Jamaal williams or jerick mckinnon

Dodgers Receive: Andrew McCutchen OF
Pirates Receive: Kody Hoese 3B/1B, Hyun-il Choi SP
Why: The Dodgers could use another right-handed bat, specifically in the outfield to face left-handed pitching in place of Trayce Thompson. Adding Rich Hill is a possibility but I imagine the Dodgers might explore a trade for a more elevated SP.
Dodgers Receive: Lance Lynn SP, Joe Kelly RP
White Sox Receive: Landon Knack SP, Rayne Doncon 2B/SS, Yeiner Fernandez C
Why: The Dodgers have tremendous SP depth that is being tested to its fullest at the moment. Come playoff time, we expect Julio, Kersh, and hopefully May to head the rotation. That leaves the fourth spot influx. Miller so far provides the most upside in that spot, but October is a long way away. Adding Lynn pushes Syndergaard out of the rotation and potentially out of the Dodgers roster completely. Joe Kelly is seeing a ridiculous tick in velocity and command. Reuniting with him would be an amazing addition to the pen. If nothing else, adding Kelly alone would be a win.
Dodgers Receive: Jorge Soler OF/DH, Joey Wendle IF, Dylan Floro RP, + Cash
Marlins Receive: Rayne Doncon 2B/SS, Jorbit Vivas, Luke Williams 2B/SS, addt'l prospect
Why: Soler's right-handed bat is the prize but don't be fooled by the additions of Wendle and Floro. Wendle would provide the pivotal role of being a defensive sub late in games. Whether it's to fill in for Muncy or Vargas, Wendle can play plus defense at 2B, SS, and 3B. Floro has been a steady contributor to the Marlins pen and would fit right in rejoining the Dodgers.

I found a passing mention in a 1944 fanzine (En Garde 12, December 1944) of a department store in Buffalo, New York that rented books and could be persuaded to sell them:

Ken assured us it was only a couple blocks to the nearest bookstore. After walking several miles, we reached it. We stood looking in the window and drooling, but didn’t go in. It seems that Buffalo merchants have weird ideas about when stores should be opened. We kept trying one store after another. Finally we found one that had condescended to open, and picked up several good buys. Later we found a department store rental library. We talked them into parting with several choice items for a reasonable sum, a thing Ken apparently didn’t know could be done, and finally headed back to the house.

As for me, the “thing I didn’t know could be done” is renting books from a department store. I found no mention of it in John William Ferry’s A History of the Department Store (1960). Where and when was this service offered? How did it compare to borrowing from a public library, and was it a courtesy to their account-holding customers or was it a revenue-generating line of business?

Sometimes when you look into the mirror, the mirror looks back.
William Bailey's forehead shattered the mirror like a sledgehammer. The last thing he remembered before he blacked out was the feeling that he was falling through the mirror. Sub-cranial hematoma, a concussion, maybe even a cracked skull--that had to be the reason for the strange feeling. The mirror was mounted on the wall just to the right of the bar, four feet tall by about three feet wide. As consciousness slipped away, common sense and his strong belief in the rational world told him that he couldn't fall through the mirror. He must have bounced his head off the wall and be falling toward the floor.
It seemed like just a second or two before William's eyes popped open. He lay on his back, on the hard wood floor of Fausto's, with Johnny Davis towering over him. Big Johnny probably wanted to finish him off, maybe kill him, and finally end their twenty-year-old feud. Either Big Johnny Davis and the ceiling lights above him were spinning, or William's head was spinning, but either way something wasn't right.
He raised his head and looked to his left, toward the bar. Except the bar wasn't there. Instead, he was staring at the bathrooms. That didn't make sense. It must be his brain that had gotten spun around. William turned his head and peered over his size-ten wingtips at the busted mirror. The wooden frame and most of the glass still clung to the wall, the rest sat broken on the ground. The bar had to be on his left. He looked again, and still saw the bathrooms. A brain bruise, maybe some fluid pressure building up might be the cause of it.
"Get up!" Big Johnny Davis said.
William looked up at him. Johnny stood behind him, just beyond his shoulders. Perfect place for him to stomp my head into the plank floor. Except Johnny Davis was holding out his hand.
"Come on, we've got to get out of here."
Davis looked scared. It was the first time William Bailey could ever remember Johnny Davis looking scared. William had always been scared of Big Johnny, but Big Johnny wasn't scared of anything or anyone.
Police sirens wailed in the distance.
Johnny glanced over his shoulder. William craned his neck to look where Johnny was looking, saw he was staring at the front door like a man terrified something bad was going to come through it. Big Johnny looked down at him again and pumped his hand. "Come on, get up. They'll be here any second."
"Who?" William asked. "Who'll be--" But before he finished, Big Johnny Davis reached down, grabbed him by both arms, and jerked him to his feet.
As he was dragged toward the door by the only man in town who truly hated him, William glanced up and saw the rusted metal sign nailed above the door. He had to have a concussion, probably severe; that had to be it, because the letters on the sign were backward. It said TUO.
As Johnny Davis pulled him out the door, William heard tires skid on the pavement.
"Where's your car?" Johnny asked.
William twisted away from the big man's grip, then turned to his left. "In the alley." He started to run, still not sure exactly what he was running from.
Behind him, Big John shouted, "The alley's over here."
William kept running but turned his head back toward Johnny. "I know where the alley--"
Something hit him across the midsection and toppled him to the ground. He got his hands up just in time to break his fall and managed to keep his head from slamming into the sidewalk. When he looked up he saw a shopping cart tumbled onto its side.
Once again, William found himself lying flat on his back, this time amid the spilled contents of the cart. It had been filled with junk: paper bags full of dirty clothes, canned food, bags of potato chips, a diamond shaped, orange road sign, and other trash that looked like it had been collected from back alley garbage bins.
The homeless man who'd been pushing the cart was scrawny, and wafer thin. His skin was the color of old shoe leather, and he wore a long gray beard, tangled and matted with food and bits of filth. He was sprawled on the ground next to his cart, half sitting up, staring at William with his bright blue eyes.
Car doors slammed, men shouted.
"You better get going," the homeless man said, as he cocked his head. "The police after you?"
Police!
Before William could assure the old man that the police weren't after him--he was a respected businessman and family man--someone behind him grabbed him under both arms and pulled him to his feet. William turned and found himself staring into the face of Johnny Davis. "The alley's that way," Johnny said, pointing to the other side of Fausto's. With one hand gripping William's jacket, Johnny dashed across the front of the bar toward the alley. The alley--right there, plain as day--on the other side of Fausto's, right where it shouldn't be, where it couldn't be. William had been here a thousand times. As you stepped out of the bar, the alley was on the left, Brockton's Ace Hardware on the right. Now everything was mixed up and in the wrong place.
Johnny Davis turned down the alley, dragging William behind him. After just a few steps, a spotlight flashed in front of them.
"Stop!" a voice commanded. "Get on the ground."
William couldn't see because Johnny was in his way. "Who's that yelling?" he asked.
Big Johnny stopped and William plowed into his back.
"Get on the ground," the voice boomed again.
William poked his head out from behind Johnny Davis's back. The blinding white light was in his face. He couldn't see a thing.
POP! POP! POP!
Gunshots.
Big Johnny sagged, then crashed to his knees. Instinctively, William bent forward and grabbed hold of Johnny. "What's the matter?"
More pops.
Johnny's big hand reached out and shoved William back toward the street. "Back door," he wheezed, then plunged forward onto his face.
William stood alone. Behind the white spotlight he saw blue police lights flashing. He was totally exposed.
POP! POP!
He saw flashes--little yellow spurts of flame--as something tugged at his jacket.
William had said "back door." What back door? Fausto's had a back door, but it didn't lead anywhere except to the open space behind the building used for trash and deliveries. Twenty feet of asphalt between the bar and the back of the building on the next block. William had parked his car at the end of the alley, but the police cars--or whatever they were--had the alley blocked off. The building behind Fausto's also had an alley that ran alongside it, but the owner had closed it off to keep the bums out. He'd put up a gate, padlocked it, and topped it with razor wire. It was a dead end.
Two more pops. Dead end or not it was better than standing here and getting shot. William turned and ran. He burst through the front door of Fausto's, dashed through the bar, past the shattered mirror, hit the back door at a dead run, and was outside behind the bar within seconds.
He could see the tail end of his car sticking out from the corner of the building, but with the cops blocking the alley, his car was useless to him. William glanced across the open space to the alley that ran next to the other building. The gate, the padlock, the razor wire--all still in place. To his right an overflowing garbage dumpster sat beside the back of Fausto's, jammed against the fire ladder.
The fire ladder.
An iron ladder bolted to the cinderblock wall.
William looked up. The top of the ladder was lost in shadow, but he knew it went up two stories to the roof. Last summer, when the toilet had stopped up, he'd come out back to take a leak and had stood behind the dumpster, peeing against the wall like a kid, one hand draped over the bottom rung of the ladder.
He slipped behind the dumpster. The smell made him gag. The bottom of the ladder was four feet from the ground. William reached up as high as he could, grabbed hold of the third rung, then hauled himself up.
Through the partially open back door came the sounds of heavy feet pounding on the hard wood floor of the bar.
Halfway up the ladder, he was exhausted--and scared. Shaking, he white-knuckled the ladder. Being more than ten feet off the ground terrified him. He needed a break, just a second or two to catch his breath. There was enough moonlight so he could see into one of the second story windows. Inside, junk was piled everywhere. Old barstools, a busted jukebox, furniture stacked almost to the ceiling. Years ago, old man Fausto lived on the second floor, but Jake, who'd bought the place from the old man and had decided to keep the name, used it for storage.
Below him, William heard the back door thrown open so hard it banged against the wall. He scrambled up until he reached the top of the ladder, then hoisted himself over the edge of the roof. Down on the ground a voice shouted, "There he is, up there."
Another gunshot. What the hell was going on?
The unmistakable sound of feet--fast feet, in shape feet, boot shod feet--scurrying up the ladder. Standing on the tar and pebble roof, William glanced around for something he could use as a weapon, shocked he was even thinking of such a thing. A five gallon plastic bucket was all there was. It stood upright, filled with rainwater. He picked it up and peered over the edge. A uniformed policeman was three quarters of the way up the ladder. Two more cops were right behind him.
William looked at the heavy bucket in his hands, thought about just dumping the water onto them but knew it wouldn't stop them. There was only one way to stop them, and that was to knock them off the ladder. He thought about warning them, maybe trying to scare them away. But they were cops. You couldn't scare them away.
So why had they shot Johnny Davis, and why were they shooting at him?
The first officer looked up and saw William staring down at him with the bucket in his hands. Their eyes locked for just a second and the cop stopped. In those eyes that stared back at him, William saw an almost maniacal determination that sent a shiver down his spine. The officer held his grip on the ladder with his right hand while his left dropped to the pistol resting in his gleaming leather holster. In one smooth motion he drew his gun and raised it toward William.
William Bailey tossed the bucket down the ladder. A shot rang out an instant before the heavy bucket thudded into the cop's head. Like a gruesome traffic accident happening before his eyes, William couldn't help but watch as the policeman fell, taking his two partners down with him. The last thing William saw before he turned away was a jumbled heap of black uniforms resting on the concrete below the ladder.
* * *
Hiding in the shadow of a telephone booth, thinking. Home. He had to get home. Had to get back to Marge and the kids. Maybe somehow he could explain what had happened. Vincent, his attorney, he would know what to do--maybe--but he was a civil lawyer not a criminal attorney. He wrote contracts and did personal injury on the side; he didn't get people out of jail who'd killed a cop by dropping a bucket of water on his head and knocking him and his buddies off the side of a building.
As the cab he'd been waiting for pulled up, William stepped out from the dark and climbed into the back seat.
The driver turned around. "Where to?"
William pulled the door shut. "Uptown. 1721 Audubon Court."
"Fare's gonna be about fifteen dollars. After dark, I gotta have the money up front."
"What?"
"Company policy." The cabbie shrugged. "A lot of drivers been getting stiffed."
William opened his wallet, pulled out a twenty and handed it across the seat. The driver took it and almost slipped it into his cash box, then took a second look at the bill. His face tightened. "What the hell is this?"
"Huh?"
With the bill stretched between his hands, the cabbie stared at it for a second then looked up at William. "You're either the dumbest counterfeiter who ever lived or you've been had."
"What you are talking about?"
The driver faced the bill toward William but didn't hand it back to him. "It's printed backwards."
William looked at the twenty-dollar bill in the man's hand. It looked like--it was--an almost brand new bill, nothing wrong with it as far as he could tell.
"Get out of my cab," the driver said.
William didn't know what the man was talking about but knew he didn't want to get out. This cab was his only way home. He reached for the twenty. "If you don't like that one I've got another--"
The driver pulled his hands away. "I ain't giving this back. I got to turn it in to the police." He dropped one hand behind his seat back, then came up clutching a pistol, an old German Luger by the looks of it, the muzzle aimed straight at William's face. "In fact, I bet they give me a reward if I bring you in with it."
William jerked the door handle and rolled out into the street. He sprang to his feet and ran, the driver's yells just background noise. Has everyone gone crazy or is it just me?
Home. He had to get home.
* * *
Rain. Driving, relentless rain. William was just two blocks from Fausto's. In two hours, that's as far as he'd gotten--one block an hour. Police cars prowled the neighborhood, shinning spotlights into every nook and cranny, lighting up every shadow. Everyone in Fausto's knew his name. He'd been going there three or four nights a week after work for years. The cabbie had his address. William had given it to him when he told the hack driver where to drop him.
Ten o'clock at night, with nowhere to go and no way to get there, William sat behind the closed Goodwill store, under an overhang that barely kept the rain off of him.
Huddled in the dark, head sunk between his knees, he hadn't heard anyone approach.
"You don't look so good."
Startled, William looked up, prepared to run again. It was the homeless man he'd knocked over outside the bar. The one with the shopping cart and the leathery skin. William relaxed a little. "Excuse me?"
The man pushed his cart closer. "You're not supposed to be here."
William looked around. "Why not?"
The old man grinned, half his teeth gone.
William found it nearly impossible to tell his age. The guy could be forty and maybe had lived a hard life, or perhaps he was a well-preserved seventy, pickled by a lifetime of booze. William waved him off, expecting a plea for money. "I can't help you."
The old man stopped just a few feet away. "Everything's out of place isn't it?" He had a strange lilting voice. Almost like an accent.
And he was right. Everything was out of place--from Johnny Davis to the cab driver--everything was wrong.
Strapped to the back of the old man's shopping cart was a plastic sign about the size of a loaf of bread. William recognized the sign, the words, the colors, the logo of a local supermarket chain, all were familiar to him, but the letters were backward, unreadable.
Rainwater ran down William's face. He pointed to the sign. "Why's it written like that?"
The old man looked at the sign then back at William. "Like what?" he said, then shuffled away behind his basket.
* * *
The rain came down even harder. William slouched in a darkened doorway across the street from Fausto's. Nothing made sense. Everything was messed up, backward, out of whack. Almost like this wasn't his home, like he was a stranger seeing it for the first time.
But that was crazy. He'd grown up here, gone to Brother Martin High School, dated Jenny Underhill who went to Cabrini, lost her to Johnny Davis, then got her back only to lose her again the first year of college to some kid who drove a Mustang. Two years later William married Marge at Saint Luke's. They had two kids.
This town was his home. He recognized it. He knew the people here, Big Johnny and Zeke, the bartender at Fausto's. But things were different, little things. John Davis for one. In trying to help him, the big man had gotten himself killed. That wasn't John Davis--at least not the one William Bailey had known since seventh grade. Everything looked the same but wasn't. Nothing was quite right.
But they knew him--or someone like him.
A strange sensation crept over him that made the hair on the back of his neck rise. Maybe he didn't belong here. Maybe everything wasn't as it appeared. Maybe this wasn't his home. But if that were true, then whose home was it? Another thought, even scarier seeped through his brain. If he was here, who was there--at his home?
Crazy.
William dropped his head into his hands. Just considering such nonsense was a waste of time. Yet, here he was scanning the street, thinking of going back inside Fausto's, back to that mirror.
Not much time to think about it. The bar closed at three AM and it was already two-thirty. When he'd left--run for his life with Big Johnny--most of the mirror was still in the frame hanging on the wall.
Something about that damned mirror.
But Fausto's was dangerous, so a couple of hours ago William had found another mirror. In the men's room of a twenty-four hour gas station. The Chevron on North Rampart.
He had approached it cautiously, afraid he was going mad. As he peered over the sink into the mirror, he saw what he always saw, his own reflection. Holding up his left hand, he looked at the image in the mirror, at the watch strapped to his wrist. He noticed that the man in the mirror wore his watch on his right hand. Just the opposite.
William stood in the gas station bathroom for twenty minutes before he worked up his nerve. Finally, he took a deep breath, leaned back, then slammed his forehead into the dirt-streaked mirror. The glass shattered and cut his head. Blood dribbled off the tip of his nose into the sink. His reflection stared out at him from the other side of the mirror, blood running down his face, too.
I have gone crazy!
So the gas station hadn't worked out. Ducking police cruisers, William had wandered the streets, his head reeling. What was he doing?
On the sidewalk, he found a sopping wet magazine that the wind had blown up against the side of a newspaper machine. The cover caught his eye. He picked it up. It was printed backwards, the letters reversed, words running right to left. The spine was on the right. As he flipped through the pages, he couldn't read a thing. Then William had an idea.
In the bathroom of an all night restaurant he held the wet magazine up to the mirror. Perfect. The reflected image was normal, spine on the left, words running left to right, all the letters printed correctly. He could read it clearly. But what did it mean?
Then he drove his head into that mirror. The glass cracked. Someone walked in, a skinny waiter wearing an apron. He stood gawking as William leaned over the sink with tears of pain filling his eyes.
The waiter looked at the broken mirror, then jabbed a finger at William's bloody forehead. "What the hell are you doing?"
"An accident," he mumbled, pressing his fingers against the fresh cut.
The waiter turned. "I'm calling the cops."
William Bailey ran.
Now he was huddled in the rain staring at Fausto's across the street. Because he had nowhere else to go.
He stood and walked toward Fausto's. When he was halfway across the street, a police car glided around the corner, headlights reflecting off the wet pavement. The cops in no hurry, just cruising. William forced himself to keep walking, not to run. One foot in front of the other. In the downpour, odds were that the cops wouldn't even recognize him.
But they did recognize him.
The police car slid to a stop as its high beams clicked on and its blue strobe lights started popping. Both front doors flew open.
Like a sinner seeking the sanctuary of a church, William ran straight for Fausto's door. As he burst inside, Zeke looked up from behind the bar. "William! What the hell are you doing here?"
He ignored the bartender, running right past him, eyes focused on the broken mirror and its busted frame hanging on the wall.
Zeke again, "The cops been looking all over for you. Say you killed two officers and--"
Behind him the front door banged against the wall. "Police!" a voice behind him commanded. "Stop."
But William didn't stop. He kept running--running straight for the mirror. Reflected in its fragmented pieces he saw two uniformed police officers behind him, heard their boots pounding on the wooden floor. Just ten feet separated him from the mirror. At full speed he took two strides then dove. He stretched his arms out overhead and tucked his chin into his chest as his feet left the floor.
He felt one hand hit wall and the other strike broken glass. Then his head hit. More glass cracked, more skin split.
Darkness.
* * *
William's eyes popped open. He was staring at the ceiling. Rough voices, even rougher hands. They rolled him over onto his stomach and jerked his arms behind his back. He felt cold steel on his wrists and heard the metallic ratcheting as the handcuffs tightened and bit into his skin.
He tilted his head up and rested his chin against the floor. Blood poured down the side of his face; he watched it pool on the floor then seep between the wooden planks. By rolling his eyes up he could just see the empty spot on the wall where the mirror had hung. Lying on the floor, three feet from his head, was the broken frame and the rest of the glass.
The two cops grabbed his arms and yanked him to his feet, sending waves of pain through his shoulders and wrists. As they spun him toward the door, one of the officers said, "You're under arrest."
"Why?" William asked.
The officer pressed his face into William's. "Murdering your family for starters."
"My...my family." William felt his stomach cinch and his bowels turn to ice. A thought he'd had earlier in the night echoed inside his head. If he was here, who was there--at his home.
As the cops dragged him across the floor, William glanced up and saw the rusted metal sign nailed above the door.
OUT.
He was home.

Hi guys! I recently finished my associate's degree with a 3.75; however, I did not get into any of the schools I wanted to, which are a handful of liberal arts colleges. I am currently on the waitlist for my top liberal arts college (Claremont College) and my state's flagship school. I would like to say that I have a strong application.
My intended major would most likely be biochemistry and anthropology. I am interested in going to medical school, and if that doesn't work out, I would like to go into bioinformatics!
I am not sure what to do right now for the fall.
I am currently an intern at a local, in-state university in their chemistry department, where I love the professor and the lab culture that there is. The acceptance rate is also 90%, so I have no worries about getting in. I have talked to the professor about my plans to transfer from cc, and she says if everything doesn't work out, she would be thrilled to help me publish, and I can continue working in the lab. I would also be close enough to my community college to publish some other research I have been working on. I would also be saving a large amount of money and be able to join their honors program.
This is silly, but I have always dreamed of going to a smaller school, away from where I grew up. ( Think Davidson, Amherst, Smith, Williams) I loved how I knew all of my professors and classmates at CC, and I am looking for a similar experience! My family is not supportive of my college education, and I would love to attend somewhere further away than I am now so I can be openly gay and be myself. The local university seems like the best option.. but there isn't a strong campus culture, and most of the campus commutes, and the school boasts almost 20,000 undergraduates. It would be hard for me to fit in.
Since this university takes up to 75 credit hours, and I have 60 currently, I thought I could do another semester at community college, apply to transfer to some other places, and then attend the local university if nothing else works out. Is this a good idea? The only downside would be that some schools do not take over 64 credits so that I may graduate a semester or a year later.

Arcanemigration ch4 Room to grow
As I sit at the edge of a stream near the entrance of my cave i Cast my gaze upon the tranquil scenery, I realize that it holds a newfound significance for me. It has provided me with sustenance, a source of water, and now a temporary respite from the stress of constant work. The fish continue their rhythmic dance in the water.
I reach for my fishing spear, determined to catch a meal to replenish my strength. As I prepare to strike, I hear a faint rustling from the nearby bushes. Instinctively, I grip the spear tighter and scan the surroundings. The eyes of the goblins still haunt my thoughts, reminding me that danger lurks even in the most peaceful moments.
Instead of a goblin that emerges from the brush. It is a creature unlike any I have encountered before—a majestic white pearlescent stag with antlers that seem to reach towards the heavens. Its eyes are filled swirling waves of a blue wisdom and a green of serenity that I have rarely witnessed.
The stag approaches the stream, its graceful movements leaving me in awe. It drinks from the water with a glowing reflection shimmering in the gentle ripples. I watch in silence, a mix of reverence and curiosity stirring within me. Could this be a sign? A guiding presence in this harsh world?
The stag lifts its head, its gaze meeting mine. For a brief moment, time stands still. And then, as if acknowledging my presence, it takes a step closer, its hooves barely making a sound on the soft earth.
In that moment, a realization dawns upon me. The goblins, the battles, the struggle to survive—they are but a small part of a much greater tapestry of the journey to come. There are forces at play beyond my comprehension, and while they may not have taken notice of my deeds, they have sent me a message through this ethereal encounter.
I lower my spear, a newfound sense of purpose coursing through my veins. I will not only defend this sanctuary against the goblin hordes but also strive to understand the mysteries that surround me. I will seek knowledge, forge alliances, and uncover the truths that lie hidden within this world.
With renewed determination, I set my sights on fortifying the cave, transforming it into a stronghold that not only protects me but also serves as a beacon of resilience and defiance. The goblins may still pose a threat, but I am no longer just a survivor—I am a warrior with a purpose.
The stag watches me closely and thoughtfully As I prepare to embark on this new chapter, I offer my silent gratitude to the creature before it gracefully disappears into the depths of the forest.
The journey ahead will be arduous, and the trials I face will test my strength, both physical and spiritual. I may be alone but With the spirit of the stag guiding me, and the scars of my past battles etched into my flesh, I step forward, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.
I am the defender of this sanctuary, the seeker of truths, and the embodiment of resilience. And as I move forward, I carry with me the wisdom of the stag and the unwavering determination to protect what is mine.
Inside the cave, I take stock of my resources. Though limited, they are enough to begin the task at hand. And get to work smoothing down the hard stone again until it is the right shape. Then heat up the rock in my fore and then drip cold water along the edge to shatter bits off to make a sharp edge. Then I find the largest bone in the bone pile seemingly a femur and with some work and supplies I bind them together. Lastly I char the bone to seal it.
{Crude woodcutting axe} Wood-damage : +50% Range:3 Bone: +1 durability Char: +1 longevity
Using this makeshift tool, I venture into the surrounding forest, seeking sturdy trees suitable for reinforcement. With each swing of the axe, I feel a sense of empowerment. It is not just the physical act of cutting wood but also the symbol of taking control over my environment. I am no longer at the mercy of nature; I am the one shaping my destiny.
The axe bites into the wood, and with each felled tree, I feel like it's getting easier. Then chopping the tree into logs and branches. I gather logs and branches, forming a stockpile near the cave entrance. I return multiple times, driven by a relentless determination to create a formidable barrier against any future onslaught. I also collect large rocks from the nearby riverbed, utilizing them to strengthen the cave's entrance.
Hours turn into days as I toil, the sweat mingling with the dirt on my brow. With each passing moment, the cave transforms into a sanctuary that reflects my resilience. The once-vulnerable entrance is now fortified with thick logs and sturdy rocks, creating a formidable barrier that would give even the most determined goblin pause.
As I stand back to survey my handiwork, a sense of accomplishment washes over me. The cave, once a mere shelter, has evolved into a stronghold—a testament to my will to survive and protect what is mine. The scars on my body are mirrored in the scars on the land, each a reminder of the battles fought and won.
With the physical defenses in place, I turn my attention to the interior of the cave. I make a simple stone chisel with a replaceable head and useing the same sharp stone, I shape smaller logs into makeshift furniture—a crude bed, a rough-hewn table, and even a shelf to store my meager belongings. I carve niches into the walls to hold torches, their flickering light banishing the shadows that once haunted this place.
As I sit on my newly crafted bed, a flicker of the white stag's presence dances in my mind. I realize that my soul has been blessed with a simple yet useful ability—a keen intuition that guides me in times of danger. It is as if the spirit of the white stag has bestowed upon me a heightened sense of awareness, allowing me to anticipate danger before it strikes.
(Blessing of the stag) Soul trait The user knows when immediate death is near.
With the cave fortified and made livable, I find a moment of respite. I lay on my rough bed, the scars on my body throbbing with both pain and pride. The journey has been grueling, and the battles have taken their toll, but I am ready to face whatever lies ahead. In that moment I notice some notifications I may have ignored or didn't see before.
{Shelter -> Home} Sufficient upgrades have been made do you accept the ownership of this new Home. YES : NO
It doesn't take long but I say yes after I do other pop-ups make themselves know.
HOME This designation partains to places meant for long term living not just survival and can have major improvements and is meant for months to years of living. Many improvements can be made, few expansions can be made tho and only minor differences can be erected. If major improvements are made until there are none left to make and all minor traps are established then it will automatically move into the [BASE] designation. This designation can trigger only minor events.
There now seems to be a few tabs available to me including (defenses),(furniture),(waist room),(pool room),(the pit),(main room)
[You have now made the first step to living in this world and have gained one new skill and 1 level]
Learned skill [ wood working] Rarity: uncommon The user can efficiently cut trees down and work them into anything from small art pieces and furniture to walls and defenses.
And I guess I need to now see what leveling up is like. It can't be that hard I'll also need to go through my windows and learn everything I can about this system.
STATS LV:6 CLASS:NONE NAME: WILLIAM RACE:HUMAN [WHITE] AGE: 23YEARS OLD WEIGHT: 250LB HEALTH :(LV6 * CON14)= 84 ARCANA :(LV6 * INT33) 198 -198=0 PHYSICAL : (LV6 *DEX10)= 60
STRENGTH : 15 DEXTERITY :10 CONSTITUTION :14 INTELLIGENCE :33 WISDOM :27 CHARISMA :-2 LUCK :10
STAT POINTS :5
I close my eyes, allowing the exhaustion to wash over me, knowing that tomorrow will bring new challenges. But with the wisdom of the stag etched into my soul and the strength of my defenses surrounding me, I find solace in the knowledge that I am prepared. And with 5 stat points I should be able to see a difference after using them.
The goblins may regroup and seek revenge, or another threat can raise it's ugly head but they will find a changed man awaiting them—a warrior with a fortified sanctuary, a soul.

5 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝓊𝓉𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝑔𝑜 - !Streaming The Machine 2023 Movie The Machine 2023 Movie Warner The Machine Pictures! Are you looking to download or watch the new The Machine online? The Machine is available for Free Streaming 123movies & Reddit, including where to watch the Action movie at home.
➤►🌍📺📱👉CLICK HERE TO WATCH FULL MOVIE
➤►🌍📺📱👉CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD HD MOVIE
A brilliant toy company roboticist uses artificial intelligence to develop The Machine, a life-like doll programmed to emotionally bond with her newly orphaned niece. But when the doll's programming works too well, she becomes overprotective of her new friend with terrifying results.
Genre : Science Fiction, Horror, Comedy Released : 2023-05-26 Runtime : 102 minutes Director : Terri Taylor, James Wan, James Wan, Kim Sinclair, Jason Blum Stars : Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Jenna Davis, Amie Donald, Jen Van Epps
Now Is The Machine available to stream? Is watching The Machine on Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix or Amazon Prime? Yes we have found an authentic streaming option / service. The Machine is a dark drama film written by Katie Silberman. A 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets.
Showcase Cinema Warwick you'll want to make sure you're one of the first people to see it! So mark your calendars and get ready for a The Machine movie experience like never before. We can't wait to see it too! In the meantime, check out some of our other Marvel movies available to watch online. We're sure you'll find something to your liking. Thanks for reading, and we'll see you soon! The Machine is available on our website for free streaming. Just click the link below to watch the full movie in its entirety. Details on how you can watch The Machine for free throughout the year are described below.
If you're a fan of the comics, you won't want to miss this one! The storyline follows The Machine as he tries to find his way home after being stranded on an alien The Machinet. The Machine is definitely a The Machine movie you don't want to miss with stunning visuals and an action-packed plot! Plus, The Machine online streaming is available on our website. The Machine online free, which includes streaming options such as 123movies, Reddit, or TV shows from HBO Max or Netflix!
The Machine Release in US
The Machine hits theaters on September 23, 2023. Tickets to see the film at your local movie theater are available online here. The film is being released in a wide release so you can watch it in person.
How to Watch The Machine for Free?
As mentioned above, the dark fantasy is only released theatrically as of now. So, people who wish to watch the movie free of cost will have to wait for its release on a platform that offers a free trial. However, we encourage our readers to always pay for the content they wish to consume online and refrain from using illegal means.
Where to Watch The Machine?
There are currently no platforms that have the rights to Watch The Machine Movie Online. MAPPA has decided to air the movie only in theaters because it has been a huge success. The studio, on the other hand, does not wish to divert revenue. Streaming the movie would only slash the profits, not increase them.
As a result, no streaming services are authorized to offer The Machine Movie for free. The film would, however, very definitely be acquired by services like Funimation, Netflix, and Crunchyroll. As a last consideration, which of these outlets will likely distribute the film worldwide?
Is The Machine on Netflix?
The streaming giant has a massive catalog of television shows and movies, but it does not include 'The Machine.' We recommend our readers watch other dark fantasy films like 'The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. ' Is The Machine on Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll, along with Funimation, has acquired the rights to the film and will be responsible for its distribution in North America. Therefore, we recommend our readers to look for the movie on the streamer in the coming months. In the meantime, subscribers can also watch dark fantasy shows like 'Jujutsu Kaisen.'
Is The Machine on Hulu?
No, 'The Machine' is unavailable on Hulu. People who have a subscription to the platform can enjoy 'Afro Samurai Resurrection' or 'Ninja Scroll.'
Is The Machine on Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime's current catalog does not include 'The Machine.' However, the film may eventually release on the platform as video-on-demand in the coming months. Therefore, people must regularly look for the dark fantasy movie on Amazon Prime's official website. Viewers who are looking for something similar can watch the original show 'Dororo.'
When Will The Machine Be on Disney+?
The Machine , the latest installment in the The Machine franchise, is coming to Disney+ on July 8th! This new movie promises to be just as exciting as the previous ones, with plenty of action and adventure to keep viewers entertained. If you're looking forward to watching it, you may be wondering when it will be available for your Disney+ subscription. Here's an answer to that question!
Is The Machine on Funimation?
Since Funimation has rights to the film like Crunchyroll, its official website may include the movie in its catalog in the near future. Meanwhile, people who wish to watch something similar can stream 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train.'
The Machine Online In The US?
Most Viewed, Most Favorite, Top Rating, Top IMDb movies online. Here we can download and watch 123movies movies offline. 123Movies website is the best alternative to The Machine (2021) free online. We will recommend 123Movies is the best Solarmovie alternatives.
There are a few ways to watch The Machine online in the US You can use a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy the movie on iTunes or Google Play. You can also watch it on-demand or on a streaming app available on your TV or streaming device if you have cable.
What is The Machine About?
It features an ensemble cast that includes Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Wilde, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, and Chris Pine. In the film, a young wife living in a 1950s company town begins to believe there is a sinister secret being kept from her by the man who runs it.
What is the story of The Machine?
In the 1950s, Alice and Jack live in the idealized community of Victory, an experimental company town that houses the men who work on a top-secret project. While the husbands toil away, the wives get to enjoy the beauty, luxury and debauchery of their seemingly perfect paradise. However, when cracks in her idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something sinister lurking below the surface, Alice can't help but question exactly what she's doing in Victory.tqwetewsg gfghf The Machine Movie Details
"The Machine" is a 2023 Science Fiction movie directed by Stephen E. Rivkin and starring by Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña. Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, learn the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.
The Machine Full Movie download The Machine Full Movie Free online The Machine Full Movie 123Movies The Machine Full Movie online The Machine Full Movie youtube 123Movies Watch The Machine (2023) Movie Online Full Streaming at Home 123Movies The Machine 2023 MP4/720p 1080p HD 4K Hindi Tamil dubbed filmywap Watch The Machine (2023) Free Online Streaming at Home Watch The Machine Free Online Streaming 123Movies Where Watch The Machine 2023 Free Online Streaming At home 123Movies The Machine (2023) Free: 'The Machine' Crosses $850 Million Globally in 10 Days.

15 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝓊𝓉𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝑔𝑜 - !Streaming The Machine 2023 Movie The Machine 2023 Movie Warner The Machine Pictures! Are you looking to download or watch the new The Machine online? The Machine is available for Free Streaming 123movies & Reddit, including where to watch the Action movie at home.
Server 1 ► cutt.ly/89LdmM9
Server 2 ► cutt.ly/D9LdPNZ
A brilliant toy company roboticist uses artificial intelligence to develop The Machine, a life-like doll programmed to emotionally bond with her newly orphaned niece. But when the doll's programming works too well, she becomes overprotective of her new friend with terrifying results.
Genre : Science Fiction, Horror, Comedy Released : 2023-05-26 Runtime : 102 minutes Director : Terri Taylor, James Wan, James Wan, Kim Sinclair, Jason Blum Stars : Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Jenna Davis, Amie Donald, Jen Van Epps
Now Is The Machine available to stream? Is watching The Machine on Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix or Amazon Prime? Yes we have found an authentic streaming option / service. The Machine is a dark drama film written by Katie Silberman. A 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets.
Showcase Cinema Warwick you'll want to make sure you're one of the first people to see it! So mark your calendars and get ready for a The Machine movie experience like never before. We can't wait to see it too! In the meantime, check out some of our other Marvel movies available to watch online. We're sure you'll find something to your liking. Thanks for reading, and we'll see you soon! The Machine is available on our website for free streaming. Just click the link below to watch the full movie in its entirety. Details on how you can watch The Machine for free throughout the year are described below.
If you're a fan of the comics, you won't want to miss this one! The storyline follows The Machine as he tries to find his way home after being stranded on an alien The Machinet. The Machine is definitely a The Machine movie you don't want to miss with stunning visuals and an action-packed plot! Plus, The Machine online streaming is available on our website. The Machine online free, which includes streaming options such as 123movies, Reddit, or TV shows from HBO Max or Netflix!
The Machine Release in US
The Machine hits theaters on September 23, 2023. Tickets to see the film at your local movie theater are available online here. The film is being released in a wide release so you can watch it in person.
How to Watch The Machine for Free?
As mentioned above, the dark fantasy is only released theatrically as of now. So, people who wish to watch the movie free of cost will have to wait for its release on a platform that offers a free trial. However, we encourage our readers to always pay for the content they wish to consume online and refrain from using illegal means.
Where to Watch The Machine?
There are currently no platforms that have the rights to Watch The Machine Movie Online. MAPPA has decided to air the movie only in theaters because it has been a huge success. The studio, on the other hand, does not wish to divert revenue. Streaming the movie would only slash the profits, not increase them.
As a result, no streaming services are authorized to offer The Machine Movie for free. The film would, however, very definitely be acquired by services like Funimation, Netflix, and Crunchyroll. As a last consideration, which of these outlets will likely distribute the film worldwide?
Is The Machine on Netflix?
The streaming giant has a massive catalog of television shows and movies, but it does not include 'The Machine.' We recommend our readers watch other dark fantasy films like 'The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. ' Is The Machine on Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll, along with Funimation, has acquired the rights to the film and will be responsible for its distribution in North America. Therefore, we recommend our readers to look for the movie on the streamer in the coming months. In the meantime, subscribers can also watch dark fantasy shows like 'Jujutsu Kaisen.'
Is The Machine on Hulu?
No, 'The Machine' is unavailable on Hulu. People who have a subscription to the platform can enjoy 'Afro Samurai Resurrection' or 'Ninja Scroll.'
Is The Machine on Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime's current catalog does not include 'The Machine.' However, the film may eventually release on the platform as video-on-demand in the coming months. Therefore, people must regularly look for the dark fantasy movie on Amazon Prime's official website. Viewers who are looking for something similar can watch the original show 'Dororo.'
When Will The Machine Be on Disney+?
The Machine , the latest installment in the The Machine franchise, is coming to Disney+ on July 8th! This new movie promises to be just as exciting as the previous ones, with plenty of action and adventure to keep viewers entertained. If you're looking forward to watching it, you may be wondering when it will be available for your Disney+ subscription. Here's an answer to that question!
Is The Machine on Funimation?
Since Funimation has rights to the film like Crunchyroll, its official website may include the movie in its catalog in the near future. Meanwhile, people who wish to watch something similar can stream 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train.'
The Machine Online In The US?
Most Viewed, Most Favorite, Top Rating, Top IMDb movies online. Here we can download and watch 123movies movies offline. 123Movies website is the best alternative to The Machine (2021) free online. We will recommend 123Movies is the best Solarmovie alternatives.
There are a few ways to watch The Machine online in the US You can use a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy the movie on iTunes or Google Play. You can also watch it on-demand or on a streaming app available on your TV or streaming device if you have cable.
What is The Machine About?
It features an ensemble cast that includes Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Wilde, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, and Chris Pine. In the film, a young wife living in a 1950s company town begins to believe there is a sinister secret being kept from her by the man who runs it.
What is the story of The Machine?
In the 1950s, Alice and Jack live in the idealized community of Victory, an experimental company town that houses the men who work on a top-secret project. While the husbands toil away, the wives get to enjoy the beauty, luxury and debauchery of their seemingly perfect paradise. However, when cracks in her idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something sinister lurking below the surface, Alice can't help but question exactly what she's doing in Victory.tqwetewsg gfghf The Machine Movie Details
"The Machine" is a 2023 Science Fiction movie directed by Stephen E. Rivkin and starring by Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña. Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, learn the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.
The Machine Full Movie download The Machine Full Movie Free online The Machine Full Movie 123Movies The Machine Full Movie online The Machine Full Movie youtube 123Movies Watch The Machine (2023) Movie Online Full Streaming at Home 123Movies The Machine 2023 MP4/720p 1080p HD 4K Hindi Tamil dubbed filmywap Watch The Machine (2023) Free Online Streaming at Home Watch The Machine Free Online Streaming 123Movies Where Watch The Machine 2023 Free Online Streaming At home 123Movies The Machine (2023) Free: 'The Machine' Crosses $850 Million Globally in 10 Days.

They just can't handle the pressure in high tier situations it's just not in their DNA it's just not in their blood. Brown needs to go, Williams needs to go, Horford needs to go, Smart needs to go, that lightskin boy Tatoom can stay you always want to keep one or two of em anyways to pull out a couple neat tricks now and again.
Spending more time thugging and living a gangster life than focusing on getting us Wins. We must give more blue collar, hard workers like Peyton Pritched, Mike Muscala and Luke Kornet some PT! Maybe even sign that Austin Reaves kid and trade for that young buck Christian Braun down there in Denver, he knows how to get a team to the finals that's for damn sure.
We need to bring back to glory days of the Celtics dynasty with the likes of Bob Cousey and Larry Bird leading the charge. Embarrassing franchise I might just have spend my hard earned welfare allowance elsewhere next season if we don't see a change...

Download ➤ ► 🔴🧿⭕👉Watch “The Mother” Online Free
“The Mother” is a 2003 film directed by Roger Michell and starring Anne Reid, Daniel Craig, and Olivia Williams. The film is a dark comedy about a married couple, May and Graham, who are facing the end of their relationship. May is a depressed and lonely housewife, while Graham is a successful businessman who is having an affair. When May discovers that Graham is cheating on her, she sets out to destroy his life. “The Mother” is available to watch online for free on many different websites. To watch the film, simply search for it on your preferred website and stream it. The film is also available for purchase or rent on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play.

Many of the links below are to youtube videos of songs that the authors use to illustrate their points.
Notes on Camp (1974)
Sontag begins by listing what little earlier writing exists on Camp. One definition comes 10 years earlier from Christopher Isherwood's The World in the Evening

What I mean by camp is something much more fundamental. You can call the other Low Camp, if you like. . . what I’m talking about is High Camp. High Camp is the whole emotional basis of the ballet, for example, and of course Baroque art.”
[...]
STEPHEN: “What about Mozart?”
CHARLES: “Mozart’s definitely a camp; Beethoven, on the other hand, isn’t.”
STEPHEN: “Is Flaubert?”
CHARLES: “God, no!”
STEPHEN: “But El Greco is?”
CHARLES: “Certainly.”

Sontag builds the concept with her own examples and counterexamples. La Lupe is. William Blake isn't. Scopitone is. Titus Andronicus isn't (but almost).
A few quotes:

What the Camp eye appreciates is the unity, the force of a person [...] opera and ballet are experienced as such rich treasures of Camp, for neither of these forms can easily do justice to the complexity of human nature. Wherever there is development of characer, Camp is reduced.
camp is a solvent of morality. It neutralizes moral idignation.
Thus, things are campy, not when they become old -- but when we become less involved in them, and can enjoy, instead of be frustrated by, the failure of the attempt.
the man who insists on high and serious pleasures is depriving himself of pleasure; he continaully restricts what he can enjoy; in the constant exercises of his good taste he will eventually price himself out of the market, so to speak.

Camp rests on innocence. It is playful, of the masses, mass produced, "urban pastoral."
It's not serious art nor tragedy. Not political nor hostile. It's an improvement on the spent modes of satire & irony. It's not sincerity, which can be simple philistinism, intellectual narrowness. It cannot come from nature.
K-PUNK, OR THE GLAMPUNK ART POP DISCONTINUUM (2004)
Fisher's k-punk blog began mostly with music criticism in 2004 and gradually shifted to politics, film, and personal posts. This is one of two music criticism essays we'll read, the other being The Krakens on June 7th. The inspiration for this essay began earlier in 2014 in this brief essay where Fisher attends a musical festival and only enjoys Róisín of Moloko. From that essay, we get Fisher's own camp delineation:

It’s partly this that gives her[Róisín] a distance from her image that isn’t camp, or at least not camp in the Kylie[another pop singer] sense. There is an enjoyment there (this is one of many things that separates Roisin from Kylie: Kylie’s air hostess professionalism exudes grim determination, never enjoyment).

As with Sontag's Camp, Fisher positions Glam as an alliance between the aristocratic aesthetes and the working-class. Fisher quotes his music critic friend Simon Reynolds for a definition:

Glam as anti-Dionysian. The Dionysian being essentially democratic, vulgar, levelling, abolishing rank; about creating crowds, turbulence, a rude commotion, a rowdy communion. Glam being about monumentalism, turning yourself into a statue, a stone idol.'

Fisher positions glam and art pop as an alternative to the leveling instinct of the bourgeois who will not tolerate anyone to be greater than them, even God. He contrasts his favored Mods against Hippies, Rock 'n Roll, and Lads:

The mods, on the other hand, embraced the hyper-artificial: for them, Nuttall wrote, 'alienation had become something of a deliberate stance'. Nobility was not innate for mods: rather, it was something to be attained, through a ruthless de-naturalization of the body via decoration and chemical alteration.

Roxy Music: Mother Of Pearl

'Mother of Pearl' - which as Penman observed on Pillbox, is the whole of Lacan in seven minutes, more or less - is the closest Ferry comes to writing a manifesto for his meta-melancholia, a meta-love song about the impossibility - and undesirability - of attaining the Ideal object.

Visage: Malpaso Man
Jealous Guy - John Lennon vs Jealous Guy - Roxy Music

But Ferry's sensibility is definitely Masochistic. (As opposed to that of the Sixties, which, as Nuttall, for one, suggests, was Sadean. Compare the Sixties-sired Lennon's 'Jealous Guy' - the Sadist apologizes - to Ferry's reading of the song - the masochist sumptuously enjoying his own pain - for a snapshot of a contrast between the two sensibilities.)

Any initial impressions on their writing style? On their analysis?
Sontag suggests camp may have been a way for homosexuality to legitimize itself by aesthetic means. Knowing now that legitimacy was built, what role did Camp play in it?
What might Sontag use as examples of Camp or Not Camp today?
Any thoughts on Fisher's reading of the 60s-80s music scenes?
Any thoughts on the musical choices these two used to build their arguments?

Hello everyone, I posted 3 of these over on Saturday, and the Wookie Attack is being carried over from my first post. Everything else is newly added!
Payment through Paypal 'Goods and Services', users must comment first in this thread before PMing.
Shipping is estimated based on your location which I will ask about in PMs. Shipping labels will only be printed once I receive payment. Tracking number provided at that time too.
Images can be found here:
PART 1: https://imgur.com/a/Zvv42Ef
PART 2: https://imgur.com/a/dd5yW79
What I have PART 1:
Bionicle 8943 Axalara T9 (2008) – Used, 100% Complete, with all 3 Instruction booklets (starting to fall apart but still good to use). The box is NOT included. The set has been disassembled into one bag; rubber bands bagged separately. PRICE: $110 + SHIPPING
Ideas 21313 Ship In A Bottle (2018) – Used, 100% Complete, with instructions and Box. Some golden pieces may be off-color due to age (darker). The set has been disassembled by color where the translucent clear parts, translucent blue studs, and printed pieces get their own bag. PRICE: $70 + SHIPPING
Star Wars 7258 Wookiee Attack (2005) - Used, 100% Complete, with instructions (cover starting to fall off), and Box (minor shelfware). Minifigures, and printed dish pieces, and the track pieces have been individually bagged. PRICE: $100 + SHIPPING
Star Wars 75227 Darth Vader Bust (2019) – Used, 100% Complete, with Instructions and box (taped on one side). The set has been disassembled into two bags, one with all of the black pieces, another with all of the other colors. Parts in great condition. PRICE: $75 + SHIPPING
What I have PART 2
Indiana Jones 7627 Temple of the Crystal Skull (2008) - Used, missing (6X) Dark Bluish Gray 30137, and Minifigures Indiana Jones (with accessories), Mutt Williams, Irina Spalko, and Russian Guard 1 - Everything else is included, build is 100% complete with stickers applied, includes both instructions and original sticker sheet. PRICE: $90 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 6207 A-Wing (2006) – Used, 100% Complete with minifigures, some parts may have minor scratches, Stickers have been applied to parts that have them (starting to fade and or peel) with instructions. PRICE: $20 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 9497 Republic Striker-Class Starfighter (2012) - Used, missing (1X) Dark Red 30356, Includes everything else, minifigures in great condition, includes Instructions. PRICE: $50 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 75007 Republic Assault Ship & Planet Coruscant (2013) - Used, Missing Clone Trooper Minifigure, Planet and build only, No Instructions. PRICE: $8 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 75148 Encounter on Jakku (2016) – Used, 100% Complete, Minifigures in great condition, with Instructions. PRICE: $40 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 75209 Han Solo's Landspeeder (2018) - Used, Missing Minifigures and Corellian Hound Piece, includes vehicle build and Instructions only. PRICE: $20 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 75246 Death Star Cannon (2019) - Used, missing minifigures & their accessories, build and Instructions only. PRICE: $12 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 75299 Trouble On Tatooine (2021) - Used, missing minifigures & their accessories, build and Instructions only. PRICE: $10 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 75315 Imperial Light Cruiser (2021) – Used, missing minifigures & their accessories, build and Instructions only. Set has been disassembled into two bags, one with the grey parts and one with all of the other colored pieces. Stickered pieces have also been bagged separately. PRICE: $100 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 75325 The Mandalorian's N-1 Starfighter (2022) - Used, missing minifigures & their accessories, build and Instructions only. PRICE: $25 + SHIPPING
*Star Wars 75334 Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Vader (2022) - Used, missing minifigures & their accessories, build and Instructions only. PRICE: $30 + SHIPPING
Special offer: Buy all TEN (10) sets with the * symbol before the name for just $250 ($65 off when bundled) - This offer only lasts while all the sets are available.
Please view pictures in the LINKS above, thank-you for your time :)

Discord Username: FireCrimson#1915
Character Name and House: Damon Morrigen
Age: 24
Appearance: https://imgur.com/a/5G1naST
Gift: Champion
Skills: Swords (o), Knightly, Defender, Tactician, Cautious
Talent(s): Singing (x2), Hunting
Starting Title(s): Heir to Crow's Nest
Starting Location: The Feast
Family Tree: https://www.familyecho.com/?p=BFQ8M&c=14cgd1pvu0x&f=640928101225140445 (work in progress, some placeholder names or unnamed characters)
Dead Kinsman: Almost everyone in the family tree.
Damon Morrigen was born in the 183rd year of Aegon’s Conquest to Jack Morrigen, the youngest son of Theo Morrigen. Normally, that would be the end of any mention of him. The son of the fifth son is not usually worth much of note. But unfortunately for the House of Morrigen, history and cruel fate decided otherwise.
The first four years of Damon’s life, he does not remember. And without the foresight of days to come, neither does anybody else. He had no siblings, though a few cousins, and enough uncles to fill up a hand with fingers. And an aunt, though she had been married to William Baratheon before he was born, so Damon knew nought of her.
It was during the Red War that Damon’s fate began to settle into place, with the unofficial birth of the ‘Curse of the Crows’ during the Red War in 187 AC. His two eldest uncles, Alester and Harlan, were slain, and the third eldest was crippled to the point he could no longer have children. Theo Morrigen, his grandfather, was distraught. Even without what was to come, this would be enough to put an old patriarch to tears.
But unfortunately, one bad war does not a curse make. The sons of uncle Harlan found that their boat sank in the sea during a particularly rough storm, though rumors persisted for awhile that it was not the storm, but a man with the ruthlessness to put a hole in the boat, with Richard Morrigen as the usual culprit. But there was no evidence to ever link him to any such crime, so the rumors eventually died down, as the curse of the crows continued.
It was uncle Selwyn who was next. Still young enough to be a bachelor, he reportedly drank too much and choked on his own vomit. This appeared to do Theo Morrigen in, as when he went to sleep after the news he never woke up, with his wife following along within weeks in 190 AC. Of Theo’s children, there were only three remaining. Richard, the current eldest who was crippled in the war, Jack Morrigen (Damon’s father) and Ravella, who was married into Baratheon.
There was peace for little Damon for a time; no more funerals, until 194 AC, when his parents died. A sickness. One could say it swept through the family, though that would exaggerate, for it was only those two and uncle Richard who had caught it, giving him another lifelong health issue to contend with, leaving him coughing blood.
Lord Richard, the last of the lord’s sons, sent his heir to Storm’s End to squire under Lord Baratheon. For Damon, these were his roughest but perhaps most tenderly remembered years. No more familial death to deal with. He got along with his aunt’s family, and even saw Lord William as a second father. However, his worst traits were starting to develop. He was becoming anti-social and paranoid, continuously worrying about when his time would come. To a child, the whims of death were chaotic; he put them in order by convincing himself it would be his time eventually, and likely sooner rather than later.
At 18, in 201 AC, he was knighted, and went home to Crow’s Nest. In celebration, he was given Loyalty, the Valyrian steel longsword of House Morrigen. In one of his uncle’s celebration events, he met Sylas, who became his confidant and informant. A lowborn man, he had nonetheless gained the trust of Lord Richard, and was allowed to remain as a servant, of sorts, and was one of the most valuable men Morrigen had at their disposal.
The next few years, Damon remembers as games. Lord Richard, well aware that Damon was the last hope for their house to continue in the male line, tested him again and again. Sometimes in his ability to defend himself, sometimes in his ability to rule. Some rumors suggested that his ability to continue the line was tested, but they were quashed.
Now it is 207 AC. Some must wonder if the curse of the crows will continue, or if the young heir will manage to halt it in its tracks.
https://www.familyecho.com/?p=BFQ8M&c=14cgd1pvu0x&f=640928101225140445
Character Name and House: Sylas
Age: 34
Appearance: A stooped, balding man. He doesn't seem particularly interesting or notable.
Gift: Ruthless
Skills: Espionage, Torturer, Subtle
Talents: N/A
Starting Title(s): None
Starting Location: With Damon.
Lord Richard Morrigen - Subterfuge
Ser Alaric ‘Pennypointer’ - Architect

From https://www.facebook.com/WBCQThePlanet
The following press release was sent by Bill Tilford, Radio Angela's curator, today:
WBCQ's Radio Angela, which began broadcasting a little over a year ago, was a bold experiment in quality programming. It carried world music (including the last Greek music on shortwave after Greece itself stopped broadcasting on the sw bands), great literature read aloud, new music releases by independent artists, some of the best vintage music on any radio band, science and comedy. It avoided the political and religious programming about which so many shortwave listeners love to complain but which are also the bread and butter that keep most private shortwave stations alive. The production standards were frequently nearly public radio quality even when not sourced from public radio. We also brought several new voices from around the world onto the shortwave bands who had never been there before.
It was known from day one that its long term success would depend upon attracting an adequate amount of both listener contributions and program buyers outside of regular core hours. Critically and artistically, Radio Angela was a great success, and many thanks to all who gave us public and/or private support of any kind. Financially, however, this has not proven to be viable. The airtime buyers didn't come, and neither did enough donors. Consequently, Radio Angela's last transmission as Radio Angela will be May 31 (June 1 0200-0412 UTC).
Some individual programs are likely to continue in some form on the WBCQ grid, my own individual flagship programs (From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill's Melting Pot) will be going on hiatus for a least a month, possibly longer, on both 5130 and 7490, and my other shows will be discontinued altogether. This is a purely financial matter, and if we could find a nice wealthy philanthropist who loves shortwave, perhaps this wouldn't need to happen.
This is hardly the first quality venture on radio or tv to end this way - Radio Angela had more weekly broadcasts than the original Outer Limits television series to name but one example, and the roads of radio generally are littered with the corpses of worthy broadcasting concepts and stillborn projects. My thanks to Angela and Allan Weiner for going out on a limb and backing the project, to all the content providers for their hard work and excellence, to the technical staff, some of whom are no longer with us, and to those of you who cared that we were on the air.
Those who lament the religious and political programming that keep private shortwave stations alive are welcome to consider us a case study in what is likely to happen without those dollars. I obviously lack the right answer, but I have learned a great deal about the right questions.
73,
William "Bill" Tilford
(curator, Radio Angela)

Since they’re in the news — I looked up and broke down the Writers Guild of America’s 100 Greatest Screenplays, as announced in April 2006.
Big image: https://i.imgur.com/MGN8UTo.jpg
Observations:

• The top screenplay of all time? CASABLANCA and I can’t disagree, every line in that movie is a banger.
  
• Who has the most screenplays on the list? With four scripts each, it’s a tie between Billy Wilder, Francis Ford Coppola, and Woody Allen: Wilder with SUNSET BLVD (#7), SOME LIKE IT HOT (#9), THE APARTMENT (#15), and DOUBLE INDEMNITY (#26) — Coppola with THE GODFATHER (#2), THE GODFATHER PART II (#10), APOCALYPSE NOW (#55), and PATTON (#94) — Woody with ANNIE HALL (#6), MANHATTAN (#54), CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS (#57), and HANNAH AND HER SISTERS (#95). Charlie Kaufman, Michael Wilson, and William Goldman almost join them, with three each.
  
• Earliest movie on the list? Jean Renoir’s LA GRANDE ILLUSION, from 1937, at #85.
  
• Latest movie on the list? Charlie Kaufman’s ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND from 2004, beating SIDEWAYS by a few months.
  
• How many scripts were based on an existing novel? 34, just over one-third.
  
• How many stories based on real people? 11, just over one-tenth.
  
• How many scripts written (or co-written) by women? Just six — IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, THE WIZARD OF OZ, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, THELMA AND LOUISE, E.T., and SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN — but more in the source materials.
  
• Brothers Herman and Joseph Mankiewicz end up right next to each other, at #4 and #5, for CITIZEN KANE and ALL ABOUT EVE.
  
• Graham Greene shoots a threefer with source material, story, and screenplay for the aptly-titled THE THIRD MAN and finds himself at thirty-three.
  
• One name noticeably absent from the list: Steven Spielberg, whose films make four appearances (ET, JAWS, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, SCHINDLER’S LIST), but who didn’t write the scripts himself.
  
• Fun fact: my former professor David S. Ward appears on this list — I saw him in his office once, typing, slowly going one finger at a time, like a classic old man. Guy won an Oscar for THE STING, here he is typing like Mr. Burns, I love it.
  

Source: https://www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-greatest-screenplays/list

I am currently finishing up my externship for my Medical Assistant course. I already passed the exam and I feel I did pretty well on my externship. Recently my ex filed a restraining order against me because he was angry at me for sharing something about our relationship to someone who used it against him. Basically all I really shared was that he used to ask me for a foursome with his ex girlfriend and her best friend multiple times, and then asked her for a threesome with her best friend right after we broke up. I shared it with multiple people and one of them decided to share it online to call him a pervert and predator. So he came to my house with his mom back in March, we were arguing and my sister got scared he’d hit me because of the way he yells at me and gestured his arms towards me. Mind you my sister had a physical disability and had to roll out of the house in her wheelchair because she was afraid of what was going on. I tried to keep him away from my family by filing an order against him. I didn’t want him showing up to my house anymore and his mom contacting my mom made me upset. The restraining order may have failed but at least I had the relieving feeling they’d see I wouldn’t want them coming to my home anymore or contacting my family and I was serious. Well now I’m getting a restraining order placed on me because I reported to his job before that he shared a story with me multiple times about his coworker taking alcohol to their job, and they work at an elementary school. He obviously told his boss it was a lie because he wanted to save his ass, and then filed the report. He’s angry as well because I was still in contact with the person who called him a pervert online because multiple girls had said he touched them and made them uncomfortable in the past as well. I also shared the street where he lives in a private message as well. Even though he filed the restraining order on the 12 of May, I had no idea until 5 days later on the 17th of May, and in that time frame his mom kept contacting my mom and made her cry a lot. I argued with his mom over this to defend my mother and I feel that they’re gonna use it against me. I feel like they did that just to provoke me further. In the last phone call we had with her, she claimed I called her son an alcoholic and a drug addict in my emails when I never did. She said she was going to tell the judge what I said, and claimed she was going to make him take a drug test to prove he wasn’t an alcoholic or drug addict. The only thing I wrote in my email was this:
“Hello is there a way to contact HR through the email? Unfortunately my job at the hospital requires me to be there from 7AM-5PM and by the time I get home I get sent to voicemail because she's no longer in the office. I wanted to report this issue because I really believe it's extremely unprofessional for people to take alcohol to share with their coworkers to work, especially since the work they're doing is taking care of children. I'm always careful myself when caring for my pediatric patients and I really suggest your company be more careful with who they're hiring and what these people are doing at work, even if it is after the children had left. The fact that they even had it in a classroom in the first place is highly irresponsible. Not to mention, I was also told by William that the woman who took it was someone who would also take her boyfriend into the school and he wasn't authorized to be there. These things put the children in danger.”
My ex triggers extremely negative feelings for me that I don’t want to deal with. Being around him or hearing his voice makes me extremely angry, depressed and just in general emotionally unwell. I had broken heart syndrome from our past relationship and he didn’t care at all about how I felt.
It doesn’t matter too much to me anymore if I get the restraining order. I don’t ever see their family and I don’t contact them unless they contacted me and my mom or showed up to our home. The only thing I’m really worried about is how it will affect my future job. I planned on progressing in the medical field. I’m worried it could affect my goals and dreams. I know it’s a civil case and it’s nothing extremely serious like a felony but I’m still worried.

So, here's the fourth chapter. Sorry for releasing it a bit late, I've had some pretty tough finals. The next chapter might be delayed as well but after that I should be able to get back to my normal schedule of once a week or possibly better. And thanks for the support on my last chapter, your upvotes and comments mean the world to me!
Big thanks to u/Rand0mness4 for proofreading my chapter and to u/SpacePaladin15 for creating NoP and its amazing literary universe.
CW: Descriptions of desecrated bodies (just your ordinary sapient cattle farm)
[first] [previous] [next (hopefully out in about a week)]
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Memory transcription subject: Oscar Williams, UN Marine
Date [standard human time]: December 3, 2136
With the hum of the cars’ engines tapering off, everything turned quiet, far too quiet. The only sound bar my own breathing was the wind making its way through cracks in the building’s metal shell. Gunfire should’ve been raining down on us by now. The building in front of was at least the size of a football field and going by the faint, but disgusting, smell of the poor victims, the place was packed. There was no way only the about two dozen scalies we eliminated worked here.
Where was the fight? Were all of them hiding inside? We couldn’t have gotten all of them before, right? Well, there’s only one way to find out where the fuckers were hiding.
Richards lined us up next to the large pair of doors separating us from the farm and a soldier from another squad grabbed a handheld battering ram. I doubted the door would hold after just a few hits with a rock but speed was of the essence. The faster we cleared out the arxur infestation, the more people would survive. I wasn’t about to let anyone else die in that hell. My grip around my rifle tightened and time almost seemed to slow down when the first hit was winded up.
We were quietly signaled to step back from the door and with just one hit with the battering ram the lock was separated from the rest of the door. The force from the hit slammed the door open and we promptly stormed in through the opening. But no gunfire met us. The inside was just as deserted as the outside had been. We had entered what seemed to be some kind of warehouse, large crates strewn throughout the floor and deep freezers lining the walls. At that moment I desperately wished I was a mouth breather. The stench, that had previously been contained by the sheet metal walls, was now flooding into my nostrils. Manure, unwashed bodies, and rotten meat. I tried my best to focus on anything but the freezers but every single wall was covered with them. Wherever my eyes darted, more proof of the murders appeared. A dried splotch of blood, some tufts of fur, a bloody machete.
They took pride in it. Pride in this… They’re going to pay.
We crept through the wide open space, making our way from cover to cover. The dirt floor muffled any sound our footsteps would’ve made and we were only exposed for brief moments. If any arxur caught us, we wouldn’t be caught like a deer in headlights. After one of our many rushes between covers, I ended up next to one of the many freezers.
Oh god. My poor nostrils.
The smell had grown even stronger and when I glanced at the freezer I quickly realized why. It seemed to have lost power, going by the fact that it wasn't cold, and that the lid was ajar. The remains of a person, a person who had friends and family, were rotting away inside. My knuckles were turning white from how hard I gripped my rifle and my teeth felt like they were going to crack due to my jaw clenching so hard. I was going to repay them in kind. Those motherfuckers, wherever they were.
When I stood up, en route to the next cover, my eyes caught a glimpse of the inside of the freezer. Pieces of mangled body parts filled the bottom of the box and a swarm of insects swarmed around something in the middle and-
Retch
Parts of yesterday’s meal filled my mouth when I realized what was hiding under the swarm. A severed venlil head with empty eye sockets stared back at me. Blood had dripped down from the sockets, painting long streaks of orange in the white fur. The head’s mouth was locked in an expression of terror and pain and the neck looked like it had been ripped off from the venlil’s body. Part of the spine hung limp beneath the neck and, knowing arxur, I doubted the venlil had been dead during the ripping.
As soon as I found out where they were- Where the hell were the arxur?
Realization suddenly flashed through my mind. Of course those cowards had fled. Fled their just punishment that I had sworn to deliver. My grip around my rifle tightened when I thought about the fuckers running this farm. They’d almost certainly escape justice, and there was in all likelihood nothing I could do about it. If only I could convince Olivia to hunt them down like they deserved.
My train of thought was brought to an abrupt end when we reached the other side of the warehouse. The door on this wall was far smaller, clearly just used by personnel. And it didn’t even have a lock. Maybe they decided to take cover behind this smaller choke point. I immediately squashed the idea in my mind as soon as I thought of it. They weren’t disciplined enough to not rush us with nothing but their natural weaponry.
My theory was quickly being proven true when we rushed into the next room. There wasn’t a single arxur in sight, but the sheer amount of victims more than made up for their absence. We had emerged on some kind of raised walkways, overlooking cramped pits filled with aliens sleeping in the most abhorrent conditions. The air reeked of unwashed bodies, feces, and many other disgusting smells I didn’t even recognize. The victims in the pits looked even worse for wear than the rest of this dilapidated building. Several of the harchen in the closest pit were covered in deep gashes and some even missed entire body parts.
Torture, there was no other explanation. Those fucking crocs.
As I looked around at the other pens, it was quickly made evident that the treatment of the harchen was more of a rule than an exception. Over in another pit, several krakotl had been completely plucked, and what I assumed to be words had been branded onto their backs. Despite my deep hatred for most of their governments, I couldn’t find it in myself to be mad at anyone here. They’d more than likely been captured long before they even knew earth was still inhabitable and even if they weren’t, they still didn’t deserve this torture.
This was so much worse than I thought. Of course it would be horrible but this, how-
Nausea quickly filled my thoughts and before I could even bend over, today's lunch spilled out of my mouth, and I wasn’t alone. At least a third of my fellow soldiers had the same reaction as me.
Good to know I’m not the only empathetic person here. Maybe they’ll agree that the arxur deserve to be treated like their prey after this. Oh, what I would do if I caught any of them.
“HELP!”
The krakotl’s hoarse scream sent a shiver down my spine. It sounded like they hadn’t used their voice for years. I hastily pulled up my bandana and checked that my visor blocked my entire face. I didn’t dare think about what would happen if they realized we were predators.
“P- P- Please help us…”
The screaming had quickly woken up the rest of the aliens who were looking at us with a mix of bewilderment, fear and hope. My eyes darted around the pens while my mind prayed that they wouldn’t land on anyone that recognized our ‘arboreal’ eyes. After what felt like the longest five seconds of my life, I finally allowed myself to breathe a sigh of relief. If no one had fainted yet, they probably didn’t know we were human.
“We’ve come to rescue you, you’re going to get out of here. Just stay calm.”
Richards immediately took command of the situation, preventing widespread panic from the aliens.
“T- T- Thank you… Is the f- f- federation winning?”
The brave krakotl who asked us for help clearly thought we were from the federation and I silently thanked god everyone else seemed to believe the same thing. If they didn’t there would be pandemonium. Those poor souls must’ve seen arxur bloodshed every single day. I could barely imagine how terrified they would be if our identity was revealed. In their eyes we would be nothing but another species of predators and this was the worst possible place to try convincing them we weren’t.
“We’re just going to make sure there are no arxur left in the building, then we’re getting you out of there. We’ll be back before you know it.”
Avoiding the question. I really hoped Richards didn’t tip off the aliens about us there. At least she didn’t deny that we were from the feds. As long as we got out of there as quickly as possible, everything would be fine.
“I- I- saw them leaving. They were a- a- angry, and before they l- l- left they- they…”
The krakotl lifted their wing and shakily pointed towards a dark corner of the room as their voice faltered. Some kind of poles with clumps in the middle filled the corner but any more detail was masked under the veil of darkness. Carefully avoiding looking at the flickering lamps filling the building with light, I turned on my night vision goggles and as soon as my brain registered what it was seeing, I wished that I had been born blind. The poles were wooden stakes and the clumps were the mutilated corpses of a dozen aliens. Deep gashes stretched across their abdomen and their intestines were pouring out of the holes. Not even their heads were spared. They were nigh unrecognizable from blunt force trauma and one of the victims still had the hammer buried in their face. Disgust and rage flared up within me, almost stronger than I’d ever felt before. I wanted to vomit and chop arxur into small pieces at the same time.
Why do they fucking exist? Why the fuck do I have to fucking see this. How can someone… do something like this? And why did we let them escape? Wait, the faster I clear this building, the faster we can hunt them down.
“You’re safe now, we’re getting you off this planet. Squad, we’re make sure there are no arxur left on the premises.”
Sergeant Richards’ command immediately pushed me to act. While about half our our force moved to clear out the rest of the building, my squad rushed for the back door at the other end of the cattle pens. We quickly made our way outside into a large yard, the dirt ground stretching several dozen meters from the building before slowly morphing into a field. In the distance, several large piles of timber were piled high next to a large, deforested area. The only feasible place for the arxur to hide on this side of the compound was the shack that stood at the edge of the yard. In contrast to the concentration camp, this building actually looked relatively structurally sound. Thick concrete walls, a door made of something other than sheet metal, and a roof with only a few visible holes. That was incredibly impressive for an arxur.
Just gotta check this shack, then we can start chasing the fuckers.
Following Richards’ directions, we quickly began making our way towards the building. Reminding myself there was no time to spare, I sprinted ahead of the others and squeezed through the slightly ajar door. A loud slam emanated from behind me as the door shut behind me and I emerged into something that almost looked like living quarters. Several bedrolls were laid out on the ground, piles of equipment were scattered across the floor, and a large scaly repti-
SHIT SHIT SHIT!
They hadn’t left. Those fuckers just laid in ambush, waiting for me to let my guard down. Its hideous body sat on one of the bedrolls, radiating bloodlust. I could feel its eyes bore deep into my soul, sending an involuntary shudder down my spine. Every single part of it was tailor made to kill, and nothing else. It could easily rip off my limbs with its massive claws, and then chop them into tiny pieces with its razor sharp teeth if I was careless.
Can’t be careless then. That fucker isn’t going to walk out of here alive. If I’m going down, it’s going down with me.
I instinctively threw myself to the ground, raising my rifle to take out my target. My rifle was aimed directly at the unarmed creature’s head, through the chain-link fence sectioning off the arxur from me. Just before I pulled the trigger, my brain connected the contradictory information, stopping me from firing from sheer bewilderment.
Why the fuck did that thing not have a weapon? And why were they in some kind of improvised prison?
“Hey! Oscar, the door’s locked. What’s your status?”
David’s voice and a loud banging on the door I just passed through snapped me back to reality. I was locked away from my squad in a room full of arxur. The same species that fucking impailed a dozen people out there. And here they were, right in front of me, behind a chain-link fence. Red flashed before my eyes as I realized what was happening.
They were trying to fool us. And those morons thought I wouldn't notice. They put up that barbed wire, trying to exploit our empathy. We’d try to imprison them, and then they’d strike. And they would have succeeded, had I not been alone.
I slowly stood back up, and shuffled backwards until I stood flush against some kind of railing. The multiple arxur that were hiding behind the chain-link looked at me with unreadable expressions but I could noticeably see their eyes widen as I raised my rifle.
Finally realizing the jig is up? They were going to pay for for the people they fucking impailed, for the venlil whose head they fucking ripped of, and for the fucking cradle.
All I had to do was tell the white lie that they attacked me and open fire. Then my squad wouldn’t be murdered and justice would finally be served. The arxur remained quiet as mice as I prepared to enact justice, probably in shock from their stupid ploy being seen through. I was eternally thankful that they were so stupid. The anger that had filled my entire system slowly melted away, being replaced by satisfaction at their imminent demise. Right as I was about to press down on the trigger one of the arxur began speaking but as I looked for the culprit I saw that all their mouths were shut. The voice was high pitched, almost childlike, and it echoed from… below.
What the-
“Hi, what are you? You look really cool!”
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Is Oscar being a bit delusional? Should he analyze the situation a bit more objectively? Possibly, but where's the fun in having completely sane characters.
Anyways, the two protagonists are about to meet. Will said meeting remain entirely civil or will Oscar "accidentally" drop a grenade into the pit? We'll find out next time.

After a relaxing European vacation with one of his employees, Mark Schaming, director of the New York State Museum, is back and ready to get to work. All who know the man will tell you that he's displayed new energy and ambition after Chris Churchill of the Times Union insinuated that he is unfit in his job as director of the New York State Museum. As Mr. Churchill writes:

The full-sized carousel, up on the fourth floor, has been closed for maintenance for years. The museum's famous subway car is also off-limits, with a sign telling visitors it's closed for repairs. Discovery Place, the building's hands-on learning center for young kids, is also closed.
Those aren't the only disappointments. The State Museum no longer offers a restaurant or any sort of fresh food, forcing visitors to line up at vending machines to quell their grumbling tummies. Some escalators and elevators are out of service. The museum, on the whole, feels forgotten.

From the imposing stone edifice of the Cultural Education Center, Mr. Schaming is cognizant of the cries of the people. This reporter can confirm from a recent visit that Discovery Place has reopened after only three years of closure. JP O'Hare, a spokesperson for the State Museum, explained the long closure, saying that "the pandemic forced us to rethink touchable exhibits."
Visitors to the newly reopened Discovery Place will see that the State Museum has taken to heart rethinking touching exhibits, as it is clear the room has been largely untouched after years of "rethinking" and "renovation." From a cursory glance, it seems to me that the only changes are the removal of all books, toys, puzzles, handouts, and staff.
Now, as a scattering of sources indicate, the New York State Museum approaches its pièce de résistance, the reopening of its carousel which has been closed since 2019. After much digging, it appears the cause of the closure was some minor damage the carousel experienced when it violently (and potentially lethally?) exploded during regular operation. Thinking it unsafe to have metal suspension beams swinging about and shrapnel flying as children rode the carousel, a repair effort was initiated.
The century-old artifact was ridden into the ground (or, technically, helicoptered into the air) once due to poor operating conditions, but the people of Albany ought feel confident that mistakes were learned from. Previously the carousel was operated nearly constantly and without proper care in place to keep the artifact balanced. Although unconfirmed, word is that now the carousel will be operated nearly constantly and without proper care in place to keep the artifact balanced. It is said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, but I call going in circles a carousel.
Fortunately for the carousel, it looks like staffing constraints will interfere with the planned constant operation of the carousel. This is being swiftly addressed by Mr. Schaming, though not by hiring new staff. Rather, as at least one source indicated, Mr. Schaming is currently interested in changing the job descriptions of people in different departments to include carousel operation.
It may seem strange that Mr. Schaming is reticent to staff his museum, but the reader must understand the important considerations behind these decisions. One must first be aware that in 2015 the New York State Museum received $14 million in funds for a massive three to four year renovation. As Paul Grondahl of the Times Union wrote in 2015:

The State Museum will undergo a $14 million renovation that will dramatically re-imagine the exhibits with dynamic technology, interactive displays and a fresh form of narrative storytelling.
When the work is finished in three to four years, it will represent the largest upgrade to the capital city's most popular tourist attraction since it opened in 1976 at the newly built Empire State Plaza.

The expected completion date is in the rear view mirror, and it's now common knowledge that the $14 million gas tank is mostly fumes. Although it has been difficult to unravel exact information, best evidence suggests that currently the State Museum has $5 million still in the pocket. It's time for tightening the belt, and part of that looks to be staffing cuts.
One may be concerned that Mark Schaming, director of the New York State Museum, is having difficulty performing his job. Fortunately the director of the New York State Museum is overseen by the Deputy Commissioner of Cultural Education, who is also Mark Schaming.
One may then be concerned that Mark Schaming, director of the New York State Museum and Deputy Comissioner of Cultural Education, is having difficulty performing his two jobs. Fortunately the director of the New York State Museum who is also the Deputy Commissioner of Cultural Education is overseen by Sharon Cates-Williams. Ms. Williams, who herself holds the two jobs of Deputy Commissioner of Performance Improvement & Management Services (PIMS) and Executive Deputy Commissioner, stated to Mr. Churchill on the matter:

I think he's doing a good job wearing two hats. It does not interfere with the core mission of the museum, and it's a decision that we stand by.

One may then be concerned that Sharon Cates-Williams, herself wearing two hats and self-supervising, may have some biases. Fortunately the Deputy Commissioner of PIMS who is also the Executive Deputy Commissioner reports to Betty A. Rosa, the Commissioner of Education.
Dr. Rosa has served as Commissioner of Education since 2021 when she, as Chancellor of the Board of Regents, elected herself Commissioner of Education. Unlike others, she gave up her former position as Chancellor of the Board of Regents upon her self-election. It is unclear how she feels about others who do not likewise content themselves with wearing only one hat.
Perhaps we soon will have an opportunity to ask Dr. Rosa. Although details are sparse, it has been indicated that Mr. Schaming is planning a victory celebration for managing to successfully reopen the carousel after four years. Specifics on the event and even the exact date have been infuriatingly kept under wraps, but it is speculated that Mark Schaming and Betty A. Rosa plan to celebrate this monumental occasion by giving speeches and riding on the carousel with elementary school students.
We can safely say that the sun is rising on the New York State Museum. After only four years the State Museum has managed to successfully "renovate" Discovery Place through the power of downsizing and is on the cusp of reopening the carousel under the same conditions which led to its prior destruction. With only $5 million remaining in the pocket and only running about five years behind schedule on a grand renovation, who knows what wonders we can expect in the years to come.

I have been a Geronimo Stilton fan since I was young and I still collect the books. When I heard that there was a Geronimo Stilton tv show I bought the DVDs and when I found a Geronimo Stilton plush I also bought that. When I heard that there are talks of a Geronimo Stilton I was so happy and I can wait for it just like the Anya's Ghost movie. I don’t know what the plot is going to be but I have my own idea, it should mix It's Halloween, You 'Fraidy Mouse! and The Secret of Cacklefur Castle to act as an origin story to ship Geronimo and Creepella. I’m honestly shocked there is little to no fanfiction or fan art of Geronimo and Creepella; they are kinda perfect for each other, opposites attract. And don’t be like “WhAt AbOuT PeTuNiA PrEtTy PaWs?!” That is never gonna happen and you know it, plus Geronimo even says that he found her attractive in it's Halloween, You 'Fraidy Mouse! If I could create a Geronimo Stilton film, my cast would be.
Ryan Reynolds as Geronimo Stilton
Sofía Vergara as Creepella Von Cacklefur
Jack Black as Trap
Rebel Wilson as Thea
Ben Whishaw as Benjamin
Timothy Dalton as William Shortpaws
Awkwafina as Pinky Pick
The Spice Girls as The Thea Sisters
Melanie Brown ("Scary Spice") as Pamela
Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice") as Violet
Melanie Chisholm ("Sporty Spice") as Nicky
Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice") as Paulina
Victoria Beckham ("Posh Spice") as Colette
Jennifer Aniston as Tina Spicytail
Ralph Fiennes as Boris
Peter Capaldi as Grandpa Frankenstein
Jenna Coleman as Shivereen
Judi Dench as Madame LaTomb
Julie Andrews as Grandma Crypt
Terence Stamp as Boneham
YUNGBLUD as Snip and Snap
Gino D'Acampo as Chef Stewrat
David Tennant as Simon Squealer
Drew Barrymore as Sally Ratmousen
Johnny Depp as Billy Squeakspeare
Eddie Izzard as Booey the Poltergeist

Add-ons, are they things that the Killer has to carry around, or do they keep them in some room the Entity provides to them for personal time meant to make them more efficient killers? I ask because these add-ons include...
​

• Amanda's self-harm box, which I doubt she'll carry around while hunting. Does the Entity just give her spare time to cut herself because John Kramer's trap-method really is that unhelpful to people that she's been reduced to that?
• Pictures of the kids Freddy Krueger molested (Why, remake, why?) Does even the Entity find that creepy?
• A dead cat, a soda can, and a rotted pumpkin. Where would the butt-naked Demogorgan even keep that stuff on it?
• A friggin' torture pillar, which I have to wonder where Pinhead would keep on him if he's carrying it around with him. I don't want to say it's probably shoved in his poop-schute, but given this is the same character who hooks his nipples, I'm not ruling it out as a possibility.
• Family pictures belonging to the Singularity's victims. I accept that not all these items are things the killers like (Amanda has a blackmail letter that pisses her off and Leatherface has a broken piece to remind him of what the Entity will do to him if he fails) and are probably thrown in by the Entity to rile them up. That begs the question of what the Entity does to its killers to make them like this, how much of their personalities are stripped away to the point where they won't question being given this stuff?
• Stuff from the Fold cult for the Dredge. Same reason as above. I get that it's a monster made from the misery and bloodshed of that cult, but I have to wonder if this inhuman monster is actually getting some breaktime in-between killings to look at this stuff, because that is a mental image I just love.
• The Blight's research items. I doubt he's getting work done in his current state, so if the Entity is likely just being a dick and rubbing his former life in his face.
• Leatherface has some chili as an add-on. Does he eat it or just let it lay around whatever breakroom the Entity gives him?
• Under a previous post, I said I loved the idea of this all-powerful, old-as-time Entity being forced to entertain its killers by using whatever puny human media or tech they're familiar with, including social media. With that said, the Clown has a VHS of porn. Either he's carrying that around with him for sentimental reasons (Which really just means he has no life), or the Entity really is just forced to humor this guy and let him have time to shake his silly-stick in private. Or does the Clown just consider porn some fancy art to be admired, because he really doesn't strike me as the pretentious type.
• Some add-ons would imply that the Knight and his buddies get off-time to torture people and the Deathslinger gets time to drink. You think he ever gets drunk on the job?
• For that matter, costumes. Did the Entity canonically just give the Legion Robbie the Rabbit costumes just 'cause? Did William Birkins and HUNK end up in the Entity's realm as well, even though one isn't happy with his current state and the other at least has a few redeeming qualities that the Entity likely stripped away? How does the Clown feel about the Dredge killing and wearing his horse Maurice, or did the Entity mindscrew the Clown so badly that he doesn't even remember his horse at this point? Did the Oni canonically turn into a minotaur just out of the Survivor's fears? Are the Titans canon to DBD because as an Attack on Titans detractor, that sucks on many levels. Did all those painful Blight costumes really happen to the Killers? Yeesh.

1. Having the “more talented team” is not a magic bullet to win a series. Sure you think Sam Hauser is better than the others teams 9th man. That’s great. This does not mean that Hauser’s team wins every playoff series. Many “less talented teams “ with a HOF Star have been dragged to the finals.
   
2. The role players piece. Derrick White is not better than Trey Young. 14 mins Rob Williams is not the next Shaq. Al Horford is not an “awesome player” or an “elite shooter” at this point. Grant Williams scored 3 points last night. Come the fuck on. The wild over valuing of public teams (especially Boston’s) role players makes me believe even more in the Boston Media Mafia. It’s “I’d take Iguodala!!” But way way worse and 12 months a year. My ears have taken so so much Hauser discussion. Give it a break.
   
3. Tatum is not gonna be the best player in the league. He’s not “gonna become a connector like Jokic” He’s been outplayed by Steph and Jimmy badly the past two seasons. Those guys are not in the conversation for 2023 best player. He’s 26 (an age most non Celtics get written off as “he is what he is” by the BMM), Tatum is not “ONLY 19 anymore”. He has been on a stacked team for his entire career. He’s really good helped by being on a good team. Not a mvp/ best player in the world kinda guy.
   
4. The Celtics crowd- stop it. I don’t wanna hear about it again. It’s not a good crowd. It’s not a “black panther suit”. They can barely be .500 in the playoffs. They boo quickly and sound quite as fuck most of the time. Give it a 2 year break.
   
5. The injury narrative- for every minute talking about Tatum’s rolled ankle talk about Jimmy playing through the same injury and Hero not touching the floor in the whole series. Injuries happen to every team…. Every year. Not just the Celtics who were a 2 seed and crapped the bed to a 8 seed. Also stop it with the “he must be hurt because he didn’t shoot 40% from 3 in a game 7”… Bill and his dad pretty much said the entire Celtics roster was mystery hurt , just not on any injury report last night. Amazing.
   

What else? I’d love to think the Media Mafia would eat some crow and come back more reasonable next year but I have my doubts.