anticipating what I have to say before I can bring it up myself.” Bernard tapped the podium, switching off the monitor before returning his focus to me, “We won’t be needing that. I’ve nothing prepared that I can show you and we’re heading to lunch in a few minutes anyway. Still, that’s plenty of time to give you a bit of an answer.”
A bit? What does he mean just a bit?
Made even more curious by Bernard's preempted admission that he wasn’t going to fully answer my query, I dialled both my ears on him, fixing him with an inquisitive stare as he started to explain with a tone that was noticeably more nonchalant than any of his previous explanations.
“So, animals in captivity for reasons other than what you already know. Honestly I would love to delve into other reasons regarding why we keep animals. However, I have a lesson plan in the works that I hope to share with you all in the not too distant future. Some of it touches upon this very topic and I’d quite like to bundle it all together. That said, I can tell you how animals in captivity are treated. In short, the answer is very well. There are a mountain of laws both on private and public interests that govern the standards and ethical treatment of animals, and breaches of these laws are quite severe even for relatively minor infractions.”
While I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed by the vague answer to what was really the bulk of my question, I was at least satisfied by Bernard’s assurances that animals in captivity, such as the Koala, were well looked after. Considering the barely subdued grumbling coming from some corners of the audience it was clear that several of the herd didn’t believe Bernard outright, but I trusted him to be honest. Additionally, the mention of an upcoming lecture focused on humans keeping animals caused quite the buzz.
I felt a mix of excitement and trepidation at exploring the topic further. He’d pretty much confirmed we wouldn’t be talking about cattle farms, for which I was relieved, but that still left a huge amount of uncertainty in what was to come.
Humans keeping animals as cattle was a forgone conclusion. As horrifying as that reality was, it was one I could understand from a detached and strictly clinical point of view. Being predators they ate meat and therefore they kept cattle. But the concept of keeping animals for any other reason baffled me.
What could be the purpose? The diplomacy thing makes sense now that I have context, but what other reasons could they have.
The class's discussions were interrupted by the recognisable ring of the break bell, the shift in attention eliciting a change in conversation from confused hypotheses to peppy conversation on how everyone was planning to spend their break and what they had in mind for 2nd meal.
“Well I can see everyone’s excited for lunch, and who am I to disappoint,” chuckling Bernard waved us all up from our seats, pocketing his pad from the podium and heading to open the classroom door for us, “Enjoy your break, get a good rest along with a hearty meal, and I’ll see you all back here at the usual time.”
As everyone else filed out I stayed behind, waving at Sandi and Kailo as they left, and pawing over to Bernard once he and I were the only ones left in the room.
Ears folded down and with an apologetic tinge in my voice I greeted him as I sidled up to him, “Hey Bernard, I uh… sorry if that last question was unexpected.”
Chortling in reply, Bernard waved a hand through the air in a sign I’d come to understand meant ‘not a problem’.
“No need to apologise Rysel. It was a good question and most certainly not a problem.”
Heh, called it.
I sighed, allowing tension I didn’t realise I’d been holding to relax itself from my shoulders, “Phew, that’s a relief. I’m glad. I’m curious to hear what this new lesson is you’ve got in store for us by the way.”
Bernard wagged a finger at me, throwing up his eyebrows in mock amazement, “Oh are you now? Well I’m afraid you’ll have to remain curious for the time being. It’s going to be quite the surprise if all goes to plan. But…”
He trailed off, glancing at me before looking to the door like he was making sure no one else was around.
Wait, is he going to tell me? Oh please yes let me know now!
Stopping myself from jumping on the spot in excited anticipation, and trying my damndest to stop my tail from wagging in equal measure, I stared up at Bernard as he stewed in his thoughts before turning back to face me.
“I can’t tell you the specifics, but I’m working with Alejandro and Tolim to get something together. A trip that’s not a trip as it were. And when it happens, I’m going to need a few of the more accepting members of the class to lend me a hand. I’m hoping you and a couple others will be able to help with that?”
A trip that’s not a trip? What does that mean? Agh who cares about that right now! Bernard’s relying on me to help out!
Still trying not to keep myself from bouncing around with pup like glee I swished my tail and nodded my head in joint agreement, happy to help with whatever Bernard had in store for us, “Of course! Anything you need I’ll be there to lend a paw. You can count on me!”
A broad warm smile lit up Bernard's face, a hand patting me on the shoulder in appreciation, “Thank you Rysel. I knew I could rely on you but it still warms my heart to hear it. And, as thanks for this and for the many times you’ve shown your support, the surprise includes a little something special I think you’d appreciate the most.”
If my earlier enthusiasm had been at a nine, then the implication of a supposed gift sent it rocketing all the way to a hundred in a heartbeat.
“Wait… WHAT!? What do you mean? What are you doing?”
As impossible as it seemed, Bernard's grin grew even wider as I almost lost myself in wool shaking exhilaration, “Call it my own form of Koala diplomacy. But I’m afraid that’s all I can say for now. Wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise even for you!”
“Oh you ass!” Whistling jovially I bapped my tail against Bernard’s leg in fake indignation, evoking a barking bellowing laugh from the man himself.
Still laughing, the two of us departed the class and made for the canteen, my rumbling stomach leading me on while my mind spun with fantastical thoughts as to what Bernard had prepared for us.
And what specifically he had in store for me.

Any good books that you could recommend to help with understanding or to help with skill for the following topics?
Binomial estimation Trigonometric ratios The cosine rule The sine rule Differentiating functions with two or more terms Gradients, tangents and normal Increasing and decreasing functions Second order derivatives Stationary points Areas of triangles Sketching gradient functions Solving triangle problems Graphs of sine, cosine and tangent Modelling with differentiation Transforming trigonometric graphs Integration Trigonometric identities and Integrating Indefinite integrals equations Finding functions Angles in all four quadrants Definite integrals Exact values of trigonometric ratios Areas under curves Trigonometric identities Areas under the x-axis Simple trigonometric equations Areas between curves and lines Harder trigonometric equations Equations and identities Exponentials and logarithms Vectors Logarithms Representing vectors Magnitude and direction Position vectors Solving geometric problems Exponential functions y = ex Exponential modelling Laws of logarithms Solving equations using logarithms Working with natural logarithms Logarithms and non-linear data Modelling with vectors Differentiation Gradients of curves Finding the derivative Differentiating x Differentiating quadratics
Radians Algebraic methods Radian measure Proof by contradiction Arc length Algebraic fractions Partial fractions Repeated factors Algebraic division Areas of sectors and segments Solving trigonometric equations Small angle approximations Functions and graphs The modulus function Functions and mappings Composite functions Inverse functions y= f(x) and y = f(x) Combining transformations Trigonometric functions Secant, cosecant and cotangent Graphs of secx, cosecx and cotx Using secx, cosecx and cotx Trigonometric identities Inverse trigonometric functions Solving modulus problems Trigonometry and modelling Addition formulae Using the angle addition formulae Sequences and series Double-angle formulae Arithmetic sequences Solving trigonometric equations Arithmetic series Simplifying a cos x + b sin x Geometric sequences Proving trigonometric identities Geometric series Sum to infinity Modelling with trigonometric functions Sigma notation Recurrence relations Modelling with series Parametric equations Using trigonometric identities Binomial expansion Expanding (1 + x)" Expanding (a + bx)" Using partial fractions Curve sketching Points of intersection Modelling with parametric equations
Stretching graphs Transforming functions Algebraic expressions Index laws Expanding brackets Factorising Negative and fractional indices Surds Rationalising denominators y = mx + c Straight line graphs Equations of straight lines Parallel and perpendicular lines Length and area Modelling with straight lines Quadratics Solving quadratic equations Completing the square Circles Functions Quadratic graphs Midpoints and perpendicular bisectors The discriminant Modelling with quadratics Equation of a circle Intersections of straight lines and circles Use tangent and chord properties Equations and inequalities Circles and triangles Linear simultaneous equations Quadratic simultaneous equations Simultaneous equations on graphs Algebraic methods Linear inequalities Algebraic fractions Quadratic inequalities Dividing polynomials Inequalities on graphs The factor theorem Regions Mathematical proof Graphs and transformations Cubic graphs The binomial expansion Quartic graphs Reciprocal graphs Pascal's triangle Factorial notation Points of intersection The binomial expansion Translating graphs Solving binomial problems Using trigonometric identities Reverse chain rule Differentiation Integration by substitution Differentiating sin x and cos x Integration by parts Differentiating exponentials and Partial fractions logarithms Finding areas The chain rule The product rule The quotient rule Differentiating trigonometric functions Parametric differentiation Implicit differentiation Using second derivatives The trapezium rule Solving differential equations Modelling with differential equations Integration as the limit of a sum Vectors Rates of change 3D coordinates Vectors in 3D Solving geometric problems Application to mechanics Numerical methods Locating roots Iteration The Newton-Raphson method Applications to modelling Integration Integrating standard functions Integrating f(ax+b)
STATISTICS Data collection Populations and samples Sampling Non-random sampling Types of data The large data set Mutually exclusive and independent events Tree diagrams Statistical distributions Probability distributions The binomial distribution Cumulative probability’s Hypothesis testing 2 Measures of location and spread Hypothesis testing Measures of central tendency Finding critical values Other measures of location One-tailed tests Measures of spread Two-tailed tests Variance and standard deviation Coding Representations of data Outliers Box plots Cumulative frequency Histograms Comparing data MECHANICS Modelling in mechanics Constructing a model Modelling assumptions Quantities and units Working with vectors Correlation Linear regression Constant acceleration Probability Calculating probabilities Venn diagrams Displacement-time graphs Velocity-time graphs Constant acceleration formulae 1 Constant acceleration formulae 2 Vertical motion under gravity
Forces and motion Force diagrams Forces as vectors Using integration Constant acceleration formulae Forces and acceleration Motion in 2 dimensions Connected particles Pulleys Variable acceleration Functions of time Using differentiation Maxima and minima problems
MECHANICS Moments STATISTICS Resultant moments Regression, correlation Equilibrium and hypothesis testing Centres of mass Exponential models Tilting Measuring correlation Hypothesis testing for zero correlation Forces and friction Resolving forces Conditional probability Inclined planes Set notation Friction Conditional probability Conditional probabilities in Venn diagrams Projectiles Probability formulae Horizontal projection Tree diagrams Horizontal and vertical components Projection at any angle Projectile motion formulae The normal distribution The normal distribution Finding probabilities for Applications of forces normal distributions Static particles The inverse normal distribution Modelling with statics function The standard normal distribution Finding μ and σ Approximating a binomial distribution Hypothesis testing with the normal distribution Friction and static particles Static rigid bodies Dynamics and inclined planes Connected particles Further kinematics Vectors in kinematics Vector methods with projectiles Variable acceleration in one dimension Differentiating vectors Integrating vectors

Hey and hi! I previously posted these Character Chats in order to fill the void when the comic was on involuntary hiatus, and I'm pleased to hear that it was received positively and people were asking for more. I couldn't really commit to it once the hiatus was over, since I've got a job and all. But good news, my whole team got laid off! I've got a lot more time on my hands now, so I think I'll keep this series going for a few weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays or so. If anyone complains about me surfing reddit at work during my notice period... well, what are they gonna do, fire me?
Today my giant novely ouija board has selected Prince Aaronev Tarvek Sturmvoraus. Our first Spark, and first main character, but somehow our third Valois out of five picks.
Tarvek is a member of the large and complicated Valois family tree, descended from our pal Andronicus Valois, the Storm King. He is the son of Prince Aaronev Sturmvoraus VI of Sturmhalten and an unknown mother, and the older brother of Anevka Sturmvoraus. He and Anevka share the same grandmother with the von Bliztengaard siblings and Violetta, making them all cousins. The Selnikovs may also be close family members, as their main residence is in Sturmhalten. Tarvek also calls Zulenna a cousin at one point.
The Storm King conspiracy among the Fifty Families was said to be fizzling out in the time before the comic, but the Mongfish family (i.e. Lucrezia) got involved and whipped them all into shape. Besides making most of the Knights of Jove Lucrezia loyalists, part of this involvment was ensuring there was a suitable male heir to the Storm King using Spark sceince, which ended up producing, at minimum, Tarvek and Martellus von Blitzengaard. The degree to which Tarvek's mother was involved and consenting is unknown. While we don't know how much was done, Tarvek is a powerful Spark, physically fit, and quite intelligent, so mission accomplished I suppose (though Tarvek does wear these tiny pince-nez around, so he may have poor vision - nice going, Lucrezia).
We don't have a family tree or anything, so we need to take the story's word that Tarvek's claim for being a direct heir of Andronicus is one of the most direct, if not the strongest overall. Two of the strongest claimants, Tarvek and Martellus, share a grandmother, so presumably their legitimacy is either through her or her late husband. Grandmama is once referred to with the title "Dowager Princess of Sturmhalten", it's possible Aaronev inherited his title as Prince of Sturmhalten by being her son. On the other hand, Tarvek also says that his descent comes down through his mother, so maybe she's Grandmama's child instead? Or it's wrong to trace back things to this set of grandparents after all? The family tree is thrown for another loop when Orotine declares Martellus a third-place heir rather than the commonly assumed second-place, so now who's in second place and how's that guy related to Tarvek's family tree, and... it's at this point I throw up my hands in exasperation.
Tarvek spent some of his early childhood as a political hostage on Castle Wulfenbach, being raised with other hostages by von Pinn. Tarvek recalls this time fondly, and in particular became good friends with Gil, whose identity was still hidden. When the two of them were hunting for secrets, hoping to discover Gil's lineage, they discover a red-herring left by the Baron. While Tarvek didn't buy it and tried to dig further, he got caught. Along with some snitching from Gil, this got him expelled from the Castle. Of course, everyone was spying abord the Castle, and Tarvek was just the only one kicked out. My assumption is that the Baron wasn't worried about Gil's identity being exposed, but didn't approve of Gil getting close with Tarvek for one reason or another and arranged to destroy the friendship.
He spent his remaining childhood in Sturmhalten, where he was wrapped up in family scheming, including Aaronev's schemes with the Other. Besides Aaronev, he also spent time with Anevka and Violetta during this period, and received some Smoke Knight training. He later goes to Paris for his higher education, where he was a good student and made friendships with influential young people like Colette and Neena. He was also involuntarily dragged into Gil's college adventures, where he became, uh, "acquainted" with disreputable characters like Bangladesh Dupree and Zola. He's called back to Sturmhalten after completing his education.
As a young adult, Tarvek's goals are initially to learn all he can from the Other conspiracy in Sturmhalten, destroy them afterwards, use this knowledge to overthrow the Baron, become Storm King, get the Fifty Families under control, and bring peace and prosperity to his new empire. However, Aaronev is in charge in Sturmhalten, and has different ideas. Tarvek detests his father and the Other conspiracy he's involved with, but cooperates with them to stay in their good graces and learn all he can. Tarvek attempts to act as a moderating influence on Aaronev, but Aaronev is too far gone to pull back. Aaronev ends up capturing nearly all the young female Sparks in Europa beneath the Baron's nose, and destroys them utterly trying to implant copies of Lucrezia into their minds, while Tarvek doesn't do much more than watch.
Aaronev eventually subjects his daughter Anevka to the treatment, nearly killing her. The Circus of Adventure happens to be in town, and as an expert on the Muses, Tarvek recognizes Tinka as a van Rijn original when she performs. Tarvek has his men abduct Tinka, and uses her as the basis for building a masterpiece clank which would connect to Anevka's mind and allow her to move and speak while her body was comatose. For what it's worth, he does try to pay the Circus after the fact, but they naturally ran like hell out of town. Tinka is eventually damaged beyond his ability to repair by Aaronev.
After this, he also conspires (or pretends to conspire) with Anevka to use her clank body's voice box to imitate Lucrezia's ability to command revenants, and use that ability to overthrow Aaronev and the Baron. When the Circus comes back to town with Agatha in tow, she's found out as Lucrezia's daughter at a show, with more beans being spilled later when Agatha's drugged with a truth serum. Aaronev tries to throw her in the Lucrezia-machine, but Anevka launches her coup right then, and finalizes her voice box by studying Agatha's own voice. Tarvek, having fallen for Agatha basically immediately, attempts to smuggle Agatha out of town under Anevka's nose, but the Geisters eventually get Lucrezia in her head anyway.
Tarvek, at this point, wants to integrate Agatha into his plan to use Other technology to usurp the Baron, which means keeping her safely at his side. This means both cooperating with Lucrezia to learn from her to begin with and protect Agatha's body, and also sabotaging Agatha's efforts at surrendering herself to the Baron for the greater good. One his deals with Lucrezia is making a clank head imprinted with a Lucrezia copy, designed to fit onto Anevka's clank body. Tarvek lures in Anevka for Lucrezia, and after some back-and-forth betrayals, eventually deactivates Anevka's head and puts her in storage, essentially killing her for the time being. Juggling Agatha, Lucrezia, and now a second Lucrezia proves too much for Tarvek once the Baron's troops arrive in Sturmhalten, and he ends up slashed in the gut, shot, and abandoned in the ensuing chaos.
Tarvek ends up in the Great Hospital in Mechanicsburg, as one of many of the injured from Sturmhalten. Violetta, who had been assigned to Mechanicsburg by Tarvek to keep her out of the proverbial firing line, manages to get him out of custody in the hospital... but inside of Castle Heterodyne instead, which is something of a lateral move. After connecting up with Agatha, Taevek comes down with Hogfarb's Respelendent Immolation, either due to traipsing about Castle Heterodyne of all places while wounded, or, Tarvek speculates, as a poisoning attempt from his own extended family. Gil is recruited to help with curing him, and after extensive bickering, infections, distractions, complications, and one apotheosis, he's back in good health. Tarvek attempts to help fix the Castle, and aid Agatha however he can, including fighting with Lucrezia and Vole, and attempting to strangle Zola. His bickering with Gil during this time mostly puts him on the defensive and has Tarvek trying to justify his actions, but he eventually does have a quiet epiphany.
He eventually gets grabbed by Othar in a case of mistaken identity, and his quick analytical skills wind up placing him in charge of the Wulfenbach fleet's grand strategy temporarily - it's at gunpoint, but Boris assesses that he's really doing what's in the best interest of the Empire. He has to scurry off when Klaus comes onto the scene, placing him in a perfect position to recruit the Empire's Vespiary Squad and their weasels when Klaus turns on them. Notably, he risks life and limb rescuing a squad member, who he needs of course, but also Jorgi, who mostly annoys him. He sends the Vespiary Squad to hiding places abroad. As the battle for Mechanicsburg wraps up, Tarvek ends up stabbed with a poisoned dagger by Martellus just before the time-stop.
Post time-skip, Gil dedicates extensive resources towards getting Tarvek out of the time stop. Tarvek isn't able to do much before being kidnapped by the Immortal Library, and then kidnapped by Mister Obsidian on behalf of Grandmama. He does manage to breathe a bit in Paris, before being kidnapped by Mister Obsidian again on behalf of Seffie, to be sent to England. But en route aboard a pirate vessel, he's (shockingly) interrupted by a kidnapping attempt, this time for Grandmama again. Martellus sent assassins after Tarvek to interrupt the interruption, leading to bloody battle between Seffie's pirates, Grandmama's Smoke Knights, Martellus' Knights of the Hunt, and poor Tarvek. After being rescued by Gil, Tarvek flips the script, and he and Bang kidnap Gil instead, changing course to England.
In England, he can finally, you know, not get kidnapped for a bit. He decides to join Agatha in the Royal Society, and despite nearly getting strangled by Higgs, manages to reach Agatha and help work on curing her of Lucrezia, and curing Gil of Klaus. After interminable delays like a undersea cult, briefly seeing beyond time, punching Tweedle, and a revenant attack, they eventually pull it all off.
Later, in the war against the Polar Lords, Tarvek is essentially given the role of Gil's official treacherous vizier. On paper, helping the Empire helps keep him safe to further his own ambitions, but in practice, Tarvek seems more focused on doing good by his friends than anything to do with becoming Storm King.
Whew! And that's the short synopsis!
As a Spark, Tarvek's specialty is masterwork clanks in the van Rijn mold. His Anevka clank maintains full sentience even after any organic parts it was attached to died off, and continues to be used by Lucrezia to devastating effect. He also has a knack for rapid analysis, such as being able to understand the Wulfenbach fleet's strategy with just a glance. It's possible his political aptitude, scheming skills and ability to anticipate people's actions are a byproduct of his spark, but it may also just be the natural result of his upbringing. He is unusually composed for a Spark, and is very rarely seen in the Madness Place, and never for very long.
Beyond the Spark and his cunning, Tarvek also received some Smoke Knight training, making him skilled in martial arts and sleight of hand. That said, he'd prefer not to get in fights, and his first resort use his Spark or guile to get out safely (his second resort is just shooting them, with a gun). He also has a passion for fashion design, particularly lady's fashion.
Besides his conquer-Europa ambitions, Tarvek seems primarily driven to help and protect the people he loves, but his preferred tactics for doing so are often underhanded, or screw over people that he doesn't particularly love. Tarvek is the kind of guy who has to come to the conclusion that mind-control slavery is bad in general, rather than bad for people I know. He does come to that conclusion on his own, so kudos for that, but for a lot of people it's not even something you have to think about. Tarvek is also quick to use "they'd kill me if I tried, I had no choice" as a defense, but never quite understands that there was always a choice available he didn't consider - die trying. That all said, Tarvek is in generally improving his character over time, and wants to do the right thing, both in the "greater good" sense and doing right by other people individually, and finds himself frustrated at himself that he's often failed. I don't want to discuss Tarvek's ethics too much further here, since there's a great deal to talk about and this is supposed to be a discussion thread! Why do I have to do all the work?
Major Relationships:

• Agatha: Tarvek fell for Agatha pretty damn hard, internally logging her as "future bride", and even at his scummiest times in Sturmhalten was trying to act in her best interest, and just ignoring what she actually wanted and also fucking it up anyway. By the time of the Castle arc, Tarvek has mostly thrown away all of his own ambitions in favor of working for Agatha's, even in moments when he feels pretty hopeless about his actual prospects as a suitor. One major advantage in his court is that he's able to actually articulate his feelings like an adult.
  
• Gil: It's been a true roller coaster for these two, from friends to enemies to rivals to allies to secret lovers. It takes a great deal of bonding for their distrust of one another to fall away, and after the time skip Tarvek lists Agatha and Gil (and, by implication, Violetta) as the only people left he really cares about, and the two of them spend a lot more time hugging than you would have expected.
  
• Violetta: Tarvek spent a good deal of his childhood with Violetta, and earnestly tried to protect her. In natural early-Tarvek style, it was by ignoring her wishes and leaving her in the dark, but points for trying. They have a bickering siblings type of relationship, and Violetta is fine trash talking him despite the power imbalance between them. Tarvek is pretty disappointed that he's rebuffed when trying to sincerely express that he's glad she's alive, since she expects childish taunts out of him.
  
• Aaronev: Tarvek really hates Aaronev for all the horrible things he's done, especially for putting Anevka through the machine, and spends about two seconds mourning after he's killed. Tarvek had been play-acting as a loyal son for years, and it's a bit tragic that Aaronev bought his act wholesale - what little interaction we see suggests that Aaronev, scumbag that he is, did really like Tarvek.
  
• Anevka: Tarvek did not take it well when it seemed Anevka was going to die, and went to extreme measures to save her. But Tarvek doesn't assign the same level of personhood to the Anevka clank after the original Anevka dies (he's generally not the best at the whole "clanks are people too" concept), and eventually "kills" her by turning her off and throwing her head in a box, where she probably still remains if Sturmhalten hasn't been razed to the ground.
  
• Lucrezia: While most people hate the Other on a conceptual level, Tarvek has spent enough time with her to really begin to hate her on a personal level. He's aware of her foibles, such as her susceptibility to flattery, and tries to take advantage when he can. His more personal knowledge also makes him better able to detect when Lucrezia is taking over for Agatha than most.
  
• Higgs: Like many, Tarvek cottons on that Higgs has a secret in Castle Heterodyne. Tarvek does try to keep it under his hat and make excuses on his behalf, but can't resist teasing Higgs despite him being incredibly dangerous. Tarvek openly confronting Higgs about his identity later on nearly gets him strangled to death. Despite that, Tarvek and Higgs have formed a good rapport, and have solid mutual respect. He's even one of the people Tarvek pours his heart out to when he thinks Violetta is dead.
  
• Neena: Neena has a bit of a crush on Tarvek, and Tarvek for his part does some light flirting at the ball but otherwise doesn't think about her much at this point. It's an odd match for someone like Tarvek, since Neena is earnest, enthusiastic, and completely lacking in guile. Maybe that's exactly what someone like him needs - stranger things have happened!
  
• Martellus: As two men aiming for the same throne, Martellus and Tarvek are natural enemies. Tarvek obviously dislikes Martellus - and even gets a good punch in - but doesn't take any moves to stop Martellus' forward momentum, and makes no moves towards legitimizing his claim as Storm King beyond not being dead. His strategy may be to just give Martellus enough rope to hang himself with, but it may also show genuine disinterest in this whole Storm King business.
  

Citizens are offered the opportunities to vote for independent candidates, yet they often don’t. This is likely because most people fear that vote being “wasted” since the “safe” thing to do is vote for the lesser evil of the two dominating parties.
It’s time to empower independent candidates and politicians, as well as independent citizens. This is what the United States is all about, right? Independence, anyone?
If a politician is not independent, then they must be dependent. Dependent on what? Party support - and at what cost? This leverage parties have over politicians is corruption. They strip the politician of their freedom. This steals the citizens’ rights to representation. Parties even have party whips to whip politicians into line with the party and out of line with their constituents. This shouldn’t be acceptable.
Politicians are not representing constituents. At best, they’re representing a portion of their fellow party members in their districts. At worst, they’re representing the party headquarters who are bought out by special interests and completely forgetting their constituents. The media is convincing voters to get onto the party line. No one is free in this sort of political competition, and worse, right does not make might.
One way to overcome this may necessitate we set aside our differences on contingent issues and respect one another’s independence. It requires a party that supports independent candidates and politicians, even if it’s members do not agree with them or their positions on contingent issues.
This will take time. Like Thomas Paine said in Common Sense, "Time makes more converts than reason."

It calls for a party fundamentally different than anything we are familiar with.

This fundamentally changes our political environment.
It creates an environment where:

• Citizens can be free to change their minds.
• Traditional parties cannot simply overwhelm the system Politicians are free to vote their conscience
• The party can enforce anti-corruption measures without sacrificing short-term political objectives
• The party can focus on long-term and permanent principle-based issues without being corrupted by short-term narrow agendas
• The party can institute internal mechanisms to make its politicians more accountable to all their constituents
• One party does not compete to take over the government and overwhelm its system of checks and balances
• Traditional parties must compete for independent politicians on each issue. This should weaken unjust and irrational positions and promote compromise and balance.

What are some challenges you see with this?

What are some more benefits of such a party?