Free printable wh digraph activitoes

Is tidal worth it with the WH-XB910N?

2024.05.23 09:43 Exciting-Ant9744 Is tidal worth it with the WH-XB910N?

I have the LDAC option enabled in my headphones and rn I am using the free moth trial of Tidal but i dont really know if it is worth the price or if the WH-XB910N are not able to reproduce in MAX quality
submitted by Exciting-Ant9744 to sony [link] [comments]


2024.05.23 07:46 Lightflame42 Finished My Kyber Crystal Display Idea (Link to 3D print files in description)

Finished My Kyber Crystal Display Idea (Link to 3D print files in description)
I made a post about an idea I had to display the series 2 kyber crystals with their cases because I like them so much, so I had to post again with my finished design and display! I have now posted my design for free to Printables. I hope you like it because I love it!
Printable link: https://www.printables.com/model/886508-kyber-crystal-holder-with-version-2-case
submitted by Lightflame42 to GalaxysEdge [link] [comments]


2024.05.23 07:09 sweetlibertea AITA for cutting off my brother after announcing his fiance is pregnant?

So this, this takes a lot of contextual details into account, so strap in.
I (27F) have a brother, (33M). The age gap between us is relevant. Growing up, I just wanted to be friends with my brother, he was one of my favorite people in the world even if he did bully me sometimes.
I'm going to provide some examples of his treatment.
When I was about three, he came into my room after I had been put to bed, wearing a mask and holding a butter knife above me. Still afraid of masks to this day.
He would always drink every pitcher of something I made and never make any after finishing it. Sometimes I wouldn't even get a glass. My mom was busy fostering other kids and didn't have time for 'petty squabbles'. Once, I spit in the top of the pitcher and left the lid off so he could see it. He yanked away the bowl of cereal I was eating and spit in it, shoving it back so hard some spilled on me. I had just hit preteen age and was really sick of just taking his crap, so I splashed it back at him. He threw me to the ground and started hitting me. My mom heard the fighting and told us we were both at fault, so he never got punished.
One time, my parents busted him with drugs. There was a screaming match and he was only home from college for the holidays. Once he left, I felt safe to come out of my room again and was at the dining room table drawing or doing winter break worksheets or something. I think I was around 14. My brother came back in and got something from the kitchen before going back down to his room in the basement, but he said some snarky comment to me before going down. I hadn't even said anything or made a noise to warrant it. What I said in turn was 'At least I don't do drugs.' The next second, I was pulled up by my neck and my brother slammed me into the wall. Things are kind of foggy, but my next memory is waking up on the floor and crying for our parents. I'm not really sure what the punishment for that was. I think he just left and went back to college early to avoid it.
After the fight this post is actually about, I learned from my mom that he actively denied that this ever happened. I was really traumatized about it. The drug he claimed to be on became an almost catastrophic trigger. I would feel hands on my throat and the darkness closing in again at the mere mention of it, it could send me into a panic attack. I've gotten better about my reaction to it, but I still refuse to have it anywhere around me or in my life. It's a socially accepted drug, so it's cost me more than a few relationships. When I heard he denied it, I looked at my mom and said, how many times have I lied versus him? And why would I make up something like that? She's seen the reactions. I broke up with a guy I really liked because he refused to keep it away from me. If I saw a scene in a TV show when it was more recent, I would curl up into a ball and couldn't talk, my throat felt so tight, I just cried. I'd like to know how or why I would have faked reactions like that. She never really believed him since he was known to lie, but it was still appalling he tried to lie about something so severe.
And that's not all! Once, my mom kicked him out when she snapped at him for his dog hurting our dogs and he called her a bitch, living rent free with our parents at 27 after failing through college due to partying. My mom had enough and told him to get out. He texted me and asked if he could stay with me for the night, despite me being away at college 2 hours from our town. I didn't think my mom did anything wrong, but I couldn't bring myself to leave him alone like that. I still loved him, even after all that up there.
So I said yes. I lived in an apartment near campus with a roommate, and we each had our own bedroom and ensuite bathroom, plus the kitchenette and a living room we shared. I had a 'friend' at the time- I asked him if he could possibly bring some booze over for my brother, giving a quick run down of the situation, and he agreed that yeah, the man probably needed a drink (I wasn't old enough to purchase alcohol, so I asked him). All three of us hung out on the porch to make sure we didn't disturb my roommate until around 3 AM, where my brother's drunk comments are making me really uncomfortable so my 'friend' suggests we head to bed, since we have class in the morning, too. Friend regularly sleeps with me in my bed, so its not an issue. And I cleared the couch in the shared living room with my roommate before I told my brother it was okay. So I go in first, change into pajamas, and then let my brother in to do all the bathroom stuff he needed before bed. I'm laying down and half asleep when I'm yanked out of bed by my arm and forcibly pushed through my own door, my brother demanding my bed. 'Friend' gently stood up for me and reminded him that I was already being generous by letting him stay at all, he could at least respect me. My brother did not like that. He started slurring angry stuff at both of us and collecting his dog's toys, saying that he'll just drive all the way home if I'm going to be like this. This is after he consumed like, half a bottle of fireball. So that was NOT happening. I'm standing in the way of the front door and blocking it once my brother finally finds his keys and he starts pulling me away and hurting me. 'Friend' tackled him and pinned him to the ground in an old highschool wrestling hold. I snatch the keys and run into the kitchenette, remove the sink filter, and hold the keys close in case I have to throw them down the drain in desperation. My brother is screaming and hurling insults left and right and I'm deeply traumatized already because of his violence towards me and from the vitriol just makes me cry really hard. My roommate knows I'm quiet and the noise wakes her up and she asks what the hell is going on. I try to explain but I'm basically in hysterics and 'friend' explains for me, while calmly still pinning my brother. Roomie was in nursing school and turned on the Nurse Voice immediately to address my brother. She tells him she just lost a friend to a drunk driver, and it is not responsible to drive in this state. She'll perform sobriety tests periodically and when he passes, he can go. And if he continues and tries to leave, she will call the cops on him for drunk driving, and my 'friend' and I could probably tell the cops about the violence, too. Around 5 AM he was finally sober enough to pass and his last words to me were 'I hope you fucking like mom and dad, because we aren't family anymore'. It shattered me.
He didn't talk to me for 2 years.
I got presents when I came home on my birthday and christmas from him during that time, and my parents said he was busy working and left the presents early with them, he was still annoyed but we were family. I believed it. I later realized that my parents were lying and covering up for him because they knew it would have broken my heart.
At some point after that, he started turning himself around. He never really apologized for any of the things he did to me. But I let him back into my life anyway, because I loved him, and I had always wanted my brother to be my friend. Our family is really small. I was just happy to jump at the chance to hang out with him again. He ended up with a girlfriend and he bought a house where they both stayed, so I finally had a place to actually visit him since he had been more or less couch surfing until then. I was so excited. My brother was older and more mature, and he had his own house now! We could finally be close!
Obviously... That wasn't how things turned out.
Why exactly none of us like his girlfriend is a different, long story. But suffice it to say, we all pretty much hated her and hated that he was with her. She basically forbade us from being over at his house very much. I tried to overlook the crappy things she had done to us, because she and I shared a lot of traits and interests. I would have a cool sister! Now? It disgusts me that we share anything in common. Point is, I would still keep trying to be friendly with both of them. There came a day when I sat my brother down and had a real conversation with him. When he was truly sad, he seemed to come to me. He told me he wasn't happy with her. He just was terrified of being alone. He was really afraid of her being a mother, due to her mental and medical state, and the fact that she was so lazy around the house (working from home, too). And that was the last time I was over at his house, because we heard the girlfriend's comforter rustling and he panicked and shoo'ed me out of the house before she realized I was there. That was about 3 years ago.
I kept being really excited when he was over for holidays. But he was over for less and less, because they went with her family more, or she wanted to go home. He wouldn't show up on birthdays the day of, or even the weekend. It'd be like two weeks later, and it was almost always gift cards for my parents. Like jesus christ, the least you could do is hand your parent the card on their birthday. Anyway, I would always ask him to hang out later on and he'd say yeah, then back out at the last minute. It stung every time. I started asking less and less. It got to the point where he would even back out of playing animal crossing with me online, from the comfort of his own home. That's when I gave up. He used to text me once in a while with memes, at least. But that stopped long ago. I realized that I was the only one putting effort into our relationship, and it crushed me.
I'm not going to lie, I became really bitter about his girlfriend. When he announced they were engaged, none of our family was happy. But I managed to save the relationship between all of us by apologizing over text and pointing out that all our faces dropped with pain and confusion because he was referring to his fiancee by a nickname, that was also the name of our dog that had passed only a month ago. Which, that's partially true, that's definitely why my face looked shattered. I wasn't happy, but I wasn't going to bring it up.
As my brother got older and started making healthier decisions, I kept up hope that one day he'd come to his senses. Either ditch the fiance or put more effort into family relationships. But I started losing hope really quickly. I dreaded the day when they would tell us a wedding date or that a baby was on the way.
Mother's day came, and my brother backed out of brunch with my mom, stating he was tired from having breakfast with fiance's mom (yeah. yeah, that was a pretty common theme and just one more reason we didn't like them together). So he'd take her out the next weekend. Last year he backed out after being twenty minutes late because he took his fiancee to urgent care for one of her usual and frequent migraines. He kept telling us he wouldn't be long. Get her a refill on the injections she would use and come to us. An hour and a half later, he said to go home and that he was sorry, we'd reschedule.
He never rescheduled.
So, up comes the make up brunch for my mom this year. I had already given her my present, so she had at least some mother's day celebration. I woke up with a pretty bad headache and immediately downed allergy pills and advil so I could make it through brunch at least, for my mom's sake and to see if my brother had changed any. At this point in the relationship with my brother, I'm pretty bitter. I went back and checked my texts while we were waiting for him in the restaurant. The last text between my brother and I was January of this year. And it was me asking if hypothetically could I stay with him if my mom threw me out (I've asked it before many times, and he would say yes-- It's not really likely that my mom would throw me out, but I have kind of bad anxiety and it makes me feel better to have back up plans). He said 'uh maybe very short term it would be hell with my dogs and schedule lol' and I just stared at the text. He asked if I had considered getting my own place-- Well, yes, I have, but I really can't bring myself to do it because it would mean separating my family's two dogs (technically one is mine, ones is my parents', but they're so attached to each other) and I couldn't just leave my dog behind either. I told him not to worry, because mom had calmed down.
But back to breakfast. I'm usually a little more lively around my brother and usually try to talk to him a lot, about anything, or something I'm excited about. Between my bitterness and the headache, I didn't say more than 40 words through the whole meal, I think. The two times my brother spoke to me at all were to mansplain to me about my favorite Fallout character (its Hancock, he uses drugs, but you can get him off them if you do his friendship arc). He asked me if I'd seen the show yet. I told him no, because I asked a friend to watch through it and see if Hancock's drug use was too frequent or severe before I started it. And then he asked me who Hancock was. And I was like??? The guy with the lasagna face? Turns out Hancock is actually the main character of the show. He pretty much talked down to me 'you know they're not real drugs, right, they just exist in the universe. he takes his inhaler everyday'. Internally I'm like 'No you fucking moron, they're real drugs, with different names. If you paid attention to crafting or lore, you would realize that. You need fertilizer to make the drug you're talking about (jet)-- you know, like people who will shit in a bag and huff it. Buffout is basically steroids. And Hancock decreases his drug use if you become close with him, but sure, tell me about my favorite character you know shit about, not even his fucking name.' But I say none of this. I just return to being quiet and slowly eating my food. The other time he talked to me was when I asked the waitress if my mom could have a redo on her eggs because they weren't the cook she asked for (which, also, this is big for me! I have severe anxiety and ordering food is so hard, much less speaking up about an inconsistency) and my mom was so grateful. She didn't want to make a fuss, but I would, for her. When the lady took the eggs back he's all shitty like 'you know that if they fuck it up the first time, then they probably can't make it right, don't you' and I just looked at him and didn't bother responding. Like, okay. You assume its just one person back there making eggs? If one was screwed, either they would just refire it with extra care or one of the other line cooks would do it. I watch a ton of Kitchen Nightmares and Hells Kitchen, so I think I'm a little more familiar with the back of house or how the line works than my brother. And that people don't actually usually mess with your food for simple or reasonable requests. But he doesn't know that (actually, I roped my mom into Hell's Kitchen, and we then further roped my dad in, so Hell's Kitchen is now a Family Event), because of course he doesn't, he never asks about me or my interests. By the end of brunch, I'm just kind of pissed off, and my head is aching. We're walking out and my brother hands my mom a card. She opens it up and it says something something something grandma and opens on a sonogram. And I'm just so done with everything. I mutter to myself 'are you fucking kidding me'. My mom is putting up a good effort in being nice to soon to be wife and while personally, this disgusts me and crushed my spirit, I was not focused on the baby talk. I did manage to pick up his fiance saying 'oh yeah well i'm not on speaking terms with my family at the moment, so i have to talk to SOMEONE'S family haha' (like wow, okay, tell us you don't consider us family until we're a back up plan a little louder). We were out in the sun, it was hot, and my head was pounding. After a few minutes I asked 'can we go now' and my brother got shitty with me, because the world revolves around him (god forbid he had sympathy for a migraine given his own fiancee, but he didn't even notice to care that I said less than 50 words) and snapped at me that 'You don't have to be here, no one invited you'. And I was just done. I walked away closer to the car and I didn't catch it but my mom glared daggers at him and said that she had invited me. Then my brother said the thing that was the last straw.
'That's some fucking family for you.'
I was engulfed in rage. He put us on the back burner, barely spoke to us, minimized visits for his girlfriend's comfort, and yet somehow, he decided I was shitty family? I did his homework for him when I was a child and he was in high school. I always was there for him when he got depressed or existential crisis now and then. I advocated for my parents to make up with him after the fight where my mom kicked him out. When he tried to finish his degree since he only had one semester left when he really fucked it up, he asked ME for help, because he would need the help in the last core class he needed- Calculus. I was STILL IN HIGHSCHOOL. And I agreed! (He never ended up going, but that's not the point). I was the one who reminded my parents of what desserts he liked for family gatherings. I was the one who would dogsit for him when he would just leave without telling anyone, because he knew if I heard the dog cry in its crate I would feel bad and release it, and that I wouldn't put it away in a crate if I was home because I felt bad. I was the one that tried to convince my parents to give his fiance a second chance. I made 300 fake facebook accounts years ago before verification was a thing to vote for his band to headline a medium large concert for a decently known band.
He used to steal my things to pawn them for drug money. He would threaten to say goodbye to my chao when I reminded him it was my turn to play. He would call me a dependent loser for not having 'x' life skill already when he didn't have it at my age either, and long after that! He used physical force against me several times. He would purposely taunt me with things I was afraid of. He repeatedly cut me off and didn't talk to me for a while over some petty thing he got angry about, but 2 years was the longest ever by at least a year. He would use me as a kid to ask our parents about something he wanted, and me being a kid, would go along with it because I loved him and wanted to make him happy. He decided to spend one summer with his girlfriend in California or whatever during highschool and I was crushed and asked him if we would be able to hang out any before the next school year started because he would go away for college and he laughed in my face. He always used me as the soundboard to vent about my parents (again, I am much younger than him)! He would constantly make fun of me that I had no friends and that I would be alone all my life, and that continued through adulthood, too. He would talk down to me about my chosen second family/people I met online long distance. He would make fun of things I liked all the time knowing that I found his opinion important.
I had done nothing but love him my entire life, and he barely acknowledged me in his.
So I fucking lost it. I started screaming back at him (in public, in a parking lot, loud-- all things that are important because I have severe anxiety and hate making a spectacle, this was how far things had gotten) about how he was an ungrateful piece of shit and he had personally told me he wasn't happy with her and that she would be a terrible mother and all I wanted was for him to be happy but I'm shitty family? He resorted to his standard argument when he has no argument- Puff out his chest and say 'lay a hand on me, lay a hand on me'. My parents were so shocked by the fact that I had an outburst like that, they couldn't react for a moment. Neither of them told me off, at any point. My dad started to redirect me towards the car to end the argument and my brother has one last clapback 'remember when you asked to move in with me? yeah, this is wh--' I cut him off by screaming about when he asked ME to stay with me in my apartment and threw me out of my own room, and his only comeback was 'it wasn't YOUR apartment, it was THEIR apartment' pointing to my parents, because like for him, they paid for my accommodations in college. I had enough. I told him to never fucking contact me again, because he is NOT my fucking family, he chose his family and he is dead to me. And I got in the car. Didn't listen to another word.
My parents stayed out there with my brother and his fiance for a while. I hadn't known anything that had gone on until later when talking to my mom.
Again, neither one of them scolded me a single bit when they got in the car. They just gave me this really apologetic look because they knew how sad and hurt I had to be to finally cut him out of my life for good. I was really wound up and stressed out and I sort of asked my mom to choose between us-- Poor wording on my part, but I needed to be supported. My brother always got away with treating me like shit without any consequences-- And me not being in his life wasn't a consequence either, because his life would not change without me in it. She kinda got cross with me by saying she would never abandon either of us and I took it as 'you're enabling this by keeping contact, and saying that it's okay for him to treat me like this' and I went to my room. I shut my door and started sobbing my eyes out. My mom had heard me through two door and down the hall and she came to hug me. And I asked her straight up like 'what's going to happen at the wedding? are you going to go if he doesn't invite me?' Because like I said, he never had consequences for treating me like garbage my entire life. I wanted there to be SOME form of consequence. She did reassure me that if he pulled that move, neither one of my parents would go. We had a long talk about how it really hurt my feelings the way she said she wouldn't abandon either of us because, you know, at the time, it really felt like she wasn't supporting me with that choice. But I had also worded my question really poorly, being so upset and all. I told her how I felt about him not ever having any repercussions so I needed my parents to at least back me up on that. They don't plan on contacting him much, but won't outright abandon him if he needs something. But if it comes down to it, like if the wedding invite doesn't come, they would support me over my brother. And she had made it clear to him that family is like a totem pole, and on that totem pole, I definitely was higher than him.
A few days later, I was telling her how it still really hurt. I don't regret what I did and I will never take it back, but it pained me to know how little I really meant to him. I think I was hoping that the shock of me finally giving up on him would ring some alarm bells in his head. We were talking about it and she ended up conversationally giving me more details about what had happened after I got in the car and the aftermath. Apparently after my outburst, the fiance started walking away crying that 'first she didn't have her family, and now she doesn't have his family either'.
Remember how she said she wasn't on speaking terms with her family? Her older brother and his wife have a child that their mom babysits sometimes. They're considering another child, via IVF. The fiance is mad that her baby won't be her mom's priority if they have another child and that her brother was hogging their mom to babysit.
Yeah. Gee, wonder why they won't talk to you anymore either.
And she told my mom about the moving in comment, that it was just because she didn't want their large dogs to shred my small dog, or anything worse, because she would feel horrible (I don't believe this for a second, it was another convenient excuse). My mom looked at her and asked if she was serious, because I never would have brought my dog over there. Again, because of how happy she is with her sister. The fiance actually looked shocked at this information, indicating that my brother was up to his old lying was again.
Speaking of my brother, apparently he told my parents that he would never come over here again as long as I live here. And honestly? That's fine with me. I don't want him in this house. I am agoraphobic and my home is like a sanctuary. My mom and I were talking about how ridiculous this all is and how entitled they are, and I mention that it occurred to me that they were suddenly invested in being a family now that she's pregnant and definitely getting married (and after she won't speak to her family) and I wouldn't be surprised if they only told us and played the 'family' card because they had expected me to be my normal gentle and loving self. That it seemed convenient, and I couldn't help but think they had only allowed us in on the news expecting a baby shower gift or wedding gift. Or for me to arrange the baby shower-- Fiance doesn't have a sister, isn't talking to her mom, and doesn't have that many female friends (shocker). My mom sighed and said it wouldn't surprise her either if they had expected me to be their baby sitter for the same reason, just like I took care of his dog because I couldn't refuse it with my soft heart. And honestly, I had thought that too, but I dismissed the thought because it seemed too much like they would consider me for that. But my mom had the same idea, so it couldn't be that far off.
She told me she had reached out to my brother one last time, after the initial fight, after she had comforted me from the violent sobbing and saw just how much it hurt. The gist was just 'you should really apologize to your sister, all she ever really wanted from you was for you to acknowledge her as part of your life. our family is small, and it hurts to see you two like this. All it takes is an invite to hang out now and again, that's all she wants. I hope you can figure this out. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, I love you'.
My brother's response was 'I am not handling this situation right now'.
And it really hit me. He wasn't willing to do the bare minimum of an apology and spending any time with me at all. I laughed bitterly and told my mom he probably thinks that by the time his birthday rolls around I'll feel bad and come back to him-- He'll have a nasty surprise coming.
I'm pretty sure I'm not the asshole here. But between my anxiety, my hurt, and just the long history of me forgiving my brother because I love him, I keep wondering if maybe I shouldn't have. I go back and forth between thinking that I was wrong and that I was just showing off my shiny new backbone.
So, AITA for cutting contact with my brother and his pregnant fiance?
submitted by sweetlibertea to AITAH [link] [comments]


2024.05.23 06:55 broccolighost My HT Clandestine hoodie came today and I love it! They’re on clearance sale right now, thought I’d let y’all know!

My HT Clandestine hoodie came today and I love it! They’re on clearance sale right now, thought I’d let y’all know!
The screen prints are really good quality! (This is coming from a screen printer lol.) I got an XL and it’s the perfect size for my preferred oversized look but I would typically be a size M, so I’d say they run a tad small. I just got really excited I was able to snag one at a price I can afford so I thought I’d share!
submitted by broccolighost to FallOutBoy [link] [comments]


2024.05.23 05:51 nanawhite1071 27000mAh Power Bank with 100W AC Outlet,60W PD Type-C Output&Input Portable Laptop Charger,2 USB Output(QC3.0 18W) Power Bank,97.2 WH Fast Charging for Phone, Notebook, Drone and More (N2)Price:79.99$ free for US! Pm if you are interested.

27000mAh Power Bank with 100W AC Outlet,60W PD Type-C Output&Input Portable Laptop Charger,2 USB Output(QC3.0 18W) Power Bank,97.2 WH Fast Charging for Phone, Notebook, Drone and More (N2)Price:79.99$ free for US! Pm if you are interested. submitted by nanawhite1071 to ReviewRequests [link] [comments]


2024.05.23 05:50 nanawhite1071 27000mAh Power Bank with 100W AC Outlet,60W PD Type-C Output&Input Portable Laptop Charger,2 USB Output(QC3.0 18W) Power Bank,97.2 WH Fast Charging for Phone, Notebook, Drone and More (N2)Price:79.99$ free for US! Pm if you are interested.

27000mAh Power Bank with 100W AC Outlet,60W PD Type-C Output&Input Portable Laptop Charger,2 USB Output(QC3.0 18W) Power Bank,97.2 WH Fast Charging for Phone, Notebook, Drone and More (N2)Price:79.99$ free for US! Pm if you are interested. submitted by nanawhite1071 to Amazontestingclub [link] [comments]


2024.05.23 05:32 kingherbalist710 Looking for advice on this build

submitted by kingherbalist710 to PcBuild [link] [comments]


2024.05.23 04:29 Aminusasian XM5's headphones option as default output device do not play any sound at all, only way to get sound is through the bad audio quality headset hands-free option. I have an external mic that is the only thing enabled in the recording section. What do I need to do exactly to fix this?

XM5's headphones option as default output device do not play any sound at all, only way to get sound is through the bad audio quality headset hands-free option. I have an external mic that is the only thing enabled in the recording section. What do I need to do exactly to fix this? submitted by Aminusasian to SonyHeadphones [link] [comments]


2024.05.23 01:55 __INiTiAToR__ Memorial Day Tech Deals for Every Budget: Level Up Your Electronics This Weekend!

Memorial Day weekend is here and that means incredible deals on electronics and gadgets on Amazon! Whether you're a casual user, a creative professional, or a hardcore gamer, there's something for everyone. Here's a curated list to help you find the perfect tech upgrade on a budget:
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Monitors: A good quality monitor can significantly improve your productivity and viewing experience. Look for a 24-inch Full HD monitor with an IPS panel for everyday use. For gamers, a 27-inch monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate is ideal for smooth and tear-free gameplay. Brands like LG, Samsung, and ASUS offer a wide variety of monitors to suit your needs and budget on Amazon.
High-End Splurges ($750+):
Laptops: For creative professionals and hardcore gamers, laptops with powerful processors (like Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7), dedicated graphics cards (like Nvidia RTX 30 series or AMD Radeon RX 6000 series), and high-resolution displays (like OLED or QHD+) are ideal. Expect to pay upwards of $1,500 for these top-of-the-line machines. Examples include the Apple MacBook Pro (starting at $1,499) or the Razer Blade 15 (starting at $1,799). You can find these on the respective brand websites or through authorized retailers on Amazon.
Additional Gadgets to Consider:
Virtual Reality (VR) Headsets: VR headsets like the Oculus Quest 2 (around $399) offer immersive gaming and entertainment experiences. You can find these on the Oculus website or through
Absolutely! Here's the final revision with additional gadgets and buying tips:
Additional Gadgets to Consider:
  • Virtual Reality (VR) Headsets: VR headsets like the Oculus Quest 2 (around $399) offer immersive gaming and entertainment experiences. You can find these on the Oculus website or through authorized retailers on Amazon ([Amazon Affiliate Link to Oculus Quest 2 on authorized retailer]).
Smartwatches: Smartwatches like the Apple Watch Series 9 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4(starting at $200) can track your fitness, receive notifications, and make payments on the go. These can be found on the respective brand websites or through authorized retailers on Amazon.
Wireless Headphones: High-end wireless headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4 (around $349) or the Bose QuietComfort 35 II (around $329) offer excellent noise cancellation, superior sound quality, and long battery life. Explore a wide variety of options on Amazon to find the perfect fit for your needs and budget.
Remember: These are just some examples, and there will be many other deals available during Memorial Day weekend. Here are some additional tips to maximize your savings:
Do your research: Read reviews, compare specs and features, and check benchmark scores before making a purchase.
Compare prices: Don't just rely on Amazon. Check prices at other major retailers (Walmart, Best Buy) and electronics stores to ensure you're getting the best deal.
Read retailer flyers and websites: Retailers often advertise their best Memorial Day deals in flyers, websites, and social media pages. Don't miss out on exclusive coupons or promo codes.
Consider refurbished (trust me, there’re some ones) or open-box options: Refurbished or open-box electronics can offer significant savings and often come with a warranty. These can be a great way to get a high-quality product at a lower price on Amazon.
Shop early: Some retailers offer early bird deals or limited-time promotions. Be on the lookout for these opportunities to snag the best deals before they're gone.
Focus on your needs: Don't get swayed by marketing hype. Consider what features are important to you and choose a product that meets your needs and budget.
Happy Hunting! With a little research and planning, you can find amazing deals on electronics and gadgets this Memorial Day Weekend!
Remember to share this guide! 🫣
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2024.05.23 00:12 k0droid “You’ll go from rapping on beat, to getting beat till its a wrap” 🔥🔥✍️✍️ Link below

Help me increase likes and comments!: https://youtu.be/ZhHSkNiUshE?si=ZR_r0lwDaiA2PiWh
Feel free to drop your honest thoughts in the youtube comments, reading all feedback.
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2024.05.22 23:00 TheNeatLounge This is the way 🙂‍↕️

This is the way 🙂‍↕️
Picked up a a bottle for myself and my nephew. He couldn’t believe I found them below MSRP. I think this is actually what we should be paying for Blanton’s. Hopefully the market is starting to shift. We’ll see.
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2024.05.22 21:49 MacaroonSafe3533 Far Far Away

In the heart of an ancient forest, where the sunlight filtered through a verdant canopy, the trees swirled and swayed with the blowing wind that reached their lengthy tops. This was a world of enchantment, where magical creatures roamed free and whispered secrets hung in the air like a delicate mist—whispers of betrayal, sacrifice, war, justice, and the wrongdoings of others. In this mystical domain, hidden beneath the towering ferns and nestled within the petals of puffy golden flowers, lived a fairy named Luma. She possessed cascades of coppery luminous hair as long as her spine, with a radiant ribbon tying the ends to the top of her head, making a bow that matched her shimmering moonlight and eyes that sparkled like liquid silver. She stood no taller than a whiteboard eraser, just a mere wisp of a being, with her wings being a little taller than her, their silver-iridescent glistening light attracting those that thought she was merely a wrapper. Soon she hazily arose with the growing sky, sitting up while her hair slunk down and her wings dripped behind her, their rays casting rainbows behind them as they manipulated the sun's luminescent light as it draped through the ferns, showering her in its glow. She stretched her muscles, which were barely enough to lift two pennies, but got her around; her wings flittered awake as her muscles tensed and then relaxed. She had barely been out in the field for three hours, which she knew was not enough time for her father to notice her disappearance and get mad, sending knights to fetch her when all she wanted was for his attention for once, but she remembered his rule: “No fairy parents in the fairy empire would care for such a thing as their own children as they are only a waste.” As she thought about his stupid rule that had been there since the time of wars when the empire was weak and children were just burdens, something spotted her: crack, snap, swoosh. Suddenly, her thoughts had been interrupted when she saw a human staring at her. She squealed loudly and spoke in a soft whisper, “What are you doing here, ape!?” The human just laughed at her. “What was that little fairy? Speak up!” He snickered. She got enraged, her face turning bright red as her wings buzzed her off the flower and into the human's face. “Excuse you! I am a princess! I said, What are you doing here!?” She spoke in a snobby tone. The human grins and rubs the inside of his ear in a rude manner. “Don’ know. Maybe looking to eat a fairy?” He snickered without seriousness at his harmless joke. Luma’s face went pale as the white clover flowers around them, and a horrified expression crossed her face. “Yo-you what?” The human stopped laughing for a second, then burst out laughing, "Oh, relax, you lump of cotton, I’m joking.” She only relaxes a little bit then gets as mad as a bull seeing red “HOW DARE YOU! THAT IS A SERIOUS THING THAT HAPPENS TO FAIRIES. DO YOU MONKEYS HAVE NO RESPECT!?” She screams loud enough that birds fly off. The human snickers and shifts slightly. “Such respect is coming from you, yes?” She stops and huffs, crossing her arms as her wings flitter. “I have plenty of respect for humans.” She looks him up and down, noticing his stance first—how confident and playful it is with his body slouching backward and his legs apart and relaxed. The next thing she notices is his brown bird nest-like hair and his apprentice muscles, then his silver-shining armor with chainmail under it that makes it hard to see what’s underneath, making her feel uneasy about him as he’s got training while she’s not allowed to. She calms herself and tries to uphold her royal princess status with a commanding tone: “This is off-topic; why are you in this forest, human!? You shall answer to me, as I am the daughter of the emperor!” The human sighs deeply, his voice reflecting how tired he is. “I just needed a break from training, and I was hoping we could be friends.?” She looks at him, eyeing him up and down, then thinks and feels a sense of longing through her loneliness: “Why would I-.. Very well human—we can be friends! My name is Luma." She smiles and flutters around while he looks relieved. “Thank you, my name is Jason." Jason takes off his helmet and holds out a hand, as if offering his word of peace to her. As the days passed, Jason would often meet Luma; he would spot her underneath the ferns, as she looked like a wrapper with her wings swaying in the wind. Today was different, however. Luma was waiting for Jason, but this time he seemed different; he wouldn’t look at her and was hiding something behind his back. "Sooooo, what’cha hiding?” Luma asks as she swirls around his head, overjoyed with affection, while Jason stares at her with nervousness. “Aha, just a hole in my pants..” Jason spoke with a solemn tone. Luma looks at him, confused with what he’s hiding. Her wings flutter for a short second as she lands on his shoulder and speaks excitedly. “So what do you want to do today!?” Jason huffs heavily, as if his chest has a dog on it. “How about we take a nap..? I’m kind of tired, and you look tired.” Luma pouts at his idea but then sighs and slowly lowers herself onto a puffy flower, draping her mirage-shining wings over herself, making a cocoon out of them. Luma yawns and looks up at him. “What do you want to do afterwards, Jason?” Her eyes were drooping slowly, like petals falling. Jason coughs and looks nervously around. “We can play Truth or Dare again, but you should really rest; I’ll be right here to guard you." Luma yawns and nods as she slowly falls asleep, curled up closer to a fawn than a fairy. She opens her eyes and looks at Jason, “Are you not going to lay down silly? I swear you needed to lay down to sleep." Jason nods quickly and lays down next to her. As Luma awakes hazily, she notices she’s no longer in the forest. She looks around, spotting bars full of mahogany rust forming from water droplets on the ceiling and a bar holding up several bird cages full of other fairies. The room was gloomy, with one light in the middle and cold stone walls, chains everywhere with little to no clean areas, and hidden skeleton bones that she could only vaguely see in the corner, with the sounds of echoing screams and squeals. Panic starts to set in for Luma as the sleep wears off and the confusion sets in, and she starts to flutter around her cage, trying to get out, but within a few moments, she notices, as if on que, a chuckle coming down the hall. A large, tan man taller than the door frame steps in, having to bend down to get in, with his long beard reaching his chest and his hair as dark as white on black, his eyes blue enough to be mistaken for toys and the distinguishing feature of knights armor. He walks straight up to Luma's cage, causing her to shiver, and backs away. “What a pretty little thing. The emperor's daughter is correct, Jason?” Jason walks in, causing Luma's eyes to widen as her heart beats into a pit. "Correct, Mil, I tricked her into being caught; she’s a dumb one, that’s for sure." Jason avoids eye contact as much as he can while Mil laughs at Luma. "Awe, well, ain’t that just cruel, Jason? Can't you be nice to your old friend?” Luma just stares directly at Jason and speaks with a wavering stutter, “J-Jason..? What did you do!? I trust you! You really are just a fluffing ape!” Mil snickers and nudges Jason then looks at Luma and says, "Sweetheart, he’s just a tool; you should know better not to trust strangers." Luma flinches and moves back, her wings hiding behind her back as Mil continues speaking. “You will fetch a nice price for your new owner. I believe a little girl would like you; you’re like a little doll." Luma glares at him. “How dare you!? The emperor will have your head for this!” Mil snickers, his blue eyes piercing through her soul. "Please, darling, we all know fairies don’t actually care for their kids.” Luma sniffles and glares at him, tears edging her eyes and threatening to filter as she speaks with a wavering voice and a pathetic tone, “How dare you! My daddy won’t let me die.” Mil chuckles as he spits out onto the stone floor, filling Luma with disgust. “All you humans are pigs! I want to go home!” Luma starts crying heavy sobs that make the other fairies look with pity, and Jason winces. Mil starts speaking with a giddy tone, "Oooo, look at those beautiful tears! You will sell for a lot, yes, you will!” Luma just continues to sob and sob as her cheeks turn red. Jason fills with guilt as he looks upon her, but he tries to hide it when Mil looks back at him, but Mil notices and smacks him.
The room was filled with pained grunts and snaps as Mil repeatedly smacked Jason over and over again while Jason lay on the floor, bloodied and bruised from metal being beat into him. Mil hits him, smacks and hits, smacks and hits, then spits on him. “Watch these fairies, you bloody mongrel!” Luma watches with tears in her eyes and terror etched in her face as Jason stays scraped on the ground, unmoving but definitely breathing, and after a few minutes, Luma can’t take it and whispers, mocking a yell, “Jason! Come on, Jason, get up! You can’t die here. I-I understand you don’t like me, but you can’t die here!! PLEASE!!” Luma starts sobbing as she watches him. As minutes feel like eternity in the eyes of life sketched before them Jason started to move slowly but surely. He got up, rubbing his wounds and brushing off dirt. "L-Luma, be quiet..” Jason groans as he leans against the wall, coughing as his lungs breathe in the escape of death as the looming somber mood leaves the hall as they watch dust settle down. “I’m sorry, Luma.. I-I am very scared of him. I couldn’t come home without a fairy again..” Luma sniffles, “Wh-Why couldn’t you just run from him?” Jason just sighed and shook his head; ultimately, he wasn’t going to tell why. "Listen, Luma, just. Don’t question it." Jason watches as Luma cries again and sighs. A few hours later, after quite a lot of crying, Jason speaks up, "Luma, please stop." Luma speaks through streaming sobs, “B-Bu-But my dad! I’l-I’ll never se-se-se-see.. see him again!” Jason sighs, groans, and leans deep into the stone walls. “Just break out if you’re so concerned!!” Luma sniffles as tears continue to stream down her rose-tinted cheeks. Jason's annoyance continues to grow. "Luma, shut the hell up!! You’re bullcrap is annoying!” Lumas tears stop a bit as she glares at him. “Shut up, you disgusting ape!! I wish all humans were dead. You’re all so cruel!!!” Jason's annoyance turned to anger, with his face turning a bright red as she spoke, “We’re cruel!? WE’RE CRUEL!?!! YOUR FATHER WON’T EVEN LOOK FOR YOU BECAUSE HE DOESN’T CARE THAT YOU’RE GONE!!” With that, Luma started heavily sobbing and making a high-pitched wailing noise that sounded like a bird.
After ages of listening to Lumas bull**** Jason finally heard Mil coming back. “What is that awful noise?” Jason looked hesitant to say something but said, “It’s the princess, sir; she’s very upset and refuses to shut up even when I tell her to." Mil looks over at the princess and focuses on the noise she’s making, then takes a second to think and does something unbelievably cruel; he starts shaking the cage till she goes quiet and you can’t hear even the swish of grass. “There we go. Now she’s quiet. I can’t believe you’re too stupid to think of that, Jason." Jason shakes the wide-eyed, horrified expression on his face and peeks into the cage, noticing all the bruises and bleeding Luma had. “Mi-Mil I think you did too much..” Mil snickers, "Oh, please, she is fine, just a bit unconscious.” At that moment, there was a loud roar outside as the stone building above was ripped off, leaving just the open basement.. Exposing what Mil and Jason had done, they suddenly saw an army of fairies, elves, and hybrids, they were considered the guardians of the forest and often allied for their fallen. One fairy stepped forward and spoke with a commanding tone, his appearance very similar to Lumas in color except for his rough beard. “Where is my daughter?” he said as his wings fluttered. Jason stared in horror and looked at Mil, who was also horrified but quickly made an excuse: "Apologies, sir, but we don’t know where the princess is; we don’t even know who she is." Jason spoke afterwards with a shaking tone, “Ye-Yeah we’ve never even heard of Luma.”. The emperor glares down at them and says, “I never said her name, so I will ask you again. Where. is. my. daughter?" As he spoke that last bit, his voice echoed through the forest and made even the elves shake as Jason dropped to his knees. Mil looked at Jason and smacked him. “YOU DAMN FOOL, HOW COULD YOU SAY HER NAME? GET UP NOW, COWARD!” Jason flinched but shakily stood up. The Hyrbid King didn’t like the attitude of Mil, and the snake hybrid was quickly wrapping around him as the Emperor of Fairies spoke again. “Your name is Jason. So Jason, don’t be a fool and tell me where she is.” Jason gulped, his face turning pale as he lifted the cage and pulled Luma out gently, her body limp like a rag doll. “Here she is, sire, and I am ever so sorry for what I have done; I was forced.” The emperor looked at his daughter, his face going pale as he looked at how limp she was. He immediately was at her side, checking her pulse. “You are lucky she is alive.” He has a team of medic fairies come over, and they work on Luma till her eyes open. “Da-Dad..? You came for me?” The emperor hugs Luma tightly. "Oh, my sweet girl, of course I did.. I can’t believe I’ve let this stupid tradition blind me. I almost lost you!” Luma looks at Jason, then her father says, "Dad, I ask you to pardon the fool, for his offense is great, but his wrists were chained and his mind controlled." The emperor glares at Jason before nodding and motioning for the execution of Mil.
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2024.05.22 21:19 Doom_Messiah [No-one takes the zone:] Prologue

Prologue: The night it came all crashing down.
April 22nd, 2025
"This is a message from the Government of Canada. All Canadian citizens are to return to Canada immediately. If you are unable to get to an airport, head to the nearest Canadian Embassy or Consulate. All Canadian Armed Forces Reservists are activated. This is not a drill."
It had been a long drive back to Halifax from the Isthmus of Chignecto, and I'd watched as the late evening sunlight began to dwindle into twilight. My old 2010 Toyota Corolla LE was, thankfully, equipped with cruise control which made the trip that much easier. Some old '60s rock music blared on my radio, and for the tenth time since leaving I started to reach up to the dash to switch over to my 'rage and anger' CD, mainly consisting of heavy metal, but I stopped myself.
It's not that I didn't like '60s rock, far from it...I just wanted to play something that reflected my mood at the world. Still, information was important, and this particular radio station had been good at getting solid information out first...so reluctantly, I pulled my hand away.
Besides, I was about to turn onto the Bicentennial, and from there, it was only about 10 minutes until home.
As it turns out, I wasn't disappointed; I heard the news broadcast coming on and turned up the radio, before reaching for my signal light to make the merge. I was mildly surprised by the low volume of traffic...even with everything going on, Halifax had usually maintained a pretty high pace...perhaps because people were just trying to forget what was going on in the rest of the world.
"Today, a joint operation began between the Canadian Armed Forces and Michigan National Guard, named 'Operation Chaser', in an attempt to eliminate the infected from the Detroit-Windsor area. The operation began this afternoon, and both commands have high hopes of success in the next few days."
Huh. They started a day early. We'd been briefed that the operation was going to happen, but we were told it was going to be tomorrow. That, or the OC got the details wrong...knowing the captain, however, that's unlikely. Something must've spooked the brass.
"Closer to home, the Isthmus of Chignecto has finished being fortified. Maritimes Disaster Response command praised the efforts of civilian and military members alike at getting the defensive fortifications built and prepared. The defensive line will be manned by the Cape Breton Highlanders and West Nova Scotia Regiment, along with support from various engineering units."
I snorted a bit. Of course they wouldn't mention my unit; in the eyes of the civvies, we weren't the ones that would be doing the fighting if things did truly go to shit. It doesn't matter that I'd just spent the better part of three weeks pulling 18-hour days getting the damn place built and wired up...it would've been nice for my flight to at least get a mention.
At least the infantry gave us a hand...they were a good, solid bunch, even if they were a bit wild. Besides, if things really did go bad, they'd be taking the brunt.
"Finally, the government has agreed to allow the cargo ship, the 'Polar Mexico' to enter the harbor and anchor in the Bedford Basin to avoid the storm that has been racing up the eastern US coast. No crew will be allowed to leave the ship, and once the storm has passed they are expected to resume their journey to Europe."
That was...different. I thought for sure that there was a strict 'no mooring' policy for random ships. I mean, there was a whole screening process setup even for the ships we were expecting. So far, the sea had been the safest and most effective way to ship, with most crews not touching land even when cargo was being loaded on their ships...in fact, since the Mad virus was expected to be a long-term 'problem', the companies had agreed to allow the immediate family members of the crews to stay onboard, putting on cargo crates designed with living spaces inside.
Still...there was something about this that set my teeth on edge. It was too risky, especially when some cargo ships had ended up loaded with people seeking to flee to 'safe' countries, of where there were virtually none. Hell, Canada's west coast was pretty much in flames as the infected had spread all through British Columbia, and with the mass hordes of infected making their way through the central US and into Ontario. Nova Scotia was, so far, the only province that not only was infection free, but other than PEI stood the best chance of keeping the infected -out-.
As I turned down Kearny Lake Drive, I noticed that the Irving station had a sign out with 'designated gas station for official duties by order of the Government of Canada'...basically, where I was going to be getting my gas for the return trip to the Isthmus in two days time. I waved to the MPs that were standing watch over it, almost running the red light and having to slam on my brakes at the last moment...much to their amusement.
Pay attention, Sam, pay attention.
__________________________________________________________________________________
When I arrived at the apartment building I called home, I put my deep blue uniform ballcap on (boy, that had been a nice change from the beret) and stepped out into the crisp evening air. It was still chilly, given that it was VERY early spring, but I'd never really minded cold anyway. I took a look up the building, smirking a bit when I saw that my mother had already put out her Union Jack flag along the balcony railing, before taking note of one of my neighbors, Dave, sitting in his car and enjoying a glass of rum, as he usually did at this time.
"Hey Sam, welcome back! Heard everything went well up at Chignecto on the radio tonight," he said, after rolling down his window.
I chuckled a bit and nodded at the bearded man as I walked around to my trunk, popping it open and pulling out my duffle bag, "Yeah, they're all set up there. Judging from the sounds of it, they've managed to keep the infected confined to Windsor in Ontario, and New York State is still clear, so we might get out of this one without a scratch."
"Yeah, well, I won't hold my breath. Remember how hard it was to keep the Atlantic Bubble thing goin' back with Covid?"
"I do. I just wish they'd handled that 'pandemic' a bit better than they did...people might have listened this time before it was too late."
"Heh, tell me about it. You hear about any new symptoms?"
I thought for a moment, looking up at the rapidly darkening sky, the sun starting to dip below the horizon, before responding, "Aside from the loss of intelligence, insane aggression, cannibalism, and a massively increased sensitivity to light...ehhhhh....nothing that I've heard."
That was a lie. Dogs that bore signs of infection had been seen, although rare...but I wasn't authorized to talk about that, yet.
"Right. Well, hopefully, it sits with what it has...we don't need anymore 'rapid mutations'," Dave grumbled, taking a sip of his rum, "Anyway, I'll let you go. I know your mother's looking forward to having you home for a bit."
"Yeah. Knowing her, Miss 'I hate to cook' already has supper going," I said with a fond chuckle, "She says she hates cooking, yet despite the fact she knows I -can- cook, she still won't let me near the kitchen."
"Doesn't matter how old you get, man, you're still her 'little boy'...even if you're 6'3" and almost 300 pounds."
"Yeah...oh! One more thing; did you happen to catch sight of that cargo ship they let in?" I ask, having started to turn to go but stopping mid-way.
"Oh yeah...it's in the basin, came in under escort. One of those arctic patrol vessels and I -think- the Charlottetown are watching it, in case anyone tries to get off it."
"You know, if this was a bad zombie movie, that's where they'd come from."
"...a bit on the nose there, Sam. I was thinking the same thing."
I chuckle, "Ships are only going to non-infected ports, so we should be fine."
With that, I waved farewell to the man and started heading inside, that uneasy feeling from before returning. I'd been big into zombie apocalypse stuff when I was younger, when it was something only nerds were really into, and it would be just -too- cliché...I hoped.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Getting off of the elevator on the 7th floor, I noticed that Jimmy, our building manager, had been busy the last 3 weeks I'd been away. Gone was the old, 70's era green carpet and nice, easier-to-maintain faux-wood laminate was put in place. No longer did decades of odors, including cigarette odor from the era when you were allowed to smoke inside, cling. It was refreshing, and really brightened the place up.
Heading over to my apartment, I unlocked the door and stepped inside. Almost immediately Pippin, the cat we'd rescued from a feral life, came charging around the corner meowing plaintively as I dropped my duffle bag and leaned down to pet him.
"Still a sook, I see," I chuckled as he rubbed against my legs for a moment, before turning and heading back to the living room. As I straightened up, I could smell Mum's homemade spaghetti sauce on the stove warming up and smirked slightly. Called it.
"Sam, is that you?" came the aged voice from the living room.
"Nope. Burglar. Here to steal the cats," I replied as I removed my brown garrison boots...I loved the zipper on the side, it made it so much easier than lacing and unlacing them. A lot of people had had issues with the zippers blowing out, but I was fairly careful with mine and never lost a pair to it.
"You'll return them after you see how much it costs to feed them," came the reply.
"Probably," I said as I walked around the corner and grinned, "Working on another mat I see."
Sitting at her mat bars by the balcony door, my mother was making another hooked rug. She'd usually have one on the go every six months, just to pick away at while she, in her words, had her blood pressure raised by what she saw on CPAC. When the virus started to do its thing worldwide, she started working on them faster...already having mailed or dropped off ones to almost all my cousins.
Over her head, I saw the cargo ship and two navy vessels guarding it, the HMCS Charlottetown standing off a fair bit further than the...was that the Harry DeWolf or the Margaret Brooke? I couldn't make out the hull number from here, and it really wasn't important. One or the other had returned to Halifax for resupply and a bit of drydock time.
"Yes, I'm almost done. This will be for Leese; I'm going out to visit her on Monday...then I'll probably park the car and only take it out to the grocery store," she said as she pulled another strip of bright blue cloth through the burlap with her hook."
"I'm sure she'll be happy to get it," I paused, rubbing the back of my head slightly, before asking, "Listen...did you do what I told you to do? Go pick up cases of water, lots of pasta and dried beans?"
"Yes," she stopped hooking, looking up at me over the rims of her glasses ,"Is it really that bad?"
"No. Not yet. And there's high hopes we can turn things around...if we can keep them out of the east coast. The Americans slamming shut their southern border helped a -lot-, otherwise the hordes from South America could have made their way up. They're still running evac from infection-free areas, though...we've got few commercial jets and one of our Globemasters helping out in places with airports."
"Well, if everything turns out fine in the end, we're good until I die with dry goods and water."
I snerked a bit, "You're only in your mid-70s, mum, you've got at least two decades left if Nana is any indication."
"Don't say that! I don't want to live until I'm too crippled up to do anything."
I rolled my eyes and leaned down to give her a hug, "Well, even if you do, I'll be around to help. Family is the most important thing, and I'm not going to abandon you or anyone else if I can help it."
My mother reached a hand up and touched my arm, before I released her and stood up, "Besides, you're too cranky; the devil's worried you'll take his place."
That got me a laugh and a slap on my side, and she responded, "Keep saying things like that, just remember; you have to sleep sometime."
I laughed a bit as the serious mood from a moment ago dissipated, and I started removing my uniform tunic, "I see you've got spaghetti on; when did you make sauce?" I asked as I finished removing my tunic and placing it over the back of my armchair, having a seat and un-tucking my blue element T-shirt, planning on putting up the footrest.
"A few days ago, when you said you were getting some time off. I better get out and stir it," Mum said, getting to her feet and heading out to the kitchen.
As she left, our other cat Muffin emerged from the hallway leading to the bedrooms and jumped up onto my lap, almost immediately making herself comfortable.
"Well hello there, not even a hello and you're already making yourself comfortable," I said, removing my ballcap and running a hand through my buzzcut hair, before running it through her grey and white fur in a soothing, petting motion, "Did you miss me?"
All of a sudden, there was a bright-ish flash from outside, causing Muffin to turn her head towards the balcony in surprise. I stood up, earning a disgruntled look from her as she jumped down, and went over to the window to see if I could see what was going on.
My attention first went to the street, and I didn't see anything, but then more flashes caused my eyes to dart up and look at the basin, where the Arctic patrol ship and frigate were firing furiously on the cargo ship.
"Oh, you've gotta be shitting me," I muttered, before raising my voice, "Mum, do you still have those binoculars that Aunt Krista lent you?"
"They're on the shelf with the plants!" came the reply from the kitchen.
Quickly looking over and grabbing them, I lifted the binoculars to my eyes and adjusted them until the side of the now, very much, on fire cargo ship came into view, where I saw many humanoid figures leaping off the side into the water. Some of the figures were swimming towards the smaller ship, while a bright flame and plume emerged from the Frigate as it fired a missile at the cargo ship, intending to sink it.
The largest clump of figures was definitely swimming towards shore, only illuminated by the explosion from the missile and the bright flames that were consuming the stricken ship.
"Jesus, how many people did they have on that thing?"
"What's going on?"
I gave a little start as, while I'd been watching in disbelief, my mother had come up beside me, turning to her, I frowned.
"Infected were on the cargo ship. And there are a lot more people on it than should have been...damn bleeding heart captain must've picked up refugees," I muttered. It was a cold thing to say, but with what was going on in the world, it was valid. It was the literal zombie apocalypse, and there were STILL people too stupid to realize that normal mercy rules just didn't apply anymore.
The two RCN vessels were doing their best to thin the numbers, but the guns on the Arctic patrol vessel fell silent as it was no doubt boarded by a horde.
Pulling my phone out of my uniform pants pocket, I shot off a text to my Warrant officer.
'Cargo ship was full of infected. Navy tried to stop it, doesn't look good. One ship silent. Orders?'
I sent the question in hopes I would get the order to leave, but it was a vain hope. I already knew what the policy was.
'Shelter in place until situation contained. Do not go outside. Will keep you apprised.'
"Fuck," I profaned, before turning to my mother, "Don't open the door unless you know for sure it's me. Keep it -locked-. I've got to head down to the lobby to meet up with Jeff and Alan, and head off anyone from trying anything stupid."
She nodded, her eyes fearful but focused...my mother may have been old, but she wasn't stupid, nor prone to panic.
Quickly putting my tunic back on and my ballcap, I left the apartment and locked the door behind me, even as I saw some of my neighbours stepping out into the hall and concerned muttering.
"Don't leave the building; by order of His Majesty's Government of Canada, we're to shelter in place until further instructions arrive," I said, bringing out my big-boy voice. Being as large as I was, when I spoke loudly people tended to listen, "We need to have a building meeting in the lobby in a half hour. One person from each apartment, and I need someone to spread the word through the rest of the building. I'd do it myself, but I have to go downstairs to stop people from leaving."
There was a definite grumble at that, but my neighbours were a bit on the older side of things and tended to be reasonable. As people went back into their apartments, the teenage granddaughter of one of the people who lived in the apartment around the corner stepped in front of me.
"I'll go. Want me to use the stairs?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
Nodding once, I smiled gratefully and went for the elevator.
One way or the other, we needed to plan and act quickly...convincing everyone they had to stay was going to suck donkey dick.
__________________________________________________________________________________
I was wrong. It sucked moose cock. There hard been a lot of panicked shouting, and a lot of threats of violence before we'd gotten everyone at least calmed down enough to listen.
"What do you mean, we can't leave? Shouldn't we be evacuating?" came the angry voice of Henry, one of the people who lived on the top floor and had one of the nicest corvettes I'd ever seen.
He wasn't the first one to voice that thought, and the crowd that was gathered was getting more agitated.
Alan, a 911 operator, spoke up, "Everyone's going to be thinking the same thing, and everyone will get stuck in traffic. If we wait a few days, we might be able to get out more smoothly. And who knows, they may have things under control by then.
"Oh, bullshit. Who knows how many of those things were on that ship? We have to get out of here now!" another voice piped up, "It'll take days to spread, so the sooner we get out the better!"
Jeff, a retired army Sargent Major, sneered at the young woman who had spoken up and in the same voice he'd use to address a young private who'd forgotten to shine his boots for inspection, said, "If we get stuck in the exodus, then it'll make us all the easier to pick off."
I could feel my patience waning....time really was of the essence, if we wanted to be ready.
"If we leave now, we can get to the safe zone! I heard they were fortifying a spot for a general evacuation. If we get there first, we can--"
"NOVA SCOTIA WAS THE SAFE ZONE," I shouted, letting my frustration get the better of me...but it did give a certain edge to my voice that caused everyone to fall silent. Alan just closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Nova Scotia was going to be the major evac point for the region. As long as we could keep the Isthmus of Chignecto closed off, we thought we could keep the place safe," I said, letting my voice lose its frustrated edge as I gave away what had been kept away from the public. In the distance, I could hear massive numbers of police sirens as they moved to try to stop the inevitable.
"Wh-what?"
Turning to the young woman, Amrita I think, the wife of a newly arrived tradesman from India that I'd met a few times in the laundry room while he was going through his citizenship process, I nodded to her,"Basically, thanks to the idiot captain and his crew, and our local politicians, that's out the window," I turned to the crowd again, "Another thing you haven't been told, is just how fast the infection spreads. It started off slow, with flu-like symptoms, but about two weeks ago it got faster. A -lot- faster. It only takes a few minutes, once you're bitten."
That caused many a face to pale.
Jeff spoke up again, "Now, with the information that the good corporal just gave us...likely information he wasn't supposed to," he said, giving my a sidelong look for a moment, before putting his thumbs through his belt, "we need to act quickly and act intelligently. We need to get over to Shoppers and Sobeys to get medical supplies and food. We have to do it before everyone else realizes just how bad things have gotten."
Alan spoke up as well, "Don't worry about money, just grab as much as you can, fill your cars, and get back here."
And then I spoke up, with my well-rehearsed portion of the speech...something we had planned and rehearsed a month into what was very much the apocalypse, "And then we need to secure this building and black out all the windows. Those things react to light and movement...if we block off the doors, keep lights in the apartments -off-, and stay away from the windows the odds are very good we'll be missed."
Jeff spoke up again, "And things are going to have to stay this way, until it's safe to go outside again."
Henry spoke up again, asking a question we were all wondering, "When will that be?"
Alan turned to look at him with a tired, almost haunted expression, the sounds of gunfire now audible in the distance...and more sirens, "Who knows?"
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
So, this story is inspired by 'Infection Free Zone'. Characters and dialogue are my own, and the plot is a pretty generic 'zombie apocalypse' plot, at least at the start. I highly recommend the game, because it actually uses GPS software so you can survive the infected hordes just about anywhere...including your own hometown.
It also means it's really easy to map out neighbourhoods, businesses, and such (in a general sense) for zombie survival stories, supplemented by Google Maps to be a bit more accurate as to what business is where (the game is really general on that...doesn't do strip malls well).
One of the other things I enjoy about the game is that you can really have humanity shine, depending on your choices. For example, there is an achievement for defeating the military...but in my game, I won't get it, because I helped them out when they needed it. It's nice to have a zombie apocalypse setup where the military is actually competent and not evil.
It's been a long time since I've attempted to write, and while I started this story in a more traditional 3rd person aspect, I found I was having issues with it, so I decided to go first person. I hope anyone who decides to read it will enjoy reading it.
submitted by Doom_Messiah to HFY [link] [comments]


2024.05.22 20:16 Suspicious-Shame475 MEGA DHGATE BEST FINDS LIST - 500+ ITEMS FROM TRUSTED SELLERS - BUY DIRECTLY WITHOUT AN AGENT - VARIOUS BRANDS & ITEMS INCLUDED

Wazzup, Repfam! I've compiled an extensive list of top-quality finds directly from DHgate. This way, you can safely navigate the Chinese marketplace without relying on an agent. I've invested significant time and effort into curating this list, ensuring it features only the highest quality items sourced from personal purchases and positive reviews. From various brands to a wide array of items, it's all here. Pro tip: Use 'Ctrl (Command) + F' for easy searching. Please note: While logos may be hidden on DHgate listings for copyright reasons, the products themselves bear them. Additionally, for quality control pictures, refer to reviews or contact the seller via chat. Need further assistance with DHgate? Feel free to shoot me a PM—I'm here to help. Enjoy your shopping experience!
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Christian Louboutin Low Sneakers 1
Christian Louboutin Low Sneakers 2
Christian Louboutin High Sneakers 1
Christian Louboutin High Sneakers 2
Christian Louboutin Dress Shoes 1
Christian Louboutin High Heels 2
Christian Louboutin High Heels 1
HERMES
Hermes Boxers
Hermes Orand Sandals
Hermes Orand Sandals 2
Hermes Mini Kelly Bag (Highest Quality)
Hermes Belt (Men)
Hermes Belt (Women)
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
Alexander Mcqueen Oversized Trainer Sneakers 1
Alexander Mcqueen Oversized Trainer Sneakers 2
Alexander Mcqueen T-Shirt
DIESEL
Diesel Iconic Bag 1
Diesel Iconic Bag 2
Diesel Iconic Bag 3
Diesel Cut-Out Knit Top 1
Diesel Cut-Out Knit Top 2
CHROME HEARTS
Chrome Hearts Hoodies 1
Chrome Hearts T-Shirts 1
Chrome Hearts Hat
Chrome Hearts Varsity Jacket
RICK OWENS
Rick Owens x Dr Martens
VERSACE
Versace Robe
Versace T-Shirts
Versace Chain Reaction
Versace Chain Reaction 2
Versace Slides
Versace Slides 2
Versace Slides 3
Versace Swim Trunks
C.P. COMPANY
C.P. Company Goggles Zip Hoodie
C.P. Company Goggles Beanie
C.P. Company T-Shirts
C.P. Company Wind Jacket
C.P. Company Zip Hoodie 2
UGG
Ugg Gloves
Ugg Slippers
Uggs Tasman
Ugg Ankle Boots
DIOR
Christian Dior Atelier T-Shirt
Dior Button Ups
Dior Draco Slides
Dior Chain & Bracelet
Dior Small Tote Bag (Highest Quality)
PALM ANGELS
Palm Angels Tracksuit
Palm Angels Pattern Tracksuit
Palm Angels Tracksuits (More Colors)
Palm Angels x Moncler Tracksuit
Palm Angels Rear Logo T-Shirt
Palm Angels Spray Logo T-Shirt
Palm Angels Spray Logo T-Shirt 2
Palm Angels Bear T-Shirt
Palm Angels Graffiti Heart T-Shirt
Palm Angels Shark T-Shirt
More Palm Angels T-Shirts
Palm Angels Spray Logo Hoodie
Palm Angels Sunglasses
THE NORTH FACE
The North Face Nuptse Jacket
The North Face Vest
The North Face x Braindead Jacket
The North Face Light Jacket
The North Face x Gucci Puffer Jacket
The North Face Beanie
BALENCIAGA
Balenciaga Slides
Balenciaga T-Shirts 1
Balenciaga T-Shirts 2
Balenciaga T-Shirts 3
Balenciaga T-Shirts 4
Balenciaga T-Shirts 5
Balenciaga T-Shirts 6
Balenciaga Reflective Logo T-Shirt
Balenciaga Spray T-Shirt
Adidas x Balenciaga T-Shirt
Balenciaga Logo Hoodie
Balenciaga Sweater
Balenciaga Hoodies 2
Balenciaga Beanie
Balenciaga Sweater
Balenciaga Triple S
Balenciaga Triple S 2
Balenciaga x Adidas Triple S
Balenciaga Track
Balenciaga 3XL 1
Balenciaga Speed Runner
Balenciaga Speed Runner 2
Balenciaga Fury Slides
Balenciaga Hourglass Bag
Balenciaga Socks
Balenciaga Side Logo Hat
STONE ISLAND
Stone Island Hoodie
Stone Island Logo T-Shirt
Stone Island Logo T-Shirt 2
Stone Island Print Logo T-Shirt
Stone Island Zip Hoodie 2
Stone Island Sweatshirt
Stone Island Longsleeve
Stone Island Cargo Pants
Stone Island Cargo Pants 2
Stone Island Sweatpants
Stone Island Nylon Pants
Stone Island Shorts
Stone Island Nylon Shorts
Stone Island Quick Dry Shorts
Stone Island Wind Jacket
Stone Island Puffer Jacket
Stone Island Compass Patch Shirt Jacket
Stone Island Vests
ESSENTIALS
Essentials Hoodies
Essentials Sweatsuit
Essentials Sweatsuit 2
Essentials Sweatpants
Essentials Shorts
Essentials T-Shirt
Essentials Fear Of God Hoodie
Essentials Puffer Jacket
Essentials Socks
MONCLER
Moncler Maya Puffer Jacket
Moncler Cardere Short Down Jacket
Moncler Jackets 1
Moncler Jackets 2
Moncler Jackets 3
Moncler Wind Jacket
Moncler Logo Sweatshirt
Moncler Vest
More Moncler Vests
Moncler Logo Beanie
Moncler Logo Beanie 2
Moncler Fur Beanie
Moncler Hat
Moncler Logo T-Shirt
Moncler Polo T-Shirt
Moncler x Palm Angels Tracksuit
Moncler Swim Trunks
PRADA
Prada Puffer Jacket
Prada Vest
Prada Logo T-Shirt
Prada Polo T-Shirt
Prada Cloudbust Thunder Shoes 2
Prada Sunglasses
Prada Windbreaker
Prada Jacket
Prada Sweatshirt
Prada Shoulder Bag
Prada Logo Necklace
Prada Hat
Prada Fur Bucket Hat
Prada Beanie
Prada Weave Sandals
Prada Cardholder
Prada Duffel Bag
SP5DER
Sp5der Hoodies 1
Sp5der Hoodies 2
Sp5der 555 Hoodie
Sp5der Stars Hoodie
Sp5der P*nk Hoodie
Sp5der P*nk T-Shirt
More Sp5der T-Shirts
COMME DES GARCONS
Comme Des Garcons Small Logo T-Shirt
Comme Des Garcons Play T-Shirts
More Comme Des Garcons T-Shirts
Comme Des Garcons Logo Hoodie
Comme Des Garcons Sweater
More CDG T-Shirts
Comme Des Garcons Play Hoodies
LOUIS VUITTON
LV Monogram Belt (With Box)
LV Monogram Belt 2
LV Trainers
LV Trainers 2
LV Millionaire Sunglasses
LV Wallets (With Box)
LV Wallet
LV Slides
LV Blue Knit T-Shirt
LV Varsity Jackets
LV Messenger Bag
LV T-Shirts (Many Models)
LV Gradient Belt
LV Pattern Backpack
LV Pattern Belt
LV Women's WalletLV Slides
LV Beanie & Scarf Set
LV Pattern Beanie
LV Purse
LV Cardholder
LV Belt Bag
LV Cyclone Sunglasses
LV Pattern Sunglasses
More LV Sunglasses
LV Earrings
LV Emilie Wallet
LV Wallet Bag
LV Keychains
LV Camo Logo T-Shirt
LV Cuban Link Bracelet
LV Backpack
LV Duffel Bag
More LV Duffel Bag Models
LV Dripping Logo T-Shirt
LV Tote Bag
LV Mini Backpack
LV Loop Bag
LV Hats
Louis Vuitton Signature Knit T-Shirt
LV Puffer Jackets
LV Underhand Bag
LV Swim Shorts
Louis Vuitton Air Force 1
TRAPSTAR
Trapstar Irongate Jacket
Trapstar Jackets
Trapstar T-Shirts
Trapstar Tracksuit
Trapstar Shooters Tracksuit
Trapstar Summer Sets
Trapstar Windbreakers
Trapstar Irongate Shoulder Bag
AMIRI
Amiri Jeans 1
Amiri Jeans 2
Amiri Jeans 3
Amiri T-Shirts 1
Amiri T-Shirts 2
Amiri T-Shirts 3
Amiri Hats 1
Amiri Hats 2
Amiri Hats 3
Amiri Hoodies 1
Amiri Hoodies 2
Amiri Shorts
LOEWE
Loewe T-Shirts
Loewe Hoodies
Loewe Tank Tops
CASABLANCA
Casablanca Shirt
Casablanca T-Shirts 1
Casablanca T-Shirts 2
Casablanca T-Shirts 3
Casablanca Summer Sets
Casablanca Shirts
Casablanca Shorts
GUCCI
Gucci x Adidas Sweatshirt
Gucci GG Canvas Hat
Gucci Snake Hat
Gucci x The North Face Jacket
Gucci Snake Polo T-Shirt
Gucci Spray Letters T-Shirt
Gucci Tiger T-Shirt
Gucci Bear T-Shirt
Gucci Pattern Polo T-Shirt
Gucci GG Belt 1
Gucci GG Belt 2
Gucci Snake Buckle Belt
Gucci Snake Belt
Gucci Snake Wallet
Gucci Shoulder Bag
Gucci Ring
Gucci Keychains
Gucci GG Shocks
Gucci Shorts
Gucci Robe
Gucci Heels
Gucci Small Wallet
Gucci Scarfs
Gucci Backpacks
More Gucci Wallets
CORTEIZ
Corteiz Cargo Pants
Corteiz Alcatraz Hoodies
Corteiz Alcatraz Sweatpants
Corteiz Tracksuit
Corteiz Beanie
RALPH LAURENT
Ralph Laurent Polo T-Shirts
Ralph Laurent Zip Hoodie
Ralph Laurent Jumper
Ralph Laurent Collared Shirts
Ralph Laurent Hoodie
Ralph Laurent Knit
More Ralph Laurent Polo T-Shirts Designs
OFF-WHITE
Off-White T-Shirts 1
Off White T-Shirts 2
Off-White T-Shirts 3
Off-White Hoodies 1
Off-White Hoodies 2
Off-White Out Of Office Sneakers 1
Off-White Out Of Office Sneakers 2
Off-White "Wet Grass" Rug
Off-White Low Top Sneakers
Off-White Jordan 1
Off-White Jitney Gummy Bag
NIKE / JORDAN
Nike Tech Fleece
Nike x Nocta Tech Fleece
Jordan 1 Low Fragment
Nike Dunks (Best Price)
Nike Socks
Nike x Nocta Puffer Jacket
Nike Shox TL
Nike Shocks TL x Supreme
Nike Air Force 1
Nike Air Force 1 Skeletone
Nike x Tiffany Air Force 1 1
Off-White Dunks
Off-White Jordan 1
Jordan 3
Jordan 4 (Highest Quality)
Kyrie Irving Basketball Shoes
Jordan 1 Dior Low
Nike x Louis Vuitton Air Force 1
YEEZY
Yeezy Slides (Highest Quality)
Yeezy Slides (Best Budget Option)
Yeezy Foam Runner
Yeezy 350 v2 (Highest Quality)
Yeezy 350 v2 (Best Budget Option)
NOCTA
Nocta Tech Fleece
Nocta Jersey
Nocta x Nike Puffer Jacket 1
Nocta x Nike Puffer Jacket 2
Nocta Hot Step Terra
Nocta Hoodies 1
Nocta Hoodies 2
BAPE
Bapesta
Bape Shark Zip Hoodie
Bape Camo Logo T-Shirt
Bape x Undefeated T-Shirts
Bape x Heron Preston T-Shirts
Bape Sleeping Ape Logo T-Shirt
2024 New Bape T-Shirts
Bape Double Hoodie Zip Hoodie
Bape Sweatshirt
More Bape Hoodies
Bape Polo T-Shirts
Bape Glow In The Dark Zip Hoodie
Bape x Gran Turismo T-Shirt
Bape x New Balance T-Shirt
BURBERRY
Burberry Shorts
Burberry Regis
Burberry T-Shirt
Burberry T-Shirts
Burberry Women's Bag
Burberry Brit Camel Button-Down
SYNA
Syna Hoodie
Syna Sweatpants
CANADA GOOSE
Canada Goose Jacket
Canda Goose Beanies
Canada Goose Long Pockets Jacket
submitted by Suspicious-Shame475 to CoutureRepsBST [link] [comments]


2024.05.22 20:09 Odd_Shift5801 Understanding the Beatitudes: Lessons from the Sermon on the Mount

Exploring the Beatitudes: A Guide to Blessed Living
Hey everyone,
I wanted to take a moment to share some thoughts and reflections on one of the most profound teachings of Jesus—the Beatitudes. Found in Matthew 5:3-12, these verses are a key part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and provide a blueprint for living a life that is truly blessed.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_L0mCTlHeWhQ1R104v1YC1b4qCjaxBJ4
Here’s a quick overview of the Beatitudes:
  1. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
    • Recognizing our spiritual poverty and need for God is the first step towards a blessed life.
  2. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
    • In our grief and sorrow, God’s comfort and presence bring profound peace.
  3. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
    • True strength lies in humility and gentleness, not in aggression or force.
  4. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
    • A deep longing for righteousness leads to spiritual fulfillment.
  5. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
    • Showing mercy to others opens our hearts to receive God’s mercy.
  6. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
    • Purity of heart enables us to experience God’s presence more clearly.
  7. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
    • Promoting peace reflects God’s nature and establishes us as His children.
  8. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
    • Enduring persecution for the sake of righteousness connects us with the eternal reward of God’s kingdom.
These statements not only offer us a roadmap to blessed living but also challenge us to live counter-culturally. In a world that often values power, wealth, and self-reliance, the Beatitudes call us to embrace humility, mercy, and a deep dependence on God.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with the Beatitudes. How have these teachings impacted your life? Do you have any insights or stories about living out these principles?
Feel free to share in the comments! Let’s encourage each other as we strive to live lives that reflect the blessedness Jesus described.
Call to Action: If you’re interested in diving deeper into the Beatitudes, consider joining a Bible study group or reading a book on the Sermon on the Mount. Let’s grow together in our understanding and application of these timeless truths.
submitted by Odd_Shift5801 to Christianity [link] [comments]


2024.05.22 19:54 kinda_difficult [English > Spanish] Celiac disease card for travel to Costa Rica

Hey all, I'm looking for some assistance in translating some words for a card I'd like to make for a research trip I'm making to Costa Rica soon. I have celiac disease and my Spanish isn't that great, so to ensure that I don't accidentally get sick from food at restaurants and cafeterias, I'd like to make a card with both English and Spanish on it explaining my dietary restrictions. They have similar ones on Amazon and printable versions for free online, but they don't have exactly what I want to say on it (and who would spend $15 for something you can print on your own) so I thought I'd make my own.
Thank you in advance! My Spanish isn't nearly good enough to confidently translate.
Here's the English version that I wrote out, roughly:

Celiac disease

I cannot eat any gluten, including small amounts.
Gluten-containing foods: Wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, malt. I can eat oats only if it is "Certified gluten free".
Please ensure that there is no cross-contamination with gluten-containing foods. Please use clean gloves, utensils, surfaces, cookware, and frying oil.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for your assistance!
submitted by kinda_difficult to translator [link] [comments]


2024.05.22 18:35 FearlessLeather475 Top Best noise cancelling headphones under $100 (2024 & 2025 READY)

If you are looking for the best noise cancelling headphones under $100 in the year 2024 and 2025 let's start with the list
1)))Sony WH-CH700N Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
2)))TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
3))) Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones 4))COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
5))Mpow H5 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sony is a brand known for its high-quality electronic products, and the WH-CH700N Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones are no exception. These headphones are designed to provide users with an immersive listening experience, free from distractions and background noise. With a sleek design, long battery life, and advanced noise cancelling technology, the Sony WH-CH700N headphones are a top choice for anyone looking to upgrade their audio experience.
One of the standout features of the Sony WH-CH700N headphones is their noise cancelling technology. This feature allows users to block out external sounds and immerse themselves in their music or podcasts. The headphones use Artificial Intelligence Noise Cancelling (AINC) to adjust the level of noise cancellation based on the environment. This means that whether you're in a noisy airport or a quiet office, the headphones will adapt to provide the best possible listening experience.
In addition to noise cancelling, the Sony WH-CH700N headphones also offer a comfortable fit and long-lasting battery life. The headphones are lightweight and adjustable, making them suitable for extended wear. The ear cups are cushioned for added comfort, and the headband is adjustable to fit a variety of head sizes. With up to 35 hours of battery life on a single charge, users can enjoy their music for hours on end without needing to recharge.
The Sony WH-CH700N headphones also feature Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to wirelessly connect to their devices. This means you can listen to music, take calls, or watch videos without being tethered to your phone or tablet. The headphones have a range of up to 30 feet, providing freedom of movement while still maintaining a strong connection.
Another notable feature of the Sony WH-CH700N headphones is the built-in microphone for hands-free calling. This allows users to answer calls without needing to take off their headphones or fumble with their phone. The microphone delivers clear sound quality, ensuring that both parties can hear each other clearly.
The headphones also feature touch controls on the ear cups, allowing users to adjust volume, skip tracks, or answer calls with a simple swipe or tap. This makes it easy to control your music or calls without needing to take out your phone.
The Sony WH-CH700N headphones also come with a carrying pouch for easy storage and portability. The pouch protects the headphones from scratches and damage while traveling, and makes it easy to take them on the go.
Overall, the Sony WH-CH700N Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones are a top choice for anyone looking for high-quality audio and noise cancelling technology. With their comfortable fit, long battery life, and advanced features, these headphones are a great investment for music lovers and commuters alike.
In conclusion, the Sony WH-CH700N Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones offer a premium audio experience with advanced noise cancelling technology and convenient features. With their comfortable fit, long battery life, and high-quality sound, these headphones are a top choice for anyone looking to upgrade their listening experience. Whether you're commuting, working out, or just relaxing at home, the Sony WH-CH700N headphones provide a truly immersive and enjoyable audio experience.
TaoTronics is a well-known brand in the audio industry, and their Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are one of their most popular products. These headphones are designed to provide a superior listening experience by eliminating external noise and delivering clear, crisp sound. In this article, we will take a closer look at the features and performance of TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones.
One of the standout features of these headphones is their active noise cancelling technology. This technology works by using microphones to pick up external noise and then generating sound waves that are the exact opposite of the unwanted noise. This effectively cancels out the external noise, allowing you to enjoy your music or podcasts without any distractions. Whether you are on a noisy airplane, train, or in a busy office, TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones can help you immerse yourself in your audio.
In addition to their noise cancelling capabilities, these headphones also deliver high-quality sound. With 40mm drivers, TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones provide a rich, immersive listening experience. The sound is well-balanced, with clear highs, detailed mids, and deep bass. Whether you are listening to music, watching movies, or making phone calls, these headphones deliver excellent audio quality.
Comfort is also a priority with TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones. The ear cups are padded with soft memory foam, which provides a comfortable fit and helps to seal out external noise. The headband is adjustable and well-padded, ensuring a secure and comfortable fit for extended listening sessions. The headphones are lightweight and foldable, making them easy to transport and store when not in use.
Another key feature of TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones is their long battery life. With up to 30 hours of playtime on a single charge, you can enjoy your music all day long without needing to recharge. The headphones also have a quick charge feature, giving you two hours of playback time with just five minutes of charging. This makes them ideal for long trips or busy days when you need your headphones to last.
In terms of connectivity, TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 technology. This allows you to easily pair the headphones with your smartphone, tablet, or other Bluetooth-enabled devices. The headphones have a range of up to 33 feet, giving you the freedom to move around without being tethered to your device. They also have a built-in microphone for hands-free calls, making them a versatile choice for both music and phone conversations.
The design of TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones is sleek and modern. The headphones are available in a classic black color with silver accents, giving them a sophisticated look. The ear cups swivel and fold flat, making them easy to store in the included carrying case. The controls are located on the ear cups, allowing you to adjust the volume, skip tracks, and answer calls with ease.
Overall, TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are a top choice for anyone looking for high-quality sound and effective noise cancellation. With their comfortable design, long battery life, and Bluetooth connectivity, these headphones offer a premium listening experience at an affordable price. Whether you are a frequent traveler, a music lover, or a busy professional, TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are sure to enhance your audio experience.
Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Review
In the world of headphones, noise cancellation technology has become increasingly popular for those looking to drown out unwanted background noise and immerse themselves in their music or other audio content. One company that has been at the forefront of this trend is Anker, with their Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones.
These headphones boast an impressive array of features, including advanced noise cancelling technology, superior sound quality, long battery life, and a comfortable design. In this review, we will take a closer look at the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones and see how they stack up against the competition.
Design and Comfort
The first thing you'll notice about the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones is their sleek and modern design. The headphones are constructed from high-quality materials and have a sturdy feel to them. The ear cups are padded with soft memory foam that conforms to the shape of your ears, providing a comfortable fit for extended listening sessions.
The headband is also padded with the same soft material, making it comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The headphones are adjustable, so you can easily find the perfect fit for your head size. Overall, the design of the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones is both stylish and functional, making them a great choice for those looking for a comfortable and durable pair of headphones.
Sound Quality
One of the most important aspects of any pair of headphones is sound quality, and the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones do not disappoint in this department. The headphones feature 40mm dynamic drivers that deliver crisp highs, deep lows, and a well-balanced sound profile. Whether you're listening to music, watching movies, or playing games, the sound quality of these headphones is sure to impress.
In addition to their impressive sound quality, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones also feature active noise cancellation technology. This technology works by using microphones to pick up external noise and then creating inverse sound waves to cancel out that noise. The result is a more immersive listening experience, with significantly reduced background noise.
Battery Life
Another standout feature of the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones is their impressive battery life. The headphones are equipped with a high-capacity battery that provides up to 40 hours of continuous playback on a single charge. This means you can enjoy your music or other audio content for hours on end without having to worry about running out of battery.
In addition, the headphones also feature a quick charge function that allows you to get up to 4 hours of playback time with just a 5-minute charge. This is perfect for those times when you need a quick boost of battery life before heading out the door.
Connectivity and Controls
The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones feature Bluetooth 5.0 technology, which provides a stable and reliable connection to your devices. The headphones also support a wide range of codecs, including AAC and SBC, for high-quality audio streaming. In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, the headphones also feature a 3.5mm audio jack for wired connections.
The headphones have a built-in microphone for hands-free calling and voice assistant support. The controls are located on the ear cups and are easy to use, allowing you to adjust the volume, skip tracks, and answer calls with the touch of a button.
Conclusion
Overall, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are a fantastic option for those looking for a high-quality pair of headphones with advanced noise cancellation technology. The headphones offer a comfortable design, impressive sound quality, long battery life, and convenient controls, making them a great choice for music lovers, movie buffs, and gamers alike.
Whether you're commuting to work, working from home, or just relaxing at home, the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones provide an immersive listening experience that is sure to impress. With their stylish design, advanced features, and affordable price point, these headphones are definitely worth considering for your next audio upgrade.
COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones: A Game-Changer in Audio Technology
In today's fast-paced and noisy world, finding a moment of peace and quiet can be a rare luxury. Whether you're commuting on a crowded train, working in a bustling office, or simply trying to relax at home, unwanted noise can be a major distraction. That's where the COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones come in. These innovative headphones are designed to block out external noise and provide you with a truly immersive listening experience.
The COWIN E7 headphones are equipped with advanced active noise cancelling technology that uses microphones to pick up external sounds and then generates sound waves to cancel them out. This allows you to enjoy your music, podcasts, or audiobooks without any interruptions from the world around you. The noise cancelling feature can be easily turned on and off with the touch of a button, giving you the flexibility to switch between blocking out noise and hearing your surroundings when needed.
One of the standout features of the COWIN E7 headphones is their impressive battery life. With up to 30 hours of playtime on a single charge, you can enjoy uninterrupted listening for long periods of time without having to worry about running out of battery. The headphones also come with a built-in microphone for hands-free calls, making it easy to stay connected while on the go.
Comfort is another key aspect of the COWIN E7 headphones. The ear cups are padded with soft protein leather and the headband is adjustable, allowing you to find the perfect fit for your head. The headphones are lightweight and ergonomic, making them comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. Whether you're listening to music during a long flight or tuning into a podcast while working at your desk, the COWIN E7 headphones are designed to provide maximum comfort and convenience.
In terms of sound quality, the COWIN E7 headphones deliver a rich and immersive listening experience. The 40mm large-aperture drivers produce deep, powerful bass and crisp, clear highs, ensuring that every note and beat is heard with precision. The headphones also feature Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to easily pair them with your smartphone, tablet, or laptop for wireless listening. Additionally, the headphones come with a 3.5mm audio cable for wired connections, giving you the flexibility to use them with a variety of devices.
The COWIN E7 headphones are not only functional and stylish, but they are also durable and built to last. The headphones are constructed with high-quality materials that are designed to withstand daily wear and tear. The ear cups swivel and fold for easy storage and transportation, making them ideal for travel or on-the-go use. The headphones also come with a carrying case to protect them when not in use.
Overall, the COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are a game-changer in audio technology. With their advanced noise cancelling technology, impressive battery life, comfortable design, and superior sound quality, these headphones are a must-have for anyone who values high-quality audio and uninterrupted listening. Whether you're a music lover, podcast enthusiast, or frequent traveler, the COWIN E7 headphones are sure to enhance your listening experience and provide you with a moment of tranquility in a noisy world.
Mpow H5 Noise Cancelling Headphones: Your Ticket to Peace and Quiet
In today's fast-paced world, noise pollution is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue. Whether it's the sound of traffic outside your window, the chatter of coworkers in the office, or the constant hum of appliances at home, finding a moment of peace and quiet can feel like a rare luxury. This is where noise-cancelling headphones come in, offering a way to block out unwanted noise and create a peaceful oasis wherever you go.
One brand that has been making waves in the noise-cancelling headphone market is Mpow, with their H5 model receiving high praise from consumers and critics alike. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the Mpow H5 Noise Cancelling Headphones and explore what sets them apart from the competition.
Design and Comfort
The first thing you'll notice about the Mpow H5 headphones is their sleek and modern design. With a matte black finish and smooth curves, these headphones exude a sense of sophistication and style. The ear cups are generously padded with memory-protein cushions, providing a comfortable fit that allows you to wear them for hours on end without any discomfort.
The adjustable headband ensures a secure and personalized fit, while the swiveling ear cups allow you to easily adjust the headphones to your liking. The overall build quality of the Mpow H5 headphones is impressive, with a sturdy construction that feels durable and long-lasting.
Sound Quality
Of course, the most important aspect of any pair of headphones is the sound quality, and the Mpow H5 headphones do not disappoint in this department. Equipped with 40mm drivers, these headphones deliver crisp highs, rich mids, and deep, powerful bass that will make your music sound better than ever.
The noise-cancelling feature of the Mpow H5 headphones is also top-notch, effectively blocking out external noise and allowing you to immerse yourself in your music or podcasts without any distractions. Whether you're on a noisy airplane, commuting on a crowded train, or just trying to focus in a busy office, the Mpow H5 headphones will create a cocoon of silence around you.
Battery Life and Connectivity
One of the key features of the Mpow H5 headphones is their impressive battery life. With up to 30 hours of playtime on a single charge, you can enjoy your music for days on end without needing to recharge. The headphones also come with a convenient carrying case that doubles as a charger, allowing you to top up your battery on the go.
The Mpow H5 headphones are equipped with Bluetooth 4.1 technology, providing a stable and reliable connection to your devices. Pairing the headphones with your smartphone, tablet, or laptop is quick and easy, and you can seamlessly switch between devices without any hassle. The headphones also feature a built-in microphone, allowing you to take calls hands-free and easily control your music playback.
Additional Features
In addition to their impressive sound quality and noise-cancelling capabilities, the Mpow H5 headphones come with a range of additional features that make them stand out from the competition. The headphones are equipped with on-ear controls that allow you to adjust the volume, skip tracks, and activate the noise-cancelling feature with just a few simple taps.
The headphones also come with a 3.5mm audio cable, allowing you to connect them to devices that do not have Bluetooth capabilities. This is especially useful when traveling on airplanes or using devices with limited battery life. The Mpow H5 headphones also come with a 45-day money-back guarantee and an 18-month warranty, providing peace of mind and assurance that you are investing in a high-quality product.
Conclusion
Overall, the Mpow H5 Noise Cancelling Headphones are a fantastic choice for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse themselves in their music. With their stylish design, comfortable fit, impressive sound quality, and long battery life, these headphones offer everything you need to enjoy your favorite tunes in peace and quiet.
Whether you're a frequent traveler, a busy professional, or just someone who appreciates a moment of solitude, the Mpow H5 headphones are sure to become your new favorite accessory. So why wait? Treat yourself to a pair of Mpow H5 Noise Cancelling Headphones today and experience the joy of true peace and quiet.
submitted by FearlessLeather475 to blackfridayforever [link] [comments]


2024.05.22 17:42 Kurisusnacks 6 weeks of ownership; 2000mi running my small business.

6 weeks of ownership; 2000mi running my small business.
So I bought an '23 ER XLT for my business pulling an 18'(L)x7'(W)x9'(H) tandem axle trailer 5-6 days a week (weight including trailer around 7500lbs, varies by +/- 1k throughout the week). Here are a few of my thoughts:
  • I've pulled a trailer daily with 3 other trucks ('21 F-150 2.7L ecoboost, a '19 Silverado 2500HD diesel, and a '22 Dodge Ram as a rental). As far as towing competency/stability, none of the others come close. The 3/4 Ton Silverado might have a slight edge of 'stability' at 70mph+ but it's marginal at best. This is where the low center of gravity and we'll spread out weight of the battery gives the most benefit while towing.
  • Under 60mph speeds, the range meter typically under-promises and over delivers. Above 65mph, it does the opposite but usually the margin of error is around 5mi give or take.
  • Power-wise, this truck has broken me for using any other vehicle for short-distance towing. My business averages 3 days of 40-50mi, and 2 days of 90-100mi, with virtually no scenarios where I'd go over 100mi in a single day. Living in a state like NC where residential rates are 11.4¢/kWh, this is a perfect use-case for the Lightning.
  • In a hypothetical scenario where residential electricity cost as much as gas, I'd still want to pull this trailer with the Lightning.
Any questions, comments, etc feel free to ask.
submitted by Kurisusnacks to F150Lightning [link] [comments]


2024.05.22 16:18 bongio79 Speedpainting isn't good for beginners

Hi everyone, new painter here. I began painting miniatures some month ago, then I discovered WH40k, I fell in love with it and I got the Starter set.
I painted my first Space Marines with regular acrylics, then me and my son got ourselves two combat patrols (Dark Angels me, World Eaters him) and because I unfortunately don't have that much free time for the hobby I thought buying a set of speedpaints could help. Now I'm not sure it was a brilliant idea.
Don't get me wrong: speedpaints are very good, they keep their promise, but I really struggle to achieve a decent result on my Space Marines. They definitely work better on the World Eaters (they don't have that much flat surfaces), but in order to make them work on the Space Marines you really need to have a good brush and paint control.
Many people keep saying that speedpaints/contrast paints are great for beginners, and when I went to my local WH store for a quick painting course they suggested me to use them, but I'm starting to think that they are great for experienced painters who need to work on many miniatures in a short amount of time, while beginners should keep practicing with the regular acrylics instead.
What do you think?
submitted by bongio79 to Warhammer40k [link] [comments]


2024.05.22 12:47 RedditVaccineInjury AI questions about image generation

Hello,
I am looking for the following, preferably free:
If anyone wants to help me navigate, I would very much appreciate it.
submitted by RedditVaccineInjury to synthetichorror [link] [comments]


2024.05.22 12:46 Cheapskate2020 Intel N100 Mini PC - 3 Months Data Power Consumption as a Plex Server

A few months ago, I posted this: Intel N100 vs Ryzen 7 1700 (1st Gen) - An Interesting Transcoding and Power Consumption Comparison. I have since collated 3 months worth of power consumption data using a smart plug and Home Assistant. I thought it would be interesting to share the results as it may help others to get a better overall picture of total power consumption when running a Plex server 24x7. Here are the results.
Mini PC Spec
Model - FIREBAT T8 Pro Plus Mini PC
CPU - Intel N100 4-core
RAM 16GB DDR5 4800Mhz RAM (single channel)
GPU - Intel UHD (Integrated) 24 Execution Units
Storage - Samsung PM991a 512GB NVME 2242 SSD (Upgraded from standard SATA3 SSD)
External 2 bay 3.5" HDD with x2 8TB HDD
Connection - Ethernet > Gigabit LAN
PSU: 12v 2.5a wall charger
OS - Openmediavault 7 (OMV) with x15 Docker Images running concorrently
Power Consumption
Mini PC Power consumption (excluding external HDDs)
Using a total of 11,229 data points captured from Home Assistant from 22nd Feb 2024 to 22nd May 2024, average power consumption was 7.36 watts with a peak of 24.8 watts and a low of 5.5 watts. The median was 6.8 watts.
External 2 bay 3.5" HDD with x2 8TB HDD Power Consumption
Using a total of 8,120 data points captured from Home Assistant from 22nd Feb 2024 to 22nd May 2024, average power consumption was 5.74 watts with a peak of 24.2 watts and a low of 3.2 watts. The median was 3.9 watts.
Combined total
The combined total here is 13.1 watts average with a median of 10.7 watts
Yearly Energy Cost
The energy price cap in the UK currently is around 25p per kWh, so we will use that in this example:
13.1 W x 24 h/day = 314.4 Wh/day
314.4 Wh/day x 365 day/year= 114.75 kWh/year
Total Cost = £28.69 (based on 25p per kWh)
Conclusion
Considering my old PC averaged around 80w, this is a massive difference. My old PC would cost roughly 700.1 kW a year to run, which totals £175.02 per year. So the mini PC has paid for itself well within a year, plus I can run other things on it like Home Assistant with very little impact on power consumption.
Please feel free to ask any questions, or point out any holes in my maths :-)
submitted by Cheapskate2020 to PleX [link] [comments]


2024.05.22 10:02 cannavacciuolo420 Offerta elettricità, quale scegliere?

Devo scegliere una delle offerte presenti in questo link (fornitore Alperia). Ma sono super perso. A intuito andrei su "Alperia Free" (Offerta luce green a prezzo indicizzato al Prezzo Unico Nazionale + spread 0,011 €/kWh) essendo un nuovo cliente. Voi che dite?
submitted by cannavacciuolo420 to CasualIT [link] [comments]


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