------------------
The Book of Harris-y
(Religion as it should be) -
by Zachary Harris
(cc) (NC) (ND) by Zachary Harris
May be copied, distributed, or displayed, verbatim only. non-commercial, not derivative works nor remixes.
First edition May 2024
Chapter 1 - What's in a name
Chapter 2 - A bunch of rules
Chapter 3 - Secrete origins
Chapter 4 - The end
Chapter 5 - Everybody's favorite topic: SEX
Chapter 6 - The 2000 year war
Chapter 7 - Humans and gods
Chapter 8 - Parables
Chapter 9 - Feedback
Chapter
CHAPTER 1
What's in a name
Some religions are named after it's main prophet. Christianity is named after christ. Buddhism is named after Budda.
I, Zach Harris, dub this religion HARRISy.
Where is it written that a religion can't have a sense of humor?
HARRISy is not a spoof or sarcasm.
But any religion without a sense of humor, absolutely NEEDS to be ridiculed.
I was raised in christianity. So most of my criticism will be aimed at the Abrahamic religions.
I intend to build harrisy on logic and reason. Not the superstition, lies, and, threats that the Abrahamic religions are built on.
As an alternative for conscientious objectors caught in the religious wars (see chapter 6).
Deities are not really necessary for inspiration or religion. An all-powerful creator wouldn't need the help or adulation of puny mortals.
Only cults and human puppet masters need that. So we leave deities to their own devises. They ought to be up to it.
Harrisy is a religion about/for humans, as religions should be.
My leadership skills suck. So I will avoid leading, to avoid becoming a cult.
Chapter 2
A bunch of rules
Everybody hates rules. But let's establish what Harrisy stands for.
10 rules is a nice round number. But when the first four are about loyalty to the cult, You have to question who the rules are meant to benefit.
The christian 'commandments' only benefit the christian cult. The commandments don't even benefit their god.
A true all-powerful, immortal, creator god, would not need human worship or loyalty. The same as humans don't need the worship of ants.
We don't make rules for ants to follow. Just stay out of our way. The Abrahamic god treats us like ants. Either ignores or steps on us. It was his cults that made the 'commandments', not their god.
(more about that in chapter 7)
Harrisy has rules to live by, to benefit HUMANS:
A) Cause no harm.
B) Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Christianity calls this 'The Golden Rule' as if they invented it. But this was part of every culture and religion that humans ever created. (except Is-lame)
C) Do not kill. Do not kill humans.
Self preservation may override this, but killing is still a bad idea.
When killing animals for food, respect their sacrifice. Killing for sport is a bad idea.
D) People are not property.
Do not try to own others, in any sense.
You belong to yourself, do not give yourself away.
E) Do not steal.
You would not want to loose your stuff. (see B) Stealing harms others.
F) Do not lie. Avoid those who lie.
You would want to know the truth. To make better decisions. (see B)
G) Do not rape.
Do not force yourself on others. Your pleasures are not more important than other people's.
This applies to more than just sex. Do not force your religion on others. Do not force harrisy on others.
H) Do not shit wherever you please.
You don't want to slog through other people's shit.
(it's a metaphor.) Leave the world better than you found it.
I) Guard your privacy. Respect the privacy of others.
Beware of others who might use info against you. Or might unduly profit off you.
We have no rules about loyalty. We understand loyalties change. Just be honest (rule E)
We have no rule specifically about Adultery. Adultery might be considered loyalty, which changes.
Or adultery might be considered stealing, stealing affection. (rule D)
Chapter 3
Secrete origins
No one knows how/why it all began. Anyone who says they know, for certain, is lying.
The answer night as well be 42.
Most religions make it a crime to ask questions about their creation myths. This promotes ignorance. Helps the cult, not the people.
We understand the 'scientific method'. Scientists ask questions and are willing to test and adapt to new info.
So, for now, we trust scientific conclusions about the beginnings.
The current best theories from science:
The universe started from what they humorously call 'The Big Bang', about 13.8 Billion years ago.
Many are curious about what came before that. But we find that to be irrelevant to our everyday life.
Some religions say their god did it so they can claim payment/gratitude/worship for it. But we owe them nothing.
The earth was formed about 4.5 Billion years ago.
Humans evolved from other critters over many, many, many Generations (not years).
Some religions claim their god did it so they can claim payment/gratitude/worship for it.
We do not owe Harrisy or any religion for our existence.
Chapter 4
The end
How does it all end?
No one knows. Anyone who says they know, for certain, is lying.
Christinity predicts a bad acid trip. (See Revaluations) Any day now. So buy your ticket to heaven early.
It's an obvious con, You sacrifice this life you already have, for the promise of another life they can't prove.
Science predicts 'Entropy'. Every atom in the universe will drift away from every other till they can't react any more.
But humans will be dead or evolved into something we can't recognize, by then. Too distant, time-wise, to worry about.
Your personal end? What happens when you die?
Most probably nothing.
Seems like every religion has a different 'afterlife'. They can't all be right. (but they can all be wrong)
You can't pick the one you want. If an 'afterlife' exists it is what it is. WE can't control it. No cult can control it.
The cults are telling you what you want to hear. So you give your CURRENT LIFE to their cult. The life that is certain, in exchange for an empty promise.
No guarantees, No refunds, You won't get your old life back if they are wrong (or lying).
Pascal's gamble is a sucker bet. It never pays out.
Harrisy aims to make This Current Life better, worth living for it's own sake. We give priority to This Current Life over any theoretical 'afterlife'.
Chapter 5
Everybody's favorite topic: SEX
What's the point of Sexual Taboos?
Why would an IMORTAL (non-sexual, non-reproducing) being give a damn?
For example in the christian cult:
*Masturbation is sin,
*Spilling your seed outside the womb is sin,
*Marrying outside the church is sin,
*Divorce is sin,
*Birth Control is sin,
*Abortion is sin,
*Marriages without offspring are invalid.
*Brand (circumcise) your males, so your females know who they are allowed to mate with,
And in Is-lame, Women are just sexual slaves.
Taken as a whole,
The only purpose served by sexual taboos, is to help the CULT out-populate rival cults.
A REAL "creator god" wouldn't give a damn. Or Wouldn't need our cooperation. it would just create more of us, as needed.
A REAL creator wouldn't threaten us, it would just change us.
Sexual Taboos are serving a cult, not a god.
Harrisy has only one sexual taboo:
Rule G) Do not rape.
Do not force yourself on others. Your pleasures are not more important than other people's.
Chapter 6
The 2000 year war
The Abrahamic religions have been at war with each other for about 2000 years. Sometimes hot, sometimes cold.
But like some other religions, at all times attempting to be 'the one true religion'. And by their competition, doing more harm than good.
And the Abrahamic religions haven't even shown that the 'good' stuff needs their religion to get done.
They preach that it is somehow noble or their duty to spread their faith. ("Onward Christian Soldiers")
There are dangers associated with proselytism and/or evangelicalism:
(Please note - I had help with the following)
Focus on Conversion over Service:
Proselytism/evangelicalism prioritizes conversion goals over humanitarian or service-oriented activities.
This undermines the credibility and effectiveness of religious organizations engaged in charitable work,
as it is perceived as conditional or insincere.
Dogmatism and Exclusivity:
Evangelicalism/proselytism promotes a rigid, dogmatic interpretation of religious beliefs that excludes other perspectives.
This exclusivity leads to intolerance of differing viewpoints and hinders constructive dialogue and cooperation with people of other faiths or worldviews.
Coercion and Manipulation:
Proselytism/evangelicalism involves coercion, manipulation, or exploitation of vulnerable individuals,
such as offering material incentives or exploiting power differentials to induce conversion.
This raises ethical concerns about respect for autonomy and informed consent.
Political Activism:
Evangelicalism/proselytism has been associated with political movements that prioritize specific social or moral issues, leading to controversy and polarization.
this politicization blurs the lines between religion and politics, compromising the integrity of both.
Interfaith Tensions:
Proselytism/evangelicalism contributes to interfaith tensions and conflicts, especially when it is aggressive or disrespectful to members of other religious communities.
It will undermine efforts to foster mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation among different faith traditions.
Fragmentation of Communities:
Proselytism/evangelicalism leads to the fragmentation or division of communities, particularly in contexts where multiple religious groups coexist.
This creates social tensions and weaken social cohesion, especially when proselytism is conducted in a confrontational or divisive manner.
Proselytization and Missionary Work:
We are concerned about aggressive or coercive methods used in proselytization/evangelicalism efforts,
especially when targeting vulnerable populations or in multicultural contexts.
This leads to cultural imperialism or disrespect for the autonomy of individuals and communities.
Cultural Insensitivity:
Proselytism/evangelicalism disregards or disrespects the cultural and religious traditions of the target community.
This leads to cultural imperialism or colonialism, especially when proselytism/evangelicalism is conducted in contexts where there is a history of exploitation or marginalization.
Misrepresentation or Simplification of Beliefs:
Proselytism/evangelicalism involves oversimplification or misrepresentation of religious beliefs and practices in order to make them more appealing to potential converts.
This leads to misunderstandings or misconceptions about the beliefs and traditions of the proselytizing religion.
For these reasons we conscientious objectors to the religious war, need an uncompetitive religion like Harris-y.
But don't push it.
Chapter 7
Humans and gods
Why do human religions have gods that are all too human?
A creator of everything that needs humans to wright/publish a holy book?
An all powerful god who needs humans to promote him?
An all powerful god with a vindictive human sized ego?
An immortal who is obsessed with human reproduction?
An all powerful god who needs humans more than we need him?
Any actual god wouldn't need human religion.
Harrisy serves humans, not gods.
Chapter 8
Parables
Corn In A Cow Patty.
Finding truth in the Abrahamic holy books,
is like finding corn in a cow patty.
Sure there are some good kernels in there,
but is it really worth digging through the shit to find them?
You can find uncontaminated kernels of truth anywhere.
Chapter 9
Feedback
Feedback should be sent to: [zachharris@mail2hell.com](mailto:zachharris@mail2hell.com)
Don't expect a timely reply.

I have some heart related issues that started happening right as I'm falling asleep and in the middle of the night only if I'm laying on my back (one exception while laying on my stomach). Sleep clinics are booked out for months near me so I decided to go for Lofta. I got the following results and I'm slightly confused as to what they mean and if I should get a CPAP

• RDI of 16.6 per hour, Total events 124
• Snoring 10.5% of sleep time
• Oxygen saturation min 92% and avg. 95%
• True sleep time 7 hours 26 minutes. I feel like it was more like 5-6 hours
• Sleep stages 71% light sleep, 18% deep sleep, 9% rem sleep
• AHI hourly events 4.1, Total events 31

Note: I am only able to fall asleep on my side or on my stomach. When I lay on my chest my heart wakes me up. Not sure if sleeping on my side could skew the results
My report from their sleep physician came back as very mild sleep apnea but then they reached out to me telling me I have moderate sleep apnea based on the RDI reading.
My questions... - Should I get a CPAP? - Could the CPAP make things worse if I don't have sleep apnea? - Anyone else experience their heart wake them up (one single beat) either right as they're falling asleep or middle of the night only if laying on their back? Has only happened once while laying on my stomach

Thought I'd just ask plainly into the forum as there seem to be quite a few experts around here! I'm owner of a freshly bought (like 1.5 months) G14 2023 model with the Ryzen 9 7940HS version.
As mentioned in the title, I've been realizing lately that when gaming (especially when trying out Victoria 3), the laptop hull and the CPU temps get really hot. As soon as I start the game, the CPU and GPU get crazy hot and I have to play on 3000 RPM fan noise... I only have basic knowledge regarding those topics and so I was literally just wondering whether that's normal or if that can be prevented at all (unless of course I switch over to silent mode in GHelper and severely limit CPU/GPU performance).
Is this anything I'd have to worry about? I want the PC to last a few years and I don't want it to die because I chose the wrong settings when gaming...
Thanks a lot and sorry for the stupid question :)

The narrative all season long by the fans has been that Bellingham and Foden are both way better than Palmer and he is nowhere near their league. Let us take a look at the stats:
Bellingham: Games Played - 40 Goals - 23 Assists - 12 Total G/A - 35
Foden: Games Played - 51 Goals - 25 Assists - 11 Total G/A-36
Palmer: Games Played - 47 Goals - 27 Assists - 14 Total G/A - 41
Looking at the number of games played, it's clearly between Jude and Palmer, where Palmer is (in my opinion) doing better.
Bellingham started the season off as a false 9 and excelled, Foden does pretty well on the wing but Palmer this season, is on their level, if not beyond it. Foden and Bellingham have the best squads in the world around them to work with, whereas Palmer has been probably the most crucial part of Chelsea going from 11th to now potentially top 5 this season. The criticism about Palmer is that he scores penalties, I never understood how that should be criticized to begin with. It's equivalent to a basketball player making free throws when fouled. The general consensus has been that Bellingham and Foden are miles better than Palmer, I just fail to understand why that is.

TL;DR; I was scared to leave who I thought was the love of my life for 2 years. Not only do I feel immense relief and better than I did that entire relationship, but to my surprise there are men who are interested, I promise you can find someone better. My story: I did it. 2.5 year relationship while in my early 20s. He was catfishing me for the first 6 months. I left him but was still seeing him, became official again 6 months later. 1.5 months after that, I discovered the addiction (coincided with a dr*g addiction that he roped me into because he didn’t want to do it alone). After that D-day, I told him if he used again, it was done. That was betrayal #2 already. I should’ve left but you all know how it is. Soon after I went to rehab, and when I came back I set up the screentime blocks on his phone and laptop. For the next NINE MONTHS I was constantly suspicious, had this gut feeling, couldn’t fully trust him. There were times I found evidence he excused away and I self deluded. Intimacy was significantly decreased because it was such a turn off to think about him thinking of other girls. Well we relapsed on the drugs and at the end of the 9 months I was barely functioning. Discovered his secret twitter account. Called him out, he denied until admitting. Dumped him the next day, he came over to my driveway and made some threats and pulled me back into spending time with him. I left in December to get treatment again, and I have not seen him in person since. He returned to the area yesterday and once he was settled home, I sent the break up text. I told him I love him but I will never fully be able to trust him and neither of us deserve that relationship. He didn’t reply, just deleted me on socials. I always suspected maybe he was into other girls, I don’t even think he was that hurt by me leaving which says a lot. I though I would be destroyed, but the RELIEF!!! I feel SO much better. I fell out of love with him months ago when he decided to extend his own trip instead of work on himself. Well I worked on myself and now I’m going to find a man who I can trust and be loved by. I spent about 2 years clinging onto him because I loved him and partially because I didn’t think I would find anyone else. I already have people hitting me up without even getting apps or anything. IT IS POSSIBLE, YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE BETTER. I Felt awful for about a month before I did it, and since the morning after I have felt amazing. Liberated. Please take this as a sign to get out while you can. You deserve better and they need to get help on their own. S if you’re reading this, I wish you the best.

I leave in two days for BMT so I couldn't really care less about it now but to quote someone from another post about it on here "I failed that shit with flying colors."
The unusual part for me came in that my recruiter told me to expect the one where it's 5 dots in a row and it's usually never the outside, take your time etc. Yeah cool here's the thing: I get to MEPS and the one they show me has only been in use for a week and looks like this.
More bizarrely, I have no problems with depth perception. I can perfectly eyeball distance and 3D movies work fine for me. This is literally the only time I've ever had a medical issue with my vision according to anyone.
Why's the test so weirdly inconsistent? Some dots seem to stand out very clearly while others are the most negligible difference in one of them. Most other people in my group passed but when I look it up all I see are people complaining about how inapplicable the test is and how it's outdated.
Like I said, I couldn't really be bothered at this point. My job doesn't require depth perception and while I'd like to be a pilot that's not gonna happen with my grades anyway so it doesn't really matter. But why hasn't this been addressed before if it's such a point of contention?

How&Where to watch Alejandro Tabilo vs Alexander Zverev live streams on Reddit? How and when to watch the match on live stream and for free
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
The encounter between Zverev and Tabilo can be seen with online streaming on tennistv. com (paying platform) and also on bet365 (for free with a funded account).
In Italy, the match can be enjoyed on Sky Italia. In Germany, the match is broadcasted by Sky.
The H2H stats
Zverev and Tabilo have never played against each other so far on the main tour.
Zverev in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
At the moment ranked no.5, the German has achieved a composed 26-9 win-loss record in 2024. The German is currently competing in Rome where he overcame Aleksandar Vukic 6-0 6-4, Luciano Darderi 7-63 6-2, Nuno Borges 6-2 7-5 and Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-3.
Alexander Zverev will square off with the world no.32 Alejandro Tabilo in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. They have never played each other as of now in top competitions.
Alexander conquered 1 title in 2024 in Australia.
Zverev won 22 titles in his career: 8 on hard courts, 7 on clay courts and 7 on indoor courts.
Tabilo in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
Ranked world no.32 (career-high), Tabilo has managed to achieve a composed 25-9 win-loss record in 2024. The Chilean is playing in Rome where he toppled Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 7-64, Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3, Karen Khachanov 7-65 7-610 and Zhizhen Zhang 6-3 6-4.
Alejandro Tabilo will come up against the world no.5 Alexander Zverev in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. In the past, they have never played each other till now in top events.
The Chilean has won 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and in the Aix En Provence Challenger. The Chilean reached the final in Santiago (Movistar Chile Open).

Is there way to Watch Alejandro Tabilo vs Alexander Zverev live Streams fRee Italian Open 2024? How and when to watch the match on live stream and for free
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
The encounter between Zverev and Tabilo can be seen with online streaming on tennistv. com (paying platform) and also on bet365 (for free with a funded account).
In Italy, the match can be enjoyed on Sky Italia. In Germany, the match is broadcasted by Sky.
The H2H stats
Zverev and Tabilo have never played against each other so far on the main tour.
Zverev in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
At the moment ranked no.5, the German has achieved a composed 26-9 win-loss record in 2024. The German is currently competing in Rome where he overcame Aleksandar Vukic 6-0 6-4, Luciano Darderi 7-63 6-2, Nuno Borges 6-2 7-5 and Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-3.
Alexander Zverev will square off with the world no.32 Alejandro Tabilo in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. They have never played each other as of now in top competitions.
Alexander conquered 1 title in 2024 in Australia.
Zverev won 22 titles in his career: 8 on hard courts, 7 on clay courts and 7 on indoor courts.
Tabilo in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
Ranked world no.32 (career-high), Tabilo has managed to achieve a composed 25-9 win-loss record in 2024. The Chilean is playing in Rome where he toppled Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 7-64, Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3, Karen Khachanov 7-65 7-610 and Zhizhen Zhang 6-3 6-4.
Alejandro Tabilo will come up against the world no.5 Alexander Zverev in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. In the past, they have never played each other till now in top events.
The Chilean has won 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and in the Aix En Provence Challenger. The Chilean reached the final in Santiago (Movistar Chile Open).

What's the best way to watch Alejandro Tabilo vs Alexander Zverev (Free) Live Streams On Reddit? How and when to watch the match on live stream and for free
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
The encounter between Zverev and Tabilo can be seen with online streaming on tennistv. com (paying platform) and also on bet365 (for free with a funded account).
In Italy, the match can be enjoyed on Sky Italia. In Germany, the match is broadcasted by Sky.
The H2H stats
Zverev and Tabilo have never played against each other so far on the main tour.
Zverev in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
At the moment ranked no.5, the German has achieved a composed 26-9 win-loss record in 2024. The German is currently competing in Rome where he overcame Aleksandar Vukic 6-0 6-4, Luciano Darderi 7-63 6-2, Nuno Borges 6-2 7-5 and Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-3.
Alexander Zverev will square off with the world no.32 Alejandro Tabilo in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. They have never played each other as of now in top competitions.
Alexander conquered 1 title in 2024 in Australia.
Zverev won 22 titles in his career: 8 on hard courts, 7 on clay courts and 7 on indoor courts.
Tabilo in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
Ranked world no.32 (career-high), Tabilo has managed to achieve a composed 25-9 win-loss record in 2024. The Chilean is playing in Rome where he toppled Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 7-64, Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3, Karen Khachanov 7-65 7-610 and Zhizhen Zhang 6-3 6-4.
Alejandro Tabilo will come up against the world no.5 Alexander Zverev in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. In the past, they have never played each other till now in top events.
The Chilean has won 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and in the Aix En Provence Challenger. The Chilean reached the final in Santiago (Movistar Chile Open).

What's the way to watch Alejandro Tabilo vs Alexander Zverev live free streams Italian Open 2024? How and when to watch the match on live stream and for free
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
The encounter between Zverev and Tabilo can be seen with online streaming on tennistv. com (paying platform) and also on bet365 (for free with a funded account).
In Italy, the match can be enjoyed on Sky Italia. In Germany, the match is broadcasted by Sky.
The H2H stats
Zverev and Tabilo have never played against each other so far on the main tour.
Zverev in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
At the moment ranked no.5, the German has achieved a composed 26-9 win-loss record in 2024. The German is currently competing in Rome where he overcame Aleksandar Vukic 6-0 6-4, Luciano Darderi 7-63 6-2, Nuno Borges 6-2 7-5 and Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-3.
Alexander Zverev will square off with the world no.32 Alejandro Tabilo in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. They have never played each other as of now in top competitions.
Alexander conquered 1 title in 2024 in Australia.
Zverev won 22 titles in his career: 8 on hard courts, 7 on clay courts and 7 on indoor courts.
Tabilo in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
Ranked world no.32 (career-high), Tabilo has managed to achieve a composed 25-9 win-loss record in 2024. The Chilean is playing in Rome where he toppled Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 7-64, Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3, Karen Khachanov 7-65 7-610 and Zhizhen Zhang 6-3 6-4.
Alejandro Tabilo will come up against the world no.5 Alexander Zverev in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. In the past, they have never played each other till now in top events.
The Chilean has won 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and in the Aix En Provence Challenger. The Chilean reached the final in Santiago (Movistar Chile Open).

Alejandro Tabilo vs Alexander Zverev Live Streams For (Free) On Reddit - Italian Open 2024 How and when to watch the match on live stream and for free
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
The encounter between Zverev and Tabilo can be seen with online streaming on tennistv. com (paying platform) and also on bet365 (for free with a funded account).
In Italy, the match can be enjoyed on Sky Italia. In Germany, the match is broadcasted by Sky.
The H2H stats
Zverev and Tabilo have never played against each other so far on the main tour.
Zverev in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
At the moment ranked no.5, the German has achieved a composed 26-9 win-loss record in 2024. The German is currently competing in Rome where he overcame Aleksandar Vukic 6-0 6-4, Luciano Darderi 7-63 6-2, Nuno Borges 6-2 7-5 and Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-3.
Alexander Zverev will square off with the world no.32 Alejandro Tabilo in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. They have never played each other as of now in top competitions.
Alexander conquered 1 title in 2024 in Australia.
Zverev won 22 titles in his career: 8 on hard courts, 7 on clay courts and 7 on indoor courts.
Tabilo in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
Ranked world no.32 (career-high), Tabilo has managed to achieve a composed 25-9 win-loss record in 2024. The Chilean is playing in Rome where he toppled Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 7-64, Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3, Karen Khachanov 7-65 7-610 and Zhizhen Zhang 6-3 6-4.
Alejandro Tabilo will come up against the world no.5 Alexander Zverev in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. In the past, they have never played each other till now in top events.
The Chilean has won 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and in the Aix En Provence Challenger. The Chilean reached the final in Santiago (Movistar Chile Open).

What's the best way to watch Alejandro Tabilo vs Alexander Zverev (Free) Live Streams On Reddit? How and when to watch the match on live stream and for free
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
🟠Go Live▶Alexander Zverev vs Alejandro Tabilo Streams
The encounter between Zverev and Tabilo can be seen with online streaming on tennistv. com (paying platform) and also on bet365 (for free with a funded account).
In Italy, the match can be enjoyed on Sky Italia. In Germany, the match is broadcasted by Sky.
The H2H stats
Zverev and Tabilo have never played against each other so far on the main tour.
Zverev in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
At the moment ranked no.5, the German has achieved a composed 26-9 win-loss record in 2024. The German is currently competing in Rome where he overcame Aleksandar Vukic 6-0 6-4, Luciano Darderi 7-63 6-2, Nuno Borges 6-2 7-5 and Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-3.
Alexander Zverev will square off with the world no.32 Alejandro Tabilo in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. They have never played each other as of now in top competitions.
Alexander conquered 1 title in 2024 in Australia.
Zverev won 22 titles in his career: 8 on hard courts, 7 on clay courts and 7 on indoor courts.
Tabilo in Rome, ranking, and results in 2024
Ranked world no.32 (career-high), Tabilo has managed to achieve a composed 25-9 win-loss record in 2024. The Chilean is playing in Rome where he toppled Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 7-64, Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3, Karen Khachanov 7-65 7-610 and Zhizhen Zhang 6-3 6-4.
Alejandro Tabilo will come up against the world no.5 Alexander Zverev in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CENTER COURT. In the past, they have never played each other till now in top events.
The Chilean has won 2 titles in 2024 in Auckland and in the Aix En Provence Challenger. The Chilean reached the final in Santiago (Movistar Chile Open).

Here is one for you all and its a long one. 44M here, been with my significant other for ~20 years, married for 11 years. At this point I don't feel like we are going to make it much longer. I don't think she wants to be with me anymore but needs me for financial support so she is trying to string me along.
Background:
I want to say right off that I know I am not perfect, have never pretended to be nor have I overlooked my shortcomings and have done everything I can to address and deal with my issues.At first things were good. We did things together, went out, hung out with friends together, bowled leagues together, had a lot of fun. We also had a good, sex life. We were having cuddling times, regular sex, great foreplay, she was pretty open to positions and trying things.
When we first got together she was working miscellaneous retail jobs. She had a 4 year college degree at this point as well but never even tried to find a job utilizing it. I was fine with her working whatever made her happy. I work in IT/Tech. I have always been the higher earner, making almost double her salary up until a couple years ago. I never once said anything about this, never gave her crap for making less or the job she worked. I only encouraged her to find a job she enjoyed. I went years, never saying anything that might hurt her, even when I was working 50-60+ hours of work in a tough field at a job I hated while she worked maybe 20-30 hours a week in a super easy job of her choosing. After about 10 years of us being together she finally decided to go back to school for computer science. To support her doing this we lived in a couple places and worked jobs I absolutely hated to make sure she could finish school without any pressure. Again, I never said anything to her about this, I did it so she could be happy. She ended up finishing and getting an extremely good paying tech job after a few years, around the time that I noticed the biggest changes about her. Prior to her latest job and changes, we were OK for a few years. We starting doing well together as we were both earning well and have no kids.
Start of problems:
After we were married for a few years she started changing. She stopped wanting to do things together, we went out less and less. Stopped watching shows and movies together, stopped gaming together. She started treating sex like a burden, made me feel bad for even trying to initiate it. She became more of a prude, stopped wanting to do almost anything sexual, stopped wanting cuddling/petting, lost almost all interest in foreplay that wasn't directly for her, she lost all interest in any type of intimacy, cuddling, foreplay, or really anything that isn't about her getting off.
I feel that I have been extremely patient over the years about all of this. She has some back issues (self inflicted, she was having soreness and pain but continued a workout regimen that was obviously not right and causing issues. I have tried to be understanding and accommodating since she had these issues. Sex was never really a big issue, even with the back problems we had a decent sex life until the last 5 or so years. She started wanting to do less and it really felt like she was just trying to get it over with (outside of when I was pleasuring her and getting her off. Once that was done it was like hurry up and finish.
More recently, last couple of years she has had 0 interest in sex or even anything physical. I mean I can barely kiss her, cant touch her at all without some excuse that it tickles or some other BS. No cuddling as she says I always pressure for sex, BS, I love foreplay and am happy with mutual getting off. I have mentioned the lack of intimacy, mentioning that is had been months since we did anything and it is always some excuse or a suggestion it may happen this weekend (going on 20+ " this weekend" without anything) . She has almost every excuse in the book as to why she doesn't want to without really having a good reason. She will blame her back bugging her but will then do a lot of work that is physically punishing, especially to someone with back issues and despite the fact that I said I would do it or try to help. I have also gotten several different things to help, wedge pillow to help with her back, tried it once and had some random complaint that I forget. She had mentioned trying a swing so she could have support in different positions. I found several options and she then made excuses about all of them, the primary one being support for the swing. I eventually called her on this being BS when the new house we got had a chain mount in one of the bedrooms ( looked like it was possibly for a heavy punching bag) that would be perfect for a swing and I tested it holding my full weight. I again mentioned getting a swing to make things better to only get additional excuses.
Further Issues:
We had always talked about wanting to move back to California and get a house there when we had the chance. We had also talked about houses we would like and things like that. When we started seriously talking about getting a house, she said she would check with work ahead of time about being able to move to another state as we had discussed, she did not. I don't think she even talked to her boss about it. She just refused to move outside of this state as she said her job required her to be her even though her boss lives in a completely different country.
When the time actually came to find and buy a house it did not work out the way I guess I had expected. Eventually, we purchased a house here after several fights as she decided she wanted a cheaper house to fix up. Not even considering the amount of work and money it would take to do so. One of her "options" was a run down ranch house that had a surprise renter (9 months left on a lease) in a very obviously water damaged basement. She picked out this house so she continued to try to justify buying it for about 100k over what it should be sold for. After about a week of looking at shitty houses and fighting she finally agreed to look at one of the houses I had chosen, the house we eventually purchased. It was a bit more but had almost all of our wants without the need to fix it up.
For the purchase, she provided the down payment from her inheritance and jointly financed the house. Once the purchase was finished and we moved in she changed, a lot. Things became more about what she wanted, she would mention things to me but completely ignore any input and just talk like what she wanted is what I chose too. Her dad then decided to visit and this was the largest wake up call I think I have had. I saw him doing all of the things that she does that annoy and frustrate me. I then realized that if I stay with her, dealing with this is my future. He took over the house and she treated me like an asshole for just wanting a bit of space that I could have to myself. She refused to deal with him or reign in his behavior. I think it was around this time that I realized that it felt like I didn't even have a home even though we just bought one, that I was just a wallet to help pay bills.
We ended up having a fight about this and I ended up leaving and staying at a hotel for a few days. This is where it got really eye opening as I considered this fight as something we would think about and get over. However, the first thing she did was talk to her friend and then reach out to divorce lawyers. She mentioned that she was talking to them about post nuptials to make sure she got the house and money. This was a signal to me, that she did not consider nor seem to appreciate all of the years that I spent working jobs I hated to supplement our income and cover for her while she went back to school. All it seemed she saw was that she got money now so the house and all of it was hers. She made a comment about how she felt the money, stocks, and house were hers. She added that she wanted a post nuptial to define this so I shouldn't be surprised if I get one to sign. Unsurprisingly, she never actually got this done, never mentioned it more so I am assuming she just got lazy and never followed up. One thing that stood out to me was that she mentioned that she could not afford the house by herself. She rambled off several things about us just being roommates and me continuing to pay for the house and bills. She came up with something about me paying and her giving me money back later or something, I ignored most of it as it was dumb, I.E. me leaving my checks going into our shared account and continuing to pay like I have been but doing so knowing she plans on keeping the house and that I might get some money later if she ever sold it. She also made a comment that I did a good job with the stocks so I should keep doing that for her and she would give me like a 1k in a few years. Since I started working with the portfolio and diversified the stocks I have made over 40k in gains for it so yeah I ignored this as I felt like it was insulting. This whole fight and conversation hit me hard, especially after 15+ years of me working hard, shitty jobs, to provide for us just to get slapped in the face by greed.
We ended up talking a bit after that fight after I ended up stopping by the house. She had mentioned previously about going to marriage counseling. I told her I didn't think it would help with our situation considering what the issues were but if she was willing to go and actually participate, I would be too. We ended up seeing a marriage counselor as she had suggested it previously and I wanted to try everything to make this work. I had previously mentioned that I didn't think it would work as she refuses to open up or discuss her issues with anyone and if she wont do that, it is a moot point. She said she would so we found a counselor and we went for a couple of months. During this time I was very open about my thoughts and feelings and gave the counselor details on my issues. She however, did not provide anything ahead of time, participate much, would not open up, and eventually said that we might as well not go as she didn't feel like we were gaining anything.
Turning Point:
I think the f*ck it point, straw that broke the camels back for me is that about a month ago, around 10 months or so since we had any kind of intimacy we had a fight. During the fight she admitted that she actually masturbates fairly regularly which really, really pissed me off as she knows the lack of sex and any kinds of intimacy was a big issue for me and was causing a lot of frustration. I was quiet about it as what I would have said would have started a big fight. I am now struggling because I cant really get over the fact that she shows me no interest, wont let me touch her, we haven't had sex in months and she admits to masturbating instead of having sex with me when she knows I am extremely sexually frustrated. To me, this shows her lack of caring about me and shows that she only really cares about herself and what she wants. This is furthered by conversations with her family I have overheard because she talks super loud on the phone and I guess she didn't realize I could hear her in the other room. This last conversation was essentially her talking about the money again and additional money she may get when her dad passes. She made the comment to them that in hindsight she would have made me sign a prenup as all of the money she has gotten and will get belongs to their family and she wants to keep it in their family. This was another moment when I was like what the hell, I am not your family?
I am torn, I have been with her for a long time, I do care for her, but she shows no interest in being with me. No interest in a relationship, doesn't want to do things together (she even said that if I want her do more things with me I have to do things she wants to do first), nothing for how I feel, what I want, no cuddling, no touching, nothing. It came down to the fact that she essentially wants a roommate that pays for her to have the house, help with chores, and helps take care of the dogs without expecting anything in return. She does not seem to get how she is, care how I feel, what I want, or really care about anything that does not benefit her.
I am at my breaking point, I have tried for years to give her everything and now as thanks, I get nothing from her. I am getting to old to keep wasting time in a loveless, sexless relationship but am also having a hard time walking away from a relationship I have been in for so long. After writing this out I am also realizing, well more wondering, what the f*ck I am doing as it seems pretty obvious I am bailing water out of a sinking boat.

Subreddit Patreon
First Prev
Anglestan
Augustus 5, 1923
Facility 9, Mancheston
Colonel Jacobs
His hands flew through the folders General Jorgenson and Colonel Thatcher had. There were dozens of them, stacked upon each other all filed in alphabetical order. It had only been a few days since he had woken up from his coma and visited his home— now his mother’s grave. He clenched his fists at the thought. The grief and rage threatened to bubble and spill over once again. He took a deep breath and dragged out the exhale, almost to the point where he had emptied out his lungs.
He was the only one with clearance, and so he couldn’t disclose any of what he learned with his team. They would simply have to trust him and his judgment. Which he was sure they would do. His hands went over one of the folders skimming through it. There were multiple secret projects, but the ones with the most notes were Project S.T.A.R, Project L.U.N.A.R.I, Project R.E.V.I.V.E, Project D.A.W.N, and Project T.E.M.P.L.A.R.
The colonel decided to start with the most notes and papers. Project D.A.W.N.
He skimmed through the notes, reading through some of the details and highlighted words. Project D.A.W.N, the espionage project Thatcher had started placed two spies in Verlin who were to report directly to a Crescent general named Sienna Moretti who was apparently on humanity’s side.
So I was right. There was an espionage element. With the recent attacks and Thatcher’s death, however, it’s safe to assume that it had somehow failed. Either they got found out or they betrayed us. Both seem very likely, but if they were found out, it would be possible that they had died.
He read through all of it before setting the folder down. There were no new notes recently. He sighed and assumed that Project DAWN was a failure. Whether or not the agents were still alive and well, it was too risky to check if they had been compromised. It was better to assume that they had been and cut all contact. The only way to find out now was to go there himself and check. I can’t contact them again. There’s no telling if it would still be Moretti or the agents who would see my messages. It’s a big risk, and judging by the state of things, best to assume it failed.
He picked up another folder. This one had the label ‘under development’ on the folder. Project Templar. He opened the folder and was instantly met with a blueprint and drawings of a massive bipedal machine. It looked humanoid with strange proportions and was supposed to be standing at an impressive 30 meters, or 100 feet. The Titanic Engine Mech for Personal Land Assault and Reconnaissance.
It was apparently a joint project with the Church of Sol, utilizing new and advanced technologies he hadn’t heard of. A 203mm Gatling cannon on one arm, while the other had three different weapons. A massive firestarter that utilized a new type of fuel mixture that could theoretically spew flames a kilometer away using a high-pressure nozzle. The fuel was ignited using an electrical spark. The second weapon was a high-powered light weapon that fired a single powerful beam of focused light that was even further amplified by layers of focusing lenses that could increase its output several times. Its third weapon was… a dust domina?
Mark read through the specifications of the so-called ‘sand cannon’ weapon. It was a massive cannon that accelerated tiny particles several times. Each particle was to be electrically charged, and it would travel at immense speeds. Near impossible speeds. The resulting impact of a microscopic particle at such speeds would be enough to form a small crater and punch through armor like it was nothing. This weapon would fire multiple at the same time, which could literally eat away at anything on the opposing end.
In terms of secondary weapons, the titan had two missile launch chambers in front of its shoulder each containing about 40 missiles, and two massive howitzer cannons on top of it. Both are 800mm in caliber. It had massive stumpy legs that served as bunkers for a small platoon on each leg. Each leg had machine dominas and 155mm cannons. Its chassis held two nuclear reactors inside providing for its power and weaponry. Its armor was the thickest and most ridiculous he’d ever read. Two meters of heavy steel armor.
How far are we in terms of technology? This thing looks like it came out of an H.G. Wells sci-fi novel. He thought, shaking his head. It was over the top, but there was no denying its combat capabilities. If it was already under-developed then it must be the first prototype. This has already been approved. Guess I better see it for myself later and check how it's coming along. Construction apparently started just a few months before the invasion.
Next was project L.U.N.A.R.I. It was a project involving Six. “Huh,” he said, continuing to read on.
The Light Undone: Nocturnal’s Adaptive Resistance Initiative. As he read further, his eyes widened. The reason why Six was so special wasn’t just because of her immunity to all strigoi weaknesses, but because of her impressive ability to turn any true born strigoi like her. She could transfer her strain like any other strigoi and transform them into a version of hers. It however only seemed to work for naturally born strigoi. The new species of ‘half-breeds’ were called ‘Blessed Children’ as Thatcher had coined in the folder.
The plan was to turn all willing true-born hemolite strigoi into these blessed children. Able to withstand the sun. Immune to silver. Free from the dependency on blood. They could remove all the weaknesses of the strigoi and after the war— make it possible to integrate them into society as normal citizens living on the surface. The project folder also made mentions of a city-wide draft in Dante and highlighted the possibility of turning all Dantenite true born strigoi into these blessed children and renaming them as ‘Lunari’. A mix of the dark and the light. The light of Sol reflected in the children of the night.
“Thatcher, what the fuck have you been up to…” Mark whispered to himself.
While it was true that it could help in the war effort by utilizing Six and the dantenite population, it would also invite some unforeseen problems and consequences. Would humanity be okay with the Lunari? Would the world even be ready for them? Strigoi who were immune to the sun. They wouldn’t be impossible to kill, but they would be immensely more powerful if we were to take away their inherent weaknesses. This is a gamble. Its gain would only be seen during the war period, but its unintended effects on society could be catastrophic.
He frowned, setting the folder down. It was obviously Thatcher’s main plan; seeing as all her moves could be traced to the path of the eventual completion of this project. It seemed dangerous in the long run, but the duskwalkers and dantenites had been monumental in the war effort. Maybe it was the time the world started to accept them more. Isolation and segregation was definitely not the way to disperse fears and foster understanding.
If Thatcher thinks this is the next step forward… then I’ll put my faith in her plans.
Next up was Project S.T.A.R, or the Superior Tech and Adaptive Resistance. An upgrade to the current hemolite weapons and gear by using new researched studies. The Starfire Pattern Domina. The SFD-23 This thing features a new loading system and magazine, ditching the rotating cylinder most domina used, or the rotating helix magazine design of the current hemolite standard BM-16 domina.
The new domina had its magazine like a box… a strange design but it was certainly easier to handle than the bulky cylinders the helical mags used. In terms of ergonomics, it was smoother and fit more. Its placement however was on top of the domina, just above the barrel. Most of the weapon were to be made of lightweight polymers and the barrel itself were to be crafted out of reinforced aluminium. In addition to that, it had a 10-inch bayonet attached to it.
There were other new things as well, such as the composition of the bullet. Looking at the conceptual cross-section designs, Mark read through its description and how it would function. A .308 cased telescoped bullet covered in a silver jacket with break-away petals surrounding the main body. Inside the jacket was a penetrator core that was to be made of depleted uranium. It had a small amount of incendiary compound and… powdered white phosphorus behind an explosive compound. The thin silver jacket would deform and trigger the explosive compound inside the body. It would blow up causing massive internal damage and release the incendiary materials into the body with the flecks of powdered white phosphorus. The penetrator core could still potentially keep going and hit a second target, or punch through heavily armored targets.
Part of the new Project S.T.A.R was overhauling the armor and gear of not just the Hemolites but the Hunters as well. Starfire Mk 1. Carapace Armor. Carapace? It looked like plates of steel covered in a rubberized coat. It was supposed to be slipped on over the original hemolite body armor. It added a spring-loaded wrist blade to the gauntlet, a thicker coat made of resistant materials, and added extra padding for the knees, shoulders, and elbows.
However, the hemolites weren’t the only ones mentioned in the folder. It was to serve the Hunters as well. “Hunters…” Mark said. “August’s group is part of this initiative too.” He flipped through some of the pages. There were blueprints and drawings of an armored suit. A mechanized suit even smaller and more compact than the jotunn units. The Mark 1 STR battlesuit. It was supposed to hug the wearer’s frame and increase their overall power. It was supposed to be built of titanium alloy and a heavy steel frame with composite armor. It had a cooling system, life support systems that could recycle bodily fluids, and an exoskeleton frame that could increase the wearer’s strength and speed.
However, the real eye-opener was Thatcher’s notes. She had been ranting about the new human evolution, and how the Hunters were the first of the ‘Solari’. She wanted to enhance human genetics and push past the peak of human ability to reach greater heights. Implants and restructuring of the anatomy to make it more efficient. Using the blood of the goddess herself. She must have lost it. These are the ramblings of a lunatic. At least… if she didn’t mention the goddess. Why was the goddess important here?
The writings ended with the words: “See Project R.E.V.I.V.E, for more details.”
Mark eyed the final folder. His hands shook as he reached out to take it. Flipping it open, his hands nearly dropped it in shock. The goddess Helena was alive. There were pictures of her naked form floating in a giant tube of fluid. There were more of Thatcher’s ramblings and excited rants about the possibilities of such a discovery. Resurrection, Enhancement, and Veneration: Implementation of Visionary Evolution.
The goddess is alive?! According to the file, she’s currently under the Cathedral of New Lundun. Not only that, but the file also detailed the extraterrestrial tech that lay beneath the cathedral. So the goddess is real and she’s— not really a goddess, but rather, a vampyr who created herself a human body to stand in the sun, and decided that it wants to be on humanity’s side… what the fuck.
Mark’s frown and confusion only increased as he read on. Thatcher’s notes seemed to nearly descend into madness as she had written about creating ‘the first hundred’, alluding to the 100 members of the Hunters division. Her plan was to revive the goddess, and with her help and expertise in genetics— use her DNA to transform the Hunters into demi-humans. Super soldiers. Literal children of the goddess Helena. They would then don the STR battlesuits, the first of the superhuman warriors to defend humanity. Solari.
Their lightning-speed advancement into technology was heralded by studying the alien tech, which deepened the understanding of physics and engineering. Nuclear technologies, chemical warfare, new material sciences, the mechs, and walkers, it was spearheaded by trying to reverse-engineer technology centuries ahead of our own… for the past hundred years. It wasn’t completely stolen, however. More or less borrowed ideas that had been made into our own with our own designs and implements. Still, the speed at which the Church and the military had deciphered such advancements all by themselves was… impressive to say the least.
Still, the fact that the goddess was alive, and could be brought back was big news. Checking the file for details, he found that the previous general, Jorgenson, had already approved this project. It was their next step as soon as they returned from New Amsterdam; which never happened.
If Helena was alive, then she could end this war swiftly, or at the very least help greatly like she once did during the War of Darkness. Having the goddess back would throw a massive wrench in the Crescent’s plans. It would certainly be something they wouldn’t expect. Not even I expected this, since many sources say that the goddess had already ascended to watch over humanity, while conspiracy theorists claim she had died in battle and that the Church was worshiping a corpse. This could be the trick up our sleeves that no one would even consider.
The colonel quickly got up from his seat and gathered the main files he had read. He placed them in a bag and rushed outside of his office in Facility 9. He went over to a nearby room and flicked the lights on. “We need to go,” he said. In an instant seven hemolite soldiers got up from whatever they were doing and instantly stood in line.
“Sir! Whatever you need of us, sir,” the group said in unison.
They were Hemo-1. His former squad members. He had taken up Louis' suggestion that they be his personal security detail. It was a shame that he had basically placed the best hemolite team out of commission, but after all he had been through he convinced himself that he could be just a little selfish. He didn’t want to lose any more friends. Not on his watch. Not while he was in an office, and they were out fighting.
“We’re going to New Lundun. Better pack up, it’s going to be a long night.”
“Mark,” Olivia said.
Jacobs turned to her direction and gave her a nod.
“Colonel, sir, may I ask where in New Lundun?”
“Liv, you don’t need to do that with me. Please. I give all of you special permission,” the colonel groaned. “It’s so weird. I mean, ‘captain’ was bad enough, but now you’re acting like I’m an authority figure.”
“You… are, though,” Emma shrugged.
“I’m your friend, and Liv I’m literally your partner. Unless you have some kind of weird fetish, save it for later.”
Olivia grinned, shaking her head. “Duly noted!” she chirped.
“That’s better,” Mark chuckled. “Now come on, we have a cathedral to visit.”
“Uhh, I’m not sure if you noticed, but we’re kinda… strigoi?!” Louis groaned. “I’d burn the moment I step in that place! Plus, it’s coated in silver! Anything I even touch will give me burns!”
“Oh come on, Lou. You have fucking gloves on. As long as you’re not a clumsy dumbass you’ll be fine… oh wait.’
“Uh huh, just sayin’ what I think, boss.”
The group headed out and Mark said something on his radio. He then sat on the ground, making his joints pop. The rest of the squad shrugged and followed his example, sitting down on the grass and waiting for… nothing. Charles and Zach looked at each other in confusion. “Uh, sir?” they asked. “Aren’t we supposed to be heading out and traveling right now?”
“Oh yeah, we’re just waiting.”
“Foooor…?”
The colonel gave them a smirk as a loud noise began to make itself known. A hummingbird transport appeared out of the distance and stopped right above them, slowly descending into the grass. “Being colonel has its perks,” Mark said with a smile. He stood up and hopped inside the hummingbird as soon as it landed. “Come on now! We’ve got work to do! Last one aboard buys everyone food later!”
Emma zipped in before Mark could even finish his sentence, followed by Olivia, Phineas, Charles, Zach, and then Louis, who sadly took too long to process what the colonel said, and lagged behind.
“Aw, man! Fuck this shit.”
“Rules are rules, Lou. Prepare your wallet later.” Mark grinned.
With a smile, the colonel pulled Olivia to his side, who blushed for a moment before shaking her head. “Take us up! New Lundun Cathedral! How long would it take?” he asked the pilot.
“About an hour and a half!” The pilot replied. “Less if you want to get there as soon as possible!”
“Take your time! The night’s still young.”
The hummingbird started to lift up, taking them into the air. The group settled down in their seats and watched outside the open. Mark opened up a bag inside the hummingbird and took out some ear muffs built for a strigoi. Extremely loud noises were damaging for a strigoi’s enhanced hearing, so the military started implementing ear muffs for them after complaints from early deployments of the hemolite squads.
The trip didn’t take too long. In only an hour and twenty minutes they had arrived at the safe zone of New Lundun, heading straight for the cathedral. The night mass had just ended and people were leaving the cathedral. “Looks like we made it in perfect time!” Mark smiled. They hovered for a few minutes in the air before eventually landing down right in front of the statue of Helena.
As soon as they landed, the colonel and his group left the hummingbird. Mark instructed the pilot to wait for them. He went straight for the cathedral with his group following behind. He entered inside, clearing his throat. “Hello?”
“Well this is surely unexpected,” an old man said, walking up to greet them.
“Great Grandfather Aurelius. It’s uh, an honor.”
“Please. The honor is mine… I see you’re the new colonel. Yes, I’ve heard the news,” he said. “Would you mind telling me your name, young man? As well as your companions, if they feel so. I usually don’t allow duskwalkers here but, I have nothing against them. I’ll make an exception for your group.”
“Thank you, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “I am Colonel Mark Jacobs. These are my friends and security detail. Olivia, Zach, Phineas, Charles, Emma, and Louis.”
“I see, and what brings you here?”
“Since Thatcher’s demise, I was given access to her research and project folders upon taking up the title. I’ve learned about what’s under your cathedral,” Mark cleared his throat. “Would it be alright if we could see it? I’d like to check it for myself. Of course, under your permission and guidance, Great Grandfather.”
The church head looked from Mark to his companions. He pulled a slight frown and hummed. “Do these companions of yours have the clearance? Surely, we wish to keep our secrets hidden,” he said. Mark nodded.
“They do not have clearance to know what is in Thatcher’s folders and her findings,” the colonel nodded. “However, I give them permission to accompany me, and should they discover things for themselves, then you have my word and my trust that I can keep them from spilling state secrets.”
The Great Grandfather gave a short pause before ultimately relenting. “Very well,” he let out a sigh. “Follow me.”
Aurelius walked behind the altar and pulled the same lever, which opened the same staircase leading underground, where Jorgenson and Thatcher had once gone. “Over here, colonel,” he said. “I do not know you completely yet, but this is a big deal of trust I am giving you. Perhaps you would be the one to do things that Thatcher could not have.”
Mark nodded, he and his group followed the Great Grandfather down the staircase. It led down to a massive underground facility, with numerous priests, researchers, and scientists. Libraries, records, instruments, and artifacts of old. It was a treasure trove of learning.
“So,” Aurelius cleared his throat. “What would you like to know about?”
“This isn’t all of it,” Mark said. “Thatcher mentioned a living, breathing, Helena.”
His group behind him let out a soft gasp, but they tried their best to hide their surprise.
“Hm,” the Great Grandfather nodded. “Perceptive young man aren’t you? Very well.”
They were then led into another room, behind a set of heavy blast doors. If the whole group were trying to hide their surprise then, now they could barely contain it. Even the colonel stared awestruck at the things he had seen. Despite the near-magical objects around them, the true shock was the massive starship at the end of the hallway. “It’s impressive isn’t it?” Aurelius said. “All of the goddess’ artifacts and items at our disposal, to use and learn from, to integrate into our own. This is why Anglestan is the most powerful nation in the UHT in terms of development. When it comes to industry, however, that would go to the UNA. But we share our secrets with them. All our advancements are handed to them first before any other nation.”
“This is all amazing, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “But this is not what I’m here for.”
“No, it’s not.” Aurelius nodded.
He led them to another room, one that was sterilized and sported advanced machinery. Things that Mark had never even seen. There were screens with luminous green texts that appeared in front of it. Large panels with numerous keys, levers, and dials. Graphs of all sorts and beeping monitors. In the center, was the very thing he had come all this way to confirm. A large cylinder filled with liquid, sporting tubes and pipes connecting to its base. Inside was a woman of large proportion. Four arms, two legs, and six wings. In her bare chest was a symbol of the sun that seemed to glow dimly.
“There she is, there’s you goddess.”
Neither Mark nor his group spoke a word. He walked up to it, eyeing the woman inside. It really is her. Down to the last details. Golden hair, six limbs, six folded wings, and she looks massive. Probably as big as her statue just outside the cathedral. This is it. The very goddess in the history books, the one spoken about in legends and the one worshiped in the Churches of Sol.
“Can we free her?” he said.
The Great Grandfather nearly choked on his spit upon hearing those words. “Free her?! That could kill her! We don’t even understand this technology, let alone control it!” he said pointing at the panels. “The machines you see here are the best and most advanced we have based on what we can reverse engineer, but even then, the consequences of tampering with its functions may be disastrous!”
“I understand, Great Grandfather,” Mark said. “But we are in a dire situation, and the goddess may be our hope of turning this around. Whatever secrets of her tech that you don’t understand, wouldn’t she be able to teach us directly? What good is she floating around in Sol knows what?”
“That is her miraculous healing fluid. She had already built this contraption centuries ago in case anything were to happen to her, that her body’s natural healing could not sustain,” Aurelius said. “During the War of Darkness, Helena was struck with a weapon so deadly, her very cells began to tear away. The Reaper. Dealt to her by Absolem the progenitor. Her flesh was peeling from her body, and she began to decay whilst she still breathed. She entered this contraption and gave strict instructions to the Great Grandfather at the time, not to interrupt the healing process. The machine that monitored her, however, began to fail over time.”
“So this… these screens and panels…”
“Is only what functions we can understand. We took it upon ourselves to rebuild and study it the best we could. What we have right now is only a cheap imitation of a technology we do not fully comprehend,” he said. “It took us decades to even figure out the fundamentals and create a working prototype of this machine. By some miracle, the goddess’ healing process had remained even while we replaced components of technology ahead of ours.”
“But you know how to free her, don’t you?”
“I… yes.”
“Great Grandfather Aurelius,” Mark began. “We can end this war. Imagine what we could do with the goddess fighting on our side. We could advance even further, we could finally end the bloodshed, and we can show humanity that there is still hope. Imagine how people all over the world would feel seeing as their goddess has returned.”
“I wish I had your enthusiasm,” Aurelius said. “But it is simply too risky. The Church’s duty is to protect Helena and her legacy. We keep her alive, literally and figuratively. She nearly died the last time she was involved in a war. Would you risk losing the goddess?”
“Would you risk humanity losing?”
The Great Grandfather fell silent, looking back at Helena floating inside the tube, then to the panels that controlled it. He frowned and let out a long sigh. “The goddess said that we should not interrupt it. That it would end as soon as it was finished. Maybe we should trust her words.”
Mark shook his head. “I don’t spot a single blemish on the goddess. Not a single scratch,” he argued. “You said it yourself that the machine had begun to fail and you replaced components. How would you know that the thing that’s supposed to wake her up was not tampered with? Think about it. What you may think is a useless piece may be integral to the whole machine. Or maybe your replacements were not up to the task. Just because nothing’s happened doesn’t mean its functions have remained whole.”
“Young man, we simply cannot gamble with the goddess’ life here.”
“Have you no faith? Great Grandfather?”
Aurelius stepped back in shock. Mark’s companions looked at each other, clearly surprised as well. “Mark… I don’t think we should keep arguing with—” Olivia tried to say.
“No,” the colonel said firmly, cutting her off. “Great Grandfather Aurelius, do you think that Helena will not be able to pull through if we wake her? How long has it been? A century? How much longer will we wait? She may be immortal but humans aren’t.”
“I'm sorry, but the chances of failure are too high. The probability of her—”
“I don’t care about the probability! Would you rather put your faith in a statistic?!” Mark raised his voice. “I lost my mother to this war! My friends! My job! My eye, and almost my life! I’ve put mine on the line out there! You don’t know what it’s like out there! Was my mother’s death just a probability too? Was she just a statistic to you?! That as long as the numbers are good, no matter how many are lost, we are ‘winning’?!”
“Mark—!”
“No, Liv! He needs to know what’s really going on out there!” he spat. “Great Grandfather, with all due respect, but you don’t have a damn clue what it’s like to be in the field. You’re a man of faith, aren’t you? Take a risk. Everyone else has.”
Aurelius stood there, dumbfounded. He bit the inside of his cheeks and clenched his fists. “For your insolence, I would have had you flogged and stripped of your rank,” he glared at the young colonel. However, his features slowly softened, letting out a soft sigh. “But I have never seen such conviction. Mighty is your faith.”
The Great Grandfather moved over to the panels and reached into his robe, pulling out from around his neck a key with the symbol of the sun. He inserted it into the machine and turned. A beep sounded, right before Aurelius pulled a lever. In an instant, the fluid inside the glass chamber began to drain out into the tubes under it. Slowly, the chamber emptied and all that was left was the nude form of the goddess sitting in the glass.
“Did it work?” Louis asked, stepping forward and looking at the woman.
Aurelius stayed silent, his hands shaking in anticipation. Mark moved toward the glass chamber, when suddenly, the glass opened up like a door, releasing a fragrant mist. They stood there, watching for a whole minute. Nothing. At first nothing. The Great Grandfather looked like he was about to break down. His knees shook as he covered his mouth, thinking that he was responsible for the death of Helena.
That was when… a soft sound was heard. Movement. Olivia immediately went over to Mark and stood in front of him. Ready to protect him should anything happen. Slowly, the goddess moved more, her arms inched to the side.
Then, her eyes opened.

SelfWealth is a flat fee brokerage solution to buy and sell shares on the Australian Stock Exchange. Members can trade shares for $9.50 per trade with no commissions. This is significantly cheaper than all other Australian brokers.
Get 5 free trades when signing up with the link below.
https://secure.selfwealth.com.au/Registration/Plan/5/zlljq
Its a great brokerage account to use that only charges $9.50 per trade.

I have several investment savings accounts with TD (see link below).
https://www.td.com/ca/en/asset-management/additional-solutions/
When I use TD webbroker to look at the Indvidual accounts, they show an increase in value, which is what I'm expecting (these "accounts" pay 4.5-4.9% interest).
However when I look at my entire portfolio through TD web broker (and the portfolio only consists of the investment savings accounts), TD reports a decrease in the "change in market value" of my portfolio.
I bought these investment savings accounts as an alternative to a GIC, where I just want to earn a small percentage (4.5%), but my principal isn't at risk. So I don't understand why the change in market value would be negative, when loss isn't really supposed to be a possibility with the investment savings acocunts, and when looking at each individual investment savings account, they show an increase in value, due to the interest payments.
I understand investment savings accounts aren't really savings accounts (they're a type of mutual fund I think), but am still confused as to why it shows the market value going down, and how to reconcile that with the idea that these accounts are supposed to not loose money, and the individual accounts show their values going up due to interest payments.
Thanks.

Aaahh this is going to be long but I have nowhere else to address my current circumstances right now and I dunno if this is the right place to say this but I hope it is. sob sob
Anyways, hi! I'm a college student (21F) who has been peer-reviewed (lol) that I may be autistic when I opened up to a friend about how I'm so overwhelmed around people and the environment in general everytime I go outside, especially at school. They are autistic as well and they pointed out that I have traits that can be linked to autism. I was pretty sure I have ADHD, but now I'm confused and I'm trying to figure myself out abt myself once again and why I can't be a person like other people who seem like they live life on an easier level than me (not completely disregarding their struggles but I hope it makes sense).
This happened around March, during my midterm exams, where I couldn't really focus on anything anymore after how many years of forcing myself to function properly despite stressed and overwhelmed. My brain felt like its treated like one of those ASMR slime videos where people stretch and squeeze/crumple the slime but instead in a satisfying way, it really felt uncomfortable and I felt like crying in the middle of our exams. I had to stop myself bc its so embarrasing to just randomly cry during exams where I couldn't even understand why I was crying at all lol. Not to add the very loud voices from my classmates and other noises I couldn't tolerate anymore for how many years that these types of noises messed with my brain. I wasn't able to comprehend every question from the exam even if it was familiar to me.
After that, I told my dad that I didn't want to go to our family reunion with our relatives bc I was so exhausted and I needed alone time to myself even for just one day. I really liked to be alone and prefer to do stuff I like alone or with a person that I'm very comfortable with. Just do our own stuff and not requiring to speak at all. Just there vibing. Everytime I have to go outside and meet people, it felt like I have to put a personality just to be able to converse with them and manage to smile even if I don't want to. I don't know how to act around people and how to empathize with them, so I have to learn/copy and research others' behavior - which my friend pointed out that I may be autistic and I was masking to fit in.
Unfortunately, my dad didn't understand and forced me to go despite my reasoning, which made me incredibly upset and I had to put on another personality just to come off as not rude towards my relatives. It was very tiring and at that moment I wish I wasn't a person at all (tbh I wish I was a cloud 24/7 bc I'm just up there floating). The good thing is that the venue was at an exclusive beach resort, where the sea waves can calm me down a little bit after drinking liquor with my cousins. (I only drank those light beers bc I don't want to experience getting drunk + my parents were there).
I feel severely burnt out after that, and I think it continues to affect me up to this day. I once loved being a pharmacy major and learning about how drugs affect the body and all that but with the way how my teachers conduct their lessons and quizzes + super super overstimulated from the environment and lots of responsibilities, my mind won't process any new information anymore and my body refuses to move and work on my school stuff, and I lose motivation to study, too. Or even get up from bed at all.
Another thing that my friend pointed out was how I manage my time to prepare. I don't know how to explain it in general but I'll give an example on how I do my routine when I go on campus. My classes usually start at 8 AM, and I leave at 7 AM. Therefore I prepare myself 2 hours early and "operate" every 30 minutes. I need to get one or two things done within 30 minutes or else I feel like I would be late and I hate feeling late. I don't like changing schedules last minute or very late announcements (which my teachers are fond of changing schedules very late or make an announcement for lab requirements at like 12 midnight on the same day where we will have lab classes and I'm already asleep around 8 to 9!! Everyone seemed to be fine with it but I was super stressed out and I don't like stuff similar to that). And yesterday when we had our math class, my teacher said we would end at 6 PM to catch up on our topics, so I told my dad that I need to be picked up at 6 PM bc I feel unsafe going home when its dark outside. But around 5:40 when we had our break time she suddenly said that we would be extending until 8 PM, and I felt like I was about to cry again.
I went outside of campus to buy snacks and saw that my dad was already there waiting for me so I came up to him and cried (very embarrassing on my part ughhh) but I couldn't control myself anymore. I was teary eyed and tried to stop my tears so I jokingly told my friend that I'm about to cry bc of how tired I am so she wouldn't notice. I hated the feeling so bad bc my teacher said she would dismiss us at 6 PM, and 8 PM I should be on my bed that time.
I also dislike it when people set their schedules like 7:45 PM or 8:15 AM or 9:20 AM and not 7:00 or 7:30/8:00 or 8:30 and all that stuff because its hard for me to prepare that way. Or when they plan stuff and tell me that we'll go at night, but not specifying the time.
In regards of my interests, I like pharmacology, radiopharmaceuticals, physics, art, and fashion design. I also like math even I'm not really good at those things I mentioned. I just love to read stuff about them and how people come up with theories. The thing is I'm more of a gatekeeper and I dislike sharing them to people even if they share the same interests as me, unless I am comfortable with them. I'm more of a listener than a talker. I don't know if its a common thing among autistic people. And everytime I gain a new interest, my other interests go dormant and I can only focus on that one specific interest which made me lead to ignore my other interests and responsibilities.
Aside from that, I struggle expressing my emotions especially facial expressions. I get scolded at lot by my mom that I look pissed but I'm not pissed at all. It feels uncomfy for me to smile either, and my emotions are usually just stagnant, I think. The only feeling I can "feel" is when I'm stressed, anxious, angry, and everything else feels like "meh" to me. "How are you feeling?" questions are hard for me to answer and I wish I have a soundboard to respond and its just vine boom noise or stuff like that to accurately describe what I'm feeling instead of words.
When it comes to repetitive movements, I don't really know because I don't pay attention to my actions. I have a habit of picking my lips and pulling strands of my hair though. Nowadays I bring my cotton doll with me to keep my hands busy or end up crocheting since they make me feel comfortable.
I think I have a lot more stuff that are autistic traits but it's going to be very very long than this one. I'm seeing a psychologist a few days from now to get myself assessed because I know I really need professional help. I'm anxious that I'm not "autistic enough" to be diagnosed but upon reading people's experiences in here and in other subreddits as well + having high scores in online tests + reading Devon Price's "Unmasking Autism", I felt very seen and made me decide that I should go see a professional, but I don't really know what to say to them and I feel like I should have a format for everything I say (as always). It would be nice if anyone has an advice for this too.
Again, sorry if its very long and you had to read them all !! I have no idea about myself anymore and I just want to make life somehow easier to me to manage instead of trying to treat life as something that I have to survive instead of just living. That or become an alien/entity from a higher dimension so I can do what I want and no longer be perceived or be noticed/given attention to.
That's all, thank you very much! 🫶