Demographics: male, latino, family income ~200k, large public school (2k+ students) in a dc suburb (va), very competitive high school
Intended Major(s): poly sci or foreign affairs
SAT: 1500 (retaking august)
UW/W: 3.95/4.43
Rank: school doesn’t do ranks, but in the top 5% of class
APs: 12 total, 1 DE.
AP World History (4), AP Seminar (5), APUSH (4/5 predicted), AP Psych (5 predicted), AP Lang (4/5 predicted), AP Chem (3/4 predicted), AP Calc AB, APES, AP Gov/Comp Gov, AP Human Geo, AP African American Studies. (DE English 12 online)
Awards: (my awards are very minimal): award from NOAA for science project, Harvard Book Award, 1st place at school and 2nd at regionals for science project, 4 other faculty awards (1 student in school awarded for each), MANY awards (1st places) for speech and debate at regional and state levels, also nationally ranked as a top 100 extemp. speaker, placed in top 3 at regional FBLA competition, varsity letter in choir
Extracurriculars:

• leadership and honor societies: NHS Officer to 400+ members (12), speech team captain; coached 5 members to nationals (11-12), debate team mentor (11-12), history honor society officer (11-12), asl honor society officer (11-12), science honor society officer (12), FBLA member (10-12).
• created a writing center at school with a teacher helping 300 kids with writing just this year (11-12)
• intern with my representative and his campaign every week, facilitates fundraising and drafts to proposals (11-12)
• research with professor from northwestern university on political polarization impacting party affiliations, paper currently undergoing publication, presented at online symposiums (10-11)
• created an after school tutoring program at local elementary school to help underprivileged children with reading and math (11)
• part time job at pizza restaurant (25-30 hrs/week, ik it’s crazy) (10)
• gtown pre-college program (it’s a cash grab but i did it to show demonstrated interest) (10-11)

-there’s more but none of it is rly as prominent
LORs: asking speech coach i’ve known since 9th grade (her rec this year got someone into 3 ivys this year), asking apush teacher; we are pretty close, ap lang teacher; we are very close and she likes me, and counselor which we are decently close considering she has ~200 kids
Schools: georgetown (ED), dartmouth, uva (in state), washington and lee, william and mary, gw, vtech, jmu

Someone left a bunch of plans and legendaries in there, so I've been doing the same! Any excess legendaries or sale items, into the register they go!

Does anyone know how we scan in the cash donations on the new POS system for petsmart charities? (The box by the registers that customers can put their loose change/bills into) Our box was overfilled with change and havent been dealt with for awhile. We used to be able to just scan the barcode and type the amount and then put in the register but my SL and I couldn't figure out how to do that today. We can still scan the barcode but it won't let us put the dollar amount in.

If any of you have ever worked in a bakery, you'll relate to what I'm about to share. A long, long time ago (a.k.a about a month ago), I was working my shift at the local bakery, manning the cash register and tending to customers. Our shop was renowned for its cupcakes, so much so that we would have long lines of eager customers waiting to get their hands on them. One day, we ran short of the most popular flavor - vanilla.
Mr. Jenkins, a regular who swears by our vanilla cupcakes, came in, looking forward to his daily dose of sweet delight. However, on hearing we ran out of his favorite cupcakes, he was understandably disappointed and ready to leave without making a purchase. At this point, I knew I needed to apply some critical thinking.
Using the 'First Principles' mental model, I broke down the components of a vanilla cupcake - sponge, vanilla flavor, and icing on top. Suddenly, a bulb lit in my mind. We had vanilla-flavored cookies in stock! I offered Mr. Jenkins a combo of the plain cupcake we had with a vanilla cookie to accompany it, assuring him that it would give a similar taste experience.
To my delight, Mr. Jenkins agreed, and it turned out he loved this new combo. It was so successful that we even started selling this 'Vanilla Buddy' combo when we ran out of vanilla cupcakes, and it was a hit!
By thinking critically, we not only retained a loyal customer but also discovered a new product that our customers loved.
P.S: For all you cupcakes out there (pun intended), this story was a hypothetical situation, just baking some ideas (could't help but knead in another pun!) to show you how useful mental models like 'First Principles' can be in our daily lives. So, the next time you run into a problem, throw in some mental yeast, and watch the solution rise!

PART 1 Part 2
Let me be clear...this is absolutely the side of the tracks that I fall in.

Introduction:

While the lack of immediate guidance on the use of capital from the recent share dilution may seem concerning to some, there are valid reasons to maintain confidence in GameStop's board. This favorable opinion argues that the board's proven track record and the strategic advantages of remaining silent justify the current approach.

Favorable Opinion: Trust in the Board's Track Record and Strategic Silence

Key Points of Support:

1. Proven Track Record:

Experienced Leadership: GameStop’s board comprises experienced executives with successful track records at other companies. This includes Chairman Ryan Cohen, who transformed Chewy into a leading e-commerce giant. Their past successes provide a strong foundation for trust in their strategic decision-making. Execution Capabilities: The board has demonstrated its ability to execute complex strategies effectively. Their background suggests that they are likely to have well-considered plans, even if not immediately disclosed to the public.

1. Alignment with Shareholder Interests:

DRS Shareholder Support: The board was voted in by shareholders who have directly registered their shares (DRS), indicating strong alignment with shareholder interests. It was all but suggested that investors direct register their shares. Remember: Cone-Poo-Chair? There is strong reason to believe that this is because registering provides a level of strict accountability with share counting. This backing reflects confidence in the board’s ability to steer the company towards long-term value creation. Commitment to Shareholder Value: The board’s actions, including the share offering, are presumably aligned with the goal of enhancing shareholder value. Their silence may be a tactical choice to ensure that strategic initiatives are not prematurely revealed to competitors or market manipulators. There are many directions the company can go. Staying a brink and mortar retail business as is, is not the goal. We see this through the massive infrastructural shrink over the past year and a half.

1. Strategic Benefits of Remaining Silent:

Mitigating Market Manipulation: Silence can be a strategic move to avoid tipping off short sellers or other market players who might exploit the information. Keeping plans under wraps can prevent these actors from countering the board’s strategy. We don't do dates and neither does the board. Dates signal when things might get spicy. I'm of the thought process, let me wake up one day to a surprise M&A announcement. Flexibility in Execution: By not committing publicly to specific plans, the board retains flexibility to adapt its strategy as market conditions evolve. This can be crucial in a highly volatile market environment, where rigid plans might become obsolete quickly. In 2023, the Esports market globally stood at a revenue of USD 2.30 billion. The Esports market worldwide is projected to reach a revenue of US$4.3bn by the end of 2024, with an expected annual growth rate estimated at 7%. A 4 Billion war chest is great but it is nothing to disrupt the gaming or esports industry in any substantive way; and definitely a far cry from impacting e-commerce in any special way. Gamestop, like Chewy is a mid-cap that is pretty niche. Companies like this must be agile and flexible, ie. dropping NFTs when they are producing revenue and pivoting.

1. Capital Readiness for Opportunistic Moves:

Seizing Strategic Opportunities: Having a substantial cash reserve allows GameStop to act swiftly on strategic opportunities, such as acquisitions or new business ventures. The board’s discretion in revealing these plans ensures they can move quickly and decisively when the time is right. Strengthened Bargaining Position: A robust cash position can improve GameStop’s negotiating leverage in potential deals, enabling better terms and outcomes. Having the leverage to call the shots within a sector of your industry should not be overlooked or dismissed as a low priority.

1. Long-Term Value Creation:

Focus on Sustainable Growth: The board’s silence may indicate a focus on long-term growth rather than short-term market reactions. Investors who trust the board’s vision and track record are more likely to be rewarded as the company executes its strategic plans. Delight the customer; please the shareholders. Building Resilience: Raising capital through dilution strengthens the company’s balance sheet, making it more resilient to market fluctuations and economic downturns. This financial stability is crucial for sustaining growth and innovation, especially as we continue to see the global financial theater crumbling under the weight of its own growth.

Conclusion:

The decision to issue additional shares without immediate disclosure of detailed plans should be viewed through the lens of trust in the board's proven track record and strategic acumen. The experienced leadership, alignment with shareholder interests, and potential strategic benefits of maintaining silence justify confidence in the current approach. By retaining flexibility and avoiding market manipulation, the board is positioned to leverage the raised capital effectively and drive long-term value creation for GameStop and its investors. If the current actions of the board do not align with your investment goals, consideration should be made on whether this is a sustainable investment for you. The board has made it clear that short-term profit is not the agenda, long-term value is the menu item of choice. I'll say it again, at no point was there mention of a short squeeze. As long as insiders do not start selling off, I'm zen. Trust the vote.

Heading to Vegas and hoping to play in some WSOP events, mainly the colossus. Any tips or tricks I should know about before heading out?
I have read you can register for events pre arrival but I believe this is for US residents only?
Does anyone know the cash limit I can take out with me…. And bring back to uk?

I've played a lot of real d&d, skyrim, chivalry, mordhau and deep rock galactic and for the longest time I've wanted a game that combines all of these and captures the idea of decending into a d&d style megadungeon, in first person with friends and dark and darker comes so close to this its almost upsetting.
I would first like to say that i dont wish that dark and darker was a different game, only that someone were to look at it and be inspired to make some thing similar but with a different focus for the gameplay loop. Nudge nudge wizards of the coast.....
A lot of the core gameplay of dark and darker is quite unrefined and janky but is on the right track to be brilliant! The classes feel unique to play and the diffent abilities you can use create fun synergies with other classes and goes far beyond what your average fantasy rpg has to offer! The way spellcasting is implemented is fantastic compared to something like the elderscrolls. Alongside the melee combat, which though incredibly basic at least registers a hit properly as your weapon swings into an enemy unlike 99% of modern melee in fps games. The loot and traps are also really nice!
However I think the main differences beteween this theoretical game and dark and darker is how short the sessions are and the how the general balance feels due to it being an online game with the focus being on pvp rather than a co-op dungeon crawler.
In this game reviving players should be easier to do so that after hitting a rough patch so it would be easier to recover as a party. The ai for the mobs is simplistic in dark and darker, so the difficulty generally comes from their high health and damage rather than interesting combat dynamics and exchanges so that would be an area to really work on.
The stages being individual levels rather than one conected huge dungeon where you physically descend into different biomes with different enemies just takes away the feeling of a consistent world i would have liked similer to dark souls 1's world design. Having some interesting traversal across chasms and water like deep rock galactic would feel great, And lastly having procedurally generated dungeons again similar to deep rock galactic with seeds like minecraft.
This way you could have much larger dungeons and every run could be different but you could run the same one again if you wanted. I like the bosses we've seen and having a boss on every dungeon level would be cool as well as a crazy hard final boss thats a genuine challenge. 4 player co-op would be great for this and having it take maybe a few gaming sessions to complete a run with safe zones scattered throughout the megadungeon so you can restock, heal up and cash in your loot.
You could start in a very small fantasy town where theres the usual services and establishments like a chapel, tavern, smithy, general store, noticeboard and wizard tower. These could work like the merchants in dark and darker but you actually walk around like the ship in deep rock. Then you go to the graveyard behind the chapel to enter the dungeon.
I know this is a pretty self endulgant post but i wonder if many other people have been wanting the same thing as me?

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I am from Czech Republic, and I work part-time for a well known US fast-food chain.
I started 6 months ago, and when I got trained in using the cash register, one of the first things they told us is, that we aren’t allowed to keep the tips we get. It is important to note that the tipping culture here is different to the US for example. We usually tip to round up so we don’t get weird change in return, or if the person is exceptionally helpful. This means that the tips are usually very low.
They stated that it would be “unfair” for those working other positions in the restaurant, since we all get paid pretty much the same. They told us, that the money we get from these tips is going to be put aside for “group activites” we could participate in.
During the 6 months, the only thing that resembled these “group activities” was a yearly meeting of all the staff, where they went through the past year and discussed the problems, answered questions and basically only told us that we could do better. The only thing that yould be “paid for” was the food, but as this meeting took place at 6am in the restaurant. If they used our tips for this, I’d be livid.
Today, I went on an app, which is something similar to facebook, but only for the company. I saw a post from one of the managers saying something along the lines of “We had a teambuilding activity for ´specialists’ “(people who hold the higher positions). They went bowling and ate a pizza.
So yeah, I have a feeling, that me working my ass off to help the customers and to give them a decent service, funded a “nice day off” for people who already get paid more than me.

A 'strong' govt under Starmer vs the weak and fragmented political situation in the EMUs two biggest nations
As Wu Tang said, "Cash Rules Everything Around Me" and fragmented doesnt feed well into that equation.

I see everyone on here, including myself, worrying about project 2025. It's a thing to worry about. I personally worry, as an indigenous man, that my relatives in the US would simply be thrown into gas chambers and ovens because they're not white or Christian. Nobody should EVER have to think that way. Everyone seems to have similar concerns. There's a lot of power behind those concerns, and a lot of fear and anxiety. I imagine we're all feeling the brunt of that. We have to remember that we're all in this together. In every member of not only the sub but democracy, there is a bonfire. A raging bonfire that stands for resilience, equality, safety, security, and freedom. Project 2025 is none of that, and so in every one of you there's a rage that wants nothing more than to defeat this dumb thing. I have a proposal. I want you to share it if you agree. Copy the link to this post and share it absolutely everywhere. I made a Facebook group called "LGBT Here for Thee, Donald Trump Bound For The Dump", and that group is specifically for planning protests. No doom and gloom, action. I have a demand to make of our governments, both in the US and up here in Canada. I demand this and so should you. Something along these lines; Add to the Constitution of (Canada)(USA) this act: "Citizen's Constitutional Protection and Accountability Act"
Section 1. Purpose and Intent To safeguard the constitutional rights of (Canadian)(American) citizens, ensure accountability, and strengthen democratic institutions.
Section 2. Unilateral Citizens' Vote of No Confidence
(a) Citizens' Right to Vote: Upon petition by a significant number (10%) of registered voters, a national vote of no confidence in the Head of State shall be held.
(b) Threshold: If a majority (51%) of voters express no confidence, the provisions of Section 3 shall take effect.
Section 3. Consequences of No Confidence Vote
(a) Removal of Protest Restrictions: All laws limiting peaceful protest shall be repealed.
(b) Immediate Election: A fair and transparent federal election shall be held within 90 days.
Section 4. Constitutional Amendment Safeguard
(a) Strengthening Rights: Any proposed constitutional amendment must enhance or expand the rights and protections guaranteed by the Constitution.
(b) Supermajority Requirement: A two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, and ratification by three-fourths of (state)(provincial) legislatures, shall be required for any constitutional amendment.
(c) Safeguard of Current and Future Rights: All rights and provisions in the constitution or Charter at the time the Citizen's Constitutional Protection and Accountability Act is enacted are henceforth inviolable and unable to be repealed, even if done so democratically. All rights put into the constitution or charter beyond this act must not violate any of the other rights, and become inviolable and unable to be repealed even if done so democratically upon the start of their enforcement. Section 5. Self-Protection Clause. This law shall be absolutely unrevokable, unamendable, and irreversible under all circumstances, including but not limited to:

• Subsequent legislation,
• Executive actions,
• Judicial decisions,
• Constitutional amendments,

Any attempt to revoke, amend, or repeal this law shall be deemed null and void.
Section 6. Effective Date This law shall take effect 30 days after passage, allowing for necessary preparations and logistical arrangements.
If this act is refused, you, the government of the US or Canada, make the statement that you are not here for us. You use an absence of these controls to take advantage of us. You are not representatives of a rule of law country, you are a representative of an authoritarian one. I have presented you with the idea of rigorously enforcing our rights. Now it's yours to decide what you stand for. Refine and implement this to stand for us. Deny it to stand for power.

Hi so me 18f and my sister 28f have always been very close and never really have issues. For context; we both immigrated from Venezuela with my mom back in 2015 and our bio dad stayed in Venezuela since our parents are divorced. When we came to America, given that my sister was 18 - our bio dad paid for her college tuition, bought her a brand new car with cash and covered her rent while she was studying. He was very well off regarding finances and this was all a great help not only to my sister but also to my mom since my mom didn’t have to cover any of these expenses. My sister ended up dropping out of university her 2nd year and all the money he paid was basically thrown away. After she dropped out, he stopped paying for her rent and expenses which was honestly fair. Anyway fast forward now IM 18 and I just graduated high school. my whole life I’ve expected him to help me the same way he did my sister but Im now realizing that might not be the case. for my sisters HS graduation he bought her a car and took her on a cruise trip. For MY HS graduation I didn’t even get any type of money… just a congratulation. I asked him to pay repairs on my car because my sister totaled it and then gifted it to me but I haven’t been able to drive it bc I can’t afford the repairs which come out to be 1500. He said he didn’t have the money at the moment but once he does he will help me. I didn’t get mad and I’ve been now saving up to pay For it myself. i’ve been registering for college and my tuition needs to be paid in July, I asked him to cover it and he said he might not be able to but he will try to help with very little… I wasn’t too upset about this, just mainly bummed out but I recently found out he’s giving my sister 30THOUSAND DOLLARS so she can put a down-payment on a new house…. WTF. i just found out through my sister and played it off nice and happy for her but it’s tearing me down inside and I don’t if I should confront them about this. HELP.