Round 1, Pick 13 - Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia:
NFL: This is the Raiders willing to adjust the offense to take the best player available. Bowers is a spectacular player who can line up anywhere along the formation as a tight end. There aren’t many holes in his game -- which should urge new OC Luke Getsy to get creative and get Bowers and Michael Mayer on the field together.
CBS Sports: C. He’s a heck of a player, but didn’t they draft Michael Mayer last year and signed Harrison Bryant this year? They have other needs. Don’t really like this pick that much. It’s not like he’s a good blocker for their run game. Strange pick with other needs.
ESPN: What a strange first-round selection, especially considering tight end was addressed last season with the second-round selection of Michael Mayer. Offensive tackle and cornerback were bigger needs. New general manager Tom Telesco must have simply relied on his draft board and gone best player available, especially with Oregon State RT Taliese Fuaga and every single CB still available. In fact, every defensive player was still on the board, and yet ... Bowers was considered a top-10 overall talent and should provide immediate production for an anemic offense.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Cries during Bluey but only at the opening credits.
Round 2, Pick 44 - Jackson Powers-Johnson, OG, Oregon:
NFL: Brock Bowers felt like a throwback Raiders pick to me, but JPJ really feels like an Al Davis classic. Powers-Johnson is a big, brawling interior lineman who played center last year but also can line up at guard -- the position he was announced at -- and bury the man opposite him, even if he's a little stiff and an average athlete.
CBS Sports: A. Instant starter inside. Guard size with mobile center feet. Shorter arms and some rawness in pass pro. But upside is through the roof. All-Pro caliber in that regard. Smart pick here.
ESPN: While Powers-Johnson played center at Oregon, the Raiders announced him as a guard, which makes sense since Las Vegas needs a right guard. Yes, even after the Raiders signed veteran Cody Whitehair in free agency. Powers-Johnson has started games at both guard spots and center in his college career. Last season, he started 13 games at center, was an All-America selection and won the Rimington Award as the nation's top center. He provides quality versatility, which is highly valued on the Raiders' offensive line.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: He somehow still uses a functioning Windows phone.
Round 3, Pick 77 - DJ Glaze, OT, Maryland:
NFL: A left or right tackle with great length and so-so athleticism, Glaze was considered a question mark because of some past injuries (including an ACL), but the Raiders clearly feel good about him here. He's likely a swing tackle to start out but could compete for a starting job down the line.
CBS Sports: A-. One of the more calculated OTs in the class. Rarely panics and has plus awareness. Requisite size and length to stay on the edge in the NFL. Athleticism is at times great but not a true speciality. Nothing overly standout about his game. Just high floor blocker.
ESPN: After taking a versatile interior offensive lineman in the second round in Powers-Johnson, the Raiders used their third-round pick to grab a college tackle who could also transition inside to guard in Glaze. The selection shows how much the new regime of GM Tom Telesco and coach Antonio Pierce value versatility on the offensive line, which is all but set on the left side and at center. Glaze has a long wingspan at nearly seven feet but is not known for being overly physical.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Prefers the arrows on the keyboard over WASD.
Round 4, Pick 112 - Decamerion Richardson, CB, Mississippi State:
NFL: I joked on Day 2 that the Raiders are having another Al Davis-flecked draft, and Richardson keeps the theme rolling. He's a straight-line speed demon with great length, two very encouraging traits. But his penchant for handsy coverage and no real track record for playmaking mutes his appeal just a bit.
CBS Sports: A-. Long, sleek burner who will make plays on the football when he trusts his eyes. Lacks physicality at times and that hurts him when attempting to stop the run although when he gets to the football, he’s a very sure tackler. Smooth athlete in off-man and zone. This secondary needed this type of CB specimen.
ESPN: The Raiders finally address their defense at defensive back in particular, with Richardson who is 6-foot-2 and ran the 40 in 4.34 seconds. He needs development but did lead Mississippi State with 7 pass breakups last season, even as he never had an interception. He's also not afraid to stick his nose in the scrum as he had a combined 164 tackles the last two seasons.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Thinks scotch tape smells like Christmas.
Round 5, Pick 148 - Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio State:
NFL: Instinctive, throwback linebacker who lacks great speed. Eichenberg has the makeup to turn into a defensive tone-setter, even if his coverage ability is limited.
CBS Sports: A-. Ultra-active middle linebacker with a blitzing specialty. Smooth athlete a bit quicker than fast. Awareness is good in coverage, he will find crossers and understand in-breakers are working behind him. Strong tackler. Lack of speed and at times problems vs. blocks are weaknesses but this is a sound football player.
ESPN: Coach Pierce, who spent nine years as an NFL linebacker, gets his guy in the 6-foot-2, 233-pound Eichenberg, who provides depth while translating into a backup for Robert Spillane. Eichenberg did miss three games with an arm injury last season, a year after he was second-team All-American. More a thumper inside than a pass-coverage specialist, Eichenberg had 82 tackles (2.5 for a loss), a sack and a forced fumble in 10 games last season.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Played the role of background tree in his middle school play.
Round 6, Pick 208 - Dylan Laube, RB, New Hampshire:
NFL: Laube become something of a folk hero at the Senior Bowl, charming fans with his personality, elusiveness and pass-catching prowess. He had 295 yards receiving against Central Michigan alone this year and legitimately could emerge as a third-down weapon in the pass game.
CBS Sports: A-. Insane receiving RB. Built low to the ground and had fine testing figures before the draft. Low, side to side wiggle but lacks speed once he finds space. Contact balance is good too. Think the small-school Blake Corum.
ESPN: An FCS All-American all-purpose player, Laube projects more as a potential kick and punt returner in the NFL rather than a rotational running back. He averaged 31.1 yards on kick returns and 11.3 yards on punt returns and had a touchdown on each. He rushed for 749 yards and nine TDs, averaging 4.7 yards per carry last season, and also had 68 catches for 699 yards with seven receiving scores, including a 295-receiving yards game against Central Michigan.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Once wrote 250+ fake true facts for nfl draft cards like a moron.
Round 7, Pick 223 - Trey Taylor, S, Air Force:
NFL: Air Force has landed a few players in the draft the past few years after a long absence, and Taylor could make it either as a box safety or a special teams contributor.
CBS Sports: A. Thick, productive three-level safety best being closer to the line. Plays with controlled athleticism. Gets grabby against better athletes but that’s expected for a larger safety. Solid ball skills. Not ultra twitchy. Smart well-rounded type.
ESPN: The first-ever defensive back drafted out of the Air Force Academy, Taylor won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. He figures to provide immediate depth behind starters Marcus Epps and Tre’von Moehrig, but at 6-feet, 213 pounds, he has the size and instincts to be an immediate contributor. Taylor, whose cousin is Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed, had three interceptions, one pick-six, 74 tackles, five for a loss, four PBUs and a blocked kick last fall.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Yes, you reading this COULD have come up with better Facts.
Round 7, Pick 229 - MJ Devonshire, CB, Pittsburgh:
NFL: Devonshire is a fast, tough competitor with size limitations. He was never a full-time starter in college but had strong ball production the past two years.
CBS Sports: B+. Long CB who has the frame of a nickel. Fast, decently explosive athlete. Best in press man near the line. Average to slightly above-average ball skills. Zone awareness not there yet. High floor type.
ESPN: The Raiders concluded their draft by taking their second cornerback of the day in Devonshire, who is more a physical defender who does not shy away from bump-and-run coverage than a speedy DB, though he did run a 4.45 40. The 5-foot-11, 186-pound Devonshire led Pitt with four interceptions last season, including a pick-six, and had 10 PBUs in 12 games with nine starts. Las Vegas split their eight draft picks evenly between offense (TE, G, OT, RB) and defense (two CBs, S, LB).
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Likes bologna on white bread with mustard - it’s a flat hotdog!

There’s a tm with a really similar sounding name as mine so we get mixed up sometimes over who’s being called.
There are so many times there’s a question for her that I think is for me and I answer it fully bc I could’ve sworn it was for me and they’re “… it was for x.” I’m like sorry I’ll just go clock out right now and draft my resignation. She does it sometimes too so ig it’s ok.
And someone said “oh have a good night” and I said “you too” but they were talking to their friend walking behind me and I in my head im like oh I’ll just die. But it happened again with the exact same person and I was like no I won’t fall for it this time but they were actually talking to me this time and I flat out ignored them. In my defense they were looking straight ahead not even a glance in my direction. So I thought yeah def not talking to me. But they made a comment abt it to their friend and I’m like oh no I’m sorry but it was too late.
This is definitely a me problem but I just wanted to get it out there since I bet people think I’m just mean and weird now lol. I just have to pay more attention but im like oh no I just ruined my workplace relationships. This is gonna come back to my mind when I try to sleep for the next 5 years.

I know it sounds ridiculous but I'm a guy who prefers and is better at drawing on an angle. Sadly I don't have much of a drafting table. I still want to draw well. Despite that. Until I get one. What's the best way to draw on a flat surface like a regular table.

I have had a small covey of coturnix quail for almost a month now. We had 4 hens, and 1 rooster. As of this week, they should be of laying age, but we have not seen any eggs yet.
Our quail are kept in a 15sqf predator proof hutch. The dark/draft-proof area of the hutch is sand-lined, with some straw and driftwood pieces. The more open-air side is lined with cardboard flats covered with straw, dirt and sand, as I wanted them to have as natural a habitat as possible. I clean their waterers daily, and fill with ice water (it has been hot here).
I provide them with layer feed, ground oyster shell, fresh greens, berries… I have really invested time and energy into giving these sweet birds the best life and I’m so sad that one died!! What did I do wrong?
She seemed fine last night, but when I woke up this morning and went to check their food/water, one hen was dead, and her vent area was bloody/covered in sand. Was she egg-bound? Prolapse?

Thread I wrote comment to:
https://www.reddit.com/Psionics/comments/2ef39a/sheepking_here_former_psipog_author_former_psi/
Screenshot of thread I wrote comment for.

My comment:
If phones were not considered a luxury during my teen years, I would have no problem producing video of Psychokinesis. I have found that Psi Balls can trigger a EMF reader, whether it was between my hands, or if i programmed it to travel across the room to the sensor, or if I was somewhere further away it still worked.
Stayed away from telepathy because my mother told me something along the lines of I do not have clinical credentials to be messing around with that. May cause irreversible damage. Solid advice. Thank you mom.
Psychokinesis, 100% legit. Spinning the psi wheel, predicting how many rotations it will spin, writing numbers on different sides of it to call when it would stop, now rotate the other direction, now do it again under glass, under glass with witnesses. After a year, spinning the wheel was easy. Stopping and controlling it was what I was practicing.
When you introduce the glass enclosure, you need to get used to it because you know that it does not matter if the glass is there or not, but it still trips you out at first. It was hard to get my high school science teacher to take a moment and open his mind. But, I refused to sit there and have him and the textbook say that it's a scam. Not delusional, a scam.
As time went on and I fucked off his class, I would practice at my desk. Eventually I got him to understand that he himself held many assumptions and logical fallacies around it. Just because I claim this is true, does not mean I claim that is true. I do not know how it works. I just know that it does with practice. The practice began at the pin wheel balanced on a thumb tack. I would place my finger next to it so close i could almost feel it without touching it. Then building my way up over a long time.
Then rolling an empty Monster drink on a table was easy after the second year. I could push it, pull it. Never could slide a pen/pencil.
It began when I saw my uncle sliding a paperclip around on top of the laundry dryer in the garage. I stood in the doorway, but he was unaware I was there. I was going to startle him and it would have been hilarious, so I waited. And he was focused on the paperclip. He stopped when he finally noticed I was there. What the hell was he doing? How the hell was he sliding it without touching it?
My mother said that the mind is very powerful thing when I had asked her. That is it. He wouldn't tell me anything about it, in fact he would deny the paperclip incident flat out to my face after. Not like it was a secret, but like, with a smirk on his face. Like he knew, that I knew, that he knew that we know what I saw.
I was puzzle dusted. Every single person I saw, I had ask them if they ever seen or heard of anything like that. 0 shame. Nobody had any information. And that part still stands out ot me because as time goes on to this day, I asked a huge amount of people. Million people, easy.
I found when asking people about it, they fall into these categories:

1 - They never thought about the idea of moving an object that was not apart of the body: MAJORITY OF PUBLIC.

1.5 - Dragon Ball Z. Was just a dumb kid. Enough said: Notable amount of American Millennial males.

2 - When they were real young child...whatever the story is, they thought about the idea. That is it. No action taken: 8% of public.

3 - When they were real young child...whatever the story is, they thought about the idea...and they tried something. Maybe it was just wishing really hard on it like a birthday cake candle or whatever. Doesn't matter. No results. Did not try more than an hour: Less than 2% of public. Went on with their lives, no second thought about it,

4 - Looking back now as I write this...there should have been more people that had been exposed to the concept as a stage magic trick. But, no, not many at all. Interesting.

Nobody I asked, not a single person, tried it, did not get results, and persisted anyway. That part. Regardless of if they heard of it or not. If they think its just a party trick or that its a scam or its a delusion. NOBODY TRIED IT, DIDN'T GET RESULTS, BUT KEPT TRYING ANYWAY. It took me about 3 weeks of practice every single day to get "maybe that was the wind that moved it...".
Then persisting to the point it became a discipline. Every. Single. Day. Then after a month or two, YOU KNOW that was not the wind. Even if it was the wind, I felt that. In fact, a small draft of air in the room moving it helped me feel what it felt like to move it. Bizzare thing to try and articulate here so I'll try to keep the inner-game details to myself.
Then after 3 months or so, every, single, day - I did it! Woah! You break the state of mind because you are so excited.

Then I smoked pot. I couldn't practice the next day because my mind was still fuzzy. It was noticeably fuzzy the day after that too. Then I got high again.
Now...I am 31 and I have never explained everything like I just did and went to say this part to another person: I never been sober since. I mowed the lawn for my aunt and she gave my a ziplock bag of bud and it was too much...

Overall,
Psychokinesis gave me excellent critical thinking skills that has served me very well.
I try to be honest with myself about what I do know and do not know. Regardless of what other people say is true or false. Regardless of how many other people say what is true or false. Anything I think I know could be proven primitive because of innovation tomorrow.
An example of the mental tools my experience gave me: Look at the recent .xz Linux Backdoor that was discovered. It was right there, nobody noticed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS9em7Bg0iU
Psychokinesis is 100% real.
James Randi has unrealistic expectations for his million dollar challenge.
The million dollar challenge being unclaimed does not equal paranormal phenomena proven false.
The idea that "laws of physics" say paranormal phenomena can not be real is an assumption and a fallacy.
I am skeptical of the godfather of skepticism.
Thank you, whomever reads this for your time.

I just picked up the game, and I can't even clear tier zero. Is this to be expected? Because I flat out can't even imagine clearing higher difficulties with how insane t2 and t3 is without God rolling.
The delta between good rng and bad rng is just absurd. For reference, I have extensive drafting experience from MTG and HS, and watched guides before I picked this up so I know what I'm talking about when I look at half the cards most classes have access to and go "Ah, this is hot garbage." So when you just roll nonsynegistic cards, like repeated "proc on poison" as 2 of the 3 options seven times in a row but never see a poison option, or go an entire act before getting your first rare at the boss Its just garbage. The RNG is so extreme Its giving me PTSD flash backs to HS Dungeon Runs. Most Roguelikes you have some wiggle room with skill, but your run can end here on the first elite just due to not getting any good cards or a potion.
And what's this "if you make it to act 3 Its super easy!" I mean, I guess it could could be if you don't roll time eater or the awakened one as silent, which I've just discovered the latter can either be a cake walk or impossible depending upon its attack rng, cuz as silent a combination of bad draws and getting hit for 40 damage every turn in the second phase both times I got there was absurd. And if you get time eater as silent with a shiv build get fucked I guess.
I'm at a complete loss. How is tier zero supposed to be easy? I'll admit there does seem to be some absurd weighted good rng on your first runs with a character cuz that was some God tier luck, but holy hell it's been a nightmare tv thereafter.
Is this game just this hard and this random?

I am not The OOP, OOP is u/loro-rojo
Opposing counsel said in open court that I lied to the court.
Originally posted to Lawyertalk
Thanks to u/soayherder for suggesting this BoRU
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
OC - Opposing Counsel
AO - Agreed Offer
MSJ - Motion for Summary Judgement
Original Post Oct 25, 2023
I represent the defendants in a very contentious lawsuit. Plaintiff’s counsel is an old time attorney, who is borderline senile. Every word he says is a lie, his case is frivolous and he is the biggest pain in the ass. One of the major issues I've had to deal with is his unilaterally setting things without coordinating. He's scheduled hearings, depositions, and mediations without coordinating (he just sets matters, without even a courtesy email giving us notice). I've been forced to file motions to continue, motions for protective order as a result. The court never hears the motions because OC always at the last minute agrees to continue and I agree to simply drop the issue.
Last month he again set a hearing without coordinating. In response, I filed a motion seeking an order requiring OC to confer and coordinate before scheduling anything. I explained in the motion the many times OC unilaterally scheduled matters. I did not seek sanctions, I simply wanted an order on the issue so that OC would stop with the unilaterally setting. I just wanted him to stop being such ass.
Days before the hearing, I reach out to OC asking if he will agree to an agreed order. He ignores me. Yesterday we attend the hearing. I argue my motion at the hearing. In response, OC says in open court that he has never unilaterally scheduled anything and that I was not being candid with the court (ie that I was lying). The judge ordered us to appear at an evidentiary hearing next month on the matter. The judge will hear testimony, evidence and sanction whichever of us is lying.
I of course love the ruling. Finally I will be able to show to the court that OC is a flat out liar. Maybe the judge will sanction him. Hopefully, the judge will refer the matter to the state bar association. Can't wait for the hearing date.
OC called me about an hour ago asking if we can enter into an AO on the motion and avoid the evidentiary hearing. He said that he wants to avoid the cost. I know he's scared that the judge is about to end his career. He admitted to me during the call that he did in fact lie to the court when he accused me of not being candid to the court. I told OC that since he told the judge in open court that I was a liar, I had no choice but to go forward with the hearing and clear my name.
An attorney at my office suggested that if OC is willing to sign a stipulation whereby he withdraws his statement in open court (that he never unilaterally sets matters and that I wasn't being candid with the court), and agrees to confer prior to setting matters, I should agree and not move forward with the hearing. I obviously would rather move forward with the hearing and clear my name. I dont think a simple stipulation has the same power as addressing the matter in court. Obviously going forward with the evidentiary hearing carries its own risks. For example, OC said that he would expose to the court all of my lies during the lawsuit but this is again more baseless crap from this loser. I'mot worried about it but you never know what a judge will do.
Anyone had to deal with this before? Any advice? Is the wise move to agree to a stipulation and move on?
Update - 6 months later May 11, 2024
Here is my original post.
https://www.reddit.com/Lawyertalk/comments/17gk92m/opposing_counsel_said_in_open_court_that_i_lied/
This nightmare of a case is over and I can finally provide an update.
I did not try to enter into a stipulation with OC. As the evidentiary hearing date approached, he continued his antics and overall senile demeanor. I was left with no choice but to proceed with the evidentiary. Something I did not mention in my prior post- this case was set for a BENCH trial. I needed to preserve my reputation with this judge, especially since there wasn't going to be a jury on this one.
In any case, the week before the evidentiary hearing, we have an unrelated hearing on a discovery issue on the same case. During this hearing, I finally discovery a disturbing truth. My senile opposing counsel is best buds with the judge. Before the hearing starts, they talk about their grandkids, the family and upcoming bar events. Once the hearing starts, the judge refused to hear my arguments and denied my motion. He also stated (out of the blue) that he was cancelling the upcoming evidentiary hearing. This was after I spent hours drafting a supplemental motion, attaching exhibits and filing a detailed reply to Plaintiff's incoherent response (interestingly enough, OC admitted in his response to my motion that he did unilaterally schedule matters, but still wanted me to be sanctions for "reasons") OC then told the judge that I had wasted his time and the court's time filing the motion to confer. I was flabbergasted. The judge ruled that the evidentiary hearing would be held after the conclusion of the case. He said that "we need to get along". What a joke. All in all, this whole thing was a big waste of time.
OC's antics continued. In response to my request for production, he said that I could review the documents at his office. He refused to coordinate this, of course. I was forced to file a motion. In response, he tells me to go to his office later that day to inspect the documents. I show up and he kicks me out of the office because they were not "ready". After a couple of hours, I return to inspect the documents. It was a stack of 50 single page documents that could have been scanned to me in less than 10 minutes. In fact, there was a scanner in the attorney's conference room. I reviewed the documents, took pictures of some and left.
We then had another discovery dispute hearing. As usual, deranged OC made a ridiculous request and refused to confer. At the hearing, the judge sustained my objection (shocker). OC told the judge that he wanted to subpoena a non-party. The judge told OC to simply follow the rules (file a notice of intent to serve subpoena) if he wants to proceed with the subpoena. As expected, OC went ahead and served the subpoena anyways, in violation of the Rules and in violation of the Judge's ruling in open court. Luckily I had a court reported at the hearing. I filed a Motion to hold OC in Direct Contempt of Court and set it for hearing.
The following week OC filed his MSJ. This "filing" was the biggest POS I've ever seen. All the attorneys at my firm had a laugh reading the incoherent dribble this guy filed. The following day we went to mediation.
Mediation started with OC insulting my client, calling him a liar, a thief, and a good for nothing. During my mediation opening, I told the opposing side that it was my belief that his attorney was cognitively impaired and that he should not follow his attorney's advice. It was an epic shit show. I've never experienced anything like it and probably never will. Plaintiff wanted my client to pay him high six figures. We proposed a walkaway (we also filed a counterclaim). After hours of BS counteroffers, we impassed.
The next day I received a call from the mediator. Plaintiff is willing to accept $100k to settle. We stood firm on our walkaway offer. Miraculously, they accepted the walkaway. We then drafted the agreement and filed it with the Court. I've never been more relieved in my life.
I'm so glad this case is over. I will go nuclear on this guy if I ever have him again as OC.
RELEVANT COMMENTS
Zer0Summoner

Also, calling OC cognitively impaired directly to his client's face during opening? Chef's fucking kiss. You're my hero for that.

OOP

Lol. I spent too much time contemplating whether to do this. At the end, I was like who cares, case not settling anyways so may as well roast this guy.
Also, OC had previously represented to the court that he was charging his client $250/hr (mentioned it in a sanctions motion he filed against me). During opening I also said that the going hourly rate for a case like this was $150/hr. I knew Plaintiff was bleeding money and wanted to make him think his attorney was ripping him off. I guess it worked.

THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT THE OOP
DO NOT CONTACT THE OOP's OR COMMENT ON LINKED POSTS, REMEMBER - RULE 7

Hi folks,
I'm having these health issues:

• Burning eyes and throat
• Asthma and respiratory difficulties
• Coughing fits

These issues are caused by my neighbor's indoor cigarette smoke being drafted into my flat through the closed door. The smoke is more intense than standing next to a smoker outdoors, the air currents seem to concentrate it. It is on par with taking a draught on a cigarette directly, or burning tons of incense in a small unventilated room.
It's a clear health hazard along multiple dimensions;

• Were this a workplace, I expect it would cleanly violate health and safety regulations or something related to duty of care?
• If I still worked my old job at the children's hospital, the level of smoke currently coming from my clothing (from being stored in the flat) would be grounds for dismissal. (no-third-hand smoke policy).
• Were this a hotel or regulated B&B, I expect there would be some code or law violations happening regarding the ventilation and front-door construction?
• The science was clear decades ago: living in this flat is akin to residing with an indoor smoker long-term, and we all know the health statistics there. But moreover, I'm having health problems now.

What can I do?

• I'd try to talk to the neighbour, except that has only ever made things worse in similar situations in my life experience. A conscientious person doesn't fill their apartment stairwell with clouds of smoke, and I don't know how to engage with non-conscientious neighbors without risking trouble. I'd need coaching I think to even attempt :/
• It's rented accommodation in an old council building; I'm not in a position to relocate;
• I'd welcome ideas for how to stop the draught through the door, except: I'd need to block the mail slot and key hole though, so I need an answer that still allows me to receive post and exit the front door.
• I already use a steroid inhaler, it's not (currently) helping, and I can't use the albuterol inhaler in the evenings due to its stimulant effects.
• Opening windows makes it worse, I assume by increasing the smoke-filled air flowing in. Closing the windows isn't enough to bring it down to safe levels either.
• I expect this is probably "It's legal, nothing you can do", but darn this is messed up. I'm having coughing fits and my eyes and throat are burning half the evenings. It's truly exacerbating my asthma, it's nothing to do with the smell and it's not about "dislike" or "discomfort", it's a real medical issue.

Is this generally considered ... the way things should be? Surely this level of health impact indicates building code or tenant law has been violated, in relation to habitability? (Never had to deal with this before.)
Edit 1: Keep in mind I'm a bit of an idiot and there may be obvious answers I've missed. Also, disappointing answers are still welcome as they bring closure.
Edit 2: Assuming no current recourse, is there is a broad-consensus regulatory or policy change that would help? I'd be happy to support it through the democratic process, provided there is expert consensus. Perhaps updates to health codes or tenancy laws to move them closer to what's already required for hotels?
In anticipation of automod removing this due to keyword similarity, this question is not a duplicate of

1. This one, which pertains to disposal of cigarette butts only.
2. This one, whose replies emphasized smell and not health problems
3. These ones (1, 2, 3), all of which could be mitigated by closing windows.

Edit: Resolution

Thanks all; Indeed there are many simple steps I should have taken to fix this, and it does testify to my sketchy mental health that I reached to venting in learned helplessness on the Internet rather than brainstorming.
Summary of great ideas:

• Fit draught excluders/weather seals to the door and letterbox
• Hang a heavy curtain over the door.
• Address my own mental and physical health (see GP) and see if I still feel its an issue
• Dehumidifier by the offending door, with an ioniser
• Counter the convection: open the windows and run a fan drawing air from outside.
• Query the terms of the leasehold, this may or may not be permitted.
• Read up on code surrounding fire doors.

Further ideas: - Removable tape over keyhole, if I can't change the door and its locks - Tape shut the letterbox and place a new box outside with a note for the postal carrier

I feel like WWE went too hard with WM this year and built hype for wrestling that it isn't and can't deliver on.
Mania got everyone excited for the "new era", but post mania, it's not delivering imho.
They kind of immediately killed the momentum the very next RAW. where were the surprises at, the roster call-ups, etc? The draft fell flat.
Maybe mania was good, more so by accident. I'm not sure how they could put all of that together and be the same people who produce the tv shows.
Am i wrong here? Did they go too big and set themselves up for an impossible follow up season post mania?

Round 1, Pick 28 - Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas:
NFL: Yes, the Chiefs are back-to-back Super Bowl champions, but they haven’t been the same since Tyreek Hill departed for Miami. Kansas City once again will have that vertical element in its offense, as Worthy's elite speed will create opportunities for other pass catchers underneath, including more easy layups for Travis Kelce.
CBS Sports: A. He can flat out fly. Has had some issues with drops, but for a team that once had Tyreek Hill it makes a ton of sense to get this type of speed. How much will Patrick Mahomes love this guy?
ESPN: The Chiefs didn't want to merely rebuild at wide receiver after last season's group underachieved. They wanted to rebuild with speed. Selecting Worthy, who ran a combine record 4.21 40-yard dash, is a major step in that direction. Worthy joins another fast receiving acquisition, free agent signee Marquise Brown. The Chiefs struggled last season to connect on many big plays down the field and they hope these moves, particularly drafting Worthy, corrects the problem.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Unironically asked his college position coach what a computer was.
Round 2, Pick 63 - Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU:
NFL: Another player whom I once mocked to the correct team (but a round too high), Suamataia is a former five-star high school recruit who boasts elite size and length and all the tools to be good. But Suamataia is not likely ready for the big leagues just yet and will have to have his motor revved up to earn a starting role as a rookie.
CBS Sports: B. Boom-or-burst prospect. 2022 was outstanding 2023 was not on film. Burst and especially lateral sliding ability are there. Has hard time locking onto EDGEs and securing them. Slips out of many blocks against the run. Hand work in pass pro can be outstanding at times. Raw but talented. NFL OT frame. Need filled.
ESPN: Veach said last week the Chiefs would look for a player to provide competition for Wanya Morris at starting left tackle and here is that competition. Morris, a third-round pick last year, has the benefit of experience after starting a handful of games last season. But the Chiefs didn't trade up a spot to draft Suamataia in the second round for him to be a backup forever.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Knows that if he ate 1,000,000 bananas he’d die from radiation poisoning.
Round 4, Pick 131 - Jared Wiley, TE, TCU:
NFL: Wiley sneaked into the back end of my final top 100 list, featuring a pro-ready body, undersold receiving skills and blocking chops. This is a fantastic pick for the Chiefs, who are nearing the day when they have to think about life after Travis Kelce.
CBS Sports: B+. Older prospect at TE with the athletic chops to get open at all three levels and threaten the seam. Not a major YAC type. Not much of a blocker, needs to get stronger overall. More smooth than explosive. Large catch radius he showcases in traffic.
ESPN: The Chiefs, who have favored multiple-tight end formations with Andy Reid as coach, have a fourth to add to their depth chart, joining Travis Kelce, Noah Gray and Irv Smith Jr. At 260 pounds, Wiley will also have a chance to earn a role on special teams.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Uses catchphrases - ‘Exit, stage left’ and ‘Heavens to Murgatroyd’.
Round 4, Pick 133 - Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State:
NFL: The Chiefs are threatening to steal my heart with their increasingly impressive draft haul. Hicks was a Day 2 prospect in my eyes, capable of adding some terrific depth to this Kansas City secondary but in need of a bit more seasoning. Still, I love the terrific value here.
CBS Sports: A+. Large, intimidating safety who comes with the full skill set. Can cover tight ends. Deliver big hits over the middle. Make plays on the football with decent regularity. And he tackles well. Awesome addition to the Chiefs secondary. Best closer to the line of scrimmage. My top safety in this class.
ESPN: The Chiefs' safety depth chart has veterans in Justin Reid, Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner at the top, so unless there's an injury ahead of him Hicks might provide mostly depth and play on special teams to begin his career. But Hicks is capable of playing a variety of roles, so it might not be long before defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo finds a way to get him on the field.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Football is life but radio controlled cars is his PASSION.
Round 5, Pick 159 - Hunter Nourzad, C, Penn State:
NFL: The list of draftable centers is quickly drying up. Nourzad turns 25 years old this fall, isn't all that special athletically and has an injury history. But he has the smarts, toughness and enough length to be a three-position backup inside.
CBS Sports: A-. Former Cornell blocker who excelled in Big 10 after transfer to Penn State. Battler without freaky athleticism but wins with angles and leverage. Sometimes larger, longer DTs give him problems but he’ll fight to the finish every play. Awareness is awesome. Can get stronger. Hand work is good. High-floor type.
ESPN: Nourzad played center, guard and tackle at various points in college, but the Chiefs project him at the interior positions in the NFL. They were solid at those spots in their starting lineup in 2023 but might have a vacancy beyond that with Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith heading into the final seasons of their contracts.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Must hide his love of raisins from society.
Round 6, Pick 211 - Kamal Hadden, CB, Tennessee:
NFL: The Chiefs have made inroads with their later-round DB picks in recent years and could have another sleeper in Hadden, if his health or lack of deep speed don't hold him back. He played well last season for the Vols when called on.
CBS Sports: B+. Good-sized boundary CB with better on-field athleticism than his workout suggests. Mirrors well at all three levels but not a true burner when tested deep. Plus ball skills but have incomplete grade on his run-support ability because he played so much off coverage. Good, not great movement skill.
ESPN: The Chiefs were looking to add at cornerback after trading L’Jarius Sneed. They picked five cornerbacks in the previous two drafts, so Hadden might not get immediate playing time. But he could break into the lineup with some development. At 6-foot-1 and almost 200 pounds, Hadden has the size the Chiefs prefer in their cornerbacks.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Knows that you can burn out any car if you tie it to a tree.
Round 7, Pick 248 - C.J. Hanson, OG, Holy Cross:
NFL: The Holy Cross product was strictly a right guard in college, but he prepped to be an NFL center the past few months. That could be the key to earning a spot as a reserve or practice squad player in Kansas City.
CBS Sports: A-. Athletic grappler who wins the angles battle often at the small-school level. Run-blocking extraordinaire. Doesn’t have requisite length and has to get much stronger. Resets his hands with decent regularity.
ESPN: Hanson is the Chiefs' second interior offensive lineman among their final three picks in the draft. They needed depth at guard after losing their top reserve, Nick Allegretti, in free agency. Hanson won't get immediate playing time, but he could eventually compete for a starting spot.
NFL Absolutely Not Fake News: Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum, what beanstalk did you fall from?

The rare flat segments around me are pretty much all taken by pros training behind a motorized pacer. Am I right to feel a little cheated when they're easily 30% faster than the 2nd time? Or is this just part of the game like wind or accidental truck drafting? To flag or not to flag?

Hi everyone,
I’m about to rent a flat in Mumbai for the first time and could use some advice. The current agreement, drafted by the broker, seems quite basic, and I want to make sure I'm covering all important aspects. Here are a few questions and concerns I have:

1. Key Clauses to Include: What are some crucial clauses I should ensure are included in the rental agreement? For instance, maintenance responsibilities, notice period, rent escalation, etc.
   
2. Dos and Don’ts: Are there any dos and don’ts specific to renting in Mumbai that I should be aware of?
   
3. Legal Considerations: What legal aspects should I be particularly cautious about? Are there any common pitfalls or red flags to watch out for?
   
4. New Home Tips: Any general advice or tips for a first-time renter in Mumbai? Things I should be aware of before moving in?
   

I would greatly appreciate any advice or experiences you can share. Thanks in advance!

C N'Faly Dante from Oregon declared for the draft but is waiting on a waiver to see if he can be approved for a 6th season in college: https://twitter.com/MattPrehm/status/1790792301511589996 Originally from Mali, Dante was a five star recruit out of Kansas in 2019, having moved to the States to further his basketball development. He has suffered through a litany of injuries throughout his career, starting in HS as a sophomore where he tore an ACL. He suffered through tendonitis of his knees as a freshman and was cleared late with eligibility issues, tore his left ACL in 2020, suffered an ankle injury that ended his season in 2023, and had knee surgery after one game this past season, which kept him out 14 games.
Through all of his injuries, he has been able to return to the floor each time and has turned himself into an NBA prospect. The athleticism he continues to possess even after the injuries he's suffered is impressive. He measured in at 6'10 w/out shoes at the combine with a 7'6 wingspan and 9'3 standing reach. 260 points. He's a 6'11 in shoes absolute unit of a physical specimen. Strong, wide, has huge hands, and is very quick in the open floor for a big man. He's gets off the ground quickly and powerfully and is a decent leaper that can elevate from a standstill and gather and power up quickly. He's not the smoothest guy laterally, but is certainly not slow footed by any means and is really mobile for his size.
Dante does all the things you want from a traditional big well. He is one of the very best finishers this class has. Over 80% at the rim. Generates a ton of contact. Elite offensive rebounder. His ability to power up from a standstill, his frame/strength, and his wingspan and large hands gives him a very large catch and finish radius and make it extremely hard to effectively contest his shots, he's an above the rim finisher in the halfcourt. He does a fantastic job making himself available for dump off passes and working his way into position for the catch down low. He catches most balls clean but not every one, but when he doesn't he has the ability to regather himself and finish with ease. He has effective ball fakes that get defenders off their feet.
He is an elite transition threat. He's one of the most dynamic guys at his size you'll see running down the floor. He's an elite transition finisher. He beats guys down the floor and catches lobs or seals defenders and finishes at the rim. He does a great job with seals in the paint. He was one of the most efficient post scorers in college basketball this year. His post game is fairly simple but it's economical, he has nice touch in the post, and the position he gains and the space he clears with his drop step usually gives him a shot right in front of the rim. He has decent footwork in the post...he has a step through move he likes to use in the post. He has a fake spin/hook in his arsenal. He prefers the right hand but will go left. He has the ability to catch balls under the rim and work his way above it. His large catch radius, how light he is on his feet, and his strength, make it easy for him to carve out space down low. That's what really gives him an advantage from the jump as a post scorer. He's pretty decisive in the post...he gets into his moves quickly, which both forces contact and makes him hard to contest.
He is a top class screen setter. He's a wall as a screen setter. He really walls off defenders and clears them out of the way, without being called for fouls, whether that be out of the DHO, off ball, or PnR. He creates a lot of open shots with his screens. He's also great at sealing defenders for drivers for easy baskets. His screen setting contributes to how good of a PnR roller he is. He's also a fantastic slip guy. He's so mobile for his size. His ability to get off the ground quickly and his leaping ability along with his hands and catch radius makes him a major lob threat. He really peels off screens in a dynamic way and with fantastic timing. It's very hard to stop him once he gets going downhill. In a traditional PnR set, it only takes him 1-2 dribbles for him to get to the basket.
He gobbles up rebounds on both ends. He's super strong with the ball as a rebounder. He's a force as a rebounder. He attacks balls in the air, and he is fantastic with positioning. He has natural rebounding instincts, knowing where the ball is going to be off the rim and placing himself in position to grab it. He does a good job keeping the ball high when he grabs an offensive board which makes him an elite put back guy. He can grab rebounds outside of his immediate area with his length and athleticism. He can reach back and grab balls in the air. He will rip balls out of opponents' hands. He often beats opponents for position for offensive rebounds. Once he has you on his back, you're in trouble.
Dante can make a midrange jumper on occasion. He shot 61% from the line. Similar ~60% the last three seasons. He'll never be a shooter, and his shot is a bit flat, but the mechanics are not bad from the midrange. Being able to make a midrange jumper will give him a little more dimension offensively and it wouldn't hurt to provide a little spacing.
His touch and skill on shots outside of the rim is not as good as it is around it. His post range isn't that large. He gets more inaccurate the further out from the post he gets, but he generally gets to his spot close to the rim regardless. He does have some intriguing face up game from both the free throw line and in the post. He likes facing up and attacking his man with a strong dribble or two and usually finishing with a hook or a layup, and he is very effective with these shots. He'll use his strength to drive opponents back on these shots as well.
He is mobile, gets great extension, and has a quick first step and accelerates to the rim, which gives him an ability to drive and finish from the FT line/elbows. He's a straight line driver and things can get a bit adventerous when he has to put the ball on the floor. He's fine with space, but if you close his space, he's not the most secure as a ballhandler. Not much in the way of advanced moves either. Not a part of his game that we'll see much of at all as a pro, but there is some raw ability there as a face up guy.
Dante is a bit of a mixed bag as a playmaker. He has the ability to make some really sharp reads and has pretty good vision. He will make kick outs from the post and can find cutters. He'll make skip passes from the block and hit shooters on the outside. He can find cutters from the top of the key. He does a good job finding the kick out on the double team. He will bait a double team and hit the kick out. That's an important skill for him to possess...he's not a black hole and you can end up getting burned doubling him. He's not an advanced passer overall, but he will make the right reads more often then not, and some impressive ones too.
He gets ahead of himself at times and that's where turnovers can come. Both when putting the ball on the floor, but he makes careless passes a little too often. He will travel on occasion when putting the ball on the floor. His touch and timing aren't always where they need to be. But for a guy who is really gonna be a pure play finisher at the next level, the fact he does have some playmaking ability in him gives him a wrinkle many in that category do not possess.
Dante is an expressive communicator and the heart of the Ducks defense this season. Can he seen pointing to and directing his teammates into position on the defensive end. He can switch a bit on the defensive end. He can hedge high. He's a drop big, but he has switchability and his mobility gives him versatility as a drop defender, he doesn't have to deep drop and can contain ballhandlers fairly high in drop. He uses his length really well as a drop defender...he uses his hands well too. He plays man and ball effectively, with the short space mobility to recover back to his man...he uses his length to disrupt ballhandlers. He gets his hands on quite a few balls as a drop defender, breaking up dribbles or breaking up passes. He makes himself big as a drop defender, which makes him a great rim deterrent.
He's got very good instincts as a rotater. Very good awareness overall defensively. Remains engaged and keeps his head on a swivel. He does a good job rotating over and covering cutters and opponents ducking in around the rim, and does a good job helping the helper. His awareness and his mobility along with the timing he has and his leaping ability makes him a very good shotblocker, both on the weakside and strongside. I think he can be even better, he does miss out on a few potential blocks just by being a bit late on the rotation, but his block percentage sells him short on how many shots he deters and alters around the rim. He's great with verticality, and he does a good overall job not biting on fakes. He's not massively foul prone. He'll pick up some cheap fouls, but he doesn't bite on fakes consistently. He contests with his hands up and tall, and the threat of his shot blocking sees a lot of offensive players looking to avoid his contests and being cute around the rim, or even avoiding taking shots in his vicinity.
He's a very good post defender. He anticipates post passes really really well. He nabs a ton of steals beating opponents to the ball off post passes. He has quick hands. He can be very aggressive with ball denial. He has really good instincts in reading the pass and taking it away and doing so without fouling. He does a good job sticking with an opponent's moves in the post. That along with his strength and length makes it hard to get clean looks off Dante in the post. The players that had the best success against him where the players who had the aggression and strength to seal and quickly take it to him, but very few had such capability. It's easier said than done.
Dante isn't the absolute smoothest mover from side to side but he is a very mobile one. His length also aids him on the perimeter, and he slides his feet well; he has the quickness to not just hang with but cut off drives on the perimeter. He's not someone you can target. I don't think he'll ever be a pure switch guy, but he can more than hang on the perimeter. You can't really just beat him for speed on switches. It may not always look pretty but he can hang with double moves on the perimeter. He does a good job forcing opponents to take the shots he wants them to take from all three levels. He will block jumpers, both on the ball, and when rotating out on contests.
The factors that make him an elite offensive rebounder make him great on the defensive boards as well...he has great technique as a rebounder. Boxes out, asserts dominant position, and he really goes after balls in the air. He really is a vacuum as a rebounder. He tracks balls really well. As a rebounder and as a shotblocker. The elevation ability is the cherry on top, along with his strong and large hands.
N'Faly Dante's length, strength, and athleticism is at the heart of his abilities on both ends of the floor but he's got real skill as a player on both ends as well. He's a mature player who has battled through a lot to get to this point. He's a plug-and-play guy with fantastic physical tools and someone you can envision can fulfill a 10-15 minute role immediately in the NBA. We will see what comes of his waiver process with Oregon, but his current focus is with the NBA as that process continues.
Are you all Thumbs Up, Down, or Across on N'Faly Dante?
Note: Accidentally deleted first post

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED. There is some gore, nothing to descriptive, but if you have a weak stomach maybe pass on this one.
THE FINAL DRAF IS NOW AVAILABLE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m7gCg5XEeo5qTYelH2mrLN86QFCQCazjXx45bUewfEM/edit?usp=sharing
ALSO: This is a first draft, will post the revised one later.
Adonis came from a backwater mining world that had maintained much of its mining equipment and a base level of industry during the age of strife. Adonis lived a relatively uneventful life on this planet, being the only child to two parents who had gone missing when he was twelve, he would enter the mines earlier than most, but only slightly as although technically mining jobs could only be conducted by those older than eighteen, however through necessity children as young as thirteen would entire the mines to help sustain their families. These younger workers would be given relatively safer jobs compared to the older workers, monitoring equipment and other surface operations as examples. Even still this labor was backbreaking, and would more often than not result in the early demise of many inhabitants of this planet.
On his first day in the mines, Adonis would be paired with a girl who was fifteen years old, slightly taller than him, who stood at 4’11” at the time. She had short, light brown hair, and a thin but muscular build. They were trained on how to monitor the Auto-miner machine, and who to contact if anything went wrong. They were then given some time to get acquainted with one another before beginning their work. The girl introduced herself first.
“Hello, my name is Roleru, I look forward to working with you”, she responded with more enthusiasm than a young teen forced into the mines should.
“Adonis, and likewise”, He responded a bit hesitant. He was not looking to make friends. He barely wanted to be working, let alone in a mine, he would work there no longer than he had to, then he would find better work elsewhere. Adonis was still confused about where his parents had gone, and why they had left him behind
After this they were led down into the mines, making small talk on the rusty service elevator, and it turns out she was an only child as well. They shared a lot in common, her father had died in a mining accident, and her mother was unable to work due to worsening illness. She was working to support both her mother and herself, She seemed relatively upbeat despite a life of tragedy. Maybe he could learn from her, and piece back together his recently shattered life. In this rusted mine elevator a friendship was born, and many days they would start their days talking to each other on this elevator. Their main job was to monitor a large mining machine, and if anything goes wrong to immediately hit the emergency shutdown. This machine was larger than any Adonis had seen, towering over him and with many large grinding wheels to slowly break down rocks into progressively smaller chunks, until they are eventually spit out onto a long conveyor belt. An observation catwalk overlooked this series of crushers, with simple metal railings, and a solid metal floor to prevent any dropped materials from potentially damaging the equipment. They were shown to the cabin, where a vast array of displays and buttons could be found, and one large red button in a plastic case with the panel behind it painted a surprisingly vibrant yellow considering the dirty state of everything, and above it set on a background of hazard stripes the word “Emergency Shut-Down” could be seen in distinct red lettering. The operator that led them here initiated the machine to start up, and their work began in this cramped cabin where Roleru and Adonis would become practically siblings, with Roleru practically becoming Adonis’ older sister.
About 3 years of this work would go by in the blink of an eye, Adonis now fifteen is the same age as Roleru was when she started working in the mines. Now that Roleru could officially work in the mines, she would be given more training on how to actually operate the machine she had monitored for so long. Adonis was so proud of his big sister they celebrated that night, getting some slightly higher quality rations to have a feast that night. Any decent quality food was a real commodity on (insert planet name here).
However, the happy times wouldn’t last, as a couple of months later Roleru’s mother would die due to her illness. Although she would return to a happier mood after properly grieving, she never seemed quite the same to Adonis. They would continue to work in the mines together as they always had, now with no technician to accompany them to start the equipment. Together they would continue to grow closer, practically inseparable at this point, Roleru found a lot of comfort in Adonis’ presence which was sorely needed when she was grieving.
During this entire time Adonis would look for his parents in his free time, following any leads he could find. He would discover at the same time of Roleru’s mother’s passing that his parents had also passed in a mining accident, operating the same machine he and Roleru were working with. This fact would linger in the back of his mind at work from then on, disturbed by the potential lethality of the machine he interacted with daily.
Another 3 years would pass, Adonis and Roleru would continue to grow together. Moving in together, as any family should, and for financial reasons. Adonis, now 18, had recently finished his training on mining machine operation and maintenance. Roleru, now 21, had prepared the same high quality rations they had when she was promoted for that night's dinner. However, tragedy would strike during the workday, as Roleru would slip on the catwalk of the machine while it was in operation, and fall into the crushing gears. Adonis would immediately hit the emergency stop. As the loud machine whirred down, there was still energy in the gears, they would slow to a stop in the silence, but in the silence there was a sickening wet ripping sound, followed by a desperate pained scream. Adonis would quickly call for help before going down to help Roleru, however the sight he saw in the maw of this great devourer was horrifying. The entrails of his sister decorated the grinding gears like some sick and twisted form of party streamers, and the blood oh god the blood. Adonis could hear pained groans and he quickly scrambled to find the rest of Roleru. He would find her shortly after he began searching.
“No. no no no no. Stay with me! Help is on the way, you’ll be okay”, Adonis pleaded with Roleru.
“Sorry cough cough I guess I was too careless” Roleru responded, blood rolling out of her mouth. Internal bleeding, or is it external in this case? Ah semantics don’t matter, thought Adonis. The light was already fading from her eyes, unsurprising for the amount of blood loss, and the gore.
“NO! Don’t leave me, don’t leave like they did.” Adonis pleaded with a raspy voice through choked sobs, unsure of when he started crying. “Please stay with me, you promised you would.” He held her close, trying to comfort her in any way he could while desperately trying to stop the bleeding before the medical team arrived.
“I’m so sorry, I wish I could stay with you longer.”, Roleru said calmly, though the tears rolling down her face betrayed her true emotions. “I’ll always be with you in spirit.”
With that final statement she died in his arms, he would clutch the gorey remains of his sister, screaming and crying until the medical team arrived. They had to peel him off of her remains, essentially dragging him out of the mine for the day, on his walk back to their shared home, he would see a strange looking official giving a speech he only overheard part of it and he was only vaguely paying attention.
“From this day forward you will pay a tithe to the Imperium of man”, the official stated. A new ruler? Happens all the time, nothing to worry about Thought Adonis, little did he know this announcement would soon turn his already tumultuous life upside down.
He entered the hab building, and saw the two ration packets set out on the table, along with a small rectangular box. Adonis opened it, his hands still caked in Roleru’s blood. Inside was a simple silver locket, containing a photo of the two of them 3 years ago, celebrating Roleru’s promotion. Clutching the locket Adonis would fall to his knees and cry. An hour later Adonis would fall asleep, exhausted after showering. He would wake up the next morning, finding the two ration packets still uneaten on the counter.
After eating some breakfast and heading out for work, Adonis would notice something attached to the door of their hab unit.
It reads: Draft notice, You have been drafted to serve the Emperor of mankind. Report to the imperial guard training facility in 2 hours (live updated).

2 hours? Emperor of man, how conceited can one be? Oh well, it doesn't sound like I have a choice. Adonis would change his course, notifying his overseer at work before locating the Imperial guard training center. Little more than a temporary tent, it would appear there are other recruits here as well. A group of nine others were also waiting, clearly also drafted. After a bit of small talk with the other recruits, a man in olive green flak armor, a string of numbers on a plate attached on his left breast clearly some form of ID, wearing a helmet of the same color with a gold skull on the forehead. Walked out of the tent and immediately commanded the attention of all the recruits present. The man spoke in a gravelly voice, “I am Sargent Gordel, And I will make all of your lives hell over the next six weeks. You will have exactly one minute to make calls to get your affairs in order, after that you belong to the Imperial army." With that he turned and walked back into the tent, the recruits panicked at first, then followed him after a short while. That was 6 months ago, and as Adonis sat in some god forsaken trench during a particularly brutal compliance, he had wished for the thirtieth time that day that this was all some horrible nightmare. Alas it was not, he had been stationed on the frontlines, fighting against some technologically advanced humans that used bladed drones to devastating effect. Adonis was not particularly skilled at warfare, his aim was middling, his hand to hand skills less than perfect, and he had no mind for command. However, his previous work had him communicating a lot. This skill in both verbal communication, and communication equipment landed him a job as a vox-caster in his squad, lead by Sargent Gordel. Adonis disliked Gordel, a man of hubris and little talent in leadership. However, due to his role in communications Adonis had to be in close to proximity to the man during all waking hours. Ever since he had received the special vox-caster helmet he kept it on, only taking it off to eat. Adonis felt safe enclosed in his helmet, the constant line of communication meaning he could prepare for any future curveballs that might turn his life upside down, so that what happened after that horrible day will never happen again. Adonis would never be caught off guard again, or so he thought. As this compliance continued, Adonis was hearing fewer fellow vox-casters every day, until nobody responded on short-range communications one day. Alone, Adonis and his squad were all that was left in the trench line. As a forward position high casualties were to be expected, but they hadn’t been reinforced in weeks. Adonis had been given a faulty long-range vox, so he often had to make trips down the trench to the nearest squad to communicate with high command. During his last trip Adonis had heard that surrender of the planet was currently being negotiated, but in the meantime to keep fighting, that was days ago. During his trips down these lines he would often pass segments where the guardsmen had either been butchered by the drones, or fled the battlefield. He was envious of those who fled, but he would feel responsible for the deaths of his comrades if he left them to die. Today Adonis would try to retrieve a long-range vox to talk with high command. Shells were still falling on enemy positions, so they weren't abandoned. An assault on the trenches happened last night, it took 30 minutes of walking for Adonis to reach the next position, all he found there was a puddle of gore, and if he hadn’t known humans were here before, there was no way to identify what organism this pile of entrails used to be now. It sickened him, but he kept moving, not lingering on the thoughts of his past. It would take hours to find a usable long-range vox. It would take more hours to return, but in the meantime he used the vox to get updated on the situation. 

“This is vox-master Adonis in the first trench, position 38. Looks like my squad might be the last one left. High-command please respond.” Adonis hailed, hoping to hear back soon.
It would take 30 minutes for a response, but it came nonetheless. “We read you Adonis, this is High-command vox-master Gunther. How the hell are you guys still alive, the last report we got from the forward trench was 4 days ago. Anyways, peace has been reached and will go into effect tomorrow at dawn, until then keep fighting and we’ll come get you.” The man responded in a shocked voice.
“Copy command, I had to scavenge a long-range vox from a dead squad, mine has been faulty since we landed here. Thanks for the update, I will let the rest know when I get back.” Adonis replied, relieved that he would soon get to leave this hellscape. In the meantime he slowly made his way back to his position.
After hours of slowly progressing through the byzantine trench system, and hearing the wet squelch of viscera beneath his boots more often than not he finally made it back to his position. To his surprise everyone was still alive. After explaining what he heard over the vox to Gordel, Gordel called the other 9 people in the trench.
“Our vox-master has explained to me that we need to hold out until morning. Then this compliance will be over. Do you think you pansies are up to the task?”, Gordel asked, clearly just trying to raise morale.
“YES SIR!”, the squad responded loudly. Hope was something that had been in short supply in the trenches for weeks. To hear there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel made them all ecstatic. However the next 12 hours would be hell.
The first three were spent by the 11 people discussing what they would do on leave, then as the sun set, the next three hours were spent nervously watching the enemy trench. As midnight approached, metallic skittering could be heard across no man’s land. The drones were being used to secure one last victory by some egotistical commander on the other side, to break one full trench line before peace had officially started. At first it was a few, not even making it to the trench as the Guardsmen gunned them down with ease, but as 6 a.m. crept closer, the assault intensified.
Eventually these drones were leaping into the trenches, the 11 people gunned them down, but more took their place, eventually people were being butchered right in front of Adonis, reminding him of his friend's fate. Adonis was sickened by the site of it but swallowed back the bile that had risen in his throat, Gordel was the last to die, ripped apart limb from limb right before Adonis, he gunned the three drones down but by the time he had Gordel was dead, Adonis may not have liked him, but to die like that, Gordel had his sympathies. As Adonis fought on he wondered when the sun would rise, how much longer would he have to fight these horrid engines, designed to kill in the cruelest way imaginable. Adonis did his duty and reported each casualty as they happened over long-range vox. The fighting never seemed to end, he had to pick up his comrades weapons multiple times as he kept running out of ammo.
After what seemed like an eternity the hues of violet and indigo that signified the sun was soon to rise appeared in the sky, and after only 30 more minutes of desperately trying to hold on to his life the drones in the trench suddenly stopped, climbed out and marched back to the other trench line. After this Adonis reported to high-command.
“This is vox-master Adonis, the fighting is over. 10 casualties, I’m all that's left.” Adonis reported grimmly. Exhaustion evident in his voice.
“This is High-command Vox-master Gunther. We hadn’t heard from you in a couple of hours so we thought you were dead. Frankly, the fact that you’re alive is a miracle.” Gunther responded incredulously.
“Is that so?” Adonis responded without any emotion, too exhausted to care.
“Well problem is we canceled evacuations to that trench. I’ll go talk to someone higher up. In the meantime sit tight.” Gunther responded.
Adonis would trudge out of the trench. Seeing a hill, not crater pocked and covered in grass with a large, flat rock on top. Adonis would make his way over to this hill, and sit atop the rock, feet pressed together as he took his vox-caster helmet off. His face covered in sweat, he can see how utterly covered in the blood of his comrades he is. Sickened by this fact and given his reprieve, he ejects what little remains in his stomach. Tears stream down his face as he questions how much longer he’ll be in this army, how many others will he see turned to paste, and why he decided to fight instead of joining his Roleru in the afterlife.
His mental breakdown is set to the backdrop of a beautiful sunset, he has calmed down by the time a gleaming purple transport pulls up to the trench line. A tall woman in purple armor steps out, white hair flowing down her shoulders, with piercing purple eyes. She scans for something before setting eyes on Adonis.
She calls out to him, “Vox-master, your transport awaits.” Adonis walks to the transport, not bothering to go back to the trench. After the imposing, yet elegant woman climbs into the transport after him, the doors close and it speeds off.

It was dark, like the type of dark that you have to check your eyes by blinking. Only then you realize you can no longer tell whether your eyes are open or closed. The sky was calm and thin clouds streaked across the sky like a child had obtained a paint brush and some paint. Below this oddly peaceful sky was a home, more precisely it would be called a mansion. A dilapidated old home that hadn't seen use in many years. Strangely though it was guarded as if some old treasure may have existed inside.
The old decrepit home had a wall encircling it with a fancy ornate gate, depictions of bats and skulls made it feel more ominous though. Gargoyles watched the guards as they lazily stood in front of the gate, they had no sense of urgency.
"Hey mind if I just take a quick wink? Not like anyone's gonna come here there no point. There's nothing here but an old coffin and a corpse." One of the guards sighed as he leaned against the wall.
"Yeah, go ahead man. I'd rather not get in trouble with the captain though. He's scary." The second guard shivered as he thought of the new boss they'd recently been answering to.
"Ah, that kid? Come on he's not even like us he's just a Lithian brat. He was assigned his position to make us look good for 'that' person." His voice lowered as fear crept in while thinking about the man they wouldn't even speak the name of.
"Damn, we've gone and involved ourselves with scary people huh. Whatever imma. . . Just." With his sentence trailing of soon snores filled the air and a sigh from the sleeping man's companion. The mansion behind them watched eagerly at their relaxed attitudes, waiting hungrily for the intruders it expected. And it's hunger was satisfied as the sound of glass breaking cut through the night.
Quiet footsteps landed on a carpet, "how's it looking?"
"Cody. . . Shut the fuck up." Skarlet's face appeared in the light of her fire magic, a single finger raised with a flame on top.
"Hey sorry, but there's nobody here right besides who can stop us?"
"Cody, just come inside." Skarlet grabbed him by the hand and yanked him through the window. She then pushed it closed behind him. In the light of her fire he could see her tail flicking with annoyance.
"Sorry, it's just been a bit since it was just the two of us right. There was that fight with Ares but. . . You know never mind remember Christmas?" Cody smiled mischievously, though her response was a barely visible blush.
"You're a terrible cook." She frowned as she started walking down the hall.
"Ooh, my heart as a man has been injured. But hey you know that I was trying to recreate something from my homeland. Coco doesn't exist in this world though." His voice fell at the end of the sentence, a partial pout appeared in his expression for a moment before a flash of surprise as he skipped forward to catch up with her. It was as he was just about to reach her side when she turned.
"You're not too bad at consoling a crying girl though." A smirk accompanied that statement before she spun around once more and kept walking. Cody froze, a dumb look on his face, but he recovered quickly and chased after her. Skarlet was blushing deeply, she even put out her flame to hide it. Damnit, why'd I say that. This stupid guy. . . Ugh the goal. . . We came here for a reason.
"You're much more social than when we first met. Didn't you try to kill me to keep me from getting close to you. What changed, little misfortunate." Cody asked with a teasing tone.
"Nothing Dumbass, I just realized I couldn't push you away cause you were stronger than me. Better keep up, hero if I surpass you in strength I'll end our partnership." Skarlet's voice shook at the end of her statement. If it was back then, it would've been firm, but she couldn't shake the emotions she'd been feeling more recently. She had to admit that she enjoyed his company, he was a dependable friend. Damn, why are my cheeks so hot.
"Here I found it!" Skarlet spoke up, breaking the conversation off forcefully. She was pointing to a staircase, Cody stepped up to the edge and looked down.
"Problem, um there's no steps only a case." Cody pointed out as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She was staring at him in exasperation.
"Was that supposed to be a joke?" She sighed as he avoided eye contact and stepped off the edge.
"Um, I guess." He said while rubbing the back of his head and smiling awkwardly. Skarlet landed beside him with a chuckle and punched him in the shoulder.
"Come on let's go, dummy." She led the way further down, occasionally they had to leap down entire cases that were missing steps. But soon they reached the basement. Four stories and five flights, it was a very big house. They walked in silence as they approached a room at the back of the basement. It was a tomb, definitely. There was stone double doors, at there center was a black widow on a spiderweb. The split between the doors cut the window in half.
Skarlet stepped forward and pushed open the door, a draft of air escaped desperately leading her hair and skirt to flutter curiously.
Thud
The doors made a pretty loud sound as they clicked into place. There was a stone coffin placed in the center, the room however was set up almost like a set in an old Gothic play. A large bed, the colors were red and black. A bookcase on one wall and a fireplace on the other. The biggest out of place thing though was a massive rotating magic circle. It seemed to be made of a red viscous liquid and was floating off the ground by a couple inches. It was surrounding the coffin as blood red chains erupted from the magic circle and wrapped the coffin.
"Um, hehe hey don't you think this looks like a bad Idea actually. Maybe we have the wrong house." Cody joked anxiously as he stepped into the room behind Skarlet who was approaching the coffin.
"No this, this is right I think. It is just very elaborate, we'll have to carry her out. Get ready they'll know we're here when I break the seal." Skarlet explained as she stepped into the magic circle. It coiled around her like she was walking through a shallow pond. "Sapphire told us that she'll be groggy and confused when she wakes up, we'll have to protect her as we get her out of here.
As she approached the coffin she pulled out a dagger and stabbed it into the center of it, where the red chains all clustered together. The dagger was a normal looking blade, but the guard was a golden carved black widow with a ruby in the abdomen.
Her ears laid flat as her tail lashed anxiously with the massive mana wave that erupted outwards. Lastly, as if the stone prison before her wanted to give off one more ounce of flair the lid shattered into particles of black and red and trickled down the sides to mix with the blood pooling in the carpet around the coffin. The magic circle had been made from actual blood.
Though Skarlet froze, she seemed to have seen something in the coffin that greatly confused or surprised her. Cody frowned as he approached, he peered over her shoulder and gasped, he understood. The coffin contained a skeleton, the inhabitant had been dead awhile.
"Wait, what the hell, that that no that can't be what?" Skarlet reached into the coffin and lifted the skeleton before dropping it, the clattering of bones was chilling.
"So. . . What do we do now? I don't think Sapphire has a plan B." Cody sighed as he turned to the room. He started to approach the bed when he noticed something. "Um hey Skarlet, we're looking for an Older sister correct. And specifically one that's been sealed for the last ten years right." Cody spoke as he noticed someone in the bed.
"What the. . . That's a kid." Skarlet frowned as she approached the bed and pulled the covers aside to reveal a young girl in a classic Gothic Lolita dress. She was hugging a very traditional teddy bear with obviously sewed on bat wings. But most importantly, she was sound asleep.
"We can't leave her here right? This place is about to become a battle ground. I'm pretty sure she's human right, when I was with Sapphire I could sense that she was a monster and not a human. But this girl just feels normal." Skarlet was pondering when sound rang out upstairs.
"Damn their coming." Skarlet began shaking the young girl lightly as she pulled her into a sitting position. The girl groggily opened her eyes and yawned then they widened as she saw them. "Hello dear, we need to go, can you come with us for a little. It's gonna get dangerous." Skarlet held out her hand and the girl took it with sparkling eyes. Skarlet smiled awkwardly as she realized the girl was staring at her ears. "I'll let you touch them if you come with us ok." Skarlet led her by the hand as Cody drew his sword and they stepped out into the basement. It was still empty but the sound of feet and voices upstairs led them to move quickly.
On the first floor Cody stepped out from the stairs and into the hall. A shout brought his attention to a group of guards that immediately ran at him.
"Damn, stay back you two." Cody grumbled as he brought his hand up and cast light spear, chanting under his breath as he brought his sword in front of him. A ball of light appeared and morphed into a spear as he chanted then it launched at his opponents. Two of the guards got speared almost instantly.
"Shit these guys are strong, one of the remaining guards spoke up as he suddenly skidded to a stop along with his companies. They tossed their swords to the ground, Cody grinned awkwardly as he realized what was happening. He began making strides towards them breaking into a run he impaled one of the group as the other two began to change.
Cody ripped his sword out of the guard and let his body fall, the sword he held glowed with a soft white light and that glow reflected off the blood making the scene feel more red than it should have normally as he turned around and leaped at his two new opponents. They were werewolves, he cast a light spell called illuminate and the two reacted by recoiling. Cody slid under the outstretched claws of the first one and leaped upwards slashing from the beast's stomach all the way to the neck and straight out the jugular. Then with a round house kick, he smashed his heel into the side of it's head and sent it careening into it's companion who yelped in surprise. Cody then blasted a hole through both of them with another light spear.
As he finished the sound of clapping echoed out. Cody felt a bit of embarrassment as the little girl behind Skarlet had started clapping. Cody sighed and led the way towards the front door, they cleared out a couple more groups but for the most part went unchallenged till he pushed open the front door to reveal that there was a large troop stationed in the yard.
"Damn, is that old man this afraid of Ruby?" Skarlet muttered as she gazed at the large mob in front of her. "alright, upsy daisy." Skarlet lifted the girl and had her sit in her arm while holding onto Skarlet's neck. Skarlet drew her sword and held it one handed.
"Intruders, we can't let you leave. Where's Ruby!" A man looking like the leader approached.
"Sorry man, I don't know." Skarlet replied as a smile slipped onto her face. Suddenly she was in front of him as she dashed, dragging her sword across his waist she split him in half leaped and kicked his torso back at his own troops. There was a look of surprise permanently etched on his face. "Come on Cody, let's take this fuckers out."
"Skarlet, your carrying a child think you could maybe be less gruesome?" Cody's plea went unheard as she delved into battle. He sighed once more feeling himself growing older he leaped forward as well.
Skarlet hacked and slashed a path through the guards, she twisted, jumped, and ducked to avoid attacks targeting the girl in her arms. Cody was right behind her slicing through his own opponents. At this point he had a look of annoyance and exasperation in his face as he watched the blood covered black cat girl have her fun. "When did she start to enjoy fighting so much?" He realized he hadn't noticed this emerging tendency of hers.
Suddenly Skarlet had the area around her cleared out as a figure approached. He held a sword that Cody recognized, a katana. He was dressed in a gladiator style outfit with a cape. There was no smile on his face though he didn't look like a showman. The guards had backed away and even seemed to tremble.
"Captain, it's the captain."
"Hey, why'd y'all stop I thought it was getting good. There's enough of you for me to. . . Oh you look fun." Skarlet smiled as she looked at the man in front of her. A Fox Lithian that reeked of the blood he'd split throughout his life.
"Cody, take her." Skarlet spoke seriously as she handed the girl to Cody.
Skarlet then stepped forward and gripped her sword tightly. In an instant they closed in on each other, a loud bang rang out as they crossed blades. "Ha, damn I thought I was no longer a human with the strength I wield. That no singular opponent could match me. But this is gonna be fun." Skarlet smiled as she let her emotions out, a built up rage and fear filled her blade as a series of clashes rang out. Though her smile began to slip as pain blossomed in her side. Something wet splatter in the dirt. "Shit." Skarlet leaned back as the boy's sword barely grazed her neck.
"You can't beat me you're not at that level yet, cat." The boy explained as he calmly dealt with her frantic and chaotic attacks. She spun around and brought a kick to the side of his head, a thud exploded out as she came into contact with his forearm that had blocked. He then grabbed her leg and flipped her, she hit the dirt with a thud and immediately kicked the ground so she rolled away as a blade stabbed into the ground where her head used to be. Her fear had melted into her blade she felt nothing but exhilaration even as blood soaked into her shirt and dripped down her leg.
She leaped to her feet and pointed her sword at him, a serious expression on her face as she leaped at him with a large overhead strike. Mana erupted throughout her sword as a black fire erupted along her blade encasing it in a threatening appearance and aura.
She brought her sword down and the boy swung his sword almost like one would swing a rapier in a contest of beauty. Elegant and swift movements, he made it seem like it was weightless as he partied her sword to the side and twirled his blade around before piercing her chest.
"Skarlet!!" Cody exclaimed as he watched the blade rip out her back, blood dripping off its tip. The boy, smiled as he looked into her eyes.
"Skarlet, it matches your fiery eyes. My name is Gordon and I'm the one who killed you." He seemed truly happy. He even began to laugh but that froze on his face as he watched her mouth from a smile. It parted slightly and blood poured down her chin. A sharp pain stabbed his side as her sword sliced into him, a scowl lit his face as the blade carved through him with ease and ripped through his throat. Then with a bloody, choking laugh she kicked him away and let the blade slide back out of her chest.
Gordon hit the ground, her blade had carved a jagged path from his side, to his neck. Affectively amputating his arm, he was bleeding a lot, far more than her as she cast a healing spell. Her face scrunched in pain as her body began rearranging and reassembling the wound.
She then turned and wiped the blood from her lips as she placed her sword on her shoulder and grinned at Cody. "Damn that bastard was good." Cody sighed.
"Hahaha, victory must feel nice." Gordon laughed as he sat up. Blood was starting to slither and move around him. His body was pulling itself back together as he got to his feet. His sword was bleeding, no more accurately, it was eating her blood and healing him it seemed. "Girl, that was damn insane. You're literally crazy, who deliberately takes an attack that could kill them just to create an opening. Haha, not that I'm going to fall for it again. Come on try and kill me imma get serious now. This is gonna scar you know." He held his sword in a different stance as the blood coalesced on the blade and formed a larger scary blade made of blood. His sword looked more like a scimitar now or possibly a sword with an ax on the end of it. Then he dashed at her, Skarlet felt dread, but still fear escaped her. She looked down the jaws of death and smiled.
"Come on, let's go!"

I left my country (in Asia) to pursue a different style of life compared to the one I had back there. I’m currently in Europe and I was laid off 6 months ago, surviving on my savings while waiting for the deposit from my rent to be returned. Going to start a new job soon but the office is not near to where I was staying. I was staying with my boyfriend for 2 months until an acquaintance offered me to share the flat with her.
I agreed and we even drafted an agreement with both of our conditions. The day I was supposed to move into my room, she texted me 2 hours before the agreed arrival time that she had covid and her boyfriend who is staying with her also contracted covid. After 15 days (today), she said she was virus free and I could move in. When I showed up at the apartment, she was not there so I could not get my key and stood in front of the building with my luggages for 3 hours until she texted again, not a single phone call. She mentioned about she was flying out of the country and she will be back after 3,5 weeks…
My boyfriend just went on a 3-day business trip and thinking that I received my key with my apartment as I planned because I love my plans. My parents at home also think the same but I’m here waiting for a bus that only comes once every hour to drag all my stuff back to my boyfriend’s again.
My boyfriend has no issue with me continue living with him without paying any rent. I’m just frustrated that despite all the trust I gave to this person and we know each other for 17 months, I felt like I am being played. Met her parents, boyfriend and somewhat I am in her inner circle of friends but never expected this.
Just glad that I didn’t pay for rent yet as we agreed on 3 days before last day of the month is the D-day.
I really need to vent as I am tired from moving and English is my second language so apologise if logic and grammar are a mess.
TLDR: I signed a rental agreement with a shit brain hot mess so now I’m basically homeless.