Lined crocs without holes

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At the Beginning
Adventure Arc - Arc 2
Wilderness Arc - Arc 3
Academy Arc - Arc 4
Previously on Leveling up the World…
Book 2 (start of the Adventure/City Arc) is available for pre-order!
 
A thin shimmering layer covered the sword once Dallion returned to the real world.it wasn’t the standard shimmering of an otherworlder, at least not entirely. There was a slight nuance to it, making it appear both to be part of this world, but also not.
“This what you wanted?” Dallion stood up.
Based on the intense emotions resonating from both Phoil and Raven, the answer was obvious. Even so, the black-haired noble had no desire to surrender a compliment.
“How many tries did it take you?” he asked.
“Two. Does it matter?”
“Not particularly.”
Internally, Dallion frowned. He’d learned to accept that nobles respected items, least of all.
“Alright, then. Now about your part of the deal? I need to be out before dark.”
“I’ll keep my word.” Raven pointed at the sword in a slow, dismissive fashion. That was more than enough for Phoil to pick up the weapon. Instead of heading outside, though, he went up the stairs to the private area of the building. “It’ll take me a bit to get my seal adjusted. Meet you at the door in half an hour?”
“Half an hour.” Dallion nodded. “See you there.”
This was the best deal he’d get, so there was no point in shaking the boat. He himself had something to pick up from his room.
Onda, did you get all that? Dallion asked as he went back into the corridor.
Well done, old man. One could almost near the nymph clapping. Lamer than me, but still cool.
What did I do wrong?
Nothing. Everything was perfect. The set up, the way you convinced the guardian, the selection of the material… It’s your logic that’s messed up. No, not exactly messed up, just too dependent on other things.
Hmm.
Keeping himself from running along the corridor, Dallion made his way to his room. The new feat he’d achieved filled him with more energy than was healthy. He tried getting rid of some of it by extending magic threads out of his hand—weaving them into a rope, as Katka had instructed—but that made him even more restless. Magic had a way to make its owner feel invincible, almost as if he’d drunk a bucket of energy drinks.
“Ruby, we’re heading outside.” Dallion pulled back the cluster of threads back into him, then took the aetherizer he kept hidden in a drawer with an invisibility symbol on it. “How do you feel about that?”
The shardfly stoically flew off the spot on the ceiling, taking its place on Dallion’s shoulder. For some reason, that reminded Dallion of Gleam.
Within seconds, the euphoria he had accumulated vanished without a trace. Was he capable of bringing the shardfly back? It had to be more complicated than opening a portal to the banished world. And even if it wasn’t, Dallion had no way of reaching that realm again.
“Tell me when you sense nearby illusions, okay?” Dallion said.
Okay. Ruby flocked his wings.
“And don’t get into any fights, even if I’m attacked. Got it?”
Dallion looked at his heavy gear. Considering what he would be facing, having his armadil shield and harpsisword would help. Unfortunately, he’d have to make do with his Nox dagger.
Less than a minute was necessary for Dallion to reach the main door of the building. Judging by the occasional look of disapproval he received from passing apprentices, it was safe to say that the glamor from the challenge was starting to wear off. And then there was the waiting. Every second dragged on. Unlike Dallion, Raven didn’t seem to be remotely in a hurry to get there.
Now you know what it feels like for guardians, Nil commented.
Precisely thirty minutes after he’d promised, Raven appeared, walking calmly down the corridor. Surprisingly, he wasn’t alone.
“Mage Tisaku?” Dallion asked.
The man didn’t seem at all pleased to be there. The fact that he was showed the pull Raven’s family had.
“Dallion,” the man acknowledged the other’s presence as he walked by, stopping right in front of the door. “Two hours,” he said, fingers drawing an intricate pattern faster than the human eye could see. A top level awakened would have trouble following the design. Unlike the standard spell, this was composed of a single pattern.
Purple light blended with the threads and symbols covering the door’s surface, melting them away.
“Try not to get in trouble. I don’t want to owe the White Eye favors.” The door opened.
“Yes, mage.” Dallion was the only one to answer.
Meanwhile, Raves passed by as if both of them were beneath him. The sad truth was that thanks to his father, they probably were.
From such an angle, the surroundings seemed a lot better than what Dallion had seen from the rooftop. That was to be expected; the mages had taken great care to cover all undesirable sights with illusions. If one didn’t know better, they would swear that the cluster of buildings surrounding the Learning Hall was pretty much the same as it always had been. Occasionally, there would be small signs that something was wrong—some magic symbols wouldn’t glow as bright, some streets would have a quarter of the people they were supposed to—but the illusion was close to perfect.
“Well, we’re out.” Raven looked at Dallion. “How what?”
“Now, I need to see a dwarf.”
After ten steps, Ruby mentioned that they were near an illusion. The spell was quite subtle, creating the impression that Dallion was walking along the same path. In a matter of minutes, he had reached his destination—the shop he had frequented so many times while outside.
That wasn’t remotely true. Discretely casting the spell that let him see through illusions, Dallion found that he’d reached an entirely new area. The level of the spell was beyond impressive; it had successfully created a false memory of the area and maintained it as reality, while in truth shardflies were destroying more and more of the surroundings.
A few steps from the shop, Dallion stopped. A small, quickly constructed building was in front of him. It was impossible to tell whether he’d find the same people on the inside, or the whole thing was nothing but a fake façade.
“Aren’t you going in there?” Raven asked.
“No.” Some things were better left uncertain. “I changed my mind. There’s somewhere else I need to be.”
Ignoring the noble’s comments, Dallion went back through illusion to the first place—the potion lab. The trip took slightly longer than Dallion remembered. To his surprise, the actual building was still there, mostly intact.
“You’re here to buy potions?” Raven crossed his arms. “I could have gotten you everything this third-rate place could make.”
“It’s not potions I’ve come for. Wait for me here, okay?”
The black-haired shrugged, then summoned a chair for him to sit in.
Reciting the names of the seven Moons, Dallion opened the door and stepped right in. The lab was in relatively good shape, if abandoned. Gone were the apprentices slaving away, as were most of their tools and material components.
Splitting into a dozen instances, Dallion went on. Every few seconds, he’d pause and split again, in case a flutter of shardflies came flying at him from somewhere. Thankfully, no such thing happened.
“Mage,” he said, as he approached the office of the lab’s owner. “Mage?” He entered.
The room was a lot smaller than he remembered. Seated on a rickety chair, slumped over a small old desk, was the mage. A strong stench of alcohol came filled the room, mixed in with tobacco smoke.
“Mage?”
“Mage no more,” the man said. His appearance was in worse shape than the room itself. One could only speculate how long it had taken him to reach such a wretched state, but it was more than a few weeks.
“The Academy rogued you?”
“Ha.” The man let out a sad laugh. “If they had rogued me, at least I’d have something. Now, I’m just a nobody that’s sentenced to remain here. I lost my reputation with this. All the conniving schemers that wanted to take me down had their chance. Everyone important wouldn’t speak to me, and anyone less important doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.” He pushed an empty glass across the desk.
Dallion couldn’t be sure whether he was being offered a drink or expected to fill the glass. Ultimately, he did neither.
“My apprentices left, as did all my customers.” The mage cast a spell, pulling the glass back. As he did, it filled up with murky liquid. “The archmage generously offered me temporary quarters in the apprentice wing. Me!” he tapped his chest with a finger. “To live with common apprentices.”
Would have been better than here, Dallion thought.
“Why not leave the Academy?” Dallion asked. “Temporarily.”
“No one’s leaving the Academy. Not with the war going on. The web of lies is in full effect. One province has fallen, two more are all losing ground. And the idiots in the south are still engaged in their petty squabbles.” He grabbed the glass and downed it in one go. For a moment, the stench in the room got worse. “Mages are too precious to be out in the open. Emperor’s orders. The way things are going, we’ll be ordered to fight.”
So, it’s that bad, Dallion thought.
He’d long suspected it, but this was the first time he’d gotten actual confirmation… if the words of a drunk could be believed. Looking at him, it was clear that the mage was a potion maker and an academic. He was not fit for combat. He’d probably forgotten all his combat spells decades ago, relying on the impenetrable strength of the Academy. His reputation was the most valuable thing he had, and now that was gone as well.
“They’ll be a need of potions again,” Dallion said, using his music skills to add as much joy to his words as possible.
“If the war doesn’t finish us, the blasted shardflies would!” The man tried to take another gulp from his glass, only then noticing it was empty. “You’re the hunter, aren’t you?” he asked. “Your level’s too high to be anything else.”
Here we go, Dallion prepared mentally.
“I guess I must thank you. I wanted to get you kicked out after you sealed off my room in the basement. Truth is you did me a favor. I don’t know what spell you cast on the shardflies, but they didn’t attack anyone here or try to destroy the place. They destroyed lots of buildings around me, but never mine.”
“The swarms came from here?”
“Who knows? Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t. All of them appeared from the ground. The idiots thought they could stop them, and they did. The shardflies have been contained, but no one has any idea why they became active in the first place.”
“This whole place might be built on a shardfly nest…” Dallion whispered, more to himself than the mage.
Worst of all, it was all but confirmed that he had caused a stir with his arrival. An empath with nightmares of void was enough to stir any creature. No doubt it had happened subconsciously. Neither Dallion nor the creatures suspected. Even so, something had kept disturbing the shardflies, causing them to drill above ground and lash out at anything in sight.
“And the Academy has no overseer,” he added.
“Overseer.” The mage laughed. “We have enough battle constructs to destroy armies. That’s the problem, though. Everyone is too good at destroying. Those that aren’t affected don’t take the shardflies seriously, and those that are, are already considering how to use that to their political advantage. I did. I even snatched a few buildings from a few people. All of them are now holes in the ground.”
That sounded like something a mage would do. Yet, why hadn’t the Archmage intervened? Even with everyone busy covering up the situation, there was no way he wouldn’t notice by now. Unless, he too was covering up for the emperor. Such a dramatic failure could well be grounds for him to be replaced. Isolating the Learning Hall could well have been the best option from his point of view.
Dallion took out the aetherizer. He still had second thoughts about using it. Nonetheless, he linked the item to the realm and then activated it. The artifact turned purple.
Holy crap!
There had to be hundreds, if not thousands, or vortexes in the twenty miles area surrounding him; so many that he could tell when one started, and another ended, not what level they were. Suddenly, all this seemed more than a natural phenomenon.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this story, consider joining my patreon or check out my other stories on redditserials:
The Scuu Paradox (a Space Opera Sci Fi)
The Cassandrian Theory (a Space Opera Sci Fi)
The Impeccable Adventure of the Reluctant Dungeon (Dungeon Core Adventure Comedy)

Every single time I go to a doctor to get something checked, I cry. Even if I'm just getting tiny problems checked, such as a headache, I cry as soon as I start talking to the doctor.
A little background info: I do not have any medical or hospital-related trauma of any sort, and I don’t typically get stressed out when I’m getting treatment. I don’t have social anxiety, not with strangers either. I don’t have any particular mental health issues, so my doctor appointments are usually about physical symptoms. However, I have always kept my problems to myself, always kept whatever feelings and thoughts I have bottled up. I barely ever open up because from past experiences, I’ve learnt that people don’t actually care. Not sure if this is helpful to my case but yk, just in case. Last time I had an appointment I had a full on breakdown within like 2 minutes of explaining my symptoms, even though they were not severe. The lady was just so kind and I felt like she truly wanted to help me, and I just got very emotional.
Something to add is that I’ve always had this issue of crying when angry, even if it is something minor. I can’t even have simple arguments without crying. However, I never cry when sad, which might be a little weird but tears simply don’t come out. But I don’t get angry at appointments so I still don’t understand why this happens. It might be because the doctor gives me their full attention and actually listens to my problems, instead of just brushing them off? I don’t know.
I have an appointment tomorrow morning (11-ish hours from now) to hopefully get a diagnosis for some symptoms that I’ve been having for quite some time now. Since these symptoms have had a big influence on me, my mom has decided to come with me, to see what the doctors have to say. As much as I love and appreciate my mother, I’m feeling extremely troubled by this since I KNOW that tears will be flowing during the appointment. I do not want her to know that her grown daughter can’t state a few symptoms without crying, and I also don’t want her to get stressed. And no, there is no way for her not to be attending.
Could anyone please please offer me any sort of advice? How do I prevent myself from crying? I have even tried practicing my lines before appointments, to no avail. Why does this happen? What can I possibly do tomorrow? I have waited for some time for this appointment so I do not want to miss it, please help a desperate girl out. Any advice is appreciated.

As we have gotten more new members recently I periodically get questions about the short report. While we have discussed that in many ways over the last year+ the discuss is spread out in various comments. I thought it would be helpful to have a summary rebuttal which I might pin at the top.
I will edit this post over time to add supporting links for each rebuttal port as needed.
Here was the short report from the tail end of "peak SPAC" days.
https://hindenburgresearch.com/purecycle/
1. PCT is an ESG-themed SPAC. – That obviously means it is a fraud.

• They offer some basic description of the company and then explain that PureCycle is promising something amazing 45% EBIDTA margins growing eventually to 59% EBITDA margins in 2027 and billions in revenue. These margins would be on par with some of the world’s most profitable technology company. This is the “too good to be true argument.
• They do note the company raised $308 million with the SPAC and PIPE (at a $10/share valuation). This does not include the $250 million raised as part of the Muni-bond offering.

2. The SPAC sponsor makes money regardless because it is a SPAC. This deal was from from Roth Capital which has a bad reputation for a variety of reasons.

• I have no intention of defending SPAC transactions, the majority of which were very pool investments.

3. Founding CEO has not had success with past companies – No mention of the new CEO since that transition didn’t happen. No mention that Mike Otworth was able to successfully raise a huge amount of capital, including the $250 million muni-bond that made Ironton possible.

• Lots of attacks on the prior CEO – all irrelevant now.
• Mike was not the person you would want to be running a company like PureCycle because he was not a Chemical Engineer or an industry veteran.

4. The technology – Why didn’t the company keep it in house or license to a major company.

• P&G is not in the business of buying and cleaning trash or supplying plastic pellets to thousands of other companies (including their competitors. They are retail business not a wholesale business. They are going to generate licensing revenue from PureCycle with no incremental capital investment on their part. The technology was not “given away.”
• P&G chose not to license the technology to the big players because I believe they were worried that those companies might slow the rollout of technology that might undermine their existing investments.
• The company has not published any peer reviewed studies. The company has started to reveal much more information along with Milliken. They have provided samples to many potential customers who are perfectly capable of doing their own assessment of the quality of the material. No need to publish studies if you can sign customers up without them.
• Vague criticism of the patents. Anyone who thinks P&G doesn’t know how to write a patent, I’m not sure what to say. P&G is responsible for defending the patents and they have every incentive to do so.
• Concerns that PureCycle uses butane as a solvent. If the concern is that running a chemical plant has flammable material I think we would have to shut down vast amounts of industry around the world. Process safety is critical, and the company has shown all the characteristics of an entity that knows how to implement operational excellence. They will run this plant safely and monitor it properly.
• f. Ability to scale – I believe that running the FEU for multiple years now (several years before the commercial scale plant was built and for 2 more years since the short report was first published gives proof this technology works. It is likely to work substantially better using full size equipment from world-class suppliers. The contracts with those suppliers include some protection in the form of performance guarantees. This attack cannot be fully disproven until the plant starts up, but we won’t have to wait too much longer for that.

5. Ability to source feedstock at attractive pricing – I believe the last 2 years have addressed almost all of the concerns about the ability to source low-cost feedstock. They acquired new contracts for Ironton in 3 weeks after Ravago bailed out. They are oversubscribed for the first 2 lines at Augusta. The European plant is 125% subscribed for feedstock on the first line. Detailed budget numbers for Ironton show they are meeting or beating the SPAC presentation estimates for feedstock costs. The company also made additional capital investments to improve the design to be able to handle higher levels of PE in the feedstock.

• They attack one potential supplier of plastic sorting technology. The company has built a large PreP facility and we don’t know exactly what set of equipment they are using. From the photos we can see it is quite substantial. I believe the company has been successful at buying and installing equipment to sort, shred, and wash various feeds.

6. Claims that customers are unwilling to pay a premium in bulk. The current economics were shown with an expected sales price of $1.10 / lb. Customers are accepting the “Feedstock +” pricing model and signing new 20-year agreements. End user pricing does not appear to be a problem. Talco plastics was skeptical of the profit margins, but the company has just reiterated the expected margins for a steady-state Ironton. That plant will be the most expensive they ever build so future plants are likely to be even more profitable.

1. Greenwashing - The report makes various claims of “greenwashing” and says this is all a shame to fool investors. I believe the fact that P&G included Dustin in their January meetings in Davos shows you this isn’t greenwashing. P&G is counting on having this material as part of their supply chain. The company has signed a JV agreement with SK geo centric after this report. They have new board members from Milliken Chemical. They have an HOA with Mitsui. They won a competition for a prime piece of real estate at a port in Belgium. They signed a major supply agreement with Berry Global. These are not the kinds of things you would see for a “green washing” exercise. They are gearing up for massive amounts of expansion on a global basis.

For those of you paying attention on Twitter, the shorts have a creeping thesis as past accusations don't hold water. What else have they thrown out or ignored?

1. The Ravago contract cancellation must mean something was wrong! Oops, they forgot to mention the company got replacement contracts in ~3 weeks. The new sales agreement should generate more than $2 million additional revenue per year and uses the need Feedstock + pricing.
2. The company has now received one NOL from the FDA and has a letter of intent for a wider range of feedstocks that should eventually turn into an NOL.
3. The company will lose the right to Augusta location because they didn't close financing in 2022 when the funding market blew up. Note: the company would have liked to raise debt earlier before interest rates soared but they needed more documentation for the exact August design before they could go to market and financial conditions had changed. Solution: pay a modest option fee of $25,000 / month and wait until Ironton is online to raise debt.
4. The company defaulted. They are going to have to give the bondholders an equity stake. The bond holders are going to try to repossess...yadda yadda yadda. They are going to have to do an equity raise and dilute shareholders again. Ooops. That was wrong also.
5. The facility at Winter Garden will never open because of local opposition. This is unfortunately because they have some local support but clearly they are going to do a prep site at Augusta. They will have some location in Florida where they can sort plastic before shipping it longer distances.

As Dustin said on the last call, the company now controls its own destiny. They need to get Ironton up and running safely. That will resolve all outstanding questions and the share price will begin to reflect the growth and profit opportunity here. As a community we should also work on a shared valuation model with our own forecasts of revenue and profits. No need to rely on investment banks for something we do on our own. The company made it super simple with the numbers they provided on the recent slides.

I know we have needs all over defense still, but even if we use our 2 firsts on DL & DB, I think it's possible we get a quality Tight End in the 2nd, or at the very least a backup OL. Of course, I think it goes without saying that we plan on getting an Line Backer within our first 4 picks just not sure where. It'll be a surprise!

So my plan was to drill my 300l tank and add a sump. Initially i planned two holes for normal outflow and safety overflow, but the drilling took much longer than i thought (about one hour) , so i only managed one hole. I cant move the tank by myself and i asked the friend that helped me for too many favours already.
How realistic is it really that he pipe will get blocked? I suppose i can position the return pump high enough in the sump, that the worst thing that can happen is the return pump running dry, which would suck if happening on vacation but not be a catastrophy. Is it safe to proceed, without safety overflow or not?

Me and my boyfriend have been together for over a year now. He's an amazing person, and I'm smitten. We live in the same city, different universities. We meet about 2-3 times a week, which is something, but I definitely would want to spend more time with him. Which is why, regular online communication is key for me. There's only one thing that bothers me - he doesn't communicate with me as much when he's out on a vacation. I don't expect him to go out of his limits to text me when he is with his friends, cause they are very important too. Just a few updates, here and there, like "Hey, how are you. I did so and so", or something along those lines every few hours does the job. But he goes by without texting for over 9-12 hours at times. It makes me concerned and annoyed. Cause it takes a few seconds at most to drop a text. And at times, his tone changes when he's with his friends, it is what I strongly feel to to say the least. For example, he gives 2-5 worded replies/small sentences to the questions I ask. He just dismisses my claims, saying there's nothing more to add to it. But at times he talks normally. Am I reading too much into it? I'm looking for genuine insights and advice here, so I trust you all to be kind.
TL;DR - I am concerned and annoyed that my boyfriend doesn't communicate much during vacations, even though all I expect at most is a 5-10 minutes call, and short texts every few hours just to know he's alive and doing well.

Im an ssv at a store that is VERY VERY low volume. cafe is closed, we have one drive thru lane and mobiles NOT EVEN DELIVERY.
i wouldn’t say im a lenient ssv but i allow baristas to choose certain tasks and try to delegate things themselves in case they have an idea or future to grow with the company. however, if i need to take more point and specifically tell baristas what to do, i do it. they have more respect for me this way, are more willing to do things for me than other ssv’s, etc etc. However i have this partner that half asses EVERYTHING AND IT PISSES ME OFF. I don’t baby people, i don’t hold their hand but i feel if i don’t do that with this partner nothing gets done. But the other day people were saying i was being unreasonable about a situation when i don’t think i was. FIRST in this situation he took a much longer 30 minute lunch so it ended up being him only have 5 minutes before leaving. Whatever.. we had 2 people on the line including myself and couldn’t afford for it to just be me doing everything. when someone else came in i sent him on his break. To which it seemed awfully a little too long, i knew what time i sent him and i told him he should’ve been back by now. Comes back 5 minutes before his shift ended. He asks if there’s anything i need done before he leaves i asked for him to JUST RESTOCK CUPS AND LIDS AND MAKE THEM EVEN. We have 2 cup caddy’s. I see him grab cups, few minutes later he’s clocking out. I was like hmmm that was fast let’s go check. HE ONLY FILLED TALL AND GRANDE ICED CUPS. To then i see him grinding his weekly coffee markout and ask if that’s his version of restocking. he said well im off, i said okay well that’s unacceptable to do half a task you asked me if i needed help with and then leave without even saying you weren’t able to complete one tasks before leaving. no apology, just an “oh..”. i said okay well next time you clock in we can talk about the standard, have a good day. WAS THAT UNREASONABLE!? if it is i will 100% apologize. would like a different pov, but this happens with every task whether it’s just during his shift or before leaving.

Alessandro Tonelli - Believe In Yourself (Original Mix).mp3
Alessandro Tonelli - Feel Positive (Original Mix).mp3
Alfrenk, Massimo Solinas - You Got A Feeling (Extended Mix).mp3
Andres Power, Outcode - Laughin (Original Mix).mp3
Angel Marcelo - Technologic (Diego Sosa Remix).mp3
Angel Marcelo - Technologic (Juani Siciliano Remix).mp3
Angel Marcelo - Technologic (Original Mix).mp3
Angel Marcelo - Technologic (Rapa Remix).mp3
Antonio Romano - Not For Fashion (Original Mix).mp3
Antonio Romano - Wanted (Original Mix).mp3
Benny S - I Want To Make You Work For It (Original Mix).mp3
Benny S - Planet Dub (Original Mix).mp3
Benny S - Sweet Dreams (Original Mix).mp3
Benny S - Walking On Air (Original Mix).mp3
Blank Sense - Fugitivos (Original Mix).mp3
Blank Sense - Sombrero Galaxy (Original Mix).mp3
Brisotti - Beautiful Dream (Original Mix).mp3
Brisotti - Brazilian Groovy (Original Mix).mp3
Brisotti - Papillon (Original Mix).mp3
Bruno Bona, Marmoon - La Nueva Y La Ex (Original Mix).mp3
Carlos Pineda - Agresivo (Original Mix).mp3
Carlos Pineda - Concentrate (Original Mix).mp3
Christian T - All Ass (Original Mix).mp3
Christian T - Infatuate (Original Mix).mp3
Christian T - The Power (Original Mix).mp3
Christian T - Un Beso (Original Mix).mp3
Claudia Tejeda - Namibia (Original Mix).mp3
De La Hoz - Fake Friends (Original Mix).mp3
Demarkus Lewis - Music Don't Stop (Instrumental Mix).mp3
Demarkus Lewis - Music Don't Stop (Original Mix).mp3
Diego Ruffo - Domingo 9AM (Dr Gabbo Remix).mp3
Diego Ruffo - Domingo 9AM (Original Mix).mp3
Digital Justice, Liquid Son - Bass Build (Original Mix).mp3
Digital Justice, Liquid Son - Oh Man ! (Original Mix).mp3
Digital Justice, Liquid Son, Tony Boninsegna - Binary Rhyming (Original Mix).mp3
Din Jay, Jame Starck, Alfreda Gerald - Fire (Extended Mix).mp3
Dino Lenny - I've Learned That (Dino Lenny & Fed Conti Remix).mp3
Dino Lenny - I've Learned That (Jonathan Kaspar Remix).mp3
Dino Lenny - I've Learned That (Original Mix).mp3
Dino Lenny - I've Learned That (Shadow Child 'Classic' Mix).mp3
Discult Soundsystem - Overflow (Original Mix).mp3
DJ Simi - A-Yo (Original Mix).mp3
DJ Simi - Baby Movin' (Original Mix).mp3
DJ Simi - Getting Back (Original Mix).mp3
DJ Simi - I Think I Am (Original Mix).mp3
Don Swing - Feel Free (Original Mix).mp3
Don Swing - Life Is Beautiful (Original Mix).mp3
Enzo Leep - Away Together (Original Mix).mp3
Enzo Leep - The Miracle (Original Mix).mp3
Enzo Leep - Tumbril (Direkt Remix).mp3
Enzo Leep - Tumbril (Original Mix).mp3
GABFFER - Acid (Original Mix).mp3
GABFFER - Commom (Original Mix).mp3
GABFFER - Move (Original Mix).mp3
GABFFER - W.T.F (Original Mix).mp3
Gary Caos, Peter Kharma & Karl8, Andrea Monta - Sock It 2 Me (Original Mix).mp3
Gianmarco Limenta - Power (Original Mix).mp3
Gianmarco Limenta - Your Love (Original Mix).mp3
Glen Horsborough, Karmina Dai - Making Moves (Original Mix).mp3
GOSSO - I Need The Me (Original Mix).mp3
GOSSO - My Clap Stevie (Original Mix).mp3
Harry Fitsch - La Vida (Original Mix).mp3
Hassio (COL), Metrioz - Were Is Yours (Original Mix).mp3
ISSCO - Drop The Chill (Original Mix).mp3
ISSCO - Game 0 (Original Mix).mp3
Jam Jamiro - Flying (Original Mix).mp3
Jam Jamiro - Found Love (Original Mix).mp3
Jam Jamiro - Outro (Original Mix).mp3
Jam Jamiro - Take Me Closer (Original Mix).mp3
Jamek Ortega, JUNO (DE) - Ojos Verdes (Original Mix).mp3
James Curd, Gettoblaster - Cinejack Slap (Original Mix).mp3
James Curd, Gettoblaster, Mizbee - Keep It High (Hyde (OFC) Remix).mp3
Jamie Jones - Lose My Mind (Extended Mix).mp3
Jay Robinson, LIINKS - My Church (Extended Mix).mp3
JJ (UK) - Don't Mind (Original Mix).mp3
JJ (UK) - Remember (Original Mix).mp3
Josh Wink - Higher State Of Consciousness (Damian Lazarus Re Shape Deeper Version).mp3
Josh Wink - Higher State Of Consciousness (Damian Lazarus Re Shape).mp3
Josh Wink - Higher State Of Consciousness (Mathew Johnson Remix).mp3
Juan Rodriguez - Razones (Original Mix).mp3
Junior Souza - For Me (Original Mix).mp3
Junior Souza - Happy Now (Original Mix).mp3
Junior Souza, Nt Dogg - Tropa (Original Mix).mp3
JUST2 - Multicore (Original Mix).mp3
Kalico Jak - Espresso Martini (Original Mix).mp3
Kalico Jak - Pluviophile (Original Mix).mp3
KIRIK - Lose Control (Original Mix).mp3
KIRIK - Rise And Shine (Original Mix).mp3
La Matrice - Supernova (Original Mix).mp3
La Matrice - Tape Ta Trance (Original Mix).mp3
Late Delivery - Grime Time (Original Mix).mp3
Late Delivery - Let's Ride (Original Mix).mp3
Late Delivery - Life Line (Original Mix).mp3
Late Delivery - WTF (Original Mix).mp3
Lose Endz - Emergency Exit (Original Mix).mp3
Lose Endz - Experimental (Original Mix).mp3
Lose Endz - Night Sesh (Original Mix).mp3
Lose Endz - Tu Prima Es Lofi Tambien (Original Mix).mp3
Lubelski, Life On Planets - Mercury In Retrograde (Extended Mix).mp3
Lucio Agustin - Chalenge Myself (Original Mix).mp3
Lucio Agustin - Prophecy (Original Mix).mp3
Lucio Agustin - Ubuntu (Original Mix).mp3
MACROLEV, SLM - Save Me (Original Mix).mp3
Madre (BR) - Chains (Original Mix).mp3
Manodom - Roller Dance (Extended Mix).mp3
Marshall Jefferson, Kelli-Leigh - Get Lucky (Extended Mix).mp3
Matt Arnold - BBB (Original Mix).mp3
Matt Arnold - Reflex (Original Mix).mp3
Mattei & Omich - That's Right (Extended Mix).mp3
Maty Badini - Bootie (Original Mix).mp3
Maty Badini - We Live Together (Original Mix).mp3
Mawbs - Haghnah (Original Mix).mp3
Mawbs - K (Original Mix).mp3
Mawbs - Ramanicaliticalchilli (Original Mix).mp3
Mawbs - Scerdercersheer (Original Mix).mp3
Max Mendez - I Don t Want Your Number (Original Mix).mp3
Michele Lopardo - Dolla Bills (Original Mix).mp3
Milk & Sugar, Ayak - Lift Your Hands Up (Extended Mix).mp3
Murphy's Law (UK) - N'Dance (Extended Mix).mp3
Murphy's Law (UK) - Waistline (Extended Mix).mp3
Needs No Sleep, R3WIRE, Kxne - Cyclone (Extended Mix).mp3
Nolon - Dance With Me (Original Mix).mp3
Nolon - Without You (Original Mix).mp3
Oskyal - 2C (Original Mix).mp3
Oskyal - Let Her (Original Mix).mp3
Oskyal - You (Original Mix).mp3
Pepo - Underground Saturday (Original Mix).mp3
Pixel8 Trax - Be In Love (Original Mix).mp3
Pixel8 Trax - Conversation (Original Mix).mp3
Pixel8 Trax - Last Memory (Original Mix).mp3
Platzdasch & Dix - Apparent Movement (Original Mix).mp3
Platzdasch & Dix - Blackwood (Mannix Funked Up Remix).mp3
Platzdasch & Dix - Leaf Crown (Original Mix).mp3
Platzdasch & Dix - Salient Point (Original Mix).mp3
Played - Cobanci (Original Mix).mp3
Played - Fact (Original Mix).mp3
Played - Infinite (Original Mix).mp3
Played - Infinite (Zenniv Remix).mp3
Rettake - Bandicoot (Original Mix).mp3
Rinno DJ - Secret Weapon (Original Mix).mp3
RIZZER - Come Back (HOOD (PE) Remix).mp3
RIZZER - Come Back (Original Mix).mp3
RIZZER - Come Back (The Sahoo Conection Remix).mp3
Schak, Kim English - Moving All Around (Jumpin') (Ben Nicky Extended Remix).mp3
Sepp - Dash It (Original Mix).mp3
Sepp - Look It (Original Mix).mp3
Sepp - Want It (Original Mix).mp3
Shouse, Dennis Ferrer, Seth Troxler - (still) WON'T4GETU (Original Mix).mp3
Stiven Escarraga - Peekaboo (Alejandro LH Remix).mp3
Stiven Escarraga - Peekaboo (Original Mix).mp3
Stiven Escarraga - Peekaboo (RADR Remix).mp3
The Dead Rose Music Company - Baby Please (Original Mix).mp3
The Dead Rose Music Company - Captain Future (Original Mix).mp3
The Dead Rose Music Company - Pride (Original Mix).mp3
The Dead Rose Music Company - Tryin' (Original Mix).mp3
Trallez - Now Move (Original Mix).mp3
Truth x Lies - The Get Down (Original Mix).mp3
UNOS - Angermanagement (Original Mix).mp3
UNOS - Powerslide (Original Mix).mp3
Wenzday - Handle With Care (Original Mix).mp3
DOWNLOAD - beattechno.com

Warning: Opinions are present, proceed with caution
TL;DR: Although the feeling of getting a red item is often great, because of their rarity and generally being interesting items, it's really kind of unusually rare that it will actually end up helping out your run at all.
I know the gut reaction to the title, it just sounds wrong, every time a red item drops I'm willing to bet that all of us get a bit of a dopamine hit, but how often do you just end up being let down?
Even the items that used to feel amazing and like my run was instantly won, now lead to my run being very much loseable despite me still being hyped whenever I see them drop.
I'm not saying that the red items changed in any sort of way honestly, it's purely that I've gotten better at the game, and therefore I'm more likely to play monsoon/eclipse, and I don't enjoy just looping 50 times for the hell of it anymore. Yes in edge/silly cases, they can end up popping off super hard, and feel amazing, but it feels like that rarely ever comes up unless the run is already going nuts.
​
I get that this is partly intentional design, and leads to the skill-based nature of ror2 gameplay loop, but we'd be lying if we were to say that those rng high rolls weren't a key part of any roguelike's appeal (yes, obviously they still happen in a different way, more that it's unusual reds don't really end up being a major influence when they appear).
​
Obviously, ror2 has its own really neat way of treating item rarities where white items are the foundation of your build and where you get most of your stats and power, with green items then being the means through which you translate the power of your white items into an exponentially better build, with reds at the wildcard which can steer your build into performing amazingly in one area. However, it feels more like in practice they're the sprinkles on top of your build. Like, they're nice to have, but rarely make much of a difference as to whether your build is good or bad.
​
In comparison, greens seem to be forced into their role such that they "seem" on average weaker than reds because so many of them are just scrap fodder that waters down the roster (stealthkit, polyp, lepton, harpoon, leeching seed to name a few) which are rarely of any use unless you have a super specific situation. If you look at all the items that don't fall into this category, you'll see that practically all of them are extremely strong, flexible, potentially run-changing items (wotw, bands, atg, uke, feather, shuriken) which I would honestly prefer to many (if not most) reds.
​
To clarify, I do not have a specific solution in mind, nor am I claiming this is a game-ruining flaw, if anything this could be entirely intentional in terms of balancing. If it makes more sense to you this way, treat this post as just an observation on an unusual pattern in ror2 item balance
​
To illustrate my point, I've gone ahead like a nerd and wrote out my perspective on how impactful each of the red items are. This is the end of the post basically, feel free to not read the rest unless you want my lukewarm take on red items. I just feel like when you look at them all side by side my argument seems much more reasonable:

• * 57 Leaf Clover: Best item in the game right? Well I am trash but I've gotten smacked in MANY runs where I've gotten a clover, although it's amazing with even just a few synergy items, and keeps getting better the more you have, you do need to have them, and something like a band build, or any other build that doesn't rely heavily on random chance items, or if you just get unlucky with collecting crit items, and 57 leaf clover may not shine until you would've otherwise won anyways. In most situations in runs that haven't looped yet, although you would be happier to find a clover, realistically it is unlikely that a good green items wouldn't overall boost your build much more.
• * Aegis: Really bad. I mean I get that you can do funny things with it and I like that it exists to enable meme builds as well as being one of the only good ultra-late game post-loop defensive items, but even though it's decent in that scenario, at that point you a. rarely need it b. could easily get oneshot regardless c. isn't even as good as other lower quality items such as safer spaces, ruckler, opal, even elixir. Also, even more points taken away for being usually worse than a single brooch in eclipse.
• * Alien head: good sometimes, but honestly never build defining. Only time it's really amazing is when it helps you pass certain breakpoints like mercenary iframe godmode or pillar skip, but otherwise it's just nice to have and doesn't really massively buff you. If anything, it's nice to have super early game when you don't have many damage items, but later on it can be restricted by band timers for example. I would say very rarely does alien head end up being better than a good green.
• * Ben's raincoat: kind of the same as alien head, it's nice, but nothing incredible. It's easy for it to get bonked off and block something inconsequential while letting through a massive imp bleed, but then let through a lethal status, kind of like tougher times (status effects are less predictable than damage imo so I think it is worse than safer spaces). Honestly, depending on how you see it, it's either only good on, or useless on characters that have a self-status effects like corrupted void fiend, but I'd be suprised if anyone thought ben's is a run changing item.
• * Bottled Chaos: The ONLY practical use for this absolute troll of an item is pillar skipping with vase while keeping a good equipment. Even in equipment cd builds like fmp soulbound or gesture sillyness, it ends up being unbearable because of the forced volcanic egg, and rarely reliable or really that strong, feels like it's more of a lunar item than anything.
• * Brainstalks: I want to like this item so bad but it really sucks so much. Yes there are a couple of edge cases where it's cool like slicing winds merc or nuking the world with diablo, but at best these are just neat interactions and practically never actually that good or reliable enough unless the run is so won that you don't even need to really use many abilities at all. Even many fun theoretical applications end up being mediocre because of the 0.5s global cooldown ruining it.
• * Behemoth: Great item, you're usually happy to see this, at worst it's just a slight bump to your aoe, at best it massively increases your procs. It's not always or even probably that frequent that it completely makes your run, but it's still so consistently good I'd say it lives up to its color.
• * Ceremonial Dagger: Everyone's said it before me, but this is the classic case of the item seeming strong because it lets you walk away from your pc on a god run, while actually doing not much unless you have a lot of items that help make it work, at which point you were probably doing pretty well already.
• * Dio's: Not the most exciting item but it's definitely always strong and useful, befitting of being a red, is an actual good defensive item red (might be the only one tbh) because late game you usually get oneshot if you take a big hit.
• * Frost Relic: Suprisingly enough, although it's not super exciting, one of the more applicable reds to get, at least without having already borderline won the game. Provides a hefty cushion against melee enemies, a really strong source of damage, good interactions with a variety of items, yeah it's not the flashiest but it's definitely always good to get, even without having a god run going. Unfortunate part is it sucks when stacked unless you get a LOT.
• * Headstompers: Contender for the best item in the game, probably the best *single* item in the game, stupid damage such that it's always your best ability, even without that, the fall damage removal and jump height is so massive for limitless reasons such as trimp pillar skips. It's not just an amazing red item it's like one and a half amazing red items in one. Also amazing on eclipse for obvious reasons.
• * Happiest Mask: So rare that you get any use out of this, sucks when stacked, bad in general, never reliable, less useful than most greens. It's fun for the memes when you've basically already won the game but it's never a serious good item, it can even kill you by having your ghosts backstab you like the dunestrider sucking you (not sure if these got patched)
• * Hardlight Afterburner: Situationally amazing, but never necessary to making a build work. The most consistent value/highest impact you get out of this is either on loader or to enable pillar skip, quite frequently it ends up being dead weight. Feels like a green item with buffed stats, although some utilities are too strong for a green to give more stacks so idk.
• * Desk Plant: Not exciting, but I guess not terrible either? Healing sucks in general in eclipse unfortunately but it's still one of the better healing items, you can't tell me you're really ever happy to see this unless you have, like, some stupidly specific build with fmp/rejuv/n'kuhana's. Also stacking does not increase the heal, albeit the stacks aren't useless.
• * Laser Scope: The only crit item that does not give crit chance, I really don't get it. This one writes itself, it can be really good, but needs setup, and the more it's good, the more likely you are to already be having a run that would be amazing without it.
• * N'kuhana's: Unusable on eclipse, bad otherwise, healing in ror2 is generally kinda underwhelming and rarely saves you past first couple of stages, stacks kinda shittily too, and requires a massive setup to have any value (not even really worth it, i'd still scrap useless healing items)
• * Pocket ICBM: Ridiculously strong item, probably to the point where it's a little out of line, but only *if* you already have one of three specific build conditions that make it great, but otherwise a red paperweight. Most consistent way to get value is probably shrimp, with atg also decent, if you're trying to make fireworks work you need a caffeinator or some other setup, dml is good but doesn't compare to the others. So it's good, but fairly situational, so you'll often get it and have no use for it.
• * Rejuv Rack: No one's happy to see this. I'm kind of confused as to why it's a red, it's so out of place compared to the other reds even just in that it's litteraly just a stat change. Healing is bad in general, which makes this unnecessary and bad outside of very specific builds, also additionally extremely bad in eclipse of course.
• * Resonance Disc: Straight up not good. Like it can be fun sometimes to see it get a big proc off, but it's so inconsistent, and the conditions for it to proc are so arcane and stringent, I'd rather have any of atg/uke/wotw/bands any day.
• * Sentient Meat Hook: Good for same reason as uke and atg, kind of a bastard child of both but also can be uniquely powerful in some situations. It's definitely strong, and mostly feels like a red because it's like those two greens in one. It's not that crazy on its own though, and in a lot of applications a small stack of atgs could probably outperform it, it stacks well but weirdly.
• * Shattering Justice: Noticeable and potent DPS boost, most survivors on most builds can reliably proc it enough to get some value, but even at its best it boils down to a damage multiplier, in the same way crit/atg/bands/etc. are. It's definitely not bad, and it's uniquely strong on survivors that have high uptime with the debuff, but again, it's nothing run-making, and often less consequential than a strong green.
• * Soulbound Catalyst: So unbearably situational albeit a really fun item when you get it going, you're either really happy or sad to see this drop. The most nuts synergy it had, fmp, got nerfed even, although it still works and even works with other actives like dml. But it's in that weird spot without FMP where before mithrix it's literally just a minor time saver if you've found the meta actives (recyclecard), and not useful really at mithrix when you'd want a combat equipment because you're starved for resets. So either specifically with FMP and other on-kill items, or an okayish crutch item with a damage equipment to get you through the early game, and otherwise not useful.
• * Spare Drone Parts: You know there's something weird with reds when this is one of the more generally applicable reds. It's not bad early-mid game although obviously has little impact in already god-runs (not that you need it). Uniquely good because you actually get to *choose* ways to get more value out of it by buying drones, or fishing for a gun to use on solus, as well as other items it synergizes with.
• * Scorpion: Basically a more extreme shattering justice, and therefore more situational. The dps bump on builds that make good use of it is so much bigger than shattering justice that the general consensus is that it's a "better" item (I would agree). I guess this is probably because despite being situational it enables a really powerful combination beyond just being a flat damage multiplier.
• * Tesla Coil: Similar to ceremonial daggers, but actually really strong in most cases even without a crazy amount of synergies unlike ceremonials. It does need some items to proc but even still it's flexible enough to be an all around good item. I still wouldn't necessarily say it outclasses the stronger greens. Kind of sucks that it's not useful for mithrix and can even get you killed phase 4 if you're not careful.
• * Wake of Vultures: Same unreliability as brainstalks, but instead of giving you a buff that can be situationally pretty powerful, gives you a buff that is somewhat difficult to anticipate and isn't even that strong. Especially given short duration it's completely unpractical, pretty much always a novelty practically never useful except by accident on rare occasions, most likely value tbh is to yoink perfected from mobs so you can't take fall damage on the moon if you suck like me and fall.

​
So in total, if you were to open a large chest on first loop, without an already strong build, and got a big dopamine rush from seeing the red droplet, what are you actually going to end up with? If you high roll, you would get the 4/26 items that are a really huge boost to your power no matter what. Otherwise, you could end up with the 5/26 chance for an item that's at least a bump in power, but requires a few items to be really impactful, or instead, the same 5/26 chance for an item that could be decent as long as you're lucky enough to be already building items that work well with it, albeit the ones I'd put in this category have prerequisites that are fairly common and rather achievable in builds at this point. Otherwise? You're really kind of out of luck, rolling either a 7/26 chance for an at least helpful mostly inconsequential item (or one that is very difficult to get value from), or worst case, the 5/26 items with practically no impact at all (especially if you're on eclipse).
So in this situation, you'd have a less than one fifth chance to get an item that will just give you a big power increase no matter what, almost a 50/50 chance of getting an item that will do basically nothing, and the remaining two fifths-ish of the items are wildly inconsistent and can range from barely any use to actually pretty good if you have the right situation, but if you're hoping for a red item to turn an unlucky run around, the odds are really not great, you're more likely to claw back into the game with good greens if anything.

Hi folks, I though I remembered a while back that family plans included 5 people. I'd be interested in bringing in more of my family without paying for multiple/many separate accounts - will this be an option in the future, or could it be arranged now? Obviously happy to pay surcharge for additional people - this would be much fairer to Kanary than the simple-but-dishonest alternative of "I will simply add a bunch of family members' names/data/etc. to one 'member' in the UI."
It seems many competitors to Kanary cap out at 1-5 users per account and I wonder if it'd make sense to have a sliding scale similar to what mobile phone operators offer, where each additional line costs a decreasing amount per month until you hit a minimum price per line. Extending your current scale could be: first user is $12/mo, up to three is $18 (+$6), up to five could be $22 (+$4), maybe that's the floor and any additions after that could be +$4/2 members. Prizing is just an example and I'm sure y'all have better math for what the service costs to offer + what your margin needs to be, but anyway just food for thought :)

“Just relax, Jun. We’ll be watching you every step of the way. You’re perfectly safe.” Jun felt his armorer’s assurances were for her own benefit more than his. But as the shellfish carapace chest plate was locked into place over his sternum, he appreciated her kind words.
The experimental armor, designed after the shogun armors used by a few of the fleet’s warriors, was the first attempt by the ship’s artificer to use the volerite from the ocean floor to their advantage in this war. While previous attempts to use the body parts of the sea monsters below had been mildly successful, if greatly disturbing, this was the first real superweapon the exiles would have to their name. At least, that was the plan.
Jun had volunteered to test the first prototype as soon as the opportunity arose. He’d been a below-average fighter until now, spending more of his time on ship repair and maintenance than combat. The Harrowing hadn’t been kind to him; his bones were fragile, and many of the nerves in his arms and legs sent him agonizing bouts of pain on a daily basis. Recently, he’d even started to have seizures at the most inopportune times. His condition was becoming more severe, and the ship’s medic had all but given up on a good prognosis. He had about 3 months before the Harrowing reached his brain, and after that… well, he didn’t want to become a zombie like the creature on the Vaulted Velvet. If he was going to die, it might as well bring some good to his comrades.
“It’s a bit tight,” Jun said, squirming inside his prison of calcified flesh. The bracers on his legs made him feel stiff, and he was worried about being able to walk in the suit, let alone fight.
“Don’t worry,” the armorer said as she adjusted the binding agent on the joints. “The energy core should make the suit feel much lighter. The gel running along the outside should react to the volerite to give you the strength necessary to move faster and strike harder than anyone else in the fleet.”
“If it works, you mean.”
“Hey, you knew the risks of this when you signed up. I don’t think you have room to get cold feet now.” The dwarven woman picked up a pair of gauntlets and slid them onto Jun’s hands. “How does that feel?”
Jun tried to wiggle his fingers but found the gloves gave him little room to move. “Brittle.”
The armorer chuckled. “Let’s fix that, then.” She whistled, and a small creature with the body of a gnome and the skin and head of a shark (a chimera borrowed from Professor Ioniz, no doubt) approached them, carrying a tray with a large volerite crystal and a helmet shaped like a giant krill. “Don’t stare too long into the abyss, alright, pal?” She said jokingly.
Jun scoffed. “Just put the helmet on me, and let’s get on with this.” The dwarf picked up the krill skull and carefully slipped it over Jun’s head, fully encasing him in the white exoskeleton of the suit. “It’s kinda dark in here,” he yelled, realizing how small the slits for his eyes were.
“The gem should fix that, but I’ll make a note for the next remodel. Lower visibility is not something we want underwater.” Jun saw her walk out of his field of view to where the volerite was. “I’m going to coat the helmet in gel now. It’ll be airtight, but there’s an oxygen tank connected to the back, and the suit will synthesize its own air when you’re underwater.”
“Perfect.” Jun sighed. He thought he’d been prepared for the waiting period before he could test out the suit, but spending over an hour without being able to move was wearing out his patience. If the suit took this long to prep, maybe it wasn’t as game-changing as the artificers thought.
As a layer of clear gel slid over the mask, a few drops falling through the eye slits, Jun could feel a subtle vibration flow through the armor. The conducting gel was supposedly made from volerite as well, so he imagined a small amount of energy was already powering up the armor. It wasn’t enough to let him move his arms yet, but he could feel some of the joints loosening up.
“I think it’s working. You have the core ready yet?” He heard a muffled voice from outside the suit, but he couldn’t make out what it was saying. It was definitely his armorer, but it sounded like she was talking underwater. “What? I can’t hear you. The gel is-” But before he could try to get her attention, he saw the red glow of the gem coming closer as the dwarf slowly inserted it into the chest plate.
In an instant, electricity surged through Jun’s body, sending his already frayed nerves into overdrive. The suit around him started to glow a bright red as the light from his chest spread to cover his body. The locked joints started to crack and burst, sending shell pieces into his skin like shards of glass. “Take it out! Stop!” Jun tried to yell as his burning pain shot through his brain. It was like a lightning bolt was tearing him apart from the inside, and he couldn’t stop it.”
Then, as quickly as it started, the pain ceased, leaving only pitch darkness. Jun’s eyes refused to stay open, and he found himself losing consciousness fast. If this was his death, he had to admit it had been a pretty shitty one. As his mind faded, he heard one last whisper that seemed to come from his own mouth, though it sounded nothing like him. It wasn’t a human voice at all; it was something different.
“So much blood. Where to begin?”
Jun died listening to the sound of his armorer’s screams.
<><><>
When it came time for a shift change in the armory, the ship’s other blacksmith found the door to the lab wide open with one of the hinges broken. Inside the lab, though, was nothing short of a massacre. The walls were covered in blood, and the torn-up remains of one of the crew members were scattered on the floor. They assumed it had been the armorer, but there was so little left that it was anyone’s guess as to who it belonged to. There wasn’t a trace of the volerite they’d been using for weapons development; a half-ton of the mineral gone without a trace. The research and design papers were beyond salvaging, and as for the armor prototype itself, the only clues were the bloody bootprints leading to a hole in the side of the hull. The fleet shelved the project, deeming it too dangerous without full knowledge of what happened, much to the dismay of Professor Ioniz and the other artificers in the crew.
Still, the war continued, but with a dark specter looming over everyone on both sides. Each battalion had its own word for the creature that came for them; an inky monster in red, with a single glowing red eye in its chest, killing indiscriminately and leaving bloody massacres in its wake wherever it went. Very few lived to tell any stories about it at all, and the stories were so vague and inconsistent that most of the exiles doubted it existed at all. But every time red appeared on the surface of the water or the scent of blood came in on the wind, a chill ran through the air, even to the doubters. Another curse had been levied against them, and this one might not be one they survived.

I don't know if I actually need to poke any more holes in crypto rationale or lack thereof. But one thing I notice is that crypto people tend to fantasize about some doomsday scenario where the global financial system melts down completely and leaves the crypto economy as king by default (and leaving early adopters high and dry, obviously). But also, this global crisis would ostensibly have to leave the internet intact in order for crypto to continue functioning, right?
Don't get me wrong. Here I am on Reddit. Obviously I love the internet. And I'm no survivalist; I kind of go through life assuming that I will leave the world essentially the same as I came into it. But I am kind of skeptical of putting literally everything, including things required to live a functional daily life, on the internet. There have been times in my life, even my recent life, where I have not had internet access. I've been in remote areas where there's no signal, I've experienced natural disasters where the electricity or telecom lines are down, for days. And my first thought about the whole El Salvador thing was "really? Does every farmer in El Salvador who wants to sell their crops or whatever actually have the internet?" I know there have been times in my life where I've been stuck somewhere and I would have been shit out of luck if I hadn't had a $20 bill in my wallet.
It just seems really foolish to me to want a world in which you must have internet access in order to do any sort of monetary transaction. Also, it seems highly likely to me that any sort of event that actually threatens the traditional global financial system would probably take the internet down with it, and then all of the precious funny money would be gone (or at least temporarily inaccessible). Are these people so attached to the internet that they can't even imagine a world without it? Because you would think that people who are obsessed with this concept of the whole world going to hell, might think about where the chinks in their armor are.

The technologies of smart phone are developing day by day and thanks to that, it gives us a lot of opportunities that we can do many thing by it. The best part of these opportunity is we can use our smart phone as a spy! That is to say, there is a smart application which is called as GHOST SQUAD
GHOST SQUAD, which is a spy software, is a way how to catch a cheating spouse by your smart phone. It is not just a platform for catch chating spouse, it gives also opportunities as watch over your kid’s smart phone or supervising your personnel, etc.
There are top phone hackers you can hire and one of the best is [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) who you can trust.
GHOST SQUAD is running on the target mobile phone without the phone user’s knowledge. It is running behind the operating system and nobody can understand that there is a software which is running even into tools of running application on the smart phones. That is why it is the best way to understand if there is a cheating.
Also, GHOST SQUAD gives you a chance to download it free on your smart phone. All you can do is just downloading it for free and starting to track the target phone easily and also without the user’s knowledge.
GHOST SQUAD allows you to see also your spouse’s datas on the mobile phone. You can just open the application from your mobile phone and start to view incoming calls, social media datas, messaging and even location from GPS. As you can see, it is easily how you can catch a cheating spouse using a smart phone for even free.
GHOST SQUAD is a platform where people can track the target phone easily. It makes them to cross their limit to catch some clue about cheating by their smart phone. If you also want to cross your limit with your mobile phone
Last Line
You can track your spouse cell phone without touching it successfully through [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) . It's quick, protected and simple. You get incessant updates about its different features, features and developments. Assuming that he is truly cheating, you will get handy evidence.

Here's my first written work, based on Scott Pilgrim vs The World.
Before the scene, as well as the beginning of the scene: https://youtu.be/It6Q4L12Kd0
The scene: https://youtu.be/4SNAMNWqPBs
The dialogue I wrote for Ramona is made up by me, not her actual responses in the movie. Scott's lines have also been pre-adjusted by Winnie to make it work better as a monologue.
Who am I? I am Scott Pilgrim, 22 years old. I am dating a 17 year old Chinese girl named Knives Chau who goes to a Catholic high school. People judge me for dating a high schooler. I've lost feelings for her as my eyes are now set on Ramona Flowers. Breaking up with Knives is too hard for me right now because it hurts so much to be alone. But I won't let that stop me from getting with Ramona. After all, she is my dream girl. By the way, I'm in a band and I share a bed with a gay roommate. I've been dumped about a year ago and I haven't had a haircut ever since; I've been cutting it myself. I think my hair looks too shaggy and I worry what others think about it. The drummer in my band is another one of my exes.
Who am I talking to? Ramona Flowers, my dreamy American crush who has been on my mind this whole week. She works at Amazon and I ordered a package just so she would show up at my door. I must get a date with her. Unfortunately I'm a stranger to her and she is a very closed off person. This will take some convincing.
Where am I? I am in my house in Toronto Canada, standing at my front door looking at Ramona. There is snow outside.
Objective: I must get Ramona to go on a date with me.
S = Scott Pilgrim (me) R = Ramona Flowers
[I go to the bathroom in my house to pee. When I walk out, I am in a high school hallway. I see Ramona skating past me down the hall.]
S: Hey!
[I chase her. Around a corner, I see her standing in front of my front door, which is covered in snow. She reaches in her bag for a package. I wake up. I jump out of bed and run to my door. Just as I begin to open it, Ramona rings the doorbell. She is standing right in front of me.]
[START OF SCENE]
R: uh. Scott Pilgrim?
(This is the moment I've been waiting for. Ramona is right here on my doorstep. Now's my chance to ask her out. But first I should greet her, because otherwise I would seem weird.)
S: Hi.
R: You must be Scott Pilgrim.
(If I asked her out she might say no and that would hurt really bad. Maybe if I just tell her I was planning on it then she will let me know if she is interested.)
S: I was thinking about asking you out, but then I realized how stupid that would be.
R: why are you telling me this?
(Shit, this is awkward. But I can't let her leave without getting a date with her. I must ask her directly.)
S: So do you want to go out sometime?
R: I don't even know you. Why are you asking me?
(Maybe if I tell her she was in my dream she will think we are soul mates.)
S: I just woke up, and you were in my dream.
R: What happened in the dream?
S: I dreamt that you were delivering me this package.
R: why?
(I can't tell her that I had planned all of this out. That would appear creepy. Oh no... I guess I'll just hope for some sympathy...)
S: Is that weird?
R: Yes; I don't even know you.
(Wait. She might not even know who I am. Maybe if she knew then she would go out with me.)
S: You don't remember me, do you?
R: No.
(She doesn't know. I should remind her.)
S: We met at the party the other day.
R: were you the Pac-man guy?
(Oh no. She probably thinks I'm a weirdo for that. I must make her think it's not me.)
S: No…I wasn’t the Pac-man guy.
R: I could have sworn it was you.
(If I admitted to it then she would think I'm a liar. I have no choice but to adamantly double down.)
S: Not even.
R: then who was he?
(I have to make something up or else she will catch me in my lies. But if I'm too specific she will know it isn't true. I also want to distance myself from the imaginary guy so she doesn't think I'm weird like him.)
S: That was some total ass.
R: and you?
(Oh shit. There's no way I can keep this up. I'll just say something generic that she can't disprove.)
S: I was the other guy.
R: just sign for your package already.
(I can't let her leave. But I need to at least acknowledge her request so she doesn't think I'm rude.)
S: Look…I know you need me to sign for that- whatever it is.
R: please do.
(Shit, what do I say to make her stay? I guess I have no choice but to be upfront.)
S: But if I do, you'll leave.
R: you're annoying me.
(I don't know what to say, I'd better jusy go with the flow so she doesn't get angry.)
S: Okay.
R: I'm waiting.
(Wait. I can't let her go now after all of this effort. She said no to a date, but maybe I can get her to hang out with me and try to turn it into a date.)
S: Well, maybe, do you wanna hang out sometime?
R: Why should I?
(I want her to get comfortable with me enough to date me. But I need to find a casual way to say it.)
S: Get to know each other.
R: why YOU?
(She seems to think I'm not worth her time. Maybe I can make her feel like I'm doing her a favor.)
S: You're the new kid on the block, right?
R: so what?
(I need to make her think she will benefit from hanging out.)
S: I've lived here forever, so there are reasons for you to hang out with me.
R: reasons?
(Shit, I don't really have anything to offer. I can't make an awkward pause. I'll just tell her what I want.)
S: I want you to if that's cool.
R: not convincing.
(That didn't work. I need a real reason for her to agree. She's itching for my to sign my package. Maybe I can use that as a bargaining chip.)
S: If you say yes, i’ll sign for my package.
R: fine. what's the plan?
(Yes! Now I should try to impress her with my band performance at our hangout so she will want to date me.)
S: Come to this first round of this battle of the bands thing.
R: Why that?
(Now's my time to appear cool so she'll want to date me.)
S: I have a band.
R: are you good?
(If I say we're good she'll think I'm arrogant. So I should say we're bad. Reverse psychology, right?)
S: We're terrible.
R: that isn't appealing.
(Maybe if I use the magic word she will agree.)
S: Please come.
R: fine. See you there.
(I should get her phone number so I can keep her accountable as well as flirt with her so she'll want to date me.)
S: Oh wait, can I get your number?
R: sure.
(I should let her know how much I appreciate it so that she'll think I'm a gentleman.)
S: Wow... girl number...
R: um...
(That was awkward. I should wrap it up and get our date confirmed before I mess it up.)
S: So yeah. 8:00?

Hello. I recently discovered that unfortunately not everything that Milwaukee advertise is available in EU/UK due to some patent laws (for eg. track saw can’t lock to the guide rail). I know that European versions of mitre saws didn’t have the shadow line but I noticed that on their website they state that it is indeed equipped with it. So my question is: did something change in that matter or is is still sold with some silly work light and they just copy/paste product description without caring?

I want to preface by kindly asking that anyone who replies refrains from “just leave” and “it’ll never get better” kind of comments. I understand if you feel that’s true and are trying to look out for others by saying so, but I’m not ready to leave my partner and these kinds of comments have caused me to go down really hopeless, dark rabbit holes in recent weeks. I’m working with my own betrayal trauma therapist so I have support that is very aware of the realities of this addiction. Thank you.
This turned into a semi vent, but I’m looking for support and advice from those who can relate. My partner has one month sober in SAA this Thursday. He’s been going to 1-2 meetings daily. This coming after 6 months of unsuccessfully white knuckling it, and about 2 years since initially disclosing his addiction to me. We were engaged the year prior and have been together 8 years total. I believe he has been sober this time; he no longer uses a smartphone, he has no access to any device that can get online without me unlocking it, we still have tracking apps, he isn’t home alone, doesn’t close the bathroom door, etc. These are things we mutually agreed on. He’s spent a lot of time at home journaling and reading books related to trauma recovery, sex and porn addiction, and other self help topics. He’s been working through the Help Her Heal workbook. He’s been working on his first step and 3 circles (I feel like these should both be done already). He got a sponsor. He’s scheduled to start working with a specialized therapist who also does EMDR next week. That I’m really hopeful about.
The thing I’m immensely struggling with though is his emotional fluctuation and inconsistency. I almost feel like I’m dealing with someone with split personalities. There’s a side of my partner who is wholly on board with recovery. He’s aware of the damage he’s caused and how his addiction and hiding it has impacted me. He feels genuine remorse. He’s kind, respectful and helpful. He’s committed and doing his best to wade through the discomfort of learning to be vulnerable and honest. He’s trying to be present with my emotions. But then there’s a side of him that is essentially the polar opposite. He’s still slipping into denial about the reality of his addiction. Still seeking external validation from me that everything’s fine when it isn’t. Still picking out anything about day to day life that looks “normal” and justifying to himself that the presence of it means there’s no problem anymore. He feels entitled to unconditional support and sees my emotions as taking away space for his. He’s flippant, self deprecating and detached. I feel like this side falls into objectification of women easily, whether that’s through porn or using me for emotional support.
When he’s been in a grounded headspace we’ve talked about this thoroughly and he calls this his addict brain. He says it feels like his angry inner child comes out, and that child feels entitled to anything that will make him feel better and resents anything and anyone that threatens that or meets him with anything other than unconditional positive regard. He was first exposed to porn at 8 years old, when his parents were divorcing and made no effort to explain anything that was going on to the kids. I understand the trauma, the misplaced anger and feelings of not receiving the care he needed. I experienced childhood emotional neglect too, so I empathize to a point…but I’ve grown to fucking hate his inner child. I can tell which headspace he’s in because his voice, facial expression, posture, everything is different between the two. I absolutely hate the way his shoulders slink down like an angsty teen and his eyebrows raise like he’s pouting. I hate the way his pitch goes up and he gets quieter, sometimes bordering on baby talk. This side of him is a professional pity party planner. It is so so unattractive to me. The self deprecation . The “I’m just a piece of shit”. I don’t care. I’m tired of hearing it. It feels like manipulation, and I call him on that. Like he’s trying to pull on my heartstrings to feel bad for him and cut him some slack. Sometimes he looks at me with total disdain when I tell him I’m not engaging with his victim mentality. I feel like he’s looking at me and seeing his Mom, projecting the shitty parent she was onto me because in that moment I’m not cleaning up the mess she made.
He’s been good about telling me about his meetings, sharing his reflections and what he’s learning. He hasn’t been as good about expressing active empathy and engaging with my experience, because I feel like that massively triggers the addict brain and he hasn’t found successful ways of regulating when he feels triggered.
I have it in me to support him through recovery, to do the hard work of rebuilding trust in our relationship. I want to save our relationship. But none of that is possible when he’s in the triggered headspace. When he’s grounded he sees me as his teammate, but addict brain sees me as his enemy. Every time the triggered mindset comes out I feel myself getting angrier and angrier. Being treated like the enemy feels like the most intense form of invalidation possible. Then we just circle the drain.
For the last month we’ve had 4-5 day stretches of him staying 90% in the grounded headspace. We’ve had fumbles and defensiveness that we’ve been able to work through without it escalating. But we haven’t been able to make it longer than 5 days without something happening that triggers the addict brain and he’s unable to regulate for at least 24 hours. Sometimes what triggers it will seem so minuscule to me that I don’t even catch it. In that instance what frequently happens is we’ll be having a conversation and then he starts saying things that are totally contradictory to things he said just a minute ago. I get confused and ask for clarity, and he either continues to contradict, gets defensive or starts trying to justify. Then I see that he’s no longer communicating from a grounded place. I do my best to disengage as soon as I catch it. Twice he’s caught it and gone into another room to try to regulate, which is progress, but I still feel like the frequency of him being unable to do that is unreasonable and not creating a safe environment for me.
This vacillation is making me feel like it’s impossible for me to support him in his recovery, because I feel like the lack of consistency triggers my feeling of being deceived. I grew up in a home where I had to walk on eggshells around an emotionally unstable parent, and I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t triggering in that regard too.
I’m just curious to know if anyone who experienced something like this felt like it got better as your partner progressed in therapy and/or active recovery? Did anything specific help? Is disengaging the best way for me to handle this in terms of protecting myself? What else did you do to support yourself?

If you ask Christians to sum up their faith in one sentence, most will give you some variation on "Jesus died for your sins." This idea is called 'substitutionary atonement' - Jesus atones in our place and acts as our substitute. Everyone has sinned and deserves harsh punishment, but Jesus offers to take that punishment in their place. In this post, I will argue that this is unjust.
​
The Tale of Jeffrey Lundgren
Warning: not for the faint of heart.
In 1987, self-proclaimed Christian prophet Jeffrey Lundgren started a cult. It soon grew to include about 20 people, including a family of five called the Averys. Lundgren did all sorts of terrible things with his influence: He had his cult members move into his farmhouse and give him all of their money. He forbade members from talking with each other without his presence and convinced them that he could read their minds. He began planning a violent takeover of the local Kirtland Temple, from which he had stolen tens of thousands of dollars, and pressed his followers into preparing to rob the temple and kill its inhabitants.
However, in 1988, Lundgren became unhappy with the Averys. The Avery family were loyal followers - they sold their house and moved states in order to join him, and they believed and trusted in him. But Lundgren felt their faith was weak because they decided not to live in his house and only gave him most of their money while setting aside a small sum for family use. So on April 17 of 1989, Lundgren had his followers dig a pit in his barn, and then lure the Averys there one by one, from oldest to youngest.
First the father, Dennis Avery, who was hit with a stun gun, gagged, and dragged before Lundgren, who shot him twice in the back.
Then the mother, Cheryl Avery, who was gagged and had her eyes duct taped before Lundgren shot her three times.
Next was 15-year-old Trina Avery who Lundgren shot twice in the head.
Then 13-year-old Becky Avery, who was shot twice but did not die instantly and was left to bleed out.
Finally 6-year-old Karen Avery, who Lundgren shot once in the chest and once in the head.
For his crimes, Jeffrey Lundgren was given the death penalty, and after exhausting his appeals he was executed on October 24, 2006.
​
The Lesson
Jeffrey Lundgren did terrible things, and he received punishment for these things. We call this 'justice'.
Now imagine for a moment Lundgren's trial in an alternate reality where substitutionary atonement is practiced. His lawyer says, "Your Honor, no doubt the death of the Averys is a terrible thing, and justice demands my client pay with his life. But one of my client's followers has stepped forward and said they are willing to die in his place." The judge agrees, and a cultist is executed while Lundgren walks free.
I ask you - is that justice?
No! Justice doesn't demand someone be punished - it demands punishment on the perpetrator! Lundgren's cultists would have no doubt been willing to die in his place, but we would never allow it, because it would be deeply unjust.
However, by the Christian account, we are all sinners. Just as Lundgren has sinned, so have the rest of us - and justice demands we all face punishment. By many accounts of Christianity, we deserve even worse punishment than Lundgren received. Just as it would be unjust for a cultist to be punished in Lundgren's place, it would be unjust for Jesus to be punished in a sinner's place.
​
Aims of Punishment
Why do we punish people when they do something wrong? There are five generally recognized aims of punishment:

1. Deterrence: providing motivation for the perpetrator and others not to commit similar acts in the future (e.g. charging a fine for illegal parking).
2. Incapacitation: preventing future transgressions by removing the perpetrator's ability to commit them (e.g. locking up a person planning a murder).
3. Rehabilitation: giving aid to the perpetrator to resolve the cause of their transgression (e.g. mandating anger management classes for someone who started a bar fight).
4. Retribution: taking pure vengeance on the perpetrator (e.g. secretly slashing the tires of someone who hurt your friend).
5. Restitution: compensating the victim in order to partially or completely reverse the harm (e.g. making a thief give back what they stole).

All punishments are issued to achieve one or more of these aims. For substitutionary atonement to serve justice, it would have to achieve these aims just as the original punishment would have. Let's examine them one at a time.
​
Deterrence
A deterrent punishment aims to prevent similar transgressions in the future by making people fear the consequences of committing them. For example, we fine people who illegally park their cars to dissuade them from doing that. If someone knows that an act will result in punishment, they are less likely to commit that act. Most of our laws act for deterrence; when we ban an act - public urination, copyright infringement, wire fraud - we don't just say it's illegal, we add a punishment to encourage people not to do it.
Deterrence is not transferable. If you punish someone other than the culprit, you don't give the culprit any motivation not to transgress again. Imagine a rich brat who often gets drunk at restaurants and smashes up the place. Each time they do this, their parents deal with the fallout and pay the restaurants for the damage. As a result, the brat has no reason not to keep doing the same thing - the punishment affected the parents, but it failed to deter the actual perpetrator.
​
Incapacitation
An incapacitative punishment aims not to punish a transgression that has already happened but to prevent one from occurring. For example, if we find someone planning a murder, we lock them up to prevent them from carrying out the murder. This helps prevent transgressions directly by removing the perpetrator's ability to transgress.
Incapacitation is not transferable. Imagine we find someone planning a murder, but we lock someone else up in their place: this does not prevent them from carrying out the murder. Punishing a substitute is entirely useless and does not accomplish the aim of preventing the transgression.
​
Rehabilitation
A rehabilitative punishment aims to help the perpetrator and remove their reason for transgressing. For example, if someone starts a bar fight, we might mandate they take anger management classes to help them control their anger. If an employee's negligence causes an accident, their company might require them to undergo additional training. Some people consider this not to be punishment at all since it aims to benefit the perpetrator, not to harm them. Regardless, rehabilitation aims to prevent transgression not by making people afraid to transgress but by addressing the reason they would transgress in the first place.
Rehabilitation is not transferable. If a perpetrator commits a transgression, we must help them in particular to help them not do so in the future. If the person who started the bar fight sent someone else to the anger management classes in their place, their anger problems would not be addressed, and they would be likely to transgress again. Rehabilitating a substitute does nothing to accomplish the aim of rehabilitation.
​
Retribution
A retributive punishment aims to hurt the perpetrator for no other reason than that they deserve it. For example, if someone hurts your friend, you might feel that they deserve to be hurt back and secretly slash their tires. In this case the punishment does not act as a deterrent (since neither they nor anyone else knows what caused it). It also doesn't act to incapacitate them - they are fully capable of hurting your friend again - and does not act to rehabilitate them - as it does not address the reason they hurt your friend. The aim of the punishment is pure vengeance; when someone does something bad, we want bad things to happen to them.
Retribution is not transferable. If we punish someone other than the perpetrator, then we don't inflict harm on the perpetrator. For example, as we saw in Lundgren's case, punishing a cultist did not serve justice and Lundgren did not get what he deserved.
​
Restitution
A restitutive punishment aims to undo harm to the victim or offset it by compensating them with something else. For example, if a thief steals some money from a victim, we make them give it back. Restitutive punishments aim to return the state of affairs to what it would have been had the transgression not happened.
Restitutive punishments are the only kind of punishment which is transferable. Restitution has everything to do with the victim and nothing to do with the perpetrator; so long as the victim is restored, it doesn't matter who's doing the restoring. For example, if a child breaks a school's window, their parents can pay the school for the broken window on their behalf. The school doesn't demand the money come from the child in particular because they simply want to be compensated for what was lost, not to punish the child (and will likely institute another form of punishment to accomplish the other aims, such as detention or suspension, which they wouldn't allow the parents to take in the child's place).
​
Substitutionary Atonement & Jesus
As we have seen, substitutionary atonement is impermissible in most cases. It's only permissible in punishments levied entirely for restitution. That's why our society widely practices substitutionary atonement for restitution - we call it 'insurance'. Insurance companies are punished on our behalf when we crash our cars, and they pay restitution to the victims of the crash in our place. The victims don't care whether the money comes from us or from our insurance company; they just want to be compensated. Notably, we don't have insurance for any other kinds of punishments - you can't pay someone to go to jail on your behalf or take remedial driving classes on your behalf, because non-restitution punishments are not transferable.
So what transgression did we commit, and what kind of punishment is Jesus taking in our place? Depending on which Christian you ask, you'll get wildly different answers to this question, but the vast majority of answers boil down to retribution - we did something wrong, or inherited some sin from someone else who did something wrong, and we deserve to be punished for it. However, no answers aim for restitution. Remember that restitution involves restoring the harmed victim and reversing their harm. The punishments of the afterlife - be they eternal conscious torment, oblivion, separation from God, or something else - certainly don't restore the actual victims of our acts. The old lady you cut in line or the man you bore false witness against don't gain anything from you going to hell, except perhaps the satisfaction that you were punished (which falls under retribution, not restitution). Your punishment does not restore anything that was taken away from them or undo any harm done to them. Therefore, in all Christian conceptions, the aims of the punishment we face are non-transferable. Jesus can't die for your sins because justice would not be served.
​
Objections
So what, you'd rather go to hell?
Yes! If I have truly done something so horrible and vile that justice demands I suffer hell for it, then I ought to go to hell. It would be wrong for me to avoid the punishment I deserve just because someone in charge agreed to look the other way.
​
The victim of your sins isn't the actual person you hurt - it's God, and Jesus pays restitution to God in your place.
This view maintains that you harm God when you sin, and that your punishment aims not to affect you in any way but only to restore him. But God cannot be harmed - in almost all versions of Christianity, God is perfect and unchanging. You can't steal fifty bucks from God and then be forced to give them back.
Even if your acts displease God, they do not take something away from God - and a punishment of hell or oblivion doesn't give anything back to God. Remember that restitution is entirely about the victim and has nothing to do with the perpetrator; in Christianity, punishment for sins definitely has something to do with the perpetrator.
Many people think that sins are not just crimes against your fellow man, but an offense against God. If you think that sins are deserving of punishment because they are an offense against God, then that falls under retribution, not restitution - this view aims to punish people for offenses they committed against a victim, not to restore that victim.
​
Your argument doesn't address this particular theology or theologian!
This is true - given the extreme diversity of theological views in Christianity, it would be impossible for me to address them all here. However, the vast majority of Christians believe in a commonsense view of substitutionary atonement and don't base their understanding on any complex theology. As a result, I offer a commonsense analysis to rebut their beliefs. People often get upset that I 'misrepresented the Christian view,' forgetting that their view is not the Christian view, but one of many Christian views.
​
Jesus's sacrifice wasn't about punishment, it about grace/love/mercy/conquering death/something else.
If you have a different idea about the purpose of Jesus's sacrifice, that's fine. There are many alternative models that explain why Jesus died on the cross, such as moral influence theory and the Christus Victor view, and they are outside the scope of this post. I am specifically rebutting here the idea that Jesus died in our place. If you agree that Jesus did not die to take on some punishment in our place, then my argument has succeeded in what it set out to do.

If you ask Christians to sum up their faith in one sentence, most will give you some variation on "Jesus died for your sins." This idea is called 'substitutionary atonement' - Jesus atones in our place and acts as our substitute. Everyone has sinned and deserves harsh punishment, but Jesus offers to take that punishment in their place. In this post, I will argue that this is unjust.
​
The Tale of Jeffrey Lundgren
Warning: not for the faint of heart.
In 1987, self-proclaimed Christian prophet Jeffrey Lundgren started a cult. It soon grew to include about 20 people, including a family of five called the Averys. Lundgren did all sorts of terrible things with his influence: He had his cult members move into his farmhouse and give him all of their money. He forbade members from talking with each other without his presence and convinced them that he could read their minds. He began planning a violent takeover of the local Kirtland Temple, from which he had stolen tens of thousands of dollars, and pressed his followers into preparing to rob the temple and kill its inhabitants.
However, in 1988, Lundgren became unhappy with the Averys. The Avery family were loyal followers - they sold their house and moved states in order to join him, and they believed and trusted in him. But Lundgren felt their faith was weak because they decided not to live in his house and only gave him most of their money while setting aside a small sum for family use. So on April 17 of 1989, Lundgren had his followers dig a pit in his barn, and then lure the Averys there one by one, from oldest to youngest.
First the father, Dennis Avery, who was hit with a stun gun, gagged, and dragged before Lundgren, who shot him twice in the back.
Then the mother, Cheryl Avery, who was gagged and had her eyes duct taped before Lundgren shot her three times.
Next was 15-year-old Trina Avery who Lundgren shot twice in the head.
Then 13-year-old Becky Avery, who was shot twice but did not die instantly and was left to bleed out.
Finally 6-year-old Karen Avery, who Lundgren shot once in the chest and once in the head.
For his crimes, Jeffrey Lundgren was given the death penalty, and after exhausting his appeals he was executed on October 24, 2006.
​
The Lesson
Jeffrey Lundgren did terrible things, and he received punishment for these things. We call this 'justice'.
Now imagine for a moment Lundgren's trial in an alternate reality where substitutionary atonement is practiced. His lawyer says, "Your Honor, no doubt the death of the Averys is a terrible thing, and justice demands my client pay with his life. But one of my client's followers has stepped forward and said they are willing to die in his place." The judge agrees, and a cultist is executed while Lundgren walks free.
I ask you - is that justice?
No! Justice doesn't demand someone be punished - it demands punishment on the perpetrator! Lundgren's cultists would have no doubt been willing to die in his place, but we would never allow it, because it would be deeply unjust.
However, by the Christian account, we are all sinners. Just as Lundgren has sinned, so have the rest of us - and justice demands we all face punishment. By many accounts of Christianity, we deserve even worse punishment than Lundgren received. Just as it would be unjust for a cultist to be punished in Lundgren's place, it would be unjust for Jesus to be punished in a sinner's place.
​
Aims of Punishment
Why do we punish people when they do something wrong? There are five generally recognized aims of punishment:

1. Deterrence: providing motivation for the perpetrator and others not to commit similar acts in the future (e.g. charging a fine for illegal parking).
2. Incapacitation: preventing future transgressions by removing the perpetrator's ability to commit them (e.g. locking up a person planning a murder).
3. Rehabilitation: giving aid to the perpetrator to resolve the cause of their transgression (e.g. mandating anger management classes for someone who started a bar fight).
4. Retribution: taking pure vengeance on the perpetrator (e.g. secretly slashing the tires of someone who hurt your friend).
5. Restitution: compensating the victim in order to partially or completely reverse the harm (e.g. making a thief give back what they stole).

All punishments are issued to achieve one or more of these aims. For substitutionary atonement to serve justice, it would have to achieve these aims just as the original punishment would have. Let's examine them one at a time.
​
Deterrence
A deterrent punishment aims to prevent similar transgressions in the future by making people fear the consequences of committing them. For example, we fine people who illegally park their cars to dissuade them from doing that. If someone knows that an act will result in punishment, they are less likely to commit that act. Most of our laws act for deterrence; when we ban an act - public urination, copyright infringement, wire fraud - we don't just say it's illegal, we add a punishment to encourage people not to do it.
Deterrence is not transferable. If you punish someone other than the culprit, you don't give the culprit any motivation not to transgress again. Imagine a rich brat who often gets drunk at restaurants and smashes up the place. Each time they do this, their parents deal with the fallout and pay the restaurants for the damage. As a result, the brat has no reason not to keep doing the same thing - the punishment affected the parents, but it failed to deter the actual perpetrator.
​
Incapacitation
An incapacitative punishment aims not to punish a transgression that has already happened but to prevent one from occurring. For example, if we find someone planning a murder, we lock them up to prevent them from carrying out the murder. This helps prevent transgressions directly by removing the perpetrator's ability to transgress.
Incapacitation is not transferable. Imagine we find someone planning a murder, but we lock someone else up in their place: this does not prevent them from carrying out the murder. Punishing a substitute is entirely useless and does not accomplish the aim of preventing the transgression.
​
Rehabilitation
A rehabilitative punishment aims to help the perpetrator and remove their reason for transgressing. For example, if someone starts a bar fight, we might mandate they take anger management classes to help them control their anger. If an employee's negligence causes an accident, their company might require them to undergo additional training. Some people consider this not to be punishment at all since it aims to benefit the perpetrator, not to harm them. Regardless, rehabilitation aims to prevent transgression not by making people afraid to transgress but by addressing the reason they would transgress in the first place.
Rehabilitation is not transferable. If a perpetrator commits a transgression, we must help them in particular to help them not do so in the future. If the person who started the bar fight sent someone else to the anger management classes in their place, their anger problems would not be addressed, and they would be likely to transgress again. Rehabilitating a substitute does nothing to accomplish the aim of rehabilitation.
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Retribution
A retributive punishment aims to hurt the perpetrator for no other reason than that they deserve it. For example, if someone hurts your friend, you might feel that they deserve to be hurt back and secretly slash their tires. In this case the punishment does not act as a deterrent (since neither they nor anyone else knows what caused it). It also doesn't act to incapacitate them - they are fully capable of hurting your friend again - and does not act to rehabilitate them - as it does not address the reason they hurt your friend. The aim of the punishment is pure vengeance; when someone does something bad, we want bad things to happen to them.
Retribution is not transferable. If we punish someone other than the perpetrator, then we don't inflict harm on the perpetrator. For example, as we saw in Lundgren's case, punishing a cultist did not serve justice and Lundgren did not get what he deserved.
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Restitution
A restitutive punishment aims to undo harm to the victim or offset it by compensating them with something else. For example, if a thief steals some money from a victim, we make them give it back. Restitutive punishments aim to return the state of affairs to what it would have been had the transgression not happened.
Restitutive punishments are the only kind of punishment which is transferable. Restitution has everything to do with the victim and nothing to do with the perpetrator; so long as the victim is restored, it doesn't matter who's doing the restoring. For example, if a child breaks a school's window, their parents can pay the school for the broken window on their behalf. The school doesn't demand the money come from the child in particular because they simply want to be compensated for what was lost, not to punish the child (and will likely institute another form of punishment to accomplish the other aims, such as detention or suspension, which they wouldn't allow the parents to take in the child's place).
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Substitutionary Atonement & Jesus
As we have seen, substitutionary atonement is impermissible in most cases. It's only permissible in punishments levied entirely for restitution. That's why our society widely practices substitutionary atonement for restitution - we call it 'insurance'. Insurance companies are punished on our behalf when we crash our cars, and they pay restitution to the victims of the crash in our place. The victims don't care whether the money comes from us or from our insurance company; they just want to be compensated. Notably, we don't have insurance for any other kinds of punishments - you can't pay someone to go to jail on your behalf or take remedial driving classes on your behalf, because non-restitution punishments are not transferable.
So what transgression did we commit, and what kind of punishment is Jesus taking in our place? Depending on which Christian you ask, you'll get wildly different answers to this question, but the vast majority of answers boil down to retribution - we did something wrong, or inherited some sin from someone else who did something wrong, and we deserve to be punished for it. However, no answers aim for restitution. Remember that restitution involves restoring the harmed victim and reversing their harm. The punishments of the afterlife - be they eternal conscious torment, oblivion, separation from God, or something else - certainly don't restore the actual victims of our acts. The old lady you cut in line or the man you bore false witness against don't gain anything from you going to hell, except perhaps the satisfaction that you were punished (which falls under retribution, not restitution). Your punishment does not restore anything that was taken away from them or undo any harm done to them. Therefore, in all Christian conceptions, the aims of the punishment we face are non-transferable. Jesus can't die for your sins because justice would not be served.
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Objections
So what, you'd rather go to hell?
Yes! If I have truly done something so horrible and vile that justice demands I suffer hell for it, then I ought to go to hell. It would be wrong for me to avoid the punishment I deserve just because someone in charge agreed to look the other way.
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The victim of your sins isn't the actual person you hurt - it's God, and Jesus pays restitution to God in your place.
This view maintains that you harm God when you sin, and that your punishment aims not to affect you in any way but only to restore him. But God cannot be harmed - in almost all versions of Christianity, God is perfect and unchanging. You can't steal fifty bucks from God and then be forced to give them back.
Even if your acts displease God, they do not take something away from God - and a punishment of hell or oblivion doesn't give anything back to God. Remember that restitution is entirely about the victim and has nothing to do with the perpetrator; in Christianity, punishment for sins definitely has something to do with the perpetrator.
Many people think that sins are not just crimes against your fellow man, but an offense against God. If you think that sins are deserving of punishment because they are an offense against God, then that falls under retribution, not restitution - this view aims to punish people for offenses they committed against a victim, not to restore that victim.
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Your argument doesn't address this particular theology or theologian!
This is true - given the extreme diversity of theological views in Christianity, it would be impossible for me to address them all here. However, the vast majority of Christians believe in a commonsense view of substitutionary atonement and don't base their understanding on any complex theology. As a result, I offer a commonsense analysis to rebut their beliefs. People often get upset that I 'misrepresented the Christian view,' forgetting that their view is not the Christian view, but one of many Christian views.
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Jesus's sacrifice wasn't about punishment, it about grace/love/mercy/conquering death/something else.
If you have a different idea about the purpose of Jesus's sacrifice, that's fine. There are many alternative models that explain why Jesus died on the cross, such as moral influence theory and the Christus Victor view, and they are outside the scope of this post. I am specifically rebutting here the idea that Jesus died in our place. If you agree that Jesus did not die to take on some punishment in our place, then my argument has succeeded in what it set out to do.

Hi,
first time posting here but somehow felt drawn to seek objective advice from women around the world who might be feeling the same. I'm in my late 30s, successful in my profession, have great friends and family and generally very grateful for everything I have and have the possibility to do and experience. I've always yearned for a partnership that was equal, mature, strong without it being stifling and I keep failing in this respect. Sometimes it was just choosing the wrong person, but recently, I feel like I did find the person I've wanted to find for a long time but he is just come with a baggage and cannot really be present and committed in the way that I want. Irrespective of the depth of feelings for each other. Which are genuine and not something either of us are saying just because it's nicer to tell people how great they are when breaking up. It's a fact, but love alone, clearly is never enough to make a relationship successful. Moving on to a different phase in this with him- whether it's remaining friends, staying in each other's life casually or just separating completely will not just be painful but also bittersweet because it was close, but not enough.
I'm not really looking for advice as to how to proceed with him, but rather, I've had the niggling constant thought lately that perhaps the solution here is not to just move on to someone better, or hope to find a better suited individual as the narrative always seems to require when dealing with a breakup but whether I should just shift my perspective of relationships in general. I feel like I've given this top billing in my life since forever, I've tried my best to achieve it in a mature way and yet it keeps eluding me. Sure I've done mistakes in my approach maybe cos I'm not perfect, but generally speaking I consider myself to be grounded, stable and caring without major issues that would not allow me to have a healthy relationship. Yet, I can't seem to attract that. In more painful ways than the previous one each time. Is it possible to just change the way you value romantic relationships in your life? Is it possible to find ways to be happy with all the other things and truly not feel that gaping hole that a partnership would fill? I'm not talking about shutting myself off to become like this. I'm talking about genuinely going through a healthy transformation to achieve it. Because I think it would be convenient to be focused on other things and then dip into romance only when needed if such a thing were possible. But is it? Because I'm done with feeling hurt, with having to move on, with the pain of those months when you're slowly killing feelings and desire for someone not cos you don't have them but because they can't stay there. And I'm done with hope that next time it will be different.
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Thoughts?

Hi all,
Hopefully someone can give a bit of guidance or advise who to reach out to..
So my neighbour has decided they want to build a fence between our two properties, as they have a dog and young children.
I told them to go ahead providing it's in keeping with the other fence and doesn't encroach on my land. They showed me some photo renders of what to expect and said they'll cover the full cost, great.
Their drive way is monoblocked and is beside my front garden which is grass and the boundry is clearly marked by a thin line of grey paving stones (which I've doubled checked against the deeds and is accurate).
On Friday I came home from work and the builders had dug a fairly large trench and dug holes for the fence posts on my grass. I asked them what they were doing and they said they had to dig the trench as there was a gas pipe and they had to check how wide it went and then had to dig holes for the posts even further into my land. I told them they had to stop as I didn't consent to anything being put on my land and they left for the day.
Anyway I went and spoke to my neighbour who said the posts would have to go on my side as it would be too expensive to dig up their monoblocked driveway to fit the fence posts. I've said I don't agree to the posts being on my side and that it's them that want the fence so they should put them on their side. My neighbours are now annoyed about the whole thing and said they won't put my garden back to the way it was. It's in quite a state, can i do anything about this? Do I have to accept the fence posts being on my side or is it reasonable to expect them to have them on their side?
I'm worried that I'll come home from work a day this week and the fence will have been erected, can i do anything to prevent this/what can I do if this does happen?
Location: Scotland
Tldr, do the fence posts have to be on my side? Just because it's easier to dig grass/dirt than monoblock?

So I (20F) have been working in childcare for 4 years and I work part time.
I started off doing 1 day a week up until I graduated High school and from there i signed a contract stating I'll be doing 2 days a week to allow study time so I could complete my traineeship with them. But to no ones surprise I've ended up doing (and still am) doing 37 and a half to 38 hours every single week (37.50 to 38 hours is 5 days a week which is considered full time) leaving me with no social life and I haven't been able to hang out with my friends for over a year now amd each time they make plans and invite me, I've had to decline and tell them I'm working.
Now your probably asking "why don't you make plans on the weekend?" We've all considered that but sadly they work weekends and some shifts during the week. Your probably asking aswell "Why don't you ask for a day off?" I've asked my boss if I can start having days off which she thankfully gives me a day off but that stops pretty quickly and I get called in still if someone does and if I decline the coworker starts making me feel bad for saying no in the first place so I end up going.
From feeling like I'm getting bullied part of this, my coworkers gave off the impression that they didn't like me, didn't want me there and making me feel like I was stupid by asking me obvious questions on why I'm doing something, whether it be cleaning something, engaging with the children, doing their nappies to even to making sure they don't hurt themselves on something that can smash their head open on. I get glared at, eyes rolling, them belittling, intimidating and them talking to other coworkers about me.
I also still live a home due to housing prices being expensive and I'm still in the process of getting my P's as I don't get the time to practice during the week and sleeping my way through the weekend due to working.
I have mentioned a few times to my dad about working somewhere but he doesn't seem happy that I'm thinking about going somewhere else to work because in his words "I'm going to get A-holes wherever I go" Which I understand but if it means getting the time off I want without using my annual leave and feeling shit about going to work it honesty might be a better option
So really would AITA for wanting to go to another childcare for wanting a day off and wanting some respect

I feel as though I should post this here too.
Growing up there were a couple moments that I feel may have truly altered how I am today but I don’t know what to do. I don’t know my biological father as he abused my mother and was a constant drug user. From then on I spent some time with my grandparents only for later down the line my grandfather tried to harm us all. Then I went back to live with my mother and the man who would become my stepfather but I see him as my dad. I hadn’t realized then that he had SA’d me quite a lot when I was younger but now we are all a family. Yes, I did tell my mother and another family member about the situation. I apologize for how this may just come out abruptly but I don’t know how else to get this out of my system than just saying it.
I’m in college now and I have zero motivation to do anything. For the last three semesters I have ranged from dropping down to two classes and even then skipping those lectures to doing zero work and skipping exams. I procrastinate from work and even now I am skipping my classes to write this.
Last semester I went through a therapy program called DBT 12 hours a week just so that I could learn skills to further talk with my therapist. At first she seemed very helpful but now I am not sure if she is overworked as she is a part of the University’s counselors or she genuinely does not care to help me. The advice she gives me always boils down to me joining weird groups— for example she recommended I join a BIPOC Yoga group? She knows of my trauma though not exactly who is to blame for my SA as I don’t want law enforcement involved. And continues to not have time to dive into those topics.
It’s really difficult as I need to speak about this. I need to get it out my system. I don’t know if my PTSD is to blame for my lack of motivation but it weighs on my mind everyday that the man who is my father could do something so gross to me. My mother is still with him and I don’t want them to divorce but I feel an awkward sense of resentment because I ruined the life they had. I do have a little brother as well and I don’t want him to grow up with divorced parents. I wanted to tell them I lied and that I must’ve been dreaming.
All so that they can live in peace.
But I feel the possible effects of it all. I have horrible memory loss that it took trying my first edible to remember my childhood bedroom, there is a lot of SI in my life and attempts of suicide, and genuinely I feel like crawling in a hole to do nothing. I cannot and don’t even go to classes though my parents pay for it. I do zero work and only want to do what I enjoy. And I just don’t know what to make of it all.
I am not sure what to do for now and the coming days/weeks. Could anyone who has read this share some advice or how to overcome the state of my life. Thank you for reading.