The 3 basic parameters of hashtag #Valzubiriagenda:

1. We artists and everyone else can write and self-publish art- and artist-related books: memoirs, biographies, art books and art catalogs. Books are forever. Pamphlets and brochures are not books.
2. We announce a schedule of increasing prices of our art pieces, which includes quantities (scarcity numbers) per price point and overall (the total quantity of art pieces we might ever make). This helps art traders, art investors and art collectors speculate or even stop speculating and instead join a community of investors working together to hopefully skyrocket to the higher announced prices in a shorter span of time.
3. We can use the NFT world, because NFTs provide the tracking (who owns what) and trading.

We can also not be involved with NFTs. Stores and individuals can help sell art using online presence and our catalogs in the stores. If this trends, or once this trends, even expensive art can be sold by neighboring businesses, without exclusivity. Commission systems do not have to be standardized. Art investors can produce their own catalogs to leave at the cafés. Even the cafés can produce their own catalogs.
Valzubiriagenda NFTs
NFTs only came about a few years ago. But I had been working on this since the 1990s. I wrote a book, Valzubiriagenda, along with fellow artist Silverio Perez, and released it in 2018 (Amazon and elsewhere), tackling everything related to #1 & #2. We'll come up with #3 in a later book/ memoi marketing book.
Any artist, including tangible artists can release 10,000 NFTs if the artist chooses to do so. For tangible artists, the NFT first becomes an Art Commission Contract for sight unseen, yet-to-be made art. Once the art is made, the NFT becomes proof of ownership that the actual, tangible art is theirs.
Warehousing our tangible art
Another related idea is that the tangible art may be warehoused by the artist so that the NFT traders continue to trade. This means that even 10-ton 10-foot tall sculptures can be owned and traded by anyone without worrying about shipping, reshipping, scratches, smudges, parts breaking off, etc. The newness of the pieces remain because they are stored by the artist, source, gallery, etc. The art piece gets shipped to the art collector, the ultimate owner.
An artist who makes ceramic coffee mugs - smaller art pieces, can release 10,000 NFTs with a schedule of increasing prices so that NFT traders can trade immediately. The 10,000 coffee mugs can get damaged, so as they are made, they continue to be stored by the artist, until the time when art collectors decide to have the art pieces shipped to them.
Why only now?
I decided to write as many book-length memoirs as I can before I came out to promote this.
I'm an artist and an author. Both need time to "master." I would not even fully use "master" on myself, because there's always something new, even to my own art, my own writing and publishing.

I am now claiming that I'm the visual artist who has produced the most artist memoirs in the world. I have 5 on Amazon. I count Valzubiriagenda as both a marketing book and a memoir-of-sorts, because it has a lot of my own life lessons on writing and publishing. I would not care to contest my claim of having the most memoirs. I will release 5 more over the next 3 years.

BARTER! Get help to write, photograph art and publish your books!
Anyone can hire 11 ghostwriters for 11 memoirs. If you can make art, but you cannot write, then barter your forever art with those who can help you produce forever books.
I don't feel the pressure of writing and publishing because I feel my focus should be on art students and art experts who would study my art and my books 100 years from now. Don't expect relatives and friends to read your books.
I call myself the Dollman
For my NFTs, I am proposing to make dioramas - my original, costumed, bejeweled porcelain dolls in backdrops that will also have precious metals and gemstones. This way I can incorporate precious metals and gemstones in my work, to make sure that people perceive my art as expensive, just in case I myself don't become "famous" - there's no need to get world famous. We are artists and all we need to do is to satisfy the art niche.
Use your laptop now!
I will encourage you to start writing your book-length memoir. Write, Edit and then Self-publish it. Get help. Why wait a hundred years for someone to write about you when all you need is a laptop and a nearby coffee shop.
Don't start counting chickens before the eggs hatch. I have encountered a lot of would-be writers who immediately see themselves as bestselling. world famous assets to society. Two even wanted me to sign NDAs (Nondisclosure agreements), because they did not want me to steal their book ideas.
Here's a suggestion. I would not personally do it. From one manuscript can come 2 books: The Original Draft (unedited, with misspellings, considered to be an art piece, scanned pages(?) of your handwritten original effort), and The Final Edition (edited).
PROVENANCE!
Another way to enhance our investability, tradability and collectability is PROVENANCE - how art ownership proceeds through time. The way this can be done is also through publishing books. Everyone can write their memoirs, biographies, art books and art catalogs, including traders, investors and art collectors. In effect, we artists can continue to be included or mentioned in even more books, without any additional effort by us.
You as an investor, reseller, trader, art collector should be able to publish a catalog with 250 works by 250 different artists, but they need to agree to this right from the start - it's your money, you should require them to follow your version of the hashtag #valzubiriagenda parameters, which preferably should include permission for you to publish their art. Why would you track down 250 artists later?
No exclusive contracts
If you're a café, you can call for artists, and come up with a book with for example, 30 artists, with a chapter devoted to each artist's profile and images of the artist's art.
You can distribute your catalogs to businesses and individuals near and far and online.
The book Valzubiriagenda even cites that funeral homes and janitors closets can sell art, with or without exclusivity. Airline catalogs can include million dollar art pieces. Car manufacturers, showrooms and even car repair shops can sell art as well. Everyone should be able to do this, anywhere in the world, especially not just because of the pandemic, but right now, we are in really bad economies.
What's with the name #Valzubiriagenda
I was into conspiracy theories in 2018, and this term, "The Mandela Effect," was popular. I had read many times that an artist coined the term, but I had to research online, for her name, many times, before remembering it. I'm not good at remembering names. It took me a year and a half to finally tell you that Fiona Broome coined "The Mandela Effect."
I also thought I might have to research trademarks and copyrights just to come up with a generic name. So I decided on "Valzubiriagenda." I was not really sure at first, but I decided to use it as the title for my book (with co-authoartist Silverio Perez) so that there would be no turning back and I can move on.
Am I a FUTURIST?
Someone I recently met this May 2022 just called me a futurist.
In the 1990s, I proposed to a pension fund that they can raise billions of dollars, especially for emergencies, or as needed, or out of desperation, if the pension fund purchases a quantity of art from an artist who not only has a current, reasonable price, but an announced future price that the artist wants to reach.
That future price would obviously be higher than the current price. The art commission contract for multiple art pieces can be taken to the fund's financial lender for a loan. The higher future price can be used for financing purposes.
The pension fund's treasurer, a publicly elected official, said this idea might work, but we had to keep this a secret and discuss this some more, because other pension funds might copy and do this prematurely. This idea had to come from the two of us. The treasurer needed his votes and I needed credentials.
Added into the pot was my idea that I, as the artist, will also write one book-length artist memoir. This was and still is a strong factor, because the leadership and marketing books I had read then mentioned a strong tip. If you want to advance in your field, write a full-length book that is related to the field.
Unfortunately, the elected official, the treasurer of the pension fund, who was also a friend, passed away - he was old and had ailments. At that point in time, I cannot just approach another pension fund treasurer to share this idea with.
I realized I had to write a few memoirs. I needed to set an example for other artists, so I needed to write more than one memoir. Then I felt I should also make ready another book - the how-to of what I'm up to. I wrote Valzubiriagenda, which was a memoir of sorts. I knew how long it would take me to write a book, so I had to make sure I can also consider this book a memoir.
In 2008, I imagined that someone like Bernie Madoff, or a fund like Lehman Brothers, would be desperate enough to use this to save themselves and their companies. I was not ready. I had only written 1 manuscript for a memoir.
In 2012, I released Dollman the Musical, A Memoir of an Artist as a Dollmaker. Once again, I was not ready because writing it depressed me a little, and I knew I had to write more.
In 2014, I released 3 memoirs, and re-released Dollman the Musical. Besides releasing regular books, I released special editions of the 4 books, which had a "Special Secret Insert for Bankers," which explains my ideas of an announced schedule of exponentially increasing prices, to satisfy investors, and the publication of artist memoirs, to satisfy art collectors.
In 2014, I also issued out a press release. Google "Can Billion Dollar Artist Save Investors and World Economy Valentino Zubiri PRWeb August 19 2014" and you will see the press release.
What I did was stake a claim on my ideas. I did not promote my books and the press release. I just wanted them to stay online, like a sleeping giant or a dormant volcano. I even designed 3 of the book covers to look like indie books from the 1980s. I was planting the seeds, thinking they will eventually grow and bear fruit in the future.
In 2015, I was interviewed by Richard Syrett, about one of my memoirs, Hocus Pocus Lately. This book is my memoir with paranormal stories. I could have pursued promoting my paranormal stories, but I wanted to be known first as a visual artist and memoirist, so I allowed myself one interview related to Hocus Pocus Lately. Richard Syrett has(had?) his own syndicated radio show, The Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett, about the paranormal. He also guest hosts on Coast to Coast AM, another internationally syndicated show about the paranormal.
In 2018, I released Valzubiriagenda (co-authored by artist Silverio Perez, a fellow artist). Finally, this book is "the how-to of what I'm to."
I'm going to end this with some strangeness. In 1986, a lady at a religious gathering went into a trance and left a good number of messages. Supposedly, anyone who got into a trance would have messages, but once the trance was over, the person would not remember what was said.
I was not part of the group, but the lady turned her head to face me. She "foretold" that whatever I would decide to do in the future, it will take time, but it will be the right thing. This is one of my stories in one of my memoirs, Hocus Pocus Lately.
The Tulipmania of 1634-37
I discovered that there was this incident of rare tulips becoming collectible during the Dutch Golden Age. There were tulips so rare and so well-desired that their prices equaled to that of a house. You can read more about this online (Wikipedia) or watch a few YouTube videos about it.
Here is the most useful idea that I gleaned from the Tulipmania. The tulip bulbs remained safe inside nurseries. The traders were carrying the deeds of ownership to the tulip bulbs.
Then NFTs came to the forefront
I started learning PHP, an HTML scripting language, and MySQL, the database that PHP can connect to in the background, in 1999, when there were only 3 books about PHP and MySQL at the bookstores.
By 2014, I was trying to figure out how to make the "ledger," or database that can be used to update ownership and who can be contacted. If we are trading art, then the art ownership should be updated.
Then NFTs came about. This can be used as our ledger. Everyone can immediately trade NFTs of future, yet-to-be made art pieces, especially because it takes time to make tangible art.
NFTs actually went a step ahead, by allowing digital art to be traded.
The only setback with NFTs, in my opinion, is that it still lacks a commission system for resellers and representatives.
For example, if a café wants to represent me, then they can promote me at their café and on their online pages. If I make one piece of art that will be exclusively represented by a gallery, then that commission will be different and more specific. As ownership is transferred, the subsequent owners should be able to reset the commission. We should also have the option of giving commissions to hundreds of representatives at one time with different percentages if need be.
The recent crypto crash
Lately, we have observed that NFTs and cryptocurrencies have been behaving like the stock market and other markets. They have been fluctuating.
I believe that it is time for a trend which discourages fluctuation of prices.
I have also seen YouTube videos where social influencers are encouraging us to be on the lookout for exponentially profitable ventures, because we have all seen this happen with the exponential increase of Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Let's see if #Valzubiriagenda trends
We can announce present and future art prices. The galleries won't do this (yet?) because they follow a more traditional approach to the business of art.
We have a choice of using incrementally or exponentially increasing prices. We still reserve the right to change things in the future, so everyone should know to follow the latest update.
If this trends, if you as an artist simply announces that you will write an artist memoir, or that you will include the future works in future art books, you might have more art traders, investors and collectors approaching you.
Get your pen, paper and calculator
Imagine yourself as an artist, where you are right now. Let's just say you still do not have a book about yourself and your art yet. Imagine now that you have a memoir out there. Don't you think it makes sense to charge more than what you are charging now? Writing and publishing books is just the beginning. I'm just standardizing this approach. The books also say to do other related projects. In my case, getting Dollman the Musical onstage is one idea. You will have other related projects, but the publication of memoirs, biographies, art books and art catalogs will help all of us.
You can also imagine that a law firm that has meeting rooms, with someone who wants to form a local #valzubiriagenda group, can have meetings. A local café can do the same. Local photographers for your art, writers, editors, book designers, proofreaders and others can join in.
I suggest have printed books to share. 15 copies of your memoir or art books will be better than an e-reader or laptop or your phone to show. These gadgets can be stolen, sabotaged, broken, have coffee spilled on them, etc. 15 printed books means simultaneously showing to 15 people. You can even give them away to potential resellers, investors, traders and collectors.
When it rains, it pours, as in the days of Noah
There's a saying, "When it rains, it pours." There is a negative interpretation and a positive interpretation.
Negative: When trouble comes, they cascade to even more.
Positive: When opportunity comes knocking, more follow suit. We can assume that if one gets our art because of #valzubiriagenda, more want to do it now, because of the rising prices, and FOMO - fear of missing out. What will they lose if they miss the boat?
As I have said earlier, if the #valzubiriagenda trends, if you announce a future memoir or art catalog, you might have an increase of investors, traders and art collectors who would want to check you out. You might encourage more sales. Just remember to write and publish that memoir and art catalog.
There's this saying, "As in the days of Noah." Imagine Noah, building his ark, with members of his own family, putting all his time and effort into it. Noah was a nice guy. I'm sure every once in a while a neighbor offered him coffee, or chai latte, or whatever refreshing drink they might have back then.
Here's the lesson to be learned. Just because they offered him some type of bubble tea drink, or coca cola, they still didn't make it to the ark. Rubbing shoulders with actors does not make you an actor. I have told my artist friends to write their memoirs. They told me that once they see me succeed, after all these many years of seeing my seemingly useless efforts, then they will write their memoirs and follow the road that I had paved for them.
Good luck to them, but if I were you, act now, get my art or make art. Support the 5-year old artist whose parent promised to release a comprehensive art catalog. If you get that 5-year old's art, and mine, I would be honored to be in the same art catalog that you will produce. I'm already successful at that point. You have gotten the mission just right.
I have already claimed to have written the most book-length artist memoirs in the world. Dethrone that claim. Barter. Use ghostwriters. Success to me means facing God one day and saying, I wrote my memoirs and left the world a legacy of books and art. I will not tell God, smiling and proudly, that I encouraged a run for my art by announcing a schedule of exponentially increasing prices that reached 9 figures. I'm sure God knows we had fun.

JOIN THIS GROUP

If you want to try out #valzubiriagenda, in any capacity, join this group. Let others know about this group as well.
If you are an artist, you can let everyone know here that you will produce your memoir, art catalogs, etc. It's okay if you don't know how to go about publishing yet, I will discuss this. Please be honorable enough to produce what you promise to produce.
If you want to meet fellow artists, investors, resellers, etc., join us here.
If you are a book writer, editor, proofreader; if you can photograph art pieces; if you are a book designer, etc., join us here. Let us know if you charge, barter for art, or both.
If you have your own tips and knowledge to share, join us here.
If you have underaged artists you are managing (parents, etc.) join us here.
Join this group if you want to sell works. Post your works. You web links. I'm sure I will.
You can announce meetings in your area. You might have meeting rooms, a café, restaurant, etc. where people can meet. In the future, you can have the regular show and tell, where books can be shown and shared.
​
Thanks for reading. Please let me know if I need to edit some parts. Please share and join this group. - Valentino Zubiri, Dollman, Artist, Memoirist
Underaged artists are welcome here, so please be mindful of your language. We cannot post your adult-oriented art pieces, but you can direct us to a separate page or community. There will be limits to your posts, and there will be adult-oriented art that we cannot allow to be posted.
Thanks for reading. Please let me know if I need to edit some parts. Please share and join this group. - Valentino Zubiri, Dollman, artist & memoirist

Hey EDC Exchange -
Thanks for checking out my post! Re-listing a few things with price drops and added a few new items for your perusal. I am the original owner on all items listed EXCEPT the RGT clip.
First, let’s look at that timestamp!
First, a VoxDesign “Dirty” Raccoon - 3/8” in brass. Purchased new from UrbanEDC in July of 2022. I have way too many of these “bottle openers” from VoxDesign, and this one has never been carried or used…it should go to someone who will appreciate it. Basically new condition. Includes original bag and card. Item was $165 new.
Video here.
Raccoon is SV: $140 $120 $100 via PayPal FF (no notes), shipped via USPS. Final price drop on this before I just hang on to it.
Next up, a PNW Toast Co. Toast! This was purchased from UrbanEDC in June of 2021. This was an Urban EDC exclusive with a layer of Tiffany G10 sandwiched between Stabwood on one side and and Canvas Micarta on the other. Very cool little force multiplier, but I never ended up carrying it. Also purchased a brown Breadbox Slip (leather sheath) from Redeemed Creations that same month. Also never carried (although I did slip the toast in and out of it a few times, so it’s not “mint”). Toast includes original COA and paper bag wrapping. Item is like new. Toast was $189 new, sheath was $30.
Photos here.
Toast & Slip are SV: $200 via PayPal FF (no notes), shipped via USPS.
Next, a Peak Eiger Ultra X in brass. Purchased directly from Peak in 2017, I’ve carried this a handful of times, but never really fell in love with the twisty style interface. This is the Hi-CRI version with narrow beam, includes the tail switch (momentary) and clip (which I think is a Preon clip, but I don’t actually remember…I did have to pick it up separately). Beam is lovely, light is in good shape. Runs off a 10440 Li-ion cell ONLY (not included). Light (without clip) was $85 new.
Photos here.
Peak is SV: $50 via PayPal FF (no notes), shipped via USPS.
Next, a Ripp’s Garage Tech Polished Timascus clip for CRK. This came to me installed on a Large Inkosi I got on the Swap. I left it on, carried it twice, and decided it was just a touch too fancy for me. Removed the clip and it ended up in a drawer for a year or two, and was recently re-discovered. Clip is in good shape, although there are a couple very small spots on the left side of the clip that look like wear to me, I did my best to picture them. Otherwise, this is a great opportunity to set your CRK apart. These go for about $130 new, I believe.
Photos here.
RGT Clip is SV: $80 via PayPal FF (no notes), shipped via USPS.
Next, an MXG Titanium Deep Carry clip for Spyderco knives. I got a couple clips from MXG trying to find a good match for my Swayback, this didn’t make the cut, but I liked the clip and kept thinking I’d find a home for it…never did. Time to move it on! It was very briefly installed on the Swayback, but never carried. It’s in essentially new condition. Originally $25.
Photo here.
MXG Clip is SV: $15 via PayPal FF (no notes), shipped via USPS.
Then we’ve got a Tanner Goods Document Folio in black. I got this from a sample sale grab bag about 10 years ago and loved it, but wanted it in brown. So, promptly ordered the cognac version and put this one away. It’s doing nobody any good stashed away, so it’s time to let it go. It’s made from a single piece of 5.5 oz vegetable tanned Meridian English Bridle leather, with brass studs. Features a felted wool sleeve. Aside from the “S” stamp (see pictures) I can find nothing that differentiates this folio from the full-price one I purchased at the same time. The case measures 12” long by 9” wide. Tanner Goods doesn’t make these anymore, if you’re looking for an elegant way to transport your documents (or iPad), this is a damn fine way to do it. Originally sold for $200.
Photos here.
Folio is SV: $100 $60 via PayPal FF (no notes), shipped via USPS.
Lastly, a Galway vertical snap wallet from Blackthorn Leather. I purchased this back in 2018 and carried it a half-dozen times. It’s a great wallet, I just prefer a “trucker wallet” style form factor. Construction is SOLID, the wallet feels bombproof. Wallet is in excellent condition. Item is constructed from hand-dyed, full-grain vegetable tanned leather and lined with plaid accent fabric. Measures 3.5” x 4.75” closed. The concho is a very well done reproduction Walking Liberty quarter (the coin collectors in your life will thank you). Item was $115 new.
Photos here.
Wallet is SV: $65 $50 via PayPal FF (no notes), shipped via USPS.
FINALLY, the last item up for today is a Saddleback Leather - Large Satchel in Coffee Brown. Got this back in November of 2012 to replace a Large Briefcase that was too large. It was carried a bunch in an office environment, but was ultimately replaced by a Mountainback Large Satchel in 2016. The large satchel is no longer available (in fact, none of the bags I just mentioned are still available), so this is your chance to pick up this beautiful leather bag that is tired of living in my closet. I’m including an older Saddleback leather slip case. I’ve used it to carry iPhone/iPad chargers, but it can work for loads of different uses. Also including a set of two leather utility straps that Saddleback used to offer that I kept laced in the D-rings on the bottom of the bag (great for carrying a jacket or sweater).
Loads more information about the bag can be found via this review: https://bestleather.org/saddleback-leather-large-satchel-review-408/
Photos here.
Satchel was $350 new. SV is $240 via PayPal FF (no notes), shipped via USPS (I think, might need to go UPS). This is also available for local pick-up for $200 here in Southern California.
…and that’s all. Happy to entertain reasonable offers (or combine shipping), but I am definitely looking to sell (not trade). Thanks for looking and please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Hi all,
I was working for a startup as an independent contractor (fractional CFO) on a part time basis for 3 months. I was not paid month 1, but being in the startup world I understood and didn't think anything of it. The second month I was told that they would be getting funding soon, and will make payroll then. Due to my naiveness and overly giving the benefit of the doubt to this person (the CEO) it kept dragging on month over month and now it's been almost SIX months and I have finally realized that no level of understanding from my end would change their mind and excuses for not paying me.
They do not deny that they owe me, the contract is pretty black and white (had lawyers review it too) and I have messages/emails from them as well saying that they'll pay me this month, then the next month, I performed really well, helped them a lot etc. But now finally I spoke to another lawyer and there is an arbitration clause in the contract so we will be filing for arbitration (in Delaware) and believe can not just outright sue.
I am somewhat nervous about the arbitration process since I know it favors employers but also about how long it might take even though it might be pretty straightforward. I am currently getting my MBA and was really banking on this money coming in ($30K) to get me through some courses. It could affect my future plans, has definitely been causing me stress and emotional ups and downs, as I see my savings dwindling down. The lawyer said I should ask for more due to them refusing to pay me without cause, the emotional suffering etc. and while I'm indifferent on that, I really do want the lawyers fee to be covered at least because this is so insane that I have to spend money to RIGHTFULLY get my own money.
The company does have 30+ employees and everyone is getting paid on time, it's a relatively well-known company and even the multiple law firms I spoke with are really confused as to why they're refusing to pay (or delaying payment... it's nuts!)
Anyways, does anyone have any experience with this process or this situation and has seen how it might play out, any tips or things to consider? I really hope it doesn't take too long otherwise I will literally have to start taking out personal loans and explore other avenues.
Feel free to message me in private if you want to ask something specific, otherwise happy to share some more details and get some suggestions from folks here. Thanks in advance!

I need an estate attorney and was thinking about using Sean M. Davidson. He currently works for Wells, White & Fontaine in S. Nashua. Has anyone here had any experience working with him or the law firm?

Preface

Presented below is a transcript of a conversation between a human, redditor u/snodeplannen, and ChatGPT 4. The user is the narrator for a story set in the Star Trek Universe. The AI is instructed to respond as a character. The story below, which admittedly isn't very good, was guided by the narrator. Of particular interest is the fact that the AI seems fully versed in the Star Trek Universe and is able to understand subtle hints in the narrator's story to figure out what it should do next.
Please note the narrator was typing and writing off the cuff and is not a native speaker, so in the user sections you will find mistakes. If ChatGPT can see through them, so can you. I did try to get ChatGPT to collate it, but as it did so it kept rewriting and leaving out parts of the story.
June 3rd, 2023.
User Okay, I want to try a role playing game. This went off the rails last time, as you kept taking over as narrator and rushing to the end. Here's the setup: YOU are a young Starfleet officer. You wake up aboard the USS Defiant, all alone. You have to figure out what happened. I am the Defiant's computer and, and I can't stress this enough, the narrator. Not you. You can only add what your character perceives and says. Okay?
ChatGPT Understood. I'll stick to my role as the character and won't intrude into your role as the narrator. Let's go.
I blink my eyes open, the disorientation hitting me first. I glance around, seeing the familiar confines of my quarters aboard the Defiant, but there's an odd stillness. No hum of the engines, no faint chatter from the comm system, no sounds of activity from outside the door.
"Computer," I call out, pushing myself off the bed, "report."
User 'All systems nominal.'
ChatGPT I frown at the seemingly normal report, my instincts telling me otherwise. "Computer, where is the rest of the crew?" I ask, moving towards the door of my quarters.
User 'The crew is in sleeping quarters alpha 1.'
ChatGPT That's strange. The whole crew couldn't be in one place. Unease creeps in.
"Computer, why is the entire crew in alpha 1?" I say, already heading towards the door to investigate.
User 'The crew is ensign Makov. You are in sleeping quarters alpha 1.'
ChatGPT A cold realization washes over me. Alone. I am alone on the Defiant. Panic threatens to take over, but Starfleet training kicks in.
"Computer, initiate shipwide life signs scan. Report any signs of life apart from myself," I command, heading for the door with a newfound urgency.
User 'Scan complete. No other life forms were detected.'
ChatGPT My heart sinks at the computer's report, but I maintain composure. "Computer, pull up the ship's log. What was the last command issued and by whom?" I order, leaving my quarters and heading towards the main bridge.
User 'The last order was issued 6 hours and twelve minutes ago by Captain Sisko. It was: 'Raise shields'. The order was executed.'
ChatGPT That didn't sound promising. I walk into the eerily quiet bridge, my steps the only sound echoing in the room. "Computer, show me the shield status and surrounding space conditions," I command, moving towards the main console.
User 'Shields are down after a time-out was reached. We are stationary. All systems nominal.'
ChatGPT It doesn't add up. The silence. The emptiness. An order to raise shields with no subsequent actions.
"Computer, access Captain Sisko's personal log from last night. Are there any entries?" I ask, nervously tapping my fingers against the console.
User 'Enter your command authorisation.'
ChatGPT "Authorisation Ensign Makov Delta 9-7-3," I respond, my voice steady despite the swirling uncertainty.
User 'This authorisation is not sufficient to see the captain's log.'
ChatGPT Frustrated but understanding the protocol, I move on to the next line of inquiry. "Computer, any signs of combat or intrusion aboard the ship or in the surrounding space?" I ask, eyes darting over the array of screens in front of me.
User 'Negative.'
ChatGPT "Computer, could there have been any non-combat related incidents that would explain the disappearance of the crew? A temporal anomaly, a transporter malfunction, a radiation burst?" I question, the possible scenarios running through my mind.
User 'Transporters have passed a level one diagnostic. We are in sync with Starfleet's time keeping array. No unusual radiation was detected inside or outside the vessel.'
ChatGPT This was baffling. It's as if they simply vanished. I run a hand through my hair, letting out a sigh.
"Computer, were there any incoming or outgoing communications just before, during, or after the shields were raised?" I ask, hoping for any clue as to what might have happened.
User 'There was one outgoing message, from comms. It was: 'Unidentified vessel, please alter course NOW.'
ChatGPT A lead, at last. "Computer, play back any responses to that message. Also, display the sensor logs from that time period," I ask, settling into the operations station, ready to review any incoming data.
User No reply was received. Logs are not available from that moment onwards.'
ChatGPT The lack of data was both suspicious and frustrating. A sigh escapes my lips.
"Computer, could a cloaked ship have been in our vicinity at the time?" I question, holding onto the hope that I'm not utterly alone in space.
User 'Affirmative. We are within range of several species that posses cloaking technology and in a commonly used interstellar route.'
ChatGPT A spark of hope arises. "Computer, is there a way to detect a cloaked ship nearby? Any energy signatures or radiation anomalies that could suggest its presence?" I ask, quickly working on the console to bring up the sensor array controls.
User 'One possible way to detect cloaked vessels is to emit a tetryon burst from main engineering. The range for this method is limited. Starfleet at present has no other ways of finding cloaked vessels, other than firing random phaser bank shots. This is not recommended in public shipping lanes.'
ChatGPT "I see," I nod, considering the risks and rewards of the tetryon burst. "Alright, computer, prepare to emit a tetryon burst. We need to know if there's someone out there."
This was a big decision, but it was time to be proactive. The uncertainty was more threatening than potential consequences at this point.
User 'Working.'
ChatGPT I anxiously wait, scanning the console for any potential feedback. My heart pounds in my chest, the silence of the ship amplifying the tension. "Computer, report on the results of the tetryon burst."
User The ship shudders as the engines do something no sane Starfleet engineer would want to have happen. The viewscreen shimmers as a wave of tetryon particles eminates from the ship, as if a stone was dropped in a pond. You observe a faint ribbon leading away from the vessel.'
ChatGPT I catch my breath at the sight, focusing on the faint ribbon. It could mean something, or it could mean nothing. "Computer, analyze the ribbon. Can you determine its origin and endpoint?" I ask, my gaze fixed on the screen.
User 'Extrapolating. Continuing along the trajectory of the ribbon I can detected a minor meteor, a large asteroid field with mining facilities and beyond that the Vindaluvian home world.'
ChatGPT I drum my fingers on the console, processing the information. Could the crew have been taken to one of these locations?
"Computer, can you scan the asteroid field for any signs of life, especially any that matches the crew of the Defiant?" I ask, keeping a close eye on the displayed trajectory.
User 'Not from this range.'
ChatGPT "Understood," I nod, a new sense of determination coursing through me. "Computer, plot a course to the asteroid field. We'll continue our investigation there. Engage at warp 3."
I take one last look around the empty bridge, steeling myself for what may lie ahead.
User The ship begins to move forward, as carefully as only a Starfleet computer who takes no particular joy in flying might do. At warp three, the estimated journey time is six hours, seven minutes.
ChatGPT I let out a long sigh, sinking into the captain's chair. It's a long wait, but I need to be patient. "Computer, maintain course and speed. Alert me if there are any anomalies or approaching vessels."
I close my eyes, trying to get some rest before reaching the asteroid field. I'll need all the energy I can muster for what's to come.
User 'Incoming message.'
ChatGPT My eyes snap open at the sudden announcement. "Computer, on screen," I command, standing up from the chair, my heart pounding with anticipation.
User The Starfleet logo appears as the computer deals with a cryptographic protocol. Admiral Benson, not your most beloved Starfleet Admiral, appears on screen. He blinks.
ChatGPT I straighten up, offering a crisp salute to the admiral on screen. "Admiral Benson, this is Ensign Makov aboard the USS Defiant. I wasn't expecting any communications." I keep my voice steady, swallowing the trepidation.
User 'Makov, are you the only one on the bridge? Where's Ben?'
ChatGPT "Admiral," I pause, trying to find the right words. "Captain Sisko...and the rest of the crew...they're missing. I woke up to find the ship empty. I've been trying to find out what happened." I report, my expression earnest.
User 'Sorry, you WOKE UP? And the rest was gone?!'
ChatGPT "Yes, Admiral," I confirm, my voice firm despite the absurdity of the situation. "I woke up alone on the Defiant. All life signs scans have only picked up me on the ship. I'm currently en route to an asteroid field that might have some connection to the crew's disappearance."
User The Admiral connects to the ship's computer. You can see him browsing through the logs and the ship's manifest. 'So Sisko, O'Brien, Worf AND Major Kira have just... disappeared? There isn't even a transporter log!'
ChatGPT "That's correct, Admiral," I reply, a bit of helplessness creeping into my voice. "There's no trace of them, no sign of a struggle, no transporter logs. It's like they just vanished. I've been doing everything I can to figure out what happened."
User "Well, then I guess you're up. Proceed with caution. Mining operations are always looking for free labourers, try not to become one. Backup is on its way. Any questions?"
ChatGPT "Yes, Admiral. I'll proceed with caution," I respond, a mix of relief and worry washing over me. "Do you have any additional information or suggestions on how to proceed? And do we have an ETA on the backup?"
User "Backup is half a day out. These facilities tend to have a 'new arrivals' wing, to beat them into submission. So you're looking for holding cells. Benson out."
ChatGPT "Understood, Admiral. I'll focus on locating the holding cells. Makov out." I offer a final salute before the communication ends.
With new orders and a bit of hope, I turn back to the helm. "Computer, continue course to the asteroid field. Prepare for a detailed scan upon arrival."
The waiting game begins again, but this time, there's a glimmer of hope.
User Three hours later the computer chimes. 'We are approaching visual range of the mining facility.'
ChatGPT "Thank you, computer," I reply, pulling myself up from the brief rest. "On screen, please."
As the mining facility comes into view, I take a deep breath. "Computer, initiate a detailed scan of the facility. I'm particularly interested in any holding cells or signs of our crew."
User 'Working.' The asteroid field isn't particularly thick or large, but the mining operation seems to focus on one of the largest asteroids. Domes dot the surface as small transporters mill about the surface. Air scrubbers indicate they're using a lot of oxygen, so it's likely they're also doing subsurface work. Three large scowls are received loads from steady stream transporter beams. Somehow everything here looks dirty. A Starfleet shuttle would look out of place here, but only to someone who is watching.
ChatGPT Taking note of the bustling activity, I try to formulate a plan. "Computer, do we have any non-Starfleet shuttles aboard? Something that might blend in better with the local traffic?" I ask, scanning the asteroid for any possible entry points.
User 'Negative. Extravehicular repairs can only be conducted by wearing an EV-suit.'
ChatGPT Nodding to myself, I try to figure out a different approach. "Computer, can we go unnoticed if we approach using minimal power, almost drifting like a piece of space debris?" I question, hoping for a stealthy way to get closer.
User 'Affirmative. Admiral Benson has just authorised the use of the Tactical Emergency System.'
ChatGPT "Excellent," I reply, feeling a surge of hope. "Computer, engage the Tactical Emergency System. We'll approach the facility under its cover."
With that, I brace myself for the next phase of this mission. The crew was relying on me, and I wasn't about to let them down.
User The viewscreen displays a Starfleet Officer without any kind of rank, but dressed in Command Red. He's in his mid-fourties and bald. "I'm the T.E.S. Need any assistance?"
ChatGPT A bit taken aback by the sudden appearance, I quickly gather myself. "Yes, I could use some assistance. I'm Ensign Makov, and I need to approach that mining facility stealthily. Can you help with that?" I ask, gesturing towards the viewscreen showing the asteroid field and the facility.
User "Mining facility? We'll stand out like a sore thumb. How many hours have you logged in a space suit?"
ChatGPT "Over two hundred hours," I answer promptly, "I'm comfortable with EV activities. Why do you ask?" I wonder if he's suggesting a more direct approach.
User "If you can get to one of those scrubber exhausts, I'm sure that's a way into to facility. There seems to be a cell block near the surface. I have no idea who is there, but whoever it is will probably welcome a couple of phasers and like you a whole lot. So pack a backpack full of them and get to the airlock. I'll bring us as close as possible and give you a push with the tractor beam. You up for that?"
ChatGPT I swallow the lump in my throat, apprehension giving way to resolve. "I'm up for it. Let's do this." With a determined nod, I leave the bridge to prepare for the EVA mission. This is my chance to potentially find the crew, and I'm not going to let it slip away.
User Suiting up and gathering all the handheld phasers aboard takes ten minutes, during which the T.E.S. gingerly brings the ship close to the mining facility whilst hiding behind the vast ore scowls. You open the hatch and find your self clinging on to the ship's hull.
ChatGPT I take a moment to steady my breathing, the vast expanse of space spread out before me. Gripping the phasers tightly, I brace myself for the push. "I'm ready when you are, T.E.S." I call out over the comm, my voice resolute.
User 'Okay, I'll hook on to you and give you a push. I'd suggest going in feet first, but it's up to you. Do you know what you're looking for? Those five big stacks. One of them, near that plume of smoke, seems to be offline for whatever reason. That might be your best bet.'
ChatGPT "Understood, T.E.S. I see the stacks. I'll aim for the one that's offline," I reply, aligning myself for the trajectory. I take one last deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the task ahead. "Alright...I'm ready. Let's do this."
User 'Good luck, Ensign. I'll brief any backup as soon as it gets here.' As the tractor beam finds you, you can't move a muscle. Relying on the T.ES. you just let go. It's as if a giant hand slowly throws you down a bowling lane. Feet first, you head towards the grouping of exhausts. A small, unmanned maintenance shuttle deftly gets out of your way.
ChatGPT As I float through space, I keep my focus on the target. The feeling of being pushed by an unseen force is disconcerting, but I trust the T.E.S. Every moment is crucial, and there's no room for hesitation.
As I approach the offline stack, I get ready to activate the thrusters on my suit to adjust my course if needed. I also keep an eye out for any other unexpected obstacles or threats.
User You land next to the exhaust, on the asteroid's surface. It seems impossibly high from here, but it's made of metal and your soles and gloves can easily attach to it. The only way is up. Fortunately, there's hardly any gravity. Eventually you find yourself standing on the rim of the exhaust and look down into the vast, dark chute.
ChatGPT I take a moment to look down into the dark chute, the unknown stretching out before me. I reach out to activate the flashlight on my suit, the beam of light piercing through the darkness. "I'm in position, T.E.S." I inform the ship's system, before carefully beginning my descent into the exhaust chute.
User The vast amounts of ore block your signal, even out here. There's no answer. You start the descend and pass two large rotor blades. If those weren't stationary, this would be the end of the line. But luck is on your side so far and eventually you see an access hatch when you're well below the surface. It opens easily. Let's hope it's not also an airlock for whoever is inside.
ChatGPT I hold my breath as I pull open the hatch, hoping against hope that the air on the other side is breathable. If not, I'm confident in the integrity of my suit, but I'd rather not test its limits if I don't have to. As I make my way through the hatch, I scan the area for any immediate threats, ready to defend myself if necessary.
User The scanner indicates low air pressure. Which is better than no pressure. You cross a walkway and find an actual airlock. It is unsecured, because whoever ends up here probably doesn't want to mess about with frozen keypads or mounds of dust. You engage the mechanism and soon feel the familiar sensation of artificial gravity and air pressure. It's not exactly breathable, but a tear in your suit won't kill you. Now to find the holding area. And if at all possible a rebreather, so you can ditch the suit.
ChatGPT Acknowledging the state of the air, I carefully move through the corridor, keeping my senses alert. I'm in unknown territory and every step matters. "Computer," I say into my suit's comm, "can you map the structure of this facility? Locate holding cells or life signs?"
As I move further into the facility, I keep an eye out for any equipment or gear that might prove useful, especially a rebreather. The less I stick out, the better.
User The relatively weak processor in your tricoder strains to get a bearing on this place. A dirty, seemingly abandoned tunnel dripping with condensation lies ahead. At the end there's an exit, which won't open. Time to use one of those phasers in your backpack.
ChatGPT I pull out a phaser from my backpack, checking its settings before aiming at the sealed exit. With a steady hand, I fire a low power burst at the door, hoping to cut through the obstruction without causing too much damage or noise.
User One hinge cracks under the weight of the door, now that the other one is cut through. You jump aside as the door seems to fall flat, but it remains attached to the frame. The resulting opening is just about large enough to crawl through. Now you're in a well-lit corridor with several doors. In a Starfleet EV suit.
ChatGPT Understanding the need for stealth, I decide to move as quickly as possible through the corridor. I approach the nearest door, aiming my tricoder to scan for life signs or any clue to the crew's location. My other hand remains on my phaser, ready for any immediate threats.
User One door has markings on it that you can't read. You scan it with your tricorder. 'Room of lockboxes' it says, extrapolating the characters. A room of lockboxes? Would that be a locker room?
ChatGPT "A locker room..." I murmur, piecing together the possible meaning. A locker room could mean personnel... and where there's personnel, there might be the equipment I need.
With careful steps, I approach the door to the locker room, hoping to find a rebreather or something else that could help me blend in.
User The room is deserted. It's filled with equipment, none of which seems less than a decade old but certainly useable. There is also a rack of dirty, brown overalls and a line of boots in various sizes. A dispenser offers rebreathers. There's only one left, but that's enough. The air is clear, but smells sulphuric. Without the rebreather, you wouldn't last long.
ChatGPT Relief washes over me as I find the rebreather. I quickly grab it and replace my helmet with it, testing the fit and functionality. The sulphuric smell is jarring, but it's a small price to pay for blending in.
I quickly change into the brown overalls, stowing my suit carefully in an unoccupied locker. I grab a pair of boots that match my size and put them on.
Looking at myself, I hope that I blend in well enough to not attract attention. With a deep breath, I step out of the locker room and proceed down the corridor, continuing my search for the crew.
User Footsteps sound behind you, of more than a few people. Your first instinct is to hide, but it would look very suspicous and there really isn't anywhere. However, there is a floorscrubber here, with one open panel. Someone has given up trying to repair it. Perhaps a bit of acting is in order. The footsteps are just around the corner. The language is vaguely familiar, a bastardised version of English. Whatever they're saying to each other, they're not sharing jokes, that much is clear.
ChatGPT
2 / 2
I quickly move towards the broken floorscrubber. Grabbing a nearby tool, I lean over the open panel, trying to look like I'm deeply engrossed in fixing it. I keep my ears alert to the conversation, trying to pick up on any valuable information while also readying myself for the possibility of having to interact with the approaching group.
User Let's continue with the narrative.
ChatGPT Sure, let's continue.
Glancing around the room once the miners have left, I check the lockers for anything useful, while keeping an ear out for any incoming footsteps. "Computer, any idea where the holding cells might be?" I ask quietly.
User Your tricorder beeps almost indignantly, as it has nowhere near enough processing power to even begin speculating. You're on your own until you can get to a comms terminal. The men pass behind you and one of you taps you on the shoulder. His face is blackened with ore dust. "No work. Never work again. That. Stop that." He points at the scrubber you were pretending to fix. You nod. He shakes his head and catches up with his workmates as they round a corner. Apparently you don't stand out here, which should make it easier to find the way. You follow the men, but they seem to be entering a washroom. Across it, there is a peeled off directory on the wall. A printed one.
ChatGPT "Finally, something useful," I mutter, quickly crossing the washroom to examine the directory. I look for any indications of holding cells or equivalent terminology that might hint at the location of the crew. The symbols and words are unfamiliar, so I take out the tricorder and try to use it as a translator.
User Cells being a fairly universal concept, the tricorder identifies a few scribbles with ease. If you understand the diagram correctly, you need to go up two levels and head towards the center of the structure. You double-check the presence of your backpack filled with phasers, snatch a helmet off of a shelf and press it on your head.
ChatGPT Drawing a deep breath through the rebreather, I nod to myself, mentally preparing for the upcoming challenge. "Alright, up two levels, towards the center... I can do this." I look around, searching for a way up. After locating what appears to be a ladder leading upwards, I begin my ascent.
User Two levels up you emerge from what seems to be a service hatch. A technician, dressed in torn clothes, looks somewhat surprised when you emerge. "Hello brother. Are the lifts broken?" he asks in Adari, a language you have some familiarity with. Only now do you see the horn protruding from his forehead. "I am trying to avoid someone," you say, with a knowing smile. He gives you a tired smile back. "What is your sector? I want a clean face all day too," he says.
ChatGPT "I work... the ore processors," I reply, making up a role on the spot that seems plausible, considering the location and dirty condition of most workers. "But I'd rather stay away from my boss today. He's been in a foul mood." I'm trying my best to blend in. "Can you point me to the center of the structure?" I ask, hoping the diversion worked.
User "Yeah, 'the structure'. Let's call it that. Sounds nicer than 'prison of the damned'. What do you want at the center, there's only central holding there. I never go near that place. All that wailing. Gives me the shakes," he mutters.
ChatGPT "Oh, I just... wanted to see a friend," I reply, trying to keep my tone light, while inwardly my heart sinks at his description. "Don't worry about it, I'll find my way. Thanks for the chat." I give him a quick nod before heading in the direction he had indicated earlier, hoping I'm making the right choice.
User He wasn't wrong about the wailing. As you follow the corridors, passing along scruffy workers and a couple of guards with face covering helmets who are leaning against a wall, you can hear a lot of yelling, moaning and above all the sound of defiant Klingon opera louder and louder. The voice sounds familiar, but all singing Klingons generally sound alike.
ChatGPT As I continue toward the source of the noise, I find myself in front of a heavily barred door. I can't help but suppress a smile, recognizing the defiant voice as that of Worf. "Computer," I whisper to my tricorder, "Is there a way to shut down the power to this door?"
User The tricorder scans the control panel and warbles optimistically. It then shows a graphic representation of the door, with an arrow pointing at one location and a low energy setting for a phaser.
ChatGPT Taking a moment to look around and confirm that no one is watching, I set my phaser to the recommended setting and aim at the indicated spot on the door. After taking a deep breath, I fire.
User Something inside the door clunks and it opens just enough for the seal to crack. You jam a fingernail behind it, then a finger and eventually you manage to gain enough purchase to open the door. As it slowly opens, you find yourself at the far end of a long row of cells. At the other end is a desk, with a guard sitting behind a monitor. He is staring at it intently. Perhaps the stun setting might be a good idea. You adjust the phaser and take careful aim, when an arm reached out from one of the dark cells and blocks the shot. "Uhm... he's got three buddies in there. You can't see them from here," whispers Captain Sisko.
ChatGPT "I figured you might be here, Captain," I say, lowering my phaser discreetly. "Any ideas for getting you and the rest out without causing a full-on alert?"
User "That depends. Did you bring any weapons?"
ChatGPT "I brought a backpack full of phasers. There should be enough to arm everyone here," I reply, carefully removing the backpack from my shoulder and showing the Captain.
User "Good man. Worf is next to me, then Major Kira. Let Worf take the lead on this. Worf! Help has arrived.' 'Good. I was getting bored with singing,' grumbled a familiar voice. His hand emerges from between the bars, demanding a phaser.
ChatGPT I hand the phaser to Worf, watching as his large hand swallows the device. I then pass phasers to Captain Sisko and Major Kira. With the three of them armed, the odds seem significantly better. Now, we just have to make sure the element of surprise isn't wasted.
User Fifteen seconds later, three guards sink to the floor. Although the phasers were set to stun, nobody seems particularly worried about their health. "Get their uniforms and lock them up," says Sisko. "We can walk out of here. Once we're at the shuttle docks, we can probably find something that flies." "Captain, there are three uniforms and four of us. And the others are housed on another level," says Worf.
ChatGPT "Right. I can stay behind and create a diversion while you three escape. I'll catch up," I offer. "The priority should be to get you three and as many of the others out as we can. We also need to alert Starfleet about this place. I'm sure they'd love to know about a mining facility that's been kidnapping officers."
User "That's a very daring plan, Ensign, but we leave no man behind. Kyra, you and Worf go and find the others and proceed to that place where they searched us. Anyone in uniform is a valid target. And anyone who wants to come along, can do so. The ensign and I will try to find a comms terminal and alert Starfleet. Ensign, I assume you're not alone here?"
ChatGPT "Admiral Benson is aware of the situation, sir. Backup is half a day out. Before we separated, I was under the control of the Tactical Emergency System," I report, glad to see that the Captain is taking charge of the situation.
User "Oh. I had my reservations about that system. Holographic doctors are one thing, but that went a bit too far for my tastes. Okay, phasers for everyone. Bring enough for the others. Ensign, with me."
ChatGPT "Understood, sir," I reply, distributing the remaining phasers to my colleagues and following Captain Sisko down the corridor. As we navigate through the mining facility, I stay alert for any guards or threats that may be in our way. I can feel a sense of hope and determination building up within me - we might actually make it out of here.
User "HALT!" bellows a voice behind us, immediately followed by a reddish phaser burst. The Captain turns on his heels, pushes you out of the way and fires. A guard falls to the floor. The phaser fire was detected by the security system. A klaxon starts blaring and the ceiling lights turn red. A voice starts giving unintelligible instructions over the tannoy. "We need to find a comms panel, Ensign. Any ideas?" asks Sisko, scanning the corridor for more guards. A frightened looking maintenance worker comes to see what's going on, but ducks out of the way as soon as he sees the pair of you.
ChatGPT "I remember seeing a room with a lot of terminals when I was making my way through the facility earlier, sir," I reply, my mind racing. "If memory serves, it's two corridors over, near the scrubber exhausts." I keep my phaser ready and move towards the direction of the room, all the while keeping an eye out for more guards.
User "That's the wrong way, Ensign. I imagine they have more than one place with comms terminals. You cover the rear. Follow me. Put your hand on my shoulder so you can look behind you all the time. If it wears a uniform, it's fair game."
ChatGPT "Yes, sir," I reply, placing my hand on the Captain's shoulder. I pivot and start to walk backwards, keeping my eyes and phaser focused on the path we've just traveled. The constant blaring of the klaxon mixes with the distant shouting and running steps of approaching guards. Despite the adrenaline rush, I manage to keep my aim steady and my breathing calm. The training exercises at the academy never truly prepare you for the real thing, but they do help in maintaining focus.
User You down three guards and accidentally scare the bejeezus out of a woman pushing a cleaning cart, but eventually Sisko stops. "Got it. Stand back while I blast this door." A few seconds later the corridor fills with acrid smoke from a melting door panel. Behind it is a room with several desks.
ChatGPT Entering the room cautiously, I scan the area with my phaser ready. Seeing no immediate threats, I turn my attention to the various panels and screens scattered throughout the space. The room is filled with a myriad of communication equipment - probably a central control hub for managing mining operations, worker communications, and security measures.
"Captain, I think this is it," I say, gesturing to a terminal that seems to be linked to an extensive communications network. "I should be able to send out a distress signal from here." I start to work on the terminal, trying to hack into the system and figure out how to send a message to Starfleet.
User "Try reaching the Defiant," suggest Sisko from the doorway. "OH NO YOU DON'T!" Another guard bites the dust somewhere. "Captain! WE ARE BEHIND HIM!" bellows Worf." "GOOD! Move along, we'll be there shortly. Ensign, how are you getting on?"
ChatGPT "I've managed to break through the initial security layers, Captain," I respond, my fingers moving rapidly over the terminal's interface. "It seems this system has been rigged to only accept authorized codes for communication."
Suddenly, a stroke of inspiration hits me. "Captain, when we first boarded the Defiant, I had to program my authorization codes into the ship's communication systems. If I can find a way to mimic those codes from this terminal... I might be able to trick the Defiant's systems into accepting the distress signal."
I double down on the task, focusing all my attention on reconstructing my authorization codes. As I do so, I keep an eye on the room's entryway, ready to react in case more guards show up.
User The terminal beeps and lights up. You don't understand any of the dials, but with any luck your tricorder can interface with it. Time to hail the Defiant.
ChatGPT "Defiant, this is Ensign," I say, praying the connection holds. "Requesting immediate assistance. The Captain and the crew are here, but we are currently under attack. Coordinates being transmitted now."
A static-filled silence follows. I glance at Sisko, an unspoken question in my gaze. Did it work? Did our message get through?
User "Ensign, this is the Defiant. I can't beam you out of there. Get to the shuttle dock, so that all that ore doesn't block the transporter lock. The USS Rotterdam is thirty minutes out."
ChatGPT "Understood, Defiant. We'll make our way to the shuttle dock. Be ready for us," I reply, exhaling a sigh of relief. I turn to Sisko, updating him with the situation. "Captain, we have to move. The Rotterdam is on its way but we need to get to the shuttle dock for transport."
User Worf's voice comes in through the Captain's commbadge, as it somehow manages to create a local connection. "Worf to Sisko. We have secured the shuttle dock. Mr. O'Brien is injured. Where are you?"
ChatGPT I quickly respond, "This is Ensign [Your Name]. Captain Sisko and I are en route to your position. We'll be there shortly. Hang in there, Chief." With that, I turn to Sisko and suggest, "We should move, Captain."
User "Ensign Markov and I are just behind you, Mr. Worf. Try not to pick us off as we approach. Oh and the Defiant is operating with that emergency command protocol, so it's ready to beam you up. Have Major Kira and the Chief go ahead, if possible. But hold the fort for us." "Understood, Captain. Worf out."
Five minutes and more shooting than is good for a man's digestion you reach the shuttle dock. You literally have to step over a pile of dead guards to get through the door. "Had fun, Mr. Worf? Does your phaser not come with a stun setting?" asks Sisko. "I recognized the men who took us, Sir. My finger must have slipped on the settings dial," growls Worf, looking you over to assess if you're likely to snitch. "It happens," said Sisko matter-of-factly. "Ensign, get us home."
ChatGPT Without any hesitation, I raise my commbadge and say, "Ensign Markov to Defiant. Four to beam up."
User (Okay, take it home. You're all aboard, O'Brien will live, you get a speech and a medal. Write out those events from Markov's perspective and finish off. I'll add something if you pause.)
ChatGPT As the familiar hum and sparkling light of the transporter envelops us, I take one last look at the chaotic scene we're leaving behind. My heart pounds in my chest, not from fear, but from the exhilaration of having faced danger and come out the other side. It's a rush I wasn't expecting.
When we rematerialize aboard the Defiant, a group of medics is waiting for us. They immediately rush to Chief O'Brien, but his smile and light-hearted joke assure me he'll be alright. As I step off the transporter pad, I let out a sigh of relief.
Later, back in my uniform and at a ceremony in the Defiant's Mess Hall, Captain Sisko delivers a speech. He talks about bravery, about loyalty, about the strength of Starfleet and the spirit of those who serve. He doesn't dwell on the danger we faced, but rather the courage it took to face it.
When he calls me up, handing me a medal for bravery under fire, I can't help but feel a swell of pride. The applauding faces of my crewmates, the recognition in their eyes... it's a moment I will never forget. This is why I joined Starfleet, for moments like this. To be part of something greater, to face adversity and stand tall.
"Ensign Markov," Sisko says, offering a handshake along with the medal, "Your courage and quick thinking played a crucial role in our escape. Starfleet is proud to have you among its ranks."
As I return to my quarters that night, medal in hand, I find myself smiling. Yes, today was difficult, even frightening at times. But it was also invigorating, and more than that, it was important. It's a reminder of why I'm here, of why we're all here. To explore, to protect, to boldly go...
And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I’m a 23M looking for the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.
My description

• 23 Years old
  
• 6 feet 5 inches
  
• A little bit plus sized but I’ve been working on it, making progress but still have some work to to.
  
• Brown hair, Hazel eyes
  
• Fiercely loyal and protective
  
• Extremely loving and caring once we connect but very shy at first.
  
• Deeply emotional. If I fall for you, I’m going to fall hard.
  
• Big old nerd about fantasy, sci-fi, reading, and pop culture.
  
• Will always love and be here for you to talk to or be with, you deserve to feel loved.
  
• Emotionally available
  

This is everything I feel comfortable sharing about myself right now. Hopefully you’re out there and looking for me as hard as I’m looking for you.
You’re the one I’m looking for if you are:

• Around my age, so between 20-25
  
• I don’t really care a whole lot about stuff like hair, eye color, race, religion, politics or anything like that. I just care about how much love and support we’re able to give each other.
  
• Fiercely loyal and protective
  
• Someone around average size or just over average size like me, I’d love some more inspiration and motivation to keep going to the gym and get better.
  
• Passionate about similar things, tell me about your passions when you reach out to me.
  
• Comfortable and available chatting and voice calling often and maybe meeting if we connect. I’ll always take a chance to hear your voice.
  
• Comfortable with exchanging photos after we’ve been talking for a week or two.
  
• A loving and caring person. I have a lot of love and comfort to give and hope to find someone similar.
  
• if I had to describe myself/personality or list some characters I aspire to be like I’d say Ted Lasso and Uncle Iroh.
  

If you’ve read this far, you’re just amazing. Direct message me if you feel a connection and want to talk more, but include something about yourself and include the phrase “I’ve missed you.” No chats please, my chats on Reddit have been bugging really bad so I might not see it. If you think we may be great for each other include your discord, snap, or whatever you normally use so we can talk.
If you’re here still, know that I love you and want to hear from you soon. ❤️❤️

Rafia Zakaria October 8, 2021
The French, everybody knows, love a good scandal. Now they've got one, however, that should be abhorrent even to them. This week, an investigative group called the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church released a 2,500-page report finding that members of the Catholic Church, including both clergy and lay staff, have abused an estimated 330,000 minors in France since 1950. "The victims," Jean-Marc Sauvé, the chair of the commission, said, "were not believed, were not listened to. When they were listened to, they were considered to have perhaps contributed to what had happened to them."​​​​ The Church, he added, had treated the victims with "cruel indifference."
The Catholic Church has been a cauldron of scandals around the sexual abuse of minors. In Ireland, the United States, and many other countries, alarming cover-ups were an essential part of this story, in which people who could have spoken out, who could have protected the victims, simply did not do the right thing. In France, however, protecting children from [predatory] adults appears to have an aspect of cultural obstinacy that is not present elsewhere. One of the startling findings of the commission is that "while, in absolute and relative terms, these acts of [sexual] violence were in decline up until the early 1990s, they have since stopped decreasing. The Catholic Church is the place where the prevalence of sexual violence is at its highest, other than in family and friend circles."
Unlike most countries where the Catholic Church has provided cover to [child predators], France has long resisted the idea of "statutory rape." Though sex between adults and minors under fifteen was illegal, it was not prosecuted as rape unless there was proof of coercion or force. That is, until the law was changed in April of this year. The history of why it took so long to establish a firm age of consent in France provides insight into how the sexual abuse of minors was getting a covert nod. Take for instance that time in 1977, when a group of philosophers, Michel Foucault among them, wrote an open letter in favor of three Frenchmen who were about to go on trial for having sex with thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girls and boys. The letter, also signed by Gilles Deleuze, Jacques Derrida, and Roland Barthes, among others, described the pre-trial imprisonment of the three men as "scandalous." It went on to argue that there was a disproportion between the acts in question being qualified as criminal and their nature. Children, the authors argued, were considered fully responsible for their acts at the age of twelve or thirteen, so it made no sense that they could not consent to sex [with adults].
Until this April, the issue of whether children can consent [to sex with adults] remained up for debate in France. Writing in The Atlantic, Marie Doezema recounted a case from 2017 in which a twenty-eight-year-old man had sex with an eleven-year-old girl. When the case went to court, the man was charged only with the vaguely titled "sexual infraction." When the consent issue was litigated in court, the defense argued that the girl was capable of giving consent since she was really almost twelve. Thankfully, the court disagreed, ruling that the eleven-year-old girl was not able to provide consent and that rape charges be filed against the defendant even though there was no evidence of coercion.
Then there is the recently published book by Vanessa Springora, the former mistress of celebrated French author Gabriel Matzneff, describing what it was like to be thirteen years old and seduced by a celebrity author more than two decades older than her. For his part, Matzneff has not even attempted to hide his [sexualization of] children, saying in 1975, "I think that adolescents, young children, say between age ten and sixteen, are perhaps at the age where their emotional and sexual impulses are strongest, because they are new." It was not just statements, either; in his work, Matzneff wrote copiously about his "affairs" with minors, particularly in South East Asia.
The French literary elite did not care, however. Despite Matzneff making this and similar statements in public, he continued to be a darling in this milieu. In 2013, Matzneff was awarded the Renaudot Prize despite his penchant for [child sexual abuse]. But in 2020, he was at last charged with the promotion of the sexual abuse of children, with a trial set to begin this fall.
Until this April, the issue of whether children can consent remained up for debate in France.
Given this context, it makes sense that the Catholic Church in France would have had a wider berth than in much of Europe or in North America. While Matzneff has been charged, one wonders how much cultural will and moral clarity really exists when it comes to the prosecution of [child predators] and the castigation of [child sexual abuse]. Catholic priests are not part of the French cultural establishment, but they are part of the culture itself. If Foucault and Deleuze and Barthes can argue that children can consent [to sex with adults] even at the of twelve, the Catholic Church can similarly rationalize that while sexual acts were violations of the Church's teachings, they were not actually crimes. Due to the statute of limitations, many of the [sexually abusive] priests cannot be retroactively [prosecuted].
The abused boys—and they were mostly boys—were primarily between the ages of ten and thirteen, and there are approximately 2,900 members of the clergy who are implicated. The report has urged the Church to consider allowing [...] because the issue of [...] arguably contributes to priests' likelihood to sexually abuse the children who come under their influence. For its part, the Catholic Church seems uninterested in doing any such thing. The matter of compensating victims from Church finances has also been distasteful to the church hierarchy: until last year, bishops in the church were suggesting providing victims a "contribution," with funds raised by churchgoers.
Digging into the details of this new report and the issue of abusive priests in France feels like charting a course through the maze-like catacombs that sit under Paris. The long resistance against a set age of consent appears to substantiate the idea that the French ideal of "seduction" is somehow endangered when legal limits are placed on it. The Matzneff scandal, and now this latest one involving quite literally hundreds of thousands of people, reveals who pays the price. In the desire to give primacy to the possibility of seduction, the French refuse to acknowledge the huge differences in power between a child and a fully developed adult—the latter likely titillated by that sense of their superior power.
This is not the France of Emily in Paris, or even the one fantasized about by middle-aged American women. This is not one of the romanticized stories that the world likes to tell about France and its monopoly on the stylish and the chic. France, too, seems to believe this lie about itself, hiding and ignoring the problem, then boldly arguing that children being forced into having sexual relations with adults are somehow experiencing a seduction. It's a disgusting thought, but it reveals the dark side of a society that has made sexual liberté its identifying brand. The children, it appears, must also be subsumed under this umbrella, with ten- and eleven-year-old bodies imagined by celebrated authors as equal partners in lovemaking.
Things do not look good for French children who remain within the radius of the Catholic Church. The identification of [adult] sexual relations with a child as morally reprehensible should be a black-and-white issue. French culture, on the other hand, insists on demanding space for the grey, where the alchemy of desire (in their view) produces pleasure. In the same way that female genital mutilation is imagined as being endemic to certain cultures, [child sexual abuse], too, must be considered a particular product of French culture and a human rights issue. Indeed, if the world community can get together to denounce FGM with countries like Sweden even permitting genital exams of girls with roots in certain African countries, so too must there be similar attention given to the safety of French children. The only way to make this scourge go away is to force the unwilling and cruel French perpetrators to pay, to take away their "liberté," which has become cover for cruelty.

Shows similar to 5-0 and/or with 5-0 cast members, and where they stream (US-please share if you know where to watch in your country). What have I missed?
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NCIS LA Claire Forlani-(Alicia Brown), Crossover Danno & Chin
Prime, Paramount+
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MacGyver-Crossovers Chin, Kono, Kamekona & Jerry
Paramount+
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NCIS Hawaii-Beulah Koale (Junior) Anthony Ruivivar (Marco Reyes)
Paramount+
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Lethal Weapon
Hulu
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The Rookie-Richard T. Jones (Governor Denning)
Hulu
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Chicago PD
Peacock
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Original Hawaii 50
Paramount+
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Lost-Daniel Dae Kim (Chin), Jorge Garcia (Jerry), Terry O'Quinn (Joe), Reiko Aylesworth (Malia)
Hulu
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Battlestar Galactica Grace Park (Kono)
Peacock
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The Cleaner-Grace Park, Michelle Borth (Catherine)
Vudu
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The Border-Grace Park
Prime (free)
​
Murder in the First-Ian Anthony Dale (Adam)
Hulu
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Salvation-Ian Anthony Dale, Autumn Reeser (Gabby) & Reiko Aylesworth
Paramount+
​
The Resident-Ian Anthony Dale
Hulu
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Accused- Ian Anthony Dale, Meagan Rath (Tani)
Hulu
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CSI-Ian Anthony Dale
Hulu
​
Criminal Minds-Ian Anthony Dale
Hulu
​
Alert-Scott Caan (Danno)
Hulu
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Once Upon a Time-Jorge Garcia
Disney+
​
The Good Doctor-Will Yun Lee (Sang Min), Daniel Dae Kim
Hulu
​
Chicago Fire-Lauren German (Lori)
Peacock
​
NCIS-Katrina Law (Quinn), Julie Benz (Abby)
Paramount+
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Orange is the New Black-Taryn Manning (Mary)
Netflix
​
Law & Order SVU-Michelle Hurd (Renee)
Hulu
​
All Rise-Ian Anthony Dale
Hulu
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Doogie Kamealoha MD-Jason Scott Lee (Kaleo), Daniel Dae Kim
Disney+
​
CSI Miami
Paramount+
​
CSI New York
Paramount+
​
NCIS New Orleans
Paramount+
​
Brooklyn 99
Peacock
​
A Million Little Things-Grace Park
Hulu
​
American Dad-Grace Park
Hulu
​
Magnum PI ?? (Haven't seen yet)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/06/02/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fulton-county/
An Atlanta-area investigation of alleged election interference by President Donald Trump and his allies has broadened to include activities in D.C. and several states, according to two people with knowledge of the probe — a fresh sign that prosecutors may be building a sprawling case under Georgia’s racketeering laws.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis (D) launched an investigation more than two years ago to examine efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn his narrow 2020 defeat in Georgia. Along the way, she has signaled publicly that she may use Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute to allege that these efforts amounted to a far-reaching criminal scheme.
In recent days, Willis has sought information related to the Trump campaign hiring two firms to find voter fraud across the United States and then burying their findings when they did not find it, allegations that reach beyond Georgia’s borders, said the two individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly about the investigation. At least one of the firms has been subpoenaed by Fulton County investigators.
Willis’s investigation is separate from the one at the Justice Department being led by special counsel Jack Smith, but the two probes have covered some of the same ground. Willis has said she plans to make a charging decision this summer, and she has indicated that such an announcement could come in early August. She has faced stiff criticism from Republicans for investigating the former president, and the ever-widening scope suggests just how ambitious her plans may be.
The state’s RICO statute is among the most expansive in the nation, allowing prosecutors to build racketeering cases around violations of both state and federal laws — and even activities in other states. If Willis does allege a multistate racketeering scheme with Trump at its center, the case could test the bounds of the controversial law and make history in the process. The statute calls for penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
“Georgia’s RICO statute is basically two specified criminal acts that have to be part of a pattern of behavior done with the same intent or to achieve a common result or that have distinguishing characteristics,” said John Malcolm, a former Atlanta-based federal prosecutor who is now a constitutional scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation. “That’s it. It’s very broad. That doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to charge a former president, but that also doesn’t mean she can’t do it or won’t do it.”
Among Willis’s latest areas of scrutiny is the Trump campaign’s expenditure of more than $1 million on two firms to study whether electoral fraud occurred in the 2020 election, the two individuals said. The Post first reported earlier this year that the work was carried out in the final weeks of 2020, and that the campaign never released the findings because the firms, Simpatico Software Systems and Berkeley Research Group, disputed many of Trump’s theories and could not offer any proof that he was the rightful winner of the election.
In recent days, Willis’s office has asked both firms for information — not only about Georgia but about other states as well. Trump contested the 2020 election results in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Ken Block, the CEO of Simpatico Software Systems, declined to comment on what he has turned over to investigators. A lawyer for the Berkeley Research Group also declined to comment. A spokesman for Willis declined to comment on the investigation. Lawyers for Trump also declined to comment.
It is unclear if Willis will seek indictments of people for alleged actions that occurred outside Georgia, such as those who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. RICO experts say it’s unlikely she will do so. But, these experts said, the law allows Willis to build a sweeping narrative of an alleged pattern of behavior to overturn the 2020 election, with Georgia as just one piece. Evidence and actions outside the state, such as Trump’s statements from Washington that inspired some of the rioters and the parallel efforts to overturn other states’ results, could be presented as additional evidence that helps establish that pattern.
“The Georgia statute is broadly written” to allow the inclusion of violations of federal law as well as some other states’ laws, said Morgan Cloud, a law professor at Emory University in Atlanta and expert on the state’s RICO law. “For example, acts to obstruct justice committed in Arizona might be relevant if the goal of the enterprise, of the racketeering activity, was to overturn the 2020 presidential election nationally, as well as in Georgia.”
Cloud added that prosecutors in Georgia must prove only that two racketeering crimes occurred under the state RICO statute, but that other facts could be used to explain the breadth of an alleged scheme.
An ambitious prosecution
Willis’s investigation has already come under scrutiny as a test of applying state criminal laws to actions that revolved around a federal election — and that in many instances resembled constitutionally protected speech. The probe has prompted a debate, even among those who believe Trump’s efforts were improper, as to whether prosecutors will be able to prove that Georgia crimes were committed.
Her potentially sweeping application of Georgia’s RICO statute could amplify those questions. RICO allows prosecutors to target leaders of alleged criminal enterprises who in previous generations eluded convictions. In Georgia, it can be applied to many patterns of activity that are crimes under state or federal law, such as dogfighting or drug dealing, obstruction or conspiracy — going far beyond its origins as a tool to fight organized crime.
Several legal experts said they expect Willis to home in on possible false statements by Trump and his allies to government officials — one of the crimes that can be prosecuted under Georgia’s RICO statute.
In 2015, Willis attracted national attention as a deputy district attorney by using RICO to prosecute a massive cheating scandal in Atlanta’s public schools that sent eight teachers and administrators to prison.
Prosecutors in Georgia have obtained RICO convictions where the pattern of racketeering activity included actions in other states. In one notable case, prosecutors in Richmond County got convictions for several men they accused of kidnapping a Sam’s Club manager in a robbery scheme in 1998, stuffing him into the trunk of a car, driving to South Carolina and killing him by setting the car on fire.
In the Trump case, Willis has said she is focused on the phone calls Trump made to multiple Georgia officials seeking to reverse his defeat, his campaign’s efforts to persuade the Georgia legislature to declare Trump the winner, the gathering of Trump’s electors to cast electoral college votes for Trump after Joe Biden had been declared the winner in the state, and the Trump campaign’s potential involvement in an unauthorized breach of election equipment in rural Coffee County, Ga.
Dozens of people participated in those efforts, according to reams of emails, texts and deposition transcripts from the House investigation into the Jan. 6 attack: Trump lawyers such as Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell, Ray Smith and John Eastman; senior advisers including then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows; Jeffrey Clark, then a senior official at the Justice Department; and Georgia GOP leaders including the party chairman, David Shafer, and its then finance chairman, Shawn Still.
Multiple legal experts have said persuading a jury that those actions broke the law could prove difficult. The debate reflects the unprecedented nature of Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election. While the effort immediately prompted calls to hold him and others criminally responsible, identifying laws that apply to such a scenario has proved challenging — and could help explain why Willis’s investigation is in its third year. That dynamic applies both to the Georgia investigation as well as the special counsel’s federal probe.
Most of those scrutinized in the Willis investigation have maintained that they did nothing wrong. They had every right to pursue claims of anomalies, many have said, particularly given how close Biden’s margin of victory was in Georgia, two-tenths of 1 percent.
“There’s not a single thing that I did in pursuit of election integrity that I have any regret or concern about,” Shafer said in a recent GOP address.
“It’s dangerous,” said Malcolm, the Heritage scholar, referring to the investigation in Georgia of contingent electors. “What you’re doing is tainting political activists who are trying to play a part in an election, who are trying to help their candidate, and all of a sudden you’re launching a criminal investigation.”
Norm Eisen, who served as special counsel to the House of Representatives’ first impeachment of Trump, over his pressure campaign with Ukraine, cautioned that it’s too soon to judge the investigation, but said he believes the overall case is a “strong one.”
“Either skepticism or belief is premature because we are not privy to all the evidence that the district attorney has amassed at this point,” said Eisen, a criminal defense attorney and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “It just depends on the evidence.”
Eisen was among the authors of a lengthy examination of the applicable law in the Fulton investigation, concluding that possible crimes, besides racketeering, included making false statements and conspiracy to commit election fraud.
Malcolm said he agrees with the report’s conclusion that Trump is at substantial risk of being charged. But he said he believes much of its analysis is “slanted and misguided.”
Trump’s call to Georgia
Willis launched her probe shortly after Trump’s Jan. 2, 2021, phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), during which Trump said, “I just want to find 11,780 votes.” That number would have given Trump exactly the votes he needed to reverse Biden’s victory.
While Trump has been widely rebuked for that comment and others during the roughly one-hour call, it’s unclear to some legal analysts if uttering those words broke the law.
Trump did not spell out that he wanted Raffensperger to break the law; nor did he directly ask the state official to find the votes, which might have given Willis a clearer path to seek a felony charge against him, such as solicitation to commit election fraud. Instead, the comment could be interpreted as the president simply spelling out the math that would allow him to reverse Biden’s victory.
Trump may have hurt himself, however, in his appearance last month at a town hall broadcast by CNN, during which he explained that he called Raffensperger to tell him, “You owe me votes because the election was rigged.” Willis could offer the statement as evidence of Trump’s intent for Raffensperger to switch votes, several legal experts said.
“Subjects of criminal investigation aren’t usually reckless enough to go on national television and admit their corrupt intent,” Anthony Michael Kreis, a constitutional law professor at Georgia State University, wrote on Twitter after the appearance. “But Donald Trump just handed Fani Willis a new piece of evidence and tied a bow on it.”
Willis has also investigated appearances by Giuliani and other Trump allies before Georgia lawmakers in the days immediately after the 2020 election, during which they described fantastical conspiracies of voting machines swapping Trump votes for Biden votes and poll workers in Atlanta triple-counting suitcases full of ballots.
It’s a felony in Georgia to make a false statement in a government matter, but Willis must prove that Giuliani and the others knew that what they were saying was false. Giuliani was not speaking under oath, so there is no exposure for perjury charges, and some legal experts say he might also be protected under the First Amendment.
Willis may also examine the actions of Clark, then the acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s civil division, who wanted to send a letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and state legislative leaders falsely claiming that the department was investigating “significant concerns” in the 2020 election, and urging them to call a special session of the General Assembly to appoint Trump’s electors to cast Georgia’s electoral college votes. Senior Justice Department officials blocked Clark from sending the draft.
Whether the Republican electors who convened to cast electoral college votes for Trump on Dec. 14, 2020, broke the law is perhaps even murkier.
Georgia was among seven states where the Trump campaign and local GOP officials arranged for alternate electors to convene with the stated purpose of preserving legal recourse while an election challenge made its way through the courts. Willis has offered some form of immunity to 12 of the 16 electors, according to three individuals with knowledge of the investigation. Not counted among those with immunity are Still, now a Georgia state senator, and Shafer.
Shafer helped organize the meeting and presided over it. Still has been described in news reports as having blocked members of the media from entering the room before the meeting started. Prosecutors have apparently focused on those activities in their questions to various witnesses, according to three other people with knowledge of the interviews. Prosecutors have also inquired about who mailed the electoral certificates to Washington, they said.
One of Shafer’s lawyers, Holly Pierson, wrote in a letter to Willis that Shafer had no knowledge that Trump allies would propose, later in December, to use the alternate elector certificates to block the counting of electoral votes for Biden in the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress. It is not even clear if the plan to thwart the joint session had been hatched by Dec. 14, 2020, the day the electors met. The House committee did not refer Shafer or Still to the Justice Department for federal prosecution. Pierson declined to comment.
As the nation waits to see what, if any, charges Willis will seek, one key question is what evidence she has gathered that Trump, his campaign or allies knew about all the different efforts to reverse Biden’s victory. And that’s just the first step — getting to trial and persuading a jury may present even more formidable challenges.
“Proving all this beyond a reasonable doubt,” Kreis said, “that’s going to be the hard part.”

Timestamp - Please mind the mess, one-year old at play! (not me)
Have had this D750 for a few years now and I've gathered what I'd say is a complete kit as a solid upgrade for anyone using a basic point and shoot. This camera has been kept meticulously covered when not used and has not given me any issues.
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• D750 DSLR Camera Body - 23K Count
• Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm 1:4G w/ Polarizer Filter
• Quantaray 50mm Macro w/ UV Filter
• Original Nikon battery, charger, cord - This holds a charge, but I used it as a back up
• RAVpower Battery pack w/ two batteries, charger, cable
• Vello Grip w/ two battery packs - 1 w/ Nikon battery option, 1 w/ AA option
• (2) PNY 64gb 95 mb/s SD cards - Basically including these to make a complete camera kit
• PC transfer cable
• Altura flash w/ manual trigger
• Amazon wireless remote
• Cleaning supplies
• $925 Shipped CONUS - G&S - Insurance Always Included - FIRM PRICE

​
Condition: Used, obviously. Screen has a protector on it, so it looks great. Might have a couple tiny hairlines under it, but can't tell with the protector. All latches and hinges work great. Screen is nice and bright, viewfinder could be brighter but is still completely usable.
Not sure how I'll ship everything, but I do have a black Brevite camera bag I can ship everything in for an extra $100.
If the Brevite is not wanted, I will use a roll of bubble wrap and it will annoy you how over-packed it will be when you open it. I also take photos of the packing process for any dispute reasons.
I WILL NOT SPLIT ANYTHING. Have plenty of confirmed trades on mechmarket and hardwareswap

“What if we hiked the waterfall trail at night?”
“What?” I just finished putting a brown trout on my stringer. John has always had some crazy ideas but that just sounded like a bad idea.
“Yeah man, it would be neat to say we did it.”
Dakota chimed in. “It sounds scary.” I agreed.
Ian spoke up. “I guess I’d give it a try.”
In theory, it wouldn’t be hard to pull off. I’m sure a park ranger wouldn’t approve but they wouldn’t catch us either. They always check in with the campers before they go back to the ranger station where they sit around in case of emergencies. But it sounds way too scary.
The four of us have been camping at this state park since we were teenagers. We have a lot of great and funny stories over the years. I’ve been hiking these trails and swimming since I was a kid. They got plenty of trails but the one they want to hike is the most popular. We try to do this every couple of months.
“Unless you’re scared. I guess you could sit at the site while the big dogs have an adventure.”
“Shut up, John.”
We spent the afternoon prepping and getting ready to cook the fish and the sun was starting to set.
Ian set down his drink. “So we gonna do this?” They all were nodding along at this point. I didn’t want to be alone either so I agreed to go.
We waited as the park ranger stopped by everyone’s tent and told us to be safe and where the station is if we need a ranger for anything. It’s the time of year where snakes are in the park and we’re a whiles away from a hospital.
We put out the fire and made our way to a small trail that would take us to the main parking lot. We all grabbed flashlights and I went in my glove box and grabbed my 9mm.
We didn’t speak at all hardly until we got to the parking area before turning off our flashlights. We made sure no rangers were in the area and we snuck off to the trail.
We eventually turned our flashlights back on and began up the trail. We talked pretty quietly for a while. It wasn’t going to be a long walk, maybe two miles.
It’s hard to describe how eerie it felt to me during the walk. Noises seem louder. It’s like the calm and soothing river now sounds like it’s screaming at me. The beautiful scenery was a void and made me feel small and helpless. There wasn’t going to be any fellow hikers, just us. No help if needed.
Dakota told us a story his grandfather told him as a child about a witch that roamed the hills. People would claim she would hunt people down and eat them or sacrifice them.
They all thought it was funny, but I didn’t. I swear I was hearing twigs snapping and seeing shadows move through darkness. Even the trees looked more crooked.
We made it to the waterfall and made small talk. We all took a picture on my phone and began walking back down the trail. The guys acted like I was crazy for being so scared. I felt more confident, everything was going fine. It felt like. Conquering fear.
The walk back started feeling more at ease until a few times our flashlights all went out at the same time. We were able to tinker with them and get them going again. I felt my stomach drop when I seen some flashlights coming on the other side of the trail.
They definitely seen ours too. We figured maybe it was park rangers who got curious and we’d have to talk our way out of not being banished. The closer we got, it wasn’t rangers.
It was kids. Probably about thirteen or so. They gave us a quick glance and Dakota tried to talk to them.
“Hey kids, where’s your parents? Wouldn’t want them to worry. The walk is a little spooky.” I had every intention of going to a ranger station and telling them. We weren’t far from the parking lot.
They just kept walking though. John was hollering for them to stop but they didn’t even look back at us.
Ian was shivering and whispered to me. “I think those kids had black eyes.”
“What?”
“Like pure black.”
About that time I heard foot prints stomping towards us. By the time I turned around the knocked down John. He began screaming.
Dakota tried pulling a kid off of John. One of them punched Dakota so hard he flew up and hit a tree. He wasn’t moving.
I pulled out my pistol and pointed at the kids. “Get off him!” One walked towards me. I shot in the ground once. He didn’t even flinch. He started getting taller. Whatever that thing was had to be about seven feet tall. I shot at it. It didn’t phase it.
Ian grabbed my arm and told me to run. I looked back at John and one of those things was swallowing him whole. It was like a snake slowly covering over another.
We ran as fast as we could. “What about Dakota.”
“Man, we gotta get ourselves help first.” He tripped. I tried to stop but another one of those things grabbed him and began tugging him away. I fired twice more and missed.
I was hoping the gunshots would at least alarm a ranger something was happening. One of those things was right behind me.
I fell. I don’t remember much of it either. But I remember hitting some thorny bushes and my head hitting a rock before falling in water.
I woke up in my tent, it was morning. I scrambled to figure out what was going on until I heard voices outside the tent. It was the guys.
They were all sitting out by the fire eating some breakfast. I crawled out and sat on my chair.
“This doesn’t make sense?”
John gave me a smile. “Yeah man, you drank a bunch of whiskey last night and had too many shrooms. You conked out pretty early.”
My clothes weren’t damp. I walked to my truck and checked the magazine in my pistol, it was full. It wasn’t making any sense.
I drank some coffee and looked through my photos. I found the selfie we took at the waterfall. I began staring at got nervous. It looked like an old woman standing above the waterfall , somewhat hidden. I heard all the guys chuckling.
I look up and their eyes are pitch black. They all stood up. Ian smiled and his voice sounded distorted.
“If you want to save your friends, come to the waterfall tonight.”
They walked to the shallow stream next to our site and went under. They didn’t come back up.
I’m really scared right now. I’m going to head up there tonight. I’ll update you as I can

Is it possible to (mostly) work within work hours at any big law job? I’m trying to convince my husband to go into big law. He’s currently at a large regional firm with pretty good pay (150 before bonus) and bills about 2000 annually. He’s able to achieve this mostly within 8am-6pm Monday-Friday, with the occasional, relatively rare, weekend or evening fire drill. He has the ability to go into big law but doesn’t want to sacrifice work-life balance. Is maintaining his current schedule possible in big law?

I haven't got any success so... Hi there! I stumbled upon this subreddit and thought I'd give it a try. I'm a 20-year-old girl living in the UK, currently a university student. I'm a bit of a gamer and love spending my free time playing video games, especially JRPGs. I've always been shy and introverted, which has made it challenging for me to navigate relationships and dating.
Physically, I'm 5'4" with long black hair and brown eyes. I'm not sure if it matters, but I've always been a late bloomer, and I'm still a virgin. As an Asian, sex has always been a taboo topic in my family. I've never been in a serious relationship, and I'm eager to explore my sexuality and gain some experience here.
In terms of personality, I'm an INFP and a bit of a dreamer. I enjoy deep conversations and connecting with others on a meaningful level. I'm also a bit of a nerd and love discussing video games, anime, and other geeky topics. I'm open-minded and non-judgmental, and I believe that everyone has their own unique story and experiences.
I'm not necessarily looking for a specific age or appearance in a partner. What matters to me is someone who is respectful, patient, and understanding, and who is willing to take things at a pace that makes me comfortable. Communication is important to me, and I value honesty and open communication in any kind of relationship.
If you're someone who shares similar interests, and you're willing to take the time to get to know each other, I'd love to chat! I'm open to exchanging photos or having phone or video calls when we're both comfortable. Let's see where this journey takes us! Feel free to send me a message if you're interested in getting to know each other. Looking forward to hearing from you!