I currently am working on modifying an existing machine that uses two synchronous AC motors that are driven separately at the same frequency. The new modification requires that not only are these motors spinning at the same rate, but they be matched in terms of indexed angular position during this rotation. I have two absolute serial encoders (SPI protocol) that I will be using to record the shaft positions of the two motors, but I am unsure on how to proceed for actually controlling the motors in such a way that they would be able to maintain the angular precision (within a percent or two) and do this through start and stop of the machine. The machine will be running for hours at a time, but it is important during start and stop that the motors do not become greatly misaligned.
We currently have some old Leeson SPEEDMASTER Micro Series VFDs, but can get new VFDs if necessary. The VFDs do take an analog input and theoretically have RS485 support, but I cannot find any actual documentation on the codes that would be communicated that would actually change the settings of the VFD.
My current plan revolves around using a PLC to read the encoders and ascertain the angular position and velocity of the shafts and treat one motors as if it is the leader and use some kind of control (analog or digital) to send a signal to the second vfd to get it to match the first motor.
Unfortunately I am on limited grant money, so I am supposed to change as little as possible about the machine's design. Due to this limitation I can't replace the motors for AC servo motors.
Does anybody have any tips/can point me in the direction of what I would need to buy/do in order to achieve this goal, especially in a cost effective manner?
Edit: I want to add sorry if this is a dumb question, but I am a grad student with my area of study in a completely unrelated field and my research requires this machine.

The grainy panels from samsung are here to stay, and I don't think it will get any better.
Many owners of the new iPad Pro M4 made with the samsung panels are also seeing the same grain/Mura issue present in the new samsung devices like the Galaxy S24 series. I believe samsung has changed something in the their manufacturing process causing all of their new panels to have this grain/mura issue.
This is a huge issue issue affecting Samsung devices and other devices that they supply panels to. So far samsung has stayed quiet and ignored this issue ever since the slew of complaints from the S24 owners.
Could this be cost cutting? most likely, but one thing for sure is that samsung panels have degraded in quality compared from years ago.

Last week I made the (potentially) poor decision of buying a refurbished Series 6 44mm GPS Aluminum for $179. After receiving the watch, it’s cosmetically near perfect and works fine. The only problem is the battery has a max capacity of 81%. It’s not a major issue for most days I can intermittently charge, but on days I’m out all day I find myself near 10% by end of day.
After complaining to Amazon I got them to credit me back $45 so technically I bought the watch for $134.
I’m now weighing two options:
Option A: Keep the Series 6 and replace the battery for $99. Total cost: $233
Option B: Trade-in the Series 6 for $115 and buy a new 44mm SE 2nd Gen for $279. Total Cost: $165
My concern with getting the SE is in some respects it’s a downgrade from the Series 6.
Any thoughts or advice?

From In Touch and Life & Style so take with grains of salt, but it doesn’t sound farfetched — the industry never fully recovered from the pandemic (like many, if not most sectors of the economy), and are still feeling the effects of the strike.
Camryn Manheim’s exit from OG L&O, along with the departure of Eamonn Walker (Chief Wallace Boden) and Kara Killmer (Sylvie Brett) from Chicago Fire, are said to be among the cast being trimmed to cut costs.
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/law-order-needed-shed-camryn-101635991.html
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/chicago-fire-cutting-leading-actors-093708105.html

In a predicament lads and would appreciate your insight.
So I currently own a 2013 BMW 1 series with just south of 200,000km (got it for free from a mate). Currently has a few issues that would cost in the range of $600 dollars to fix and have had two major oil leaks that have been repaired as well. The reason I haven't gotten these repairs is because my mum bought a new car, to which I did help contribute 5k towards, and the agreement was that I would sell my current car and drive my mum's much more reliable Toyota Corolla.
So my mum got her new car and instead of giving the Corolla to me and driving her new car, she's choosing to primarily drive the Corolla because she doesn't want to raise the odometer to preserve the new car's value for when she resells it. She says I can only drive the car when she isn't driving it.
I would very much like my own car and am wondering should I just repair my current car or sell it and deal with this situation until it's smart to buy a new car?

Just finished a 10 day mediterranean cruise on Resilient lady. Having only previously cruised on Scarlet lady in early 2022 at a third capacity on a 5 day Caribbean itinerary, I thought I would share my impressions.

1. This cruise was at capacity which I was worried about how the experience would differ. Overall, it did not feel busy to us. We didn't really have to wait in any lines, we were able to see all the shows we wanted, and we were able to book all the dinner reservations and gym classes we wanted. I will note that we knew to book restaurants as soon as we got on the ship and as soon as the exercise classes opened at 3pm. In comparison, this recent experience was much more lively and active. The previous cruise was creepy at times with venues often being empty.
2. This cruise seemed like a much older crowd than our previous experience- they said average age was 52. We are in our late 30's and it didn't seem like there were many younger passengers. With that said, the 5 day Caribbean itineraries are more likely to have a younger party crowd so we were partly expecting this to be an older demographic. There were a number of people who walked out of some of the performances making comments about having an agenda pushed down their throat, but overall, didn't feel like the "come as you are" vibe was impacted. The only issue I saw was that many of the older passengers seemed to not be aware of the option to order at your table in the galley. Most mornings, there were lines forming at the various breakfast counters unnecessarily, which made it often difficult to walk around. We ordered from the staff at our table and were able to be served and complete our meal within 30 minutes. So keep in mind you can use the red flag to order at the table- no need to line up! Another concern was that there were a lot of obviously sick older people coughing, etc. The amount of times we saw people touch things without using the readily available hand sanitizers after wiping their noses and coughing was quite astonishing. Yes, this happens on all cruises, but this seemed a bit more frequent than we have seen before.
3. All of the port tender and shuttles went really smoothly! Longest we had to wait for a shuttle was about 10 min in Crete. Disembarkation was also super quick as we were off the ship carrying our luggage within 10 min.
4. We bought the 5 day thermal spa pass for $259 each person. We aren't big party people or drinkers, so we would often go to the spa in the evening after dinner. If you do this, note that on one of the days you get a special sugar scrub and lotion to use as part of the mud room which was lovely!
5. We had a $600 bar tab which we used despite not drinking much. We had specialty coffees at each breakfast and also bought non-alcoholic drinks such as Humm Kombucha and Kin Euphorics. Also, each restaurant and bar seemed to have at least one or more non-alcoholic or low alcoholic options. Finally, if we did decide to have a drink, we splurged on expensive glasses of wine (Caymus, Moet, etc) which was a nice experience.
6. We booked an excursion at each port and all were pretty great experiences. Of note, I didn't think the excursion prices were that much more expensive than what I found on trip advisor, etc, so I preferred to book with the ship for flexibility and securing tender spots where needed.
7. One of the few negative experiences we had was the room location. I mentioned we aren't big on partying and treated this trip as more of a wellness and relaxation vacation. We booked an XL sea terrace about a year before the trip using a travel agent. I didn't bother to look at the room location and unfortunately we had 8330Z, which had a speaker from the Red Room right below. I'm not kidding when I say the room shook from the sound system- to the point where we had to disassemble the mini fridge shelves and pull out the drawers as they were knocking around so much and the noise was absurd. Even if you were hard of hearing, the vibration and shaking alone would make it impossible to relax and fall asleep. We reached out to sailor services who said they could offer ear plugs, but that was it. Luckily on the 2nd day, sailor services called us and offered us a room change to 11350A, an XL sea terrace (without hammock), which we gladly accepted. Note that Red Room entertainment goes to 11pm, so this would only be a problem if you are early to bed and early risers like us.
8. We had on board credit so decided to do the behind the scenes tour. It was definitely a good one-time experience and we learned a lot of interesting aspects. For example, all the restaurants cook the plates per order (yes there's prep, but there's not plates just sitting under a warmer waiting to be served). All pastries are made on ship. One of the striking impressions was that the staff seem to genuinely enjoy their job. Several times they said they were promoted quickly, there's lots of perks including being able to eat at the restaurants and book excursions, and they liked that they can show their tattoos, piercings, have hair of any color, etc. They also said there's purposely no visible rankings, uniform differences, or countries of origin listed. They want everyone treated with the same level of respect- you may actually have encountered the captain and not know it. It's a bit refreshing from the over the top interactions that staff on other cruise lines show. Staff seem genuinely in a good mood on Virgin.
9. Overall, this solidified that we love Virgin Voyages. We did an Alaska itinerary on Royal Caribbean (Quantum of the Seas) last summer and Virgin is a much better experience in our opinion. On RC, we felt like everything was an upsell or shopping centric and run down (yes it is an older ship than Resilient but it seemed grimy). Areas were over crowded on RC and overall felt chaotic. Virgin seemed to have longer stays in the ports than we have experienced on RC (less concerned with shopping and casino sales?) Also, not having kids on the cruise makes a big difference. Food is much better on Virgin, apart from us really liking the sushi restaurant on Quantum- note that we did the unlimited specialty restaurant package on Quantum as we thought the dining room quality had gone down and we don't like buffets. Overall, I feel that while Virgin is more expensive up front, it is a better quality experience. We will likely go on another RC cruise as my parents are avid cruisers and won't try another line despite our encouragement, but we are definitely sold on the Virgin experience. We used the book your next voyage promotion on the ship and will be going on Brilliant Lady in 2026 in a suite. Having a suite on the 2022 voyage and an XL terrace on this recent voyage, we feel the cost is worth it for the suite, although the XL sea terrace was still a very nice experience.

Happy to answer any questions you have!

Hey all, I bought MLB The Show 24 a few weeks ago and I've been having a lot of fun as purely a franchise player, but I have some things I'm confused about and was wondering if anyone could clear them up for me. This is the first time I've ever played the Show, so apologies if these are all a bit stupid.

1. When scouting players, theres obviously the discovery option. My understanding is that sending a scout out on discovery means they will find new players under that position and region, mostly non-ranked players. Sometimes when I send a high discovery scout out, he comes back with nothing. Does that mean there are no, for example, discoverable 2B prospects in the West, or does that mean I should try again for another x amount of weeks?
2. Are there any certain budget rules you guys adhere to? I just finished a rebuild with my beloved Red Sox, and, as much as I love them, I don't think they'll be winning a World Series in the next four years in real life, so I feel like I probably overspent in free agency, especially in the bullpen. Is there a certain budget you guys force yourself to leave left over, like in Madden? For example, you have to have at least 30 million remaining budget at the start of every season? If so, it is team specific? Do you force yourself to keep a lower budget with the A's or the Red Sox compared to the Dodgers?
3. What is excess surplus? Does it mean whatever you didn't spend this year goes to next years budget? How much can you stack that?
4. When do you call up prospects from the minors? I feel like I'm doing something wrong because it takes me forever to call up my prospects. For example, in my Red Sox rebuild, by the end of the season 2027, the only prospects to have played in the Majors are Kyle Teel, who I called up in the second year, Marcelo Mayer, who came in halfway through the 2027 season, and two pitchers who came in as 80 overalls. Is there a certain overall at which prospects should be called up? A certain batting average?
5. How do you identify good defensive ratings in an infielder? Obviously a 70 fielding is better than a 60, but for example when I'm drafting a shortstop, if his potential for all defensive ratings is around an 80, would that make him a great defensive infielder, or just an average one?
6. What players should I extend a qualifying offer to? Should it only be used as a safety blanket for players you're going to try and bring back anyway with a real offer? For example, say theres an 82 overall pitcher who I don't want on the roster anymore and whose hitting free agency, should I extend a qualifying offer even though I'm not going to offer him a new deal, or should it only be for players I'll be bringing back regardless and giving a serious extension offer to.
7. Most coaches have one or even two negative attributes, but every year theres a couple at each coaching position that have all positive attributes, and they usually don't cost much more than coaches with - attributes. Is there anything stopping me from simply going out and getting coaches with a + at each of their four attributes at every single coaching position? Does it affect the budget that much? Do I have to regulate myself to not go and get the best available every season?
8. What are some fun but challenging teams to rebuild? Obviously I know whose bad in real life but for example I feel like Seattle would be too easy because of their pitching core and some of the prospects they have.

Sorry if this is really long.

Chapter 120 The spectators continued cheering and whistling even minutes after the fight had come to an end. Zaon had caught the crowd by surprise. He was going to be the talk of Farcrest for the rest of the week. The perfect underdog, classless, orphaned, a bit awkward even, coming up victorious against the tyranny of levels. But that was only part of the picture. Zaon had demonstrated the vast difference in skills between him and a combatant nine levels ahead of him.
The victory put us seven points ahead, but what mattered the most going forward was the three points Zaon had lost. Team Nara’s Soldier might not be half as a competent fencer as Zaon but his proficiency with Quick-Step had given him three undisputed points. The Soldier knew when to use the skill to reap the most benefit, and I assumed all our opponents would be the same going forward.
The more skills our opponents had, the harder it would be for the kids.
“Contenders, please enter the arena,” the Master of Ceremonies’ voice echoed over the crowd’s roar. “Ilya the Hunter versus Arel Nara the Warrior!”
Despite Zaon’s victory, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. The Warrior class had a better skill pool than the Soldier class. Ilya grabbed my hand, cutting my musings short.
“Something wrong?”
I examined her face, but she just gave me a nonchalant wink and pulled me to my feet.
“Play along,” Ilya muttered as we walked to the weapons rack holding hands. “Act as if you are choosing a weapon for me. Give me the same sword as Zaon.”
Ilya was trying to fool her opponent even before the match started.
I played along and walked Ilya to the weapons rack like a father dragging his daughter to the dentist. She took the bit about ‘all war is based on deception’ too seriously, but I couldn’t blame her. Ilya had to gather every slight advantage she could if she wanted a chance in a world of average-height people.
Her act worked because Arel Nara seemed to smell her weakness as soon as we reached the weapons rack.
“Have you lost your bravado, little Gnome?” Arel Nara said as he casually grabbed an arming sword with a broad blade from the rack. The boy had the same vulpine expression as Lord Nara, but unlike his lord, his yellow and black fencing uniform revealed his strong arms and legs.
Ilya cowered behind me without letting my hand go. The System should’ve given her the Actress or Spy Class.
“Just what I thought,” Arel Nara laughed. He had grabbed a round shield and an arming sword. “It seems I won’t need this,” he added, leaving the shield back on the weapons rack and strolling into the arena with a carefree demeanor.
Lord Nara, who until that moment was furious due to the first combat, seemed to relax after seeing Ilya cowering behind me.
“Your sword is longer than his, Ilya. Aim for his hands and feet, and don’t let him close the distance. Don’t let him disarm you,” I whispered as I put the slim longsword in Ilya’s hand. “And don’t let him get under your skin.”
Ilya grunted.
“I already know, Mister Clarke! I’m used to having the reach disadvantage and to that sort of comment. I know how to fight against stronger opponents, and he isn’t half of a trash talker as Holst was,” Ilya said with an evil smile. “I got this.”
“Teach him a lesson,” I replied with a smile.
Ilya nodded and gave me her best ‘I’m-on-the-verge-of-tears’ face before turning around and walking to the center of the arena. Despite her tailor-made uniform and the longsword on her shoulder, Ilya looked completely out of place, like a small bird caught in a storm. With a shaky smile, she stood before Arel Nara, raised her chin, and squared her shoulders. I made a mental note telling her to keep her acting shenanigans to combat.
I returned to the bench, avoiding Elincia’s glance. The Fortifier applied the barriers around Ilya’s body. As before, the work wasn’t bad; it was just sloppy on the edges. The difference would be too subtle to catch for anyone without a good grasp of mana detection. Even if I complained now, the Fortifier could brush me off, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t brewing a plan.
“She’s using that technique, uh?” Firana said.
“What technique?” I asked, sitting on the bench and patting Zaon’s shoulder. The boy leaned back with a towel on his face, still trying to control his accelerated heartbeat.
“Shu has been helping Ilya with her acting skills.”
I massaged my temples, worried. The news wasn’t at all surprising. I was already familiar with the little harpy shenanigans. Shu might already be a genius of manipulation at the young age of seven, but I didn’t foresee the little harpy teaching her dark arts to others.
Arel Nara greeted the crowd, his perfect smile reeking of overconfidence. Then, he walked to the Prince’s box with sluggish movements and bowed deeply. Arel Nara might be a braggart, but not a complete fool. He deliberately stalled combat as much as possible while Ilya trembled like a leaf with her longsword tight against her chest.
The Master of Ceremonies let the performance continue for a few seconds, unaware of the fact the battle had already started.
“Combatants, to the center!” He finally announced.
Arel Nara strolled back to the center of the arena, mindlessly swinging his sword and stretching his shoulders. Ilya remained still.
“The fight will end when one of the participants runs out of barriers. There will be no pause between barrier breaks. If you want to give up, raise your hand,” the Master of Ceremonies repeated the rules, looking at Ilya. “On guard!”
Ilya imitated Zaon’s guard, the pflug, not giving her opponent a single hint of the skills she had on her sleeve.
“Fight!”
Ilya stepped forward and swung at Arel Nara’s shin. The boy raised his leg out of the way and countered with a jumping attack that landed on Ilya’s chest. The girl fell on her back, but instead of going for the following attack, Arel Nara turned his back to Ilya and riled up the crowd.
Ilya used her sword to stand up. When she raised her guard, Arel Nara spun around, pushing her sword to the side. Ilya answered with a choreographed thrust, but Arel Nara dodged with enough time to get to Ilya’s side and deal a powerful blow with the pommel of his sword.
Ilya slammed the ground again, her uniform and face covered in dust. The crowd was ruthless, cheering for the strongest warrior. The underdog concept didn’t seem to exist in this world, which wasn’t surprising considering that underdogs, lesser Classes, had marginal opportunities to win against a more powerful opponent.
Ilya was two barriers down.
“You chose the wrong Class, Gnome. Your kind belongs to a workshop, not the battlefield.” Arel Nara taunted Ilya. “I don’t know what lies your Caretaker whispered in your ears, so let me be clear. You are falling short of the mark.”
Ilya separated her feet and adopted the vom tag guard, angering her opponent.
“You asked for it,” Arel Nara grunted as a wave washed over the Warrior’s body, and with a mighty cry, he cast a fortifying spell.
Ilya assessed the situation instantly and channeled her power but didn’t use any skill. She remained vigilant. Arel Nara performed a jumping thrust followed by a quick slash. Ilya parried the first attack and ducked in time to dodge the follow-up.
The crowd yelled for blood, but Ilya used her longer blade to keep Arel Nara at bay, aiming at his hand instead of his body. It was a clever tactic. She not only had the reach advantage, but a longsword packed the power of both arms, unlike the arming sword used with a single hand. Arel Nara burned his mana trying to break Ilya’s defense, but the girl was used to fighting against Wolf and Firana.
Being the ‘worst’ student had its benefits. During sparring, Ilya always fought larger, stronger, or more skillful opponents, and she had developed a system to make up for the difference in body span. Ilya’s defensive style was perfect for zoning out aggressive opponents. Moreover, Ilya was a smart fighter.
Arel Nara burned his mana to get a hit, but Ilya defended like a porcupine. The more Arel Nara approached, the more chances he had of getting stung, and he wasn’t willing to lose a single barrier against Ilya. Not taking a shield was costing him dearly. Longswords had a bad matchup against an arming sword paired with a shield.
Arel Nara attacked once more, unleashing a flurry of strikes. Ilya retreated, dodging and blocking, but the fortifying spell wasn’t in vain. Arel Nara pushed Ilya’s sword aside and seized the opening on the girl’s defense. With a quick step forward, he secured a clean slash across Ilya’s chest. The girl tried to riposte, but he retreated before she could hit.
Ilya was three barriers down and hadn’t broken a single one yet.
Arel Nara’s assault was relentless, and Ilya was starting to breathe heavily; dust and sweat covered her, and even her stance was getting sloppy at times. Ilya was a more skilled fighter, but Arel Nara’s stamina was superior; a prolonged fight would only benefit him.
“Not that good without a bow, are you?” Arel Nara taunted. “What are you going to do? Cast Piercing Shot with a sword?”
“I’m not the one running out of mana,” Ilya spoke for the first time in the combat.
Her words were a slap against Arel Nara’s face, who instantly interrupted the fortifying skill.
“You need four times your mana for that skill to have any effect in this fight,” Ilya taunted him. “You should try something else. Quick-step? Puncture, maybe? No? Even a Level 5 Soldier should have two or three skills at their disposal. Don’t tell me you decided to participate in the tournament with a single skill, please.”
Ilya’s taunt worked. Despite being three barriers down, she had made Arel Nara work hard for them.
“You asked for it,” Arel Nara said, channeling mana around his sword.
Ilya raised his guard, with the hilt of her sword at eye level and the point of the sword aiming forward. Ochs. She braced for the attack, but Arel Nara remained still. Then, he let the sword go, but it didn’t fall. Instead, the sword floated by his side, pointing menacingly at Ilya.
“I’m not a Soldier. I’m a Warrior,” Arel Nara grunted.
The sword flew in a straight line like a bullet, but Ilya blocked it. What she didn’t expect was Arel Nara running forward. The boy channeled mana and cast Iron Skin around his leg as he threw a high kick. Ilya leaned back, dodging by millimeters, but before she could counter against her unarmed opponent, Arel Nara’s sword flew back at her, stabbing her shoulder blade and breaking the fourth barrier.
Arel Nara smirked.
“Your choice, getting kicked or stabbed,” he said. “Forget that. For a Gnome, getting kicked might be more appropriate.”
Ilya smirked back. “That’s it? If you have any hidden skill, I warn you, this might be the moment to use it.”
The arming sword came back to life, spinning and circling Ilya, threatening to attack at any moment. Ilya remained impassive. She had prepared a plan. Mana surged from her chest, and just as the blade launched forward, a thick vine shot from the ground. The sword pierced the vine from side to side, but before Arel Nara could yank it back, the vine coiled around the blade like a boa constrictor.
Arel Nara strengthened his body and made a run for the sword, but Ilya stood in his way.
“Did you lose something, idiot?” She grinned as she thrusted.
Arel Nara cast Iron Skin and blocked Ilya’s blade with his forearm. The skill shrouded his barriers, preventing them from breaking, but the girl didn’t stop. She weaved a series of attacks and feints in a single fluid movement. Arel Nara retreated, casting Iron Skin around his arms and legs to block Ilya’s blows. Each time Ilya swung the sword, a chunk of Arel’s mana was blasted into the air until the signs of Mana Exhaustion started to show. Ilya ran him down, and the boy’s movements became erratic.
In a desperate last attempt to recover his sword, Arel Nara channeled all his remaining mana into the blade and tried to overpower Ilya’s vine; however, the girl effortlessly countered with her much bigger reserves. Sword and vine fought, but in the end, the vine imprisoned the blade against the ground.
“Your choice, surrender or get stabbed by a Gnome,” Ilya mockingly said.
[Awareness] brought Ilya’s words to my ears. A quick lesson in sportsmanship might be needed, but I decided to leave it for later. Ilya was making a statement. Not only was she a competent fencer, but she was also an intelligent fighter. The best part: she only used a fraction of her power.
Arel Nara gestured to raise his hand, but Ilya smacked it down with her sword before he could completely raise it: one barrier down, nine to go. Arel Nara opened her eyes in surprise. Ilya pressed the attack, breaking barrier after barrier until Arel Nara was left with only one. The spectators changed sides the moment the tides turned, roaring every time Ilya penetrated a barrier.
Arel Nara was trapped against the arena wall.
“I care very little about what you say about me, but I will not tolerate any ill comments against Mister Clarke. Idiot.” Ilya said, lowering her sword. “You have two options now. You can surrender or make a further fool of yourself trying to retrieve your sword.”
It had been a while since one of my students made me blush.
Arel Nara unenthusiastically raised his hand and returned to the pavilion with his head down before the Master of Ceremonies could announce his defeat. Ilya retrieved Arel Nara’s sword, or rather made the vine do it for her, and walked to the Prince’s box. She performed a gracious bow and saluted the spectators with an innocent smile. I couldn’t decide if the crowd was happy for Ilya or gloating at Arel Nara’s defeat.
Among the seats of the high nobility, Ginz leaned over the handrail with half of his body outside the box. A member of the royal army frantically grabbed him by the belt to prevent him from falling into the arena. Ginz would’ve made a great English hooligan if he had been born in London or its surroundings. I couldn’t help but share the feeling, but my position required me to maintain a certain level of composure.
Ilya skipped toward Ginz and high-fived him before returning to the pavilion.
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How we could save Star Trek: Lower Decks and create Star Trek: Legacy

Mike O'Sullivan • May 2024 • mike@cerritosenterprises.com
Executive summary
We can save Lower Decks and create Legacy, but it will take more than appeals to Paramount. It will take money. These series can be fostered by a group of business savvy Star Trek fans. It would be a profit making venture that could also give Star Trek fans more of what they want.
Key takeaways:

• I'm not being a downer, but we need to face reality.
• Letter writing campaigns and petitions will not save Lower Decks or create Legacy.
• Doing so would take money.
• Investors could make a good profit from those shows.
• I propose here a plan that is a long shot but could work.

Historical background
Star Trek TOS was the first show ever extended because of a letter writing campaign. NBC and Desilu executives were impressed enough by the campaign to extend the show one more season.
At the time, determining television ratings was a young science. Shows were only rated by percent of total viewers. Demographics were not taken into account. Only a few years later, NBC executives realized that Star Trek was actually a big hit. It attracted young, middle class Americans… one of the most sought after markets in the world. Ever since then, Star Trek has had a symbiotic but complicated relationship with fans and networks.
Recent background
Unlike TV ratings in the 1960s, streaming services know quite a bit about viewership. They know which shows are popular and the demographics of those viewers. They know exactly how much money each show is bringing in. Apparently, Star Trek isn't doing well enough to attract their investment dollars.
Paramount is in the midst of serious financial difficulties. Their stock has declined by 50% in the last year. Their streaming service, Paramount+, lost $490 million last year, which was an improvement over the previous year when they lost about $575 million. All of Paramount's revenue streams are down, they're over leveraged, and they have a cash flow problem. [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/paramount-streaming-loss-subs-1235838684/] Paramount is struggling to make ends meet, so they're making cuts. We wish they weren't cutting back on Star Trek, but tough decisions have to be made.
Executives presumably already knew that there would be campaigns to save Lower Decks and create Legacy. They've already taken that into account. Unless a campaign is overwhelming, it's unlikely to change their minds.
The plan
It's important to understand that this plan is based on profit, not fandom. While there is certainly a place in the world of commerce for doing something because it's cool, profit is the engine that drives business.
I propose here a plan in which a group of investors form a company devoted to investing in Star Trek. This plan would reduce Paramount's risk while leveraging the popularity of Star Trek. As business ventures go, the plan would be relatively low risk because it only moves forward if certain contracts could be arranged. However, even with contracts signed, it would take a significant investment to get the cameras rolling.
First, let's look at some numbers. I'm working from memory here, but I think these numbers are close enough for an overview of the situation.
It costs about $3 million to produce an episode of Lower Decks. It costs about $8 million for an episode of Discovery, so Legacy would probably cost around the same amount. For the purposes of this discussion, we'll only look at Lower Decks. The same principles would apply to Legacy on a larger scale. A ten episode season of Lower Decks would therefore cost around $30 million. Hollywood accounting can get tricky… an expense item can get allocated among multiple projects that might not seem related. Therefore, a per-episode estimate is fuzzy and doesn't necessarily extrapolate into a season-long budget. We'll go with a season budget of $30 million here. Reality will adjust those numbers as necessary.
In terms of corporate structure, there are two Paramount divisions involved in producing Lower Decks: Paramount Studios and Paramount+. This plan drops Paramount+ out of the equation, instead relying on other streaming services like Netflix.
So let's get to the actual plan.
A group of investors would form a company called Cerritos Enterprises. Those investors would probably be Star Trek fans… the tech world is filled with Trekkies. However, remember that this is a profit making endeavor, so fanship isn't a requirement.
Cerritos Enterprises wouldn't initially need to raise a huge amount of money (as startups go). $1 million would probably be a good start, enough to show that the company is a real, established startup that's ready to do business. They would need to provide evidence that they can raise more funds if the deal goes forward. That makes it relatively low risk because more money isn't invested until there are signed contracts. (I'm going to stop saying "relatively" every time I say "low risk". Just assume the risk is always relative to the general risk of any business startup.)
Having established credibility, Cerritos Enterprises makes proposals to two companies: Paramount and a streaming service, say Netflix.
To Paramount, they propose hiring Paramount Studios to produce Lower Decks. That would appeal to Paramount because it would be low risk: they don't have to proceed until they have at least some cash in hand.
To Netflix they propose that Netflix would carry the show. Netflix would be the biggest risk taker: they can't know for sure how popular the show would be on their platform. However, Netflix is in a good position to take risks. They made $5.4 billion profit last year, up from the previous year. In fact, they have been consistently profitable every year since 2011. [https://www.businessofapps.com/data/netflix-statistics/] They're a good candidate for a risky entertainment venture.
The proposals involve sharing expenses. Each player would contribute money. For example, Cerritos Enterprises would kick in $10 million, as would Paramount and Netflix. Paramount's investment would be in-kind… they produce the show with the knowledge that Netflix is already ready to buy. Netflix would need to kick in some money before delivery to get production going.
Allocating profits would get complicated. Paramount might want more than just payment for producing the show; they would want revenue based on the popularity of the show. Netflix might not be satisfied with just adding a great show to their platform: they might want a share of merchandising or of future expansion of the franchise. All of that would have to be worked out.
If we go with these numbers, Cerritos Enterprises would need to pony up about $10 million. To give some perspective, $25 million is considered the sweet spot for first round investment in a tech startup. Most startups fail, so an investment of $10 million in a low risk venture wouldn't phase the world of investors. It has a better promise of profit at a lower investment than most startups.
In terms of who would put up the money, we can generally divide investors into two categories: macroinvestors and microinvestors.
Macroinvestors are the peoplecompanies that put up millions of dollars for a venture. They're often called "angel investors'' because they put money into projects that most people wouldn't view as promising. Angel investors would form the bulk of investment.
I would love to see the project include Star Trek fans (like me) as microinvestors. However, that might be difficult or impossible. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations make it difficult for small investors to get in on startups. (Personal note: this is a situation that I think should change. Little guys like me should be able to get in on the action.) You can't just crowdfund a project by selling equity. That being said, fans could be a promising source of money. Trekkies probably skew towards higher incomes, and they're passionate about the franchise they love. I'm sure quite a few fans (like me) would make small investments just for the sheer excitement of getting involved in Star Trek. If for no other reason, I would like to see Cerritos Enterprises include microinvestors so the fan base could have more say in the future of our franchise. A company like MicroVentures (https://microventures.com/) might be able to help implement microinvestment.
Cerritos Enterprises would benefit from having a Star Trek star on the board of directors. Jonathan Frakes would be a good choice. Not only is he beloved by the Star Trek community, he's an experienced director and producer. He knows the business. He could attract Trekkie investors, then he could talk business with them. George Takei is also an experienced entertainment producer. There are probably other business savvy stars who could get involved.
Conclusion
Entertainment industry professionals will undoubtedly find flaws in this plan. That's a good thing: it helps make the plan better. However, Hollywood is like any other industry: money talks. A pile of cash on the table will get their attention.
This is an ambitious plan, but Trekkies are an innovative group. Making things happen is what we do.
Let's make this happen.
Mike O'Sullivan [mike@cerritosenterprises.com](mailto:mike@cerritosenterprises.com) Star Trek fan

HARRISON, NY - (NewMediaWire) - May 16, 2024 - Metawells Oil & Gas Inc. (the "Company" or "KOSK") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement dated May 14, 2024 (the "Definitive") to merge with Global Oil & Gas Recovery Corp. an arm's length privately held company ("GlobalOG") incorporated in the state of Delaware.
The transaction is structured as a shares exchange and KOSK will acquire all the issued and outstanding capital interest or shareholdings of Global, in exchange with KOSK authorized but unissued common stock. The agreement includes a series of representations and warranties by both parties and conditions that precedent the corporate action. Global is currently a private company and exists in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
KOSK President Ronald Minsky states that, "This merger with Global will be extremely beneficial for KOSK shareholders as Global brings in cutting edge technology for the recuperation of oil and gas from abandoned and zombie oil fields in the U.S. and Canada." Global Oil and Gas Recovery Corporation CEO Richard Cindric states, "Global has been looking for the proper partner to take our business to new heights with our cutting-edge technology. We look forward to the days ahead to putting our company on the map as a big player in the oil and gas recovery business."
About Metawells Oil & Gas Inc.
Metawells Oil & Gas Inc. is a holding company founded in the State of Nevada and engaged in two sectors, the energy sector and the sector of technology. The Company is set to forge strategic collaborations and develop both business segments to accelerate the company growth. The company is currently working on its strategic business plan to become an oil producer, focused on the multi-zone development and Enhanced Oil Recovery ("EOR") of "extreme shallow" medium gravity oil.
www.metawellsinc.com
About Global Oil & Gas Recovery Corp.
The Company's primary focus is to implement Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques to existing abandoned wells, maturing oil fields and previously tapped reserves located in the United States and Canada. By restoring these existing oil and gas wells we create value for our shareholders by generating revenue from oil and gas production.
Our Green Technology - Is Focused on Methane Emission Mitigation
The company is funding the further development of a patented Mobile Methane Refining Unit (MRU). Oil and gas companies flare more than $10.6 billion in natural gas (methane) every year. The MRU technology eliminates the flaring, venting and leaking of abandoned wells by capturing the waste methane gas and converting it to a usable fuel. This technology is currently in final development stages and could be ready for production in late 2024. To learn more visit: https://globaloilandgasrecovery.com
Forward-Looking Statements:
Safe Harbor Statement - In addition to historical information, this press release may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include the intent, belief, or expectations of the Company and members of its management team with respect to the Company's future business operations and the assumptions upon which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to, failure to complete anticipated sales under negotiations, lack of revenue growth, client discontinuances, failure to realize improvements in performance, efficiency, profitability, and adverse developments with respect to litigation or increased litigation costs, the operation or performance of the Company's business units or the market price of its common stock. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated within this press release can also be found on the Company's website. The Company disclaims any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements.
Contact Information
For more information contact:
Ronald Minsky, President
Phone: (212) 381-8029
contact@metawellsinc.com
X twiter: @metawells

(Yes this is a repost cuz the original barely got batshit)
Paper Mario is notorious for changing it’s battle system throughout the series. People mainly just want the 64/TTYD battle system kept, but alas, the title explains itself.
This battle system idea is actually a mashup of TTYD, SPM, and TOK, but it’s actually kinda cool.
First, you start off on a 3D Arena with enemies surrounding you, in a manner similar to The Origami King. This time, it’s different. You have the ability to change the amount of time for “Round” battles, or you can have an optional chance to align enemies to freeze them in place for “Round” battles. I’ll explain what that is later. Key point on optional, you can go to the action list immediately if you wish. Note that if you attempt to go align the enemies, you are at risk of the “Rival” enemy freezing you instead.
Next, the action list from TTYD appears. This time, there’s a menu above, and you can assign 2 actions to the “A” and “B” buttons respectively. This is actually to prepare for the next “Round” battle. “Jump - A” and “Power Smash - B” will do for now, note that Power Smash still costs FP. Now let’s say you had a partner with you, like Koops. You would be able to assign actions to him, but he would have the option to either be controlled by a CPU or a second player. Note that Guard is assigned to “Y” and the Superguard is assigned to “X”.
And finally, the “Round” battle actually begins, this being the first round. All the enemies surrounding you suddenly start moving around, and you have free-roam control of Mario in a similar manner of SPM. Any actions you have equipped, you can use to fight the enemies in real-time. Assuming the actions I mentioned earlier are equipped, and if you’re facing right, If you hold Left + B near an enemy while it’s not facing you, the action command icon suddenly appears and you can actually charge your hammer right on the spot, you can even commence TTYD stylish moves right after as well. (Every time you use Power Smash, it uses up FP) And if you had a POW block equipped instead, you could place it anywhere in the arena and wait to hit it at any time, either by you or your partner. Speaking of, your partner obviously also roams around and helps you fight during “Round” battles. Enemies can suddenly attack you at any time, in which you gotta hit “Y” or “X” at the right time.
“Round” battles only last for a limited time, after that said time is up, you can go back to setting up for Round 2 or something. However, you can adjust the time on the first phase of setting up. Also, if you’ve managed to freeze enemies before the round, you can attack them freely for 10 seconds during the round itself. Same way around if the “Rival” enemy freezes you. Also, this said “Rival” enemy is really just the most powerful one among the crowd of enemies and doesn’t do much.
Honestly, this was just the basics of my idea, during rounds, it’s SPM’s combat, locked in a 3D Arena where you can also perform TTYD’s action commands and stylish moves. I feel like this could be fun as hell if improved upon and it also depends on what you set up before rounds.
Please give me reviews, thoughts, criticisms, ideas, whatever on this.

Hello PubTips! I'm a pub-tips user, making a side account for my own sanity (I hope that's alright). I'd greatly appreciate any insight on how to make this stronger, you guys weren't lying...queries are HARD. But I honestly don't think I can make this any snappier without the great minds here.
My big concerns are vagueness where there shouldn't be, stakes etc. It's very hard not to veer off. I'm a natural over-writer, so I have no doubt certain things can and should be trimmed or expanded on. Thanks so much for anyone who takes the time to reply.
PS. I am based in the UK and will only be querying UK agents. The book is set in a 'fictional' coastal town, and the Druidic element is, I understand, fairly contained to the myths of the UK. I've done my best to explore this in the MS for readers not aware of the history/legends so no real fore-knowledge is needed.
PPS. This hasn't been sent to any agents yet, a fact that I'm sure I will soon be immensely glad of. x
Query Length: 460 words
Dear Agent,
AN HEIR OF SEA AND STORMS is a contemporary, multi-POV fantasy romance complete at 99,000 words and is a standalone with series potential. It will appeal to readers who enjoyed the spice-with-feeling of A FATE INKED IN BLOOD by DANIELLE L. JENSEN, the bonds of found family in NETTLE AND BONE by T. KINGFISHER and the modern gothic undertones of STARLING HOUSE by ALIX E. HARROW.
Meredith Birch’s confidence is at an all-time low as she retreats to the quaint coastal village of Hermit’s Lock. Mid 30’s and struggling to find meaning in the FOMO, all she wants is to hide from the latest self-inflicted life implosion. Under normal circumstances, she could dismiss the fact that her friends in the village don’t seem to care about the huge, crumbling manor that’s appeared on the headland since her last visit. But a mysterious smell, blackouts and increase in the deafening bird noises that plague her are harder to ignore. Gathering the courage to investigate, she expects to find what she always does: nothing. But what lies in cavernous Branscar offers more than a steady career path and a mortgage: if she’s willing to fight for it.
Julian Blackthorn is a Druid of an ancient line tasked with protection of the land he worships. Above all, he values control. The smouldering and celibate Master of Branscar, whose magic is born from the violence of sea and storms, only fears one thing - the prophecy of a woman who will be his ruin. Just as his controversial plans for a New Age are about to be realised, the scent of prophecy he’s always dreaded seeps through the stone of Branscar. Resolved to meet the assassin head-on, he lowers the enchantment shielding the house only for her. But Meredith holds a power he can’t fight with blade or magic; he begins to fall desperately in love with her – and to Julian, that’s the most dangerous threat of all.
Between the erotically charged animosity she has with Julian and a deep kinship with his brother Ambrose; Meredith must choose between two paths – and two versions of herself. Julian’s plans for a New Age will unleash chaos on the modern world, but something more sinister is waking in Branscar’s shadow that even the Druids haven’t anticipated. Meredith must overcome her demons to find the purpose she’s always searched for, even if it costs her a love she never thought she’d find.
A lifelong fantasy and romance nerd, I’ve been creating hidden worlds and fictional boyfriends for many years and am delighted to be able to share one such tale with you. I have a MA in English Literature, been published in XX magazine and have a career in [relevant industry].
Many thanks for your consideration. ­­[Me]
Edit: Added standalone/series potential line

How hard is it to change your brakes? I recently got a quote and I couldn’t believe the labor cost. I haven’t put brakes on since 2007-ish. So I understand the part costs. . I probably have all the tools. It’s 1500 series pick up.

Hi,
i like [[The Eleventh Doctor]] very much concerning the series... but i think his card is one of the worst ones in all of Dr Who MtG.... especially compared to value engines like tenth doctor...
Is there a reasonable way to make him work around PL6? I know he is supposed to be paired with [[Amy Pond]], but even together they seem very underwhelming... and Jeskai coulf be easier to navigate too...
Does somebody have an idea on how to build him properly which works on a single digit cost per card budget? is there sonething like an unblockable tribal?
THX

I'm still trying to complete my series 3 collection, but if been wondering, what are the best decks to complete the different daily quests? Sure, you've got the play cards with more than 200 power and so on but what decks to you recommend for:
Play 1-cost cards?
Play 2-cost cards?
Play 3-cost cards?
Play 6-cost cards?
I would go something like:
Play 1-cost cards? Thanos.
Play 2-cost cards? Mr. Negative, maybe.
Play 3-cost cards? Silver Surfer or Toxic.
Play 6-cost cards? Hela.
I would like to have something ready. ;)

Hi folks,
Looking to purchase a new home in NJ. The home checks off all the boxes besides these two: Has an above-ground oil tank and no central HVAC system. The current oil tank is fairly new, installed in 2008ish (Roth DWT series). Looks to be in good working order. Any idea on the approximate cost for these two big ticket items and a potential time frame?
Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks all!

Hi folks,
Looking to purchase a new home in NJ. The home checks off all the boxes besides these two: Has an above-ground oil tank and no central HVAC system. The current oil tank is fairly new, installed in 2008ish (Roth DWT series). Looks to be in good working order. Any idea on the approximate cost for these two big ticket items and a potential time frame?
Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks all!