Even after years of bs and only a few golden months. Even after trying to take anything and everything. Even after taunting me with the only thing I need. I love you anyway.
Have a good and safe Birthday P don't go as hard as I did lol but have more fun than I did last year lulz Don't do anything I wouldn't, that means no drunk driving or riding with drunks, call someone, no matter where you are you're better off not riding or driving drunk, if you want to drive drunk get private land :) it can be fun in a controlled environment lol
Saying now bc even though they're prolly your friends, they know too much for strangers, whether our bs laws or their bs policies think they have the right to say, just bc you have the ability doesn't make it right, power to the people, fuck the man, fuck the system, fuck social media, fuck all you stalkers lol
Come finish what you started.
I usually talk about what we'd do so might as well keep with tradition I guess. Idk prolly a trip to see extended family be it mine or yours. I want to go places with you, or anything at this point really.
Hardnoklife

Any strong opinions?

All of my solar is going into my battery, even though there is a load. It's pulling power from the grid to power the home. Is there a way to get it to only recharge the battery with the excess solar power, after home needs are met, thereby not needing grid power?
My settings are 20% backup, 80% TOU. Grid charging is off.

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The days of the sub-$10,000 new car are long behind us, and the days of the sub-$20,000 new car may not be far behind. But if a rock-bottom base price is what you’re looking for, a variety of models still deserve consideration. Many of them also get good gas mileage, which will help keep a lid on ownership costs for as long as you own one.
To help with your cheap-car search, we rounded up the 10 least expensive new cars. They’re ordered by base price from least to most expensive, and all prices include the destination charge, but not any cash incentives or taxes and fees. To make the list useful to as many car shoppers as possible, all prices include an automatic transmission, which bumps the price for some models that otherwise offer a manual. For cars with more than one transmission choice, the EPA-estimated combined mpg rating is for the automatic version.
Cheapest New Cars

1. 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage ES: $17,650
   
2. 2023 Kia Rio LX: $17,875
   
3. 2023 Nissan Versa S: $18,595
   
4. 2023 Kia Forte LX: $20,815
   
5. 2023 Hyundai Venue SE: $20,985
   
6. 2023 Nissan Sentra S: $21,145
   
7. 2023 Kia Soul LX: $21,215
   
8. 2024 Chevrolet Trax LS: $21,495
   
9. 2023 Hyundai Elantra SE: $22,065
   
10. 2023 Subaru Impreza: $22,115
    

2023 Mitsubishi Mirage ES
Price: $17,650 (including $1,095 destination) Combined fuel economy: 39 mpg
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2022 Mitsubishi Mirage Manufacturer image
Topping the list of most affordable cars, the Mirage is a subcompact hatchback with seating for up to five. The combination of a tiny 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine and optional continuously variable automatic transmission deliver impressive EPA-estimated gas mileage of 39 mpg combined, but it comes at the expense of performance; the Mirage is slow. That said, we thought it was reasonably fun to drive when we last reviewed it. In 2021, the Mirage got a refreshed face and revised rear bumper, an updated interior with new soft-touch materials, a new standard 7-inch touchscreen and standard safety features including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection across all trims. If you want a trunk, Mitsubishi also offers a sedan variant called the Mirage G4; with the CVT, it starts at $18,500.
2023 Kia Rio LX
Price: $17,875 ($1,125 destination) Combined fuel economy: 36 mpg
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2023 Kia Rio Manufacturer image
The Kia Rio enters the 2023 model year largely unchanged. Under the hood is a 120-horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and standard CVT for a generous combined fuel economy rating of 36 mpg. An 8-inch touchscreen multimedia display with a rear camera and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard across the lineup; unfortunately, automatic emergency braking is unavailable until you move up to the Rio’s higher trim, the S.
2023 Nissan Versa S
Price: $18,595 ($1,095 destination) Combined fuel economy: 35 mpg
2023 Nissan Versa Manufacturer image
The Nissan Versa is packed with active-safety and driver-assist features you don’t often see at this price. These include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, reverse automatic braking, lane departure warning and high-beam assist. It’s also fitted with convenience features like cruise control, automatic headlights, push-button start and Bluetooth streaming audio. For 2023, the Versa gets an updated front end and adds optional Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the base S model. Under the hood of the Versa S is a 122-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an optional CVT; the CVT is standard on higher trims.
2023 Kia Forte LX
Price: $20,815 ($1,125 destination) Combined fuel economy: 34 mpg
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2022 Kia Forte Manufacturer image
The Kia Forte’s base LX model (formerly called the FE) returns for 2023 with no changes aside from the new name. The most affordable trim is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and mated to a CVT. The compact sedan offers a commuter-friendly 34 mpg combined and is loaded with standard features such as a large 8-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and automatic emergency braking. Although the Forte is a good value for a daily driver, shoppers looking for plentiful cargo space won’t find it in this sedan’s small trunk.
2023 Hyundai Venue SE
Price: $20,985 ($1,335 destination) Combined fuel economy: 31 mpg
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2023 Hyundai Venue Manufacturer image
The Hyundai Venue makes the cheapest cars roundup as a faux SUV (i.e., it looks like an SUV and Hyundai calls it that, too, but all-wheel drive is unavailable, so we’ll leave it off the category). Advanced standard safety features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, and a driver attention monitor. All models are equipped with 8-inch touchscreen displays with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; the base SE and mid-level SEL have wireless versions of both, too. Power for all versions of the Venue comes from a four-cylinder engine paired to a CVT. For 2023, the Venue gains a standard rear occupant alert system and a larger 4.2-inch instrument cluster.
2023 Nissan Sentra S
Price: $21,145 ($1,095 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 33 mpg
nissan-sentra-sr-2022-01-exterior-front-angle-sedan-white
2022 Nissan Sentra Car photo by Aaron Bragman
After a complete overhaul for 2020, the Sentra is more than just a bargain buy thanks to styling improvements and a tech-focused interior. Powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder mated to a CVT, the Sentra S gets a combined fuel economy rating of 33 mpg. The compact sedan provides a controlled, comfortable ride with sharp steering, but the CVT lacks the giddy-up of those in some competitors. Standard on the S are a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 suite of advanced safety tech, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear automatic braking and rear cross-traffic alert.
2023 Kia Soul LX
Price: $21,215 ($1,325 destination) Combined fuel economy: 30 mpg
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2023 Kia Soul Manufacturer image
Kia’s quirky, utilitarian Soul hatchback sees a handful of changes for 2023, including an updated front and rear end, new 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels, and a suite of standard safety and driver-assist features like automatic emergency braking, lane departure steering assist, driver attention warning, lane departure warning and a rear occupant alert. Power for all models comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a CVT. The LX gets an 8-inch touchscreen display (other models get a 10.25-inch touchscreen) with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
2024 Chevrolet Trax LS
Price: $21,495 ($1,095 destination) Combined fuel economy: 30 mpg
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2024 Chevrolet Trax Manufacturer image
The redesigned 2024 Trax grows more spacious inside and gets a new turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine under the hood, which it shares with the larger Chevy Trailblazer and related Buick Encore GX. But while the Trailblazer and Encore GX offer available AWD and make our list of cheapest SUVs, the Trax is now FWD-only. The Trax’s tech upgrades include a larger 8-inch center touchscreen and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity; it also adds standard Chevy Safety Assist, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure steering assist with lane departure warning, and forward collision alert.
2023 Hyundai Elantra SE
Price: $22,065 ($1,115 destination) Combined fuel economy: 37 mpg
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2022 Hyundai Elantra Manufacturer image
Car shoppers on a tight budget will be happy to learn that Hyundai completely redesigned the Elantra for the 2021 model year with a more refined powertrain and a larger interior, and the 2023 model returns largely unchanged. The Elantra is available only as a sedan, and the most affordable SE trim is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a capable CVT. The Elantra gets an impressive 37 mpg that makes it as budget-friendly to own as it is to buy, and standard features include wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a blind spot warning system and lane-centering steering. Shoppers who can overlook the sedan’s low-rent interior will appreciate the Elantra’s value.
2023 Subaru Impreza Base
Price: $22,115 ($1,020 destination) Combined fuel economy: 32 mpg
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2023 Subaru Impreza hatchback and sedan Manufacturer image
The 2023 Subaru Impreza offers the choice of a sedan or five-door hatchback variant, and the sedan brings the lower price tag of the pair. Under the hood is a 152-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to an optional CVT that is good for an EPA-rated 32 mpg; AWD comes standard across all trims. On the tech front, the base Impreza’s center touchscreen measures 6.5 inches and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Models equipped with the CVT also pack important standard safety and driver-assist features: In addition to a rear seat reminder, Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assist suite bundles automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and lane departure steering assist.
Source: cars

Hello modders, I am Nidhin from Chicago and I wanted to invite each and every one of you to my "Monster Torque Ride On" Launch Group. What is this launch group, you may ask?
Like all you, when I bought a PowerWheels F150 Raptor for my kids, I was frustrated with the issues and lack of features of the ride-on. I started envisioning all the things I wish a ride on had and this magnificent product started taking shape in my mind. It had features like
Fully enclosed - So the kids could use in during winter, when it was too sunny or drizzling rain
Powerful torquey motors- So I didn't have to push it at every tiny hill
Air filled rubber tires - for traction, low noise and shock absorption
Metal gears - unlike nylon gears that stripped
Variable speed accelerator with soft start - so that the rideon didn't jerk each time it started and the kids could control the speed instead of accelerator being an on/off switch.
And a slew of other features.
My entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and I've been contact with a few manufacturers to produce such a ride on. It can be done, but the main hurdles are capital for new tooling, minimum order quantity and certification requirements for the new toy.
So that's where the launch group comes in. It will be a forum for open discussion of all the issues and features you wish a ride-on toy had. I consider each member of this group to be an invaluable asset. I would love for all of you to join the launch group and provide me with your valuable feedback as I embark on this quest. I promise to update you on every part of my journey as I try to finalize the product specification and try to find a manufacturer to produce this.
So I hope to see you all in the product launch group, which you should be able to access using the link below
Thank you!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/789272036139731

Part 1
"When we Firmas were pushed north into the Pyrimian mountain valley after the death of their chain of command, they settled down and instead of focusing on expansion focused on necessities like food. With co-operation from the first goblins and other creative minds that joined the First Wave of the migration, they managed to grow food over the summer in first-iteration greenhouses. "My parents were part of the first wave. They were old for a couple, but joined the Firma clan in founding a government and keeping the area safe, as well as spreading word. The dragonic gods didn't like their behavior at all; cities burning is more entertainment for them, so they were the first to be Forsaken in this era, publicly, in the main square of the old Dragonic Capital. "However, that backfired, with more and more dragons tired of running around and fighting all the time, they decided to settle down in a place where nobody would bother them; now that they had this place given to them, and the Second Wave started. Basically the entirety of the dragonic clans and several other species amassed in this wave, and the Sapient Unification Government held. "My parents had an egg in one of the more northern caves, right on the coast. Then, the third wave arrived and everything went downhill from there. "The Unification Wars were fought between those who wanted one government to cover this region, and those who wanted governments segregated by species. This would have been fine if the secessionists didn't step in on people's behalves, without their consent; it took fifteen years of war for the war to end. Millions died and some species like the Snow Fox beastpeople almost went extinct. My parent were part of the death wave. "The war evolved so rapidly it was impossible for a commander to last more than two months. It started with sticks and stones and within a month there were arrow volleys. A year saw guns, two tanks, three battleships, four planes. Bombs, bigger bullets, bigger guns, bigger bombs. "In the last few months of the war, the first nuclear devices were used, creating miniature stars on the land with immense destructive potential unleashed. It ended with mutually assured destruction protocols being activated, and when all was said and done the land was a snow-fallen irradiated dustball. "It took years for the survivors to pick up the remnants of our short-lived civilization and restart it into the Terra Firma Sapience Union. All the time, my egg didn't hatch because I had no incubator, but didn't die thanks to my ice type. It was located close enough to a mana vein where I just... absorbed the entire vein. When the cave was found by explorers following maps for my parents den, all they found was my egg glowing brighter than Sunstones. "I was taken to an incubation facility in Cellyia, one of the bigger cities. There I hatched, and after more than one test I grew. My growth was still... affected by the time without an incubator, so my already slow growth stopped after fifty years instead of continuing to infinity. And then I took some magic courses, did my best to drain my mana reserves, and settled down here, well away from... the bustle of Cellyia. It never quite felt like a home, you know. It was a good place to grow up, don't get me wrong, but I like it here better. Remote, and in the same place my parents met for the first time. As much as I can tell, anyway; a number of records were destroyed in the Unification War. "When your heroes continued to come up here, I would be the one on first guard. Damming a river, I used water magic to break it. Trying to destroy some transit infrastructure, I would be the first one to either fake it, finish it off, or lure them away. When your latest one decided to head for Cellyia, it was out of my range for such activities. I shadowed the party on the way and let others take care of it. "I never thought that your 'heroes' would be heartless enough to burn what they were told and even acknowledged as a hospital with patients inside. A library and museum with most of our pre-unification works inside. An orphanage, a school... an entire neighborhood of ten thousand citizens' homes. What for? To try to kill just one of us. "We... couldn't take that kind of behavior. Cellyia might have not been the best place for someone with my personality to grow up, especially without parental figures, but that orphanage still had some good memories. An all-citizens vote was called, an all-citizens vote was passed, and we started a counter-offensive military campaign into your Civilization Nations. We've been waiting for you elves, leaders of the Civilized Nations, to advance your society; it's been seven hundred years, all the most you've done is grow your population and add an extra floor to your townhomes. "So we're going to do it for you. You ran our patience down, so we're going to change your society for you. Is it a repeat of the Unification War? I don't think so, given that you Civilized Nations never rescinded the declaration of war against us 'monsters' over two thousand years ago; one that you still follow through on to this day. "But that isn't the end of my story. "When the gods forsook us, they tried to pry away our magic, our land, and our lives. So we defended. Space radars monitor their movements on the mortal plane. There's so many more technical details I can go into. All I can tell you is, at one point, the old god of Dragonic Princess-kidnapping; yes, they were a god; they came and asked us to restart worshiping them. "That went over as well as you'd expect, and the next thing that happened... was that I absorbed her mana and powers. Technically, I am an undefined god, and... at this point, I'm afraid to get a definition. "What if it's something I don't like? Something evil, immoral... something my parents, the leaders of the Second Wave, wouldn't be proud of? What if... what if it kills me? Everyone hates me? I'd no longer be free... "So my solution was to hide. Here, in a mountain cave in the middle of nowhere. This is my life, all of it... and I don't know where to go from here." ----- "So... you're a god?" I asked. I couldn't think of another question to ask. "Yes and no." The cat replied. It did nothing to satisfy my fearful curiosity. How could one both be and not be a god? "Princess-kidnapping was a... niche god, rarely prayed to by still enough to be, you know, and actual deity. So her mana ran out first, and most of it dissipated back into the environment yada yada yada, but like the sponge my mana reserves are, I sucked more of it up than I should have; enough to had just a slight touch of divine control. On par with a low-level demigod. If I was omnipresent, I'd solve me problems with a snap of my claws, and then I wouldn't be hiding from my problems here." "If your powers came from a god, how are yours undefined?" My mind was seeking knowledge now. I was a mage, after all, and this was more than just the opportunity of a lifetime; it was the opportunity of a aeon. "Because I absorbed her essence from the environment before it had the chance to fully dissipate, but still late enough where it was no longer hers." Vixie shrugged "Or something like that, mana gets weird sometimes. All that matters now is my stockpile is slowly increasing its grow rate, which gets annoying pretty fast." "Annoying?" The cat laughed again. "Do you think this is all of my baseline reserve? Half of the reason I stay away from the rest of society is because the last time someone with multiple aura got involved with politics..." She trailed off, and then let another, this time impeccably cast illusion fall. The air around her was burnt crisp with the power of several mandatory auras in her current small size. Twelve tails flicked behind her back, eleven of them made of energy. Floating specs of light, some smaller while others the size of ice crystals surrounded the air around her. The six orbs on her back were joined by six more, and were attached to a ring. Her head had two halos, and her entire body was engraved with glowing lines. If she before radiated power, now she was made of it. The lights on the cave's ceiling flickered as more and more of the illusion fell away. Geometric shapes orbiting her body, a platform made of mana at her feet, lightning whizzing between all sorts of objects. Finally, it was gone, and the cat that stared at me with big, sad, glowing blue eyes had told me her deepest secret. As soon as it had started, the illusion repaired itself, and before me was one cat, a halo, six orbs, two crystals, and two mana tails. I did the second most instinctive thing when it came to seeing a cat. I pulled her in for a hug. There was a quickly quieted hiss as she squirmed a bit in my grip, trying to get more comfortable, before letting herself get stroked by me. Several images flashed before my eyes, and a tear came out of mine. We had gone to war against the less lucky sapients on our world, and were now paying the price. It felt like hours, but then my stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten in literal days. Vixie shot out of my grip and led the way down into the cave. I followed, and soon enough I was eating some salted crackers with dried meat and cheese while Vixie moved around between other caves. "What are you doing?" I asked her between bites. "Packing," She replied. "Why?" "It's time I got out of here and, to follow the phrase, touched some grass." ----- It took three days for the elf, whose name was Nick, to recover enough to be able to make the journey to Cellyia. In those three days, I realized just how - and why - the Civilized Races looked at us the way they did. For starters, I'd forgotten just how many things ran on electricity, let alone other, more complicated mechanics. Pressurized water, instant hot water, even sinks, showers, and toilets were all completely unknown to the 'civilized races.' Ah, yes. Civilized without toilet paper. Bitter ramblings about the people who set off the chain reaction of events that killed my family aside, those were the second longest three days of my life; the first was my thirteenth birthday so I could get a personal HUD and social media. I was also a mess of thoughts. The elf had shown me, over the course of the three days - aside from the two-minute get-my-life-together moment - that I couldn't hide from my problems forever, or they would team up and try to hunt me. Hence my new, reluctant guest from the overflowing hospital they had oh-so-nicely delivered to my door. I had words for the medical staff. And I was also a mess of thoughts. Did I mention that one already. In all seriousness, Nick adapted to electronics pretty well. All I had to do was explain what it was, what it did, and file it under the name of science. It took an impressive four minutes of rambling about quantum mechanics before Vick realized that he was in way over his head asking how the 'magic rock that can half-think with bottled lightning' worked. He backed out when I yanked a textbook from my knowledge hoard and flipped through the pages to the start to explain how quantum superposition affected the set of particles it was entangled to. Fun. Finding out what toothbrushes were took some convincing, but soon the elf's teeth started to recover from lack of proper dental care. Food was easier than I expected, and Vick was pretty accepting of whatever I tossed on his plate. Except for artichokes, for some reason he hated those. Over the three days we bonded, and Nick got pretty used to life in my home. On the second day I moved him to the guest bedroom I had built but never maintained, but one wave of my paw and a splurge of magic later that was solved. "Why don't you use magic more often?" Nick asked. I explained that was much as I wanted to burn my reserves like they were a forest before a forest fire, the mental strain was tough without learning proper casting, which requires one to drain their reserves to practice wielding physical willpower. That meant that I was caught in an infinite loop of negativity, so I could only get away with a couple spells a day before the mental exhaustion metaphorically turned my brain to mush. On the morning of the fourth day, we left. Honestly, Nick could have left on the first day but I wanted him to be able to have the stamina to walk around for hours on end with me in Cellyia. Either way, as long as he kept by me it would be fine. There was a small population of elves, humans, and dwarves who had come up to the TFSU for one reason or another and never left, which meant that he wouldn't be too far out of place. My plan, instead of just flying into the Cellyia while steering clear of the airport, was to make it to the closest town, Lymian, and take a train from there north to Union Station. It would dump us a bit further downtown than I liked, but Cellyia was built in levels, and I could take the footpath level to wherever I needed. All said and done and one passenger seat clipped to my saddlebag harness on my dragon form, I opened the door to my cave. And was promptly blocked by a wall of snow. "Right," I half-grumbled. I enjoyed tunneling through snow, but spray would make the entrance cave wet and that wouldn't dry for another couple days, and until it did the sound of drips would echo throughout my home like nothing else. Either way, checking one last time that Nick was secure, I prepared my wings and powered forward. The snow and ice parted for me, and then melted and fixed itself back together behind me as I power-swam through the snow the same way I would through water. After ten seconds of this, I burst up from the snow-covered mountain the snowstorm had left behind and started to change my heading for Lymian. It would take thirty minutes of flying to get there, as I was flying lower and slower than usual to take care of my passenger, but we soon enough turned the next mountain and saw the town. The elf gasped as he took in the sights, while I kept my eye out for more activity. It had been fortified as a military base due to the war, but not by much; the town was useless from a defensive standpoint anyway. I spotted the next train arriving from its winding track around the next mountain, which also meant that I was a bit early. The citizens of Lymian were used to my presence, as I usually stopped by to pick up supplies and occasionally a bit of correspondence. So when I landed on top of a several story tall snow pile, nobody cared. I let Nick out, and then transformed into my cat form and slid down the snow pile to start to jogging towards the train station. That's when I remembered that unlike me, elves without snowshoes do not float on snow. Oops. ----- The sights were more than pretty, more than beautiful... If the gods had rejected these people, they might have just as well done it out of jealousy. After I'd been dropped off on top of a snow mound, I immediately flattened myself on my stomach to not fall through. I'd been in more than enough snowstorms and snow mounds to know how it would go if I didn't. The cat climbed the hill below me, reappearing as naturally as the snow fell. "Sorry," Vixie apologized. "Here, let me..." I felt the snow melt around me and we descended down to the ground. Vixie glowed brightly, literally; Even using as little magic as reshaping some snow was threatening to cascade out of her form. We moved to the train station without incident, where the massive 'train cars' were loaded full of passengers and cargo and then taken off towards the big city. Apparently this was the same one the hero burned, but the 'rebuilding and recovery efforts we going well; no critical infrastructure had been severely damaged.' Either way, the ride there was uneventful. Stepping out into Union Station was different. It was like I had entered a busy capital marketplace or square, with everyone rushing in another direction to another place. I trailed after Vixie, where even the oddity of an elf in these mountains was outshone by just how many different races there were; beastkin and kobolds and orcs and undead all filled the streets in, well, peace. "The city is built in layers," Vixie explained. "So while yes, residential and office towers here in the capital were set alight, underground public transit, personal transit, and cargo and fluid transit was all untouched, so we were able to circle around the hero and put out the fires to be replaced with smoke generators, and a couple holograms snatched from a nearby cargo transport." I had no idea what any of that meant, only that the city also had extensive underground bits. The towers soared over everything, and lights covered every spare centimeter of the city. Vixie led me down market stalls, across plazas, through parks and through building lobbies. Eventually, the babble increased, something I didn't think was possible. "Welcome to the commercial district," Vixie said after she had pulled me into a corner away from the masses of people and crowds moving around. "We're right near the harbor, and when we get there I'm going to show you the lighthouse and explain the city a bit better." I almost lost track of Vixie as we continued to move through the throngs of people going about their daily lives. I saw a couple boarded up shops, but most of them were either undamaged or didn't care about the scorch marks on their shops. Jewelry boutiques and grocery stores lived in tandem with furniture stores and a massive slab of too-smooth-to-be-natural stone of a rock type I had never seen before. It was covered in signs depicting some kind of diagram. Right around the corner was the waterfront, with a massive promenade running alongside it. Snow-covered trees lined the walkways, and soon enough Vixie and I came out of the crowd near a large, tall abandoned - though no unmaintained - building. "Right then," Vixie explained and started climbing. "Here's the old lighthouse, it's perfect for seeing the city. They never officially decommissioned it, so it's still legal to climb and properly maintained, but they never use it either." "What was the large thing they were building?" I asked, clambering onto the next ladder. "That? Oh, that was the space elevator." Vixie replied. "The ground part has been completed for three years now, we're just waiting for the rest of the nanotubes to make it into orbit and then run a kevlar cord up, follow it down with the space-grade heavy-duty nanotube cord, and then that's that." "Space?..." I was confused. "When the gods said that they were higher than mortals, you took that both figuratively and literally; they live above you and in a higher dimension. In this case, space is where they live in terms of height, but not number of dimensions. We're working on interdimensional travel, and interuniversal too, but those aren't replicatable on any sort of large scale yet." Vixie shrugged. "Either way, it's not like I care." "But you have it?" I pressed. "Dimensional travel." "Yes." She replied. "Well," I let out a short laughed. "The Civilized Nations are screwed over." "That's putting it lightly," She climbed on top of the last platform and showed me the city against the setting sun, lit up brighter than the night sky and more lively than the earth. It was beautiful. I sat there and watched the city glow with a power not even the gods had, side by side with not a dragon or monster, but a friend. END. A/N: Rushed this last bit of the arc, but school is ramping up at the end of the year so it was either fast story or incomplete story, and I chose fast story. Happy pride month, everyone, and I hope to see more of you when I have more time.
Original Prompt: [WP] For as long as all the races have known, Dragons have been seen as violent, destructive creatures. After an attack on your village, you black out and find yourself in the den of a dragon. It's rather annoyed that that is how they're seen, and wants to prove that isn't the case.
u/Lycan_Jedi thank you for the prompt!
Part 1

The other day at work I met a confused young man. He thought strange men were after him, trying to kill him. I asked him what they looked like, and he said they had no faces, and no names. He took me up on my offer of a ride home, so I drove him there, down black roads lined with woods so thick that the moonlight couldn't pierce them. And as I hurtled through the darkness, more sensing than seeing the twists in the road beyond my headlights, I thought that I knew something of that; something of the fear that comes from having nameless, faceless people want to kill you; something of the powerful longing for home which that fear inspires. He curled up in a ball in my back seat and wept. When we got to his house I let him out, and he started to walk down the long, dark, wooded drive towards his house. But he stopped, shivered, whispered that he heard something in the trees, that they had come for him. I was sick of feeding his delusions, and thought about driving off and leaving him, but I saw the piss running down the front of his pants, and figured I could indulge him a little more. I pulled out my gun and flashlight, and shined them into the brush as we crept towards the house. With every rustle of leaves in the wind, he shuddered with terror, torn between the desire to cry and the fear of being found and killed by the nameless, faceless men. When headlights shined through the branches from a neighboring lot, he dropped to the ground and laid flat on his stomach, saying that he didn't think he could go any further, that he loved his life too much to lose it this way. And of that, too, I know a little. I watched from the drive as he sprinted to the porch and beat on the front door as hard as he could, and I saw the fear in his eyes as he looked back from under the dim porch light and cried "Officer, I'm so scared for you. Please be careful. They're out there." And I know something of that, when my wife, the mother of my son, leaves home each day to to do the same dark and dangerous work I do. His mother opened the door, and he collapsed into her arms, sobbing. The last thing I heard him say before the door closed behind him was "Mama, this man is an angel." And of course that isn't true. I'm at least half devil, and the rest is mostly human, with all the shortcomings and failures that accompany it. But as much as I try and pretend not to care about people, I do. And because i do, I try to become something better, just for a few hours at a time, when I go to work. That something better is a cop. And being a cop means standing unguarded between the rustling leaves and the threat of nameless, faceless death, keeping the darkness at bay with a flashlight and a gun. Of course, odds are good that nothing was really after that boy, at least nothing tangible. But that doesn't mean he wasn't right to be afraid. Because death is still out there, even if it doesn't have a face, or a name.

Received my Pixel 7 today and had 9% battery out of the box, first thing I did was plug it in to charge. 30 mins later the battery went up by barely 1%.
Based on some quick google searches, it seems I must have a "usb-c-pd 3.0 pps charger"? Is this true?
My current setup is in fact pretty jank, a generic Toplife USB-C cable plugged directly into an extension board, but I was expecting it to charge within at least 3-5h, not 1% per 30 mins.
To troubleshoot, I used my friend's charger (he has a Samsung) which is a generic looking power block plugged into the wall and the Pixel 7 began charging in a feasible manner (slowly, but more like 20% per hour, than 1% per 30 mins).
My setup:
https://i.ibb.co/5ky1Zny/Untitled.png
I tend to travel a lot so I generally rely on being able to plug my phone directly into USB-A female ports like the ones on airplane entertainment systems or portable external battery packs. If I can't do that with my phone it's a dealbreaker for me and I'd want to return it.
I'm not very experienced with phones or electrical standards/terms, so I was hoping someone with more experience could let me know about if this is standard battery behaviour for the Pixel 7, and what part of my setup may be causing this issue.

Lenovo x230 laptop, i5-3320M, 12GB RAM, 240GB SSD, NO BATTERY. Works fine plugged into power.
Free for pickup in Old City. No battery. Power cable included. I'll remove this post once the laptop has been picked up.

hi all,
i have found my family’s digital camera, the nikon coolpix s6500. i have been trying to get the camera to turn on, but it still won’t turn on despite all ive tried. so far, i have:
1) have just let it charge with its old battery, it still won’t turn on despite letting it charge for 5+ hours
2)bought a replacement battery, let it charge for 5+ hours. still wont turn on
3) i am assuming the firmware was never updated so i downloaded the firmware (v1.1) onto an sd card and inserted it into the camera, but i failed to remember that the camera needs to be on in order to be updated. the only new thing that came out of this is that the power button’s light blinked for around 20 seconds? looked up what this could have meant in the manual and online forums, but wasn’t able to find what this means
sometimes, the camera will turn on to say that the battery is exhausted- so i know at least the screen works. this happened a lot more often with the original battery, it’s only happened once with the replacement battery so far.
other times, when i try to turn it on i can hear the shutter make noise? im not sure how to explain it.
im honestly close to giving up on trying to restore this camera, i o not know what else i could do :( i heard that you could update the camera through a computer but im not sure how to do that. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Vehicle has 198k. It was low on power so I decided it was time for a tune-up, ie new spark plugs. Of course the front three plugs were a piece of cake. For the back three I pulled out the battery, the airbox, the throttle body, and the intake plenum. I changed out the back three plugs, cleaned the intake, cleaned the throttle body, installed new intake gaskets and put everything back together. After a very long day (I was dog tired) I cranked it up and she ran like a top...for about 5 minutes. It started running rough and then I saw steam rising from the fuel filler door and I immediately shut her down. Yes, it seems that I managed to reverse two very similar looking hoses and filled my evap canister with coolant. I know I will need to replace the canister and I have one on order. My question is, what else will I need to do or replace? The evap solenoid? Have I screwed the pooch and ruined the car? Any advice appreciated.

I am currently unable to charge my 2022 Ryzen 6900HS + Radeon RX 6700s device with USB-C power delivery. When plugged in, the device will rapidly switch between "charging" and "on battery" states. I have GHelper 0.79.0 installed, but the issue started happening before I updated GHelper. Additionally, I have tried installing an AMD Radeon driver update and a Windows Update in the beta channel, neither of which have fixed the issue. I haven't tried changing the BIOS but I am on version 318. Barrel plug charger works fine, though. Lastly, reinstalling Armoury Crate and running GHelper's script to reenable all Asus services does not fix the issue. An interesting thing to note is that when reinstalling Armoury Crate, the dedicated GPU does not properly show up in the app. I don't think the issue is in the adapter or cable, either, as I have still been able to charge my phone and other devices through them. Additionally, I had no issues charging the laptop a few weeks ago.
​
In summary:

• Windows version: 22631.1830 (beta channel) [updating did not help]
• BIOS version: 318 [have not tried reinstalling/updating]
• AMD Radeon Software version: 23.5.2 [updating did not help]
• GHelper version: 0.79.0 [updating did not help]
• AMD chipset version: latest from MyASUS [have not tried reinstalling/updating]

I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue and, if they have resolved it, what they did. Otherwise, suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

hi all,
i have found my family’s digital camera, the nikon coolpix s6500. i have been trying to get the camera to turn on, but it still won’t turn on despite all ive tried. so far, i have:
1) have just let it charge with its old battery, it still won’t turn on despite letting it charge for 5+ hours
2) bought a replacement battery, let it charge for 5+ hours. still wont turn on
3) downloaded the firmware (v1.1) onto an sd card and inserted it into the camera, but i failed to remember that the camera needs to be on in order to be updated. the only new thing that came out of this is that the power button’s light blinked for around 20 seconds?
sometimes, the camera will turn on to say that the battery is exhausted- so i know at least the screen works. this happened a lot more often with the original battery, it’s only happened once with the replacement battery.
other times, when i try to turn it on i can hear the shutter make noise? im not sure how to explain it.
im honestly close to giving up on trying to restore this camera, i o not know what else i could do :( i heard that you could update the camera through a computer but im not sure how to do that. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 I’ve always heard “move away Atleast once for awhile, from your home town” - now I see why. You can literally have nothing- but a “community” around you & other people who have merely been at most “associates” through life/ or a season, will have the most hurtful-negative-degrading to say. 99% of the hate comes from people I have never hurt- intentionally or unintentionally/known personally or not , they simply do it bc they’re hurting & somehow for them it’s easier to ride off what successes or downfalls they think someone else has happening to them, then to put themselves out there. I joined Tiktok Sep 2020, my page was at 50K by Christmas/New Years. Throughout the 1st 2 yrs of TT residing at my other residence, which I made very known- I received 1-2 public disagreements from a friend turned enemy on TT I’ve never met, over something I posted. Last June a local associate of a couple years through someone I know closely- decided to turn on me bc I misquoted bagged chicken by $2-4 dollars, because I trusted a man’s word when I hadn’t been out for months & during inflation !! We had been fine prior- I cleaned her home(even called her beautiful in the video, I asked her could I take/post) , made her a free pregnancy shirt, trusted her with my daughter & youngest while I had Trustin & with some deep heart felt emotions during my pregnancy.…and to be turned on over something so municipal 🤷‍♀️, it’s astonishing truthfully. Another associate incident is last year 7-8 months ago our county endured some unfortunate losses. I posted/shared/commented on those losses as most in our county did. Simply only stating the truths on how awakening and heartbreaking it was to even think about. I have always been expressive with my words, and never until that point had I been hated for being awoken to even a short period of “we’re not promised tomorrow” or “ it could happen to anyone @ anytime”. Until those moments happen - time just flys us by…. An even afterwards ~ the individuals who it dosen’t directly affect it flys by after a period of routine again. Realizing that brought on 5 locals actively keeping me in the topic of conversation, going further beyond that. 

As anyone I WILL take any measures to protect-My family & I. I have allowed months of such to go on, thinking-hoping-giving the benefit of the doubt, but guess what….. I never have said a name on video nor live, the original copies show & transcripts from my platforms show what I posted when I posted it- which can’t be denied…. I then had individuals from other states willfully bring names to me- names local individuals have also informed me keeps our name in their mouth or fingers writing about us. If complete truths were stated- if boundaries hadn’t been crossed- the things happening wouldn’t be- so like any one - I’m doing what I have to. 

As I continue to exercise my 1st amendment of the constitution- speaking no names of anyone other then my family on my platforms, growing my platforms for people who may find inspiration-joy-inclusion from my content/story/pain/growth/family, I will be watchful & have Unknown eyes 👀 watch for me also. In due time- if I have blocked you or comment on said post asking you to remove it…. & You continue to make post defaming me, slandering me, stating opinions instead of complete facts… I will then have to put your name instead on the papers, being shared around. Remember you’re using a platform if you’re seeing this- we’re ALL PUBLIC RECORD ! 

I had some additional thoughts that didn't quite figure into the impressions model of the previous post. I finally got the chance to rewatch it and there are some tidbits and omissions that I think were very interesting. Sometimes it really is just about what they don't tell you. Apple is mysterious like that sometimes…

• Rewatching the video, it is suggested that the Vision Pro LightSeal is swappable for different sizes (Link). I wonder how this will work. Of course this being the low yield product it is, the obvious answer is that the Headset may strongly suggest a fitting at an Apple Store.
• The headband looks like it will simply be the most comfortable one ever shipped on a stock headset device. Also appearing to come in different sizes or even different variations (Link). Perhaps we will see other first party designs or a third party market will spring up to accommodate different tastes.
• Interestingly, there is no overhead strap. It makes sense given the lightness but also to save you from the dreaded reverse mohawk that one often gets from wearing their Quest.
• Digital Crown has quietly become one of Apple's great tactile control interfaces in the vein of the click wheel and mute switch. Its inclusion is always a pleasure and I see signs it is now being adopted in software as well. The new Final Cut for iPad has a half circle software click wheel that pops out to assist with fine tune adjustments.
• No specs provided regarding storage size but given that the price is described as 'starting' at $3499, I think its safe to say that there will be higher storage configurations.
• No field of view (FOV) info either. Although I cant imagine it being bad. If Apple wants us to use this to watch big screen movies or work for hours with our laptop screens, they simply cannot constrain the peripheral vision or it will be worse than just working in real life.
• There is no mention of a carrying case or any accessory for that matter. Accessories are alluded to, different straps, different face pads, but none in sight. Even in product shots, the Vision Pro rests on the table open to the elements. I wonder if this is so Apple can focus the energy and attention around pitching the platform
• External battery is a unique choice, the connector on the Headset side looks similar to the iMac cable but seems new. I wonder if the cable is detachable on the battery side. On initial inspection I would expect not.
• When I first heard the rumors that the battery was going to be a separate unit, I thought that it was the least Apple-like thing I have ever heard. However, after using the Magic Leap at CES which also takes the approach of trying to move as much weight off the head as possible, I am fully on board. The difference in head comfort is night and day.
• Notably, one thing Apple did not omit was the price. I had a thought that since this was clearly nowhere near production and with the focus being firmly on the platform, Apple may want to be more mysterious with the price to let hype build a bit. After all, that is what Apple did with the Apple Watch teasing the price announcement out for months.
• A release of early next year is quite interesting as rumor was that Apple was hoping to get this in before the holidays. It seems the reality of scaling production on what is likely to be the most complex piece of hardware Apple has ever shipped means that this will likely hit in Q1 of next year instead.

One final thought which may be controversial. I had this thought during the event that there is a philosophical difference between Apple and the rest of the industry. Today, Apple brought a computing platform to a console fight. In comparison, everything we have seen before has been essentially designed and geared to gamers who plug their headset into powerful rigs in their den and immerse themselves. The Vision Pro is a stab at what the future of general computing might look like. To become a real platform, this industry needs to push past gaming into the fields of productivity and communications. My money is on Apple for being the one to convince us.

Want to feel confident again in your favorite dress? Ever feel like no matter how hard you train, your booty just doesn't seem to show results? The Electrical Hip Muscle Stimulator solves this problem for you instantly!
https://zafyn.com/collections/new-products/products/electrical-hip-muscle-stimulator
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https://reddit.com/link/141za44/video/ogac0jaool261/player
This allows you to train your booty and lower bodyeffectively from the comfort of your own home. It uses electrical muscle stimulation to promote muscle movement, scientifically proven to tighten your musclesto help achieve that perfect figure.

Highlights:

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• Electronic muscle stimulation: stimulate the hip and gluteal muscles and help to tone, tighten and firm your hips and buttocks to achieve the body that you’ve always wanted
• Exercise anytime: provide endless possibilities in training your booty like in front of the TV, when doing the dishes, or even when cooking
• U-shaped design: ergonomic pads cover targeted regions in the buttocks to stimulate nerves where they are most concentrated
• Cost-effective: save time and money on expensive gym subscriptions and allow you the convenience of getting amazing results without tiring workouts

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• You only need to train for 15-20 minutes/day to get that noticeable improvement in just 4 weeks
• Easy to use push-button operation with 6 modes and 10 intensity levels
• With a push of a button, you can adjust the intensity of the stimulation and go about with your daily activities
• 100% skin-friendly and pain-free

Specifications:

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• Material: PU
• Power Source: 2 x AAA batteries (not included)
• Certificate: CE/EMC, ROHS-certified
• Color: Black & Orange
• Size: Approximately 260mm x 188mm x 12.8mm

Package Includes:

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• 1 x Electrical Hip Muscle Stimulator with Reuseable Gel Pads
• 1 Set of Reusable Gel Pad Replacement

https://zafyn.com/collections/new-products/products/electrical-hip-muscle-stimulator

So I've had the Samsung S6 tab lite for around a year or so in order to help me with my university course and it's been working wonderfully. I recently went into summer break so I haven't been using it as much and today I tried to turn it on but to no avail. I left it plugged in and charging during the day, but it didn't seem to be charging at all. Hours later I checked and it really isn't charging, only shows the thunderbolt icon on a black screen without showing any percentage of battery. I've already tried the "hold the power button and the volume down" trick but it didn't work out for me :(
I really need to get it working again, a ton of my university work is in it... If nothing works, I'll take it to the store, pretty sure it's still in the guarantee period.
Anyone have any idea what I should do?