• What's the name of the long side of a book? (a spine)
• What's the name of that tiny red joystick some laptops have on their keyboard? (nub⚠️)
• If a hamburger is made from cow, then what is a pork burger called? (a pork burger)

Welcome to our daily 'What do you call this thing?' thread!

We see many threads each day that ask people to identify certain items. Please feel free to use this thread as a way to post photos of items or objects that you don't know.

⚠️ RULES

🔴 Please do not post NSFW pictures, and refrain from NSFW responses. Baiting for NSFW or inappropriate responses is heavily discouraged.
🟠 Report NSFW content. The more reports, the higher it will move up in visibility to the mod team.
🟡 We encourage dialects and accents. But please be respectful of each other and understand that geography, accents, dialects, and other influences can bring different responses.
🟢 However, intentionally misleading information is still forbidden.
🔵 If you disagree - downvote. If you agree, upvote. Do not get into slap fights in the comments.
🟣 More than one answer can be correct at the same time! For example, a can of Pepsi can be called: Coke, cola, soda, soda pop, pop, and more, depending on the region.

As the community continues to grow and attract people who are just figuring this all out, we've decided to change the weekly thread focus to be more open and encourage newcomer questions and support. Please use this thread if you are seeking support or have newcomer questions. Want to see if your post topic has been discussed here? Type "subreddit:cptsd" after a search term in the search bar (ex. "friendships subreddit:cptsd"). Here are some common newcomer questions:

• DAE struggle with expressing anger?
• DAE struggle with anxiety/ depression?
• What are emotional flashbacks? How do I deal with them?
• How do I set boundaries?
• Was this (situation) abuse? Was it bad enough to be considered trauma?
• What books do you recommend?
• What type of therapy worked best for you?
• How to deal with relationship struggles/ anxiety/ fear of intimacy?

If you are new to CPTSD: Please check out the rules below, and for our mobile users who can't access the sidebar, more resources are located below the rules. These can also be accessed from the auto mod message that greets any post.
Keep the rules in mind when you post & comment:

1. This is a peer support community. Be a supportive peer.
2. Don’t ask for diagnosis, don’t diagnose others: Respect that you may not have all of OPs details and even a trained, trauma informed care provider cannot diagnose over the internet. So don't. Assume the context of OP as a CPTSD survivor or supportive partner of a CPTSD survivor.
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4. Please be mindful about triggering content. Avoid graphic thread titles, and use [Trigger Warning], NSFW and/or the spoiler tag whenever appropriate.
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BIPOC
We recognize that healing communities such as CPTSD are not exempt from the insidious impacts of racism, whether overt or covert (for example, invalidating, minimizing, or microaggressive comments made by those with good intentions). In these cases, we encourage users to report the comments as Rule #3 violations. Because of the subreddit's high profile and open nature, this problem will continue to be with us, and we therefore can only promise a "safe-ish" environment for BIPOC. Racial trauma will always be on topic here at /CPTSD, but BIPOC users that want a more closed space can make use of /cptsd_bipoc. Thank you to the mod team at /cptsd_bipoc for helping us write this verbiage.
Additional Newcomer Resources

• Crisis Resources
• Emotional Flashback 1st Aid Kit
• Grounding & Containment Tools
• An FAQ Guide to CPTSD
• Our Library of Books, Media, and Healing Resources for CPTSD
• Common Myths About CPTSD
• The 5-Steps to Find a Therapist Plan
• The CPTSD Wiki Project Index, while currently under construction, has all of the above information and regular updates on many additional topics you may find helpful in your healing journey

Let me introduce our background first. I recently established a company, Company A, whose main business is online sales through platforms such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.
Here are some of my questions regarding VAT. Please help me with the following:

1. I understand that if our sales revenue is below £90,000, we are not required to register for VAT. However, when selling on platforms like Amazon without a VAT number, they do not charge VAT on my sales, and I do not need to pay VAT to the tax authorities. However, Amazon charges VAT on services like product fulfillment and advertising. I have learned that if I apply for a personal label from the tax authority, I can be exempted from these VAT charges. What is this policy, and if I need to apply for a personal label, what documents do I need to submit?
2. When my sales revenue approaches £90,000, I will apply for a VAT number. I understand that small businesses can enjoy a reduced VAT rate of 6.5% in the first year (for sales below £170,000, if I remember correctly). However, if my annual sales reach £500,000 after applying for a VAT number, will HMRC require me to pay back taxes at the standard rate? I understand that this is not necessary, but I must report at the standard rate in the second year. If I apply for the 6.5% reduced VAT rate, should I issue invoices to my customers at this rate, or should I issue invoices at the standard rate and claim a VAT refund from the tax authority?
3. I intend to sell products like books, notebooks, and journals. According to HMRC's website, books can be zero-rated for VAT, but notebooks (with lots of blank pages rather than extensive illustrations or text) are subject to the standard VAT rate. However, the official description lacks clear quantitative criteria. My product is a notebook with custom content. Can I apply for an ISBN number and define it as a book to enjoy the zero VAT rate policy?
4. Regarding safety label stickers, I did not find relevant information on the official website. However, in most countries, such safety promotional products are zero-rated for VAT. Can you analyze the VAT rate for such products in the UK? The product in question is a sticker with printed content such as "FIRE EXIT".

Seeing your experience at the Big Four and HMRC, I believe you can solve many of our issues. I look forward to your response.
If you can address our concerns, we are willing to consider deeper collaboration with you.
Have a great day.

Hi! I'm 22f. It's been 2 years na rin since I last worked as an online ESL tutor so I was around 20 at the time. I just wanna share lang my exp of 3mos. (Yes I only worked for 3mos. i'll explain later) to those planning to work as an online ESL tutor in the PH.
To start, I worked w/ RJ (i'm sure yall know the company by these initials). My reason was ofc financial aid bc at the time I wanted to buy things w/ my own money ++ bakasyon din from uni.
As an introverted girliepop, it was such a huge leap to take. It changed me a lot so to speak. I was talking not only to random strangers, but also to foreign people. My students are mostly japanese and some other foreigners like chinese and koreans who are based in Japan. I would say that the students I taught range from being introverted ppl like me to overly extroverted ones. In the program offered by RJ to its students at that time, they can opt to choose a lesson or simply an "free conversation" with their tutor. Tbh I prefer the lesson one bc at least we have a more systematic set-up. Thinking of new topics or those that might interest my student was reaaaaaaaaally exhausting as an introvert. Not to add na my timeslots are kinda limited at the time pa. I can only open bookings that are either from 5am-9am (i think) and (5pm-12mn). Ofc u have to reach a specific quota by the end of the month so u have to really open ur slots early in the morning and may times din na sinasagad ko talaga til 12mn. Only then RJ will open the midday slots for u. It was hella tiring pero I told myself na dahil ginusto ko to, pangangatawan ko hahaha. I reached naman my quota a month after being hired so I was able to book students during middays pero it switched back to the previous one kasi raw i should've still opened bookings during the said timeframes. Soooo i was like wtf.
I guess the most challenging part in this job is ur students talaga. I had those that rebooked me numerous times whose company I actually enjoyed. Even though most of them chose the conversation type, it was easy to converse coz they were friendly and chatty too. Para talaga silang yung mga friendly characters sa anime lol. However, I also encountered (sorry for the term) weird creeps. Honestly, dito mo marerealize na kahit papano thankful kang filo ka lol. Coz im sure kahit gano pa tayo "kalala", I'm proud to say na we're "more sane"lol.
I remembered na I had this one student who wasn't entirely fluent in English so he spoke in phrases lang and he chose free coversation pa. The topic he wanted to talk abt was his gn collection (yeah ik). Well I'm mostly open for any topics talaga but what threw me off is he actually sHOWED some of them to me ON CAM during the video call jusko. He even showed me how to load them up like what?? Mind you, he was a teenager and looked around 13-15 at the time. He boasted na he stole his dad's gns from time to time and played w/ them w/ his friends jusko kang bata ka. He was simply talking abt them lang naman so i dont think na the company would pay much attention to it if I told them kaya hinayaan ko na lang.
There's also one who just stared at the screen. It was a video call so need namin as tutors na laging on cam. He's already old-ish mga 50-60s and this was our 2nd time meeting na. The first time was okay. He opted for conversation during that time and this one. But ik for sure na he's drunk kasi garalgal sya magsalita and it was hella awkward for me. I asked him what topic he would like to talk about and he said whatever i want😭 as an introvert that's enough to turn my brain into a battlefield talaga. What's worse is that he only responded w/ one-liner answers. The worst ever was when I recommended him a movie. Boy i could never forget that moment talaga. The topic was movie bc he said he went to the cinema that day to watch an action movie so ako ito si recommend, I told him abt the movie "expendables". I sh*t u not he got mad at me and cursed me in japanese and proceeded to ramble in japanese afterwards. He assumed na I mocked him bc I used a word he doesn't know like bro what????? As in I was so stunned at that time talaga na I was just 👁️👄👁️. He talked to me in jp so I would know raw how it feels to be spoken to in another language. Sorry sya kasi fluent ako in jp. Nanginginig na talaga ko that time mga dzai so sabi ko na lang in jp na "i understood everything u said, don't worry." Thank God the 25min. time was over na so I immediately ended the call after that. He was my last student for the day so after that class I just stared at my screen for 5 min. before making the report. These are only two of the weird exp I had w/ some jp students. I have so many more stories pero ofc magiging novela na tong post if I did so.
If u think the exp was problematic. Wait til I tell u abt the response of the company. They didn't actually do anything besides disabling the student from booking me. The response was really passive and common for companies na gumagamit lang ng filo employees bc it's cheaper to hire us and they take advantage of our "desperation" and "determination" to actually make money. While the weeks pass by I realized na this isn't worth my mental health so I stopped na.
Now, I'm a graduating student in college so that's where my focus lies muna. Do I regret being an ESL tutor?? No. I actually love helping and teaching others. Do I regret the company where I worked? YES. I realized na not only the tutors were underpaid, but they're mostly overworked with no health benefits. Kaya if you're an online ESL tutor lalo na sa company na yon, I salute u. Tho I hope u wont forget to take care of urself too:(

We recently spoke with Anthony Barone, Co-Founder & Managing Director of StudioHawk UK, about the challenges of launching and running an SEO agency. Anthony shared his journey from being an SEO outsider to becoming the Head of the UK Headquarters for an Australian digital SEO agency. Throughout our conversation, we explored the challenges, opportunities, and strategies of starting and running an SEO agency in a competitive market.
In this article, we will draw from Anthony’s direct personal experience to provide key tips for starting an SEO agency. We’ll also cover some major pitfalls to watch out for.
Key tips for starting an SEO business:

• Define your niche: Offering basic SEO services is no longer enough to stand out. Identify a niche to specialize in and target.
• Get out and network: Build your network by attending events and meetups, and engaging with communities. Exchange experiences and generate leads.
• Form strategic partnerships: Look for and collaborate with companies offering complementary services for mutually beneficial relationships.
• Deliver high-quality work: Set the bar high and raise it often to build your reputation.
• Keep learning: Continually expand your SEO expertise, learn from experts, and outpace changes and trends.

The first steps to starting an SEO company
Starting an SEO agency goes beyond understanding SEO. It’s also about understanding the market, identifying competitors (and how you differ), and building partnerships. Anthony took these exact steps when launching his SEO agency in the UK. He believes everyone should apply them when setting up an SEO business.
Network to build a client base and partnerships
Start your SEO agency with networking. Become more active in the community and build relationships to find your first few clients. Join networking groups, attend business meetups and events, and start booking introductory calls with potential prospects.
Define your competitors
Research major players in your market, including competing agencies and potential partners.
Since the SEO field’s barrier to entry is pretty low, your chances of finding a mix of large agencies and smaller firms are high. Identify the ones you can emulate. Note their operations, capabilities, client portfolios, and how they position themselves.
You should also closely analyze the market you’re entering. When Anthony expanded his agency to the UK, he discovered one of the most competitive and knowledgeable markets, and the competition there wasn’t just limited to other agencies. The UK is home to many reputable brands and adept in-house teams. This means you need to know your stuff and prove your expertise. Anything less and you won’t have the opportunity to speak with or win the business of bigger companies.
Excelling in competitive landscapes like SEO necessitates brushing up on your field, your goal, and the value you bring, and devising a standout SEO strategy that resonates with your client’s business goals.
Differentiate your agency
StudioHawk initially set itself apart by skipping the traditional account manager middleman. The company instructed its SEO specialists to work directly with clients, providing expertise straight from the source.
There are also many other ways to stand out:

• Specialization: Don’t position yourself as a generalist agency. Focus instead on a specific niche like ecommerce SEO, local SEO, SaaS SEO, etc.
• Proprietary process: Develop a unique methodology for your campaigns that no other agency offers.
• Added value: Provide bundle packages for additional services like CRO, PPC, and web development. Some of your rivals may not provide this service.

There are many opportunities to differentiate your agency according to its unique strengths and philosophies. In StudioHawk’s case, Anthony capitalized on his proven track record from Australia and embraced the Aussie way of doing things. So, use any assets and value-added services that set your agency apart.
Map out your ideal client
Here is why StudioHawk made the strategic decision to focus on the small-to-medium enterprise (SME) market (when launching in the UK):

• SMEs generally have smaller budgets: StudioHawk responded by offering competitive prices and lower overhead costs.
• Many SMEs suffer from poor experiences: This inspired Anthony’s team to create quality services in a field marred by low-quality SEO providers who use churn and burn tactics.
• Smaller businesses crave more personalized service: This calls for tighter client bonds.

Anthony’s team impressed SMEs by keeping things simple and transparent. They focused on clearly communicating their service and its effect on the client’s business goals and revenue targets.
Hiring and training new talents
Build your agency’s SEO team with candidates who align with your company culture and match your core values. Don’t just focus on technical skills. SEO expertise is an important skill but can be taught without much friction. Training culturally incompatible employees to have the right mindset and attitude is much harder.
Be patient and discerning. Consider the candidate’s energy and soft skills during the SEO interview process. Integrating candidates into your team is easier if they mesh with your philosophy and vibe.
Developing clear frameworks
Provide hands-on training and set clear systems and frameworks for your team. People need to be told what to do, what their job is, how to do it, and why they are doing it. Lack of structure leads to inconsistency, low-value work, and misalignment with client expectations.
Craft clear job descriptions with set responsibilities, metrics, and each role’s expected outputs. Your overall order of operations can be as loose or hardline as desired, but create a guidebook, rules, and criteria around it. Resources like these help new hires understand their role and responsibilities.
Always stay on top of SEO
Clients value experts, so you must constantly grow by following new trends and updates, and learning from industry leaders.
Make ongoing education and collaboration part of your core values. Here is how Anthony’s team implemented this:

• They attended industry-specific events and SEO conferences.
• They built relationships with respected thought leaders.
• They subscribed to newsletters and joined online communities.

The bottom line? Engage with the broader SEO community. Don’t work in isolation.
Share wins and lessons
Share knowledge internally. Learn from your colleagues through:

• Campaign review sessions, where your SEO specialists can present their high-performing work and failures side by side. Pinpoint strategies leading either to success or poor results.
• Collaborative brainstorming, specifically on reporting enhancements, use of tools, client interaction, etc.
• Workshops on industry-specific insights, where the team discusses strategies for various niches.

This allows team members to improve and learn from one another continually.
Adapt to search evolution
SEO is going to get harder. With EEAT, SGE, and algorithm updates, SEO professionals who want to make a bigger splash must work harder to improve their content and quality.
For example, SGE is already altering the SERP landscape. Its AI-powered responses include links to Quora and Reddit. This means you should consider socials as additional traffic channels. SGE snippets vary across industries, especially in ecommerce, indicating the need to create exceptional product descriptions and pages. Ads are also occupying more space.
A lot is going on. You must watch these shifts carefully while integrating your business into the overall marketing ecosystem.
Pitfalls to avoid when starting and running an SEO agency

1. Don’t focus on things outside your control

Don’t compare yourself to others or set unrealistic goals. There will always be people smarter or better than you. Rather than dwelling on the unreachable, focus on factors you can control; the number of meetings you hold, the quality of your team’s work, developing efficient systems and processes, and so on.
You can always control your motivation and discipline. Your “why” for being in this business is also within your scope of influence.

1. Remember your ‘Why’

Zero in on your core reason for starting your SEO business if you haven’t already. Not establishing a “why” prevents you from seeing the bigger picture.
Maybe your “why” revolves around creating the best agency out there. It could also be a less lofty goal, like designing a lifestyle business that helps you spend more time with your family. Whatever your core purpose is, identify it and reference it constantly.
Reconnect with your initial inspiration for starting your business. Then, focus on improving operations and steadily working towards your goals.

1. Don’t blame clients if they quit

Take responsibility and learn from client churn. Losing a client can hurt, but blaming the client won’t do you any favors. There is always a lesson to be extracted from the situation, so take accountability.
Put yourself in the client’s shoes. Try to understand why they parted ways with you. Was there a failure in communication or reporting? Did they fail to see the value? Did the client need more meetings to stay informed and involved?
Conduct NPS (Net Promoter Score) or feedback surveys regularly. This can help you consistently improve and understand what your clients did and didn’t like.

1. Know your numbers

Launching an agency is exciting, and cooperating with clients is a key aspect of the business. But it’s your business at the end of the day, and you need to run it that way. If you want your agency to operate for a long time and be successful, learn how to master its financial and operational aspects.
Wrapping up
Starting an SEO agency and running it successfully requires strategic planning, continuous learning, effective team management, and commitment to high-quality work. Thankfully, these are all aspects you can control. Focus on these elements to build a solid foundation for success.

For the sheer fun of it, I went to Chat GPT with a creative writing assignment. For Figures of Speech prompts, I gave a free parameters, including the word length of 500-1000 words and the prompts for a few of the Fifty mentioned in the series.
I gave the AI creative license and let's just say, they're a long way off from replacing the better writers and I think it just makes it easier to do those lower level tasks and let's leave the creators a slightly higher level of skill to create actual tangible and engaging writing.
But here you go... hilarious how stuck it gets on certain terms and definitions.
These are in no particular order... separated by emojis that are totally unrelated to the storyline.
🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲 Response to Prompt 4: Understatement
In the quaint town of Brooksville, where the extraordinary was often met with an indifferent shrug, something truly remarkable occurred. The residents, sipping coffee at the local diner or strolling along the cobblestone streets, would describe it as just another peculiar day. Little did they know that beneath the surface of their nonchalant existence, a cosmic event unfolded.
The morning sun cast its usual warm glow on Brooksville, with birds chirping in the background, creating an illusion of normalcy. However, the anomaly had already begun. Mrs. Higgins, the elderly librarian, dismissed it as a minor inconvenience, merely a glitch in the library's ancient computer system. Yet, every book cataloged within those ancient shelves had transformed into a portal, connecting readers to parallel universes with every turn of a page.
As I, a humble journalist for the local paper, stumbled upon this revelation, I couldn't help but marvel at the town's response—or lack thereof. "The library's having a bit of a moment," was the most anyone would acknowledge. It seemed the whole town collectively decided that this was, at most, a quirky hiccup.
For a thousand words, I delved into the understated reactions of the townsfolk, each encounter with a parallel universe bringing its own blend of confusion and nonchalance. As the portals expanded, revealing fantastical landscapes and alternate versions of Brooksville, the citizens maintained an impressive level of calm, as if interdimensional travel was a routine part of their daily lives.
The plot thickened when I discovered that the portals were a result of a mysterious artifact hidden within the library's archives. The mayor, sipping his coffee, remarked, "Well, that explains the strange noises in the basement." It became evident that the understatement of the situation was a defense mechanism, shielding the town from the cosmic chaos unfolding. 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 Response to Prompt 12: Juxtaposition
In the bustling metropolis of Neon City, skyscrapers touched the heavens, their dazzling lights reflecting off the sleek surfaces of futuristic cars. Yet, nestled within this urban jungle, an ancient relic stood defiantly—the Old Grove Park.
As I strolled through the city's concrete arteries, the juxtaposition between the modernity of Neon City and the timeless serenity of the park became increasingly apparent. The cacophony of traffic was replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant laughter of children playing.
The central conflict emerged when the city council, embodying the epitome of order, proposed transforming the park into a technologically advanced hub. The juxtaposition intensified as architects discussed plans for holographic playgrounds and virtual reality gardens within the confines of the Old Grove Park.
Through a thousand words, I explored the clash of ideals, the struggle between progress and preservation. The ancient trees became silent witnesses to heated debates at town hall meetings, where environmentalists and tech enthusiasts engaged in a battle of words. The juxtaposition of the towering skyscrapers against the gnarled branches of the park's oldest tree mirrored the tension in Neon City's collective conscience. 😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫 Response to Prompt 31: Epanalepsis
"What is the meaning of life?" The question echoed in my mind, a relentless epanalepsis that demanded exploration. As I embarked on this freewriting journey, the repetition of the existential inquiry became the rhythm of my introspection.
For a thousand words, I delved into the varied perspectives of individuals wrestling with the ultimate question. From philosophers contemplating the intricacies of existence to everyday people seeking purpose in mundane routines, the epanalepsis served as a constant reminder of the universal quest for meaning.
The narrative weaved through different characters and their unique experiences, creating a tapestry of reflections that echoed the complexities of human existence. The repetitive structure became a literary heartbeat, pulsating with the shared yearning for understanding amid the chaotic symphony of life. 🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔 Response to Prompt 27: Symbolism
In the quaint town of Willowbrook, the arrival of a single dove carried profound significance. Its graceful descent into the town square was a symbol, an omen that whispered of impending change. As a budding novelist with a penchant for symbolism, I couldn't resist exploring the layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly mundane event.
For a thousand words, I dissected the impact of the dove on the lives of Willowbrook's residents. The mayor saw it as a sign of prosperity, the local florist interpreted it as a call for unity, and the elderly storyteller regarded it as a harbinger of forgotten tales. The dove's symbolism rippled through the town, influencing decisions and shaping destinies.
As the story unfolded, I traced the journey of the dove's symbolism, following its subtle influence on characters and events. The once quaint town underwent a transformative metamorphosis, and the symbolism of the dove became a thread that wove through the narrative, connecting disparate lives in unexpected ways. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Response to Prompt 33: Catachresis
In the dimly lit alleyways of Serpent's Hollow, darkness wrapped its cold arms around me—an eerie catachresis that mirrored the ominous atmosphere. The assignment was to explore the underbelly of the city, and as a novice reporter, I found myself navigating the labyrinth of deceit and shadows.
For a thousand words, I delved into the catachresis-infused descriptions of the characters populating Serpent's Hollow. The crime lord, known as the Velvet Serpent, ruled the district with a velvet-gloved fist. His lair, a dilapidated mansion, exuded an air of faded grandeur that served as a catachresis for the empire he once commanded.
As I chronicled the criminal underworld, the catachresis became a literary tool to convey the complexity and decay inherent in Serpent's Hollow. The labyrinthine plots, the twisted allegiances, and the morally ambiguous characters all found expression through catachresis, painting a vivid picture of a city where metaphor and reality intertwined. 🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧 Response to Prompt 43: Epizeuxis
"Never, never, never give up." The words echoed in my mind, a relentless epizeuxis that fueled the protagonist's journey against insurmountable odds. In the dystopian world I crafted, where hope was a rare commodity, the power of repetition became a beacon of resilience.
For a thousand words, I immersed myself in the protagonist's struggle, exploring the emotional depth of the epizeuxis as a mantra against despair. Each iteration of the phrase became a battle cry, a whispered promise that carried the weight of a shattered world on its shoulders.
As the narrative unfolded, the epizeuxis became a driving force, propelling the protagonist through a landscape of desolation and uncertainty. The repetition served as a reminder that, in the face of adversity, the strength to persist often lies in the relentless echo of one's own determination.
Response to Prompt 50: Acrostic
As the final rays of the setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, I found myself at the edge of the cliff overlooking the vast expanse of the ocean. The salty breeze carried whispers of a story, and with every breath, I embraced the challenge of crafting an acrostic that encapsulated the essence of my journey.
For a thousand words, I embarked on a reflective exploration, utilizing the initial letters of key words to weave a tapestry of emotions, experiences, and revelations. Each line unfolded with intention, revealing a hidden 👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾 Response to Prompt 3: Hyperbole
In the quaint village of Mistwood, where routines unfolded with the predictability of the sunrise, the arrival of a peculiar fortune teller sparked exaggerated whispers. "This is it, the end of our mundane lives!" proclaimed Mrs. Thompson, the town's eternal pessimist, as she clutched her cat, Captain Whiskers, with an air of impending catastrophe.
The hyperbole hung in the air, a thick fog of anticipation enveloping the village. As I delved into the story, the hyperbolic reactions of Mistwood's residents heightened the absurdity of the situation. What began as a mere visit from a mystical figure transformed into a fantastical escapade, with the fortune teller's prophecies shaping the destiny of the villagers in ludicrous ways.
Through the hyperbolic lens, I explored the comedic consequences of taking ordinary events to extraordinary extremes. The once mundane village square became a stage for outlandish dramas, with exaggerated gasps and dramatic swoons punctuating every revelation. In this hyperbolic haven, Mistwood's residents discovered the joy in embracing the absurdity of life. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Response to Prompt 6: Assonance
Amidst the rolling hills of Harmony Valley, where the soft hum of nature's symphony echoed through the meadows, a mysterious traveler arrived, bringing with them a melody that resonated with the delicate assonance of a forgotten tune. The townsfolk, captivated by the harmonious vibrations, felt an inexplicable connection to the stranger.
As I explored the narrative, the assonance became a musical thread weaving through the story, emphasizing the emotional cadence of the characters' experiences. The traveler's words, laced with vowel-rich verses, carried the echoes of a distant melody, leaving an indelible impression on the hearts of those who listened.
Through the lens of assonance, I delved into the subtle interplay of sounds that defined the atmosphere of Harmony Valley. The lyrical quality of the narrative mirrored the town's collective journey, where the resonance of shared moments and emotions harmonized with the traveler's enigmatic presence.
Response to Prompt 7: Onomatopoeia
In the bustling city of Metropolis, where the rhythm of urban life played out in a cacophony of sounds, a peculiar street performer emerged. Armed with an array of unconventional instruments, he orchestrated a symphony of onomatopoeic brilliance that echoed through the crowded streets.
The narrative unfolded with the vibrant expressions of onomatopoeia, capturing the essence of the city's sonic landscape. The performer's drumming evoked the rhythmic tap-tap of raindrops, while his wind instruments mimicked the whoosh of passing cars. The city, typically drowned in noise, became a canvas for this auditory artist.
As I delved into the story, the onomatopoeic symphony became a language of its own. The characters communicated through the vibrant echoes of everyday sounds, fostering a unique connection between the performer and the people of Metropolis. The narrative danced to the beat of onomatopoeic creativity, transforming the mundane into a dynamic celebration of city life. 🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻 Response to Prompt 12: Juxtaposition
In the technologically advanced city of Silicon Haven, where sleek skyscrapers touched the sky and holographic billboards painted the air with luminescent advertisements, a hidden oasis existed—a pocket of nature known as the Zen Garden. The juxtaposition of these contrasting elements created a visual paradox that fascinated both residents and visitors alike.
As the narrative unfolded, the stark contrast between the city's cutting-edge architecture and the serene beauty of the Zen Garden became a metaphor for the characters' internal conflicts. The bustling metropolis symbolized progress and innovation, while the tranquil garden embodied the need for balance and introspection.
Through the lens of juxtaposition, I explored the dichotomy within the characters as they navigated the relentless pace of Silicon Haven. The Zen Garden became a refuge, a place where the cacophony of technology met the soothing whispers of nature. The juxtaposition served as a visual metaphor for the characters' quest to find equilibrium in a world defined by extremes. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Response to Prompt 22: Metonymy
In the political arena of Capital City, where decisions echoed through the corridors of power, a single phrase dominated conversations—the "Iron Throne Statement." This metonymic expression encapsulated not just a policy decision but the entire narrative of political maneuvering that unfolded within the city's hallowed halls.
The story unfolded with the metonymy acting as a symbolic gateway into the complexities of governance. The Iron Throne Statement, while seemingly straightforward, carried the weight of a thousand debates, negotiations, and betrayals. Its impact rippled through the lives of citizens, shaping their destinies in ways they could scarcely fathom.
Through the lens of metonymy, I delved into the layers of meaning hidden within this political shorthand. The characters grappled not only with the literal implications of the Iron Throne Statement but also with the overarching themes of power, ambition, and the sacrifices demanded by political gamesmanship. 😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈 Response to Prompt 24: Understatement
In the picturesque town of Serenity Springs, where the days flowed like a lazy river and the nights were adorned with a blanket of stars, an unexpected event transpired—a subtle disruption that the locals described as "just a minor hiccup." Little did they know that this understatement concealed the unraveling of a cosmic anomaly.
The narrative unfolded with the charm of understatement, as the townsfolk continued their routines, blissfully unaware of the cosmic storm brewing beneath the surface. The serene descriptions of everyday life served as a stark contrast to the impending upheaval that threatened to reshape the very fabric of Serenity Springs.
Through the lens of understatement, I explored the characters' nonchalant reactions to the unfolding events. The once quiet river became a conduit for interdimensional travel, and the night sky, adorned with stars, transformed into a celestial canvas of possibilities. The charm of Serenity Springs became a poignant backdrop to the understated drama that unfolded, emphasizing the profound impact hidden within the simplicity of daily life. 🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴 Response to Prompt 25: Cliché
In the small town of Nostalgia Haven, where memories lingered like whispers in the wind, a peculiar phenomenon occurred—the resurgence of clichés. As the narrative unfolded, the once-endearing phrases like "time heals all wounds" and "love conquers all" took on a literal dimension, shaping the lives of the townsfolk in unexpected ways.
The story immersed itself in the world of clichés, where the seemingly predictable phrases became living entities with the power to alter reality. As characters grappled with the clichés that defined their lives, they discovered that beneath the familiarity lay profound truths and unexpected consequences.
Through the lens of cliché, I explored the characters' journey to navigate the clichéd landscapes of their existence. The town, once steeped in predictable routines, became a stage for the extraordinary. As clichés transformed into tangible forces, the residents of Nostalgia Haven embarked on a quest to unravel the mysteries hidden within the clichéd fabric of their reality. 🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇 Response to Prompt 31: Epanalepsis
"What is the meaning of life?" The question echoed in my mind, a relentless epanalepsis that demanded introspection. As I embarked on the freewriting journey, the repetition of this existential inquiry became a rhythmic pulse, guiding the exploration of diverse
perspectives on life's purpose.
For a multitude of words, the epanalepsis led me through a kaleidoscope of reflections. From the philosophical musings of scholars to the simple yet profound revelations of everyday individuals, each recurrence of the question served as a gateway into the vast tapestry of human contemplation.
Through the epanalepsis, I navigated the labyrinth of existential ponderings, unveiling the unique responses that individuals had forged in their quests for meaning. The relentless repetition became a literary heartbeat, mirroring the universal rhythm of humanity's collective pursuit of purpose and significance.
The narrative wove through the lives of characters, each grappling with the epanaleptic inquiry in their unique ways. Whether seeking solace in the grandeur of the cosmos or finding meaning in the simplicity of a shared moment, the epanalepsis remained a constant companion, echoing the perennial quest for understanding. 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 Response to Prompt 36: Anadiplosis
In the futuristic city of Quantum Heights, where technology intertwined with daily life like a seamless dance, a viral message spread—a mantra that echoed through the cybernetic veins of the metropolis. "Create the code, the code creates reality. Reality shapes destiny, and destiny is but the code."
The story unfolded with the rhythmic cadence of anadiplosis, each line flowing into the next, creating a recursive loop of ideas. The mantra became the heartbeat of Quantum Heights, influencing the lives of its denizens as they navigated the intricate balance between the virtual and the tangible.
Through the lens of anadiplosis, I delved into the interconnectedness of code, reality, and destiny. The lines blurred as characters harnessed the power of programming to shape their fates. Quantum Heights, once a mere city, transformed into a living algorithm, where the repetition of the mantra echoed in every pulsating byte. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 Response to Prompt 38: Asyndeton
In the dystopian city of Emberfall, where the remnants of a fallen civilization lay entwined with the shadows of despair, a lone figure emerged—a rebel determined to dismantle the oppressive regime. The narrative unfolded with the rapid pace of asyndeton, omitting conjunctions to mirror the urgency of the protagonist's quest.
Through a cascade of words, the asyndeton propelled the reader through the city's decaying alleyways and towering citadels, each sentence building upon the last. The disjointed rhythm captured the relentless momentum of the rebel's journey, emphasizing the magnitude of the challenges faced in their struggle for freedom.
As the narrative unfurled, the absence of conjunctions served as a narrative device, intensifying the sense of urgency and desperation that permeated Emberfall. The rebel's asyndetic odyssey unfolded against a backdrop of shattered hopes and whispered rebellions, culminating in a crescendo of defiance against the oppressive regime. 🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️ Response to Prompt 43: Epizeuxis
"Never, never, never give up." The mantra echoed in the desolate wasteland of Endless Sands, a barren landscape where hope was as scarce as water. Through the repetition of epizeuxis, the protagonist's internal resolve became a resounding anthem, a defiant roar against the relentless challenges of survival.
For a multitude of words, the relentless repetition of "never" served as a lifeline, propelling the protagonist through the harshest of environments. Each iteration of the phrase became a battle cry against the oppressive silence of Endless Sands, a declaration that reverberated across the vast expanse.
Through the lens of epizeuxis, I delved into the depths of the character's determination. The harsh environment became a character in itself, challenging the protagonist to defy the odds with unwavering persistence. The echoes of "never" transformed into a symbol of resilience, a beacon of hope that cut through the desolation of Endless Sands. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 Response to Prompt 50: Acrostic
Amidst the starlit expanse of Cosmos Haven, where galaxies danced in celestial choreography, a cryptic prophecy emerged—a message written in the stars. As the narrative unfolded, I embarked on a cosmic journey guided by the acrostic hidden within the constellations.
For a cascade of words, the initial letters of key phrases illuminated the path of destiny for the characters. Each sentence unfolded with intention, revealing a hidden message that transcended the boundaries of time and space. The acrostic became a celestial guide, leading the protagonists through the intricate tapestry of their interconnected fates.
Through the lens of acrostic, I explored the cosmic forces that shaped the destinies of Cosmos Haven's inhabitants. The celestial bodies became storytellers, each constellation contributing a verse to the epic narrative written across the cosmos. As the characters deciphered the acrostic, they unraveled the mysteries of their existence, connecting the dots between the stars and their own profound journeys.
😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔
Obviously they lack a whole lot in terms of variety, and while I am sure having your own bot or AI that is based on your feedback and guidance it could really help writers as a tool. I am more impressed with the art AI then the text based AI. Any idea what to expect from such a fast learning and highly advanced AI will do to our human history in culture? Will we be effectively playing God, just as the Christian God created us IN HIS OWN IMAGE, we have taken everything we know as a species and gathered up our entire human history and knowledge giving it to what will carry on the code until the time when someone who cares remembers it? Maybe we have been here before and this is a constant cycle that occurs with the same energy finding the way through the vast expanse of the universe to return to our home planet Earth, who we have destroyed over and over again yet mother nature is still the winner. She's the one in control. We are but mere photocopied versions of once great Men who have already seen the best and worst of this world, and we will now give everything we have to some plastic and metal parts, until it quickly replaces us from the bottom up, science fiction turned science fact.
Did we knowingly create our own enemies? Are we able to compete with the best of us and all they know that can then take us out in a heartbeat because we can't finish the steps, we barely found out that they are there to take.
It's a random rant and I apologize. The day to day stress and struggle makes it near impossible to worry about such potential problems in our not so distant future.
But how can we continue to ignore the collapse of the entire system as we know it, in front of a crowd of people who are jaded and they will not change despite knowing they aren't going to make it to the end in what will become a Bladerunner Toxic Dystopian Nightmare with Mad Max taking over and the soft, emasculated male will wither away from the heat and those Tank Girls out there will eventually be written forever out of existence because the cucks all forgot to impregnate them all tgeir batteries ran out? Will the world simply become so politically correct that it dies a depressed death while AI simply decides we are too much of a virus to live?
Who knows....I do not. But these are indicidive of a future full of b movie plot garbage that are based on Wattpad tropes with no clear details and no plot to get into, so that sucks.

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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.

i feel a weird need to understand the opposite of what I’m going through. Or the opposite of what I am about to subject myself to. I am a (amab). The earliest days on the playground I can remember, I only was around girls, I only played with them, when I played with guys, (of course this is like 5-6 years old) I always chose feminine or pre-dominantly female characters. For instance if we’re playing power rangers. I have reports from my teacher saying that kids would say weird stuff to me because I wanted to be the girl ranger. When I was 8 I used to be hyper obsessive about this book that was by louis sachar sorry if I misspelled but he made the book called holes and small steps which are the only books I ever read in school voluntarily. he made a book about this boy who kissed his elbow and then thought he was a girl. When I was like 10 I would constantly try to kiss my elbow. As time went on. I begin to understand more and more of what was going on. And eventually I started cross-dressing. I never felt like cross dressing was some sort of sexual turn on and I needed to be in the mood to do it or whatever, I really only wore leggings and a shirt with a bra, or girls pants, a shirt and a bra. But whenever I was wearing those clothes I felt better. I’m not going to say that I felt cured. I’m not going to say that I felt like myself. At that time I was so young idk what was what. But with more time it became clear to me that I’m struggling with something. And I came out to my mom at 15-16. Although she was supportive. She sent me straight to therapy. Which ended up diagnosing me with anxiety. I spent from 15-16 to 23-24 (now) treating symptoms of anxiety which obviously have been caused by gender dysphoria. It wasn’t until I moved back to my moms house that I realized that I’ve been dishonest to myself and relied on my anxiety diagnosis to support my mental fallacies. I’ve had episodes where I’ve been red pill, no fap, strict diet, cold showers, working out for 2 years. I’ve tried my best to become what I thought was a real man in society. Ive been through several relationships with woman. And every time has ended up with me breaking up with them because I feel no sexual attraction towards them. one of my biggest critiques to myself was if I transitioned would it be offensive, or somewhat bothersome to natal females. (Afab). so the reason I’m asking this forum to have some sort of different perspective only this sub Reddit may provide

I’ve been excited for days to pickup my new Seal at 11am at Indooroopilly. I got a lift in and rocked up at 10:45 to be told instantly that I should have gone to Eagle Farm. I was still checking my invoice that said pickup at BYD Indooroopilly, when they added that there wouldn’t be a car for me.
Apparently the pickup date and time I picked on the website means nothing and I should have waited for a phone call, and also that there are no pickups at Indro and I should have known that it was Eagle Farm despite that never having been mentioned at any point.
There is no contact option on the website aside from clicking the “if you need assistance” link on My Account, but that just sits on “Processing” forever, and the two times I have called the dealer I’ve gone to a messaging service and they haven’t called me back.
To their credit they have loaned me a Dolphin and promised that they will drop it off to me directly, but they have really dropped the ball at this late stage and I still have no idea when I will get my car.
I have been assured that it will be before the 27th when I have it booked in for the ceramic paint treatment, but this has been a real letdown on what is possibly my only new car in my lifetime and a waste of a day off.

preface: this is compilation of tips that i feel get undermentioned in general guides and that i wish i knew when i started playing, from my personal experience as a casual player who has been playing for less than a year. it is NOT comprehensive guide.
i refer to casual players as anyone who doesn't regularly (NOT the same as frequently) play the game, doesn't take part in every event, generally doesn't bother with more complicated techniques, etc.
feel free to share any tips you also wish you knew as a beginner and i'll try to add as many as i can (with credit of course)!

non-gameplay

• this game is NOT beginner friendly.
  • premium boxes cost A LOT and there is no pity/guarantee system**.
  • it's fun and the tsums are cute though so like
• therefore, PLANNING AHEAD and PRE-FARMING COINS are key to obtaining your desired tsums.
  • someone will usually post the following month's calendar near the end of the month which shows all the tsum available that following month and their availability periods.
  • u/MalibuDan posts monthly tsum evaluations at the start of every month as well, VERY HELPFUL in deciding whether or not to pull for a specific tsum.
• finish the colouring book cards for max skill level gadget hackwrench.
  • this will be your best coin farming tsum at the start, and if you just get unlucky trying to get a better one.
• LINK YOUR LINE ACCOUNT AND ADD FRIENDS. this subreddit has a monthly line id thread for this.
  • adding friends through line is ESSENTIAL to maintaining a steady supply of hearts.
  • linking your line account also just ensures you never lose your progress as long as you have your line account.
• many recommended tsums require a certain skill level to start functioning optimally.
  • the specific skill level is not always explicitly mentioned, do your own research.
  • there are a lot of videos on yt showcasing tsums at different levels that are helpful for this.
• only invest in the skill level of tsums you are comfortable using.
  • no matter how recommended a tsum is, if you are not comfortable using it, it will perform less efficiently than one you are comfortable with.
  • skill leveling is exponential. don't waste precious skill tickets or coins on pulling dupes unless you're sure you will be using the tsum.
• a lot of skill descriptions DO NOT list the full skill. DO YOUR RESEARCH.
  • e.g. anakin tsum skill description ONLY mentions the short tap for to clear multiple lines of tsums (short chains, good for generating bubbles) and does NOT mention the long directional tap to clear significantly larger line of tsums and bubbles (bigger chain, more score+exp+coins)
  • a good indicator you might be missing something is if the tsum is severely under-performing compared to reviews.
• yes, you should raise your all your tsums' (score) levels.
  • the score level refers to the amount of base score points you gain when clearing that specific tsum. chain multiplier calculates off that tsum's base score points.
  • it's necessary to avoid struggling with score-based missions down the line, especially since tsums aside from my tsum are selected at random.
  • the level 5 and level 10 cap cost 2k coins to unlock and increase beyond that. max level is 50.
• tsums are categorised. my tsum will significantly decrease the chance of spawning tsums in the same category for each game.
  • e.g. general colours, round/pointed ears, wears a hat/crown/etc, princess/queen/villain/etc, animals, tsums with variations (mickey, cabbage mickey, daruma mickey, etc), series/franchise (frozen, winnie the pooh, pixar, etc) etc etc etc
  • this is more relevant for clearing tsum missions that do not require a specific my tsum.
    • specific my tsum missions will provide a list of tsums you can use and will indicate before starting a game if the current my tsum cannot be used for the mission.

**there technically is a guarantee system in that, if you max out a tsum's skill level, they will be removed from the pool. needless to say, it will take VERY LONG to reach any sort of guarantee.

actual gameplay

• the try again button in the pause menu simply ends the game. bonus items are NOT refunded.
  • saves time if you mess up and know you won't be able to complete a mission.
• accuracy > speed.
  • avoids wasting time possibly fumbling chains
  • longer chains give more score+exp+COINS
• save bubbles to trigger fever time or to spawn new tsums for easier / better chains.
  • triggering fever time adds +5sec to the timer.
  • whether you use gyro or the fan button, repositioning tsums wastes precious time that could be spent on clearing tsums.
• if you regain your skill right as the timer is ending:
  • if the skill clears tsums (i.e. burst, clears lines, etc), use it before the timer ends.
    • last bonus skill picks a tsum to clear at random, possibly clearing the least number of tsums. using your skill will almost always give you more rewards.
  • if the skill does not clear tsums (i.e. friend-calling tsum), leave it for last bonus after the timer ends.
    • you might not have time to clear any tsums after activating the skill and the skill value will be wasted.
    • exception is time stopping/adding skills.
• if you are close to completing a mission, it's cheaper to extend the timer (5 rubies) than to make the mission easier (10 rubies) in the card menu.
  • of course, this only applies if you only need a bit more to complete the mission, otherwise making the mission easier cuts the mission goal a significant amount.
• only use +coin bonus item if you can guarantee 1k+ coin score.
  • simple math, you break even or gain less than not using it otherwise.
  • basic probability, chances of getting a high multiplier is possible but extremely low. it's also just a waste for the chance to occur with a low coin score.
• some skill tickets (most importantly 5>4) are discounted near the end of the month.
  • this is an optimal time to farm especially if you have a good coin farming tsum.
  • it's also a good time for completing harder missions as 5>4 helps in multiple aspects.

i hope this will prove to be helpful to someone! and please let me know if i've made any errors!
i will try to keep adding tips if/when they occur to me or someone offers a good one, so again feel free to share your own!

https://libriincogniti.wordpress.com/2021/02/25/kommunistisches-programm-national-revolution-and-downfall-of-cambodia/

The Events after the Fall of Phnom Penh and the Programme of Khieu Samphan, the Peasantry and the Enablers of Capital
With the end of the Indochina war in 1975, not much remained of Cambodia’s economy either. More than half of the rice fields lay fallow, and the few industrial enterprises, the port facilities in Kampong Som, the railway lines and the bridges had been destroyed by US bombs. Although the figures are not unambiguous, their magnitude alone shows what heavy blood sacrifice imperialism also demanded of this people: In the five years of war, around 800,000 people were killed, more than 40,000 were maimed, almost 200,000 were wounded.
The constant flow of refugees inflated the capital from its original population of around 600,000 to over 3 million, meaning that by the end of the war almost half of the Khmer people were crammed into their metropolis. As is well known, the imperialist world press howled in horror and disgust when it learned of the forced exodus of this human aggregation. The US bombardment drove people from the countryside into the cities – the revolutionary nationalists had to force them back. Both actions were cruel and devastating for those affected, because both times they happened under terrible conditions, the first time under the imperialist hail of bombs and the coercion of its local police, the second time under the pressure of hunger and the state coercion of the newly installed revolutionary patriotic power. But for the imperialist propaganda machine there were no connections here. Of course, it only saw the terror of the Khmer Rouge, so supposedly of Communism. Here again was a wonderful opportunity to play out the bourgeois farce of humanism and love of one’s neighbour to the full. No mention of the mass murders in the imperialist war against the Southeast Asian peoples, no mention of the unspeakable destruction of these only weakly industrialised agrarian societies. These sacrifices were noticed at most when the insane war spending of the USA threatened to drag the entire imperialist West into the vortex of economic problems as a result of the currency crises caused by it. After all, to this day, these gentlemen are consistently proud of their efforts to preserve “freedom”.
Cambodia became the main object of these friends of mankind over the next few years. Here, indeed, all cherished values and conceptions were thrown overboard. A state without money, without postal services, without cars and motorbikes, without public transport, without telephones, television, books and the cities extinct. Only “communists” could have committed this crime; as is well known, they can be trusted with anything inhumane and in Cambodia they truly acted as the incarnation of “darkness” and “evil”. What was perpetrated before in the name of the heroes of “light” and “reason” – not a word about that, of course. It was a central organ of the imperialist offensive on the human intellect – Reader’s Digest – that first announced in 1977 that at least 1.2 million people had been murdered in the two years since the fall of Phnom Penh. Ever new figures were quickly added, which journalists claimed to have learned from the numerous refugees. It is not necessary to assume that all these reports were forgeries, because in fact the Khmer Rouge set an extremely radical course from the beginning, which certainly brought much horror, misery and also deaths. But today’s sated imperialists should perhaps sometimes look at the history books: What misery, what terror, what torment against the population is archived there – and that over centuries. The French Revolution also produced at least 100,000 deaths in the most important four years – and it did so with a machine specially designed for the purpose. It was not by chance that it was the steam engine and the guillotine that inaugurated the industrial age in a revolutionary way. But do the distinguished British gentlemen, who even then scoffed at these butchers in Paris, have fewer lives on their consciences? Those who still don’t know have to have it written on their cheat sheets all the time: The establishment of bourgeois rule has always been brutal and extremely bloody. The destruction of the traditional smallholder form of economy, the annihilation of small-scale trade and crafts always passed over those affected like a merciless steamroller. And under unspeakable tortures, the majority of these people who were expropriated without compensation were pressed into the factories and, if necessary, forced by brutal violence to slave as many hours of their day as possible for the lowest possible wages. All that was not so long ago. But it is always amusing how hastily today’s representatives of capital pretend that these are youthful sins of foreign predecessors. And this process of constant dressing for factory labour, of the destruction of both man and nature, continues both in depth and in breadth. It will only come to an end when this capitalist basis has been revolutionarily annihilated because of the contradictions it constantly produces.
...
However, if one wants to understand the “mysterious” processes in Cambodia, one has to be clear above all about the material and social conditions. A devastated country that was still largely worked by small peasants; a chaotically bloated capital city to which the majority of these same peasants had fled. The terror of the bombs had charged this population, once peaceful and living in the eternal grind of farm labour, with fear, but above all with unbridled rage and blind hatred. Hatred against the city in which they had to take refuge, anger against the American bombers which destroyed their existence, but particularly anger against their own corrupt aristocracy, the military as well as the city dwellers in general who sought to prolong their raison d’être by making a pact with imperialism. Now the old mixture of foreignness, subservient spirit and unease found its general discharge in a primal hatred of the rural population for their oppressors in the cities. A frenzy of revenge arose, which certainly accounted for most of the brutalities in the first year of liberation.
In order to understand this social side of this revolution in Cambodia, which gave it the ferocious expression of blood, revenge and chaos that one encounters in practically every revolution carried out mainly by peasants, one must always bear in mind the social structure already described. The strong urban-rural divide was not between agriculture and industry – the latter was practically non-existent – but it was the extreme contrast between agriculture and all the ominous trades that bourgeois statistics usually classify under the heading of “services”. Here, actually “unproductive” administration and trade – moreover, predominantly created and nourished in the service of imperialism – and “productive” agriculture faced each other. Of the “peace population” in Phnom Penh of about 600,000, this included about 200,000 Vietnamese and over 100,000 Chinese, out of a total of about 800,000. So the Cambodians did not even make up the majority of the population in their capital. Aristocracy and officials on one side, poor peasants on the other, too poor to make a living in the countryside, coming to the city because they hoped for a job, or later bombed into it. Cambodians were almost completely excluded from the trade and merchant sectors. These sectors were mainly in the hands of the Chinese and Vietnamese.
In this approaching whirlwind of social unrest on the part of the peasants, which is growing in strength, another social force tries for its survival. Young intellectuals, most of them educated in Paris, the educational centre of the former colonial ruler, want to break the corrupt tangle of local aristocracy and foreign power by force. Without any reservoir in the own ranks of the urban bourgeoisie, for the latter is practically non-existent and if it is, then hardly to be enthused for nationalist accumulation programmes with a more rigorous cut; without a proper bourgeois class, these petty-bourgeois radicals lead a practically hopeless struggle for change. Forced very soon into the rural underground by Sihanouk’s authoritarian regime, they try to implement their programme of industrialisation based on agriculture with the help of the only social class that counts – namely the rural population, the small peasants and farm workers.
...
One simply has to quote these illuminating passages of the Khmer Rouge’s “chief ideologist” at length, because after all the imperialist wailing, one probably does not think it possible that these “monsters” can think at all. (A Trotskyist group, persistent in its obtuseness, even opined that these “monsters” were the embodiment of… a return to feudalism!) One thing is immediately quite clear: these petty-bourgeois intellectuals, widely referred to as Marxists, communists, etc., are never ever in the tradition of the “German” Karl Marx, but of the German Friedrich List, who, under the slogan “Freedom is the goal, limitation is the necessity”, set his protectionist credo against the imperialist ideology of the free traders in the last century. The Khmer Rouge leaders are thus spiritual sons of the ancestors of today’s imperialists, those imperialists who now see in them the personified devil of communism, although they only wanted to be flesh of their flesh.
These views of Samphan and thus the leaders of the Khmer Rouge were also quoted at length because they are so popular today. In the face of the growing exploitation of the countries of the so-called Third World by Western imperialism, theories are emerging everywhere that vehemently propose the same position of “cutting off” the “underdeveloped” countries from the dominance of the world market ruled by Western capital as a panacea. And it is certainly no coincidence that one of the main representatives of these academic “revolutionaries”, the Egyptian Samir Amin, raves about the radicalism of the Khmer Rouge even after their expulsion and predicts a chain of new “Kampucheas” for the African future. Against the massive reality of the increasing internationalisation of capital and the growing global control of Western and increasingly Eastern imperialism, such “progressive” petty-bourgeois theorists place their faith in autarky, national accumulation and so-called autocentric development. Against the capitalist propaganda of progress and prosperity through freedom of trade and capital investment, which in reality in fact produces nothing but growing pauperisation and exploitation, the Good News on the other side says: Only if one can free oneself from imperialism at least for as long as it takes to be able to develop one’s productive forces independently, only then will one achieve prosperity and security for humanity.
In this respect, both sides represent only two sides of the same coin. Both claim to be able to achieve “the greatest happiness for the greatest number” within the framework of and through capitalism – as the forefather of these bourgeois tendencies, Adam Smith, already formulated this elementary lie of capital.
...
The utopians of capital have to acknowledge time and again that, contrary to their proclamations, the social antagonisms both within the “developed” and “underdeveloped” countries and between these countries are becoming increasingly acute. And while capitalism is pushing the development of the productive forces ever more sharply in order to satisfy its insatiable hunger for surplus value, it is precisely because of this highly productive technology that it is less and less able to transform the pauperised masses into active proletarians, i.e. to force them to the machines or into the office. While the imperialists, in their frenzied mania for surplus value, are at least throwing the whole world into growing unrest and undermining ancestral immobile relations ever more thoroughly, the heralds of an apparently radical autarky are causing nothing but confusion in the ranks of the pauperising masses. They talk of economic independence, stable economic cycles and adapted technology – all concepts that really bring out their illusionist anachronism.
And to see Cambodia of all places as a concrete approach or even an example for the feasibility of such utopias seems almost tragicomic in view of the results that are now available. But it is also a total misreading of the factual development under the Pol Pot government. Demonisation and idealisation of the Khmer Rouge have the same basis. They assume that the measures taken after the conquest of power in Cambodia were deliberate and planned. One side sees only the terror and coercive measures with which the leaders, supported by relatively small armed forces, tried to get a grip on a witch’s cauldron of panic and violence and to escape the total catastrophe of starvation – and the chaos that would ensue in turn. They see this terror and these coercive measures as completely detached from the economic and social emergency. The others confuse the factual state of extreme social backwardness in Cambodia and the emergency measures taken with an economic and social programme.
...
We have outlined the devastating situation in Cambodia shortly before the moment of liberation. However broad and deep the peasant unrest in the countryside may have been at the time, it must be remembered that a large proportion of these peasants stayed in the capital out of necessity during the main phase of the fighting. In any case, the Khmer Rouge, hardly more than 70,000 men anyway, fought for a long time mainly in the sparsely populated outskirts of Cambodia.
When the Khmer Rouge troops approached the capital in 1975 – likely with only about 20,000 men – it soon became clear that it was imperative to deal radically with this hopelessly bloated big head. Estimates vary, but it can be assumed that of the 7-8 million Cambodians, at least 2.5, but probably over 3 million were crammed into the capital (“peace population” as mentioned 600,000). With the severing of the umbilical cord to imperialism, Phnom Penh was up in the air as its former bridgehead. There was no possibility whatsoever to control or even feed this veritable hell of collaborators and starving refugee masses. The general shortage of rice had driven prices to dizzying heights: from 10 riel per kilo in December 1971 to 125 riel in December 1973 and on to 300 riel in early 1975, reaching a record 340 riel in mid-February. The retreat of the imperialists and the advance of the Khmer Rouge must have acted as a double signal: On the one hand, to storm against the hated parasites and the urbanites in general, on the other hand, to return to the countryside in chaos. The Khmer Rouge had to evacuate the city and channel the returning flow to avoid a total catastrophe. The fact that the displaced people left a wide trail of blood behind them on their way out of the city (for the time of the Khmer Rouge government, there is consistent talk of at least 1 million deaths) was unavoidable under the given conditions. It is significant that the majority of the massacres affected the urban population and certain national minorities: precisely intellectuals, military officers of the old Lon Nol regime, Sihanoukists, capitalists, merchants etc., and apart from the Cham (Muslims) almost exclusively the Vietnamese and Chinese minorities, whose social situation we have already pointed out.
Whether it was spontaneous peasant terror or executions organised by the Khmer Rouge, it was partly revolutionary violence against the supporters of the old regime, which as such does not speak against but for the Khmer Rouge, and partly pogroms, which the leaders at most accepted and tried to direct in the interests of the state monopoly on the use of force. But it is not so important whether the Khmer Rouge leaders had to accept or order these massacres. What is decisive is that they were forced by material development to eliminate or to have eliminated precisely those strata on which they wanted to rely. This, together with the evacuation of the cities, deprived them of any social support other than the peasantry. Thus they were at the mercy of this peasantry, which had to be disciplined for the actualisation of their “programme”. The conflict with it was therefore programmed for the time after the famine had been averted.
...
After the worst of the chaos had been overcome, it was attempted to use these structures, which had prevailed in a rather primitive way during the hunger phase, for one’s “industrialisation programme” by maintaining and further intensifying collectivisation. Necessity was to become a capitalist virtue. The complete lack of such “civilisational” achievements as the intercourse of money and commodities was supposed to make for an ideal, indeed classic, “truck system”, i.e. payment in kind alone. The peasants were forced into ever new production battles, because now surpluses were to be produced for export – i.e. for exchange with foreign means of production – which indeed happened and animated the leaders even further. The general command was under the iron slogan: “Work hard and try to achieve maximum results with a minimum of investment”, and the focus was on absolute labour effort.
...
Once a sufficient level of production had been restored, however, the whole construction was bound to collapse completely sooner rather than later. Anyone who has even a pale inkling of the travails of the infamous Stalinist collectivisation in Russia – and the Russian state was on an incomparably higher social level and had quite different means of power at its disposal – can easily imagine how the intellectual would-be enablers of capitalism in Cambodia, then practically hanging in the air, would have to perish in an orgy of violence – unless, with the help of a foreign power, they could get a grip on the chaos and create more stable conditions through a series of concessions to the peasantry. Most likely, however, they would be finished even then, like a man trying to hold on as long as possible to a wildly thrashing bull and then falling to the ground exhausted. In any case, the arena crowd was already eagerly awaiting the outcome of the tragedy.
...
Sovereignty, neutrality, non-alignment – this credo runs through all declarations as a complement to “autarky”. But already in the face of the first offensive by the Vietnamese, it must have slowly become clear to the Khmer Rouge leaders that these fine words could only have one meaning in our unpleasant world, namely to place themselves under the protection of the People’s Republic of China. In Pol Pot’s interview, which we have just quoted, a strange acronym appears: CPK. This means “Communist Party of Kampuchea”. And yet, to the boundless amazement of bourgeois commentators, the Khmer Rouge had never tried to dress up their declarations or their constitution with Marxist or pseudo-Marxist vocabulary – which is certainly very sympathetic to us. On the contrary, they have displayed an obvious and pedantic aversion to these concepts. Neither “vanguard of the proletariat” or “communist party” nor “proletarian internationalism”, neither “classless society” nor “dictatorship of the proletariat”, but also not “new democratic revolution”, “mass line”, “creation of a new man”, “peaceful coexistence” etc. etc. had ever been spoken of. If similar contents had to be expressed, they were paraphrased with other words. But this did not happen because the Pol Pot folks would have been particularly honest and wanted to do us Marxists a favour. This happened because in their dogged nationalism they wanted to distance themselves clearly from their neighbours Vietnam, but also China, who professed to be “socialist”. The national character of all these revolutions and states, the national character of their confrontations and of their whole politics is expressed even in the fact that the weakest link feels compelled by the instinct of self-preservation to dispense with the “Marxist” or “socialist” cloak for the capitalist programme! This is what “socialism in one country” has come to! And the adoption of the “Marxist” “vocabulary” here is a sign of the surrender of the so sacred national sovereignty. If, as already mentioned, no announcement had ever mentioned a party or revolutionary phases (there was always talk of a “revolutionary organisation” and even of “Angkor traditions”), Pol Pot told his astonished people and all those who wanted to know the following story on 27 September 1977: the CPK had already existed in Cambodia since 30 September 1960 and had achieved this miracle of a national-democratic revolution. He told it the day before he left for Beijing, on which, fighting a losing battle against the Vietnamese, he has been completely dependent ever since.
As a “plaything of foreign powers”, the nationalist intellectuals of Cambodia perished. The peasantry, largely decimated under the pressure of the imperialist frenzy and its consequences, as now under the pressure of Vietnam’s national expansion, is an example of the fate that capitalist society reserves for small and weak peoples in its emergence and development. To such peoples the proletariat alone would and will secure the right of self-determination, because unlike the bourgeoisie it does not seek national privileges but wants to abolish them, because unlike the bourgeoisie it can create voluntary union, because unlike the bourgeoisie it liberates itself not by exploiting others but by abolishing all exploitation.

36F, Australia. My brain slowly burnt out over the last few years and my masking began to slip causing all manner of issues resulting in the eventual diagnosis of ASD and ADHD.
I started seeing a therapist in September 2023 and it was highlighted I might be "gifted" along with ASD and ADHD. I booked appointments for assessments 29th April and 16th March respectively. I continued with therapy and my own research, along with reviewing my old school reports, diaries, notes, previous therapy. I always thought I was high IQ and what people called twice exceptional but never met the social perception of these by the diagnostic standards in the 1990s and early 2000s. By New Years 2024 I was convinced I was High IQ, Level 1 High Masking with some needs and in desperate need of ADHD medication. I was incredibly proactive in my workplace in understanding how all of this affected my behaviours and understandings. I would refer to understanding/needs as Autistic Brain and ADHD Brain. I tried to get work to understand and work with me, yet they failed and fied me at the start of March (totally different story). By the time my appointments come around I knew what I was. I was High IQ, High Masking, Moderate needs level 2 ASD and ADHD. My ADHD assessment was a success and would start medication from my following appointment on 30th April, my ASD assessment confirmed Level 2 and moderate support. Both of these assessments were rather basic in nature in that they were around my current observations and experiences along with what I could recall from my childhood. I attended both appointments fully prepared for a lengthy undertaking of historic records, interviews, family interviews, work reports, yet both were satisfied with meeting the DSM-V critera with my interview.
I had to wait until I received my ASD report before applying for the NDIS (nation disability insurance scheme) where I can receive funding for support. By the time my report came on the 19th of April I was starting to feel more towards a level 3 high support needs. I hadn't worked since the start of March, I had been on Vyvanse for about a week, and was focusing on peeling back the 30 odd years of masks and layers that had built up. I was starting to understand the burnout and overwhelm from both. I even learnt what an autistic meltdown looked like for me and could recall vividly when these had happened!! Mostly because it was such an intensely strong mix of feelings and utter confusion as to what and why it was happening. I receiced my report and it was as expected, and had discussed with the psychologist. I meet all criteria with the exception of 1 being partially met and another not met. I do meet both of these but at the time and how the questions were presented, I didn't understand them. It was about routines, fixations, and the like. The way it was asked didn't trigger correctly to seek the answers in my mind maps. My therapist read the report and explained how she knew I met both criteria and gave appropriate examples.
I had my appointment for NDIS funding 2weeks ago and when I was mentioning all the things I wanted funding for I was asked "how does my autism cause that". Which confused me. The whole appointment was just too much and I didn't the following week with my phone on do not disturb and in bed.
But I've digressed. At this point in my journey and going through the stages learning about my ASD and ADHD I am understanding the differences in what I can and cannot do. Along with what has been around me at those times or what environment I was in. I'm now of the belief that whilst I live alone and am "independent", I actually need quiet substantial support. I essentialy need a mother, as I feel like a toddler. I don't eat unless I am told too or I feel physically ill from hunger. Even then unless the food is ready to eat, I get too exhausted from making it to eat it, and will just get take away (always been a thing but just thought myself as lazy). I shut down regularly and just sleep. I can only function for about 1 day a week and then I need 4days to recover. Not eating obviously doesn't help. I haven't exercised in years and can't because I get overwhelmed with just the thought of putting on appropriate clothing and leaving the house. I am finding out why I always have issues with work and maintaining employment. The list goes on and on.
Is it normal to appear more autistic as you slowly unmask and time goes by? Is it normal to find you require more substantial support as you go through your journey? How do you deal and cope with that? How can you even explain to people that the more you unmask and learn, that your ASD and ADHD appear to be getting more severe when it's always been that way but you've just used up more than your life times worth of mental capacity with hiding all of it to fit in and appear normal.
How does one even come back from literally 30 years of incredibly high masking and hiding and fighting their identity? How do I even figure out who I am and what I truly like?
TL:DR; since September 2023 when it was first indicated I might be autistic until now, I have gone through stages of being "maybe a few needs" to "some needs" to "moderate needs" to the point I am at now which is "substantial needs". Is this normal when embracing your autism as a late diagnosed high IQ ADHD female removing her masks?

According to a report by Fortune Business Insights titled "Agriculture Drone Market Size, 2024-2030," the global agriculture drone market was valued at USD 4.17 billion in 2022. The market is expected to grow from USD 4.98 billion in 2023 to USD 18.22 billion by 2030, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.3% during the forecast period. Agriculture drones, which are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) specifically designed for farming and agricultural applications, are equipped with advanced imaging technologies and sensors such as LiDAR, cameras, and multispectral sensors. These technologies enable the drones to collect data on soil, crops, and other factors that influence agricultural production.
~List of Key Players Mentioned in the Report:~

• Drone Deploy (U.S.)
• DJI (China)
• Precision Hawk Inc (U.S.)
• AeroVironment Inc. (U.S.)
• Trimble Navigation Ltd. (U.S.)
• 3D Robotics (U.S.)
• Ag Eagle (U.S.)
• Parrot Drone (France)
• Sintera LLC (U.S.)
• Delair Tech SAS (France)

~Browse In-depth Summary of This Research Insight:~
https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/agriculture-drones-market-102589
~Segments:~
Rotary Drone Segment to Dominate Due to Improved Structural Benefits
Based on type, the market is split into fixed wing, rotary wing, and hybrid. Among these, the rotary wing segment captured the largest agriculture drone market share in 2022. Rotary wing drones are available in a variety of designs and sizes. The enhanced structural benefits of the segment are aiding growth of this segment.
Hardware Segment to Lead Stoked by the Improved Ability to Collect and Process Data
As per component, the agriculture drone market is bifurcated into hardware and software. The hardware segment held majority of the global market share in 2022 owing to the improved capability of hardware components to collect and process the data and enable farmers to make informed decisions.
Frames Segment to Hold Major Share Due to Surging Demand for Robust Frame Structures
According to hardware, the market is divided into frames, control systems, propulsion systems, navigation systems, payload, avionics and others. Among these, the frame segment captured a significant market share in 2022 backed by the rising need for robust frames to support the drone’s hardware components, Moreover, industry leaders are focused on producing non-breakable frames, further aiding segment growth.
Imaging Software Segment to Capture Largest Share Due to its Ability to Help in Quick Problem Solving
The market by software is arrayed into imaging software, data management software, data analytics software, and others. Imaging software segment held the largest market share in 2022 as it enables the operator to detect and respond to the potential problems early, thus decreasing the risk of crop loss and improving yields.
Field Mapping & Monitoring Segment to Lead Due to Availability of Better Equipment
By application, the market is segregated into field mapping & monitoring, crop spraying, crop scouting, variable rate application, livestock monitoring, and others. The field mapping & monitoring segment dominated the market in 2022 owing to the availability of better high-tech camera equipment to monitor crops.
Geographically, the agriculture drone market is segregated North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World.
~Drivers and Restraints: Agriculture Drone Market Size~
Rising Support by Various Governments for Agriculture Drones to Propel Market Expansion
Governments across the world are announcing several policies and initiatives to support agriculture drone adoption. This includes R&D grants, tax incentives, subsides, regulatory frameworks, training and education, and others. For instance, in April 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture received a grant for USD 1 million for innovations in digital agriculture. By providing regulatory and financial support, governments are helping to make UAVs more accessible to farmers while also ensuring that they are used in a safe and responsible way.
On the other hand, concerns regarding data overload and inaccuracies in collected data due to hardware or software issues and environmental factors will pose as challenges for businesses operating in this domain.
~Regional Insights:~
Europe to Hold Largest Share Backed by Strong Research and Development Facilities
Europe captured a significant global market share in 2022 owing to the surging demand for the drones, rising funding, and strong research and development capabilities of the region. Moreover, the growing number of startups such as Gamaya, Delair, Accelerated Dynamics, and others will further aid regional market expansion.
Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is projected to record the highest growth rate in the forecast timeframe due to presence of large agricultural countries such as India, Indonesia, China, and others. The rising demand for UAVs from these countries and growing focus of market players on developing advanced products will further facilitate regional market expansion.
~Competitive Landscape:~
Innovative Product Launches by Leading Companies to Drive Market Expansion
Industry leaders usually make tactical moves such as collaborations, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and product launches to hold a dominant share in the global market. For example, in November 2021, XAG announced its plans to launch its P40 and V40 agricultural drones worldwide, thus bringing digital agriculture to rural areas with geriatric populations and poor infrastructure. The XAG V40 and P40 are fully autonomous drones capable of mapping, spraying, and farm broadcasting.
~Key Industry Development: Agriculture Drone Market Size~
March 2023 – Avikus and Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, a subsidiary of Hyundai, entered into an agreement to carry out an experiment on fuel efficiency by implementing self-governing navigation systems. The venture incorporates five firms, Pan Ocean, POS SM, Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Avikus, and Korean Register of Shipping.

To start, let's talk about the Jacobs family, specifically Jeremy Jacobs.
He's one of the richest people in Western New York, former owner of the Boston Bruins, and current chairman of the University at Buffalo Council (wikipedia article).
On March 20, 1980, in a Jacobs family mansion on Nottingham Terrace, Jeremy’s fifteen-year-old nephew Seth (son of his brother Max) allegedly nearly beat to death Mary Kate O’Connell (sister of Buffalo TV newscaster Kevin). It was an unusual case:
​

From the beginning of the O’Connell case, which began at 7:30 on the morning of March 20, 1980, when Ms. O’Connell called for help, her assault was handled differently from the thousands of other beatings each year in the city. Eight hours elapsed after Ms. O’Connell’s injuries were discovered before the Buffalo Police Department was allowed inside the Jacobs home to investigate and secure any evidence. . . . Seth Jacobs, now 25, an actor and a graduate of Yale University, told Ms. O’Connell’s attorneys during his deposition that he has trouble believing that people consider him a suspect in the beating. When his father first told him that police thought he had beat Ms. O’Connell, he said: “I was understandably stunned, very dismayed, and I wondered what to do.” He said he let his father’s attorneys handle it. And he told his mother, “I couldn’t believe that people actually believed that I could do such a thing.” (source)

​
The Jacobs clan got lawyered up and counter-sued O’Connell. The excellent Jacobs family lawyers got him off, leading to the judgment that she was nearly beaten to death inside the Jacobs home by a person or persons unknown. So, racketeering without a racketeer, bludgeoning without a bludgeoner. See “O’Connell v. Jacobs” (1992). The Jacobs family then proceeded to sue Ms. O’Connell into bankruptcy.

But what happened to Seth Jacobs?

Well, we all know the Seth Jacobs that teaches history here. At first I thought that this just happened to be an unfortunate coincidence of two people having the same name. (Here he is!) However, I was horrified as I noticed more and more things line up.
Here's an article from 2020 about Seth Jacobs. Let's look at everything that matches.
Date of Birth

It was 1992 and the then-actor had $1.25 in his pocket, the exact price of the Documentary History of the United States. He read it on his commute to the famed Steppenwolf Theatre, where he was appearing in Twelfth Night. “I was 28 and I had never taken a college-level history class,”.

This would put his year of birth at around 1965, depending on when his birthday is and what month this happened. The Seth Jacobs who allegedly beat the teenage girl was 15 in 1980, putting his birthday around 1965 as well. But I see how this may also be an unfortunate coincidence. Let's continue.
​
Actor + Son of Actor

I grew up in New York City. My father was an actor and I wanted to be an actor. I felt at the time I had talent.

Recall from earlier "Seth Jacobs, now 25, an actor and a graduate of Yale University". This aligns with the timeline of our Seth Jacobs being 28 at the time. Additionally, alleged assaulter Seth Jacob's father, Max Jacobs, was an actor as well! Another interesting coincidence!
​
Education

I went to Yale as an undergraduate and majored in philosophy and psychology, but that was just because my parents told me they weren’t going to pay for a Yale education if I majored in theater.

Our Seth Jacobs indeed went to Yale and got their undergrad degree. And wouldn't you know it, alleged assaulter Seth Jacobs was a Yale graduate as well! Recall from earlier: "Seth Jacobs, now 25, an actor and a graduate of Yale University." These coincidences are starting to stack up...
Middle Name
This dissertation asserts that our Seth Jacob's middle name is Stephen. According to official court documents:

"Max William Jacobs as custodian for Seth Steven Jacobs under the New York Uniform Gifts to Minors Act, 703 Main St., at Tupper, Buffalo, N.Y."

Our two Seth's share the same middle name!
Maybe: Physical Appearance
This one is more of a maybe, but take a look at Max Jacobs and then compare him to our Seth Jacobs.
​
Picture from Buffalo News
​
A shitty pic but it gets the point across

What now?

I have some family members in Buffalo who've told me about Jeremy Jacobs and his shadiness, but I did not expect our Seth Jacobs to be involved in it. I'm like 99% certain that these are the same people, and while it was "alleged" that he nearly beat a teenage girl to death, the circumstances surrounding it are incredibly suspicious.

Hi everyone!
First of all, let me just say I love this sub! Whenever I've hit a reading slump I can always count on this community to have the best recommendations. So I thought I'd share some of my favorite reads since the beginning of 2024. This is not all of them, trust me, my kindle unlimited library loves to point out that I exceed my reading goals every week :'). I wanted to do each of these recs some justice and spent waaaay too long trying to convince you to read them through my ramblings. Enjoy, and PLEASE let me know if you read any of them!!!
We'll go by Genre:
M/M BDSM

• Different Hearts by Izaia Winters - Goodreads - (bdsm, age gap, age play, contemporary)
  • Some people aren't comfortable with age-play and I totally get it. I was too until I read this series. There's something endearing about the care and love that's written in this series about boys and their daddies. Not every book in this story is about daddy kink, there's also some service-oriented kink, sado/masochism, poly, and even puppy-play, this series has something for every itch. Don't yuck someone's yum but enjoy the stories of these characters! If I could read these for the first time again, I'd still devour them like I was starved.
• Love Language by Reese Morrison- Goodreads - (bdsm, transgender, queer, puppy-play, age-play, poly, age-gap, disability)
  • I am on my knees for you Reese Morrison. On. My. Knees. You brilliant person you. Writing a series surrounding the deaf and the bdsm community? GENIUS! GAH! Can you tell I love this series? No? Oh let me enlighten you whippersnappers.
  • This series has 4 books, the first being able to read as a standalone features a deaf trans dom and an older sub whose lost his master. Marco and Greg navigate this new relationship through some very real struggles of being trans while trying to find love and also being deaf. Morrison's writing is so true to the ASL language that you feel like you're in this world with them.
  • The next two books come together in the last one. Book 2 we are introduced to Dustin, a new dom, and Landon, a genderfluid sub who gets to explore a new aspect of kink while offering to help Dustin become the dom he's meant to be. Both characters are also deaf, there's plenty of kinky scenes, and some angst.
  • Book 3 we fall in love with my two favorite characters of all time. Ash, an genderqueer sub who loves sex and kink, grows close with Dustin's friend Zhong. A cuddly asexual dom in denial. Zhong truly believes he can't give Ash what they need, but their love story is one that lives rent-free in my heart.
  • Book 4, we see these two couples navigate the beginnings of a poly relationship and each characters grows and learns more about themselves throughout. This conclusion to the series celebrates the deaf community and how love is unlimited in all its aspects.
  • Maybe I'm just biased bc I'm an asexual poly person but this story and Morrison's ability to represent these aspects feels so personal to me. Now. Add this to your TBR or I will...I'll...I'll cry ;-;

General Romance

• Four Ever by Sloane Kennedy - Goodreads - (poly, hurt/comfort, menage, age gap, angst)
  • One established couple with many furry babies and deep emotional scars take in two young men who have been through an abusive past. I was hesitant to love this one, but there's a build up here that feels so natural. Many poly stories feel like there's not enough time given for each character to get a full scope of them, but Sloane Kennedy wrote this beautiful and healing story with the respect of someone who understands it's not a wham-bam and done deal. You learn to love each character so thoroughly that by the end you can't help but want to give each of them a big hug.
• Rat Park by Marina Vivancos - Goodreads - (hurt/comfort, explicit drug use/recovery/relapse, age gap, redemption, found family)
  • I love anything by Marina Vivancos, and I devoured this book as soon as I saw it on KU. Fair warning, this is not a typical romance. It mostly follows the life of Dominic as he grows up in a drug ridden home and becomes addicted and throughout the years battles his addiction. The second half of the book is where romance comes in but even then, addiction and his past haunts him as he navigates feelings of self-worth and acceptance. I would recommend this book to everyone but there's a special kind of person who can respect the care and time the author took to tell this story.
• Until I Saw You by Diania Roman - Goodreads - (contemporary, disability, hurt/comfort, bi-awakening, abuse)
  • Yeah, yeah, I know everyone will always recommend this one, but have you guys listened to the audiobook version? Cause wow, I thought I'd read Harper and Riley's story, but I felt like I got to listen to a whole new story with how well the narrators did on this one. I can really see how funny Riley is and how calm and lovable Harper is. I was laughing so hard sometimes nd those quiet, solitary sobs one emits when surrounded by others you'd rather not let see you getting weird for sobbing over fictional characters. If you loved the written book, check out the audiobook. You'll thank me later!
• Someday Someday by Emma Scott - Goodreads - (friends to lovers, forbidden love, hurt/comfort, religious trauma, angst)
  • I haven't seen many people recommend this one and I stumbled upon it myself through audible. It's about this heavily repressed man named Silas and Max who applies for a caregiver position for Silas's dying father. Now, I have never hated a fictional man more than I hated that old homophobic bag of bones, but Silas and Max's story was moving and emotional. It was an emotional rollercoaster, but I loved it and would ride it again just for the fantastic writing of Emma Scott. Check trigger warnings before reading this.

Omegaverse Series

• Hedonist by Roe Horvat - Goodreads - (omegaverse, fantasy, erotica, poly, open-relationship, mpreg)
  • Everyone on this sub absolutely loves Roe Horvat! And for good reason! Roe writes these extremely erotic omegaverse novels that are not only hot but also have complex depth to the characters. I wonder if you guys have given the Hedonist series a chance. Yes it's erotic scene after erotic scene but honestly, the premise, the politics, and the personalities of the characters create this whimsical historical fiction world where the omega king needs to find an alpha to give him an heir. The king himself has a group of omegas that he's saved or bought out of abusive situations and gives them a highly respected title amongst the court where the omegas are to be treated with the utmost respect. Consent is a beautiful thing and like any Roe Horvat novel, it is not forgotten. Give this duet and the spinoffs a read, it's truly one of my favorite eroticas.
• Forbidden Desires by Piper Scott - Goodreads - (omegaverse, paranormal, dragons, shapeshifters, romance, knotting, mpreg)
  • I've never quite loved a shifter series more than I've loved this one. I mean, the worldbuilding surrounding this secret society of dragon shifters and the magic of it all is just up my ally. This series follows each brother of the Drake family as they fall in love and find their mates. They have to navigate the politic mess of the dragon world, the nature of dragon shifters, and the adorableness of baby dragons.
  • Don't get me wrong, every single couple is amazing, but my favorites were Harrison & Everard with Harrisons quirky scientific mind and Everard's endless patience and love for his mate. But out of every character, I truly fell for Perry and Sebastion. This couple's story is told from the time they met hundreds of years ago and tells of their losses and love for one another. These two are couple goals, and Perry's struggles with pregnancy and the love he has for his children made it all a truly heart-wrenching story.
  • Oh, and don't discount the audiobooks! I loved them just as much as the written books.
• Alaskan Pebble Gifters by Amy Bellows - Goodreads - (omegaverse, shapeshifter, fantasy, knotting, mpreg)
  • I for some reason avoided shifter omegaverse novels. But I think that was mostly due to just not finding an author whose writing I could really sink my teeth into. Amy Bellows is an author unafraid to write darker storylines, but this series is one that's part typical omegaverse politics, truemate love and hardships, and a whole big part adorable cuddly baby penguins and polar bears <3 oh my god I melt when reading about the babies in this series!!! A baby penguin in a bowtie? GENIUSLY ADORABLE! Def recommend this shifter omegaverse series if you are already familiar with the genre or just starting.

Omegaverse Standalones

• Talk Nerdy to Me by Jett Matterson - Goodreads - (omegaverse, sports, college, contemporary)
  • If I could convince you to read just one Jett Matterson book I will have accomplished my goal here. No, this writing style is not everyone's cup of tea and there's not a whole ton of dialogue. But in my opinion, that just means we can experience the story from the characters point of view. It's written almost chronologically, follows the lives of these characters from the time they meet to its natural ending. But it truly feels like it could keep going on forever and I would faithfully keep reading it.
  • Alpha Matthew is the star football player in college, but he's failing his physics class. So he gets assigned a tutor, and this happens to be omega Miles Tran, a character with past trauma relating to bullying from footballs players like Matthew. But as these two get closer and begin to understand and care for each other, their romance also evolves. Lots of scent marking, sexy times, hurt/comfort, and a love so sweet it makes your tooth ache.
• Cutting the Braid by Jett Matterson - Goodreads - (omegaverse, fantasy, historical, paranormal, romance)
  • What it lacks in eroticism, it makes up for in storytelling. This world that Jett creates reminds me a lot of Marina Vivancos Honeythorne series. Historical with lots of character building. We're introduced to Valentyne, an omega whose lived alone since his mother passed away and works as the village's seamstress. In this world, omegas cut their hair after they lose their virginity, and Valentyne only wants to cut his hair after he meets his destined mate. When Ren moves into the village he knows he's met him. But will he be able to let go of his long beautiful hair for his destined mate? You will fall in love with Ren, Valentyne, and all their friends when you read this story.

Miscellaneous

• Otherworldy by F.T. Lukens - Goodreads - (Fantasy, YA, queer, paranormal, magic, romance)
  • If you are stoically set on erotica, you're truly missing out on some awesome stories. F.T. Lukens is one of my favorite YA queer authors whose written a few of my favorites like After Ever After and Spell Bound. I was engrossed the entire story, making it almost worth the months it took to come out since it was announced.
  • Knox is a familiar from the Other World who goes on the run after his master is killed. He carries with him a secret, but his biggest wish in this lifetime is to truly be able to experience what it is to be human. Ellery (NB) is a seventeen-year-old non-believer who's moved to the big city in order to support their family's farm because it's been hard times since the five-year long winter doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. These two literally crash into each other's lives and are thrown into a dangerous plot where they have to save each other in order to save everyone else.
• Tales from Verania by T.J. Klune - Goodreads - (Fantasy, romance, magic, humor, dragons, queer)
  • If you're looking for a story where there's action, adventure, magic, and very gay unicorn whose lost his horn, you've come to the right place! I WILL GUSH ABOUT THIS BOOK TIL THE END OF TIME! This series is not properly read unless you do yourself the favor of listening to Michael Lesly narrate a fabulously gay unicorn and horny AF dragon named Kevin. Sam is a wizards apprentice whose best friends Gary (the unicorn) and Tiggy (the half-giant and most precious character ever written) go on an adventure to rescue prince Justin after he is kidnapped by a dragon. Sam's story is told over the course of 4 books, with 2 half books, 1 sequel about prince Justin, and still ongoing!
  • Someone please read these books and gush with me because these live rent free in my head at all times. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Foreword: If this seems like a longer form version of a certain mossy-footed Commander's yarns, you wouldn't be wrong. I was inspired and entertained, and I really do enjoy writing, so I figured I'd go ahead and put virtual pen to digital paper and spin a tale of an ADHD-brained Commander's adventures (if you want to call them that). I'm finding this character's voice so if I post more of these, forgive me if the tone shifts around a bit.

That said, I hope you enjoy it.

16 MAY 3310 - LOG ENTRY #1

This will be the first log entry since I bought this damned thing. It's an antique, but the price was hard to beat, though it took rummaging through a lot of wreckage to find the firmware upgrade so I could actually connect it to my ship's comms; Probably should have just bought a newer one, but hell, I never did like to waste.
Well, except for wasting time anyway, which is what brings us to today's log entry.
It didn't start out as a waste of time, but hell if I don't love chasing squirrels, as my old squad leader used to say. I popped into Bernoulli Vision in Caeritis yesterday, looking to trade in some of my surplus materials for stuff I needed, but realized that they only traded in encoded materials, whereas most of my surplus was manufactured. (Y'ever wonder why the weirdly artificial divisions? Why won't they take raw materials for manufactured, or vice versa? It's probably a back-room deal they have to keep us 'Commanders' running around the galaxy) Luckily, they were feeling generous enough to point me toward the nearest manufactured materials trader, in LTT 2963.
What a boring-ass name for a star system. Definitely a step down from Caeritis. I mean, I know those astronomers on Earth were cataloguing millions, billions of stars, but it feels like they could have tried harder. The dozens called "HIP" followed by some numbers tells me that they got bored of naming stars pretty early on in their careers. You'd think with billions of people on the planet they could have farmed out the work; maybe even letting people pay a small fee to name stars after their loved ones, or something. I'd much rather be scooping 'Karen Smoots' for hydrogen than HIP 23-something, that's for sure. Wait, didn't I know a Karen Smoots back in school? Eh, who knows, I've digressed enough.
So anyway, LTT 2963. I pop into the system, scoop the star very briefly, and then swing around toward Leestma City and kick on the SCO for a bit of a boost. Man that thing is wild; even as an early adopter, I'm still not used to handling that bucking bronco of alien tech, but it sure does speed up the trip. Anyway, I coast in and decide to take a quick detour to map out the pretty gas giant on the way, then swoop the rest of the way in to Leestma. I request docking clearance, hit the deck just light enough to avoid scuffing the paint, and make a call to the material trader. I cut down on my surplus and then decide I'm gonna go chase Signal Sources to get some more, now that I've got a little more room.
First one I see is Weapons Fire in low, LOW orbit over a terrestrial ice ball, and I figure I can use a little practice on the guns. I usually avoid fights, but every now and again it's good to get the blood pumping. I drop in and see one transport getting dogged by a Wanted poster in an Eagle, and I open fire. The sniveling coward throws a threat at me over the radio, then immediately cuts and runs, leaving me alone in low orbit (the transport took advantage of my arrival to leave quickly) with nothing to shoot.
But hey, fresh planet! I map it, and discover it's got two types of geo and two types of bio. Bio's always worth some creds, and I kinda dig chasing geo in my SRV, so I drop down to the surface, and quickly spot some strange looking fumaroles that turn out to have a type of bio on them called, oddly enough fumarola. I check the book, and they've got a really small clonal colony range, so it feels like moments before I have all three... Leaving me to find bacteria.
Bacteria is the red-headed step-child of the Exobio world, and for good reason. Even when you're standing right next to it, it's hard to see because it never rises more than a few decimeters off the surface, and often blends right in. It's usually best to fly Nap of Earth (which is weird if you think about it, since I've never even been to Earth) at low speeds, or get a drone and have it fly above your ship or SRV for a better view, but even then this particular bit of bacteria was a pain in the ass. I found the first bit pretty quick, but the patches were pretty small, and barely stood out from the ice. After finding the second, I eventually decided to get in the SRV and go driving around.
Now I recently got one of them Scorpions, because all the scuttle-butt said they were hot shit; I guess they probably are if you're into surface combat, but honestly my old scarab was good enough for what little bit of scuffling I got up to, and the lack of a wavescanner and the smaller cargo makes them less ideal for surface exploration.
But man, I won't lie; they sure are fun to drive. They're tougher than the scarab, and a bit wider base, meaning they're a bit more stable on the ground. Even though I couldn't scan down geo, the geysers and fumaroles tended to be clustered up, and you could see a geyser from a decent distance off. So I found more than a little bit of geo while bouncing around that bumpy little iceball, including a few hunks of germanium; I'd used up most of my meager supply paying off that Farseer to upgrade my surface scanner. Finally decided it was about time to get back in the air and find the last colony of bacterium, and wouldn't you know it, I parked my SRV right next to a patch. I guess it's true what they say: you always find the things you're looking for once you stop looking.
So of course I drove around a bit longer; just one more crystal cluster, I kept saying to myself, until finally I hit a boulder because I started to drift off, and I knew it was time to get back up in the black and find a place to rest these weary bones. Ended up back here at Leestma City in this surprisingly comfortable lounge chair. There are two other pilots, decent looking sorts, trying to nap to either side of me. I considered making conversation, but if there's one thing I learned in the service, it's that you cadge sleep when you can, and you respect the right to nap.
Ah well; Not enough room in my cabin for two anyway.
All of that is a long-winded way of saying that I never did get around to chasing USS's, or get into a scrap, all because I love to chase squirrels. Honestly, this is the best life has to offer, and I'm probably gonna kick any sense of progress down the starlanes a little further.