Dart train to american airlines center
Save the date (4/19), and spread the word.
2023.03.21 18:15 ANCA_Advocacy Save the date (4/19), and spread the word.
 | submitted by ANCA_Advocacy to u/ANCA_Advocacy [link] [comments] |
2023.03.21 18:04 Eubeen_Hadd Long distance trail running near the city center?
I'm starting a run training block for a trail marathon that specifies long runs from 10 to 20 miles on trails, with significant elevation change if possible. What trails exist around the city to do that kind of mileage off-road? Elevation change would be nice but unpaved is mandatory. I live within the city center and would prefer to be able to run to the trail but driving to a great trail is an option.
submitted by Eubeen_Hadd to indianapolis [link] [comments]
2023.03.21 17:58 rusticgorilla Republicans roll back child labor protections while attempting to cut food benefits
Housekeeping:
"The Governor believes protecting kids is most important,” Sanders’ spokesperson Alexa Henning said in a statement, “but this permit was an arbitrary burden on parents to get permission from the government for their child to get a job."
While proponents insist that the new law isn’t a threat to children’s safety and simply gives parents more power over their child’s upbringing, opponents warn that the legislation puts vulnerable children at risk of exploitation:
S.F. 167 also extends the hours that minors can legally work and allows 16- and 17-year-olds to serve alcohol with the permission of a parent.
The Senate Committee considering the legislation has approved the bill and sent it to the full chamber for debate.
Proponents of S.B. 175 argue that removing the work permit requirement furthers the goals of “limited government” and makes it easier for minors to obtain important life skills through employment.
Construction workers suffer nearly twice as many fatalities per year than agriculture and forestry workers. Additionally, over 165,000 construction workers are injured on the job each year.
H.R. 1581, called the America Works Act, would end a waiver program that allows states to bypass work requirements to receive SNAP benefits. The bill would also expand the age range of those who are required to work in order to receive food assistance, raising the age from 49 to 65 years old, and imposes the work requirement on parents of children older than 7. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) sponsored the legislation along with 24 other Republicans.
Rep. Johnson on his bill:
One of the Republicans who opposed the bill was state Sen. Steve Drazkowski, who went viral last week for saying that because he has “yet to meet a person in Minnesota that is hungry,” food insecurity must not exist. In fact, 1 in 6 children in Minnesota experience food insecurity and, under previous law, a quarter of them did not qualify for free or reduced cost meals at school.
submitted by rusticgorilla to Keep_Track [link] [comments]
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Child Labor
Arkansas
Earlier this month, newly-elected Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) signed a bill into law that rolls back child labor protections across the state. H.B. 1410, the “Youth Hiring Act of 2023,” eliminates the requirement that children under 16 years of age obtain a work certificate from the state before starting a job."The Governor believes protecting kids is most important,” Sanders’ spokesperson Alexa Henning said in a statement, “but this permit was an arbitrary burden on parents to get permission from the government for their child to get a job."
While proponents insist that the new law isn’t a threat to children’s safety and simply gives parents more power over their child’s upbringing, opponents warn that the legislation puts vulnerable children at risk of exploitation:
"When we think about kids working who are 14, we think about who this might protect, it's not the 14-year-old who's working at the ice cream parlor in your hometown, whose parents have given them permission to work. We're worried about the children who are at risk of being exploited and who are being exploited today," Laura Kellams, the northwest Arkansas director of the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, a group that advocates for children's rights in the state, said earlier this month during a committee hearing on the bill.The situation isn’t hypothetical—just last month Packers Sanitation Services Inc. was fined $1.5 million for employing 10 minors at meatpacking plants in Arkansas, as well as across nine other states. While the Department of Labor did not check their immigration status, all of the children spoke Spanish as their primary language.
The Labor Department said children, ranging from 13 to 17 years old, spent overnight shifts cleaning equipment such as head splitters, back saws and brisket saws, and were exposed to dangerous chemicals such as ammonia. The risks inside meatpacking plants also include diseases from exposure to feces and blood, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Iowa
Iowa state Sen. Jason Schultz (R) introduced S.F. 167 in January to expand the occupations 14- and 15-year olds are allowed to work to include certain jobs in meatpacking plants. As OSHA outlines, work in meatpacking plants exposes individuals to hazardous chemicals and dangerous machinery.S.F. 167 also extends the hours that minors can legally work and allows 16- and 17-year-olds to serve alcohol with the permission of a parent.
The Senate Committee considering the legislation has approved the bill and sent it to the full chamber for debate.
Missouri
Missouri state Sen. Andrew Koenig (R) introduced S.B. 175 to remove the requirement that minors obtain a work permit in order to obtain a job. The Senate Education and Workforce Committee passed the bill in February and it now awaits the full chamber’s consideration.Proponents of S.B. 175 argue that removing the work permit requirement furthers the goals of “limited government” and makes it easier for minors to obtain important life skills through employment.
Minnesota
Minnesota state Sen. Rich Draheim (R) introduced S.F. 375 to allow 16- and 17-year olds to work in the construction industry.Construction workers suffer nearly twice as many fatalities per year than agriculture and forestry workers. Additionally, over 165,000 construction workers are injured on the job each year.
Cutting food benefits
SNAP benefits
As emergency food benefits introduced during the pandemic come to an end this month, cutting recipients’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds by up to hundreds of dollars, federal Republican lawmakers are seeking to limit the program even more.H.R. 1581, called the America Works Act, would end a waiver program that allows states to bypass work requirements to receive SNAP benefits. The bill would also expand the age range of those who are required to work in order to receive food assistance, raising the age from 49 to 65 years old, and imposes the work requirement on parents of children older than 7. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) sponsored the legislation along with 24 other Republicans.
Rep. Johnson on his bill:
I was that kid on food stamps—I know firsthand how government assistance can both help and hurt. Education, training, and work provide dignity and economic opportunity. Too many Americans are on the sidelines while we are facing a record labor shortage. We have the jobs, but we don’t have the people to fill them. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to this problem, but there are policy areas where government is hurting, rather than helping Americans re-enter the workforce…
The America Works Act also changes age eligibility for SNAP waivers. Currently, if you are over 49 years old, you can receive SNAP benefits with no need for a waiver. As I approach 49 years old, I know I still have decades left of work ahead of me. My bill changes the maximum age rate of an ABAWD to be 65 years old, consistent with retirement and Medicare age.
Finally, the America Works Act limits the provision that exempts ABAWDs from work requirements if they have any dependent children to if they have any dependent children under the age of seven years old. By seven years old a child is in school nearly 35 hours a week. If a child can go to school nearly full-time, a parent with no other children under the age of seven can work 20 hours per week.
Free school lunches
Minnesota Governor Tim Walsh (D) signed into law a bill last week to provide free breakfasts and lunches to students at schools in the state. The legislation, H.F. 5, was sponsored entirely by Democrats; only 2 of 56 Republicans in the state House voted in favor.One of the Republicans who opposed the bill was state Sen. Steve Drazkowski, who went viral last week for saying that because he has “yet to meet a person in Minnesota that is hungry,” food insecurity must not exist. In fact, 1 in 6 children in Minnesota experience food insecurity and, under previous law, a quarter of them did not qualify for free or reduced cost meals at school.
2023.03.21 17:57 KlutzyContribution92 Unrealistic second job criteria?
I have a solid 9-5 job that I’ve been at for 12 years with solid pay. I work from home full time. Our budget is taking a huge hit in the form of tuition for my son’s school and I’m thinking of taking on a second job. I’ve applied and interviewed for a few things but ultimately didn’t work out due to scheduling. Are my expectations unrealistic? How can I better find something that fits.
submitted by KlutzyContribution92 to jobs [link] [comments]
- Flexible schedule, nights and weekends only are a must, even for training. 20 hours a week is the max I’d be willing to accept.
- Fairly brainless - data entry or call center most likely, though I have advanced excel experience.
- Remote - non-negotiable on this. I’ve been remote at my full time for 8 years, I’m not going in somewhere for 15/hr.
2023.03.21 17:56 IntentionHopeful Harry Potter and the tumbling towers a fan fic about him during 9/11 😭😭😭
 | submitted by IntentionHopeful to TheDeprogram [link] [comments] |
2023.03.21 17:53 yrnmigos Need help planning 8 day trip to Spain.
After debating for weeks about where to go for our first trip to Europe, my girlfriend (33f) and I (37m) decided to go to Spain in Spring of 2024
She knows a Texas version of Spanish and we love the culture, food and architecture. Not only that it is also one of the more affordable options.
We both picked a favorite location and we will be planning our trip around that. I picked Granada to see Alhambra and Moorish history and she picked Barcelona for the architecture.
I've explained to her that an itinerary like this would most likely involve skipping Madrid which is a hard pill to swallow.
I need help with what else to skip.
Day 1-3
The itinerary I had in mind involves flying into Barcelona in the morning and visiting the city center when we get there. Then explore for the next two full days.
Day 4-8 Andalusia
Here's where the question marks pop up.
Day 4. We could fly into Seville in the morning which would give us the afternoon to explore.
Day 5 Explore more of Seville
Day 6 Rent a car and drive to Ronda. Then arrive in Granada.
Day 7 Explore Alhambra.
Day 8 Arrive in Malaga and relax before flying out.
Andalusia feels rushed to me and I feel like we would need to adjust our itinerary. I've thought about skipping Ronda on Day 6 and instead of renting a car, train hopping from Seville to Cordoba for a day trip then hopping on a train to Granada that evening. But we would have our luggage with us while exploring Cordoba. At least with a rental we can leave or luggage in the car.
I know everyone says to avoid a rental car but they said the same thing when we went to Yucatan MX and we love having the freedom. If we rent a car I would see if there was an option to park at a bus or train terminal in the bigger towns.
I know I'll need to make sacrifices but what are the right ones!? Should I skip Seville and go straight to Cordoba and Granada? Should we just do less days in Barcelona?
submitted by yrnmigos to travel [link] [comments]
She knows a Texas version of Spanish and we love the culture, food and architecture. Not only that it is also one of the more affordable options.
We both picked a favorite location and we will be planning our trip around that. I picked Granada to see Alhambra and Moorish history and she picked Barcelona for the architecture.
I've explained to her that an itinerary like this would most likely involve skipping Madrid which is a hard pill to swallow.
I need help with what else to skip.
Day 1-3
The itinerary I had in mind involves flying into Barcelona in the morning and visiting the city center when we get there. Then explore for the next two full days.
Day 4-8 Andalusia
Here's where the question marks pop up.
Day 4. We could fly into Seville in the morning which would give us the afternoon to explore.
Day 5 Explore more of Seville
Day 6 Rent a car and drive to Ronda. Then arrive in Granada.
Day 7 Explore Alhambra.
Day 8 Arrive in Malaga and relax before flying out.
Andalusia feels rushed to me and I feel like we would need to adjust our itinerary. I've thought about skipping Ronda on Day 6 and instead of renting a car, train hopping from Seville to Cordoba for a day trip then hopping on a train to Granada that evening. But we would have our luggage with us while exploring Cordoba. At least with a rental we can leave or luggage in the car.
I know everyone says to avoid a rental car but they said the same thing when we went to Yucatan MX and we love having the freedom. If we rent a car I would see if there was an option to park at a bus or train terminal in the bigger towns.
I know I'll need to make sacrifices but what are the right ones!? Should I skip Seville and go straight to Cordoba and Granada? Should we just do less days in Barcelona?
2023.03.21 17:50 Jcb112 Humans Don't Hibernate [Part 38/?]
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Instead of the chirpy voice of the AI continuing on with some great, all encompassing plan, all I was met with after those few uplifting seconds was a strange silence.
Though that silence didn’t last for too long.
“I don’t think I can do this.” The AI blurted out with his equivalent of an uneasy tone of voice.
This sudden shift in tone after an unexpected silence as we sat idly above the moon was nothing short of disconcerting, but it wasn’t long before the AI continued on his train of thought.
“I’ve done the calculations, I’ve run several simulations, the way things are going, if we do both operations at once, should we be caught off-guard… It's too risky. Seeing as we need to manufacture the specific materials needed for the interloper’s interrogation, I’m planning to take this opportunity to actually start repairing myself. This isn’t a request either, this… this is something I must do.” The AI uttered out with an exasperated, almost exhausted breath. “Before you ask, Lysara, I’ve been barely holding myself together throughout this entire ordeal. It's difficult to explain… but whilst we’re standing here oblivious to it, I can feel this gash getting worse and worse with each passing minute. Whilst I could tolerate it at first, it wasn’t like I was ever not aware of it. Unlike a human’s whole fight or flight adrenaline fueled state of mind, or whatever your version of that would be, I don’t have the luxury of having a brain that has pre-coded tolerance subroutines that literally turn off certain aspects of perception and sensation of one’s own form at any given time. In fact, that honestly sounds outright horrifying to me to be perfectly honest. To not be hyper acutely aware of every aspect of your form… from the blood flowing through your veins like the lubricant and hydraulics throughout my body’s pipes, to the flow of air into every single alveoli bud in your lungs like the air circulation nodes within my body’s life support centers… to live without knowing every aspect of your body is truly frightening to me on an existential level. Which is why throughout this entire ordeal, from our getaway from the second interloper flotilla to the encounter with future humanity, to this whole moon fiasco… I’ve constantly been aware of the growing threat that is the hull breach on deck 9, and the distinct lack of an atmosphere down there. It feels wrong, Lysara. The loss of sensor readouts there feels like a part of me is now numb and empty. The lack of ventilation and atmosphere feels as if there’s a gaping hole in what should be my form.”
This entire talk, the unrelenting cavalcade of topics broached by the AI, was as concerning as it was necessary to hear. It gave me the necessary context to reevaluate my entire frame of reference. It gave me pause as it made it clear that I needed to put forth accommodations and certain considerations to Vir… as up to this point, perhaps somewhere at the back of my mind, I was still incapable of truly comprehending what a consciousness of his nature would be going through as opposed to my own. I needed to expand my organic-centric sense of empathy, which was difficult to do since I had no real context for it. Regardless, it was clear at that point that I was pushing the impromptu mission too far, that I didn’t truly realize the actual state of our ship, and by extension, the state of Vir’s existence.
“This means that whilst I’m taking the time to begin production on the specialized equipment for the interloper, I’d suggest placing the operations on the planet on hold. At least for now. I apologize I didn’t make that clearer earlier.” The AI quickly added.
“No no, that’s, more than reasonable Vir. We need the ship, I mean you, in working order before we attempt anything else.” I paused, taking a moment to gather myself before continuing. “Vir I’m so sorry for having overlooked this.” I responded in kind. “I… I understand you’ve already discussed how the ship is an extension of yourself, but because my mind has been so preoccupied with what feels like an impossible number of developments around us… I, I apologize. I am by no means attempting to excuse myself or my inaction in this case. I should’ve known, should’ve been more aware, and I should’ve asked.” I admitted with a strange mixture of both guilt but also a sense of resolve. If only to be supportive for the AI as he’d done so for me.
“I don’t fault you, Lysara.” The AI responded in kind, his tone on a path to recovery back into that chipper voice. “Organics… even the ones who are trained and educated with the express purpose of understanding AI, sometimes just lack that intuitive understanding that comes with our fundamentally different state of being. It’s something that can’t really be taught, but rather, understood by virtue of empathy over a prolonged period of time in peer to peer social interactions.” Vir paused, clearly in an attempt to make a point here. “Which is why just you being super compassionate here really does mean a lot to me, Lysara. It’s way, way more effort than what most organics are willing to put in. Besides, you’re going through a lot yourself, so there’s no need for that. I’m still doing fine, I just wanted to… I mean, I guess I just wanted to vent as well I guess?” The AI snickered out awkwardly, returning to a more colloquial-leaning manner of speech as evidenced by the shift in his tone and choice of vocabulary. “I just see as we’re more or less in this together, that I might as well be open about these sorts of things you know?”
I nodded several times in response, smiling with an even stronger resolve now. “I appreciate the frankness, Vir. I really do.” I stated simply, knowing well there wasn’t much else to be spoken on the topic that wasn’t already out in the open. “I’m glad that you were there when I woke up.” I quickly added. “I can only hope to contribute to this partnership as much as you have, Vir.”
It was with that, that the pace of our overall operations within the system started to take a drastic turn. Not towards a blind acceleration, but instead, towards a significant downtick in frontline actions. Focusing almost all of our efforts instead into the logistics and backline operations that was necessitated by the state of our ship.
The modern battlefield was as much about the impressive show of force and tactics, as much as it was about the logistics and systems behind it all, after all.
Which was especially true at this level of complexity.
Though supply lines and an industrial base would’ve been ideal, it was clear that the designers of this vessel had intended for what was in effect, an end-of-continuity scenario. One which operated on the assumption that any and all outside aid would be all but impossible. It was with this logical assumption, that the various overly engineered ‘accessory’ systems of the ship started to make sense. From the oversized minifactory through to the various drones, workshops, and repair bays that weren’t typical of your run of the mill ship, it was clear the vessel was designed to run completely independently from any preexisting logistics network.
Not even vessels designed for long term exploration came close to this degree of over preparedness, with this vessel more comparable to what you might find on a pre-FTL generational ship that would’ve warranted long term means of self-sustainability.
Coupling this with the humans’ propensity for designing everything with a liberal take on size and scale, this vessel acted more akin to a mobile mining, processing, and production facility all neatly packaged inside of a frame comparable to a Vanaran battlecruiser, with the weapons loadout of a Vanaran battleship.
The whole notion being more akin to something taken from the eccentric mind of a science fiction author, and should’ve had no place in the practical limitations of reality.
And yet here I was.
Sitting patiently within the spacious confines of the ship’s bridge, watching as drone after drone started on their lengthy diagnostics cycles as we began our trek across the solar system.
We left the moon and its prisoner behind in the safe embrace of a potent nuclear device; a contingency should we ever come to need it. With that extra bit of security and assurance in mind, my focus shifted squarely to that of what Vir had calculated as a near week-long venture, one that would see us mimicking the development of a fledgling interstellar civilization’s first tentative steps to stellar industrialization.
Except we were doing it at a much faster pace, on a much smaller scale.
Having positioned ourselves squarely within the orbit of one of the larger ringed gas giants within the system, we began our operation in earnest. Or rather, it was Vir who began performing what in his words were “The job that no self-respecting AI would want to do, save for those who actually enjoy self-inflicted mind numbing spreadsheet work.”
Yet that spreadsheet was far more impressive when seen in action. Not just from the bridge, but in-person, through the viewing ports situated in a sectioned off control room within the drone bay.
What amounted to hundreds upon hundreds of drones ranging in size from small family cars to something bordering on the smaller end of a proper cargo shuttle left one by one, organized into neat rows and columns as they set forth like a flock of birds. Though I would later rectify this analogy in the following days, as I returned to the bridge and started viewing everything from a more top-down, administrative scale.
The analogy that had started as a ‘flock of birds’, was accurate enough at first. As most of the drones acted like scouts, casting a wide net and flying wingtip to wingtip, in effect maximizing their effective scanning radius compounding off of one another’s networking arrays. Eventually however, once the asteroids or moons of interest were ascertained and logged, things started to shift to something I was more accustomed to seeing; as the once ‘wide’ formation quickly condensed to that of small, narrow lanes of a continuous stream of drones.
More analogous to a convoy of locomotives now.
These convoys would ferry the hastily mined minerals towards the ship, dumping them within the ship’s mass stores, eventually leading to more specialized minifactory drones to begin the process of sorting, transportation, and eventual processing within the various modules clustered within the minifactory.
Once again, seeing everything from an administrative view didn’t truly do this whole system justice. It took me that ten minute walk down to the minifactory to see the sheer scale of operations we were currently undertaking.
Breathtaking would be but one of the words I’d use to describe it.
For what was being accomplished by an entirely autonomous system within the span of these few days, was something which would’ve taken months at best to do under a traditional Vanaran operation. Sure, it could scale larger with time, but the fact that this lone ship had gone through the entire industrial process: from the sourcing of the necessary raw materials through to the processing and eventual production of the components in question was nothing short of incredible. Especially when considering this was being done in the span of a single week.
In fact, we did the impossible task of accomplishing everything within schedule. Something that even the largest of megacorporations back at home seemed to always have trouble with, especially with government contract work…
At the end of it all, after an entire week of a constant flurry of work that had seen nonstop progress around the clock, we’d finally done it.
Deck 9 was completely repaired. The various systems and subsystems that had been malfunctioning or had been completely inoperable, were likewise mended or completely replaced.
In fact, Vir had even taken the time to produce spares in the event we needed them in an emergency. Indeed, parts of the ship I didn’t even know needed sprucing up, were done so whilst I was either away from that given area or simply asleep.
Even the bridge seemed different.
Gone were the scorch marks left by that fire from our first jump, and in were these sheets of factory-fresh metal plates and screens that I could’ve sworn had a slightly different tint to the rest of the bridge, perhaps due to the variations in their composition being just slightly off from the original factory-spec.
Gunmetal blue now blended with starker grayish whites, glistening with a new coat of whatever protective buff was applied to them in the final production process.
As I stood on the bridge at the end of this week of housekeeping, datatab in hand with all of the various documents I’d been dissecting, I looked on towards the mystery planet in front of us and the signal that continued emanating from it in a continuous unending stream.
“Ready, Vir?” I asked the AI with a mix of anticipation and nervousness.
“Ready, Lysara.” The AI responded with a similarly anxious tone of restrained excitement.
“Let’s take her out then, and let’s determine where we stand along the way.”
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(Author’s Note: We finally get to address a lingering question, that being the state of the ship! :D The next chapter is already out on Patreon as well if you want to check it out!)
[If you guys want to help support me and these stories, here's my ko-fi ! And my Patreon for early chapter releases (Chapter 39 of this story is already out on there!)]
submitted by Jcb112 to HFY [link] [comments]
Patreon Official Subreddit
Instead of the chirpy voice of the AI continuing on with some great, all encompassing plan, all I was met with after those few uplifting seconds was a strange silence.
Though that silence didn’t last for too long.
“I don’t think I can do this.” The AI blurted out with his equivalent of an uneasy tone of voice.
This sudden shift in tone after an unexpected silence as we sat idly above the moon was nothing short of disconcerting, but it wasn’t long before the AI continued on his train of thought.
“I’ve done the calculations, I’ve run several simulations, the way things are going, if we do both operations at once, should we be caught off-guard… It's too risky. Seeing as we need to manufacture the specific materials needed for the interloper’s interrogation, I’m planning to take this opportunity to actually start repairing myself. This isn’t a request either, this… this is something I must do.” The AI uttered out with an exasperated, almost exhausted breath. “Before you ask, Lysara, I’ve been barely holding myself together throughout this entire ordeal. It's difficult to explain… but whilst we’re standing here oblivious to it, I can feel this gash getting worse and worse with each passing minute. Whilst I could tolerate it at first, it wasn’t like I was ever not aware of it. Unlike a human’s whole fight or flight adrenaline fueled state of mind, or whatever your version of that would be, I don’t have the luxury of having a brain that has pre-coded tolerance subroutines that literally turn off certain aspects of perception and sensation of one’s own form at any given time. In fact, that honestly sounds outright horrifying to me to be perfectly honest. To not be hyper acutely aware of every aspect of your form… from the blood flowing through your veins like the lubricant and hydraulics throughout my body’s pipes, to the flow of air into every single alveoli bud in your lungs like the air circulation nodes within my body’s life support centers… to live without knowing every aspect of your body is truly frightening to me on an existential level. Which is why throughout this entire ordeal, from our getaway from the second interloper flotilla to the encounter with future humanity, to this whole moon fiasco… I’ve constantly been aware of the growing threat that is the hull breach on deck 9, and the distinct lack of an atmosphere down there. It feels wrong, Lysara. The loss of sensor readouts there feels like a part of me is now numb and empty. The lack of ventilation and atmosphere feels as if there’s a gaping hole in what should be my form.”
This entire talk, the unrelenting cavalcade of topics broached by the AI, was as concerning as it was necessary to hear. It gave me the necessary context to reevaluate my entire frame of reference. It gave me pause as it made it clear that I needed to put forth accommodations and certain considerations to Vir… as up to this point, perhaps somewhere at the back of my mind, I was still incapable of truly comprehending what a consciousness of his nature would be going through as opposed to my own. I needed to expand my organic-centric sense of empathy, which was difficult to do since I had no real context for it. Regardless, it was clear at that point that I was pushing the impromptu mission too far, that I didn’t truly realize the actual state of our ship, and by extension, the state of Vir’s existence.
“This means that whilst I’m taking the time to begin production on the specialized equipment for the interloper, I’d suggest placing the operations on the planet on hold. At least for now. I apologize I didn’t make that clearer earlier.” The AI quickly added.
“No no, that’s, more than reasonable Vir. We need the ship, I mean you, in working order before we attempt anything else.” I paused, taking a moment to gather myself before continuing. “Vir I’m so sorry for having overlooked this.” I responded in kind. “I… I understand you’ve already discussed how the ship is an extension of yourself, but because my mind has been so preoccupied with what feels like an impossible number of developments around us… I, I apologize. I am by no means attempting to excuse myself or my inaction in this case. I should’ve known, should’ve been more aware, and I should’ve asked.” I admitted with a strange mixture of both guilt but also a sense of resolve. If only to be supportive for the AI as he’d done so for me.
“I don’t fault you, Lysara.” The AI responded in kind, his tone on a path to recovery back into that chipper voice. “Organics… even the ones who are trained and educated with the express purpose of understanding AI, sometimes just lack that intuitive understanding that comes with our fundamentally different state of being. It’s something that can’t really be taught, but rather, understood by virtue of empathy over a prolonged period of time in peer to peer social interactions.” Vir paused, clearly in an attempt to make a point here. “Which is why just you being super compassionate here really does mean a lot to me, Lysara. It’s way, way more effort than what most organics are willing to put in. Besides, you’re going through a lot yourself, so there’s no need for that. I’m still doing fine, I just wanted to… I mean, I guess I just wanted to vent as well I guess?” The AI snickered out awkwardly, returning to a more colloquial-leaning manner of speech as evidenced by the shift in his tone and choice of vocabulary. “I just see as we’re more or less in this together, that I might as well be open about these sorts of things you know?”
I nodded several times in response, smiling with an even stronger resolve now. “I appreciate the frankness, Vir. I really do.” I stated simply, knowing well there wasn’t much else to be spoken on the topic that wasn’t already out in the open. “I’m glad that you were there when I woke up.” I quickly added. “I can only hope to contribute to this partnership as much as you have, Vir.”
It was with that, that the pace of our overall operations within the system started to take a drastic turn. Not towards a blind acceleration, but instead, towards a significant downtick in frontline actions. Focusing almost all of our efforts instead into the logistics and backline operations that was necessitated by the state of our ship.
The modern battlefield was as much about the impressive show of force and tactics, as much as it was about the logistics and systems behind it all, after all.
Which was especially true at this level of complexity.
Though supply lines and an industrial base would’ve been ideal, it was clear that the designers of this vessel had intended for what was in effect, an end-of-continuity scenario. One which operated on the assumption that any and all outside aid would be all but impossible. It was with this logical assumption, that the various overly engineered ‘accessory’ systems of the ship started to make sense. From the oversized minifactory through to the various drones, workshops, and repair bays that weren’t typical of your run of the mill ship, it was clear the vessel was designed to run completely independently from any preexisting logistics network.
Not even vessels designed for long term exploration came close to this degree of over preparedness, with this vessel more comparable to what you might find on a pre-FTL generational ship that would’ve warranted long term means of self-sustainability.
Coupling this with the humans’ propensity for designing everything with a liberal take on size and scale, this vessel acted more akin to a mobile mining, processing, and production facility all neatly packaged inside of a frame comparable to a Vanaran battlecruiser, with the weapons loadout of a Vanaran battleship.
The whole notion being more akin to something taken from the eccentric mind of a science fiction author, and should’ve had no place in the practical limitations of reality.
And yet here I was.
Sitting patiently within the spacious confines of the ship’s bridge, watching as drone after drone started on their lengthy diagnostics cycles as we began our trek across the solar system.
We left the moon and its prisoner behind in the safe embrace of a potent nuclear device; a contingency should we ever come to need it. With that extra bit of security and assurance in mind, my focus shifted squarely to that of what Vir had calculated as a near week-long venture, one that would see us mimicking the development of a fledgling interstellar civilization’s first tentative steps to stellar industrialization.
Except we were doing it at a much faster pace, on a much smaller scale.
Having positioned ourselves squarely within the orbit of one of the larger ringed gas giants within the system, we began our operation in earnest. Or rather, it was Vir who began performing what in his words were “The job that no self-respecting AI would want to do, save for those who actually enjoy self-inflicted mind numbing spreadsheet work.”
Yet that spreadsheet was far more impressive when seen in action. Not just from the bridge, but in-person, through the viewing ports situated in a sectioned off control room within the drone bay.
What amounted to hundreds upon hundreds of drones ranging in size from small family cars to something bordering on the smaller end of a proper cargo shuttle left one by one, organized into neat rows and columns as they set forth like a flock of birds. Though I would later rectify this analogy in the following days, as I returned to the bridge and started viewing everything from a more top-down, administrative scale.
The analogy that had started as a ‘flock of birds’, was accurate enough at first. As most of the drones acted like scouts, casting a wide net and flying wingtip to wingtip, in effect maximizing their effective scanning radius compounding off of one another’s networking arrays. Eventually however, once the asteroids or moons of interest were ascertained and logged, things started to shift to something I was more accustomed to seeing; as the once ‘wide’ formation quickly condensed to that of small, narrow lanes of a continuous stream of drones.
More analogous to a convoy of locomotives now.
These convoys would ferry the hastily mined minerals towards the ship, dumping them within the ship’s mass stores, eventually leading to more specialized minifactory drones to begin the process of sorting, transportation, and eventual processing within the various modules clustered within the minifactory.
Once again, seeing everything from an administrative view didn’t truly do this whole system justice. It took me that ten minute walk down to the minifactory to see the sheer scale of operations we were currently undertaking.
Breathtaking would be but one of the words I’d use to describe it.
For what was being accomplished by an entirely autonomous system within the span of these few days, was something which would’ve taken months at best to do under a traditional Vanaran operation. Sure, it could scale larger with time, but the fact that this lone ship had gone through the entire industrial process: from the sourcing of the necessary raw materials through to the processing and eventual production of the components in question was nothing short of incredible. Especially when considering this was being done in the span of a single week.
In fact, we did the impossible task of accomplishing everything within schedule. Something that even the largest of megacorporations back at home seemed to always have trouble with, especially with government contract work…
At the end of it all, after an entire week of a constant flurry of work that had seen nonstop progress around the clock, we’d finally done it.
Deck 9 was completely repaired. The various systems and subsystems that had been malfunctioning or had been completely inoperable, were likewise mended or completely replaced.
In fact, Vir had even taken the time to produce spares in the event we needed them in an emergency. Indeed, parts of the ship I didn’t even know needed sprucing up, were done so whilst I was either away from that given area or simply asleep.
Even the bridge seemed different.
Gone were the scorch marks left by that fire from our first jump, and in were these sheets of factory-fresh metal plates and screens that I could’ve sworn had a slightly different tint to the rest of the bridge, perhaps due to the variations in their composition being just slightly off from the original factory-spec.
Gunmetal blue now blended with starker grayish whites, glistening with a new coat of whatever protective buff was applied to them in the final production process.
As I stood on the bridge at the end of this week of housekeeping, datatab in hand with all of the various documents I’d been dissecting, I looked on towards the mystery planet in front of us and the signal that continued emanating from it in a continuous unending stream.
“Ready, Vir?” I asked the AI with a mix of anticipation and nervousness.
“Ready, Lysara.” The AI responded with a similarly anxious tone of restrained excitement.
“Let’s take her out then, and let’s determine where we stand along the way.”
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(Author’s Note: We finally get to address a lingering question, that being the state of the ship! :D The next chapter is already out on Patreon as well if you want to check it out!)
[If you guys want to help support me and these stories, here's my ko-fi ! And my Patreon for early chapter releases (Chapter 39 of this story is already out on there!)]
2023.03.21 17:44 Living_the_dream_57 How strict are carry on dimensions?
Bought a “tsa approved” carry on last year and compared the dimensions of it to what’s online for American.
My carry on is 14.2” wide and they can only be 14”. It’s well within the height and depth parameters (18” tall and 8” deep and it can be up to 22” tall and 9” deep)
Am I going to have to buy another one just for one trip? This is my first time flying since I was 6 so how strict is American Airlines with this?
submitted by Living_the_dream_57 to americanairlines [link] [comments]
My carry on is 14.2” wide and they can only be 14”. It’s well within the height and depth parameters (18” tall and 8” deep and it can be up to 22” tall and 9” deep)
Am I going to have to buy another one just for one trip? This is my first time flying since I was 6 so how strict is American Airlines with this?
2023.03.21 17:41 No_Competition4897 [HIRING] 25 Jobs in WI Hiring Now!
2023.03.21 17:37 HowdyPartner-2013 New American Indian cultural center to open in San Antonio this Friday
 | submitted by HowdyPartner-2013 to SanAntonio_Current [link] [comments] |
2023.03.21 17:37 JaceBelleren It's a (return of the) trap! Baseless early speculation on what The Lost Caverns of Ixalan may be
In what has become a mainstay of the news-cycle of Magic, MaRo has used a blogpost to foreshadow things to come. In this case, it is the reveal that The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, the second set after March of the Machine (and its Aftermath), will be focussing on a subterranean setting:https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/712380756707704832/ixalan-has-a-whole-contintent-that-the-vampires
This probably does not stray too much from anyone's expectation as not only the name alluded to it heavily, but also because Ixalan as a plane already lent itself to going in such a direction. While there are a lot of themes prevalent in Ixalan, one of its strongest certainly was a reflection on colonialism and imperialism - as witnessed in both the conquistador-vampires of (the continent) Torrezon as well as the Sun Empire, having recently turned more militaristic and keen on vengeance than before. While therein certainly lies a strong foundation for a narrative to follow up on, Ixalan as a whole - despite its obvious allusions to 15-17th century seafaring powerstruggles - has its bedrock somewhere else. While colonial oppression and the aforementioned conflicts certainly are an integral part of it, Ixalan seems to be based on the notion of the age of "discovery" (AoD), contentious as the word "discovery" might be when there is a whole continent of peoples who didn't feel the need to be "discovered" in the first place. Yet not only has MTG addressed that pretty succesfully in Ixalan as far as I can tell, it also would be only a halftruth assume that the plane would be a more or less direct lift from our world's history to Ixalan's.
No, Ixalan is not only an age of discovery-plane, it is also an age of discovery-plane as filtered through the pulpy early science-fiction and adventure literature of the 19th and early 20th century. There may be no world as foundationally enamored with literature as Ixalan besides Innistrad in its everpresent adherence to gothic literature and the (moon-)silver screen. Ixalan is adventure-serials become incarnate, heavily inspired by R.L. Setevenson, Jules Verne and Arthur Conan Doyle, to name only the most immediately obvious ones. Seen through this lense, the sometimes - unfairly, I would say - criticized as scatterbrained Ixalan makes a whole lot of internal sense.
Vampires and Sun Empire are the stand-ins for the poltical struggle of the AoD, pirates the displaced sailors and soldiers born from ceaseless struggle and to give all of this an air of adventure and levity, the filter of fiction makes a lot of sense. Bring dinosaurs in there, make pirates the freedom-loving swashbucklers we know them as and thus, in turn, lean heavily into the tropes this type of literature has to offer. European people at the time were clamoring for evermore tales from the deep jungles of Meso- and Southern America and could imagine the wildest thngs lurking in there - ranging from dinosaurs (recently starting to be discovered large-scale) to quite more ignorant and sinister assumptions. In the span of a century and in this weird mixture of fascination, unbridled ego, adventurous obsession, terra incognita-speculations and exoticism, works like "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (Verne) and "The Lost World" (Doyle) were becoming bestselling phenomena. To assume dinosaurs were still somewhere in the earth? Not unfeasible or at least not completely off the table. It thus makes sense for Magic to also lean into that if they were already willing to make such a risky, real-world-history laden top-down-design as Ixalan in the first place. Magic has proven that it could handle sensitive topics quite well the first time around plus Ixalan is popular as world - despite one of its limited formats being quite unfavorably received -, so another stint makes a lot of sense and a lot of people happy.
But where does this leave us in terms of what to expect, which mechanics and which storyline might they choose? It is, of course, too early to say, but from all that can be assumed if one is to take the "Lost World"-approach as the route to go in, some things can be assumed nonetheless. Or at the very least, it is fun to assume what Magic might shake up or leave as is.
1.) World-design: A Hollow World
Knowing that Lost Caverns will play underground, it is pretty straightforward to assume how we get there. Orazca has not appareared out of nowhere, it has been seated somewhat underground till woken from its slumber. Much like that, the Elder Dinosaurs were never gone, they just appeared from way underground. There had been other subtle hints of subterranean entrances, like the temple of Aclazotz or eyeless demons stalking some parts of the jungles. However, after the discovery of Orazca and even more than that, a full-scale Phyrexian invasion breaking open the earth, Ixalanians all-around are eager to explore *roll credits* the Lost Caverns of Ixalan. It will not only be earthy and rockish biomes, oh no. There will be these, yes, but going witht the slightly whacky vibes of adventure novels and serials, there will be whole underground seas (not that one) down there, lush dino-filled jungles and dark, menacing corners where really nobody should have ever gone. It will be colorful and rich and not compromise too much on what Ixalan is famed for. Though likely, the sea will be less prevalent than before overall.
Pairing all this with what was said before, I think we can expect this: a fully-fledged subterranean set which leans heavily into Ixalan's literary background and thus combines it into a swashbuckling adventure-romp with a lot of adventure-literature tropes. I expect traps (quite literally), exploration (also literally), skirmishes and battles (third time's the charm) and maybe even a riff on the venture-mechanic, yet not exactly that.
2.) Mechanics
Ixalan has not the strongest suite of mechanics since most of its design-space has been eaten up by creature type-support. Amass a critical amount of creatures, stick some lords in there, boom, you have your limited format. Triple-Ixalan was relying heavily on that to carry its weight and it made it into a fairly streamlined experience, even though RIX did some heavy lifting in correcting the first set's blunders. Judging from the Rabiah-Scale, Ixalan was popular in spite of its mechanics more than because of them. It is fair to assume that RnD will want to stick with what worked and make work what did not. You may not be able to rip out the core of "your creature-type matters" of Ixalan and it is a defining feature people like, but there will be more mechanical wiggleroom now. Magic has gotten confident in batching-designs recently and I think it will happen this time again. Looking at Neon Dynasty, I think this is the model of the future:
- Creature type-matters-set, but like NEO. Batch Merfolk + Rogue, Vampire + Knight etc., like NEO batched Samurai + Warrior, Ninja + Rogue. The only issue therein is, that p.e. Merfolk is more of a supertype than a Samurai is, but nonetheless, I think it can work this way.
Other than that, adventure always have one trope that we all know and some love: traps! Magic already has a - pretty good - design for trap-cards which is flexible enough to apply to MTG in this state of design. Ixalan before was unbridled jungle, but after Orazca resurfacing, it is time to shine a light on lost civilizations, abandoned cities and treacherous descents. Some - or all of it - not so naturally made. Maybe there are even still guardians of Ixalan's abandoned places? Adventure-literature would suggest that ...
- Traps will return! They are mechanically flexible and do provide wiggle-room outside of the usual creature-type-matters of Ixalan.
Speaking of guardians; there will of course be Ixalan's creepy palm-like eyeless demons, which are blackbased and have been featured to drain people and give advice to the willing. They are thus not feral and can be found in Ixalan's underground descents. This is pure speculation, but underground settings, with demons no less, have regularly been connotated with claustrophobia, the dampness of a skyless air and slow grasp of mold and rot. All of which causes madness or at least declining mental states, often expressed as "mill" in MTG.
- Mill will be a mechanic, probably UB and demon-based. Would make a lot of sense for some more sinister "descent into madness"-type scenarios plus it could play well with traps. (Archive Trap could really use a reprint, right?)
The descent is also quite literal. While I do not think that something like Venture will see the light of day in Ixalan, since it is heavily tied to DnD and also fairly complex and not that popular, I see a different solution to this. Explore- returns as the workhorse-flavor-mechanic and it feeds Quest-cycles. These quests are not like Zendikar, but are the equivalent to the fliplands we know from original Ixalan. Do something a couple of times and they flip.
- Explore is a flexible, flavorful mechanic. It symbolises descent into the setting quite well (digging deeper into the library) and could feed into interesting choices assuming mill and deck-density is a thing to track. I think this could work out well: would you really explore too far ahead if it means your library empties soon? Seems like a neat concept. Furthermore, venture is always defined by the end-room of a dungeon just as much as the starting-point. Yet we are in lost territory here, nobody knows that it is 5 or 7 rooms till the endpoint. I thus think there will be something like quests as enchantments. Do something a certain amount of times and you reveal a secret, the other side of the card. On Ixalan, these can easily be enchantment-quest-lands just as we know. I think this is far more elegant than venture.
Other than that, I assume Battles will be a thing:
- Not only are they recent as they will premier in MoM, but assuming they do not stay a one-off-thing, Magic likes to recontextualize things and link things together via mechanics. Battles could be used to symbolise the struggles between the different adventuring parties and are a main-stay of adventure literature. Having small-scale battles between different biomes within the caverns both explains and shows the world more and, in the more lighthearted tone Ixalan often uses, becomes less grandiose than in MoM and thus ... fun and rambunctious. It's epic to have battles like the "Invasion of XYZ" ... it's fun to have battles like "The battle for Jim Sliver's Lost Hats". Alternate enough between serious and fun, something Ixalan is already adapt at, and that could prove fun while flexing the designers' muscles just like they did with MDFCs. Everything in moderation.
Lastly, Raid will probably return. Simple as that, no notes really. It is easily applicable to pirates and established fairly firmly as "their" mechanic, even appearing in Jumpstart 2022, and fits perfectly in pirates raiding other treasure-hunt-parties for exactly that.
Speaking of treasures ... Yes, they will be there, for better or worse. They had been designed for Ixalan way back then and their inflationary use since then is no fault of this plane. On Ixalan and for ascend they worked, this time they will be back again, yet not as focussed on (hopefully).
3.) Story and Characters
Here we are with a section that can barely be one at this point, so I will not go into this too much. However, with the sparking of some recent planeswalker who is featured on a card called Thrilling Discovery, ropes down into a cave and is trained academicaly at a college, I think it is a given who will be one Planeswalker here. It is the perfect Indiana Jones-moment without feeling too forced if at all.
Other than that, I believe we are headed into a downtime-ear of Magic with the aftermath-storylines of MoM and ... Aftermath ... dealing heavily with character-driven repercussions of what was lost. And for that, I see none other than Jace being more apt. While I do think most compleated planeswalkers will meet their end in MoM, even Ajani, I do think Jace has a lot of story left in him - not only because of Vryn - and he would once again be a perfect ticket into Ixalan. It could be a bittersweet reframing of the first Ixalan: Jace returns to the place where he finally got to be loved and appreciated fully for what he was, only this time he returns having lost the love of his life, maybe to bury her remains or her memories where they were both happy.>! The first time around, it ended with him removing the memory of him from her so as to not endanger her.!< This time around, not being able to bear her loss and finding himself unable to move on, he plans to mournfully and also somewhat selfishly remove the memories of her from his own mind. Throughout his new adventure on Ixalan, his friends from the Belligerent and Vraska's positive impact on this world, he realizes that the best thing he can do is to honor her by remembering her as much as it may hurt. This, in the end, causes him to keep her memories and to finally set off on the path to search for his mother on Vryn and find peace with all that happened.
Pirate-Jace would also be quite interesting artwise as well. You know who wears hook-hands and peglegs? Pirates. You know who will have lost a Phyrexianized arm or have an adjustible metal-arm? Jace. Now if that doesn't scream piracy...
submitted by JaceBelleren to magicTCG [link] [comments]
This probably does not stray too much from anyone's expectation as not only the name alluded to it heavily, but also because Ixalan as a plane already lent itself to going in such a direction. While there are a lot of themes prevalent in Ixalan, one of its strongest certainly was a reflection on colonialism and imperialism - as witnessed in both the conquistador-vampires of (the continent) Torrezon as well as the Sun Empire, having recently turned more militaristic and keen on vengeance than before. While therein certainly lies a strong foundation for a narrative to follow up on, Ixalan as a whole - despite its obvious allusions to 15-17th century seafaring powerstruggles - has its bedrock somewhere else. While colonial oppression and the aforementioned conflicts certainly are an integral part of it, Ixalan seems to be based on the notion of the age of "discovery" (AoD), contentious as the word "discovery" might be when there is a whole continent of peoples who didn't feel the need to be "discovered" in the first place. Yet not only has MTG addressed that pretty succesfully in Ixalan as far as I can tell, it also would be only a halftruth assume that the plane would be a more or less direct lift from our world's history to Ixalan's.
No, Ixalan is not only an age of discovery-plane, it is also an age of discovery-plane as filtered through the pulpy early science-fiction and adventure literature of the 19th and early 20th century. There may be no world as foundationally enamored with literature as Ixalan besides Innistrad in its everpresent adherence to gothic literature and the (moon-)silver screen. Ixalan is adventure-serials become incarnate, heavily inspired by R.L. Setevenson, Jules Verne and Arthur Conan Doyle, to name only the most immediately obvious ones. Seen through this lense, the sometimes - unfairly, I would say - criticized as scatterbrained Ixalan makes a whole lot of internal sense.
Vampires and Sun Empire are the stand-ins for the poltical struggle of the AoD, pirates the displaced sailors and soldiers born from ceaseless struggle and to give all of this an air of adventure and levity, the filter of fiction makes a lot of sense. Bring dinosaurs in there, make pirates the freedom-loving swashbucklers we know them as and thus, in turn, lean heavily into the tropes this type of literature has to offer. European people at the time were clamoring for evermore tales from the deep jungles of Meso- and Southern America and could imagine the wildest thngs lurking in there - ranging from dinosaurs (recently starting to be discovered large-scale) to quite more ignorant and sinister assumptions. In the span of a century and in this weird mixture of fascination, unbridled ego, adventurous obsession, terra incognita-speculations and exoticism, works like "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (Verne) and "The Lost World" (Doyle) were becoming bestselling phenomena. To assume dinosaurs were still somewhere in the earth? Not unfeasible or at least not completely off the table. It thus makes sense for Magic to also lean into that if they were already willing to make such a risky, real-world-history laden top-down-design as Ixalan in the first place. Magic has proven that it could handle sensitive topics quite well the first time around plus Ixalan is popular as world - despite one of its limited formats being quite unfavorably received -, so another stint makes a lot of sense and a lot of people happy.
But where does this leave us in terms of what to expect, which mechanics and which storyline might they choose? It is, of course, too early to say, but from all that can be assumed if one is to take the "Lost World"-approach as the route to go in, some things can be assumed nonetheless. Or at the very least, it is fun to assume what Magic might shake up or leave as is.
1.) World-design: A Hollow World
Knowing that Lost Caverns will play underground, it is pretty straightforward to assume how we get there. Orazca has not appareared out of nowhere, it has been seated somewhat underground till woken from its slumber. Much like that, the Elder Dinosaurs were never gone, they just appeared from way underground. There had been other subtle hints of subterranean entrances, like the temple of Aclazotz or eyeless demons stalking some parts of the jungles. However, after the discovery of Orazca and even more than that, a full-scale Phyrexian invasion breaking open the earth, Ixalanians all-around are eager to explore *roll credits* the Lost Caverns of Ixalan. It will not only be earthy and rockish biomes, oh no. There will be these, yes, but going witht the slightly whacky vibes of adventure novels and serials, there will be whole underground seas (not that one) down there, lush dino-filled jungles and dark, menacing corners where really nobody should have ever gone. It will be colorful and rich and not compromise too much on what Ixalan is famed for. Though likely, the sea will be less prevalent than before overall.
Pairing all this with what was said before, I think we can expect this: a fully-fledged subterranean set which leans heavily into Ixalan's literary background and thus combines it into a swashbuckling adventure-romp with a lot of adventure-literature tropes. I expect traps (quite literally), exploration (also literally), skirmishes and battles (third time's the charm) and maybe even a riff on the venture-mechanic, yet not exactly that.
2.) Mechanics
Ixalan has not the strongest suite of mechanics since most of its design-space has been eaten up by creature type-support. Amass a critical amount of creatures, stick some lords in there, boom, you have your limited format. Triple-Ixalan was relying heavily on that to carry its weight and it made it into a fairly streamlined experience, even though RIX did some heavy lifting in correcting the first set's blunders. Judging from the Rabiah-Scale, Ixalan was popular in spite of its mechanics more than because of them. It is fair to assume that RnD will want to stick with what worked and make work what did not. You may not be able to rip out the core of "your creature-type matters" of Ixalan and it is a defining feature people like, but there will be more mechanical wiggleroom now. Magic has gotten confident in batching-designs recently and I think it will happen this time again. Looking at Neon Dynasty, I think this is the model of the future:
- Creature type-matters-set, but like NEO. Batch Merfolk + Rogue, Vampire + Knight etc., like NEO batched Samurai + Warrior, Ninja + Rogue. The only issue therein is, that p.e. Merfolk is more of a supertype than a Samurai is, but nonetheless, I think it can work this way.
Other than that, adventure always have one trope that we all know and some love: traps! Magic already has a - pretty good - design for trap-cards which is flexible enough to apply to MTG in this state of design. Ixalan before was unbridled jungle, but after Orazca resurfacing, it is time to shine a light on lost civilizations, abandoned cities and treacherous descents. Some - or all of it - not so naturally made. Maybe there are even still guardians of Ixalan's abandoned places? Adventure-literature would suggest that ...
- Traps will return! They are mechanically flexible and do provide wiggle-room outside of the usual creature-type-matters of Ixalan.
Speaking of guardians; there will of course be Ixalan's creepy palm-like eyeless demons, which are blackbased and have been featured to drain people and give advice to the willing. They are thus not feral and can be found in Ixalan's underground descents. This is pure speculation, but underground settings, with demons no less, have regularly been connotated with claustrophobia, the dampness of a skyless air and slow grasp of mold and rot. All of which causes madness or at least declining mental states, often expressed as "mill" in MTG.
- Mill will be a mechanic, probably UB and demon-based. Would make a lot of sense for some more sinister "descent into madness"-type scenarios plus it could play well with traps. (Archive Trap could really use a reprint, right?)
The descent is also quite literal. While I do not think that something like Venture will see the light of day in Ixalan, since it is heavily tied to DnD and also fairly complex and not that popular, I see a different solution to this. Explore- returns as the workhorse-flavor-mechanic and it feeds Quest-cycles. These quests are not like Zendikar, but are the equivalent to the fliplands we know from original Ixalan. Do something a couple of times and they flip.
- Explore is a flexible, flavorful mechanic. It symbolises descent into the setting quite well (digging deeper into the library) and could feed into interesting choices assuming mill and deck-density is a thing to track. I think this could work out well: would you really explore too far ahead if it means your library empties soon? Seems like a neat concept. Furthermore, venture is always defined by the end-room of a dungeon just as much as the starting-point. Yet we are in lost territory here, nobody knows that it is 5 or 7 rooms till the endpoint. I thus think there will be something like quests as enchantments. Do something a certain amount of times and you reveal a secret, the other side of the card. On Ixalan, these can easily be enchantment-quest-lands just as we know. I think this is far more elegant than venture.
Other than that, I assume Battles will be a thing:
- Not only are they recent as they will premier in MoM, but assuming they do not stay a one-off-thing, Magic likes to recontextualize things and link things together via mechanics. Battles could be used to symbolise the struggles between the different adventuring parties and are a main-stay of adventure literature. Having small-scale battles between different biomes within the caverns both explains and shows the world more and, in the more lighthearted tone Ixalan often uses, becomes less grandiose than in MoM and thus ... fun and rambunctious. It's epic to have battles like the "Invasion of XYZ" ... it's fun to have battles like "The battle for Jim Sliver's Lost Hats". Alternate enough between serious and fun, something Ixalan is already adapt at, and that could prove fun while flexing the designers' muscles just like they did with MDFCs. Everything in moderation.
Lastly, Raid will probably return. Simple as that, no notes really. It is easily applicable to pirates and established fairly firmly as "their" mechanic, even appearing in Jumpstart 2022, and fits perfectly in pirates raiding other treasure-hunt-parties for exactly that.
Speaking of treasures ... Yes, they will be there, for better or worse. They had been designed for Ixalan way back then and their inflationary use since then is no fault of this plane. On Ixalan and for ascend they worked, this time they will be back again, yet not as focussed on (hopefully).
3.) Story and Characters
Here we are with a section that can barely be one at this point, so I will not go into this too much. However, with the sparking of some recent planeswalker who is featured on a card called Thrilling Discovery, ropes down into a cave and is trained academicaly at a college, I think it is a given who will be one Planeswalker here. It is the perfect Indiana Jones-moment without feeling too forced if at all.
Other than that, I believe we are headed into a downtime-ear of Magic with the aftermath-storylines of MoM and ... Aftermath ... dealing heavily with character-driven repercussions of what was lost. And for that, I see none other than Jace being more apt. While I do think most compleated planeswalkers will meet their end in MoM, even Ajani, I do think Jace has a lot of story left in him - not only because of Vryn - and he would once again be a perfect ticket into Ixalan. It could be a bittersweet reframing of the first Ixalan: Jace returns to the place where he finally got to be loved and appreciated fully for what he was, only this time he returns having lost the love of his life, maybe to bury her remains or her memories where they were both happy.>! The first time around, it ended with him removing the memory of him from her so as to not endanger her.!< This time around, not being able to bear her loss and finding himself unable to move on, he plans to mournfully and also somewhat selfishly remove the memories of her from his own mind. Throughout his new adventure on Ixalan, his friends from the Belligerent and Vraska's positive impact on this world, he realizes that the best thing he can do is to honor her by remembering her as much as it may hurt. This, in the end, causes him to keep her memories and to finally set off on the path to search for his mother on Vryn and find peace with all that happened.
Pirate-Jace would also be quite interesting artwise as well. You know who wears hook-hands and peglegs? Pirates. You know who will have lost a Phyrexianized arm or have an adjustible metal-arm? Jace. Now if that doesn't scream piracy...
2023.03.21 17:31 4rft5 Sol's Flight Information
 | I figured since I got the FOIA I'd also share the information on the plane that she was on. I actually had the information beforehand, but was waiting for the FOIA to confirm it submitted by 4rft5 to dissolvedgirl [link] [comments] April 15th 2019, American Airlines flight 2445. It departed for Denver at 7:01 AM in Miami, was airborne for 276 minutes, landed at 9:37 AM in Denver accounting for the time zone change. the tailnumber of the aircraft is N846NN, it's a Boeing 737-823. https://preview.redd.it/y3nnos29d4pa1.png?width=1400&format=png&auto=webp&s=a98b057a525047ede6b4b359728464259213b1df For those wondering, I was able to pinpoint what gate she arrived at in Denver from the security camera footage (Gate A51) and was then able to look up historical flight records for April 15th 2019, looking for arrivals from Miami. This led me to AA2445. |
2023.03.21 17:26 ThesubwildYT Companion Certificate and Legal advice against American Express
Hello all,
I signed up for the Delta American Express Platinum card back in September, with the knowledge that I would be recieving a companion certificate.
In their terms and conditions for the certificate it does not say anything specifically outlining the first year companion ticket. What it does say is that I will recieve one in my renewal month. I signed up for the card in september, and paid the fee. September is my renewal month for my first year.
I am wondering if the terminolgy here could be used to argue that I should have a ticket after signing up, or if they are covered in saying that I will not recieve one until after my first year of being a member
TaC pasted below
Thank you!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.‡
submitted by ThesubwildYT to AskALawyer [link] [comments]
I signed up for the Delta American Express Platinum card back in September, with the knowledge that I would be recieving a companion certificate.
In their terms and conditions for the certificate it does not say anything specifically outlining the first year companion ticket. What it does say is that I will recieve one in my renewal month. I signed up for the card in september, and paid the fee. September is my renewal month for my first year.
I am wondering if the terminolgy here could be used to argue that I should have a ticket after signing up, or if they are covered in saying that I will not recieve one until after my first year of being a member
TaC pasted below
Thank you!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.‡
‡Benefit Terms
Companion Certificate*
Benefit is limited to Basic Card Members (not Additional Card Members). Taxes/fees/restrictions: Companion Certificate is valid for one round-trip Main Cabin Companion ticket with the payment of applicable taxes and fees detailed below and the purchase of certain adult round-trip fares on published routings within the 48 contiguous United States. Residents of Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) must originate from there to the 48 contiguous United States and have an address on their SkyMiles account in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the USVI. Each year, the Companion Certificate will be made available for redemption on delta.com in your renewal month. If your account anniversary month changes for any reason (for example, due to a card replacement), your Companion Certificate will be issued within your new renewal month. Applicable government imposed taxes and fees vary and depend upon the number of flight segments included in the itinerary and are no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Basic Card Members (not Additional Card Members) with the Delta SkyMiles Gold Card, Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card, Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, Delta SkyMiles Gold Business Card, Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business Card, and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card are eligible to receive the first checked bag fee waiver on Delta and Delta Connection carrier tickets. $40 fee for second checked bag. These allowances are subject to size/weight limits. Contact a Delta agent or visit delta.com for details. Taxes and fees are subject to change, are the responsibility of the passenger and must be paid at the time the primary ticket is purchased and the Companion ticket is issued. All fare rules, restrictions, advance purchase requirements, and availability are per rule of primary ticket fare purchased. Seats are only available in L,U,T,X,V classes of service and may not be available on all flights or markets. Companion Certificates are eligible for Medallion Complimentary Upgrades, which are subject to availability and may not be eligible on all flights. Medallion Members traveling with one companion will be eligible for Complimentary Upgrades to Delta One®, First Class, and Delta Comfort+® based on the status of the higher-tiered Member, as long as the companion is a SkyMiles Member, Medallion Member or partner airline elite member, traveling in the same reservation. Companion tickets are not transferable once issued. Companion certificate and Delta eCredits can be combined in the same transaction. Delta eCredits can be applied as payment toward cost of the primary ticket, companion ticket, and any government-imposed taxes and fees. eCredit must match the name of the traveler whose ticket is being purchased. Companion Certificate cannot be combined with another offer or discount including, but not limited to, web fares, sale fares and eCoupons. Primary ticket and Companion ticket must be purchased with your Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card and/or eCredits. Additional restrictions apply. Visit delta.com/eCredits for more information. Both passengers must be booked on the same flights and dates, at the same time. Travel for Companion Certificate must be booked and completed by the date on the front of certificate. Validity is not based on the calendar year. Redemption is available only on delta.com/redeem. Certificate terms and conditions may vary each year of Card Membership. Additional restrictions apply. See Companion Certificate for details.2023.03.21 17:25 No_Competition4897 [HIRING] 25 Jobs in WI Hiring Now!
2023.03.21 17:20 cosmodermaIN Best Derma Clinic Center in Patna / Cosmo Derma Patna
Cosmo Derma Patna is one of the top-rated derma clinic centers in Patna, known for its exceptional services and expertise in the field of dermatology. With a team of highly qualified and experienced dermatologists, Cosmo Derma Patna offers a range of treatments and services to help you achieve healthy, glowing skin.
Some of the key services offered by Cosmo Derma Patna include acne treatment, hair transplant, laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation, and more. Their state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the latest technology and equipment to ensure that patients receive the highest level of care.
At Cosmo Derma Patna, they understand that each patient's skin is unique and requires personalized attention. That's why their team of dermatologists provides individualized treatment plans to address each patient's specific skin concerns. They use advanced diagnostic tools and techniques to diagnose and treat a range of skin conditions, including acne, eczema, psoriasis, and more.
One of the unique features of Cosmo Derma Patna is its focus on non-surgical treatments. They offer a range of non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures to help patients achieve their desired results without the need for surgery. Their team of experts is trained to use the latest techniques and technology to provide effective, safe, and comfortable treatments.
Overall, Cosmo Derma Patna is an excellent choice for anyone looking for the best derma clinic center in Patna. With their expert team of dermatologists, state-of-the-art facility, and focus on personalized care, they are committed to helping their patients achieve healthy, beautiful skin.
For More Visit- https://cosmodermapatna.com/
submitted by cosmodermaIN to u/cosmodermaIN [link] [comments]
Some of the key services offered by Cosmo Derma Patna include acne treatment, hair transplant, laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation, and more. Their state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the latest technology and equipment to ensure that patients receive the highest level of care.
At Cosmo Derma Patna, they understand that each patient's skin is unique and requires personalized attention. That's why their team of dermatologists provides individualized treatment plans to address each patient's specific skin concerns. They use advanced diagnostic tools and techniques to diagnose and treat a range of skin conditions, including acne, eczema, psoriasis, and more.
One of the unique features of Cosmo Derma Patna is its focus on non-surgical treatments. They offer a range of non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures to help patients achieve their desired results without the need for surgery. Their team of experts is trained to use the latest techniques and technology to provide effective, safe, and comfortable treatments.
Overall, Cosmo Derma Patna is an excellent choice for anyone looking for the best derma clinic center in Patna. With their expert team of dermatologists, state-of-the-art facility, and focus on personalized care, they are committed to helping their patients achieve healthy, beautiful skin.
For More Visit- https://cosmodermapatna.com/
2023.03.21 17:20 keithplacer S16 The Action House: The Ravages of Age
 | submitted by keithplacer to Thisoldhouse [link] [comments] 100 Martin St. before any work began The major project of season 16 was The Acton House, a 1710 former farmhouse that was the oldest house in Acton, once part of a large farm most of which had been sold off over the years, and which now sat on 5 acres of quite attractive property at 100 Martin Street. The homeowners were Terry Maitland, trained as a journalist and historian, now a broker of high-dollar luxury homes, and Sima Maitland, a schoolteacher. Their house was largely original and while it looked large from the outside, the interior spaces were cramped and dated, with low ceilings and inadequate space for them and their three children, thanks in part due to the intrusion of the massive central chimney stack. A new addition off the east side was deemed the answer, and the Maitlands were prepared to contribute $150,000 to the project. A preliminary examination of the house by Norm and Tom revealed some dubious structure but they vowed not to try to fix every problem and only deal with what was necessary to accommodate the new addition. Ah, dreams… Homeowners Terry and Sima Maitland in a very '90s-looking shot The first order of business was getting a set of plans, so Chris Dallmus of Jock Gifford's Design Associates firm was called in and after numerous iterations, came up with plans for a 2-storey addition off the east side of the old place with a master suite, new kitchen, mud room, and family room. The old milk shed that currently occupied the site needed to be relocated, and proved to be an entertaining use of the Silva's creativity in sliding it out of the way using skids and a dump truck. Herb Brockert of Construction Services Co. arrived with his big excavator to dig the large hole the new addition required as Norm and Tom began to realize the existing house was so crooked that it was going to be a challenge to mate with the new structure. Meanwhile another big hole was dug for the new septic system that was also deemed necessary for the project. The Silas slide the milk shed to its temporary location Tom and Norm assessed the scope of the demolition needed in the old house. The amount of slope in some of the floors was extreme, and the carpenters were against trying to fix very much of it at risk of blowing the budget. But as excavation continued, the issues involved with the old stone foundation and terribly compromised structure made those vows weaken. Many of the original beams and sills were rotted, and alterations over the years resulted in what Norm called a “terrifying” situation with the entire building slowly sliding towards the backyard. Tom devised a support structure to allow the house to be jacked up enough to replace the rotted sills that they originally weren’t going to repair. With the house so supported, the old stone foundation adjacent to the new addition was pretty much demolished in short order by hand with just a bit of help from the heavy equipment. Mel Zimmerman of Superior Walls supplied his precast concrete foundation sections for the new crawl space and the team was amazed at how quickly it all came together. Before they could celebrate too much, they had to deal with more of the old house’s structural issues. A trip to Concord showed what could be done if you had deep enough pockets with the mind-blowing reconstruction of the old Stratton Tavern originally in Northfield, MA and relocated piece by piece to the new Concord site. The owner was only identified as Anna, but Brian Cooper was the remarkable restoration contractor who took great pains to make the new look old. While the cost must have been astronomical, for me this was one of the more memorable places ever shown on TOH, and I would love to learn more about it, but information about it is remarkably elusive. The mysterious Anna and contractor Brian New addition off the back attached to an original reconstructed 18th century addition The reconstructed Stratton Tavern and new additions in Concord The original Stratton Tavern before relocation Framing of the new addition moved quickly even with a gigantic steel beam needing to go down the center of the first floor ceiling, and soon the new spaces began to take shape. A bit of a cloud appeared when one of the Maitland children showed an elevated level of lead in the blood, leading to an analysis of lead paint in the old house. Isolated sections inside were found to have elevated levels of lead although most did not, but all of the windows on the exterior were far above limits. Meanwhile more good intentions vanished as Tom decided to demolish the back corner of the old house, saying correctly that there was nothing to save. Quickly, new Andersen windows went in, the new stairs to the second floor were built, and rotted beams in the second floor ceiling were replaced with more new structure. In what must have been a slow period for the project, Norm took a lengthy visit to the Porter-Cable tool factory in Tennessee, which must have paid for a lot of biscuit joiners. Tom even made use of one of those in trimming windows. The heretofore largely mute Charlie Silva made one of his first on-screen speaking performances on this project, still sounding exactly like he does today. Tom demonstrated his famous swinging story pole trick to get the clapboard spacing correct, an early example of his ingenuity in construction. An tour of the new MBR space showed an area that didn’t seem overly generous and had the still-typical TOH phone booth shower stall, but it was certainly an upgrade over what the Maitlands had previously. Because of the lead paint issues, the homeowners decided to replace all 27 windows in the old parts of the house with new modern replacements, a decision that would have budget implications far beyond the windows themselves. Meanwhile the apparently accidental discovery of an old well led to that being recommissioned for irrigation purposes. Glenn Berger returned as kitchen designer, this time dealing with high-end Kennebec Company cabinetry for the new kitchen. Sima insisted on cherry. When replacement of the old windows began, all good budget intentions quickly went out the windows. The installation of them was expensive in itself, with the original clapboards needing to be laboriously trimmed to fit the new exterior trim. On the front of the house, Norm found the clapboards there to in such bad shape thanks to their southern exposure that the decision was made to scrap them all and replace with new. When that was done, more major structural problems were discovered, with rotted sills and posts galore, which explained the bulge in that wall that was noted in the first episode. The old sheathing under the clapboards was stripped off to reveal problems with rot and damage in the wall structure along with very questionable building methods, all of which required more jacking of the house to fix. Bee nests were found in the blown-in cellulose insulation which would also need to be replaced, something I found odd given that cellulose is usually treated to resist insects. Even with the repairs being done, the front wall would continue to lean back about 4”, something that they just could not fix, and they had to stop short of replacing all the sills due to cost. Tom noted that at this stage the budget had increased to $195,000 given all the changes and surprises. At least the TOH requisite central vacuum system was donated by Vacuflo, saving the homeowners $1000. Meanwhile the Maitlands wanted a new exterior paint scheme, so Steve visited Deerfield MA with architectural conservator Bill Flynt to look at various preserved examples of 18th-century homes, along with providing some history of the community in those times, an interesting segment. In the end, the Maitlands decided upon a pumpkin color that they saw on a house in a nearby town, with trim in a straw shade. Roger Cook and his crew arrived to install some drainage around the perimeter of the house, build a walkway to the mud room entrance, and re-do the lawn using a hydroseeding contractor. The homeowners also decided to replace the roof shingles on the original part of the house to match those used on the addition, which Tom said required lots of work to repair the rot in the roof sheathing first. Stephen Roy, a preservation stonemason, declared the existing fireplaces to be in mostly good shape aside from the one in the old kitchen needing some repair, but found that the exposed part of the chimney stack above the roof needed to be rebuilt as it had been subject to improper repairs some time earlier, a job he estimated at $5000. Lenny Belliveau built an elaborate staging to take down the old 5-flue chimney all to a level just below the roofline and then reconstruct it with new brick. Lenny Belliveau and his staging (below) https://preview.redd.it/2pzmvx8o64pa1.jpg?width=1415&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60b2d5cc734c1bfe28587b045b6fa48c60397619 Electrician Paul Kennedy was back on the project, and he was not a big fan of the steel studs Tom used in some of the new portions of the house. The costs were adding up fast, but luckily the Maitlands got a break on the then-new style spray foam insulation from Insealators which was featured as a donation. Architect Chris Dallmus enlisted Norm and his workshop to build a new, though now mostly ceremonial, front entrance inspired by examples found in the area. Sima wanted old-style wood floors in her new kitchen, and Norm visited North Fields Restorations in New Hampshire, a recycler of old buildings and their materials, to see what they could supply and found the perfect old pine for the job. Once Lenny was finished rebuilding the chimney top, Rich, Steve, and Bobby from Trethewey Bros. installed a stainless flexible flue liner to solve condensation problems and provide for safe operation of the furnace. Sima selected slate bathroom floor tile sourced from the now-defunct Shep Brown Associates and Mark, Joe and Chuck of Ferrante Bros. did the installation. Joe was frustrated with the time involved in grouting the uneven slates, which looked like a pain. Jeff Hosking was back to install the antique (and magnificent-looking) antique pine floors in the new addition, at a staggering 1994 cost of about $20 per sq. ft. A boo-boo occurred when Terry, following a tip from Norm, visited a twin to his house that had its dining room ceiling exposed to the upstairs floor and beams by its owners, which not only added some much-needed headroom but also gave a look he envied. He decided to do the same at his house, but when they removed the ceiling, they found a bit of a mess with hacked-up joists and a disfigured summer beam, so it was back to the drawing board and another budget hit. The new entry door built by Norm and Tom encountered problems upon installation since the front wall of the house was leaning back so severely, leading them to build a subframe behind it that partly compensated for the angle. The Kennebec Company cherry cabinets were beautiful with a satin finish, and the Glenn Berger layout seemed ideal, although they used an unusual mix of stone and laminate for the counters. Steve visited the cabinet factory in Bath, ME for a tour in return for their donation. As finishes began to be revealed, the requisite TOH phone booth shower was seen in the MBR bathroom and we saw Rich install yet another toilet. Tom replaced the DR ceiling that was torn down and it looked good, but he did sound a note of caution about the costs of everything – each of the 27 original windows that were replaced cost about $800 once new trim and wall repairs were taken into account, and Terry revealed that when counting the $120,000 in donations, the total cost of the project was over $300,000, a sum that would be more than double that today. Hopefully he had a good tax accountant to minimize his tax liability on that donation amount. Thankfully the expensive brass Baldwin door hardware was part of those donations thanks to a factory visit feature. The last 2 of the total 18 episodes of the project felt a little strange, with the usual somewhat dragged-out pieces with interior designers and decorative painters, but also some somewhat jarring segments. After not seeing them for the entire project, both landscape designer Tom Wirth and lighting expert Melissa Guenet showed up in the final episode to play catch-up. Even more jarring was an exterior walkaround with Tommy and Norm that was all about what was left undone. Major (and according to the way they delivered the message, urgent) work was needed on the rest of the sills and bearing structures below the old house to keep it from continuing to sag and twist, and the old cow barn, which we had only seen from a distance previously, was deemed by Tom to be dangerously unsupported and so unsafe that it shouldn’t even be walked into, and needed to be taken down. All in all, a bit of a down note. A more upbeat walkthough of the finished spaces was more cheery, with the old kitchen now being a rather cozy sitting area, the old upstairs bath now brought up to date, the surprisingly small-looking MBR space being pleasant enough albeit over-decorated, and the new kitchen and family room being apparently what was asked for, though it was hard to tell given the crush of people occupying it during the wrap party. We did not see what happened to some of the other old spaces in the original house, likely because that had not been determined at that point. The finished project circa 1995 The Maitlands have continued to live in the house ever since, and hopefully those urgent needs have been taken care of. I liked them as homeowners, and I enjoyed the project for the most part, particularly for seeing the repair work that Tom and Norm undertook on the horrible structural problems. It’s the kind of thing we generally don’t see on the show these days, and the project helped illustrate the money pit that a very old house can become. |
2023.03.21 17:13 Belinda_B What if there more than one volunteer?
This though doesn't leave my mind since I've read books for the first time. I mean The Games are seem to be pretty popular in the 1,2 and 4 districts, there are some kind of training centers for future tributes. So what will happen if at the reaping more than one person volunteer to be a tribute. How will they decide who's going and who's staying?
submitted by Belinda_B to Hungergames [link] [comments]
2023.03.21 17:09 InternationalWash822 Warren Buffett invested in these Fintech Companies - How does SOFI Measure Up?
 | The fintech industry has seen one of the most exciting growth trends as it revolutionizes how people access financial services. Right now, there are over 30,000 fintech startups and by the end of 2021, fintech investment reached a total of $210 billion. The fintech sphere is only expected to grow, so I believe it is a very attractive industry for investors and Warren Buffet seems to think so too. submitted by InternationalWash822 to Shortsqueeze [link] [comments] The Oracle of Omaha has been making large investments in multiple fintech companies. In fact, Buffet has invested over $900M (107.1M shares) in the Brazilian company, Nu Holdings, and $907M (30M shares) in ALLY. This is a huge investment even for someone like Buffett. Nu Holdings is actually his 8th largest investment in terms of shares. This raises the question, why has Buffett invested in these other fintech companies, but not in Sofi? Throughout this post, I’ll be talking about Sofi, ALLY, and Nu Holdings - comparing their pros, cons, and similarities. My goal here is to see if there is room for 3 top dogs in the fintech industry or not. Why has Buffett purchased a lot of shares of Nu Holdings, specifically? For starters, the company has grown its customer base to 70.9 million clients in just over a year since going public. Nu Holdings provides credit cards to people who are not eligible to get one through other banks & tries to minimize risk by reducing the eligible benefits that the customer is initially eligible for. As they pay their bills on time, they unlock more benefits & more credit limits. Another reason is its management. It's no secret that Buffett likes to invest in companies with good management. As he once said, “When we own portions of outstanding businesses with outstanding management, our favorite holding period is forever.” Nu Holdings has recently hired David Marcus (former president of PayPal & former Meta Board member) on March 6 to be part of its Board of Directors. It’s expected that David will play a crucial role in Nu’s journey going forward. The rest of the management team brings a lot of experience to the table as well:
Nu Holdings’ Edge - Brazil’s Unbanked Population Before Nu Holdings started, over 55 million Brazilians were unbanked. This is because it's notoriously difficult for people who are not wealthy to obtain credit cards in Brazil. In general, it's very difficult to get a credit card in Latin America without being one of the wealthy elites. By offering credit cards to people who would not be able to obtain one any other way, Nu has captured a large, untapped market. This is the main reason Nu is as successful as it is today. Compared to SOFI, Nu Holdings has a much larger client base, this is of course due to its operations in Brazil, Mexico, & Columbia which in total have a larger population than the US. Thanks in part to these widespread operations, Forbes listed Nu Holdings as one of the world’s best banks in 2022. Nu Holdings has a larger client base, more revenues, and is growing at a much faster rate than Sofi. The main reason for this is the fact that Nu Holdings doesn’t have as many competitors as Sofi, especially since they focus on an untapped market in Latin America. With Sofi, they have competitors right, left, and center due to established banks and fintech competitors. Nu Holdings became profitable Q3 2022 - only a year after its inception. After making a net profit of $7.8 million in Q3, it went on to make $58 million the next quarter and is on track to report an EPS of $0.02 & $1.393B in revenues in Q1 2023 Whereas SOFI is still struggling to become profitable and is forecast to make an EPS of $-0.077 & $442.262M in revenue in Q1 2023. https://preview.redd.it/gkta3om784pa1.png?width=626&format=png&auto=webp&s=4d1bfed341d05e0187966a6da3b3e34c4895cbfd https://preview.redd.it/eu2am7q684pa1.png?width=622&format=png&auto=webp&s=6b0d5b8ff376c5c0ae86c565cbc715a50d293f28 *Screenshot taken from Future Investing YouTube* How are Nu Holdings & Sofi similar? But Nu Holdings & Sofi share one very important thing in common. They both want to be a one stop shop for financial services. Since Sofi specializes in student loan refinancing, it creates a bond with younger customers who - hopefully - will turn into lifelong customers that use Sofi for all their banking needs. Similarly, Nu Holdings offers credit cards to customers younger than 18 in Brazil - capturing a demographic of young people who will hopefully become lifelong customers. This means that both companies could continue to grow and expand as their customer base grows older and younger generations adopt their services as well. https://preview.redd.it/xlub4fg884pa1.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d8d039e9347417080f9035758f5cb9435e6dc29 Why has Buffett invested in ALLY? Having invested $1.7B since 2012 in the industry giant, General Motors, you could say Buffet is an expert on the auto industry. Which helps explain why Buffett took an interest in Ally. This fintech company offers multiple services but specializes in the auto loan industry since it once was a financing division of GM, originally known as GMAC. After GM sold the rest of its 8.5% stake in Ally for $900M in 2013, Ally has expanded its market by offering mortgages, credit cards, wealth management, & other services. https://preview.redd.it/y1c473va84pa1.png?width=605&format=png&auto=webp&s=84b47713c9d3fc8551a21260e51fc863cc7d1570 Another reason Buffett is investing in ALLY could be its history of share buybacks. Buffett is a big believer in stock buybacks and has said they can be the best use of corporate capital. ALLY also offers quarterly dividends to shareholders, which is a sign of the company’s fundamental strength. How does ALLY compare to Sofi? The main difference is the source of Ally’s revenue. 65.6% of Ally’s total revenue in 2022 came from the auto finance industry, while Sofi’s edge is student loan refinancing. In 2019, Sofi generated 59.7% of its revenue from student loans. But it’s worth noting that it can be quite difficult to qualify for student loan refinancing if you have a bad credit score whereas it’s a bit easier for people to get auto loans. https://preview.redd.it/q9efotfb84pa1.png?width=615&format=png&auto=webp&s=3dc7776eb6c02cd0e9293b82cb11e14b391cd86b How are Ally & Sofi similar? Ally & Sofi both offer commission free stock trading for investors with a high APY as well. Ally’s savings account offers 3.60% APY and Sofi offers 3.75% APY with a direct deposit. This means that with a direct deposit, you’ll earn a higher APY with Sofi, but without one, you’d earn a higher APY with Ally. Both companies offer multiple services such as mortgage loans, credit cards, insurance, etc. and are online banks with no physical locations. Given their different niches, it makes sense that Ally’s customers tend to be millennials while Sofi’s customers tend to be students or fresh graduates. Sofi’s Edge So after going through the pros and cons of all three of these companies, you might be wondering if SOFI has what it takes to gain market share in the growing Fintech industry. I believe Sofi has an edge over these two competitors when it comes to diversification. The two pictures below show the type of services that Sofi & Ally offer. Sofi is constantly trying to increase its market by opening up different services to attract new customers. To name a few:
https://preview.redd.it/0vcs7h5c84pa1.png?width=541&format=png&auto=webp&s=3521404dec4a95cb3ed2212eb32bbee5416a0fd1 Besides diversification, SOFI’s focus on student loan refinancing is also a plus imo. College education is essential in the US and without a college degree, most people can only get so far in their career. For instance, 53.7% of the US working population in 2021 graduated from college and at least 75% of new jobs require a college degree. When you factor in the average cost of tuition - which has soared 31.4% from 2010-2020 - and that the average student debt among college graduates is $28,000, SOFI is in a great position to profit from this sector. Given this inflationary environment & higher interest rates, I think that demand for student loan refinancing will only increase. This is because employers are constantly looking for people with degrees & the number of jobs requiring this are increasing every year. So it's no surprise that CEO Anthony Noto recently said, “We’d expect the demand for that product (student loans) to really go through the roof and be back to normalized levels that we saw in 2019.” But with the student loan pause in place, SOFI is losing a lot of money. The company stated that it has lost $300M to $400M and is pushing very hard to get a decision passed ending the student loan moratorium. The Supreme Court already heard the oral arguments regarding the case and is expected to give a decision in June. If things are not resolved by then or the Supreme Court rules against federal student loan forgiveness, then payments are expected to resume by the end of August. This is because payments are expected to start up again, 60 days following the ruling. Needless to say this would be a huge catalyst for SOFI and I, personally, believe that the Supreme Court will rule in SOFI’s favor. And the flood of refinancing requests that could come in once this limbo ends could give SOFI’s revenues a much-needed push. With this in mind, June will be a make-or-break moment for SOFI. Now, you might be thinking ‘that’s great and all but what about Buffett’s 8th largest investment by shares? OP is just some dude on the internet, and this is THE Warren Buffett’. https://preview.redd.it/w3k57vtc84pa1.png?width=288&format=png&auto=webp&s=8e5770fad03ae86cb15bcbe116bc706a512d9364 Well, you wouldn’t be wrong. It's hard to argue against Warren Buffett’s logic and I think NU could be a good investment as well, but compared to SOFI, I think that it presents a lot more risk. For one thing, Brazil has just gotten out of one of its worst economic crises in history and with a new government taking over there’s a lot of uncertainty. Corruption is very high in Brazil, and banks which provide their services almost exclusively to the rich in Brazil could use their power to turn the government against Nu Holdings if they feel threatened. Also, giving out credit cards to kids under 18 (even if the card’s benefits are limited) just sounds really risky to me. Given that most people in Brazil are not as financially well off as most US residents, its weaker currency, and struggling economy, Nu Holdings could face the greatest risk of all three companies. But time will tell whether the Brazilian government will make life easier or more difficult for a company like Nu Holdings. So this means that ALLY, which also focuses on the US market for financial services, is probably SOFI’s greatest competition. Both companies have a lot in common, but they’ve chosen to specialize in different niches. So let’s break it down:
Regardless of the potential hit to the automotive sector, when you compare auto loans to student loans you quickly see that student loans take the cake. The market size of the Auto leasing, loans, & sales financing industry is $173.2 billion, while the student loan industry is a massive $1.76 trillion. So Sofi has the upper hand here in terms of the market potential. With college tuition constantly increasing & students entering college year after year, SOFI also has stricter requirements for qualifying for personal loans, such as a credit score of 680 and other factors which make their loans comparatively safer since its clients are more thoroughly vetted. This is good because it allows Sofi to minimize the potential risk of a customer not being able to pay back their loan in the future. Conclusion: So, in conclusion, I think SOFI is in a fairly safe spot as long as the Supreme Court gives a favorable ruling. Since Nu Holdings operates in Latin America it won’t compete with Sofi for market share. Ally & Sofi also have different specializations, but Ally is a more established FinTech company which could take customers from Sofi. Still, SOFI’s goal is to become a one stop shop for all financial services and it has diversified its services extensively over the years which could give it an edge in this industry. Personally, I believe SOFI will be able to grow its customer base better than ALLY because it appeals directly to young adults heading into college. If these customers have a good experience, then SOFI can become their go-to financial service provider for the rest of their life. On this note, the FinTech industry is on track for major growth especially since Covid-19 acted as a catalyst for the industry - leading to wider adoption at a time when contactless payments were becoming essential. Besides this, the FinTech industry will likely continue to grow just out of sheer practicality. For one thing, Fintech cuts down servicing costs like maintaining physical branches while still providing a very high value service. As more and more transactions move online, the digital revolution continues to work in the industry’s favor and the widespread adoption of smartphones means that our phones will increasingly act as wallets. So, it's not surprising that the use of Fintech companies increased 88% from 2020 to 2021. So I'm pretty bullish on three of these stocks for the time being at least. Now for the TA... $SOFI https://preview.redd.it/djuk58id84pa1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=74f72c6e21506030efc6bbc44374cb04b07096bb $SOFI has been stuck in a sideways channel since April 2022. The stock has a strong resistance at $7.59 which it tested on its positive Q4 earnings, however SOFI dropped almost 18% to its support at $5.25 due to market uncertainty. Now trading at $5.20, SOFI is below the 50, 200, and 21 MAs on the daily timeframe. Despite this, I’m expecting a bounce and potential retest of the $7.59 resistance leading up to the Supreme Court decision in June since the RSI oversold at 30. Right now SOFI is fundamentally oversold IMO. I bought 1k shares here as a starter with a stop loss at the $4.92 support. I’ll be averaging down under the $5.25 support or averaging up depending on the trend. My take profits will be the 200 MA, $6.43 resistance and the $7.59 resistance. https://preview.redd.it/pakxnr1e84pa1.jpg?width=1458&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3fb5c7d97c02030b7ad888463c4c2cf572e973c5 $ALLY: https://preview.redd.it/8zwd6jme84pa1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af9de5ffc042ca2bfaf546417438edac1e9dc409 ALLY was in a downward channel all of 2022 but it broke out at the start of 2023 - testing the $34 resistance after earnings. Since then the trend has reversed and is now bearish. The stock touched its $21.91 support mostly due to market turmoil rather than fundamentals. I’m expecting ALLY to break out of this channel like it did at the start of this year when it approached the $34 support. The stock recently tested what was once the upper trendline and bounced off of it which is a bullish sign. Personally, I think that these banking fears will dissipate now that the government has stepped in - as illustrated by the XLF closing green on Monday. Looking at the daily timeframe, ALLY is oversold with the RSI at 30 so I am expecting a bounce over the next few weeks. Long-term, I think ALLY will trade in a sideways channel between the $23.80 support and $34 resistance until a strong catalyst is able to break it out. But for now, I’ll take a swing here with a stoploss at $23 and my take profits at $27.05 and the 50MA. $NU: https://preview.redd.it/1x33g57f84pa1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e1b3757785d4d1a40bd84ea5607052fd7d5c833 Compared to ALLY and SOFI, NU has not dropped as dramatically, which is likely due to its exposure to Latin American markets rather than the US. The stock is currently trending downwards within the sideways channel. The stock is testing the 200 MA on the daily chart, if it breaks through it I will be going short with the lower trendline as my take profit and the 50 MA as my SL. |
2023.03.21 17:02 ZenSpaceOdyssey Halo Seven - Campaign Themes Brainstorming
Just a random thought I had. It looks like the sun has pretty much set on Halo Campaign DLC unless their doing a good job misdirecting and keeping hush hush about it. Halo 7 is probably going to be the next story installment we get in the main series. I think it's fair to say Halo 4, 5 and 6 have struggled to find a consistent theme and tone across the reclaimer trilogy. So here's my pitch for a theme for the next mainline series.
It's interesting how Spartan-II's and III's were recruited and trained from a young age, similar to real world Spartans from ancient Greece. Halo itself is a series about mankind fighting foes originating from outside of the human sphere and even hundreds of years later, our best fighters have been named after and pulled from lessons from within our own history. Mankind after all has literally thousands of years of documented internal conflict we can study and learn from. It would be interesting to me if the campaign put the protagonists in challenging strategic situations and they had to pull from a vast, detailed working knowledge of military history to produce strategies in different situations. The lore claims the S-II's were not only soldiers but they studied war academically for years. You could probably comfortable expand this to the entire Spartan branch and UNSC officers. It would be cool if this was one of the hidden strengths of the Spartans. They're not just augmented, highly trained soldiers but they've studied fighting techniques, and are scholars of military strategy and conflict from hundreds of cultures across all of human civilization. Can all of the alien races say they have the same academic approach to warfare? Do they have same trove of information to learn from? This elevates the conflict to an almost pseudo military cultural war. Maybe the Spartans become military advisers for other races in some new galaxy spanning conflict. From a gameplay standpoint every level or couple levels could be inspired by a historical battle, teach the player about history and military strategy and provide diversity of play.
First example, low hanging fruit. A bunch of (enemies) are going to overwhelm human defenders at a settlements or something. Chief, or whoever's calling the shots, realizes the aliens can be bottle necked somewhere to buy time. UNSC forces implement the similar strategy used at the Battle of Thermopylae and stop the enemy advance. The player plays through a level inspired by this.
Second Example. Defenders are consistently losing to a better equipped more numerous enemy in a long protracted war. Maybe the Unggoy are losing a war on Balaho to some new alien enemy or something (endless?), maybe it's a civil war, doesn't matter. The UNSC and Spartans step in as military advisors and compare the situation to the American Revolutionary War. They teach the Grunts how to use guerilla tactics to win small battles and attack the opponent where they're weak. They help them build a functional resistance. The player could get a few guerilla levels out of this.
Third Example. Military forces have to punch through a massive fortified defensive position. The Spartans reference the Invasion of Normandy in WW2 and build a strategy around that. The player runs through a few meatgrinder levels in in the sci-fi setting that actually deconstruct the flow of events on D-Day.
You get the idea. Pulling different military strategies from different real world examples and using the Spartans and Chief to explore that space would be interesting. It doesn't seem like 343 has the gravel in their guts to do anything really hard hitting with the "Chief has PTSD" storyline. They clearly need another narrative direction that stays with a positive military theme while keeping the content fresh and exciting. I see this as Halo meets Metal Gear in a way, exciting game play plus history and philosophy.
submitted by ZenSpaceOdyssey to HaloStory [link] [comments]
It's interesting how Spartan-II's and III's were recruited and trained from a young age, similar to real world Spartans from ancient Greece. Halo itself is a series about mankind fighting foes originating from outside of the human sphere and even hundreds of years later, our best fighters have been named after and pulled from lessons from within our own history. Mankind after all has literally thousands of years of documented internal conflict we can study and learn from. It would be interesting to me if the campaign put the protagonists in challenging strategic situations and they had to pull from a vast, detailed working knowledge of military history to produce strategies in different situations. The lore claims the S-II's were not only soldiers but they studied war academically for years. You could probably comfortable expand this to the entire Spartan branch and UNSC officers. It would be cool if this was one of the hidden strengths of the Spartans. They're not just augmented, highly trained soldiers but they've studied fighting techniques, and are scholars of military strategy and conflict from hundreds of cultures across all of human civilization. Can all of the alien races say they have the same academic approach to warfare? Do they have same trove of information to learn from? This elevates the conflict to an almost pseudo military cultural war. Maybe the Spartans become military advisers for other races in some new galaxy spanning conflict. From a gameplay standpoint every level or couple levels could be inspired by a historical battle, teach the player about history and military strategy and provide diversity of play.
First example, low hanging fruit. A bunch of (enemies) are going to overwhelm human defenders at a settlements or something. Chief, or whoever's calling the shots, realizes the aliens can be bottle necked somewhere to buy time. UNSC forces implement the similar strategy used at the Battle of Thermopylae and stop the enemy advance. The player plays through a level inspired by this.
Second Example. Defenders are consistently losing to a better equipped more numerous enemy in a long protracted war. Maybe the Unggoy are losing a war on Balaho to some new alien enemy or something (endless?), maybe it's a civil war, doesn't matter. The UNSC and Spartans step in as military advisors and compare the situation to the American Revolutionary War. They teach the Grunts how to use guerilla tactics to win small battles and attack the opponent where they're weak. They help them build a functional resistance. The player could get a few guerilla levels out of this.
Third Example. Military forces have to punch through a massive fortified defensive position. The Spartans reference the Invasion of Normandy in WW2 and build a strategy around that. The player runs through a few meatgrinder levels in in the sci-fi setting that actually deconstruct the flow of events on D-Day.
You get the idea. Pulling different military strategies from different real world examples and using the Spartans and Chief to explore that space would be interesting. It doesn't seem like 343 has the gravel in their guts to do anything really hard hitting with the "Chief has PTSD" storyline. They clearly need another narrative direction that stays with a positive military theme while keeping the content fresh and exciting. I see this as Halo meets Metal Gear in a way, exciting game play plus history and philosophy.
2023.03.21 16:58 Rare_Improvement_241 Decolonization in Design and Governing
 | This argumentative piece discusses the ideologies, constraints, positives, and negatives of decolonization. Decolonization refers to the movement of previously oppressed groups that go back to their original mannerisms, practices, and cultures; most groups that showed decolonization were often those from colonies that became independent of their colonizers. submitted by Rare_Improvement_241 to u/Rare_Improvement_241 [link] [comments] Fig.1: Ironic English Protest The most famous cases of decolonization appear hidden in plain sight, with some of the world's biggest countries showing scars of freedom fighting. The United States of America was not always united and free. In 1607, 104 Englishmen stepped onto the shores of middle North America. The British aimed to start a new settlement and further extend their roots to the furthest edges of the map. The British believed that their firepower and brute strength would overtake and overpower any existing post set up by other European countries and further be able to colonize any remaining native tribes who had maintained their independence thus far. The Native Indians are estimated to have arrived in America around 10,000 bc (Simonsen, 2006). These British people who settled in America became the new "Americans". They oppressed the Native Americans and fought them for their land leading to the First Native Indian War in 1609. The Native Americans were never defeated but suffered multiple casualties at the hands of the Americans. The Native Americans were close to losing the war towards the end of the 16th century but held off the Americans with their bows and arrows, stone clubs, spears, blow guns, and hatches. In the early 1700s, they were revolutionized and traded guns for goods with French, Italian, Belgian, and other significant European forces. Although Native Americans were not colonized, their ethics, practices, and arms were updated. They used the designs of oppressors to gain equality on the battlefield, fought the war for over 300 years, and were never fully controlled. When the war on Native Americans ended in 1924, they reverted from their colonial ways but kept using guns; what remained was their tribal and heritage-based home-building techniques, homemade, culture-filled weapons, notably the blowdart and bow and arrow, and their traditional Aztec prints (different to their camouflaged 300-year-old war attire) (Washburn, 2012). In the areas of design in decolonization, the Native Americas proved that returning to their original roots was fulfilling and fruitful; they did not lose their culture and adapted to modern times to protect and stand their ground. Fig. 2: Native Americans Europeans (the Dutch) first inhabited Southern Africa in 1652. It was evident that their reasons for being there were not to colonize or to live in unison with the natives but rather to build a servicing port for ships and to farm on the rich African soils. Almost a decade later, the British arrived in 1661. The Europeans asserted dominance over the existing African tribes, forcing Africans to give up some of their heritage lands and be outcasts in new areas that were not their homes. For the next 300-odd years, countless wars broke out between the British, Dutch, and Southern African tribes. In the 1800s, Zulus adapted to the modern styles of fighting (similar to the previously-mentioned Native Americans) and put down their sticks, wooden weapons, and other fighting techniques and found guns to be more efficient. They also adapted to makeshift tent designs and sleeping solutions similar to the Europeans. Despite narrowly losing the war to the British during the Anglo-Zulu War, they used European designs to gain respect from the Europeans. Although oppressed, they had more peace than they had while coexisting in the same space as the Europeans. In 1948, the apartheid regime began, and all people of colour were equally oppressed. The oppressed conformed to European ways of living but with fewer rights. They had no freedom to express their cultures and heritage through design, and European Gothic and Renaissance styles of Architecture were imminent throughout South Africa. Commercial buildings in CBDs and other areas of high business are plain and have very simplistic European facades. 1994 marked the end of the apartheid regime, and people of colour finally had equal rights. With that, their cultures began to thrive once again. Through fashion with cultural items such as animal prints, beaded goods, fancy feathered headwear, and other goods, African culture has imprinted on every race in South Africa; another race that embraced their fashion and culture was the Indians, who have pushed for fashion design and just like African (used as a vague, broad expression), has every race wearing it (Rovine, 2015). In architecture and the built environment, African culture can be represented by bright modern colours and unique patterns; their designs are slowly but surely making their way onto buildings as facades, decorative tiles, and finishes. Fig. 3: South Africans Protesting against Inequality While separating the art from the artist to some degree, the oppressed governing practices have quickly sent South Africa into poverty struck corrupted land; when looking at decolonization in terms of governing and control, although equal and free, it can be argued that since Africans have been reinstated back in control, the decolonizing of South Africa was detrimental (Hirsch, 2005). In design, Africa is thriving as a tourist hotspot as Africans have pushed their culture back out and into the world; by doing this, they have added depth to the South African culture and removed the dark monotone cloud that hung over South Africa's heritage. Fig. 4: Constitutional Court of South Africa - Facade Design In the mid-1600s, the British came across the remaining unexplored southern tip of Africa. It was once again a fight for them to reign power and authority over the native Venda people (Zimbabwe's leading and most prominent tribe). The British people fought for 300 years until a whole war broke out in then Rhodesia. The Rhodesian Bush War began between the Africans and Zulu in 1964 when the Africans opposed Rhodesian rule and oppression. The war became realistically winnable to the natives due to Zambia and Malawi gaining independence and the British Federation losing power in those countries. They used all the same tactics that they had learned as victims of their colonizers for the past 300 years; both sides used guns, knives, and bombs, and the fight was so equal that the war went on until 1979. The war ended in December, and by the first day of January 1980, the African people had already replaced the name Rhodesia with a new name that would fully represent their country, one that would go back to practicing Venda traditions of law and rule, viz. Zimbabwe (Gordon, 1981). Decolonization has previously shown that it is a positive idea with many advantages, but Zimbabwe was one of the significant cases of backlash. Fig. 5: Zimbabweans with Arms Protesting White Governing When Zimbabwe was restored to its original roots, Robert Mugabe became the prime minister in 1980 while Zimbabwe would still serve under partial British rule. Zimbabwe thrived for two years before Mugabe fired Joshua Nkomo (a member of the Zapu party) for accusing him of trying to overthrow the government; Mugabe enlisted North Korean trained soldiers to kill Nkomo's party off. In 1987, Mugabe merged forces with Nkomo and gained votes to become the president of Zimbabwe. Under Mugabe's decolonized rule, Africans gained more power in Zimbabwe than white people. Using pre-colonized rules, white people became a trophy-hunted commodity for the Africans. In 2000, Zimbabwe witnessed further bloodshed as white farm owners were slaughtered for their farms by squatters- the government supported these killings and abuse of power. In 2001, Zimbabwe opened up to the world about its financial problems as badly-run farms, poorly-maintained factories, and bank crashes caused the Zimbabwean dollar to drop quickly. Under decolonized governing, Zimbabwe was suspended by the Commonwealth and struggled with mass poverty and hunger. In 2005, an estimated 700,000 people were left homeless as the government orchestrated operation "clean-up" by destroying all street stalls and shacks. In 2008, the European Union and the United States declared full sanctions against Zimbabwe. In 2018, after 40 years of "independence", Zimbabwe changed the laws to give presidents a limited time of two terms in which they are allowed to serve a country. The designs and systems established by Commonwealth law or any generic democratic ruling often allow countries to flourish or crash with equal fairness between government and citizens. Zimbabwe's recent history has shown that as good as decolonization may be; it may also cause years of bloodshed, a crashing economy, poverty, and famine. Fig. 6: Zimbabweans Peacefully Protesting in 2020 In the early 1600s, the British landed on the warm sandy coast of Surat, India, solely intending to trade. Not long after, the British decided to dismiss their trade ideas with the Indians and instead do the trading of Indians and Indian goods. Despite not being under British Crown rule, India was oppressed and sapped of its people and goods. In 1858, the British officially declared that India's governing and control would come under British Crown rule whilst slowly easing off using Indians as enslaved people worldwide; they continued to trade cotton, tea, spices, indigo, silk, ivory, and marble deeply rooted in India's culture. Nearly 100 years after India served under British Crown rule, India broke free of the British and became independent, mainly through non-violent resistance promoted and endorsed by Mahatma Gandhi (Kale, 1998). India is still part of the Commonwealth, and the British heavily influenced their architecture (Cohen, 2001). However, after gaining independence, India went on a spree of building temples, shrines, and religious monuments. Since then, their unique culture can be seen in facades, tiles, gilded buildings, religious figures carved from stone, and other significant Indian designs (Scriver & Srivastava, 2016). To inject more culture into the country, India is moving away from British glass box designs used as the blueprint for commercial buildings; they felt the buildings lacked depth. India identified decolonization as more than just using designs and input from pre-colonizing days. Instead, that design is a sense of unity and self-acceptance and has a much more robust and positive psychological effect on individuals. The past may have been better for India. However, by decolonizing design, they rediscovered their foundations and still give tourists and locals a feeling of rich heritage and culture from centuries ago, now in modern times. Fig. 7: Indian Post-Oppression Bus Station Design In Britain's reign for power worldwide, its biggest threat was China. Without slavery, stealing from oppressed countries, and other human rights violations, China thrived as an economic, cultural, and design hub. Britain sought to gain control of China's economic zones and initiated the First Opium war in 1839. Britain could only partially sabotage China because its population and brute armed forces ensured greater defense against colonization. Britain took control of an island off the coast of China and asserted British Crown rule over what would become Hong Kong. The British ruled Hong Kong for over a century and a half. The Hong Kong citizens did not resist oppression. They waited until Britain traded them back to China with the agreement that Hong Kong would not be decolonized and practice capitalist ideas and systems for 50 years after the handover (Wong, 2013). Fig. 8: Hong Kong Citizens Demanding and Fighting for Democracy While British architecture and design can be seen throughout Hong Kong, China explicitly tries to inject Chinese culture into the previously oppressed independent state. With Mandarin banners, bright red and yellow facades, and other Chinese symbols like dragons, China is singlehandedly decolonizing Hong Kong. The problem that arose with Hong Kong being handed over to another state was that Hong Kong never had its independence and always belonged to another country, never fully being able to practice its decolonization (Lim & Lim, 2007). While China is positively reinstating culture and heritage in Hong Kong, protestors continuously fight to make Hong Kong its own country. Fig. 9: Proposed Building Facade Design from Mainland China Throughout this argumentative essay, we discussed decolonization in governance, design, heritage, and culture. Decolonization in the world's history is proven to be primarily positive. However, care must be taken to avoid extreme decolonization, especially in areas of design, as we risk losing the richly-woven tapestries of design constructs that have metamorphosized through the centuries. |
2023.03.21 16:57 thatguyinhutch I'm all out of ideas and I need your help
“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Matthew 25: 40
This morning, the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee finished up its effort to strip fentanyl testing strips and an Overdose death review board from HB2390 - and instead replaced the bill with language from SB6
HB2390 was a bill that would’ve created a review board that would examine opioid overdose deaths in the state and look for policy recommendations that could help reduce and prevent future overdose deaths. It also contained a provision that would decriminalize fentanyl testing strips - which is a tool that’s proven to alter the behavior of those using drugs and demonstrably saves lives. It was introduced by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and introduced and supported by a Republican member of the House who is also a doctor.
SB6 is a bill that restricts “the authority of the Secretary of Health and local health departments to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious or contagious diseases.” It was introduced by Sen. Mark Steffen, of Hutchinson.
HB2390 passed the House with a unanimous vote - 121-0. SB6 passed the Senate by a vote of 22-18.
In the Senate Committee, the first salvo was to strip out fentanyl testing strips. The second was to strip out the review board, and the third was to gut the bill altogether and insert Sen. Steffen’s lingering paranoia about public health. You can watch how it played out, and also learn how to not run a committee.
Here's the video - https://youtu.be/9PIPZc59RAw
The prevailing thought among seemingly enough Senate Republicans is that allowing testing strips will enable drug use. That’s not true - and not supported by a shred of evidence. When that argument was knocked down, they invented the excuse that if fentanyl testing strips are not illegal, law enforcement could lose the probable cause needed to carry out further searches. This, likewise isn’t true. The law enforcement officers I talked to - including the KBI - indicated that it takes more than one thing to create probable cause. And there’s always more than one thing if a search is warranted.
At some point, we have to accept that there are people in the Capitol building who don’t care about some people. They care about the right people - and that is always, without question, defined by the people in charge.
I will admit that I’m exhausted, demoralized, and, frankly defeated.
In this building, we’re supposed to be here to do good work. To help people. To learn - about our state, our industries, our people, and the challenges they encounter in their daily lives. And we’re supposed to use that information to put in place policy that will make our state better.
Many days, I don’t feel that’s what’s happening here. And certainly when it comes to battling our opioid epidemic, and the growing scourge of fentanyl, there’s a group of people - all of them in the Senate - who refuse to acknowledge this reality or to take even the simplest steps to help.
I understand and expect there will be differences in this place about how to solve problems - and which approaches are going to be the most effective. But I don’t expect for a handful of people to be able to overwhelm the majority, nor do I expect that a few people can decide to ignore a legitimate problem altogether.
KDHE has a dashboard to track overdose deaths. There were 678 overdose deaths in 2021.
Yet another teenager recently died from fentanyl. He’s not the first and he won’t be the last.
The Kansas City Police Department reported that accidental overdose from fentanyl poisoning has increased 150 percent from 2019 to 2020. And the Centers for Disease Control reported that fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased 350 percent among American teenagers between 2019 and 2021.
I have an alert set up that tells me every time there’s news coverage about fentanyl deaths in Kansas. I get notifications almost every day. The problem is getting worse, not better. Our 1980s policies are outdated and ineffective against what we’re facing today.
And the Rand Corporation - not exactly a bastion of liberal thought or policy - issued a 600-page report saying that the American approach to opioids must be viewed, and addressed, from an ecosystem perspective. There is no silver bullet in this - because this virus is embedded too broadly, and is too adaptive, for a single-track approach.
Yet, we got what we got this morning in the now-ironically named Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.
submitted by thatguyinhutch to kansas [link] [comments]
This morning, the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee finished up its effort to strip fentanyl testing strips and an Overdose death review board from HB2390 - and instead replaced the bill with language from SB6
HB2390 was a bill that would’ve created a review board that would examine opioid overdose deaths in the state and look for policy recommendations that could help reduce and prevent future overdose deaths. It also contained a provision that would decriminalize fentanyl testing strips - which is a tool that’s proven to alter the behavior of those using drugs and demonstrably saves lives. It was introduced by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and introduced and supported by a Republican member of the House who is also a doctor.
SB6 is a bill that restricts “the authority of the Secretary of Health and local health departments to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious or contagious diseases.” It was introduced by Sen. Mark Steffen, of Hutchinson.
HB2390 passed the House with a unanimous vote - 121-0. SB6 passed the Senate by a vote of 22-18.
In the Senate Committee, the first salvo was to strip out fentanyl testing strips. The second was to strip out the review board, and the third was to gut the bill altogether and insert Sen. Steffen’s lingering paranoia about public health. You can watch how it played out, and also learn how to not run a committee.
Here's the video - https://youtu.be/9PIPZc59RAw
The prevailing thought among seemingly enough Senate Republicans is that allowing testing strips will enable drug use. That’s not true - and not supported by a shred of evidence. When that argument was knocked down, they invented the excuse that if fentanyl testing strips are not illegal, law enforcement could lose the probable cause needed to carry out further searches. This, likewise isn’t true. The law enforcement officers I talked to - including the KBI - indicated that it takes more than one thing to create probable cause. And there’s always more than one thing if a search is warranted.
At some point, we have to accept that there are people in the Capitol building who don’t care about some people. They care about the right people - and that is always, without question, defined by the people in charge.
I will admit that I’m exhausted, demoralized, and, frankly defeated.
In this building, we’re supposed to be here to do good work. To help people. To learn - about our state, our industries, our people, and the challenges they encounter in their daily lives. And we’re supposed to use that information to put in place policy that will make our state better.
Many days, I don’t feel that’s what’s happening here. And certainly when it comes to battling our opioid epidemic, and the growing scourge of fentanyl, there’s a group of people - all of them in the Senate - who refuse to acknowledge this reality or to take even the simplest steps to help.
I understand and expect there will be differences in this place about how to solve problems - and which approaches are going to be the most effective. But I don’t expect for a handful of people to be able to overwhelm the majority, nor do I expect that a few people can decide to ignore a legitimate problem altogether.
KDHE has a dashboard to track overdose deaths. There were 678 overdose deaths in 2021.
Yet another teenager recently died from fentanyl. He’s not the first and he won’t be the last.
The Kansas City Police Department reported that accidental overdose from fentanyl poisoning has increased 150 percent from 2019 to 2020. And the Centers for Disease Control reported that fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased 350 percent among American teenagers between 2019 and 2021.
I have an alert set up that tells me every time there’s news coverage about fentanyl deaths in Kansas. I get notifications almost every day. The problem is getting worse, not better. Our 1980s policies are outdated and ineffective against what we’re facing today.
And the Rand Corporation - not exactly a bastion of liberal thought or policy - issued a 600-page report saying that the American approach to opioids must be viewed, and addressed, from an ecosystem perspective. There is no silver bullet in this - because this virus is embedded too broadly, and is too adaptive, for a single-track approach.
Yet, we got what we got this morning in the now-ironically named Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.
2023.03.21 16:45 dazed_13 1st time driver post TBI. Where do I start?
I had 2 cerebrospinal fluid leaks in the the past, one at 15 and the other at 20. Multiple diagnosed concussions. Suspected TBI (treatment is from my psychiatrist, studied nuerology, helps me with med and referrals. Still in process with some extensive nuerology testing, just takes forever..) I never got my license and I am almost 26 now. I can operate a vehicle but I cannot drive on the road properly so I never pursued a license. I have come back to the idea of driving now and then and recently discovered the term "inability to maintain position in lane" on an article about drivers post TBI. It perfectly explained my problems I have been unable to describe in the past. Inability to focus on moving objects or focus ahead, easily frustrated, lost even in familiar areas. All issues I had once I started driving on the road. I quickly realized it wasn't safe and haven't attempted driving since. I can move a vehicle in an emergency but need someone to help me "see." I have 20/20 vision so it's not my eyes, I think theres an issue with my perception. I have been reading about vision therapy or ocular motor training. However some evidence points towards cognitive disorders being the root of this issue in post TBI drivers. I already got tested for a wide range of cognitive and development disorders at my local regional center. The referral was pretty damn hard to get. No answers turned up there... I know this is a tricky question but is there anywhere I should start? Should I consider trying vision therapy? Try and get re-evaluated by nuerology department or pursue second opinion? I'm getting older and want to invest in my future. It's become invasive and embarrassing explaining to people why I don't drive.
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